Improvements in and in Apparatus for Treating Street Sweepings and Scrapings and Town Refuse generally.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in and in Apparatus for Treating Street Sweepings
and Scrapings and Town Refuse generally.
I, ARMAND JULES LE BLANC, of 71, Boulevard Voltaire, Paris, France, Machine
Builder; do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the treatment of road scrapings and sweepings, house
and other refuse, by steam for the purpose of obtaining sterilized products
adapted to be utilized for commercial and agricultural purposes.
Many attempts, have been made to utilize such matters by disinfecting or de-
priving them of their noxious germs. The incineration process which has been
most generally employed in large towns possesses, however among other dis-
advantages those of expense and destructiveness of the fertilizing properties
of the matters treated. The treatment of such matters by means of steam in a
closed vessel has also been proposed but the cost in this case is also excessive
which the results attained do not justify.
The steaming process is however preferable to any other, and is employed by
me, the invention consisting essentially in utilizing the property possessed by
fluent steam under pressure of thoroughly permeating compact masses.
To this
end I combine two apparatus which offer the greatest facilities for handling
and economically treating such matters, the one being a fixed and the other a
rotary apparatus. The fixed apparatus may comprise one or more cylindrical
receivers each provided with covers for the supply of the matters to be treated,
a false bottom to enable the receiver to be discharged, and means for stirring
the matters during treatment. Several receivers may be combined in series,
the receivers communicating with one another so as to allow the steam to pass
from one to the other and thus obtain an economical utilization of the steam.
The rotary or movable apparatus may also comprise several containers each pro-
vided with openings for the admission and exit of the matters; the steam after
having heated the first of the series then passing to the second and thence into
the third receiver in order to utilize the whole of its heat.
...
The rotary apparatus which I employ consist of horizontal cylindrical or
spherical receivers mounted on trunnions similar to apparatus employed for the
treatment of rags in paper making.
The following is a detail description of the apparatus by which my invention
is carried out in practice. This apparatus comprises a stationary cylinder made
of rivetted sheet iron and having closed ends, within which and parallel to its
axis is mounted a rotary cylinder carried by a shaft which is driven by means of
a suitable gearing. The outer cylinder is provided with inlet and outlet open-
ings provided with valves for controlling the introduction and discharge of the
matters. The inner cylinder which may revolve in either direction is provided
with wide openings adapted to coincide with the inlet and outlet in the outer
cylinder, but to prevent the escape of said matters from the cylinder or their
lodgment between the walls of the cylinders when the outer one is rotated, I

page_text: close the apertures in the revolving cylinder during the filling operation by
means of a series of pendent doors which open by gravity when they arrive at
the upper part of the apparatus to give passage to the matters and automati-
cally close when by the rotation of the cylinder they occupy a position at the
lower part of the apparatus.
In order to prevent the entry of the matters to the space between the walls
of the cylinders the revolving cylinder is provided on its exterior with pallets
built up of angle bars and plates so as to constitute filling pieces extending from
door to door in the circumferential direction and closing the space between the
two cylinders, the doors being also provided with end coamings for the purpose
of preventing the matters spreading laterally between the cylinders. The pro-
vision of the hinged doors described, permits the matters to freely pass into the
cylinder and prevents their escaping therefrom when the cylinder is revolved
in one direction and to be freely discharged when the cylinder is revolved in
the opposite direction, the operation being facilitated by the filling pieces which
act as pushers to aid in expelling the matters from the inner cylinder on
emptying the apparatus.
The apparatus is fed by means of an endless band which discharges the refuse
into a chamber containing a horizontal right and left hand screw conveyor and
vertical screws in tubular portions leading to the openings in the cylinders so
that the matters are mechanically fed into the apparatus when the valves are
opened and after treatment fall by their own weight into a lower receiver to be
conveyed away for drying, etc.
