IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION AND TREATING PRODUCTS OBTAINED THEREFROM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF Manure
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Baldwin Latham, of No. 7, Westminster
Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Baldwin Latham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1873.
I, BALDWIN LATHAM, of No. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria
Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE
AND TREATING PRODUCTS OBTAINED THEREFROM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF Manure,”
to be as follows:
-
My Invention relates to the purification of sewage and the extraction
of manure of considerable value therefrom by making use of the pre-
cipitate which has been removed from sewage by the processes known as

page_text: the "alumina," "phosphate of alumina," and other phosphatic processes,
and the "magnesia" and "iron" processes.
For the purposes of my Invention, the sewage is first treated by any of
the above-mentioned processes, but, by preference, I treat the same
according to the process described in the Specification to M. F.
Anderson's Patent, dated 8th December, 1869, No. 3550, whereby I
obtain a precipitate composed of hydrated oxide of alumina, phosphate
of alumina, and phosphate of lime, together with organic and other
matters. This precipitate I remove from the tanks in which the sewage
is treated, and I dry the same by any suitable known process, after-
wards allowing it to stand a sufficient time for the catalytic action of the
carthy materials present to have changed the organic matter into humus,
mould, and other inoffensive compounds. When this action is complete
the compound is treated with sulphuric, hydrochloric, or other acids,
but, by preference, with sulphuric acid. The action of this acid is to
convert the oxide of alumina into sulphate and sesqui-sulphate of
alumina, and the phosphates of alumina and lime into superphosphates,
as also to carbonize some of the organic matter.
The proportion of the acid used for the compound will vary greatly
according to the nature of the sewage matter, the limits being from
about one part by weight of the compound and one part by weight of
the acid to ten parts of the compound and one part of the acid. The
compound so treated is then mixed with water and added to the sewage
matter to be treated, or it may be mixed directly in the dry state with
the sewage. Should the sewage not be sufficiently alkaline to neutralize
the acid in the compound, I add any suitable alkali in sufficient quantity
to ncutralizo the same, but, by preference, I use the lime produced by
burning magnesian limestone for this purpose.
The proportion of the compound added to the sewage will vary 'con-
siderably according to the quality of the sewage. Thus, 1 lb. of the com-
pound to from 50 to 1000 gallons of the sewage to be treated may be
used, but I do not limit myself to these proportions.
On the addition of the lime or other alkali an immediate combination
takes place between the lime and the sulphuric acid of the sulphate and
sesqui-sulphate of 'alumina, and of the superphosphates of alumina and
lime; and the alumina, the phosphate 'of alumina, and phosphate of lime
are precipitated. At the same time 'the flocculent deposit formed in

page_text: separating from the sewage drags down the suspended matters in the
sewage, and the humus, mould, and carbonized organic matters of the
compound added combine with some of the ammonia of the sewage
which is carried down in the deposit. The deposit thus produced may
either be used itself as a manure, or it may be treated with sulphuric or
other acid, in order to render the phosphates of alumina and lime
soluble, and to fix the ammonia compounds; or the compound may be
again dried and treated and be applied to a fresh quantity of sewage in
the above-described manner, and this operation may be repeated until a
manure of a sufficient degree of richness or concentration is obtained.
For carrying out the above-described process, the solid matter in the
sewage may be first separated by the apparatus described in the
Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 17th March 1869,
No. 809, and it may then be passed into tanks, where, after admixture
of the above-described compound, it is either allowed to stand or it is
caused to flow through the tank in a sufficiently slow current to allow
the precipitate to deposit.
The effluent water may be again treated either by the process
described in Anderson's Specification before mentioned or by any other
known process, for the precipitation of any matters remaining therein
after treatment by the above-described process, or the effluent water
may be applied to the irrigation of land, or it may be purified by the
well-known process of intermittent downward filtration.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Baldwin Latham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BALDWIN
LATHAM, of No. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Baldwin Latham, Her special license

