IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SEWAGE OR OTHER LIQUID MATTERS BO AS TO PURIFY THE MORE FLUID PORTIONS THEREOF, AND RECOVER SOME OF THE CONTAINED MATTERS FOR RE-USE IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF OTHERS FOR USE AS MANURES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Baker. Engineer, and Thomas Wood-
roffe, Builder, both of Tonbridge, in the County of Kent, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SEWAGE OR OTHER LIQUID MATTERS BO
AS TO PURIFY THE MORE FLUID PORTIONS THEREOF, AND RECOVER SOME OF THE
CONTAINED MATTERS FOR RE-USE IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF OTHERS FOR USE AS MANURES."
Scaled the 15th April 1868, and dated the 15th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Baker, and
Thomas Woodroffe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th October 1867.
We, THOMAS HENRY BAKER, Engineer, and THOMAS WOODROFFE, Builder,
both of Tonbridge, in the County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SEWAGE OR OTHER LIQUID
MATTERS SO AS TO PURIFY THE MORE FLUID PORTIONS THEREOF, AND RECOVER SOME
OF THE CONTAINED MATTERS FOR RE-USE IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF OTHERS FOR USE AS MANURES," to be as follows:
In carrying out our improvements the sewage or other liquid matters from
towns or other places, or from works where manufacturing or other processes
are carried on with a tendency to render impure the sewage or other liquid
CD/1

page_text: matters passing therefrom, is allowed to flow into wells or receivers, of which
there may be several to be filled in succession if desired, better to meet the
requirements or occasions of violent storms, or to obtain greater purification,
or for other purposes. The matters passing into each of these wells or receivers
rises upwards through filtering matters supported in a frame at the upper
part of each of such wells or receivers, by which the watery or more fluid
portion is separated therefrom, and as it rises above the filtering matter such
more fluid portion may flow away by suitable conduits to a river or other
watercourse, or it may be collected if desired for irrigating or other purposes.
The filtering media is composed of sand, charcoal, tan, peat, fresh dried
mould, shingle, crushed granite, or other suitable matter, and it is held between
strong frames formed reticulate for the free passage of the liquid matters
through the filtering media, and these frames are held in position by set screws
and nuts, or otherwise, so that the frames may be removed or replaced and
readily fixed so as to resist the pressure from beneath at pleasure, and also to
regulate the density of the filtering media employed, as may be desired.
We also in some cases direct steam or air into the lower portions of these wells
or receivers to agitate or keep in motion the more solid portions of the matters
in the lower part thereof, and thereby aid in keeping the walls of these wells
or receivers free from matter adhering thereto. The more solid portions of
the matters left in the wells or receivers is drawn therefrom by pumps or suit-
able exhausters through pipes or channels, which by preference enter the-
upper portion of each well or receiver just below the filtering media, and which
may have a flexible connection to admit of the lower portion or mouth thereof
being shifted to different parts of the well or receiver. Or the matters in
these wells may be allowed to flow off through taps or sluices at the lower
portion. The matters thus drawn or allowed to flow off are conducted to
other receivers the wall or surrounding case of each of which is formed to
hold deodorizing, filtering, purifying, or disinfecting material, through which a
further drainage takes place into receivers or conduits. For convenience in
use this outer wall is formed hollow, and of reticulate or other openwork, so
that as the deodorizing, filtering, purifying, or disinfecting material becomes
spent or absorbed it may be removed by suitable apertures for the purpose, or
a fresh supply of it be introduced. As the matters flow into these secondary
receivers we mix with them baked or heated earth, or other deodorizing or
purifying or disinfecting matter, which is fed in regulated quantities from a
reservoir thereof by means of endless chains of buckets or otherwise, and suit-
able hoppers or troughs. The more solid matter thus collected, and after it has

