IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE REFUSE OF TOWNS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONCENTRATION AND TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE, SALINE, AND OTHER SOLUTIONS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Fryer, of Wilmslow, in the County of Chester, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
TREATING THE REFUSE OF TOWNS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE CONCENTRATION AND TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE, SALINE,
AND OTHER SOLUTIONS.”
Sealed the 30th September 1876, and dated the 5th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Fryer at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1876.
ALFRED FRYER, of Wilmslow, in the County of Chester.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE REFUSE OF TOWNS, PART OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONCENTRATION AND TREATMENT
OF SACCHARINE, SALINE, AND OTHER SOLUTIONS."
In many towns the house refuse or contents of ash-pits is collected in a semi-
solid state, such material consisting partly of cinders and ashes, partly of solid
excreta and other matters, and partly of liquid.
My Invention consists in improved methods of separating the cinders, ashes, and
other solid matter from liquid and from the matters possessing manurial value, and
of treating the latter portions so as to produce a concentrated manure, together
with improved apparatus for accomplishing the above ends, and for burning the
cinders and remaining solids, so as to utilize them as fuel, or to render them
innocuous and leave nothing remaining, excepting slag or ash, which may be ground
up with a small proportion of lime to make mortar; also, where the pail system is
in use, of improved methods of cleansing the pails and concentrating the separated
urine. I take the semi-solid matter as it is collected, and place it in a centrifugal
draining machine, which I prefer for practical convenience in working, to construct
in accordance with the plan described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to me and James Bingham Alliott, and bearing date May 19th 1874, No. 1773. I
then cause the centrifugal machine to revolve rapidly, when a large portion or the
liquid matter drains away, and a considerable portion of the focal matter, being in
a finely divided state, passes away with it. The material thus drained away I find
to contain by far the larger portion of the organic and nitrogenous matters.
Usually, in order more thoroughly to separate all the matter having manurial
value from the cinders and remaining solids after the liquid matter has been thus
drained away, I wash the more solid matter left in the centrifugal machine by the
addition of further liquid, which is in its turn drained away under the action of the

page_text: machine. This liquid may consist either of weak washings from the above refuse
or of fresh water. then remove the solid matter from the centrifugal inachine;
this matter will now be found to consist largely of cinders and other insoluble
solids, and to contain only a small proportion of nitrogenous matters, and to be
comparatively dry, so that it may at once be passed to the furnaces where it is to
be burnt. These furnaces I construct with the fire-bars sloping at a somewhat
steep angle towards doors, towards which the cinders are raked down, and
through which the slag is eventually withdrawn. The cinders, ashes, and other
solids, with the material, are fed in through hoppers, which are fitted at the back-
ward end of the furnace. The cinders and other matters passing through these
hoppers rest upon a fire-brick bed, sloping down towards the fire-bars, and along
this they have to pass some distance with the heated gases of the furnace (on their
way to the chimney) playing over them, and exposed to the radiant heat from the
hot sides and roof of the furnace, so that by the time they reach the bars they have
been deprived of the moisture still left in them when removed from the centrifugal
machine, and have become heated.
Where the cinders are in a state of minute subdivision, or where the foreign
matter present is of such a nature as to cause the mass to cake together, an artificial
"blast may be used to promote combustion. Furnaces thus constructed are also
suitable for the purpose of destroying refuse matter which would otherwise be
offensive, and when thus used they may be provided with openings suitable for
admitting such articles as will not readily pass through the hoppers.
The products of combustion from these furnaces I employ on their way to the
chimney to generate steam, and to effect the concentration of the liquid matter or
drainings, the latter being accomplished in the following manner-
The drainings
from the centrifugal machine are passed into tanks, where the solid portions subside,
and the supernatant liquor is then drawn off into an apparatus in which the con-
.centration is effected by bringing the gases from the furnace into direct contact
with the liquid to be concentrated. The method in which I prefer to effect this
concentration is by passing the liquid into a revolving cylinder, as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted me, bearing date the Eleventh day of
February 1876, No. 550, or by exposing it in the form of finely divided drops to
the action of the heated gases, and I find that it is desirable that a small quantity
of sulphurous acid gas (which may usually be obtained from the fuel) should be
mixed along with the products of combustion, and thus be brought into contact
with the urine or analogous liquid undergoing evaporation.
Where it is desired to expose the liquid in the form of minutely divided drops to
treatment this state of subdivision may be produced by allowing the liquid to fall
in a small continuous stream upon a plate revolving at a high velocity. I prefer to
make this plate slightly concave, and with serrated edges, and I sometimes arrange a
number of these plates upon a vertical shaft placed within a closed chamber having
gutters arranged upon its sides, so that the drops thrown by the upper plate strike
the sides of the chamber and flow into the gutter, whence they are led back by a
suitable pipe or gutter, and drop upon the second plato, which again throws them
out in drops to be collected in like manner by lower gutters, and returned to lower
plates. Or the subdivision may be effected by means of a jet of steam or com-
pressed air acting upon the stream of liquid as it enters the concentrating chamber.