page_text: that I, the said Baldwin Latham, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Baldwin Latham, 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, usc, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORIFYING
SEWAGE AND TREATING PRODUCTS OBTAINED THEREFROM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
MANURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Baldwin
Latham, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Baldwin Latham, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the purification of sewage and the extraction
of a manure of considerable value therefrom by making use of the
precipitate which has been removed from sewage by the processes
known as the "alumina," "phosphate of alumina," and other phosphatic
processes, and the "magnesia and iron” processes, or other suitable
processes.
By the alumina processes is meant such as are described in the
Specification of Patents obtained by H. Stothert, 17th April 1852,
No. 14073; J. F. Pinel, 8th March, 1853, No. 581; J. A. Manning,
29th November, 1853, No. 2780; 27th March, 1854, No. 709;
7th August, 1855, No. 1786; 5th July, 1856, No. 1579; 1st February,
1858, No. 179; 31st May, 1860, No. 1343; H. Bird, 20th December,
1864, No. 3160; C. J. Lenk, 17th October, 1865, No. 2764; F. Sutton,
12th January, 1866, No. 101; R. Irvine, 28th August, 1866, No. 2218.
Processes known as "A, B, C, processes," contained in Patents of tho
15th June, 1868, No. 1954; 8th February, 1870, No. 364; 12th, May
1870, No. 1354; 22nd February, 1872, No. 575; M. F. Anderson,
Sth December, 1869, No. 3550; P. Spence, 9th July, 1870, No. 1949;

page_text: Fenton and Hollins, 21st September, 1870, No. 2534; and other similar
processes.
By "phosphate of alumina" and other phosphatic processes is meant
processes such as described in the Patents of G. L. Blyth, 15th
February, 1858, No. 287; J. B. A. Dugléré, 13th September, 1858,
No. 2073; Forbes and Price, 2nd March, 1870, No. 607; 19th April,
1870, No. 1137; A. P. Price, 7th May, 1870, No. 1314; Forbes and
Price, 23rd June, 1870, No. 1789; T. J. Smith, 11th April, 1870,
No. 1061; A. P. Vassard, 4th May, 1871, No. 1211, and 1st November,
1871, No. 2926; J. I. Lupton, 15th August, 1871, No. 2140; Prange
and Whittbread, 6th February, 1872, No. 379; A. M. Clark, 6th
February, 1872, No. 388; D. Campbell, 30th March, 1872, No. 941;
H. Y. D. Scott, 26th August, 1871, No. 2243, and other similar
processes.
By "magnesian and iron processes" is meant such as are described in
the Specification of Patents of R. Dover, 16th October, 1851, No. 13775;
T. J. Herapath, 15th March, 1858, No. 643; T. J. Dimsdalc, 20th May,
1853, No. 1252; A. Smith and A. M.Dougall, 30th January, 1854,
No. 142; J. Dales, 22nd September, 1859, No. 2157; H. A. Bonneville,
10th November, 1866, No. 2926; J. Burrow, 7th October, 1871,
No. 2659, and other similar processes.
For the purposes of my Invention, the sewage is first treated by any
of the above-mentioned processes, but, by preference, I treat it according
to the process described in the Specification of M. F. Anderson,
Stlı December, 1869, No, 3550, whereby I obtain a precipitate composed
of hydrated oxide of alumina, phosphate of alumina, phosphate of lime,
together with organic and other matters. This precipitate I remove
from the tanks in which the sewage has been treated, and I dry the same
by any suitable known process, to such an extent as to leave sufficient
moisture in the material so that after being allowed to stand for a time
the catalytic action of the earthy material present is such as to change
the organic matter into humus, mould, and other inoffensive compounds.
In some cases, however, it is not necessary for the materials to be laid
together, as they may be thoroughly dried and used at once in carrying
out my process. When the catalytic action is complete, or in the event of
the deposit being only dried, the compound is treated with sulphuric
acid, hydrochloric acid, or a mixture of other acids, but, by preference,
with sulphuric acid. The action of the acid is to convert the oxide of

