THE UTILIZATION OF WASTE MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EARTHENWARE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL MANURE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Holdcroft, of Tunstall, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "THE UTILIZATION
OF WASTE MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EARTHENWARE IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL MANURE."
Sealed the 20th June 1871, and dated the 24th December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Holdcroft at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th December 1870.
I, WILLIAM HOLDCROFT, of Tunstall, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"THE UTILIZATION OF WASTE MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
EARTHENWARE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL MANURE," to be as
follows:-
:-
The object of my Invention is to utilize old moulds used in the
manufacture of earthenware, and also the scrapings, blocks, and batters,
the refuse of the said manufacture now thrown away as useless, by
mixing these materials with other matters and forming thereby a

page_text: compost or manure suitable for agricultural purposes and free from the
animal life which certain strong manures impart to the soil with which
they are mixed.
The means by which I propose to attain the said object of this
Invention are as follows:--I burn the said old moulds, scrapings, blocks,
and batters in a suitable kiln until they are brought to a red heat; I
then grind them to a fine powder under rollers or by any other efficient
process. When the materials are sufficiently ground I add nightsoil,
dung, or other feculent matters thereto, and grind and mix the whole
together thoroughly. During this process I apply suitable matters for
deodorizing the manure, varying according to the circumstances of each
particular case, and also add superphosphate of lime for the purpose of
further improving the quality of the manure.
When the various materials are thus prepared and sufficiently mixed
the whole is run on to suitable kilns and well dried, when it is ready for
sale or to be applied on the land.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Holdcraft in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HOLDCROFT, of Tunstall, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Holdcroft, Her special licence
that I, the said William Holdcroft, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Holdcroft, 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 "THE UTILIZATION
OF WASTE MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EARTHENWARE IN THE

page_text: MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL MANURE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Holdcroft, 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 William Holdcroft, 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 :-
The object of my Invention is to utilize old moulds used in the manu-
facture of earthenware, china, and porcelain, and also the scrapings,
blocks, and batters, the refuse of the said manufactures now almost if
not entirely useless, by mixing these materials with other matters, and
forming thereby a compost or manure suitable for agricultural and
gardening purposes, and free from the animal life which certain strong
manures impart to the soil with which they are mixed, or upon which
they are spread.
The means by which I propose to attain the said object of my
Invention are as follows:- -I burn the said old moulds, scrapings, blocks,
and batters in a suitable kiln until they are brought to a red heat; when
sufficiently cooled I grind the whole to a fine powder under rollers, or by
any other efficient process; when the materials are sufficiently ground I
add night soil, dung, or other feculent and suitable matters thereto, the
relative quantities varying from two to four times the weight of the
burnt and pulverized materials according to the purposes for which it is
intended, and grind and mix the whole together thoroughly; during this
process I apply any suitable matterials or ingredients for deodorizing the
manure or mixture, varying in quantity according to the circumstances
of each particular case; I also add superphosphates thereto for the
purpose of further improving the quality of the manure.
When the various materials above mentioned are thus prepared and
sufficiently mixed, or they may be passed through a pug mill, the whole
is run or wheeled on to suitable kilns and well dried; the process is then
finished and the compost or manure ready for sale, or to be applied on
the land.

page_text: What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by the before
mentioned in part recited Letters Patent is, the conversion of potters' old
moulds and other refuse into a compost or manure for fertilizing land,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Holdcroft, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.