Improvements in the Means employed for the Purification and Decolorization of Water, Dye, and other Manufacturing Refuse- liquors, Sewage, or other Aqueous or Saline Liquids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means employed for the Purification and
Decolorization of Water, Dye, and other Manufacturing Refuse-
liquors, Sewage, or other Aqueous or Saline Liquids.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WATSON of 227 Folds Road, Bolton in the County of
Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows :-
My invention refers to improvements in the means employed for the purification
and decolorization of water, dye and other manufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage,
or other aq
aqueous or saline liquids for use in manufacturing, or other industrial or
commercial operations, for purposes of public water supply and public health, river
purification, and the prevention of river pollution, and consists in the use and
employment of, as filtering medium or media certain materials containing
compounds of iron, silica, alumina or lime, resulting from processes in the
manufacture or working of iron or steel, namely;
«
"Tap cinders" from iron puddling furnaces.
"Mill cinders" from iron or steel works.
"6
Mill-scrap" from iron or steel works.
Blast furnace slag.
Basic or phosphatic slag.
Slag from Siemens' furnace.
Slag from Bessemer's converters.
Any, or all or mixtures, of these I use as filtering material (with or without
sand, whether containing compounds of iron or not-gravel, charcoal, or other
suitable porous substance as in ordinary water-works filtering beds as circumstances
may require, or as may be convenient) through which the water or other liquid as
stated may be passed for purification or decolorization.
Dated the 7th March 1891.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means employed for the Purification and
Decolorization of Water, Dye, and other Manufacturing Refuse-
liquors, Sewage, or other Aqueous or Saline Liquids.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WATSON of 227 Folds Road, Bolton in the County of
Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, 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 using as filtering medium or media for the purification
and decolorization of water, dye and other manufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage, or
other aqueous or saline liquids for use in manufacturing, or other industrial or
commercial operations, for purposes of public water supply and public health, river
purification, and the prevention of river pollution, the so called tap-cinders,
mill-cinders, mill-scraps (sometimes called mill-scale), or basic-slag, or refuse
foundry sand from the working or manufacture of iron or steel. These products
may be employed separately, or altogether, or any of them mixed as filtering
medium or media, through which the water or other liquid may be passed. In
order to purify water, or effluent sewage after precipitation by chemicals, or the

page_text: like in large quantities, as in connection with public water supplies, or sewage
disposal works of towns, or for river purification, I prefer to use mill-scrap
(sometimes called mill-scale) ground or crushed to a powder. This I mix with
ordinary sand, or refuse black sand employed or formed in the art of moulding in
foundries, or the like in about equal proportions, and apply the same as a common
filtering bed. This mixture I lay on a bed of sand and gravel, and cover the same
with a layer of sand, so that the surface of the latter may be conveniently scraped
off the top of the filter when necessary, and a fresh layer of sand added from time
to time as required.
A convenient arrangement of filter bed I find to be as follows, commencing at
the bottom-
1. A layer, 6 inches thick, of large gravel, cobbles or broken stones, surrounding
ordinary drain pipes of any desired size.
2. A layer, 6 inches thick, of finer gravel.
3. A layer, 4 inches thick, of sand (refuse or "spent" foundry sand by
preference).
4. A layer, 12 to 18 inches thick, of mill-scale and sand mixed in equal
proportions.
5. A layer of sand 6 inches thick.
Mill-cinders, tap-cinders, or basic-slag may be used similarly in lieu of mill-scale
where they can be more conveniently obtained, or where under special circumstances
it may be found desirable by an examination of the particular water or liquid to be
filtered. For instance, where the water is highly colored as from dye works
basic-slag is sometimes preferable. I find, however, that basic-slag varies
considerably in composition, and I therefore select as the best suited for my
purpose basic-slag containing the largest proportion of iron, or iron-compounds
with the least amount of lime.
In some instances the filtering material may consist entirely of black foundry
sand, but where the liquid from such is required to be very bright or clear and yet
the filtration comparatively rapid as in public water supplies for domestic purposes
I find a convenient filter to be as follows, commencing at the bottom :-
1. A layer, 6 inches thick, of gravel, cobbles or broken stones, surrounding
ordinary drain pipes of any desired size.
2. A layer, 6 inches thick, of finer gravel.
3. A layer, 4 inches thick, of finely powdered cinders, or coke, or charcoal.
4. A layer, 12 to 18 inches thick, of black refuse foundry sand.
5. A layer, 2 inches thick, of ordinary sand.
For household filters (either portable jar-filters, or in connection with house
water tanks) mill-scale, or other materials herein set forth, is also applicable.
It is desirable to examine carefully the water or other liquid to be operated on
before deciding specifically which of the several materials or what proportion of
the several materials herein set forth should be used in particular instances to derive
the best results.
It is further desirable to have duplicate filter-beds where large quantities of water
are required to be continuously filtered, so that one of the filter-beds may remain
idle while the other is operating.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the proportions specified, as the same may be varied
or modified, according to circumstances, without departing from the principle of my
said invention, and further I wish it to be understood that I am aware that the
several materials herein set forth have been used for many purposes, but not as
herein substantially subscribed. What I desire to be secured to me by Letters
Patent is :-
--
1. As means for the purification or decolorization of water, dye or other
manufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage, or other aqueous or saline liquids, the use

page_text: of mill-scale, or tap-cinders, or mill-cinders, or basic-slag, either separately or
conjointly, in combination with sand, fine and coarse gravel, cobbles or broken
stones, substantially as described.
2. As means for the purification or decolorization of water, dye or other
inanufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage, or other aqueous or saline liquids the use of
black refuse foundry sand employed or formed in the art of moulding in foundries,
and the like, substantially as described.
3. As means for the purification or decolorization of water, dye or other
manufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage, or other aqueous or saline liquids the use of
black refuse foundry sand in combination with cinders, or coke, or charcoal,
substantially as described.
4. As means for the purification or decolorization of water, dye or other
manufacturing refuse-liquors, sewage, or other aqueous or saline liquids the use of
black refuse foundry sand employed or formed in the art of moulding in foundries
and the like in combination with mill-scale, mill-cinders, tap-cinders, or basic-slag
according to the nature of the water or liquid to be filtered, substantially as
described.
Dated the 5th day of December 1891.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.