page_text: been allowed to drain in these secondary receives is then removed therefrom
through suitable openings in their walls, and reduced by breaking, or grinding
and rolling, and spread out in suitable chambers to be acted upon by the atmo-
sphere to undergo fermentation. After this it may be sifted to various degrees
of fineness according to the use to which it may be applied. If chemical
matters such as those from paper or other works where chemical matters are
employed are mixed with the liquid to be acted upon, the liquid or more solid
matters separated as herein stated may be treated by chemical agents, as is well
understood for the recovery and re-use of such chemicals. The matters used
for the purpose of deodorizing, filtering, and disinfecting after use as here
stated may be cleansed or revivified for re-use by drying and heating in
retorts, and the gas generated by such treating may be used for lighting or
heating purposes. The dome or chamber in which the retorts are set may be
formed of plates of iron or fire-brick overlapping each other, so that the heat
may pass through interstices or openings left between the overlappings, whilst
dust and other matters will be prevented from passing into the furnace below.
The upper portion of the dome or chamber is provided with a chamber to
receive earthy or other matter to be dried, and doors for the withdrawal of
such matters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas Woodroffe in the Great
Seal Patent Oflice on the 15th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
HENRY BAKER, Engineer, and THOMAS WOODROFFE, Builder, both of Ton-
bridge, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas Woodroffe, Her special licence
that we, the said Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas Woodroffe, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Henry
Baker and Thomas Woodroffe, our 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 veud, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SEWAGE OR OTHER LIQUID MATTERS SO AS TO PURIFY
THE MORE FLUID PORTIONS THEREOF, AND RECOVER SOME OF THE CONTAINED MATTERS
FOR RE-USE IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF OTHERS
FOR USE AS MANURE},"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas Woodroffe, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 we, the said Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas
Woodroffe, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
In carrying out our improvements the sewage or other liquid matters from
towns or other places, or from works were manufacturing or other processes
are carried on with a tendency to render impure the sewage or other liquid
matters passing therefrom is allowed to flow into wells or receivers, of which
there may be several to be filled in succession if desired, better to meet the
requirements or occasions of violent storms, or. to obtain greater purification,
or for other purposes. The matters passing into each of these wells or
receivers rises upwards through filtering materials supported in a frame at the
upper part of each of such wells or receivers, by which the watery or more
fluid portion is separated therefrom, and as it rises above the filtering matter
such more fluid portion may flow away by suitable conduits to a river or other
water-course, or it may be collected if desired for irrigating or other purposes.
We also in some cases direct steam into the lower portions of these wells
or receivers to agitate or keep in motion the more solid portions of the matters
in the lower part thereof, and thereby aid in keeping the walls of these wells
or receivers free from matter adhering thereto. The more solid portion of
the matters left in the wells or receivers is drawn therefrom by pumps or
suitable exhausters through pipes or channels, which by preference enter the
upper portion of each well or receiver just below the filtering media, and
which may have a flexible connection to admit of the lower portion or mouth
thereof being shifted to different parts of the well or receiver; or the matters
in these wells may be allowed to flow off through taps or sluices at the lower

page_text: portion. The matters thus drawn or allowed to flow off are conducted to
other receivers, the wall or surrounding case of each of which is formed to
hold deodorizing, filtering, purifying, or disinfecting material through which
a further drainage takes place into receivers or conduits. For convenience
in use this wall is formed hollow, and in parts of reticulate or other open-
work, so that as the deoderizing, filtering, purifying, or disinfecting material-
becomes spent or absorbed it may be removed by suitable apertures for the
purpose, or a fresh supply of it being introduced. As the matters flow into
these secondary receivers we mix with them baked or heated earth or other
deodorizing, or purifying, or disinfecting matter, which is fed in regulated
quantities from a reservoir thereof by means of endless chains of buckets, or
otherwise, and suitable hoppers or troughs. The more solid matter thus
collected, and after it has been allowed to drain in these secondary receivers,
is then removed therefrom through suitable openings in their walls, and reduced
by breaking, or grinding and rolling, and spread out in suitable chambers to
be acted upon by the atmosphere to undergo fermentation. After this it may
be sifted to various degrees of fineness, according to the use to which it may
be applied. If chemical matters, such as those from paper or other works
where chemical matters are employed, are mixed with the liquid to be acted
upon the liquid or more solid matters, separated as herein stated, may be
treated by chemical reagents, as is well understood for the recovery and re-use
of such chemicals. The matters used for the purpose of deodorizing, filtering,
and disinfecting after use, as here stated, may be cleansed or revivified for
re-use by drying and heating in retorts, and the gas generated by such treating
may be used for lighting or heating purposes. The dome or chamber in which
the retorts are set may be formed of plates of iron or fire-brick overlapping
each other, so that the heat may pass through interstices or openings left
between the overlappings, whilst dust and other matters will be prevented
from passing into the furnace below. The upper portion of the dome or
chamber is provided with a chamber to receive earthy or other matter to be
dried, and doors for the withdrawal of such matters.
But that the Invention may be fully understood we will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by us in carrying
the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan view, and Figure 2 a sectional view of one part of
the apparatus; Figure 3 shows a transverse section of part of Figures 1 and 2

