IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF NIGHTSOIL, SEWAGE, URINOUS SUPERPHOSPHATES, GAS LIME REFUSE, AND OTHER REFUSE MATTERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEODORIZING, OF OBTAINING MANURE, AND OF DILUTING ACIDS WITH URINOUS MIXTURES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Hughan, of Newton Stewart,.
North Britain, Postmaster and Guano and Seed Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF NIGHTSOIL, SEWAGE,
URINOUS SUPERPHOSPHATES, GAS LIME REFUSE, AND OTHER REFUSE MATTERS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEODORIZING, OF OBTAINING MANURE, AND OF DILUTING
ACIDS WITH URINOUS MIXTURES."
Sealed the 5th July 1870, and dated the 8th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Hughan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th January 1870.
I, WILLIAM Henry Hughan, of Newton Stewart, North Britain,
5 Postmaster and Guano and Seed Merchant, do hereby declare the
THE TREATMENT OP
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
NIGHTSOIL, SEWAGE, URINOUS SUPERPHOSPHATES, GAS LIME REFUSE, AND OTHER

page_text: REFUSE MATTERS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEODORIZING, OF OBTAINING MANURE, AND
'OF DILUTING ACIDS WITH URINOUS MIXTURES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the substitution of urine or mixed human
excrements (as, for instance, in nightsoil) for the water commonly
employed in the processes of manufacturing superphosphates (for manures
and other purposes).
In the manufacture of superphosphates from animal or mineral
sources, such as bones, coprolites, and phosphate of lime in general,
requiring conversion into soluble phosphate the dissolving acids are
largely diluted with water, as, for instance, in dissolving one ton of
bones, say, 740 pounds white oil of vitriol, or 850 pounds brown acid is
used, an equal volume of water, say, 100 gallons are employed in
diluting the acid, and in a proportionate strength for mineral phosphates
(for which water I substitute urine or nightsoil). Such nightsoil or
sewage must be collected in as pure a form as possible in urinals in tubs,
as at Salford and Rochdale, or in any other improved form that protects
the excreta from contamination with ashes, cinders, coals, water, and
rubbish; but even in the cesspool system or common ash-pits, privies,
and sewers the contents are of great value for the dilution of acids, as
employed in my Invention for manure purposes.
.
My Invention is applicable to all the acids, whether sulphuric, hydro-
chloric, nitric, or nightsoil, and the proportion of urinous or nightsoil can
be fixed by manure manufacturers according to the required super-
phosphate, whether of a dry or liquid manure.
I myself use the Invention as an improvement upon the Letters
Patent, No. 2883, and dated 19th September 1868, granted to me. for
"Improvements in the Treatment of Nightsoil, Sewage, and other like
Refuse Matter for the Purpose of Deodorizing and Converting the same
into Manure. In dissolving 418 pounds of mineral phosphate I prefer
to dilute 320 pounds brown vitriol with 322 pounds nightsoil excrements
or pure urine. As soon as the dissolving or solution is completed I do
not require to evaporate or dry by mixture the resulting solution, but I
apply it direct in combination with sulphates of potash or magnesia, or
soda, such substances separately or in combination forming a suitable
cement in my process of cementation of nightsoil & sewage. The
utilization of this discovery will double the value of superphosphates
in uniting with their manure richness the nitrogenous or ammonial

page_text: clements and alkaline salts of the urine, constituting a manure far
superior to the best Peruvian guano. At present the urine is drained
into the sea or most convenient receptacle of canal, stream, or river, and
is thus a source of pollution and disease, whereas by my Invention the
urine and nightsoil of Great Britain can be utilized, and if so used will
effect important valuable sanitary improvements. Heating the diluted
urinous or nighsoil acids makes the dissolving process easier, producing
more complete solution of all manure constituents in the phosphates.
The urine or nightsoil can be collected in barrels out of urinals or tubs
and forwarded to manure manufacturers, and certain ingredients may be
introduced to keep the urine or nightsoil in an unfermented condition.
My discovery is a double benefit, as it enriches the superphosphate,
and from the action of the urinous constituents renders less acid
necessary. The phosphoric acid is also rendered soluble, and protected
against any tendency to revert into an insoluble condition. In cementing
the nightsoil known by the name of black manure (a mixture of night-
soil, ashes, cinders, and coals) I employ the superphosphate made as
described, together with sulphates of lime, potash, or magnesia, separately
or in combination. The mixture is accomplished in a mortar mill, on
which the black manure is well ground up into mortar. It may be used
directly as a manure without admixture after being treated in the same
manner as the cemented nighsoil. (Patent No. 2883, A.D. 1868), but I'
prefer it enriched as described.
The following are important points in my Invention:-The manu-
facture of superphosphates and the like by acids diluted with urine or
mixed human excrements instead of by acids diluted with water, as in
common practice: The application of the urinous superphosphates as
a further improvement upon my Patent as a constituent of a special
cement in combination with sulphates of lime or magnesia, or potash
or soda, or phosphate of lime, together or separately in cementing up
nightsoil, sewage, black manure by mortarising in a suitable mill into
the mixed human excrements received from the tubs, as in operation
at Salford and Rochdale. I introduce the urinous superphosphates in
combination with the dry ashes, as found in the ash barrels, sulphates
of lime, magnesia, or potash or soda, thereby effecting a cementatious
mixture in the mortar mill.

