IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AMMONIACAL SALTS FROM ANIMAL EXCREMENT AND URINE AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Nast, of St. Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, at present residing at the Langham Hotel, Portland Place,
in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN EXTRACTING AMMONIACAL SALTS FROM ANIMAL EXCREMENT AND URINE
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Nast at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1879.
WILLIAM FREDERICK NAST, of St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America, at
present residing at the Langham Hotel, Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex,
Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AMMONIACAL SALTS FROM ANIMAL
EXCREMENT AND URINE AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention relates to a process and apparatus for obtaining ammoniacal salts
from the excrement of animals and from urine.
Now, according to this Invention, it is proposed to extract the ammoniacal salts
from animal excrement and urine by an improved process and by the aid of suitable
apparatus, all as hereinafter described.
In carrying out this Invention a cylindrical vessel of sheet metal is employed
for containing the substance under treatment, which vessel is suspended upon
hollow trunnions at the sides of the cylinder, so as to be capable of being rotated
on a horizontal axis by means of a wheel and pinion driven by a band and pulleys
from any convenient prime mover.
One of the hollow trunnions is connected by means of a stuffing box with a pipe
communicating with a steam generator, and steam supplied through this pipe is
introduced into the vessel through two branch pipes provided with cocks, which
may be opened or closed simultaneously according to the requirements of the
work.
The vessel is provided with two perforated false bottoms or partitions, one of
which is situate at the lower part and the other at the upper part of the vessel, and
the two branch steam pipes herein before referred to communicate respectively with

page_text: the space below the lower false bottom or partition and with the space above the
upper false bottom or partition.
The upper
end of this cylindrical vessel is fitted with a cover capable of being
removed (with the upper false bottom or partition) when required for the intro-
duction of the substance to be operated on and for its subsequent discharge. The
said cover is provided for this purpose with a ring or other suitable device, and the
lower end of the vessel is furnished with a cock for the purpose of drawing off the
liquid part of the contents.
The other hollow trunnion is connected by means of a stuffing box with a pipe
for the escape of the steam and vapours. Two branch pipes (arranged similarly to
the branch steam inlet pipes) are provided on this side of the vessel, connecting the
space above the upper false bottom or partition and the space below the lower false
bottom or partition with the hollow trunnion.
A platform is used for supporting the manure or material to be treated, and a
tank is used for containing an alkaline solution, such, for example, as milk of lime,
with which the contents of the vessel are treated.
The outlet pipe for the escape of the vapours and gases is provided with a cock,
and in some cases is made to communicate with the lower part of a closed vessel
containing an alkaline solution, such, for example, as milk of lime or the like; the
upper part of this vessel communicates with a pipe provided with a cock which is
connected with an ordinary condenser. A pipe leads from the condenser to a vessel
lined with lead and containing acidulated liquid.
In some cases the use of the intermediate vessel containing an alkaline solution
may be dispensed with, and the vapours and gases are conducted directly into the
condenser.
In operating with this apparatus, the main vessel being placed in a vertical
position and the cover removed, as well as the upper false bottom or partition, dung.
or manure, which may either be treated with urine before or after being introduced
into the vessel or employed without urine being added, is introduced into the vessel
and mixed with any suitable alkaline solution, such, for example, as milk of lime or
the like. When the vessel is filled up to a suitable level (say at a short distance
from the position of the upper false bottom or partition), the cover and upper false
bottom or partition are replaced and secured in position, the cover being made fast
by means of bolts. The vessel is then rotated, and steam, superheated or otherwise,
is admitted at the same time through the pipes hereinbefore described for the
introduction of steam at each end of the vessel. The steam readily penetrates the
manure or dung, as the rotatory motion of the vessel causes the said dung to be
continually projected against one or the other of the false bottoms or partitions.
The steam then escapes through the pipes herein before described for the escape of
the steam or vapors, carrying with it the ammoniacal salts, and is discharged in
some cases into the vessel containing an alkaline solution, as herein before described.
After bubbling through the alkaline solution contained in this vessel the vapours
escape through the pipe at the upper end of the said vessel, and are conveyed into
a condenser. From thence the vapors or ammoniacal products are discharged into
the lower part of the vessel, lined with lead and containing acidulated liquid, as
herein before described; the vapors then bubble through the contents of this
vessel, so as to form either sulphates or hydrochlorates or other salts of ammonia
according to the acid employed.
In some cases, as before stated, the vessel containing the alkaline solution is
dispensed with.
When the operation is completed the cover of the vessel containing the dung is
removed, together with the false bottom or partition at that end of the vessel, and
the vessel is then inverted so as to discharge the dung from which all the ammonia
has been extracted into a suitable waggon to be conveyed away where required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Frederick Nast in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st April 1880.
WILLIAM FREDERICK NAST, of St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America,
lately residing at the Langham Hotel, Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex,
Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING AMMONIACAL SALTS FROM ANIMAL
EXCREMENT AND URINE AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
My said Invention relates to an improved process for extracting ammoniacal
salts from the excrement of animals and from urine by treating such animal
products when mixed with alkaline solutions in a closed vessel with steam (which
nay in some cases be superheated), and collecting and condensing the vapours
arising therefrom, and also to the use of specially constructed apparatus for carrying
my process into operation in an advantageous manner, all as herein after described
with reference to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed.
