IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WATER-CARRIED TOWN OR OTHER SEWAGE AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Herbert. of Ravenscourt Park West in the
County of Middlesex. for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF WATER-CARRIED TOWN OR OTHER SEWAGE AND IN APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Herbert at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1883.
FRANCIS HERBERT of Ravenscourt Park, West in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WATER-CARRIED TOWN OR OTHER
SEWAGE AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
"
My Invention has for its object the deodorizing of all kinds of Sewage dealing
with it in its entirety, both solid and effluent portions, in a manner never before
attempted, its conversion into valuable manures by the said treatment and the
further utilization of the gaseous and other products generated during the process
The manner of performing my process is as follows-
The Sewage flows direct from the main Sewer into a large receiving Tank or
Tanks of any required size or capacity of any suitable material and shape con-
venient for the processes to be hereinafter detailed; preferably of cast iron in the
shape of a parallelogram with an air-tight cover. As it is more convenient that there
should be a regular and uniform flow of sewage from the Tank or Tanks I make
use of one or more Self acting Syphons fitted to the said Tank or Tanks, by aid of
which the Tank empties itself at regular intervals of both solid and watery parts;
leaving at the bottom of the Tank only a small deposit of Road grit which settles
on account of its greater specific gravity the shorter arm of the syphon or syphons
being adjusted to allow of the non-disturbance of this deposit; which same may be
removed through proper outlets by suitable means and may be afterwards utilized
for making cement or in other manner.
A very small proportion, say one per cent, of a suitable chloride solution may be
added in this Tank to the Sewage but is not absolutely necessary to its successful
sunatmand has me mathad

page_text: As soon as this first Tank or Tanks is full, it begins to discharge itself by means
of the before mentioned Syphon or Syphons and continues to do so until the whole
of the contents are discharged into a series of other Tanks or receivers made or
lined with a substance or material which is a non-conductor of Electricity; the
supply from the main sewer being, meanwhile, diverted into another receptacle.
Each of this series of receivers is connected with the others by suitable means and
is provided with non-oxidizable electrodes in connection with the poles of a
dynamo electric machine, machines or other suitable generator of electricity.
Electrolytic action taking place, sulphuretted hydrogen and other gaseous products
are evolved from the electrodes, which products may be purified by ordinary means
and utilized to heat the furnace to be hereafter described or may be carburetted
and used for lighting purposes or may be turned to other useful account. Observe
that these receivers should be fitted with properly constructed air-tight covers,
fitted also with suitable tubes or pipes for the removal of the gaseous vapours to
their destinations.
The appearance of the sewage after passing this stage is that of a frothy semi
liquid mass of a greyish brown colour and is now almost entirely divested of its
noxious and deleterious qualities retaining however all its valuable constituents as
a manure. It is now drawn off by suitable means into a specially constructed
furnace which consists of a heated chamber or chambers fitted with a number of
metal cylinders placed in an oblique or slanting position. This furnace may be
heated by any known means Each cylinder, which is open at both ends is provided
with a spindle, passing through its entire length, bearing a spiral worm, which,
upon being slowly revolved by suitable gear, conveys the sewage through cylinder
to cylinder, thus exposing it to the full heat of the furnace and yet retarding its
too rapid progress. The heat of the said furnace may be continued to at least
400° Faht and may be carried still further, provided it does not reach a point at
which the sewage is burnt. After passing through these cylinders, which are
constructed in size and number with regard to the quantity of Sewage to be dealt
with, it presents itself as an inodorous pulverulent or granulated compound, perfectly
dry and of light grey colour, which may be packed in sacks ready for the market.
These cylinders being laid in supplementary series, the process is continuous and an
outlet being provided for the gaseous vapours into another chamber, any aminonia
which may have escaped can be thrown into solution by any ordinary means whilst
the gaseous residuum may be either carried away direct or may be purified and
utilized as fuel for the furnace together with the gaseous products of the foregoing
electrolytic process, or dealt with in other ways.
And now having specified in what the manner of my invention consists, I would
observe that what I consider to be novel and original in my system is
(1) The use of Electrolysis as a means of deodorizing Sewage. (2) Dealing with
Sewage as a whole, that is, with both solid and watery parts together, which has
never before been successfully attempted, thereby retaining all the valuable
fertilizing properties. (3) Utilizing the gaseous products. (4) Doing away with
the great expense attendant upon the use of chemicals. (5) Dispensing with large
and costly arrangements of Filters. (6) The easy, continuous, expeditious and
economical method hereby shown of rendering Sewage disposable for its proper
purpose, viz. its return to the land from which it was derived and Finally the
prevention of river and sea pollution and the removal of other sources of Zymotic
diseases by the prompt and effectual manner shown above for dealing direct with
Town Sewage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Francis Herbert in the
Patent Office on the 28th June 1884.
