IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS ANIMAL MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION OFURE, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Davies, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Analytical Chemist, and Edward Massey, of Dewsbury, in the County of
York, Manure Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF FIBROUS ANIMAL MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Davies and Edward
Massey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd June 1881.
EDWARD DAVIES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist,
and EDWARD MASSEY, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Manure Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS ANIMAL MATTER FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Our Invention relates principally to the treatment of waste wool, hair, silk, and
like fibrous animal matters for the purpose of bringing them into a condition
suitable for use as manures, either alone or in combination with other fertilizers or
agents.
Hitherto the attempts made to utilize waste wool and like animal fibrous
matters for manurial purposes by treatment with acids or steam under pressure, or
botb, have, commercially speaking, been failures, the processes employed causing a
great loss of valuable nitrogenous matter, and reducing the material more or less
to the condition of a charred mass.
Now the objects of our Invention are to reduce the woolly and like fibres to a
powder suitable for use in manures by a simple and inexpensive operation, and
at the same time retain all the valuable nitrogenous elements.
For that purpose, first, we heat the fibres in a closed or nearly closed vessel or
chamber to a temperature of from about 350° to 500° F., preferably not exceeding
450° F., in the presence of non oxidizing gas, preferably carbonic acid.

page_text: Second. The heated mass when removed from the vessel or chamber is ground or
otherwise reduced to the required powdery condition.
Third. We agitate the matter undergoing treatment under the first part by
means of rotating stirrers, or by giving motion to the chamber containing the fibres
being treated.
Fourth. We collect and condense any ammoniacal gas evolved during treatment
under the first part in any usual or desired manner.
Fifth. Apparatus in which the woolly or like fibres are treated consists of a
closed vessel heated by direct contact with flames, heated gases, or steam. Feed
and discharge doors are provided.
Sixth. Another modification of apparatus for the treatment of the said fibres and
the one which we prefer, consists of a cylinder through which the matter being
treated is fed continuously by means of a screw or equivalent mechanism, or by the
rotation of the said cylinder. A stream of carbonic acid gas or other non oxidizing
gas is caused to flow through the said cylinder in such manner as to exclude air or
free oxygen.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Davies and Edward Massey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th December 1881.
EDWARD DAVIES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist,
and EDWARD MASSEY, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Manure Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS ANIMAL MATTER FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Our Invention relates principally to the treatment of waste wool, hair, silk, and
like fibrous animal matters for the purpose of bringing them into condition
suitable for use as manures, either alone or in combination with other fertilizers
or agents.
Hitherto the attempts made to utilize waste wool and like animal fibrous matters
for manurial purposes by treatment with acids or steam under pressure, or both,
have, commercially speaking, been failures, the processes employed causing a great
loss of valuable nitrogenous matter, and reducing the material more or less to the
condition of a charred mass or otherwise as magma.
Now the objects of our Invention are to reduce the woolly and like fibres
to a powder suitable for use in manures by a simple and inexpensive operation, and
at the same time retain all the valuable nitrogenous elements.
For that purpose, first, we heat the fibres in a closed or nearly closed vessel or
chamber that is practically without pressure above that of the atmosphere to a
temperature of from about 300° to 500° F., preferably not exceeding 450° F., in the
presence of a non-oxidizing gas, such non-oxidizing gas being ordinarily nitrogen,
dry steam, or, by preference, carbonic acid. When steam is employed dry waste
steam from any heating source may advantageously be used.
Second. The treated mass when removed from the vessel or chamber is ground
or otherwise reduced to the required powdery condition in any convenient suitablo.
grinding mill.
Third. We agitate the matter undergoing treatment under the first part by
means of rotating stirrers, or by giving motion to the chamber containing the
fibres being treated.
Fourth. We collect and condense any ammoniacal gas evolved during treatment;
under the first part in any usual or desired manner, say, in scrubbers or condensing
towers.
"
Fifth. Apparatus in which the woolly or like fibres are treated under the above
heads consists of a closed vessel heated by direct contact with flames, heated gases,.
or steam. Feed and discharge doors or equivalent devices are provided.
Sixth. Another apparatus for the treatment of the said fibres, and the one which:
we prefer, consists of a cylinder through which the matter being treated. is fed
continuously by means of a screw or equivalent mechanism, or by the rotation of.
the said cylinder. A stream of carbonic acid or other non-oxidizing gas is caused
to flow through the said cylinder in such manner as to exclude air or free oxygen. :
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus under the sixth part of our Invention,
the five previous parts being easily understood without the aid of Drawings; a is
a cast iron cylinder made with double walls b, c, so that a steam space or jacket d
is formed around the said cylinder; e, steam inlet; f, exhaust; g, cock; h, pipe
leading from exhaust to inlet way i;j, pipe for carbonic acid or other non-oxidizing
gas; k, l, cocks; m, steam pipe passing through stuffing boxes n at each end of the
cylinder; m*, driving pulley secured on m; o, steam supply pipe and stuffing box;
P, screw or spiral blades attached to m; q, studs or arms, also attached to m;
7, hoppers; 8, feeding screw operated by the shaft and pulley t; u, bearings;

page_text: v, outlet for ammonia or other gases. The said outlet is connected by pipes or
tubes to a condenser or other like apparatus; w, discharge door; x, receiving
bucket carried by the weighted lever y pivotted and centred on the pillar z.
Steam is
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Steam at a temperature of from
300° F. to 450° F., preferably about 400° F., is admitted into the jacket d and
pipe m; motion is imparted to the pulleys m* and 't, and the material to be
treated is fed by hand, or in any convenient manner into the hopper r.
at the same time admitted to the interior of the cylinder through the pipe h and
way, or the steam is shut off by means of the cock k and carbonic acid or other
non oxidizing gas caused to flow into the cylinder through the pipe j. By means
of the screws and studs or arms q, the material being treated is caused to travel
from one end of the cylinder to the other, and is deposited over the discharge
door w. Any ammonia and excess of steam or non-oxidizing gases pass away by
the opening v.
When sufficient treated material has been deposited over the
door w, the said door is withdrawn, and the said treated material is allowed to fall
into the bucket or receiver ; the door is then reclosed and the bucket or receiver
removed. After cooling the treated material is ground or pulverized, and is then
fit for use as manure, either alone or mixed with other fertilizers.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of a cylinder showing a different
construction and arrangement of the feeding apparatus. Like letters denote the
same parts as in Fig. 1, and the action of the apparatus will be easily understood
on reference thereto.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a modification of apparatus under the sixth part
of our Invention; here the cylinder is caused to rotate instead of being stationary,
and is heated by the direct application of flaines and heated gases instead of by
steam. The feeding screws and arms are replaced by ribs or partitions p*. Like
letters denote the same parts as in Fig. 1.
It will be obvious that heat may be applied to the cylinders in many ways, and
that the construction and arrangement of the parts may be modified without
departing from our Invention.
Having now described and illustrated the nature of the said Invention in such
manner that others will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we
claim,―
First. Heating fibrous animal matter in the presence of a non oxidizing gas or
gases, substantially as set forth.
Second. Grinding or reducing the material treated under the first part,
substantially as set forth.
Third. Agitating the material whilst being treated under the first part,
substantially as set forth.
Fourth. Collecting and condensing ammoniacal gas evolved under the first part,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The apparatus under the fifth, head arranged to be heated and with doors
substantially as described.
Sixth. Apparatus constructed and operating so as to render the charring
continuous, substantially as hercin described.
hand
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Davies, have hereunto set my
and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
EDWARD DAVIES. (L.S.)