Improvements in the Collection and Utilisation of Excreta and in the Preparation of Manure therewith.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Oct., 1891-Accepted. 7th Nov.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Collection and Utilisation of Excreta and in
the Preparation of Manure therewith.
I WILLIAM BOWLER of Alton House, Longsight, Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Dairyman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates principally to the treatment of human excreta and has for
its main object to prevent the loss of such matters by forming with them a
fertilising preparation which shall be saleable at a price higher than the cost of
production or not less than the same.
I prefer to use excreta which has been collected in receptacles or otherwise so
as to be as much as conveniently possible free from ashes and other refuse which
would reduce the value of the product. I mix the excreta with peat prepared in
manner as follows. I dry the peat under sheds or by suitable means until it can
be ground or disintegrated to a more or less fine powder. To this powder or peat
dust I add sulphuric acid in the proportion of about thirty gallons of acid to one
ton of the powder. I then add the prepared peat and the excreta together in the
proportion of about four tons of the excreta to one ton of the acid peat and I mix
the matters thoroughly. The mixture is allowed to remain for a time preferably
under cover for the re-action to take place and for the component matters to
assimilate so as to form a fertilising compound. As the office of the acid is to fix
the free ammonia in the excreta such a quantity of acid may be used as may by
analysis be found to be required for this purpose. After resting a time the
mixture will be ready to be sold or used as manure either alone or combined with
other matters. I may vary the process by adding the acid to the excreta in the
first instance the peat dust being afterwards mixed with the excreta.
peat dust shall be placed in the emptied receptacles after they have been cleansed
I prefer that
and suitably disinfected and that the receptacles shall be delivered to the users
with the contained peat dust. In such cases the amount of peat already in the
excreta may be taken into consideration when adding the peat dust in the pre-
paration of the manure. For placing in the receptacles I may use peat dust
prepared with a disinfectant or de-odorising agent as for example the peat for this
purpose before being dried may be treated with a solution of potassium per-
manganate. Peat dust so prepared would be suitable to cover the contents of
receptacles before or when removing.
Dated this 5th day of February 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Collection and Utilisation of Excreta and in
the Preparation of Manure therewith.
I WILLIAM BOWLER of Alton House, Longsight, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster Dairyman 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, that is to say :-
My invention relates principally to the treatment of human excreta and has for
its main object to prevent the loss of such matters by forming with them a
fertilising preparation which shall be saleable at a price higher than the cost of
Price 4d1

page_text: .
production or not less than the same. I prefer to use excreta which has been
collected in receptacles or otherwise so as to be as much as conveniently possible
free from ashes and other refuse which would reduce the value of the product.
1 mix the excreta. with peat prepared in the following manner. The moisture
having been pressed from the peat I dry it by any suitable means until it can be
ground or disintegrated to a more or less fine powder. To this powder or peat dust
I add sulphuric acid in the proportions of from 10 to 13 gallons of acid to one ton
of the powder. I then add the prepared peat powder and the excreta together in
the proportion of about four tons of the excreta to one ton of the acid peat and I
mix the matters thoroughly. The mixture is allowed to remain for a time
preferably under cover for the reaction to take place and for the component
matters to assimilate so as to form a fertilising compound. After resting a time
the mixture will be ready to be sold or used as manure either alone or combined
with other matters. I may vary the process by adding the acid to the excreta in
the first instance the peat dust being afterwards mixed with the acidulated excreta.
I prefer that the proportion of peat dust treated with acid shall be placed in the
emptied receptacles or pails after they have been cleansed and that the receptacles
shall be delivered to the users with the contained peat dust. In such cases if
thought necessary as for example if the pails should not be of a suitable size the
amount of peat already in the excreta must be taken into consideration should it be
thought desirable to add any further peat dust in the preparation of the manure.
I find in practice that the foregoing proportions of sulphuric acid to be added to
the peat or the excreta are useful proportions but as the office of the acid is to fix
the free ammonia in the excreta such a quantity of acid may be used as may by
analysis be found to be required for this purpose. It will be found that the
addition of the treated peat dust to the excreta destroys all smell and acts as a
complete deodoriser and disinfectant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. As means for converting human excreta into a deodorised fertiliser the
addition thereto of and admixture therewith of peat or bog pressed dried and
ground and treated with sulphuric acid substantially as herein before set forth.
2. As means for converting human excreta into a deodorised fertiliser mixing
therewith either simultaneously or at different times the aforesaid ingredients of
bog or peat powder, and sulphuric acid as and substantially in the proportions
hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.