Specification of Lord Willoughby de Eresby : compressing peat.

  • Willoughby de Eresby, Peter Robert Drummond Burrell, Baron, 1782-1865.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Lord Willoughby de Eresby : compressing peat. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Lord Willoughby d'Eresbys Improvements in Compressing Peat. NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Peter Robert Drummond, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following state¬ ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the 5 figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:— The first part of my Invention relates to a mode of using two drawers, frames, or vessels, into which the peat to be pressed is put; such drawers being so con¬ nected that the act of moving one from under the press shall place the other under the press; at the same time each drawer, frame, or vessel is capable of 10 independent movement on its axes, in order to discharge its contents after pressure, and to be turned back to receive a fresh supply, as will be hereafter fully described. Secondly, the Invention relates to a mode of employing wood as a means of allowing the passage of water upwards from the peat when under compression. 15 And in order to give the best information in my power, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed. I would, however, first remark, that such is the nature of peat, that in submitting it to pressure in order to express the water therefrom, that unless great care is observed in the con¬ structing of the apparatus employed, the peat as well as the water will be 20 ex]pressed through even very small openings. And it may be useful to state that the description of peat which should by preference be selected, when it is to be submitted to pressure, is that description which is free from fibres and black, having somewhat the appearance of blackened butter. The peat should be dug as usual, about eight inches by three, and three inches thick, 25 and these blocks of peat are to be placed to dry for four or five days, and by preference under sheds, and again after pressure they should be further dried. Description of the Drawing. Figure 1, a is the steam-engine boiler; b, steam engine ; c, main shaft of 30 engine; d, compressing pump ; e, exhausting pump; /, hand gear for reversing the motion of the sliding drawers which contain the peats; g, air vessel; and h, two cocks, that open and shut alternately, the use of which will be explained hereafter; i and i are pipes attaching the pumps d and c with the vessel j, from which four branch pipes k, k, k, ky convey the water to the four hydraulic 35 cylinders 7, 7, 7, 7, and by the pump d the rams or pistons will be forced out, end the compressing plate (to which they are all secured) lowered upon the top of the peat with great power. The peat is to be placed in sliding drawers