Improvements in Manufacturing Manure from Sewage.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIfication.
Improvements in Manufacturing Manure from Sewage.
JOHN CARTER 11 Tottenham Street, Kensal Road, London, W., Veterinary
Medicament Manufacturer, Student, R.V.C.L., 1855, 1856, 187 do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I precipitate the sewage in an open circular receptacle, above ground, from
twenty to thirty feet high, sufficiently large to hold twenty-four hours sewage, of
which there should be two at each works, the one for filling while the other is
being emptied, which I will call sewage holders, these sewage holders would be
constructed of cast iron, similar to the lower part of gas holders; filled from the
outside by pumping the sewage into a covered duct, which having a fall to the
centre of sewage holder, it would be conveyed by receiver to the bottom of holder,
whether full or empty; the duct is a mixer, having partial stoppages, first on one
side then on the other, and at the bottom also.
The bottom of the sewage holders are raised from a pool in the centre to the side,
with sufficient fall to the deposit outlets, with a ridge between each, to keep the
deposit compact for drawing off.
The effluent water would be drawn off from three outlets, one ten feet from the
top, the next twenty, and the third near the bottom, the drawing off would
commence as soon as the top was clear.
6
The deposit outlets, would stand about five feet high, and fifteen apart, all round
the outside of the sewage holder, with screw to the valve, with handle at the top.
to open the valve to let out the deposit. The sewage deposit would be drawn off
into sacks, wider at the open end than at the other, so as to facilitate the reversing,
for emptying them; they would be piled up one above the other two and two;
with a row of circular rods to fit the under sack between each to allow the moisture
to get away, in four or five hours the deposit would be sufficiently dry to mix with
the dry material. The precipitants in impalpable powder would be thrown on to
the sewage, before being raised by the pumps; if the sewage holder was a large
one, say four hundred thousand tons, the precipitants, might be raised by a dredger,
and thrown on to the sewage when being pumped into the duct, if a small one the
precipitants should be mixed with sewage in a wash mill, similar to a brickmaker's
before being pumped to the duct. The space serrounding the sewage holder would be
roofed over as far as the requirements of the sewage holder would necessitate, and
with glass, except over that part where the steam engines would work,' for drawing
off the deposit, sack space, drying space, with stoves to expedite in the winter
time' and finished manure space; also crushing space, all the spaces would have to
be continued all the way round, and a rail or tramway would be necessary at the
exterior. The crushing floor must be of hard material and smooth, granite or iron
with good foundation would be the best. Ordinary steam rollers would do the
crushing, except when the chalk was lain too roughly, then the assistance of a
traction engine would be advantageous. For small works a wash mill would be all
that is necessary, both for crushing and mixing, if well made, except for the dry
material to be added at the finish.
$
I precipitate with chalk, and alum, in impalpable powder; two ounces of chalk
to the gallon of sewage, the result is very good and clear, but not so bright as
with alum, nor so quick in precipitating, the alum I add according to the sewage.
After the sewage precipitate is turned out of the sacks, I mix with it after being
crushed, one hundred weight of ashes, half hundred weight of soda, half hundred
weight of resin, and twenty-eight pounds of soot to the ton.
To sewage deposit that has been precipitated with sulphate of iron and lime, in

page_text: small quantities, I add powdered chalk to the extent of two ounces to the gallon of
sewage, that the sewage deposit was obtained from; with the aforesaid mixture
only omitting the soot.
The sewage deposit obtained by alum I treat in the same way, with the addition
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Manufacturing Manure from Sewage.
JOHN CARTER 11 Tottenham Street, Kensal Road, London, W., Veterinary
Medicament Manufacturer Student of the R.V.C.L. in 1855, 1856 and 1857, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
$
I precipitate the sewage in an open circular receptacle, above ground, from
twenty to thirty feet high, sufficiently large to hold twenty-four hours sewage, of
which there should be two at each works, the one for filling while the other is
being emptied, which I will call sewage holders, these sewage holders (No. 1) would
be constructed of cast iron, similar to the lower part of gas helders, 'bolted together
from the outside' filled from the outside (2) by pumping the sewage into a duct, (3)
covered, (3) which having a fall to the centre of sewage holder, it would be con-
veyed by receiver (4) to the bottom of holder, (5) whether full or empty, when
the sewage holder is large enough, the effluent water might be drawn off as soon
as the (No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sheet 1, Fig. 1.) receiver (4) Fig. 1 was immersed in
sewage, it stands on an iron base with many openings at the bottom,' and the
deposit also, and still keep filling the sewage holder, the duct is a mixer having
partial stoppages first on one side and then on the other, and at bottom. The
bottom of the sewage holders are raised from a pool in the centre (5) to the sides,
with sufficient fall to the outlets, (6) with a ridge between each, to keep the
deposit compact for drawing off, the ridges are shown angular in the drawing, but
that is not absolutely necessary, as long as there is a separation. The effluent
water would be drawn off from three lateral tiers of outlets, one ten feet from the
top A, Fig. 2 the next twenty feet, (B) and the third near the bottom, (C) &
occasionally from the overflow outlet, D the outlet valves have an horizontal bar
at the top, which works in a socket at each end, to ensure precision, they are
opened by a chain which has length enough between each to allow the one to open
before the other, in succession as required, and they have a weight to ensure perfect
closure, the chain passes over a wheel at the top of sewage holder, down to three
stops, the block is cone shaped, (G) will fit and not bind,' or flat with rubber or
leather seating, they should carry off the effluent water twice as quickly as the
sewage is pumped in. The pool has a valve outlet (H) to the sewer for empting
in case of repairs or cleaning out, it is raised by a wire fastened to a ring at the
anterior projecting part of the lid, and has a stop at the back near the hinge, to
prevent its opening too wide, it will close when the wire is let loose, there is a
furrow round the opening small at the top and wider inside, to hold rubber or hemp
to make the joint good, the wire is attached to a chain which passes over a wheel
fixed to one of the duct supports, and the wire is continued along the duct to a
wheel at the side of the holder, and is again attached to a chain which passes over
a wheel down to within reach.