page_text: I do not bind myself to one method of bringing the urine or nightsoil
and acids together. I do not limit myself to urine or nightsoil fresh,
but may employ it in the fermented condition also. Into the urinous or
nightsoil superphosphate, previous to the boiling point, I introduce any
old boots, shoes, rags, and bones, and the like refuse found in the tubs
or in the ash-pit barrels, or in the black manure or other nightsoil refuse
with or without heat, in which they are dissolved, and in some instances
I strengthen the urinous or nightsoil superphosphates by adding sulphates
of magnesia or potash, soda, and nitric acid. The urinous or nightsoil
superphosphates alone or in combination with sulphates of soda, of
magnesia, or potash, decomposes the coals, cinders, and carboniferous
substances constituting the black nightsoil manure, and also as found
in the dry ash barrel condition after incorporation with the contents of
'the nightsoil 'tubs, transforming the said coals, cinders, & ashes into:
a substance similar to nightsoil. Horse, cattle, and other farmyard
urinous liquid can also be brought into operation in the same manner as
human urine. The decomposition of phosphates of magnesia, alumina,.
and the like phosphates in general can be accomplished as well as the:
phosphate of lime by admixture of urine with acids.
I paint, plaster, or cement the insides of the tubs used as receptacles
for human excrements or other vessels with the urinous superphosphates.
in the form of mortar, or any of the soluble phosphates in use. I make
these tubs to run upon wheels and to act upon an axis by which they
can be easily emptied. I also have a wooden, tin, or other open umbrella,
whose stalk is screwed into the centre bottom of the tub or other re-
ceptacle, which I paint, plaster, or cement with a heavy coat of urinous
or other superphosphate, upon which the mixed excrements fall and slide
down to the bottom of the tub, being hidden from gaze and deprived of
all splash soiling properties. The urinous superphosphates or other
phosphates thus deodorise the excrements as they drop, disinfect and
sweeten and fix all deleterious compounds, adding at the same time
very much to the manure value.. As the excrements rise in the tubs
they solve the phosphates into the mixture. If the mixture on with-
drawal from the mortar mill does not disintegrate into a powder or
cement rapidly enough, I compress it into brick perforated moulds by
the usual machinery in making bricks, or I apply heat to drive off the
water not hydrated in the cementatious process.

page_text: The following is a mixture I sometimes make use of, namely, ground
phosphates, 420 pounds; urine and fæces, 322 pounds; common salt
(chloride of sodium), 112 pounds; carbonate of magnesia (in powder),
112 pounds; adding to the above four 480 pounds sulphuric acid, the
solubility of the phosphates being effected in the usual way. I prefer
these proportions, but do not bind myself to such proportions or to one
acid. I sometimes exclude magnesia, sometimes I add potash. I use
this mixture both for plastering the tubs, as indicated, and for mixing
up with nighitsoil and plaster of Paris, or calcined and ground gypsum,
and mortarising in the mortar mill until capable of thorough cemen-
tation. The tubs herein-before referred to are used with or without
wheels, and with handles or an axis. I use the mortar, mill. for
mortarising nightsoil in the various conditions respective towns may
have it, by incorporation and mixture with cementatious substances in
the mortar mill until the consistency of mortar is reached. I also use
the mortar mill for grinding nightsoil products into a rough manure
without cement. I introduce gas lime refuse and the like. after. being
suitably prepared as a cementer of nightsoil.
The various kinds of mixtures I liave mentioned are contingent upon.
the condition of the nightsoil named; but I may state generally that
when I receive the nightsoil pure out of the tubs and the ashes dry out
of the barrels the two following are important methods:-The first
is to mix the whole of the contents (nightsoil of the tubs) with an
equal weight of ground phosphates, and 2½ hundredweight of salt to
the ton of phosphates, and add acid until the phosphates are soluble:
When a less rich manure is contemplated I use only 420 pounds
ground phosphates (less or more according to richness of manure
required), 1 hundredweight common salt, 1 hundredweight carbonate of
magnesia (native dolomite), in powder to the ton of excrements,
adding sufficient acid, generally 400 pounds, to dissolve the phosphates,
but sometimes much less acid is necessary.. Having ground up the
contents of the ash barrels I incorporate them with the nightsoil super-
phosphate mixture in equal parts in the mortar mill, adding sulphate
of lime until the proper degree of consistency is arrived at. This is
then withdrawn from the mill and allowed to set and harden until
dry enough for crushing, after which it is ready for use. If not
sufficiently dry for crushing I drive off the uncombined moisture by

