IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING, PURIFYING, AND CLARIFYING SEWAGE AND OTHER FOUL WATER, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Dickinson at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 25th September 1880.
CHARLES DICKINSON, Yew Cottage, Agbrigg, near Wakefield, in the County of
York, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING, PURIFYING, AND CLARIFYING
SEWAGE AND OTHER FOUL WATER, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
This Invention relates to improvements in the treatment of sewage and other
foul water for the purpose of purifying and clarifying the same, by which means I
provide a cheaper and more efficient mode of treatment than heretofore employed.
For this purpose I employ a series of tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs, which may be
worked continuously or intermittently. The first tank, cistern, or reservoir is
placed in an elevated position, and in which is placed lime, the required quantity
of which is regulated according to the quantity of sewage or other foul water to be
operated on. The lime having been placed in the tank, cistern, or reservoir,. water
coming from a main water pipe is allowed to How into the tank, cistern, or
reservoir, and upon the lime, until the tank is nearly filled; the tap of the main
water pipe is then closed. The water with the lime is kept in the tank, cistern, or
reservoir from ten to twelvo hours, and kept in agitation for a certain and required
time by means of beaters revolving in the cistern. The beaters are made of round
or oval wood, and are secured in the outside of cast iron drums which are fixed on
a shaft working in bearers fitted in the cistern, tank, or reservoir; and on the edges
of the drums are secured other beaters made of iron, and of a V shape. The shaft
on one side is made to pass out of the cistern, tank, or reservoir, on which is
secured a pulley over which works a strap which is driven by another pulley
fitted on the end of a shaft of a small wheel constructed like a water wheel, which
works in the depositing settling tank, hereinafter described. When the lime is
deposited, a tap or valve fitted a little over the top of the deposited lime is
opened, and the milk of lime or lime water is allowed to run into a second tank,
cistern, or reservoir, which is fitted at a lower level than the first. When the milk
or lime is run off from the first tank, cistern, or reservoir, the lime tank tap
or valve is closed and the deposited lime can be removed whilst a tap or valve fitted
to the milk of lime tank, cistern, or reservoir, is opened; and to help clearing the
sewage or foul water I mix with the lime water a mixture of salt cake, alum, and
potash; the lime water and mixture flow in a depositing or settling tank, cistern,
or reservoir, in which flows the sewage or foul water; and in the tank, cistern, or

page_text: reservoir is fitted the mechanical stirrer or agitator hereinbefore described, that is to
say, a small wheel similar in shape to a water wheel and which is fitted on a shaft
fitted in the tank, cistern, or reservoir, and the wheel is under the flow of sewage
or foul water into the depositing tank; the flow actuates the small wheel and
keeps in agitation the water at the point where the mixture of lime water, salt,
alum, and potash flows. The small wheel actuates the pulley fitted on the wheel
shaft which actuates through the strap the beaters fitted in the top cistern, and I
may employ a steam engine to turn the wheel when required.
When the soluble inatters are precipitated in the depositing or settling tank,
cistern, or reservoir, the water is run or discharged into another tank, cistern, or
reservoir, a tap or valve being opened for that purpose; or the water is allowed to
overflow and fall into the tank, cistern, or reservoir which is fitted at a lower lovel
than the third tank, cistern, or reservoir, and the water precipitates finer particles
of matters, still held in suspension in the water, and the water is after precipitation
of the finer particles allowed to flow in a fourth tank, cistern, or reservoir, a tap or
valve fitted to the third tank, cistern, or reservoir, being opened for that purpose;
the water precipitates other finer particles, still held in suspension; the water is
afterwards passed into a filtering cistern or reservoir which may be composed of
sand, coke, porous stones, and animal or vegetable charcoal, so as to form a compact
mass. The water after passing through the filter escapes in a purified and clarified
state through a cock or sluice into a beck or any other suitable receiver.
The sludge or sewage matters separated from the sewage or foul water are from
time to time removed from the tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs. For this purpose valves
or sluices are fitted to the sides of the tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs, through which,
when opened, the_sludge matters escape into a sewer mado near the sides of the
tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs, and run-off-into-a-field-or-into-any-suitable_receiver
for the utilization of the sludge.
—I-may,-if-required, deodorize the sewage or foul water by well known deodorizing