(These methods of dividing liquids into minute drops in order to concentrate them
are applicable to other liquids, such as saccharine, saline, and other solutions.)
Where pails are used it is of the utmost importance that they should be perfectly
cleansed and disinfected, and that these ends may be the more readily attained I
arrange the following method of washing and cleansing them :-After the pails are
emptied I first soak them in comparatively dirty water. I next fix them to a
revolving plate or spindle, and subject them whilst revolving to jets of water under
pressure impinging upon them, both inside and outside. I then rinse them in clean
water, and finally place them in a chamber where they are exposed for a time to
the action of steam, thus effectually disinfecting 'them.

page_text: In places where the solid contents of the sewers are collected by subsidence, and
thus separated from the liquid matter, I take a portion of the sludge collected in
the subsiding tanks, and I partially dry it, either in an imperforate centrifugn!
apparatus, or in any other suitable way, and I then carbonize it in any well known
manner. The carbonized matter or charcoal thus obtained I mix in suitable pro-
portions with the contents of the sewers before they enter the subsiding tanks. I
prefer to reduce the carbonized matter or charcoal into fine powder before thus
using it. The effect of thus mixing the charcoal with the contents of the sewers is
to arrest or delay fermentation, and to render the effluent liquid from the subsiding
tanks much brighter, cleaner, and purer.
It is obvious that although the sludge from the subsiding tanks is usually the
most convenient source from which to obtain the charcoal for use, as above described,
yet that other charcoal may be employed with similar effects.
Where the sludge is partially dried in the imperforate centrifugal apparatus it
may, if desired, be further dried by piling it around a steam pipe, heated by pre-
ference with high-pressure steam, which beats and dries the portions immediately
surrounding it, and causes a sweating process rapidly to commence, by means of
which the sludge dries itself in a comparatively short time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Fryer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th February
1877.
ALFRED FRYER, of Wilmslow, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE REFUSE OF TOWNS, PART
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONCENTRATION AND
TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE, SALINE, AND OTHER SOLUTIONS."
In many towns the house refuse or contents of the ash-pits is collected in a semi-
solid state, such materials consisting partly of cinders and ashes, and partly of
solid excreta and other matters, and partly of liquid.
"
My Invention consists in improved methods of separating the cinders, ashes, and
other solid matter from liquid, and from the matters possessing manurial value,
and of treating the latter portions so as to produce a concentrated manure, together
with improved apparatus for accomplishing the above ends, and for burning the
cinders and remaining solids so as to utilize them as fuel, or to render thein
inocuous, and leaves nothing remaining excepting slag or ash, which may be
ground up with a small proportion of lime to make mortar. Also where the pail
system.is in use of improved methods of and apparatus for cleaning the pails and
concentrating the separated urine.
Such being the nature and object of iny said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly
understood I have annexed hereto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and
have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof:-I take the semi-solid inatter as it is
collected and place it in a centrifugal draining machine, which I prefer for practical
convenience in working to construct in accordance with the plan described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me and James Bingham Alliott, and
bearing date Nineteenth May One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four,
No. 1773. I then cause the centrifugal machine to revolve rapidly, when a largo
portion of the liquid matter drains away, and a considerable portion of the focal
matter being in a finely divided state passes away with it. The material thus
drained away I find to contain by far the larger portion of the organic and
nitrogenous matters.
Usually in order more thoroughly to separate all the matter having manurial

page_text: value from the cinders and remaining solids, after the liquid matter has been thus
drained away, I wash the more solid matter left in the centrifugal machine by the
addition of further liquid, which is in its turn drained away under the action of the
machine. This liquid may consist either of weak washings from the above refuse
or of fresh water, I then remove the solid matter from the centrifugal machine; this
matter will now be found to consist largely of cinders and other insoluble liquids,
and to contain only a small portion of nitrogenous matters, and to be comparatively
dry, so that it may at once be passed to the furnaces where it is to be burnt.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a plan view; and Fig. 2, a vertical section
taken longitudinally through the line A, B, of a pair of furnaces constructed for
this purpose. These furnaces I construct with the fire-bars a, a, sloping at a some-
what steep angle towards the doors b, b, towards which the the cinders are raked
down, and through which the slag is eventually withdrawn. The cinders, ashos,
and other solids, with the materials are fed in through hoppers c, c, which are fitted
at the backward end of the furnace. The cinders and other matters passing
through these hoppers c, c, rest upon a fire-brick bed sloping down towards the
fire-bars a, a, and along this they have to pass some distance with the heated gases
of the furnace (on their way to the chimney) playing over them, and exposed to
the radiant heat from the hot sides and roof of the furnace, so that by the time
they reach the bars a, a, they have been deprived of the moisture still left in them
when removed from the centrifugal machine and have become heated.