The treatment of the matters in the digester or apparatus described is much
more effective and rapid than it would otherwise be owing to the matters being
automatically stirred by the rotation of the cylinder, while they are directly acted
on by steam under pressure which is introduced at the upper part of the apparatus
and escapes partly condensed at the lower part. The apparatus may be modified
in form and be made of any desired dimensions and may also be made to withstand
the pressure of ordinary dry or superheated steam, and the operation may also
be carried out in vacuo as in the manufacture of sugar.
Chemical agents
favouring the transformation of said matters under the action of a current of
steam may also be added to the refuse. An automatic or adjustable safety
valve may be added to the apparatus to enable the pressure of the steam in the
apparatus to be governed without the necessity of adjusting the steam admission
cocks. This safety valve may be placed in any suitable position but it is pre-
ferred to place it near the steam outlet so as to effect its continuous or momentary
discharge (in case of excessive pressure) on the opposite side of the apparatus
to that of the steam admission and thus ensure the passage of the steam through-
out the entire mass contained by the cylinder.
I may also combine with the apparatus an evaporator or concentrator for the
liquid portion or juices resulting from the treatment of the refuse which are
highly charged with water, are voluminous and heavy, and contain
but a small quantity of utilizable matter. They moreover entail con-
siderable expense for transport, handling, and putting up in cask, etc., as
compared with their value. These objections I obviate by drawing off the juices
into an evaporator either at the ordinary pressure or in which a vacuum is em-
ployed as is done in sugar making or in other industries for effecting the concen-
tration of liquid matters. In this manner the juices are deprived of a greater
part of their contained water and may be supplied for agricultural purposes in
the form of liquid manure rich in fertilizing properties, at a remunerative price.
Dated this 20th day of January 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.

page_text: Improvements in and in Apparatus for Treating Street Sweepings
and Scrapings and Town Refuse generally.
I, ARMAND JULES LE BLANC, of 71, Boulevard Voltaire, Paris, France, Machine
Builder; 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 treatment of road sweepings and scrapings, house
and other refuse, for the purpose of obtaining sterilized products adapted to be
utilized for commercial and agricultural purposes.
Many attempts have been made to effect this object either by disinfecting
the matters referred to, and thus depriving them of their noxious germs, or by
incineration, the latter being the process generally adopted in large towns not-
withstanding that, among other disadvantages, it is expensive and destroys the
fertilizing properties of the matters treated.
The treatment of such matters by means of steam in a closed receptacle has
also been proposed, but the cost in this case also is excessive in view of the
results obtained. The steaming process is however preferable to any other and
is employed by me, my invention consisting essentially in utilizing the property
possessed by fluent steam under pressure of thoroughly permeating compact
masses.
The apparatus in which the process may be carried out may either be station-
ary or movable and the stationary apparatus may comprise one or more cylindrical
receivers for the matters to be treated, each provided with suitable covers, a
false bottom to enable the matters to be discharged, and means for stirring or
agitating the matters during the treatment. Several of such receivers may be
combined in series in communication with one another so as to permit of the
passage of the steam from one to the other and thus obtain its economical
utilization.
The rotary apparatus may also comprise several containers provided with
openings for the introduction and discharge of the matters, the steam after
having heated the first of the series passing to the second and thence to the third
receiver and so on, in order to utilize the whole of its heat.
