IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURES AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURES AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." -A communication from abroad by
Henri Antoine Prosper Lissagaray, of Pantin, in the Republic of
France, Chemist.
Sealed the 14th August 1874, and dated the 11th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th March 1874.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURES AND IN
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad
by 'Henri Antoine Prosper Lissagaray, of Pantin, in the Republic of
France, Chemist, to be as follows:-
"
.
This Invention relates to the production of manure by the precipita-
tion in a solid and imputrescible form whilst retaining its property of

page_text: assimilation of the nitrogenous matter contained in solution in blood,
and to the apparatus employed for that purpose, which apparatus is also
applicable to the manufacture of other manures.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to effect the precipitation
by means of mineral acids, such for example, as sulphuric acid or
chlorhydric acid, or of compounds, such for example, as sulphate of
alumina or sulphate of iron, or the two combined, which are mixed with.
the liquid blood into which there has been previously introduced a
soluble salt or compound, such for example, as an alkaline sulphite or
bi-sulphite or alkaline earth, or in lieu thereof, chloride of lime or other
hypochlorite, the liberation of one of the constituent elements, say for
example, sulphurous acid or chlorine, by means of the acid or body
having an acid reaction subsequently introduced into the liquid,
effecting by a reaction produced from molecule to molecule throughout
the whole mass the complete coagulation of the solid matter in the
blood, and at the same time rendering such coagulated matter
imputrescible.
The precipitated matter is collected in any suitable filtering apparatus
and either pressed into the form of cakes or dried in any suitable
manner. The product thus obtained, either in a pulverulent or compact
condition, forms a manure which is rich in fertilizing properties and may
be either used. alone or added to artificial manures.
:
The apparatus which it is proposed to employ in carrying out this
Invention is so arranged that the admixture of the blood with the acid
or its equivalent is effected by continuous and proportional discharges
into a common vessel, the requisite quantities being ascertained by
experiment and the supply regulated as desired. This apparatus consists
of a wrought-iron reservoir containing the blood which is introduced
therein by means of a feed pump below through a pipe having a swan's
neck, and of a leaden reservoir for the sulphuric acid or its equivalent,
which is supplied thereto by means of a syphon from a suitable receptacle.
Below the blood and acid reservoirs, herein-before referred to, are placed
two smaller or secondary reservoirs, into which the blood with a suitable
quantity of sulphite of soda or its equivalent. and the acid respectively
are caused to flow, ball-cocks being provided on the outlet pipes of the
main reservoirs, so that the discharge therefrom may be regulated or
intercepted by the height of the liquid in the smaller or secondary

page_text: reservoir. The blood and acid respectively are then directed from the
latter receptacles into two other vessels, from which they are distributed
to a vessel or gutter beneath in which the admixture and precipitation
are effected. The vessels are provided with suitable covers and also with
connecting pipes, stoneware, and other cocks and guages for the purpose
of facilitating and regulating the discharge and indicating the height of
the liquids.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the 37th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURES AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,
a communication to me from abroad by Henri Antoine Prosper
Lissagaray, of Pantin, in the Republic of France, Chemist, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing, under my
hand and seal, 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.
"

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
The said Invention relates to a process and apparatus for effecting
the precipitation in a solid and imputrescible form of the nitrogenous
matter contained in blood.
The precipitated matter is collected on a filter or on any suitable 】
filtering apparatus, and is treated either by pressing it into the form of
cakes or by drying it in any suitable manner. The product thus
obtained, either in a pulverulent or a compact condition, constitutes a
manure which is both powerful, imputrescible, and readily assimilable.
It is also capable of being transported to a distance, and from its great ]
richness in nitrogen may be employed either directly as a manure or for
the enriching of artificial manures.
This process is carried out by the employment of mineral acids, such
for example, as sulphuric acid or chlorhydric acid or mixtures of the
same, or of compounds, such for example, as sulphate of alumina or
sulphate of iron, which act upon the blood into which there has been
previously introduced a soluble salt or compound, such for example, as
an alkaline, sulphite or bi-sulphite, or a sulphite or bi-sulphite having
'an alkaline earth as its base, or in lieu thereof chloride of lime or other
hypochlorite, the liberation of one of the constituent elements, say for
example, sulphurous acid or chlorine, by means of an acid or by means
of a compound possessing an acid reaction subsequently introduced into
the liquid, effecting by a reaction produced from molecule to molecule
throughout the whole mass the complete coagulation of the solid matter
in the blood, and at the same time rendering such coagulated matter
imputrecible.
The apparatus which it is preferred to employ in carrying out this
process, and which is also applicable to the manufacture of other
manures, is so arranged that the admixture of the blood with the
chemical products is effected by continuous and proportional discharges
of the bodies to be mixed,