When the cinders are in a state of minute subdivision, or where the foreign
matter present is of such a nature as to cause the mass to cake together an artificial
blast may be used to promote combustion. Furnaces thus constructed are also
suitable for the purpose of destroying refuse matter which would otherwise bo
offensive, and when thus used they may be provided with openings e, e, suitable for
adınitting such articles as will not readily pass through the hoppers.
The products of combustion from these furnaces I employ on their way to the
chimney to generate steam, and to effect the concentration of the liquid matter or
drainings, the latter being accomplished in the following manner:-The drainings
from the centrifugal machine are passed into tanks where the solid portions subside,
and the supernatent liquor is then drawn off into an apparatus in which the
concentration is effected by bringing the gases from the furnace into direct contact
with the liquid to be concentrated. The method in which I prefer to effect this
concentration is by passing the liquid into a revolving cylinder, constructed
somewhat in the manner described in the Specification of Letters Patent, granted to
me, and bearing date the Eleventh day of February One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six, No. 550. A longitudinal section of this apparatus is shewn at
Fig. 3 of the annexed Drawings, and a transverse section thereof (through the
line C, D,) at Fig. 4. I make the cylinder f. f, partially closed at each end by
means of annular rings g, g, and having its axis horizontal or nearly so. This
cylinder ff, I prefer to rest upon antifriction rollers h, h, and it may be made to
revolve by means of gearing, or in any other suitable way. To the axis i, i, of the
cylinder which is firmly fixed to it by arms k, k, I attach a number of volute
blades or scrolls l, l, of thin metal which revolve along with the cylinder f. f. As
the cylinder revolves the liquid in it becomes spread over the surfaces of the metal
scrolls 1, 1, and concentration is effected by passing the heated gases from the
furnace through the cylinder f, f, when evaporation rapidly goes on from all parts
of the wetted surfaces l, l. I admit the diluted liquid in a continuous stream or
nearly so at one end of the revolving cylinder f, f, and I draw off the concentrated
liquid at or near the other end of the cylinder. In like manner I admit the licated
gases through a suitable fixed connection or flue in contact or nearly so with one
end of the cylinder, and they pass away through a similar connection at its other
end, and I usually pass the heated gases and the liquid through the cylinder in tho
same direction, so that the hottest gases come into contact with the most diluted
liquid, which is least likely to be injured by them, while the concentrated liquid is only
exposed to gases already considerably cooled down, and almost saturated with moisture.

page_text: In order to ensure the pressure of a certain quantity of liquid in the cylinder
(which is desirable for the purpose of avoiding sudden variations in the degree of
concentration effected) I remove the concentrated liquor by means of a pipe or
pipes m, m, piercing the side of the cylinder f. f, and projecting some inches
within it. When the depth of liquor in that part of the cylinder for the time
being the lowest is greater than the projection of the pipe m, m, within the
cylinder f, f, a quantity enters the pipe as it passes the lower centre, and is at
once discharged, the quantity discharged at each revolution increasing with tho
depth of liquor in the cylinder, while none is in this way discharged until the
depth of liquor equals the length of pipe m, m, projecting inside the cylinder. In
order to remove solid matter which inay enter the cylinder I arrange a slip of
metal or shallow gutter n, n, attached at one end to the cylinder f, f, on its
ascending or preceding side, and discharging at its other end into the pipe m, m,
already described. Any solid matter which may fall on to this gutter n, n, will
roll along it and eventually pass through the pipe m, m; while in the same way a
small quantity of liquor is discharged when these is not enough in the cylinder to
overflow the pipe. The pipe m, m, may be removed when it is desired entirely to
empty the cylinder f, f, to clean it, or instead of making use of this revolving
cylinder I sometimes effect the concentration of the liquid by exposing it in the
form of finely divided drops to the action of the heated gases. Whether the con-
centration is effected in this manner or in the revolving cylinder I find it is desirable
that a small quantity of sulphurous acid gas (which may usually be obtained
from the fuel) should be mixed along with the products of combustion, and thus be
brought into contact with the urine or analogous liquid undergoing evaporation.
