IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DEODORIZING AND UTILIZING THE SEWAGE OF TOWNS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF OTHER REFUSE TO BE COMBINED THEREWITH BOTH LIQUID AND SOLID. FOR MANURE AND CHEMICAL USE
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Noone, of No. 50, George Street,
Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DEODORIZING AND UTILIZING THE SEWAGE
OF TOWNS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF OTHER REFUSE TO BE COMBINED
THEREWITH BOTH LIQUID AND SOLID. FOR MANURE AND CHEMICAL USE"
caled the 9th May 1865, and dated the 14th November 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Noone at
the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1864.
I, GEORGE EDWARD NOONE, of No. 50, George Street, Hastings, in the
County of Sussex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DEODORIZING AND UTILIZING
THE SEWAGE OF TOWNS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF OTHER REFUSE TO BE COMBINED
THEREWITH, BOTH LIQUID AND SOLID, FOR MANURE, AND CHEMICAL USE," to bo
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the deodorizing and utilizing sewage with
other refuse, both liquid and solid, by heat and cohobation, whereby the:.
produce is rendered applicable for manure and chemical use, and consists of
Price Sd.1

page_text: an air-tight tank attached to the mouth of the sewer divided into two parts,
the partition partly solid, partly perforated, open at the top to admit the
continual flow of the liquid in a filtered state by assension into the second
compartment, where it is raised by means of pumps worked by steam or
other motive power into boilers with suitable furnaces, and discharged into
pipes placed horizontally in the interior sides of each boiler, thus the liquid
becomes heated in the pipes before being allowed to enter the first boiler, and
is from thence carried to the pipes of the second boiler, and continuing its
longitudinal travel in like manner augmenting the intenseness of heat arrives
at the tubes of the third in a state for distillation; this boiler having a domed
top like a still, the alkalies and nitrogeneous gases are abstracted and con-
veyed by pipes to the cooling vats, containing worms for that purpose, and
from thence to the ammonia and condensing tanks, to be used when required;
the liquid so deprived flows from the bottom through a pipe with double
outlets, each of sufficient size for the discharge.
I now come to speak of the second part of my Invention, for the irragation
of land by liquid manure from sewage or other refuse, which consists of a
large oblong boiler with oval top divided into four equal compartments, two
of the parts to be called steam chambers, and two supply boilers, each of the
last-mentioned compartments communicating with one of the outlets last
described, also the furnace is connected with the same smoke shaft in the
first part of my Invention; in each of the steam chambers are fixed per-
pendicular cylinders, nearly reaching to the bottom, regulated in height and
area according to the amount of liquid to be raised, each supply boiler
containing a set of four valves, two for access, top and bottom, with the
steam chamber, one to replenish the supply boiler, and the last to blow off
waste steam into a condenser placed according to convenience. These valves
with jointed rods are coupled to levers in transverse direction in the interior
of the supply boilers, and are worked by perpendicular piston rods through
inverted packing boxes outside the supplies, and connected with a lever,
receiving motion by suitable gearing, causing the valves to reverse their
action as required, and only actuated at intervals to give the supply boilers
time alternately to fill from the double-way pipe before named; while the
supply is charging, all communication is shut off by the valves with the steam
chamber, but on their reversing, the supply pipe and blow-off valve are
closed, and the boiler and steam chamber become united, the primitive motive
power to motion the gearing being a small pipe attached to one of the steam
chambers, and connected with a cylinder. and piston, but action might be
given to the valves by common air balls and levers rising and falling with the

