A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRYING AND POWDERING BLOOD OR OTHER MATERIAL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Campbell Forrest, Manure Merchant and Contractor, of
Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, and Alexander Forrost, Oil Distiller,
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "A NEW
OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRYING AND POWDERING BLOOD OR OTHER
MATERIAL"
Scaled the 19th January 1877, and dated the 9th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Campbell Forrest and
Alexander Forrest at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th
August 1876.
CAMPBELL FORREST, Manure Merchant and Contractor, of Edinburgh, in the
County of Mid Lothian, and ALEXANDER FORREST, Oil Distiller, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRYING AND
POWDERING BLOOD OR OTHER MATERIAL."
This Invention relates to a machine for drying and grinding or powdering blood
or other material by means of a hollow spindle containing superheated steam or
other power, and revolving within an iron drum or cylinder, which may have a
single casing or a double one for the introduction of steam or other power for
heating purposes, and into which drum or cylinder the blood or material has been
introduced.
The spindle passes from end to end of the drum or cylinder, projects beyond the
cylinder at either end for gearing purposes and steam connections, and has a
revolving motion. Within the cylinder six (or more or fewer) hollow arms project
from the spindle, three from each (opposite) side thereof. The three arms on each
side are connected at their outer extremities by a hollow tube attached to the arms,
and which tube extends the full length internally of the cylinder.
The connecting tubes are provided with accommodation for bolting scrapers on
for keeping the inside surface of the cylinder clean.

page_text: Superheated steam is introduced into the hollow spindle at one end; the other
end is fitted with accommodation for the exhaust steam and water condensed there-
from.
The cylinder rests horizontally on stone or brick supports, and the position of
the spindle is also horizontal. The blood or material to be operated on is intro-
duced into the cylinder through a man-hole or filling accommodation on its upper
surface. The spindle is then made to revolve by means of steam or other motive
'power, and the arms of the spindle pass through the blood or material within the
cylinder, which is dried by the heat from the spindle and cylinder, and powdered
or ground by the revolving motion of the former.
When the blood or material has been properly dried and powdered or ground it
is discharged through a man-hole or outlet on the under surface of the cylinder, and
which outlet is kept closed during the operation. The steam or vapour evolved
during the process is allowed to escape through the man-hole on the upper surface
of the cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Campbell Forrest and Alexander Forrest in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th February 1877.
CAMPBELL FORREST, Manure Merchant and Contractor, of Edinburgh, in the
County of Mid Lothian, and ALEXANDER FORREST, Oil Distiller, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DRYING AND
POWDERING BLOOD OR OTHER MATERIAL."
The Invention relates to a machine for drying and grinding or powdering blood
or other material, and which machine may also be used for other purposes, such as
drying grain, town sewage, excreta, night soil, urine, slaughter-house refuse, or
garbage, and other substances. The machine consists of a hollow spindle containing
superheated steam or other heating medium, and revolving within an iron drum or
cylinder, which may have a single casing, or by preference a double one, for the
introduction of steam or other power for heating purposes, and into which drum or
cylinder the blood or material to be treated is introduced.
The hollow spindle passes from end to end of the drum or cylinder, projects
beyond the cylinder at either end for gearing purposes and steam connections, and
has a revolving motion. Within the cylinder six (or more or fewer) hollow arms
project from the spindle, three from each (opposite) side thereof. The three arms
on each side are connected at their outer extremities by a hollow tube attached
to the arms, and which tube extends the full length internally of the cylinder.
The connecting tubes are provided with accommodation for bolting scrapers on,
and which scrapers keep the inner surface of the cylinder clean.
Ordinary or superheated steam, or other heating medium, is introduced into the
hollow spindle at one end. The other end is fitted with accommodation for the
exhaust steam and water condensed therefrom. A steam trap is the best means of
regulating the escape of this exhaust steam and water, the size of the trap varying
with the size of the machine and with the quantity of steam supplied to or passing
through it, or the condensed steam may be passed back again into the boiler, thereby
effecting a saving in the consumption of fuel.
The cylinder rests horizontally on stone or brick supports, and the position of
the spindle is also horizontal. The blood or other material to be operated on is
introduced into the cylinder through a man-hole or filling accommodation on its
upper surface. The spindle is then made to revolve by means of steam or other
motive power, and the arms of the spindle pass by its revolving motion through the
blood or other material within the cylinder, which is dried by the heat from the