page_text: taken through the lines (1), (1); and Figure 4, a section of part of Figure 1
through the lines (2), (2). In all the Figures of the Drawings the same letters
are employed to indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a, a, shows the conduit, by which the sewage or other matter from a lown
or other place, or from works where manufacturing or other processes are
carried on, with a tendency to render impure the sewage or other liquid
matters passing therefrom is conducted to wells or receivers b, b. In passing
to these wells such sewage or other matter to be treated may pass into the
lower part of a chamber c, and in rising therein pass through the incline
grating c, by which stones or other large matters carried forward with the
sewage may be strained therefrom, and the strained sewage matter will then
flow from the chamber c by the passage a¹ to a well b. In the plan view we
have shown two of these receiving wells b, but their number will be regulated
by the quantity of matter to be acted upon and other circumstances. The
matters passing into each of these wells or receivers brise therein upwards
through filtering matters 61, 62, 63, supported between frames b, b, by which
the water or more fluid portion is separated therefrom, and as such watery
or more finid portion rises above the filtering matter contained between the
frames b', b, it flows over into the channel 66, and thence by suitable outlets b
therefrom and conduits to a river or other watercourse, or it may be collected,
as already stated, for irrigating or other purposes. The filtering media
employed at b, b, b³, may be composed of sand, charcoal, tan, peat, fresh-dried
mould, shingle, crushed granite, or other suitable matter, and the frames b', b,
between which it is held, are formed reticulate for the 'free passage of the
liquid matters through the filtering media, and these frames are held in posi-
tion by set screws b, b, or otherwise, to admit of their ready removal or
replacement as may be required, and so that they may be capable of resisting
the pressure from beneath to which they may be exposed. These frames also
serve by applying more or less pressure to the tightening screws or other
means to regulate the density of the filtering media employed. d, d, show
pipes, by which steam may be conducted into the lower part of the wells b,
and allowed to escape therefrom in jets to agitate or keep in motion the more
solid portions of the matters in the lower part of such wells, and thereby aid,
as stated, in keeping the walls thereof free from matter adhering to them. 8
is a wall surrounding the upper portion of the well, and b is a footway
within this wall to facilitate operations to the well; e is a pump, by which
the more solid portions of the matters left in such wells may be pumped out
by the pipe e', e, the part e being formed of flexible' material to admit of its