The drawing off would commence as soon as the top was clear. The deposit
outlets would stand about five feet high and fifteen feet apart, all round the outside
of the sewage holder, with a screw to the valve at the top, to let out the deposit
into sacks from the spout (E), and into a shoot from the outlet at the bottom (F);

page_text: the deposit would be drawn off into sacks, if the full two ounces of chalk were used
for precipitating, if one ounce or less, the sacks need not be used, the sacks are
wider at the open end than at the other, so as to facilitate the reversing for
empting them, they would be piled up one above the other, two and two across,
with a row of circular rods between each to fit the under sack, and straight rods
under the bottom ones, to allow the moisture to escape; in four or five hours the
deposit would be sufficiently dry to mix with the dry material.
The precipitants in fine powder would be thrown on to the sewage when in the
sewer before being raised by the pumps, or mixed with the sewage in a wash mill
similar to a brick makers, when a wash mill is used the chalk is readily reduced
to a wet powder, and one ounce of chalk to the gallon of sewage with alum will
do, a wash mill twenty-five feet over with four harrows and eight horse power
steam, making six revolutions per minute, would wash three hundred and
fifty two tons in the day of twenty four hours, & pump the sewage into the mill,
and elevate the mixture if necessary at the same time; the running off would
commence one hour after the mill began to work; the running off would be
continuous, and regulated at the grating outlet to the sewage holder pumps; the wash
mill will require cleaning out once a week, & the grating should be washed at the
same time; four of these mills would be sufficient for Barking outlet, with crashing
steam rollers for the dry material; chalk for the rollers must be carefully strewn
free from stones; for the washmill it is not so important, and may be shot into
the mill a ton at the time, the rollers would have a rake to let down with small feet
a little plough like, or a harrow.
The space round the sewage holders would be covered (8). The crushing floor
should be of iron or hard stone and smooth. I precipitate with chalk or whiting
preferably white chalk, and alum in fine powder, two ounces of chalk to the gallon
of sewage more or less, in the absence of chalk I use burnt clay or loam burnt,
old building material, such as brick rubbish mortar & plaster in fine powder, so
fine as not to be able to see the atoms of which it is composed,' the result is very
good and clear, but not so bright as with chalk.
One ounce of chalk with alum in fine powder 120 grains troy weight' to
the gallon will do, and the precipitate can be left till the second day if not
sufficiently dense, but it must not be left too long as chalk brings the deposit down
of good substance, and then it will not require being drawn off into sacks, but
poured at once on to the dry material, the extra ounce of chalk in fine powder
would be added to the dry material and would be sufficient to dry the
precipitate two ounces of chalk is sufficient without any alum if you can
give it time enough, but one part in sixteen hundred will remain in solution if
alum is not used, but if you use 160 grains 'troy weight' of alum to the gallon of
sewage with two ounces of powderd chalk the effluent water will be as bright
as distilled water. After the sewage precipitate is turned out of the sacks, I
mix with it after being crushed, one hundred weight of ashes, or the dust of ashes,
or burnt loam or burnt clay in fine powder, or old building rubbish as before written
in fine powder, half hundred weight of soda, half cwt. of resin, and twenty-
eight pounds of soot, all in fine powder, if the soot makes the manure too dark dont
put any. To sewage deposit that has been precipitated with sulphate of iron and
lime in small quantities, I add powderd chalk, or powderd brick rubbish, burnt
loam or burnt clay in fine powder, to the extent of two ounces to the gallon of
sewage that the deposit was obtained from, or till dry, withe the afore written dry
mixture, only omitting the soot. To sewage deposit that has been obtained by alum
or alum & clay, I treat in the same way. Either of the last two manures will be
ready for sale as soon as mixed.
Powderd chalk burnt loam or clay burnt in powder is first class manure with
sewage deposit for all soils even sand or clay itself; burnt loam or burnt clay
in powder with sewage deposit is preferable for chalk soil.
The sewage holders must be set on brick work and raised one foot above
ground,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. The open circular precipitating sewage holder above ground as described
and arranged, and shown in drawings, with coverd duct and mixer combined,
leading to the centre of sewage holder, and receiver with many openings at the
base, so that the sewage is not disturbed during precipitation, although filling is
going on at the same time; the pool in the centre at bottom, with declivities
sloping to the deposit outlets with screw valve and lateral valve outlet, the
partition between each to keep the deposit compact for drawing off, the lateral
valves with leaver weight and chain to open the three in succession, the pool
outlet valve, with projecting anterior part, for fastening the wire to, with hinge
and stop at back, and rubber seating or hemp.
2nd. The impliments I have adopted, steam rollers with rake to let down, or
harrow, the wash mill for breaking up chalk for precipitating. The sacks wider
at the open end than the other.
3rd. The precipitants, chalk or whiting and alum, crushd or washed.
4th. The powderd chalk, or broken up in a washmill, with or without alum,
burnt loam, or burnt clay &c. or sulphate of iron or other chemicals or additions
for precipitating, but mixing only; and also the resin and soda when used alone
or mixed for manure; brick rubbish, old mortar plaster, burnt loam & clay burnt,
in fine powder whether used for precipitating, or mixing. The mixture of ashes,
soda, resin & soot in fine powder for completing the manure, & the circular rods.
Al 98h 1802
JOHN CARTER.