Improvements in Furnace Processes and Apparatus for the Destruc- tion of Nightsoil, Garbage, Waste Products, and other Noxious Matters.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnace Processes and Apparatus for the Destruc-
tion of Nightsoil, Garbage, Waste Products, and other Noxious
Matters.
We, HENRY GEORGE DOWNTON, of Croydon, near Sydney, in the Colony of New
South Wales, Brick Manufacturer, WILLIAM HENRY NICHOLLS, of Croydon afore-
said, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the destruction of night soil garbage house refuse waste
products of noxious trades and other like matters either dry or wet and it has been
devised in order to produce a thorough process, and economical and efficient appar-
atus for the purpose.
The improvement in process for the said purpose consists of or is involved in
the complete incineration and roasting of the matter to be destroyed in a closed
and sealed oven or retort so that the solids will be converted into ash or like in-
noxious material the liquids thoroughly evaporated and the vapors and gases col-
lected and with or without re-inforcement or blending with other gases utilised
in the production of heat in the furnace under the said oven or retort or in the
production of heat or light for other purposes.
The improvements in apparatus for the said purpose consist mainly of the
peculiar construction of oven or retort and connections and in the particular com-
binations and arrangements of mechanical parts hereinafter described and specifi-
cally claimed.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the oven
or retort with furnace and flues and connections. Figure 2 is a sectional plan
on line a a in other figures Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line bb
and Figure 4 is a transverse section on line c c.
The oven or retort A is superposed over an arch containing a nest of flues in
the centre of which is the furnace and ashpit.
The oven or retort A wholly surrounds the arch B (Fig. 4) and at the base has
openings or ports B₁ for discharging the ashes or waste when desired these ports
being normally sealed with luted doors. At the top of the oven or retort two feeding
openings C and D (Fig. 3) are shewn though one of these in most cases would be
sufficient in practice. The opening C is closed by a cone C¹ preferably hollow
bottomed and of metal which takes up against the orifice of a lining C preferably
also of metal. This cone C is suspended by chain C3 which may be wound on
axle or spindle C (in air tight bearings through the lining (2) by turning said axle
by means of a ratchet handle C5 or a crank and held in place by a pawl and
ratchet C. On the top of the lining C2 is a surrounding trough C which is sup-
plied with water or sand in which takes the rim of the cover C and so forms a
seal. The cover C is suspended from a pulley and has a counterbalance weight
for ease in handling. The opening D has a lining D₁ with an inclined bottom D³
and it has a hinged door D³ tending by its own weight to keep closed upon bot-
tom D. Within the lining D' is a telescopic pipe D capable of being lifted and

page_text: hung to the back or bottom of a cart or other discharging conveyance or apparatus
and of being lowered and closed under the cover DS which forms a seal when its
rim takes in annular trough D7 filled with sand or water. The oven or retort A
has orifice E leading to flue or downtake E¹ whose further connections will be
hereinafter described.
The furnace F (Fig. 3) has ordinary door F and firebars F2 and the gases of
combustion pass therefrom by flue F3 split at the back and return by flues F*
and pass backwards and forwards by flues F5 and F from the latter of which they
pass on either side to couplet flues F7 F8 F9 and F10 in the side walls of the oven
or retort A passing backwards and forwards until they reach downtakes F" which
convey. them to side flues F12 (Figs. 2 and 4) in which they pass along to cross
flue F13 (Figs. 2 and 3) whence they find their way by other flue not-shewn to
a convenient chimney stack.
The ashpit G (Fig. 3) forms part of a water receptacle or tank extending from
the bottom of downtake E to. the furnace front. and terminating in a pit G¹ in
which is a piston or weight G2 hung over a pulley G³ from a counter-balance. In
this water receptacle are dividing pieces G and G5 each one forming a seal in
the water and dividing the downtake E¹ from a closed mixing chamber and this
chamber from the ashpit while the furnace front F1 also forms a seal and separates
the ashpit G from the outer air. For convenience in working the pit G has a
cover G forming a floor for thé furnaceman.
1.