page_text: being more readily shifted to different parts of the well or receiver, or when
the wells or receivers are placed in position to admit of it the matters from
the lower portions thereof may he allowed to flow therefrom by an outlet bto,
or other suitable outlet, as shown by Figure 5, where B represents a slight
modification of a well b just described in respect of Figures 1 and 2, the
parts in this case being more particularly adapted to purifying or cleansing
the liquid matters from paper works. C. Figure 5, represents the section of
a well or receiver, such as may be employed to receive the matters from wells
such as last referred to. The surrounding enclosure or wall of these wells or
receivers is formed hollow to receive deodorizing, filtering, purifying, or dis-
infecting material between the casings f, f. The case is formed of
reticulate or other openwork to admit of the free action of the materials con-
tained between the parts , f, of the wall on the matters under operation.
The drainings from the well C, Figure 5, pass into the channel g, and thence
by suitable conduits to a well or receiver to be reacted upon or otherwise, as
may be desired.
Figure 6 shows an arrangement by which baked or heated earth or other
deodorizing, or purifying, or disinfecting matter may be fed through a
hopper D and mixed with the sewage matters flowing into a well C; h. h, are
a series of buckets affixed to an endless chain ¹ supported on a pair of rollers
to one of which rotary motion is given in order to move the endless chain and
enable the buckets to take up matters contained in a suitable reservoir i and
deposit them in the hopper D. The pipe E with which the hopper D is
connected may be supplied by the pump e, Figure 2, or otherwise, with the
sewage matter to be treated; C' (Fig. 7) are openings for the removal of the
deodorizing, filtering, or other material as it becomes spent or absorbed; C² is
another opening in the walls of the well C through which the more solid
matter collected in that well may be removed as required. The openings C¹
and C are each provided with sliding doors or covers C and C+ by which they
may be closed when required.
Figure 7 shows an external view of a well C, Figure 6.
Figure 8 represents a section of apparatus by which the more solid matter
collected in these secondary receivers may be reduced, ground, and acted upon
to undergo fermentation. The maiters are placed in the hopper k, where they
come in contact with the revolving knives or arms k¹, and with the stationary
arms or grating 2, the arms k¹ are affixed to the axis to which rotary motion
The matters thus broken
is given by a steam engine or other suitable power.
then pass between the pair of rollers 1, 1, which by preference travel at different

page_text: surface speeds, thereby to act more readily in grinding the broken matter into
fine particles, and are formed hollow to receive steam or other heating media
if desired. If desired other rollers may be further employed to bring the
matters to the degree of fineness desired. The matters as reduced fall down
the incline plane m, or are otherwise conducted to the surface n, where they
are spread out to be subjected the better to the action of the atmosphere.
To facilitate the process of fermentation the surface n forms part of a close
chamber n', which may be heated by steam, hot water, or hot air supplied
through a pipe n² or otherwise. If chemical matters, such as those from paper
or other works where chemical matters are employed, are mixed with the
liquid to be acted upon the liquid or more solid matters separated as herein
stated may be treated by chemical re-agents, as is well understood, for the
recovery and re-use of such chemicals.
Figure 9 shows a sectional front view of apparatus for cleansing or revivify-
ing the matters after use, and for re-use in the process of deodorizing, filtering
and disinfecting.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 show a sectional view, a side view, and a plan view
of parts thereof. o is a retort in which such matters may be placed, and any
gas generated therein will be conducted away by the pipe p into the close
well 9, the water in which should be maintained at a level above the mouth
of the pipe p sufficient to seal that pipe and prevent the return of gas, whilst
the gas flowing therein will pass away from the well q by the piper to a
holders, which is of the character of those ordinarily employed in the storing
of coal gas. is a pipe of supply from this holder, by which the gas obtained
may be conducted to be employed in aid of the fire in the fire-place u. in
heating the matters in the retort, or for other use. The dome of the chamber
in which the retort o is set is formed of plates of iron or fire-bricks v placed
so as to admit of the passage of the heat between them to matters placed
above the dome to be dried. w, w, are doors for the withdrawal of the
matters from the chamber above the dome v. I is a well to collect any
heavier matters flowing over by the pipe p into the well g, and y is a cistern
with ball cock to regulate the height of water in the wells and q. z is a
pump for drawing off the matters from the well z.
Having thus described our Invention, and means by which the same may
be carried into effect, we would have it understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the precise details shown and described, as these may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what we
do claim is, the adaptation or combination of means for treating sewage or

page_text: other liquid matters so as to purify the more fluid portions thereof and recover
some of the contained matters for re-use, and for the preparation of others for
use as manures, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Henry Baker and Thomas
Woodroffe, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day
of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.
(L.S.)
T. H. BAKER.
THO8. WOODROFFE. (L.S.)