page_text: liquor in the supply boiler; thus by the pressure of steam on the surface of
the liquor in the steam chamber the disinfected liquid sewage ascends the
perpendicular column, such being continually replenished by the supply
boilers and its gearing. The deodorized sewage is raised to its required
height into covered tanks without pumps or further machinery, where the
essence af all known fertilizing products that have been preserved, or may be
thought valuable for irrigating land by liquid manure will be added,the same
to be conveyed from the sluces of the tanks through iron pipes to depôts in
various localities, and at the request of farmers services can be laid from the
nearest depôt to the commencement of their land, and contracts per annum
entered into for the manure, and on different days may receive through the
same mains manure applicable in its fertilizing properties one day for grass,
next for corn, third, for turnips, fourth, for hops, and so on as may be
equired for the locality. Analysis of the component parts of each liquid
manure to be posted at the depôts for the satisfaction of agriculturists.
Where distance prevents servico being laid, the liquid manure can be
forwarded in barrels to the order of the farmer from the nearest depôt.
I would hore remark from the mouth of the sewer to the main sluces is
hermetically sealed, and the same process is applicable to rotatory boilers or
liquid sewage falling on hot iron plates through heated chambers.
I shall now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention for utilizing
the solid sewage and other solid refuse for manure and chemical use. In the
tank before mentioned, where the liquid sewage is divided from the solid, a
small cylinder is fixed communicating with a second on the top of the
machine by an endless chain in an inclined position; on this chain buckets
are fixed at equal distances, whereby the motion is easily regulated by the
driving shaft of the motive power that works the before-mentioned pumps, in
order that the buckets may descend inverted until reaching the under part of
the lower cylinder,when their scoop form causes them to self-charge with the
solid sewage at the bottom of the tank, and rising perpendicular over the
upper cylinder becomes again inveried, discharging the solid sewage into a
heated chamber having several compartments one above the other..each
furnished with an endless chain with small plates or rakes working over two
cylinders in an horizontal position, receiving their motion from gearing above
described; thus the solid sewage is propelled the length of the hot bottom of
the
upper chamber, when fulling to the lower is carried in like manner to the
end, thus traversing till becoming dry or calirred, falls into a pit below, to be
removed at pleasure, all evaporation passing through the pipe on the top of
chamber to the worm vats mentioned in the first part of my Invention, and is

page_text: alike air-tight during the process, and the whole machine applicable for
stationary or nostable winnen
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Edward Noone, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th May 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDWARD NOONE, of No.50, George Street, Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Edward Noone, Her special licence that I, the said George
Edward Noone, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said George Edward Nooue, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DEODORIZING AND UTILIZING THE SEWAGE OF
TOWNS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF OTHER REFUSE TO BE COMBINED THEREWITH,
BOTH LIQUID AND SOLID, FOR MANURE AND CHEMICAL USE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Edward Noone, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Edward Noone, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the deodorizing and utilizing of sewage

page_text: and other refuse, both liquid and solid, by heat and cohobation, whereby the
produce is rendered applicable for manure and chemical use.
The Invention consists, first, in the employment of an air-tight tank
attached to the mouth of the sewer, and divided int two or more compart-
ments by a vertical partition or partitions, partly solid, partly perforated,and
open at the top to allow of the continual flow of the liquid portion of the
sewage from the first into the second and following compartment or compart-
inents, while the solid portion of the sewage is retained in the first compart-
ment. The liquid is raised from the compartment or compartments in which
it is contained by pumps worked by steam or otherwise into boilers with
suitable furnaces; before reaching the first boiler the liquid asses through
horizontal pipes in the flues of this boiler, so that the liquid becomes heated
in these pipes before entering the boiler; from the first boiler the liquid is
carried to the pipes of a second boiler, and then to this second boiler
continuing its longitudinal travel in like mannerand augumenting the heat; it
then arrives at the pipes of a third boiler in a state for distillation; the
boilers have domed tops like a still head, so that the alkaline vapours and
nitrogenous gases evolved from the liquid in each boiler may be convoyed
from the domos by pipes; each of these pipes leads to a chamber or separating
box, from which two other pipes lead. One of these pipes conveys the
alkaline vapours to cooling vats containing worms from which they are led to
tanks or receivers; the other pipe leads the nitrogenous gases from the case
to other condensing vessels. The liquid partially deprived of the vapors and
gasos flows from the bottom of the last boiler through a pipe with double
outlet.
In some cases, instead of the boilers before described, I employ rotary
boilers; in other cases, instead of passing the liquid sewage through pipes
aud boilers as before explained, I cause it to pass over ho: iron plates in
heated chambers.
I now come to speak of the second part of my Invention, which relates to
the irrigation of land by liquid manure from sewage and other refuse.
The liquid from the pipe last mentioned or from other source is conveyed
iuto a large oblong boiler or vessel divided into four equal compartments,two
of the compartments act as or form steam chambers, and the other two supply
vessels; each of these supply vessels communicatos with one of the outlets of
the pipe last mentioned. The furnace of this boiler or vessel is connected with
the same sinoke shaft as those of the boilers before described: To the top of
each of the steam chambers a perpendicular pipe is fitted, reaching nearly to
the bottom of techambers. Each supply vessel contains a set of four valves,