page_text: spindle and cylinder, and powdered or ground by the revolving motion of the
former.
When the blood or other material has been properly dried and powdered or
ground it is discharged through a man-hole or outlet on the under surface of the
cylinder, and which outlet is kept closed during the operation. The steam or
vapour evolved during the operation from the blood or other material is allowed to
escape through the man-hole or filling accommodation on the upper surface of the
cylinder, and its escape may be facilitated by means of a short funnel fitted on
said man-hole, and containing an exhaust fan which may be worked by the same
power which drives the machine.
It may be here observed that by subjecting blood to the process just described,
a new and improved animal manure is produced of great fertilising power, and
containing a large per-centage of fertilizing agents, which are saved or economised
by the process described.
The machine may further be erected and used at public slaughter-houses, and its
erection and use at such places will effectually solve the question of getting rid of
the large quantities of blood and offal produced at such establishments, not only
without nuisance to the neighbourhood (for no offensive smell is created by the
operation or evolved from the substance produced thereby), but with positive profit
to the community in whose service the machine is employed.
The machine is also eminently adapted for converting at small expense the
sewage of towns into a dry powdered manure of the consistence of guano. The
noxious gases evolved from the sewage may be readily consumed by the use of an
apparatus for that purpose in connection with the machine, and the fertilising
eleinents in the sewage are all economised by the process.
The Invention is more especially suited for use in towns which cannot send their
sewage to the sea, or where, for some reason or other, it is thought impracticable
or inexpedient to dispose of the sewage by irrigation, filtration, or some such
process.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, I proceed to describe the
manner in which it is to be performed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters or figures marked thereon, all of which form part of this Speci-
fication.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate like parts in all the Drawings
or Figures.
On Sheet I. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the drum or cylinder, and Figure 2
an end clevation thereof; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section thereof taken at
the line C, D, in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the drum
or cylinder taken at the line A, B, in said Figure, and, along with Figure 3, shewing
the interior thereof.
On Sheet II. Figure 1 represents an elevation of a varied form of the spindle "G
and its arms M, M, M, M, M, M, and scrapers Q, Q, Q, Q, Q, Q; Figure 2, an end
elevation thereof; Figure 3, a longitudinal section thereof; and Figure 4, a cross
section thereof.
The Figure 4 (Sheet I.) represents the drum or cylinder lying horizontally on
stone or brick supports. The cylinder has a double casing or jacket F for the
introduction of steam or other heating medium.
The hollow spindle G passes from end to end of the cylinder, boing supported on
suitable bearings at H, H, at each end of the spindle, and projects beyond these
bearings for gearing purposes and steam (or other heating medium) connections.
The spindle is made to revolve by means of the cogged wheels I driven from any
uitable shafting or other power. The spindle is connected at one end K by a pipe K³,
or other suitable connection, communicating with a steam boiler or other generator
of heating medium, and at the other end by a pipe L, or other suitable attachment,
ommunicating with a steam trap, by means of which the steam after passing

page_text: through the spindle G and its arms M, M, M, M, M, M, and the water condensed
therefrom are allowed to escape.
The steam or other heating medium is conducted within the casings of the
cylinder by means of the pipe K¹ leading from the said boiler, or other generator of
heating medium, and is allowed to escape by the outlet S after-mentioned. The steam
or other heating medium enters the spindle G by the pipe or communication K,
passes through the spindle G through the hollow arms M, M, M, M, M, M, pro-
jecting from each side thereof, and passes out, with the water condensed in its
passage, through the communication L into the steam trap or other accommodation
for disposing of the exhaust steam or heating medium.
The blood or other material to be operated on is introduced into the cylinder
through the man-hole O on the upper surface thereof. The spindle with its con-
nections, and containing superheated steam or other heating medium, as aforesaid,
is then made to revolve through the blood or other material, which is thoroughly
dried by means of the heat thus brought to bear upon it by means of the spindle
and double casing, and is powdered or ground by the revolving motion of the spindle
and its connections.
When the operation is complete the substance, which has been operated on, is
discharged through a man-hole P on the under surface of the cylinder, and which
has been kept closed during the operation. The inner surface of the cylinder is
kept clean by means of the scrapers Q, Q, Q, Q, Q, Q, which are bolted on the
suitable accoinmodation R, R., R, R, R, R, provided for that purpose on the arms
M, M, M, M, M, M, of the spindle.
While the spindle and its connections are in revolution, and the material within
the cylinder is being treated in the manner above described, the heat is maintained
by a constant pressure of steam, or other heating medium, from the boiler or other
generator being kept up in the spindle and its connections, and in the double
casing.
The exhaust steam, and water condensed therefrom, escape from the hollow spindle
by means of the communication L, as aforesaid, and from the double casing by the
outlet S, which communicates with the steam trap or other accommodation already
referred to.
The machine herein described may be varied in its details, as, for example, the
hollow arms of the spindle need not project one-half from each (opposite) side
thereof, as described above, but they may project along one-third of the length of
the spindle from one side thereof, along another third portion of the spindle from
another side thereof, and along the remaining third of the length of the spindle
from another part of the sido thereof. Scrapers will be attached to the outer
extremities of each of such sets of arms. By such a variation the whole weight of
the material in the bottom of the cylinder will not be brought to bear at one time
on the projecting arms and connections of the spindle along their whole length;
but these arms and connections will (under the variation just described) pass through
the material, or at least the heavier portion of it, in sections only, and thus a great
portion of the strain on the spindle and its connections may be saved.
Further, the projecting arms of the spindle need not bo connected by a tube, as
shown on Sheet I., Figure 4, but may be fitted with transverse branches set at
angles, as shewn on Sheet IL, Figure 1, and on which branches the scrapers may be
fitted. The angles at which the transverse branches are set, as shewn on Sheet II.,
Figure 1, have the effect of sending the material operated on towards the centre of
the cylinder, and causing it to discharge itself through the man-hole P, when the
operation is finished, and the said inan-hole opened. The spindle is of course kept
in revolution until the discharge is effected.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what we consider novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the above.
in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement or construction of the hollow

page_text: spindle and its arms and connections by means of which, and the superheated
steam or other heating medium passing through them, the heat is conveyed to
and through every part of the blood or other material to be operated on within the
cylinder and the nitrogenous elements therein conserved.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Forrest, on behalf of myself and the
said Campbell Forrest, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
ALEXANDER FORREST. (L.S.)