page_text: And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood. I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in both the Figures.
ԱՆՍԵՂՄԵ the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in both the Figures.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the mixing apparatus con-
structed and arranged in accordance with this Invention; and Figure 2
is a corresponding plan of same.
.
A is a reservoir composed of sheet iron or other suitable material, and
intended for the reception of the blood which is introduced therein:
through a pipe B having a swan's neck C, by means of a feed pump D.
drawing its supply from another reservoir (not shewn in my Drawings),'
into which the cask, or vessels containing the blood may be discharged;
E is a receptacle which is disposed below the reservoir A, and is capable
of being placed in communication with such reservoir by means of a
pipe F, and with a distributing vessel G by means of a pipe H. a is a
reservoir composed of lead or other suitable material and containing the
sulphuric acid or its equivalent, which is supplied thereto by means of a
glass syphon from a receptacle e disposed on the table d. Below tho"
reservoir a there is provided a receptacle e which is capable of being.
placed in communication with such reservoir by means of a pipe ƒ and
with a distributing vessel g by means of a pipe h. The pipes F, ƒ, are
fitted with ball-cocks I, i, for the purpose of regulating the flow from the
reservoirs A, a, by means of the height of the liquid in the receptacles E, e;
respectively. The precipitation is effected in a trough or gutter K, into
which the blood and acid are conducted by pipes L, 1, respectively from
the respective distributing vessels G, g. The reservoirs A, a, and the
distributing vessels G, g, are provided with covers and liquid level
gauges, and the various communicating pipes are fitted with suitable
cocks for the purpose of regulating and intercepting the flow of the
liquids, as desired. The degree of opening of the cocks M, m, (with
which the pipes L, 1, are respectively furnished) is adjusted by
experiment, so as to obtain the best results.
When the distributing vessels G, g, require to be replenished it is
desirable to intercept their communication with the trough or gutter K,

page_text: purpose, so as to obviate the necessity for interfering with the adjusted
cocks M, m, which are allowed to remain open.'
When the reservoir A has been filled with blood, there is introduced
therein a quantity of dried sulphite of soda (for example) equal to say.
about one per cent. of the weight of blood, and it is found in practice that
the best results are obtained by so regulating the cocks that the sulphuric.
acid (at say 66° Beaumé) or other acids or compounds will be supplied
through the cock m in the proportion of from about one to three per
cent. of the weight of blood discharged through the cock M.
It should be observed however that the proportion of sulphite of
soda herein-before mentioned, as also the quantity of acid in proportion
to the blood, are merely given as examples, and that the same may be
varied as desired.
Sulphite of soda may be replaced by chloride of lime, and the
sulphuric and other acids by a solution of sulphate of alumina and
sulphate of iron, or by one or more of tlie before-mentioned
compounds.
One of the principal advantages of this apparatus consists in the
continuous and proportionate discharge of the two liquids which is
obtained by the arrangement of the vessels and experimental regulation
of the cocks.
By altering the diameter of the vessel g the quantity of acid which is
to be discharged in a given time in proportion to a given quantity of
blood may be varied at will.
It has been ascertained that the blood when it leaves the mixing
apparatus contains a quantity of acid which renders its dessication
difficult.
It is obvious that the sulphuric acid introduced has a tendency to.
retain the serous portion of the blood and also to absorb the humidity
of the atmosphere. Moreover the sulphureous acid liberated by the
decomposition of the bi-sulphite has a tendency to become oxidized and
to be converted into sulphuric acid. This is remedied by means of an
operation which has for its object to remove by washing the greater
portion of the acid, and to precipitate the solid matter of the blood
without however rendering it basic and spontaneously putrescible.
For this purpose the blood treated in the mixing apparatus is washed