page_text: two for access at top and bottom with its steam chamber, one to replenish
the supply vessel, and the last to blow off steam into a condenser. These
valves are connected to vertical rods passing through stuffing. boxes outside
the supply vessel, and connected with a lever which receives motion bysuitable
gearing to cause the valves to reverse their action as required; the valves are
only actuated atintervals to give the supply vessels time alternately to become
filled from the double outlet pipe before named; while the supply vessel is
becoming charged, all communication is shut off by the valves with the steam
chamber, but on the valves being reversed the supply pipe and blow-off valve
are closed, and the supply vessel and steam chamber become united; or the
valves may be actuated by ordinary air balls and levers rising and falling with
the liquid in the supply chamber. By the pressure of steam generated in the
steam chambers on the surface of the liquid in these chambers, the disinfected
liqnid sewage ascends the perpendicular pipes, and is raised to the required
height into covered tan's or reservoirs without pumps or further machinery,
in which tanks the essence of any known fertilizing products or any required
proportion of the products obtained as hereafter described from the sewage
may be added. The liquid may be conveyed from sluices in the tanks through
pipes to depôts in various localities, or the liquid may be stored in barrels,
and forwarded to any place required.
I now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention, which relates to
treating and utilizing the solid portion of the sewage and other solid refuse
for manure and chemical use.
In the tank before mentioned, where the liquid sewage is divided from the
solid, a chain wheel is fitted communicating with a second chain wheel on the
top of the machine by an endless chain in an inclined position; on this chain
buckets with holes to drain the liquid are fixed at equal distances, and the
upper chain wheel is driven by the machinery which works the pumps of the
apparatus first described. The buckets descend in an inverted position when
their scoop form causes them to become charged with the solid sewage in the
tank; the buckets rise and pass over the upper chain wheel, and becoming again
inverted discharge their contents into a heated chamber. This chamber has
several compartments, one above the other, each furnished with an endless
chain with plates or rakes working over two drums mounted on horizontal
axes and receiving motion from the gearing above mentioned. The solid
sewage is carried by the plates the length of the hot bottom of the upper
chamber; it then falls to the chamber next below, and is carried in like
manner in the opposite direction to the end of that chamber; in thus
traversing the chambers it becomes dry or nearly so; it is allowed to fall into

page_text: a receiver below, and may be removed at pleasure. The vapors and gases
evolved in the heated chambers pass through pipes attached to the top of the
upper chamber to be cooled and condensed in the manner before described
with reference to the treatment of the liquid portion of the sewage. The
mouth of the sewer, and all the apparatuses described both for deodorizingthe
liquid and the solid sewage are hermetically closed to prevent exhalations.
The apparatuses may be stationary or portable.
The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect will be fully
understood by the accompanying Drawings and the following description
thereof.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an air-tight tank B, in direct commu-
nication with the mouth of the sewer. This tank has fitted near the end
next the sewer, a plate u, which acts as a flash plate, against which the
matter which rushes out of the sewer strikes. The tank has a partition v
constructed so as to hold the solid portion of the sewage in the first compart-
ment and allow the liquid portion to pass through into the second compart-
ment. For this purpose the partition is perforated or formed with a grating
at about the middle as shewn. There is also an opening between the top
of the partition and the upper part of the tank to allow a greater flow in
time of storm floods.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of a boiler and apparatus constructed as
before described, for heating liquid sewage and condensing the vapours and
gases evolved therefrom. A is a pipe loading from pumps by which the
liquid is raised from the receiving tank B. The pipe enters a flue C at the
side of the boiler, passes along that flue towards the front of the boiler, where
it is bent to enter the upper flue 1), along which it continues towards the back
of the boiler. It is here again bent and enters the central flue E, passes to
the front over the fire, and returns again to the back of this central flue. It
then passes along the upper flue F at the other side of the boiler to the front,
and finally along the lower flue G towards the back, where it enters the
boiler. During the time the liquid is traversing the pipe A it becomes heated
by the products of combustion from the furnace before entering the boiler.
I form the boiler with a dome-shaped top I, similar to a still head, to carry off
the alkaline vapours and nitrogenous gases evolved from the liquid. These
vapours and gases pass along a pipe J to a chamber or separating box K pro-
vided with a plate a set at an angle for the purpose of separating the vapours
from the gases. The vapours are partly condensed in the pipe J and case K,
and are conveyed by the pipe L to a worm or coil M enclosed in a vessel N,
kept filled with liquid-sewage, where they are finally cooled and condensed.