page_text: application of heat when rapidity of manufacture is essential. I some-
times add other ingredients besides carbonate of magnesia into the
dissolving tub along with the phosphates, and I sometimes add other
manure ingredients, such as potash, for incorporation in the mortar mill
when I want to manufacture special manures.. The nightsoil when not
used in the superphosphate manufacture must be treated to acid, and
I would prefer the use of a carboy to a ton of nightsoil before being
cemented up, otherwise it is dangerous; as protracting, overpowering,
and sometimes destroying the cementatious principle. I sometimes use
Portland cement, and this I prefer to use in the same manner as the
plaster of Paris or sulphate of lime, as herein-before described, in com-
bination with the superphosphated urinous or nightsoil mixture, some-
times adding sulphate of magnesia and chloride of sodium. Portland
cement I consider the best cementer of nightsoil alone, or in com-
bination with phosphates, magnesia, and salt; but I occasionally use
other suitable cements upon consideration of price, locality, carriage,
or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Hughan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th July, 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY HUGHAN, of Newton Stewart, North Britain, Postmaster and
Guano and Seed Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Henry Hughan, Her special licence
that I, the said William Henry Hughan, my, executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry Hughan, my
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

page_text: IN THE TREATMENT OF NIGHTSOIL, SEWAGE, URINOUS SUPERPHOSPHATES, GAS LIME
REFUSE, AND OTHER REFUSE MATTERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEODORIZING; OF
OBTAINING MANURE, AND OF DILUTING ACIDS WITH URINOUS MIXTURES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Henry Hughan,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Hughan, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and.
by the following statement:-
My Invention consists in the substitution of urine or mixed human
excrements (as, for instance, in nightsoil) for the water commonly
employed in the processes of manufacturing superphosphates (for
manures and other purposes).
1
In the manufacture of superphosphates from animal or mineral
sources, such as bones, coprolites, and phosphate of lime in general,
requiring conversion into soluble phosphate, the dissolving acids are
largely diluted with water as for instance in dissolving one ton of bones
say 740 pounds white oil of vitriol, or 850 pounds brown acid is used, an
equal volume of water, say, 100 gallons are employed in diluting the acid,
and in a proportionate strength for mineral phosphates, for which water
I substitute urine or nightsoil. Such nightsoil or sewage ought to be
collected in as pure a form as possible in urinals which may according
to the system adopted at Salford and Rochdale, or in any other manner
that protects the excreta from mixture with ashes, cinders, coals, water,
and rubbish. But even in the cesspool system or common ashpits,.
privies, and sewers the contents are of great value for the dilution of
acids, as employed according to my Invention for manure purposes.
My Invention is applicable to all the acids, whether sulphurić,
hydrocoloric, or nitric, and the proportion of urinous or nightsoil
dilution can be fixed by manure manufacturers, according to the
required superphosphate, whether of a dry or liquid manure.
r
>