FRANCIS HERBERT, of Ravenscourt Park. Hammersmith, in the County of
Middlesex, Art Designer and Draughtsman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF WATER-CARRIED TOWN OR OTHER SEWAGE AND IN APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREIN
33
My Invention has for its object the deodorizing and disposal of all kinds of
Sewage, dealing with it in its entirety, both solid and liquid portions in a manner
never before attempted; its conversion into valuable manures by the aid of the said
treatment and the further utilization of the gaseous and other products generated
during the process. The manner of performing my process is as follows. The
Sewage flows direct from the main Sewer into a large receiving Tank or Tanks of
any required size or capacity; of any suitable material and shape convenient for
the processes to be hereinafter detailed, preferably in the shape of an elongated
parallelogram with an air-tight cover. As it may be convenient that there shall be
a regular and uniform flow of Sewage from this Tank or Tanks, I make use of one
or more self-acting Siphons, fitted to the Tank or Tanks, by aid of which Siphon
the Tank empties itself at regular intervals leaving at the bottom of the Tank
only a small deposit of principally Road grit which settles on account of its
greater specific gravity; which said deposit may be removed through proper
outlets by suitable means and may be afterwards utilized by being calcined for
cement or in other manner-A very small proportion of a suitable Chloride
Solution or other Disinfectant may be added to the Sewage in this Tank but is
not absolutely necessary to its successful treatment by my method. The aforesaid
receiving Tank or Tanks may however be dispensed with, provided there be a
tolerably constant flow of Sewage, in which case the said Sewage is fed direct
into the Receivers to be hereinafter described. If, however, the afore-mentioned
Tank or Tanks, for the collection of the Sewage, be employed; they begin to
discharge themselves as soon as the liquid reaches the level of the Syphons and
continue to do so until the whole of the contents are emptied into a series of
Receivers fitted throughout their whole length with Carbon or other non-oxidizable
Electrodes in connection with the poles of a Dynamo Electric Machine, Machines
or other suitable generators of Electricity; preference being given to a generator
giving a current of great quantity but low intensity; the said Electric Current
being discharged by means of suitable Conductors through the Electrodes
afore-mentioned, Electrolytic action takes place and Sulphuretted Hydrogen and
other gaseous products are liberated; the result being that the bulk or volume of
the Sewage thus dealt with is reduced seventy or eighty per cent or even more by
lengthening the Receivers containing the Carbon Plates aforesaid and also by
increasing the surface of the said Plates to which must be supplied a corresponding
increase of Electric Current; and the residuum which is of the consistency of
thin mud or slush is conveyed to suitable drying apparatus where the remaining
liquid is evaporated at a gentle heat leaving a grey inodorous Powder which may
be packed in Bags ready for a Market. The resultant gaseous products may be
purified and carburetted by ordinary means and used for Lighting purposes or may
be turned to other useful account; being conveyed from the afore-named Receivers
through Pipes attached to the said Receivers and leading to the Condensers and
Scrubbers or other suitable purifying apparatus as aforesaid. Observe that the
afore-mentioned Receivers which are in the shape of long covered Troughs of
Brickwork or other suitable material are arranged in Series, side by side; but

page_text: at different levels in order to provide for a greater or less flow of Sewage or they
may be on the same level and fitted with Penstocks, Automatic Floats or other
Mechanical devices for the purpose of achieving a similar result-And now, having
specified the nature of my Invention and having particularly described in what
manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that what I
consider to be novel and original in my invention is the easy, continuous,
expeditious and economical method hereby shown of dealing with Water-Carried
and other Sewage and of rendering it disposable for its proper purpose, viz, its
ultimate return to the land from whence it was derived. The saving of the great
expense of large areas of suitable soil as needed in Irrigation or Sewage Farm
schemes and again of Chemicals and costly arrangements of Filters as in the
"Subsidence" or Precipitation methods. Also that by dealing with Sewage as a
whole, that is, with both solid and watery parts together; which has never before
been successfully attempted, I retain all the valuable fertilising properties which
ordinarily are carried away in the liquid effluent and also ensure the prevention of
Sea and River Pollution arising from the hitherto want of a proper method for
promptly dealing with large quantities of liquid Sewage.
I therefore claim.
(1st) The use of Electricity as a means of dealing with and deodorizing all kinds
of Sewage.
(2) Utilizing the gaseous products as herein before described.
(3d) The combination and arrangement of apparatus substantially as and for
the purposes herein before specified.
In witness whereof I the said Francis Herbert have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty eigth day of June, in the year of Our Lord. One Thousand,
Eight hundred and Eighty Four.
AINזגימג
TEDDEDT
Gol