page_text: The condensed liquid runs from the coil M into a tank O-or other receptacle
placed to receive it.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the boiler, shewing the arrangements
of the heating pipes before described, and Figure 4 is a section taken through
the flues. The cooling liquid inay be supplied to the condenser N from the
tank B, a continued flow being kept up. by means of the pumps. Should any
heat be communicated to the liquid in the condenser it is forced into the
pipe A leading into the boiler. Any number of boilers and series of pipes
may be employed to heat the liquid to 'the required temperature. When
more than one boiler and one series of pipes are used I connect the first
boiler to the series of pipes of the second boiler, and cause the liquid to flow
from one boiler to the pipes of the next boiler, and so on for as many boilers
and sets of pipes as may be employed. The pipe leading from the last boiler
may be carried through the tank B for the purpose of partially heating the
contents thereof previous to being raised by the pumps, and also to cool the
liquid passing through the pipe when not intended to be raised for irrigation,
in which case it is to be deprived of its remaining fertilizing properties and
other chemical constituents by further distillation, and then allowed to run to
waste. The nitrogenous gases pass off from the chamber or separating box K
by another pipe P, and are carried to a condensing vessel Q, shown in
section in Figure 5. This vessel is divided by vertical partitions R into
several compartments, The compartments communicate with each other by
pipes. The pipe Pleading from the vessel K enters the first compartment S,
and passes nearly to the bottom thereof below the surface of water placed
therein; the gases which pass
down the pipe P enter the water and rise to
the top of that compartment, from whence they are carried by a second pipe 'T
into another compartment S.provided with a pipe T₁ in a similar manner.
The gases thus pass through the several compartments, and are deprived
of their various elements except hydrogen, which from its small quantity
is of no value, and is allowed to pass off into the atmosphere.
The machinery for carrying out the second part of myInvention relating to
raising the deoxlorized liquid sewage to any height required is illustrated in
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Figure 5 is a view of one end; Figure 7, a side
elevation; Figure 8, a transverse section; Figure 9, a longitudinal section;
and Figure 10, a plan of a vessel divided into four compartments A, B, C, D.
The two compartments A, B, form steam chambers, and are supplied with
liquid manure from the compartments C, D. The steam generated in A, B,
acts upon the surface of the liquid manure therein, forces it up pipes H placed
near their centre to the height required. The compartments C, D, are

page_text: supply vessels, and receive the liquid manure in a heated state from the
boilers, shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, by means of the pipe U, which leads
from the last boiler. This pipe has two outlets, one of which leads into each
supply vessel C, D, as shown. The outlets are provided with shutter valves b,c,
connected to vertical rods d, e, which pass through stuffing boxes f on the
outside. The rods d, e, are jointed to a cross head g supported in a bearing h.
The cross head is centred upon a horizontal rod i, the outer end of which
carries a crank which has connected to it a vertical rod j and lever k. The
lever has its fulcrum on a stud 1, the other end being slotted to receive a pin
or stud on a pinion m. The pinion m has imparted to it an alternate motion
to the right and left by a quadrant-shaped wheel m¹, mounted on a wheel n,
driven by a worm on a shuft o, the shaft o being in connection with any prime
mover. The stuffing boxes fact as steam chambers, and have each a pipe p
connected to them to carry off any steam that may be generated in the supply
vessels C, D; should any vapour be generated in the supply vessels it will
pass off by the pipes p, p, to be treated in a similar manner to the vapour
issuing from the pipe J in the apparatus herein-before described with reference
to Figures 2, 3, and 4. The products of combustion from the furnaces q, q,
are caused to pass under the supply vessels C, 1), as well as under the steam
chambers A, B, so as to increase the heat of their contents before they are
allowed to pass into the steam chambers. Aportures r, s, are formed between
the supply vessels and steam chambers, and are closed by valves on the
vertical rode d, e, while the supply vessels are being filled. When the valves
of either of the supply vessels are opened the liquid runs into the corre-
sponding steam chamber and reaches a corresponding level with the liquid
therein. The valves of this supply vessel are then shut and steam is
generated in this steam chamber until the pressure is sufficient to force the
liquid up the pipe t to reservoirs placed at any convenient height. The
openings of the pipes p, p, are likewise shut by valves on the vertical rods
d, e, when the steam chambers are being filled.
The machinery I employ for treating the solid portion of the sewage and
other solid refuse combined therewith is represented in longitudinal section
in Figure 11, and in transverse section in Figure 12.
Between the partition vand the flash plate u of the tank B, Figure 1, the
lower end of a frame (Figure 11) passes, this frame carries a roller or chain
wheel round which a chain carrying perforated buckets w passes,the buckets
dip into and take the solid sewage up an inclined channel, where they pass
over a second chain wheel, become inverted, and discharge their contents
either directly on to a table 1 or on to a series of half rings arranged con-

