IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SANITARY CHARCOAL, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Balthasar Wilhelm Gerland, Ph. D. of Maccles-
field, in the County of Chester, Consulting Chemist, and Edward
Johnson, of Belle Vue Lodge, Dartmouth Park, near Sydenham, in
the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SANITARY CHARCOAL, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO THE
TREATMENT OF SEWAGE.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Balthasar Wilhelm
Gerland and Edward Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th August 1872.
We, BALTHASAR WILHELM GERLAND, Ph. D., of Macclesfield, in
the County of Chester, Consulting Chemist, and EDWARD JOHNSON, of
Belle Vue Lodge, Dartmouth Park, near Sydenham, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SANITARY CHARCOAL, AND THE APPLICATION
THEREOF TO THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE," to be as follows:-
According to our Invention we use sawdust, spent tan, sea weed, dry
leaves, heather, ferns, chaff, cut straw, and vegetable refuse in general,
all in a fresh or undecayed condition, and incorporate with one or more
of these materials clay, loam, or any other suitable earthy matters, and

page_text: then char the mixture under exclusion of air. Or we take ordinary
fresh or undecayed sods or turf, and calcine these in the same manner.
The product of this charring consists of earthy matters intimately
impregnated with vegetable charcoal, the proportions by preference
being regulated as to contain not less than 5 per cent. of carbon.
We use the charcoal thus produced either by itself for the purposes of
filtration and deodorization, or after adding to it a cheap solution of
phosphoric acid for precipitation purposes, and in order to enhance the
commercial value of the products or for mixing with deodorizing and
enriching excremental or other noxious matters.
In some cases it will be of advantage to add a small proportion of
lime to the sewage when it is to be treated by the charcoal of this
preparation.
The great novelty and utility of this Invention consist in the fact
that this charcoal can be prepared cheaply in every locality.
In applying our Invention to the treatment of sewage, we prefer to
carry it out in the following manner, that is to say:- -We divide the
stream of sewage into two branches, to one of which we add a solution
of phosphoric acid or a mixture of the charcoal dust arising in the
manufacture of the charcoal with a solution of phosphoric acid, and to
the other milk of lime. The two branches are then combined and inter-
mixed, when a precipitate of phosphate of lime will appear. The
quantities of phosphoric acid and lime to be used are regulated by the
state of the sewage and the degree of purification which is to be
obtained, but in all cases the relative quantities employed should be so
regulated that the sewage after the admixture has a neutral or slightly
alkaline reaction.
The sewage after this preliminary treatment passes to the filtering
beds filled with the charcoal prepared according to our herein-before
described methods.
The charcoal when saturated with the more solid impurities of the
sewage is removed from the filtering tanks and worked up along with
the precipitated impurities into manure.
We also add to the manure thus prepared a solution of phosphoric
acid to increase its value and preserve its nitrogenized organic matters.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor by the said Bal-
thasar Wilhelm Gerland and Edward Johnson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BALTHASAR
WILHELM GERLAND, Ph. D., of Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Consulting Chemist, and EDWARD JOHNSON, of Belle Vue Lodge, Dart-
mouth Park, near Sydenham, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Balthasar Wilhelm Gerland
and Edward Johnson, Her special license that we, the said Balthasar
Wilhelm Gerland and Edward Johnson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as they, the said Balthasar Wilhelm Ger-
land and Edward Johnson, our 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, 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 SANITARY
CHARCOAL, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE," upon
the condition (amongst others), that we, the said Balthasar Wilhelm
Gerland and Edward Johnson, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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.
13
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Balthasar Wilhelm Gerland and
Edward 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 thereof, that is to
say:

page_text: According to our Invention we use sawdust, spent tan, sea week, dry
leaves, brushwood, heather, ferns, chaff, cut straw, and vegetable refuse
in general, but all in a fresh or undecayed condition, and incorporate
with one or more of these materials clay loam or any other suitable
earthy matters, and then char the mixture under exclusion of air, the
bye products being collected and utilized. Or we take ordinary fresh
or undecayed sods or turf and calcine these in the same manner. The
product of this charring consists of earthy matters intimately impreg-
nated with vegetable charcoal, the proportions by preference, being so
regulated as to contain not less than 5 per cent. of carbon.
We use the charcoal thus prepared, either by itself for the purposes
of filtration and deodorization, or after adding to it a cheap solution of
phosphoric acid for precipitation purposes, and in order to enhance the
commercial value of the products or for mixing with deodorising and
preserving nitrogenous organic matters, and enriching excremental or
other noxious matters.
In some cases it will be of advantage to add a small proportion of
lime to the sewage when it is to be treated with the charcoal of this
preparation.
In applying our Invention to the treatment of sewage we prefer to
carry it out in the following manner, that is to say:-We divide the
stream of sewage into two branches, to one of which we add a solution
of phosphoric acid or a mixture of the charcoal dust arising in the
manufacture of the charcoal, with a solution of phosphoric acid, and to
the other milk of lime. The two branches are then combined and inter-
mixed, when a precipitate of phosphate of lime will appear. The
quantities of phosphoric acid and lime to be used are regulated by the
state of the sewage and the degree of purification which is to be
obtained, but in all cases the relative quantities employed should be so
regulated that the sewage after the admixture has a neutral or slightly
alkaline reaction.
The sewage after this preliminary treatment passes to the filtering
beds filled with the charcoal prepared according to our herein-before
described methods.
The charcoal when saturated with the more solid impurities of the
sewage is removed from the filtering tanks and worked up along with
the precipitated impurities into manure.

page_text: We also add to the manure thus prepared a solution of phosphoric
acid to increase it value and preserve its nitrogenized organic matter.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this our said
Invention and the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not
claim the use of animal refuse or peat bog, nor do we claim or desire to
use decayed matter of any kind, but what we claim is,—
First. The separation of the sewage into two streams and the treat-
ment of each stream separately, the one with phosphoric acid and
charcoal and the other with the milk of lime, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before fully described and set forth.
Secondly. The manufacture and use of a cheap sanitary charcoal pre-
pared as herein-before fully described and set forth.
Thirdly. The precipitation of sewage impurities by means of a combi-
nation of charcoal dust and phosphoric acid as herein-before described.
And, lastly. The application of sanitary charcoal prepared as above de-
scribed, with or without the addition of phosphoric acid to night soil
and town sewage, and the manufacture of manure therefrom, substan-
tially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Balthasar Wilhelm Gerland and
Edward Johnson, have hereunto set our hands and affixed our
seals, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
B. WH. (L.s.) GERLAND.
EDWARD (L.S.) JOHNSON.