A is a cylindrical vessel of sheet metal employed for containing the substance
under treatment; this vessel is suspended upon hollow trunnions b, 61, at the sides
in suitable standards A, so as to be capable of being rotated on a horizontal axis
by means of a wheel c and pinion c¹ driven by a band and pulley d, d, from any
convenient prime mover.
One of the hollow trunnions (viz. b) is connected by means of a stuffing box
with a pipe a communicating with a steam generator, and steam supplied through
this pipe is introduced into the vessel through two branch pipes a¹, a¹, provided
with cocks a², which may be opened or closed simultaneously according to the
requirements of the work. The vessel is provided with two perforated false
bottoms or partitions 1, f, one of which (f), is situate at the lower part, and the
other, l, at the upper part of the vessel, and the two branch steam pipes herein-
before referred to communicate respectively with the space below the lower false
bottom or partition f and with the space above the upper false bottom or
partition l.
The upper end of the cylindrical vessel is fitted with a cover A', capable of being
removed (with the upper false bottom or partition ) when required for the intro-
duction of the substance to be operated on and for its subsequent discharge. The
said cover is provided for this purpose with a ring e or other suitable device, and
the lower end of the vessel is furnished with cock for the purpose of drawing
off the liquid part of the contents.
The other hollow trunnion (b) is connected by means of a stuffing box with a
pipe for the escape of the steam and vapours, two branch pipes g, g, (arranged
and fitted with cocks g₁ similarly to the branch steam inlet pipes) are provided
on this side of the vessel, connecting the space above the upper false bottom or
partition and the space below the lower false bottom or partition f with the
hollow trunnion b.
A platform (not shewn in the Drawings) is used for supporting the manure or
material to be treated, and a tank B is used for containing an alkaline solution,
such, for example, as milk of lime, with which the contents of the vessel are
treated while the vessel is being filled or before the steam is let into the vessel.
The outlet pipe i for the escape of the vapours and gases is provided with a
cock, and in some cases is made to communicate with the lower part of a closed
vessel, containing an alkaline solution, such, for example, as milk of lime or the
like; the upper part of this vessel communicates with a pipe m provided with a
cock m', which is connected with an ordinary condenser not shewn in the Drawing.
A pipe n leads from the condenser to a vessel N, lined with lead and containing
acidulated liquid.
In some cases the use of the intermediate vessel , containing an alkaline
solution may be dispensed with, and the vapours and -gases are conducted directly
into the condenser.
In operating with this apparatus, the main vessel A being placed in a vertical

page_text: position and the cover A¹ removed, as well as the upper false btttom or partition 1,
dung or manure (which may either be treated with urine before or after being
introduced into the vessel or employed without urine being added) is introduced
into the vessel and mixed with any suitable alkaline solution, such, for example,
as milk of lime or the like. When the vessel is filled up to a suitable level (say,
for example, to the point o at a short distance from the position of the upper false
bottom or partition) the cover A¹ and upper false bottom or partition are replaced
and secured in position, the cover being made fast by means of bolts. The vessel
is then rotated and steam, superheated or otherwise, is admitted at the same time
through the pipes a, a', herein before described, for the introduction of steam at
each end of the vessel. The steam readily penetrates the manure or dung as the
rotatory motion of the vessel causes the said dung to be continually projected
against one or the other of the false bottoms or partitions. The steam then escapes
through the pipes g, i, hereinbefore described, for the escape of the steam or vapours,
carrying with it the ammoniacal salts, and is discharged in some cases into the
vessel h containing an alkaline solution, as hereinbefore described. After bubbling
through the alkaline solution contained in this vessel the vapors escape through
the pipe m at the upper end of the said vessel and are conveyed into a condenser.
Thence the vapours or ammoniacal products are discharged into the lower part of
the vessel N containing acidulated liquid, as hereinbefore described; the vapours
or the ammoniacal liquid from the condensation thereof then bubble through the
contents of this vessel, so as to form either sulphates or hydrochlorates or other
salts of ammonia according to the acid employed.
In some cases, as before stated, the vessel h containing the alkaline solution is
dispensed with, and the vapours or products are conducted direct into the condenser
and are thence discharged into the vessel N.
When the operation is completed the cover a¹ of the vessel A containing the
dung is removed, together with the false bottom or partition 7, and the vessel is
then inverted so as to discharge the dung from which ammonia has been extracted
into a suitable waggon C, to be conveyed away where required. The residual
dung may be used as a manure for other purposes.
In some cases the false bottoms may be dispensed with, and the vessel be made
with boxes or chambers at the sides communicating with the steam inlet and outlet
pipes, and having perforated walls for the passage of the steam. It is also obvious
that other forms of apparatus may be employed for my improved process of treating
animal excrements or manures, or like materials mixed with alkaline solutions, with
steam and collecting and condensing the products.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. Extracting ammoniacal salts from animal excrement and urine in the
manner and by the aid of apparatus, all substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. The use of my improved process wherein steam is employed for treating
animal excrement, manures, and such like products when mixed with alkaline
solutions, and obtaining therefrom ammoniacal and residual products, substantially
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Nast, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.