Air pipe H (Fig. 3) open at its outer ends passes from end to end of flue F13 and
has off sets H (Fig. 4) taking along flues Fia (and thus the air therein will become
heated) and connecting by passages H2 (Fig. 2)' with flues H3 H4 H5 and.He (Fig. 4)
in which the air passes backwards and forwards along the side of the furnace
and becomes thoroughly heated before it finds its way through orifices H into the
ashpit G under the firebars where 'it commingles with the vapors and gases from
the oven or retort (and with other gas if supplied) before entering furnace F
between the firebars F2. A flue H8 is utilised to admit air from front of the oven
or retort through a damper and carry it along to return flue H having outlets Ho
to above the fire at the back so as to assist in the combustion of the gases leaving
the fire: .
The gases and vapors in downtake E may find their way through pipe I¹
(Fig. 3) if valve I be open into a mixing and storage reservoir as an ordinary gas
holder where they may be conserved for after use or where they may be mixed or
re-inforced as required either hot or cold with other gases to render them suitable
for heating or even for illuminating purposes. If the valve I be closed or if there
be sufficient back pressure in the holder the gases and vapors from downtake E¹
will pass under seal G4 into a part of the before mentioned water receptacle below
the furnace which part is mixing chamber J. Into this chamber at either side
enter gas pipes J₁ and from it are ports or flues 'J2 connecting with flues J3 and J
(Fig. 4) backwards and forwards at side of ashpit G from the latter of which are
orifices J5 leading to under the firebars. The gases and vapors from the oven or
retort pass then into chamber J where the condensable portions are separated
out by the water floor or base of said chamber and where the gases may be blended
with other suitable gases supplied through pipes J¹ and from said chamber J raw
or thus blended or reinforced they pass, being heated by the way, to under the
firebars through which in company with hot air entering through orifices H7 they
pass into the furnace where they assist combustion. They are thus thoroughly
consumed in the furnace.
Having described the operation of the various parts, there is but little further
to be said to make the practical working of this invention understandable suffice
it that the night soil and other noxious matters are fed into the oven or retort A
through one or other of the openings C and D. The furnace F is charged with
fuel (a minimum of which is required) to keep' said oven or retort at its greatest
possible heat at all times. If desired when feeding the piston G³ may be raised

page_text: in pit G so as to lower the level of the water in the bottom chamber thus opening
seals G and G5 (though seal F¹ being longer still remains closed) when a draught
will be induced from the oven or retort through the downtake the mixing chamber
and the flues to the fire and thus prevent the escape of any foul odours gases or
vapors. The ashes or like product of the incineration and roasting are allowed
to accumulate in the oven or retort to just above the level of the arch B and become
a hot base on or in which all matters are thoroughly reduced by heat; when this
hot base requires its top level lowered some of it is removed through ports or
openings B¹ but comparatively speaking this is not required to be performed very
often. The level of this hot base may be ascertained through convenient test
holes which are adapted to be made airtight when not required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
First. The improvement in process for the destruction of night soil and noxious
matters consisting of or involved in the complete incineration and roasting of
said matters in a closed and sealed oven or retort in the manner substantially as
herein described and explained.
Second. The apparatus for the destruction of nightsoil and noxious matters
consisting of the mechanical parts combined arranged and operated substantially
as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Third. In apparatus for the destruction of nightsoil and noxious matters the
combination with a closed and sealed oven or retort such as A having a gas and
vapor draw off flue or downtake such as E¹ of a water receptacle or tank air-tightly.
divided by seals into a mixing and condensing chamber such as J and an ashpit
such as G under the firebars of the furnace substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Fourth. In apparatus for the destruction of nightsoil and noxious matters the
combination with an oven or retort such as A having a water receptacle or tank
under the furnace divided by seals such as G4 G5 and F of a pit such as G¹ having
therein piston such as G³ for altering the water level in such receptacle substan-
tially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Fifth. In apparatus for the destruction of night soil and noxious matters the
combination with an oven or retort such as A and furnace such as F of mixing
and condensing chamber such as J ashpit such as G flue or passages such as J2 J3
and J* orifices such as J5 and ports or passages for supplying heated air substantially
as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Sixth. In apparatus for the destruction of night-soil and noxious matters the
combination with an oven or retort such as A furnace such as F and ashpit such
as G of pipes such as H and H¹ flues or passages such as H2 H3 H* H* and H
and orifices such as H7 with or without flues such as HB and H and orifices such
as H10 substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawing.
Dated this Fifth day of October One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-