An Improved Method of Drying and Desiccating Sludge, Manure, and other Materials.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Drying and Desiccating Sludge, Manure,
and other Materials.
We GEORGE UNDERTON HASLAM of 5 Mornington Road, Bow, Middlesex Merchant,
and PHILIP CORNISH the younger of 1 Osborne Road, Leyton, Essex Stone Mason
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 —
Our invention is an improved method of drying and desiccating sludge mauure
and other materials-such as wet carth sludge manurial base or other material
suitable for the process.
In accordance with our invention the substance or material to be dried is first fed
into a hopper and from this hopper it is conveyed by the action of revolving screws
(or what are technically known as broken blade-screws) through a series of open
cylinders as many as may be requisite. The cylinders are fixed the screws revolving
inside them and the top portions of the cylinders must be left open to the extent of
one third or one fourth of its circumference. These drying cylinders with the
revolving desiccating screws or broken blade screws working inside them are enclosed
or arranged in a suitable furnace on any desired level or inclination in accordance
with the requirements.
The material or substance to be dried and desiccated may be fed through the
hopper into the first cylinder which (if the cylinder be arranged on an incline) will
be the top cylinder through which it will travel by the action of the revolving
broken blade screw falling out at the end into the second or next cylinder through
which by another revolving broken blade screw working the reverse way it is
conveyed into the third cylinder and so on through four, six, eight or such number
of cylinders as may be requisite to effect the purpose-six cylinders being usually
found sufficient to complete the drying and desiccation. We prefer serrating the
edges of our screw blades it assists in the process of desiccation. The heat from the
fire is conveyed first along under the cylinders and then back over the top
surface.
In order that the nature of our improvements may be better understood we have
prepared and appended to this explanatory drawing of the machinery and arrangement
which we prefer.
Figure I represents a front elevational view.
Figure 2 a side elevation.
Figure 3 a plan view partly in section and
Figure 4 a side sectional elevation of the improved means or improved machine
for automatically drying and desiccating wet substances.
Drawing A represents the furnace within which the cylinders are enclosed. The
substance or material which it is intended to dry and desiccate is fed into the
hopper A as shown at the side of the furnace or at the top thereof. The cylinders
or troughs B through which the material or substances is conveyed during the process
of drying are preferably of iron or they may be of any other suitable metal. The
inaterial or substance is conveyed through the cylinders B by sections of screw
conveyors C-mounted on the shafts D carried in bearings d or by blades mounted
radially on said shafts in a helical form and set at any required angle. Each shaft D
revolves in an opposite direction to the one following it thus conveying the material
alternately from one end of each cylinder to the other the material or substance
passing into the topmost cylinder and conveyed to the opposite end thereof from
whence it falls through an opening into the adjacent cylinder or trough through
which it is conveyed in the direction of the arrows to the opposite end thereof from

page_text: .
whence it falls through an opening into the cylinders below this operation being
repeated until the material or substance has passed through each cylinder whereupon
it finally emerges from the last of the tier of cylinders through the hopper f in a
thoroughly dried state. The shafts D are preferably driven by motive power which
is transmitted through a train of toothed wheels c by the pulley e or by a fly wheel
keyed to the driving shaft e. The cylinders which are secured in position in such a
manner as to compensate for the expansion an contraction of the metal composing
same may be if so desired separate from each other to permit of the flames passing
between the cylinders, but the arrangement we prefer to adopt for heating the
cylinders is that shown in the drawing by which arrangement the flames would first
come in contact with the under portion of each cylinder and after passing the
chimney E as indicated by the arrows. It will thus be obvious that as the flames
impinge upon the lower convex surface of each cylinder preparatory to passing over
same that the cylinders act as baffles and are thus heated to a very considerable
extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
First. The improved method and machine for drying and desiccating wet substances
or materials substantially as herein described and shown.
Second. The use of a cylinder or cylinders partly open at the top for the purpose
of drying either used singly or several in combination and arranged on a level or an
incline or on any other arrangement suitable for the purpose.
Third. The revolving screws or broken blade screws working in cylinders for
desiccating and conveying the substance or material through the cylinders and passing
it from cylinder to cylinder.
Fourth. Serrating the edges of the blades of the screw which which greatly assists
in the process of desiccation.
Fifth. The arrangement of the furnace and flues by which the heat is passed
under and around the cylinders and then made to return over the top and partly
open surface of the cylinders by which the vapour and the obnoxious gases are
consumed.
The whole substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof we the said George Underton Haslam and Philip Cornish
the younger have to this our Specification set our hands and seal the Twenty-
fifth day of July One thousand and eight hundred and ninety.