IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF MANURE FROM CERTAIN WASTE MATERIALS, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lachlan McIntyre, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF MANURE FROM CERTAIN WASTE MATERIALS, AND IN THE MODES
AND MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Scaled the 21st October 1879, and dated the 10th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said Lachlan McIntyre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1879.
LACHLAN MINTYRE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, En-
gineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE FROM CERTAIN WASTE
MATERIALS, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This said Invention has reference to the manufacture of a very superior manure
from certain waste materials, which will be about equal in fertilizing qualities to
the well known Peruvian guano, and will be. much less costly, besides having the
advantage of utilizing a waste material, the accumulation of which has been found
to be a nuisance, and the removal thereof has been more burdensome than profitable
to those concerned. And the nature and novelty of the Invention consists generally
in collecting all the refuse of fish from the fisheries, fishmongers, fishcurers, and
others dealing in or using large quantities of fish, and removing the same to special
depots and works for the manufacture of manure therefrom by the special new or
improved mode and means or apparatus for that purpose, all as hereinafter described.
And the Invention consists especially in the drying of the material in the interior
of hollow steam heated jacketed vessels, preferably with closing down hinged or
portable removing lids for convenience of charging and removing the material from
these vessels, which are filled or charged from time to time as the material gets
thoroughly dried to a fragible or granular state, ready for use as a manure. These
drying vessels are formed preferably of a long deep narrow construction, with the
close steam jacket all round the sides and bottom, sufficiently strong to withstand
the pressure of steam admitted, which is preferably of from 1 to 50 lbs. pressure,
with the usual drawing-off traps or taps at the lowest part for carrying-off the
condensed steam or water which collects at the bottom. The internal part of the
vessel, open above for charging and removing the material, is fitted with a central

page_text: double perforated or wire cloth division, and narrow space between the perforated
sides, either in combination or not with a false perforated bottom, so as to draw off
all the water from the fish refuse as it exudes from it in being heated into this
central space, which is fitted with a discharge or drawing-off pipe at the lowest
corner, the bottom of the trough being preferably a little lower at one end than the
other for that purpose. After heating for an hour or two the material gets reduced
by the extracting of the water, as stated, to about half its original bulk, when the
cover is lifted and the vessel refilled again to the top; the lid is then closed down
and the heating and extraction of the water continued until all vapour is thoroughly
drawn off, and the material dried, as before stated, to a friable dry mass, which is
then removed from the vessel in a state ready for use as manure made in accordance
with this Invention, but which, when desired, might be passed through a crushing
or pulverizing mill to make it into a rough granular state so as to be more equally
distributable on the soil or land. The long deep and rectangular shaped close
steam jacketed vessel has been described with perforated bottom and division as
being the most approved form for heating the mass of material in the open space of
the vessel and drawing-off the water and moisture therefrom, and removing the
material after it is dried, when desired, by lifting out the said division and false
bottom, and replacing it for a new charge, but it will be understood that other
forms of round or rectangular steam jacketed pans or vessels might be used, with
perforated bottoms for drawing-off the water, and that pressure might be applied to
assist in expressing the water in the first part of the operation. And that there
might be close steam heating divisions across these vessels when large in area, with
intermediate perforated divisions for drawing-off the water, as in the rectangular
modification or vessel described. This new or improved description of double cased
box or vessel with its drawing-off perforated divisions is preferably fitted and
erected quite separately from the steam generator or boiler, which may be of any of
the ordinary constructions, and supply steam to any desired number of such drawing
boxes; but, although steam has been described as used within the close cased
chamber, it will be understood that boiling water might be used, circulated from a
boiler, instead of steam or otherwise; although not preferred, these double cased
vessels with water in them might be made in the form of boilers themselves, and
heated over furnaces of their own, and that in either case they might be fitted with
safety valves to prevent explosions or accidents when working at higher pressures
and temperature than that due to boiling water at the pressure of the atmosphere.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lachlan McIntyre in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
December 1879.
LACHLAN MCINTYRE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, En-
gineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE FROM CERTAIN WASTE
MATERIALS, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.”
My said Invention has reference to the manufacture of a very superior manure
from certain waste materials, which will be about equal in fertilizing qualities to
the well known Peruvian guano, and which will be much less costly, besides having
the advantage of utilizing a waste material, the accumulation of which has been
found to be a nuisanco, and its removal has been more burdensome than profitable
to those concerned.
The object or purpose of my said Invention consists generally in collecting all the
waste fish not found desirable or suitable for food, or the refuse of fish from the
fisheries, fishmongers, fishcurers, and others dealing in or using large quantities of
fish, and removing the same to special depots and works for the manufacture of
manure therefrom by the special new or improved process or mode of, and means or
apparatus for the purpose, forming the substance or improvements of my said
Invention, all as hereinafter described.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing or putting my
said Invention into effect or practice may be properly undorstood, I shall now
describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended for that purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same or equi-
valent parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are a longitudinal and a transverse vertical section, and Figure
a plan corresponding to Figure 1, all respectively, of one new or improved construc-
tion of a close double cased or jacketed steam heating vesse! for heating and treating
the waste material for which the improvements of this my Invention were designed,
and Figures 4 and 5 are detached views of details or parts of or connected with
the apparatus and treatment, which will hereinafter be more particularly described.
Referring to the Figures 1 to 3, the Invention consists especially in the drying of
the said fish material in a special novel manner in the interior spaces or chambers A.
of improved hollow steam heated vessels A', A", formed of close double cased or
jacketed shells on the sides or walls and bottom, into which the steam is admitted
for heating and drying the material placed within the inner open space or cham-
ber A. A hinged or other portable removing closing door z is preferably fitted over
the top of the open chamber A for convenience of charging the material into and
removing it from the internal chambers A of the vessel A¹, A", which are fitted or
charged from time to time as the material gets thoroughly dried to a fragible or
friable granular state, ready for use as a manuro. This said improved steam drying
vessel, Figures 1 and 2, is formed of a close steam jacket space a all round the sides
and bottom, or with plates A' and A", sufficiently strong or stayed to withstand
the pressure of steam admitted or to be admitted to the close space a between these.
It is preferred to make the vessel of a long, deep, and narrow shape or construc-
tion, so that the heat from the inner walls A¹, all round, will pass more freely
through the material and heat it quickly.
The steam would be admitted to the jacket a from any ordinary steam boiler or
generator by a branch b, at one end fitted with a tap or valve for regulating the
pressure of steam thereto, and at the other and lowest end this jacket would be
fitted with a branch c leading to an ordinary drawing-off trap or tap for carrying
off all condensed steam or water which collects at the bottom of this close steam
heating jacket a. The internal part or chamber A. of this vessel is open above for
charging and removing the material and is by these improvements specially fitted