Where it is desired to expose the liquid in the form of minutely divided drops to
treatment this state of subdivision may be produced by allowing the liquid to pass
through the apparatus shown in plan view at Fig. 7, and in sections at Figs. 5, 6,
and 8. A vertical shaft o, o, supported in suitable bearings p, p, is placed in the
centre of a closed chamber q, q, and is caused to revolve at a high velocity. To
this shaft are attached several concave discs or plates 7, 1, 2, 3, &c. The liquid is
introduced by a trough 8, 8, and allowed to fall in a continuous stream on to the
first plate. These plates I prefer to make slightly concave, and with serrated
edges, and by preference I arrange a number of these plates upon a vertical shaft,
as shown in the Drawing. The closed chamber 7, 9, has gutters t, t¹, ts, t³, &c.,
arranged upon its sides so that the drops thrown out by the upper plate striko
the sides of the chamber q, q, and flow into the gutter t, whence they are led back
a suitable pipe or gutter u, u, and drop upon the second plate, which again
throws them out in drops to be collected in like manner by the second gutter t¹ and
returned to the lower plates, and so on in succession. I prefer to admit the hot
gases to this chamber at its lowest part at v, v, for instance, and to draw them off
from its upper part either by means of a fan w, w, or a chimney, or the subdivision
may be effected by means of a jet of steam or compressed air acting upon the
stream of liquid as it enters the concentrating chamber. (These methods of dividing
liquid into minute drops in order to concentrate them are applicable to other liquids,
such as saccharine, saline, and other solutions.)
When pails are used it is of the utmost importance that they should be perfectly
cleansed and disinfected, and that these ends may be the more readily attained I
arrange the following method of washing and cleansing them:-The apparatus
which I propose to employ for this purpose is shown in elevation at Fig. 9 and
plan view partly in section at Fig. 10. After the pails 1, 1, are emptied I first
wash them in comparatively dirty water, I next fix them to a revolving plate 2, 2,
which for convenience of attachment may be a universal automatic chuck or to a
spindle 3, 3, and subject them whilst revolving to jets of water under pressure,
impinging them both inside and outside by means of movable perforated pipes 4, 4.
I then rinse them in clean water, and finally place them in a chamber, where
they are exposed for a time to the action of steam, thus effectually disinfecting
them.

page_text: In places where the solid contents of the sewers are collected by subsidence and
thus separated from the liquid matter, I take a portion of the sludge collected in
the subsiding tanks, and I partially dry it either in an unperforated centrifugal
apparatus or in any other suitable way, and I then carbonize it in any well known
manner. The carbonized matter or charcoal thus obtained I mix in suitable
proportions with the contents of the sewers before they enter the subsiding tanks.
I prefer to reduce the carbonized matter or charcoal into fine powder before thus
using it. The effect of thus nixing the charcoal with the contents of the sewers
is to arrest or delay fermentation, and to render the effluent liquid from the
subsiding tanks much brighter, cleaner, and purer.
It is obvious that although the sludge from the subsiding tanks is usually the
most convenient source from which to obtain the charcoal for use as above
described, yet that other charcoal may be employed with similar effect.
Where the sludge is partially dried in the imperforate centrifugal apparatus it
may, if desired, be further dried by piling it around a steam pipe heated by
preference with high-pressure steam, which heats and dries the portions immie-
diately surrounding it and causes a sweating process rapidly to commence, by
means of which the sludge dries itself in a comparatively short time.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The method (substantially as herein-before described) of separating
house refuse, and the contents of ash-pits in a semi-solid state into solids of but
little manurial value which may be burnt, and into liquids containing either in
solution or suspension the greater portion of the constituents having manurial
value.
Secondly. The method of and apparatus for treating house refuse and the semi-
solid contents of ash pits so as to reduce them entirely to ash or slag (which by the
addition of lime may be made into mortar) and into a concentrated manure,
substantially as described.
Thirdly. The general construction of the furnace, substantially as described for
destroying refuse matter or for reducing it into ash and slag.
Fourthly. The method of and apparatus for discharging the liquid and solid
contents from the revolving concentrating cylinder, substantially as herein-before
describod.
Fifthly. The method of apparatus for treating liquid matter by exposing it in
the form of minutely divided drops to the action of heated gas, substantially as
described.
Sixthly. Effecting the concentration of urine and liquid sewage by bringing
them into direct contact (substantially as described) with hot gases containing a
proportion of sulphurous acid.
Seventhly. The method of and apparatus for cleansing the pails used for the
"pail system" of dealing with night soil, substantially as described.
Eighthly. The use of charcoal (preferably made from the dried mud from
subsiding tanks) for mixing with the contents of the sewers before they enter the
subsiding tanks, for the purposes herein-before set forth.
And, Ninethly. The use of a steam pipe, substantially as described, for the purpose
of rapidly starting in the partially dried mud from subsiding tanks a sweating
process by means of which the mud is further dried.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Fryer, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ALFRED FRYER. (L.S.)