page_text: alumina into sulphate and sesqui-sulphate of alumina, and the phosphates
of alumina and lime into superphosphates of alumina and lime, and also
to carbonize the organic matter, converting it into vegetable and animal
charcoal.
The proportion of acid used for the compound will vary greatly
according to the nature of the sewage, or the precipitate removed
from the sewage, the limits being from about one part by weight of the
compound to one part by weight of the acid to ten parts of the com-
pound and one part of the acid. A very good proportion is one of acid
to two of the compound. By preference, the acid used is treated before
admixture with the compound, as it is found in this case to have a more
perfect action thereon. The compound so treated is then mixed with
water or sewage and added to the sewage matter to be treated, or it may
be directly mixed in the dry state with the sewage intended to be
treated. Should the sewage not be sufficiently alkaline to neutralize the
acid in the compound, I add any suitable alkali in sufficient quantity to
neutralize the same, but, by preference, I use lime, produced by burning
magnesian limestone for this purpose.
The proportion of the compound to be added to the sewage will vary
considerably according to the quality of the sewage and the nature of the
precipitate derived from the original sewage. Thus, 1 lb. of the compound
to from 50 to 1000 gallons of sewage may be used, but I do not limit
myself to these proportions.
On the addition of the lime or other alkali an immediate combination
takes place between the lime and sulphuric acid of the sulphate and
sesqui-sulphate of alumina, and of the superphosphates of alumina
and lime; and phosphate of alumina, and lime, and hydrated oxide of
alumina are precipitated. At the same time the flocculent deposit,
formed by the compound in separating from the sewage, drags down
the suspended matters of the sewage, and the carbonized or organic
matter and humus or mould of the compound added, absorbs a portion of
the ammonia of the sewago which is carried down with the deposit.
The deposit thus produced may then be dried and either be used itself as a
manure, or it may be treated with sulphuric acid, in order to render it
soluble, and fix the ammonia compounds, and to render soluble the
phosphates; or the compound may be again dried and treated and
applied to a fresh quantity of sewage. But before being again treated
with acid it may be charred or carbonized in retorts and the ammonia

page_text: collected by any known process, when it may be again treated with acid
and used in the above-described manner, and this operation may be
repeated until a manure of a sufficient degree of richness or concentration
is obtained.
In carrying out the above proces, the solid matter in the sewage may
be first separated by the apparatus described in the Specification to
Letters Patent granted to me on the 17th March, 1869, No. 809, and it
may then be passed into tanks, where, after admixture with the above-
described compound, it is either allowed to stand or it is caused to flow
through the tank in a sufficiently slow current to allow the precipitate to
deposit.
The precipitate produced by this process cither before or after being
dried may be mixed with the matters extracted by the apparatus
described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me of the
17th March, 1869, No. 809, and so form a valuable manure.
The effluent water, after the application of this process, may be again
treated by the processes described in the Specification before mentioned
of M. F. Anderson, or in that of J. J. Lundy's Patent, dated the 10th
March, 1870, No. 713, or by any other known process for the precipitation
of any matters remaining therein after treatment by the above-described
process, or the effluent water may be applied to the irrigation of land, or
it may be purified by the well-known process of intermittent downward
filtration.
My before-described process may also be applied to the effluent water
resulting from the treatment of sewage according to the process
described in the Specification of the before-mentioned Patent of
M. F. Anderson, or of any of the other Patents or processes before
mentioned.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not claim generally the use of matter precipitated from sewage as a
precipitant, but I claim,-
First. The process substantially as herein described of drying the
matter precipitated from sewage, and treating it with acid so as to
carbonize the organic matters and produce a disinfecting and deodorizing
material for use as a precipitant for the purification of sewage or for the
production of manure.

page_text: Second. The purifying of sewage by means of sewage, precipitate
treated as herein described.
Third. The use of manure produced from sewage precipitate, treated
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Baldwin Latham, have hereunto set 5
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
BALDWIN LATHAM. (L.S.)