page_text: with water in the proportion of, say, about two pints of water per one
pound weight of blood. Into this mixture there is then introduced
about one-eighth of an ounce of proto-sulphate of iron or green vitriol
of commerce, the partial peroxidation of which is effected by about
three-tenths of a cubic inch of a solution of hypochlorite of soda at
147 chlorometrical degrees. The mixture is then agitated and hydrate
of lime is added in the proportion of about one-half per cent. of lime to
the weight of blood.
'
with water in the proportion of, say, about two pints of water per one
pound weight of blood. Into this mixture there is then introduced
about one-eighth of an ounce of proto-sulphate of iron or green vitriol
of commerce, the partial peroxidation of which is effected by about
shree-tenths of a cubic inch of a solution of hypochlorite of soda at
147 chlorometrical degrees. The mixture is then agitated and hydrate
of lime is added in the proportion of about one-half per cent. of lime to
the weight of blood.
:
'
The relative quantites of the various substances above mentioned may.
be varied according to circumstances.
The before-mentioned operation may be performed at the foot of the
mixing apparatus, the graduation of which admits of the volume of
blood discharged being measured; and consequently of its weight being
ascertained.
The mixture is conducted into vessels, the bases of which are sup-
ported at a height of, say, about seven feet from the ground. It is
allowed to remain for some hours in order to afford time for the hydrato
of lime to saturate a corresponding proportion of acid, after the lapse of
which period the solid matter of the blood is precipitated at the bottom.
of the vessels. After the water is added, as herein-before mentioned.
(and prior to the addition of the sulphate of iron, the hypochlorite, and
the lime), the greater portion of the coagulum will be found to be in
suspension. The albumenized matter which was previously in solution
in the form of syntonine is precipitated by the hydrated oxide of
iron.
It is desirable in practice to test the coagulated blood after it has been:
diluted with water and subsequent to the introduction of the sulphate of
iron and the hypochlorite. The portion of the mixture withdrawn for
such purpose is mixed with the requisite proportion of lime which is to
be introduced into the whole of the mixture. In this manner not only
is the acid contained in the portion taken out of the mixture super-
saturated, but also the action of the lime on the organic matter effects
the liberation of a small quantity of ammonia in a nascent state which
acts beneficially. in promoting the precipitation.
When the volume of the precipitated solid matter occupies about a
third of the contents of the receptacle the fluid portion is drawn off by

page_text: means of a syphon, and this carries away by mechanical action about
one-tenth of an ounce of the precipitate per quart. The precipitato
however which remains at the bottom of the precipitating vessel will be
found in practice to be about equal in weight and volume to the blood
introduced, as although it has lost, say, about three-quarters per cent.
under the action of the syphon its weight has been augmented by a
small proportion of lime and hydrated oxide of iron. Certain constituents
of the blood thus treated will be in a state of suspension, and the con-
tents of such vessel may then be discharged from the bottom, the liquid
portion running off first, and the mass of precipitate in a viscous
condition being then emptied into sacks.
The precipitate when examined in a microscope is found to be formed
of solid molecules floating in a limpid solution. On being subjected to
pressure in a felt sack the liquid only is expressed, the colored molecules
being retained by the fabric of which the sack is composed. The matter
is then ready to be dried. This precipitate constituting the elements of
the manure, which remains slightly acid and is consequently impu-
trescible, may be dried in the open air, and it then retains only from
fifteen to twenty per cent. of water, whilst the blood proceeding direct
from the mixing apparatus and exposed to the air retains even
when it presents a pulverulent appearance about forty-four per cent. of
water.
The fluid portion drawn off by the syphon and which carries away
mechanically about one-tenth of an ounce of the precipitate per quart,
but which becomes clear on being passed through filtering paper, still
contains a small proportion of albuminous matter in the condition.
of syntonine, which may be precipitated by nitric or other acid if
required...
.
In order to obtain complete defecation, the following method may be.
adopted for eliminating the last traces of organic matter from the fluid
portions which are run off. These contain in suspension and in solution.
about one-seventh of an ounce of organic matter per quart. This matter
may be precipitated by supersaturating with lime, which at the same
time precipitates the iron of the sulphate in the condition of hydrated
oxide, and there is ultimately obtained a solution which contains lime
and sulphate of lime. It is requisite that the precipitate should be
separated as rapidly as possible as a small proportion would be
redissolved if allowed to stand.'

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. Effecting the precipitation of the nitrogenized and other
constituents contained in blood by the employment of mineral acids,
or of sulphate of alumina, or of sulphate of iron, or of mixtures of the
same in conjunction with a chloride such, for example, as the chloride
of lime, or with a sulphite, or with a bi-sulphite, such, for example, as
the sulphite or the bi-sulphite of soda.
Second. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus for
effecting the mixing by continuous and proportionate discharges of the
substances employed in the manufacture of manure, substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of
September One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)