The rotary type of apparatus which I preferably employ consists of one or more
horizontal cylindrical or spherical receivers mounted on trunnions and resembling
apparatus employed for the treatment of rags in paper making.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section and
Figure 2 a transverse section of the rotary apparatus by which my invention may
be carried out in practice. This apparatus comprises a stationary cylinder a
made of rivetted sheet iron and having closed' ends and a rotary drum or cylinder b
the latter being mounted within the cylinder a and parallel to its axis on a
shaft e which is driven by means of toothed gearing d and e and band pulleys f
The outer cylinder a is provided with inlet openings 9 and outlet openings g¹
provided with valves h h operated by hand wheels for controlling the intro-
duction and discharge of the matters. The inner cylinder b may be revolved
in either direction and it is provided with several wide openings, adapted to
coincide with the inlet and outlet orifices in the outer cylinder, furnished with
inwardly opening hinged doors j. To prevent the entry of the matters to the
space between the walls of the two cylinders, the revolving cylinder is provided
with external pallets built up of angle bars and plates to constitute filling
pieces which extend from door to door in the circumferential direction and block
the space between the two cylinders, the doors being also provided with end

page_text: coamings for the purpose of preventing the matters spreading laterally between
the cylinders. The doors are so hinged to the cylinder 6 that when the latter
is revolved in the one direction (towards the right in Figure 2) the doors towards
the upper part of the cylinder open by gravity and permit the matters under
treatment to pass freely from the inlets into the cylinder, the doors closing
after passing the highest part of the cylinder and thus preventing the escape
of the matters from the cylinder. When however the cylinder is revolved in
the other direction the doors j, which as before open automatically in passing
the upper part of the cylinder, become folded back so as to remain open through-
out the remainder of the revolution, thus permitting the contents of the cylinder
to be discharged through the openings in the cylinder into the outlet g', the
discharge being facilitated by the filling pieces which acts as pushers."
The apparatus is fed by means of an endless band which discharges the refuse
into a chamber m containing a horizontal right and left hand screw conveyor n n¹,
and vertical feed screws o¹, in tubular portions leading to the openings gg.
The matters to be treated are thus mechanically fed into the apparatus when the
valves are opened and they fall out by their own weight after treatment and
when the discharge valve is opened into a lower receiver p to be conveyed
away for drying, etc.
The fact that the matters while under treatment are agitated or turned over
by the rotation of the cylinder, renders the operation rapid and effective, and while
in this state the matters are acted on directly by steam under pressure which
is introduced through the branches 7 of pipe g at the upper part of the
apparatus and escapes partly condensed at the lower part through pipes l
The apparatus may be varied both in form and dimensions and may be made
to withstand the pressure either of ordinary, dry, or superheated steam. The
operation may if found desirable be carried on in cucuo as in the manufacture
of sugar.
Chemical agents favouring the transformation of the matters under the action
of a current of steam may be added to the refuse, and an automatic or adjustable
escape or safety valve may also be employed to enable the pressure of the steam
to be governed without the necessity of adjusting the steam admission cocks
by hand. This safety valve may be arranged in any suitable position but it
is preferred to place it near the steam outlet so as to effect the continuous or
momentary discharge of the steam (in case of excessive pressure) on the side
of the apparatus opposite to that of the steam admission and thus ensure the
passage of the steam throughout the entire mass contained by the cylinder.
I may also combine with the apparatus an evaporator or concentrator for the
liquid portion or juices resulting from the treatment of the refuse by means
of steam as described, which juices are highly charged with water, are voluminous
and heavy, and contain but a small quantity of utilizable matter. They more-
over entail considerable expense for transport, handling, and putting up in
casks, etc., as compared with their value. These objections I obviate by drawing
off the juices into an evaporator either at the ordinary atmospheric pressure or
in which a vacuum is employed as is done in sugar making or in other industries
for effecting the concentration of liquid matters. In this manner the juices are
deprived of the greater part of their contained water and may be supplied for
agricultural purposes in the form of liquid manure rich in fertilizing properties,
at a remunerative price.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The herein described process of treating street sweepings and scrapings
and town refuse generally for the purpose of cooking and sterilizing the same.
which process consists in subjecting said matters while in a state of agitation to
the action of fluent steam under pressure.

page_text: 2. The herein described apparatus for cooking and sterilizing street sweepings
and refuse generally, consisting essentially of a drum or cylinder provided with
openings fitted with hinged doors, and mounted to rotate within an outer fixed
cylinder having admission and discharge openings controlled by valves, in com-
bination with steam admission and exhaust pipes for effecting a continuous flow
of steam under pressure through the mass under treatment substantially as
specified.
3. Apparatus for treating street sweepings and scrapings and town refuse
generally by means of a process of cooking and sterilizing the same, substantially
as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.