Pre-primed fuel and method and apparatus for its manufacture
AssigneeBall Corporation
InventorAddison B. Scholes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A primed fuel is manufactured by the application of particles of a combustible primer, such as wax, to a fuel, such as charred wood. In the method and apparatus of this manufacture, fuel is transported through a deposition zone within the apparatus. A liquid supply of combustible primer is provided and formed into droplets and deposited in droplet form onto the fuel, preferably by electrostatic deposition. The primer tends to be preferentially deposited at the more readily ignitable edge of the fuel.
Claims22
Apparatus for manufacturing pre-primed fuel with a normally non-fluid combustible primer comprising
- first means forming an upper chamber and a deposition chamber;
- second means to carry the fuel to be primed through the deposition chamber, said second means being adapted to support the fuel so that substantially the entire surface is exposed to deposition;
- third means to provide particles of liquid primer material to the deposition chamber located in the upper chamber of the first means;
- fourth means within the deposition chamber to direct particles of primer at the fuel from above and below the second means;
- the lower portion of the first means being adapted to intercept undeposited particles of primer, to maintain the normally non-fluid primer above its melting point and to provide a source of liquefied non-fluid primer to the third means, heating means being located at the upper chamber and in association with the third means.
Apparatus for manufacturing pre-primed fuel comprising
- first means forming a deposition chamber and a container for primer material to be applied to said fuel;
- second means providing a liquid supply of primer material from said container for application to said fuel;
- third means to provide the liquid primer material as a spray in the deposition chamber;
- fourth means to charge electrostatically the spray of primer material for deposition in the chamber;
- and
- fifth means forming an unobstructing conveyor to carry the fuel into and through the deposition chamber through opening in the first means and to maintain the fuel a spray-attracting potential.
Apparatus for manufacturing pre-primed fuels comprising
- first means forming a deposition chamber;
- second means to provide particles of liquid primer material to the deposition chamber;
- third means to convey fuel to be primed through the deposition chamber;
- fourth means within the deposition chamber to direct the particles to the fuel, from above and below the second means, said third means being adapted to support the combustible materials so that substantially the entire surface of the fuel is exposed in deposition;
- the lower portion of the first means being adapted to intercept and provide a supply of primer material.
Apparatus to coat fuel with a normally non-fluid primer comprising
- a structure forming a deposition chamber in its interior having entrance and exit openings and forming on its exterior stations for loading the apparatus with fuel to be coated and for unloading coated fuel, said deposition chamber including a container at its lower portion for liquefied primer;
- an unobstructing conveyor supported by said structure so that the conveyor can be driven through the loading station, the deposition chamber, the unloading station, and the container;
- a heater in the lower container portion of the structure to liquefy and maintain the primer in a liquid state;
- means to break the liquefied primer into particles and a system to deliver the liquefied primer from the lower container portion of the structure to said means;
- and
- means within the structure to deposit the primer spray on the charred wood from above and below the conveyor.
A method of manufacturing charred combustible fuel primed with combustible primer comprising
- transporting the fuel through a deposition zone;
- providng a liquid supply of combustible primer;
- forming droplets of combustible primer from the liquid supply and electrically charging the droplets at the deposition zone;
- and
- maintaining the charred combustible material at a spray attracting potential while in the deposition zone so that the charged droplets of combustible primer are deposited on the materials.
A method of applying a primer material to a charred wood fuel comprising providing a liquid supply of the primer material which can include particles of the fuel, delivering the liquid primer material for atomization and deposition on the fuel through means defining a small passageway, and vibrating the means defining a small passageway in the presence of said liquid primer material to maintain the flow of liquid primer material for delivery, atomization, and deposition.
Pre-primed charred wood comprising a piece of broken wood which has been charred and is several inches in length, and on the order of an inch or less in those dimensions transverse to its length, having applied to its exterior a non-fluid combustible primer material by the steps of electrostatically charging and depositing particles of the non-fluid primer.
Apparatus for manufacturing pre-primed fuels comprising
- first means forming a deposition chamber;
- second means to provide particles of liquid primer material to the deposition chamber, including a block having a plurality of atomizers formed by a plurality of bores in said block, each bore including a nozzle forming member and an atomizing orifice forming member and being connected with a supply of liquid primer and a supply of compressed air;
- third means to convey fuel to be primed through the deposition chamber;
- and
- fourth means within the deposition chamber to direct the particles to the fuel, from above and below the second means, said third means being adapted to support the combustible materials so that substantially the entire surface of the fuel is exposed to deposition.
A method of applying a primer material to a fuel comprising providing a liquid supply of the primer material which can include particles of the fuel, delivering the liquid primer material for atomization and deposition on the fuel through means defining a small passageway, and vibrating the means defining a small passageway in the presence of said liquid primer material and pulsing the delivery of liquid primer material to maintain the flow of liquid primer material for delivery, atomization, and deposition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.