page_text: centrically, forming part of what I term a pugging apparatus, through which
the sewage passes before reaching the table.
The object of this apparatus is to remove from the solid sewage proper
straws, bricks, stones, dead vermin, and other foreign matters. Its arrange-
ment and action will be understood by Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is a
plan of the concentric half rings, and Figure 14 a vertical section of the
apparatus. The buckets w discharge their contents, as just mentioned, on to
the half rings x, x. Above these half rings is a bar y connected to a vertical
shaft y' which passes through the upper part of the case V containing the
half rings, and has a semi-rotation imparted to it after the discharge of each
bucket by means of gearing. The bottom part of the bar y carries teeth
which enter between the rings a and by their motion remove straws and other
foreign matters, as above mentioned, therefrom; these matters fall down a
shoot into a receptacle r placed in any convenient situation. Below the
rings and in the lower part of the case V (which I prefer to be of 'the shape
of an inverted cone) I place a vertical shaft V₁ with a series of knives fitted
spirally thereon, which guide and force the solid sewage to the bottom of the
case, from which it falls on to the table 1. The shaft V¹ carries a toothed
wheel W driven by a pinion X which receives its motion by gearing outside
the casing, as represented in Figure 15, which is an external olevation of the
upper part of the inclined casing and parts connected therewith. The table 1
is contained in an apparatus or chamber heated by the flame and products of
combustion from a furnace You their way to the chimney or uptake Over
the table an endless series of plates or rakes connected by links is made to
travel, the plates pass over drums placed in the interior of the chamber, and
in their travel carry the solid sewage to the other or front end of the table,
from which it falls partially dried on to a lower table 2 placed directly under
the first; it is carried along this lower table by means of a second endless
chain of plates or rakes in a direction contrary to that of the first-named
plates, that is to say, towards the back of the lower table, from whence it
descends into a receptacle placed to receive it. Sometimes I let the partially-
dried sewage fall on to an endless belt in the lower compartment of the
heating chamber instead of upon a second table, and in this case I form the
belt of a series of flat plates jointed one to the other and slightly overlapping,
similar to revolving shutters to prevent the sewage falling between them,
a scraper or wire brush may be employed to remove the matter from the
under side of the plates at the opening if necessary. Each of the tablės 1
and 2 is heated by a separate flue, as seen in the Drawings. The endless
chain of rakes or plates is constructed by preference in the manner shewn in

page_text: Figure 16.
The ends 3 of each plate 4 are bent at right angles and have
holes to receive rivets to which links 5 are connected. The drums over which
'the plates pass are formed with a number of grooves 6 for the plates to lie in,
the edges of the bent ends of the plates and the links rest upon reduced por-
tions or the axle of the drum, the projecting portion 7 of the drums between
each two grooves enters between every two plates and dislodges any matter
that may be adhering to them. The roof of the drying or heating chamber is
of a dome shape aud is furnished with a still head 8 in communication by a
pipe 9 with a case similar to that represented at K, Fig. 2.
All vapours
and gases generated in the drying chamber are carried off by the pipe 9, are
separated in the case, and conveyed to cooling and condensing vessels in the
same manner as described with reference to the vapours and gases evolved
from the liquid portion of the sewage.
And now having described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not confine myself to
the preciso forms and arrangements of machinery shown in the Drawings and
herein-before described, as the san:e may be modified in many ways without
departing from the main features thereof; what I claim as my "Improve.
ments in Machinery for Deodorizing and Utilizing the Sewage of Towns, and
in the Treatment of other Refuse Combined therewith, both Liquid and Solid,
for Manure and Chemical Use," is,-
First, the employment at the mouth of sewers of tanks or receptacles,
constructed substantially as herein-before described and represented in
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, for receiving the sewage and
other refuse combined therewith, and separating the liquid from the solid
portions thereof.
Second, the arrangement of pipes and boilers, herein-before described and
represented in Figures 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, for heating
and deodorizing the liquid portion of the sewage.
Third, the arrangement of machinery, herein-before described and repre-
sented in Figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying Drawings, for raising the
deodorized liquid sewage to any required height.
Fourth, constructing chambers and machinery for heating and deodorizing
the solid portion of sewage, substantially as herein-before described and repre-
sented in Figures 11 and 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth, the pinployment of endless travelling chains carrying rakes or plates,
as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 11, 12, and 16 of the
accompanying Drawings, for conveying the solid portion of the sewage along
heated drving tables.

page_text: Sixth, the general arrangement and combination of machinery herein-before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Noone, have hereuuto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
GEORGE EDW. NOONE. (L.S.)