page_text: Z
with a central double perforated or wire cloth division B', B", having a narrow
free space B between the perforated sides B¹ and B₁ so as to draw off all the water
or liquid from the fish material or refuse as it exudes from it while being heated
within the two divisions A and A into which the interior vessel is divided by the
partitions B, B, through which the liquids flow into the central space B between
these, and which is fitted with a discharge pipe B for drawing off all the liquids
so strained off at the lowest end of the bottom of the chamber B, preferably made
or set a little lower at this end than the other for the purpose, and so as to leave
no liquid in the bottom of the vessel; and the vapour arising from the material
being heated passes off by a branch pipe d fitted to cach chamber A, and is led by
a common pipe d¹ to a furnace or chimney. After heating for an hour or two, the
material gets reduced by the extracting of the water or liquid, as stated, to about
half its original bulk, when the cover is lifted and the vessel refilled again with
more fish material to the top, the lid is then closed down again and the heating
and extraction of the liquid continued until no more can be drained off, when the
heating may either be continued to drain off and thoroughly dry the material to a
friable mass, which is then removed from the vessel in a state ready for use as
inanure, made in accordance with this Invention, but which, when desired, might
afterwards be passed through any ordinary pair of crushing rolls or pulverizing
mill to reduce it into a rough granular state to make it more suitable for manure,
and enable it to be more equally delivered or distributed on to the soil or land.
This long deep rectangular close steam jacketed vessel A, A¹, A¹¹, B, B¹, B¹¹, might
have a perforated bottom or sides, or both, as well as or in addition to the central
perforated division B, B², B", hereinbefore described; this latter however, as shown
in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is found to be a most simple and efficient form for this new
treatment and heating of a mass of material in the open spaces A, A, of the vessel,
as also for drawing off the water or liquid and moisture therefrom. The material,
after it is dried as stated, is either removed by hand shovels, forks, or otherwise,
when desired, by lifting out the said perforated divisions or sides and falso bottom
when these are made portable, or in the form of strong frames with wire cloth sides,
for the purpose, and replacing this for a new charge or filled frames. It will be
understood that other rectangular, polygonal, or round forms or constructions of
these steam jacketed pans or vessels, from that shown and described, might be used
with perforated walls or bottoms for drawing off the liquids, first by heat, before
proceeding to the evaporation of the mere moisture left.
Pressure may also be applied to the fish material to assist in drawing off the
liquids therefrom during the first part of the heating operation. And there might
be close steam heating divisions or spaces across the inner chambers A, A, of these
vessels, when they are large in area, with intermediate perforated divisions for
drawing off the liquids, as across the rectangular modification of vessel described in
reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 3, and these compartments or divisions may
be fitted with wire cloth frames A2 of the kind shown in elevation and plan in
Figures 4 and 5 respectively. The fish material is placed inside these frames A to
be treated, the liquids exuding through the wire cloth into the jacketed vessel, from
which they would be drawn off by a pipe, as already described, and these frames A²
would preferably be fitted with handles for convenience in inserting and for with-
drawing them from the chambers A, A, by lifting tackle or cranes.
This new or improved description of double cased box or steam beating vessel
with its liquid drawing off perforated divisions or walls is preferably fitted and
erected quite separately from the steam generator or boiler (which supplies the
steam to it) and may be of any of the ordinary constructions, and supply steam to
any desired number of such heating and drying boxes; but although steam has
been described as used within the close cased chamber a it will be understood that
boiling water might be used, circulated from a boiler, instead of steam, through the
close jacketed space a; or otherwise, although not preferred, these double cased
vessels with water in them might be made in the form of boilers themselves, and
heated over furnaces of their own, and that in either case they might be fitted with

page_text: safety valves to prevent explosions or accidents when working at higher pressures
and temperatures than that due to boiling water at the pressure of the atmosphere.
The pressures I have found to suit well for heating either with steam or water, as
stated, do not require to exceed a maximum of 50 lbs. above the pressure of the
atmosphere.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The treatment of waste fish or the refuse of fish in close jacketed stean heated
vessels, with perforated partitions for the drawing off of the liquids, and drying the
residue into a strong useful manure, all substantially as herein described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
2. The construction and use of close jacketed steam heated vessels with perforated
or wire cloth partitions or sides for the heating and drawing off of the liquids
from waste or refuse fish, and the drying of the same for the making of manure, all
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
3. The fitting of close jacketed steam hoated vessels with perforated or wire cloth
divisions, sides, or portable cases, for the separating of the water from waste or
refuse fish during its treatment for the production of manure, all substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lachlan McIntyre, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
L. M'INTYRE. (LS.)