page_text: I myself use the Invention as an improvement upon the Letters Patent
No. 2883, and dated 19th September 1868, granted to me for "Improve-
ments in the Treatment of Nightsoil, Sewage, and other like Refuse
Matter for the Purpose of Deodorizing and Converting the same into
Manure." In dissolving 418 pounds of mineral phosphate I prefer to
dilute 320 pounds brown vitriol with 322 pounds nightsoil, excrements,
or pure urine. As soon as the dissolving or solution is completed I do
not require to evaporate or dry by mixture the resulting solution but I
apply it direct in combination with sulphates of lime or potash or
magnesia or soda, such substances separately or in combination forming
a suitable cement, in my process of cementation of nightsoil seawage.
At present the urine is drained into the sea or most convenient
receptacle of canal, stream, or river, and is thus a source of pollution and
disease, whereas by my Invention the urine and nightsoil of Great Britain
can be utilized, and if so used will effect important valuable sanitary
improvements. Heating the diluted urinous or nightsoil acids makes
the dissolving process easier, producing more complete solution of all
manure constituents in the phosphates. The urine or nightsoil can be
collected in barrels out of urinals or tubs, and forwarded to manure
manufacturers, and certain ingredients may be introduced to keep the
urine or nightsoil in an unfermented condition. A double benefit is
produced by the use of my Invention, it enriches the superphosphate and
from the action of the urinous constituents and renders less acid necessary.
The phosphoric acid is also rendered soluble and protected against any
tendency to revert into an insoluble condition. In cementing the night
soil known by the name of black manure (a mixture of nightsoil, ashes,
cinders, and coals), I employ the superphophate made as described
together with sulphates of lime, potash, or magnesia separately or in
combination. The mixture is accomplished in a mortar mill on which
the black manure is well ground up into mortar. It may be used
directly as a manure without admixture after being treated in the same
manner as the cemented nightsoil (Patent No. 2883, A.D, 1868,) but I
prefer it enriched as described.
The following are, important points in my Invention :-The manu-
facture of superphosphates and the like by acids diluted with urine or
mixed human excrements instead of by acids diluted with water as in
common practice The annlication of the urinous sunornhosphates os a

page_text: further improvement on my Patent as a constituent of a special cement'
in combination with sulphates of lime or magnesia, or potash, or soda,
or phosphate of lime together or separately in cementing up night
soil, sewage, black manure by mortarising in a suitable mill the mixed
human excrements received from the tubs as in operation at Salford
and Rochdale, I introduce the urinous superphosphates in combination
with the dry ashes as found in the ash barrels, sulphates of lime,
magnesia, or potash, or soda, thereby effecting a cementatious mixture
in the mortar mill.
I do not bind myself to one method of bringing the urine or night-
soil and acids together. I do not limit myself to urine and nightsoil
fresh, but may employ it in the fermented condition also. Into the
urinous or nightsoil superphosphate previous to the boiling point I
introduce any old boots, shoes, rags, and bones, and the like refuse found
in the tubs or in the ash-pit barrels, or in the black manure, or other
nightsoil refuse with or without heat, in which they are dissolved, and
in some instances I strengthen the urinous or nightsoil superphosphates
by adding sulphates of magnesia or potash, soda, and nitric acid. The
urinous or nightsoil superphosphates alone or in combination with
sulphates or soda of magnesia or potash decomposes the coals, cinders,
and carboniferous substances, constituting the black nightsoil manure,
and also as found in the dry ash barrel condition after incorporation
with the contents of the nightsoil tubs, transforming the said coals;
cinders, ashes into a substance similar to nightsoil. Horse, cattle,
and other farmyard urinous liquid, can also be brought into operation
in the same manner as human urine. The decomposition of phosphates
of magnesia, alumina, and the like phosphates in general can be accom-
plished as well as the phosphate of lime by admixture of urine with
acids.
I paint, plaster, or cement the insides of the tubs used as receptacles
for human excrements or other vessels with the urinous superphosphates
in the form of mortar or any of the soluble phosphates in use. I make
these tubs to run upon wheels and to act upon an axis by which they
can be easily emptied. I also have a wooden, tin, or other open umbrella,
whose stalk is screwed into the centre bottom of the tub or other
receptacle, which I paint, plaster, or cement with a heavy coat of urinous
or other superphosphate, upon which the mixed excrements fall and slide

