IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Croysdale, of Whitley Bridge, near Pontefract,
in the County of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE."
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Croysdale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on tho 31st March 1880.
THOMAS CROYSDALE, of Whitley Bridge, near Pontefract, in the County of York,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacturo of manure.
Various attempts has been made to produce a manure from shoddy, woollen rags,
and animal fibre by treating such matters with sulphuric acid, but the results here-
tofore obtained havo not been altogether satisfactory, and a moist tar like product
has usually been obtained.
According to my Invention I obtain from the above mentioned materials a dry
powder having a high manurial value, and very convenient in use.
The following is my method of treatment :-
I place the shoddy, woollen rags, or like material into a close vessel heated by
means of a steam jacket, and containing mechanical agitators, consisting of a hollow
axis driven in any convenient manner, and provided with hollow arms which are
kept bot by steam. Commercial sulphuric acid is placed in this vessel together
with the shoddy or like matter in the proportion of, say, five hundred weight to
the ton. The materials are retained in this vessel, the agitators are kept in motion,
and the process of heating with constant turning over and mixing is continued
until the whole is brought to the state of a dry powder, which is suitable for
use as a manure either alone or mixed with other substances having a manurial
value.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Croysdale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
September 1880.
THOMAS CROYSDALE, of Whitley Bridge, near Pontefract, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of manure.
Various attempts have been made to produce a manure from shoddy, woollen
rags, and animal fibro by treating such matters with sulphuric acid, but the rosults
heretofore obtained have not been altogether satisfactory, and a moist tar-like
product has usually been obtained.
According to a very useful method of treatment the shoddy or like woollen
waste has been heated with sulphuric acid in a manure mixer, and ground
phosphate of lime or other dryer has been stirred in to form a dry manure.
It is well known that in practico this method is open to many objections, not the
least of which is that only a limited quantity of shoddy can in this manner be
incorporated with the manure without spoiling its condition.
According to my Invention I obtain from the above mentioned materials, viz.,
from shoddy or other like woollen or it may be silk waste, and from sulphuric
acid or other mineral acid (but I prefer sulphuric acid), a dry powder having
a high manurial value, and very convenient in use. The following is my method
of treatment :—.
I place the shoddy, woollen rags, or like material into a closed vessel heated by
means of a steam jacket, and containing mechanical agitators, consisting of a hollow
axis driven in any convenient manner, and provided with hollow arms which are
kept hot by steam.
The apparatus which I employ is that shown and described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to Campbell Forrest and Alexander Forrest, and dated the
30th day of December 1876, No. 5061. It consists of an horizontal steam jacketted
drum or cylinder with a hollow spindle or axis revolving within it.
The spindle passes from end to end of the drum or cylinder, projects beyond the
cylinder through stuffing boxes at either end for gearing purposes, and steam
connections, and has a revolving motion. Within the cylinder twelve (or more
or fewer) hollow arms radiate or project from the spindle, and at their outer
extremities each set of these arms open into a hollow tube attached to the arms,
and which tubo extends the full length internally of the cylinder; or such arms
may each open into short length of hollow tube. These hollow tubes are provided
with accommodation for bolting scrapers or stirrers on for keeping the inside
surface of the cylinders clean, and for producing the grinding, powdering, or
mixing operation; and such scrapers or stirrers may be arranged in a spiral form
if desirable. Steam is introduced into the hollow spindle at one end; the other
end is fitted with accommodation for the exhaust steam and water condensed
therefrom. The cylinder rests horizontally on stone or brick supports, and the
position of the spindle is also horizontal.
The material to be operated upon is introduced into the cylinder through one
or more man-holes or filling accommodation on its upper surface. The spindle is
then made to revolve by means of steam or other motive power, and the arins
of the spindle and hollow tubes pass through the contents of the cylinder, which
thus becomes heated and mixed by the revolving motion of the scrapers and
stirrers.
At the end of the operation the contents of the cylinder are discharged through
one or more man-holes or outlets on the under surface of the cylinder, and which
outlets are kept closed during the operation. The vapour evolved during the

page_text: process is allowed to escape through the man-holes on the upper surface of the
cylinder, and may be led away by flues.
By the use of steam as the heating medium, both for the cylindrical vessel and
its stirrers, the proper adjustment of the temperaturo is readily ensured; and also
it is ensured that every portion of the bulk of the materials contained in the vessel
shall be equally exposed to this regulated temperature. Both of these matters are
of high importance.
Commercial sulphuric acid is placed in this vessel, together with the shoddy or
like matter, in the proportion of, say, two hundred weight to the ton. I prefer to
use sulphuric acid, as it comes from the chambers of a specific gravity of about 1-600.
The strength of the acid however is not important, but it affects the duration of the
process, which occupies a longer time when a weaker acid is employed. The
inaterials are retained in this vessel, the agitators are kept in motion, and the
process of heating with constant turning over and mixing is continued until the
fibrous nature of the shoddy or like material is destroyed, and the whole is brought
to the state of a dry substance, which (according to the nature of the fibre operated
upon) is either already in the form of powder, or is readily ground to powder. The
powder is suitable for use as a manure either alone or mixed with other substances
having a manurial value.
If it be wished to produce a phosphatic manure phosphoric acid may with
advantage be substituted for the sulphuric acid to the extent to which it is desired
that phosphoric acid should be present in the product. The result is then a
nitrogenous and phosphatic manure.
In this way I convert shoddy or other woollen or silk waste into a dry
pulverulent material useful by itself as a nitrogenous manure, or available for
mixing in any desired proportions with superphosphate and with other manurial
matters.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim, the treatment,
substantially as described, of shoddy or woollen or silk waste with a mineral acid
in a steam heated vessel with constant mechanical agitation in such manner as to
obtain from the said materials a dry pulverulent product suitable for use as a
manure either alone or in admixture with other manurial matters.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Croysdale, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
229 ARAYADITH