page_text: down to the bottom of the tub, being hidden from gaze and deprived of
all splash soil properties. The urinous superphosphate or other phosphates
thus deodorize the excrements as they drop, disinfect and sweeten and
fix all deleterious compounds, adding at the same time very much to the
-manure value. As the excrements rise in the tubs they solve the
phosphates into the mixture. If the mixture on withdrawal from the
mortar mill does not disintegrate into a powder or cement rapidly enough
I compress it into brick perforated moulds by the usual machinery, or I
apply heat to drive off the water not bydrated in the cementatious
process.
The following is a mixture I sometimes make use of, namely, ground
phosphates, 420 pounds; urine and foeces 320 pounds; common salt
(chloride of sodium), 112 pounds; carbonate of magnesia (in powder) 112
pounds, adding to the above four 480 pounds sulphuric acid, the solubility
of the phosphates being effected in the usual way. I prefer these pro-
portions, but do not bind myself to such proportions or to one acid. I
sometimes exclude magnesia, sometimes I add potash. I use this mixture
both for plastering the tubs as indicated and for mixing up with night-
soil and plaster of Paris or calcined and ground gypsum, and mortarising
the mixture in the mortar mill until capable of withdrawal or thorough
cementation. The tubs herein-before referred to are used with or with-
out wheels and with handles or an axis. I use the mortar mill for
mortarising nightsoil in the various conditions respective towns may
have it by incorporation and mixture with cementatious substances in
the mortar mill until the consistency of mortar is reached. I also use
the mortar mill for grinding nightsoil products into a rough manure
without cement. I introduce gas lime refuse and the like after being
suitably prepared as a cementer of nightsoil.
The various kinds of mixtures I have mentioned are contingent upon
the condition of the nightsoil named, but I may state generally that
when I receive the nightsoil pure out of the tubs and the ashes dry out
of the barrels the two following are important methods:-The first is to
mix the whole of the contents (nightsoil of the tubs) with an equal
weight of ground phosphates and 2, hundredweight of salt to the ton
of phosphates and add acid until the phosphates are soluble. When a
less rich manure is contemplated. I use only 420 pounds ground
phosphates (less or more according to richness of manure required),

page_text: |1 hundredweight common salt, 1 hundredweight carbonate of magnesia
(native dolomite) in powder to the ton of excrements, adding sufficient acid
generally 400 pounds to dissolve the phosphates, but sometimes much
less acid is necessary. Having ground up the contents of the ash barrels
I incorporate them with the nightsoil superphosphate mixture in equal
parts in the mortar mill, adding sulphate of lime until the proper degree
of consistency is arrived at. This is then withdrawn from the mill and
allowed to set and harden, until dry enough for crushing, after which it
is ready for use. If not sufficiently dry for crushing I drive off the
uncombined moisture by application of heat when rapidity of manu-
facture is essential. I sometimes add other ingredients besides carbonate
of magnesia into the dissolving tub along with the phosphates, and I
sometimes add other manure ingredients, such as potash for incorporation
in the mortar mill when I want to manufacture special manures. The
nightsoil when not used in the superphosphate manufacture must be
treated to acid; and I would prefer to use a carboy to a ton of nightsoil
before being cemented up, otherwise it is dangerous to protracting,
overpowering, and sometimes destroying the cementatious principle. I
sometimes use Portland cement, and this I prefer to use in the same
manner as the plaster of Paris or sulphate of lime as herein-before
described in combination with the superphosphated urinous or nightsoil
mixture, sometimes adding sulphate of magnesia and chloride of sodium.
Portland cement I consider the best cementer of nightsoil alone or in
combination with phosphates, magnesia, and salt, but I occasionally use
other suitable cements upon considerations of price, locality, carriage, or
otherwise. I manufacture another modification of a cheap urinous
superphosphate by incorporating and grinding equal (by preference)
proportions of excreta and ashes either as collected mixed or separately,
When ground to an impalpable paste I add sufficient acid. (hydrocoloric,
sulphuric, or nitric,) to dissolve the mass. After this mixture is cool I
cement it up with sulphate of lime or other cements, and when
sufficiently dried it is crushed and fit for use. I sometimes also enrich
the last named mixture by adding a proportion of phosphates to the ashes
and excreta before being dissolved with the acid, and likewise substitute
evaporation for cementation, utilising the cinder produce of the ashes for
that purpose.
Having now particularly described the nature and object of my
Invention and in what manner the same is performed; I hereby-declare

page_text: that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in the Treatment of Night-
soil, Sewage, Urionous Superphosphates, Gas Lime Refuse, and other
Refuse Matters for the Purpose of Deodorizing, of Obtaining Manure, and
of Diluting Acids with Urinous Mixtures" as the same is herein-before
set forth and described, it being understood that I do not claim the mere
observient constituent details herein mentioned except when adopted
and used in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Hughan, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 5th day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM HENRY HUGHAN. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS SMITH,
Corporation Manure Depot,
Salford.