and similar Matter for the Manufacture of Manure.
Year: 1885

page_text: and similar Matter for the Manufacture of Manure.
I CARL LEHOFER Academical Economist 40 Grange Road, Bermondsey in the
County of Surrey do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCREMENTS SEWAGE AND SIMILAR MATTER FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, to be as follows:-
Up to the present moment the value of the artificial manure was so small,
because the most part of the Nitrogen and phosphoric acid has been lost, before it
could be secured. The purpose of my invention is to remove this present weakness,
and after many experiments I have come to the following manner of treating the
human excrements and sewage matter, received in what ever a manner of transport
or communication to the manufactory. These works are divided in different
departments. In the first and principal building are placed three (more or less)
inclined Separating Platforms one above the other in certain distances. These
platforms are constructed like a grate. The space between them is covered with
sheet iron plates, in which are made holes of corresponding diameter. The purpose
of these platforms is to separate the suspended matter (sludge) of human excrements
from the water, sand and other worthless matter. Over the first plateform is
placed a shaking sieve, which scatters continuously a mineral substance to the
incoming sewage fluid for the purpose to bind the nitrogen & phosphoric acid. The
suspended matter of human excrements on the first and second platform is passing
a washing apparatus. On the first platform is adopted a mechanism for the purpose
to push the suspended matter. Further will be utilized the power of the outcoming
fluid sewage matter by means of waterwheels for saving some motive power of the
steam Motor. The remaining excremental sludge on the deepest point of the third
platform is ready to be treated for the first process of manufacturing manure.
Before the liquid substance of Sewage matter is pumped away in several filtering
chambers it passes a filtering system of compressed air, which is guided through
pipes with holes near the bottom of the principal building. The filtering chambers
contain also a filtering system of pipes with holes in the same manner with
compressed air as before said. From the filtering chambers the liquid substance
(the most part already only water) is guided in wires, on which bottom is placed
gravel of different sizes and sand; this filtering substances are covered with a
.

page_text: chemical substance for binding the rest of nitrogen and phosphorique acid suspended
in the water. The waterfall which exists on guiding the pumped water into the
filter chambers is also used for moving power by means of water wheels.
The sludge at the deepest point of the third platform together with the precipitated
faecal matter, the result of the filtering apparatus in the principal building as well,
as that in the filtering chambers is guided in a ball containing grindstones or mills
for the purpose to mixe and grind the different qualities of sludge. From these
mills the united matter is guided in a department, where are large pits constructed
of suitable impermeable material ready to receive the sludge for mixing with offals
of industries household and traffic in the streets as well as products of the animal,
vegetable and mineral kingdoms. These filled pits are covered with boards of wood
or of other suitable material and after loaded with earth, for the purpose to give the
necessary pressure for the fermentation within.
Under these pits are constructed proportioned chanels for guiding off the
outpressed water which passes again through the filtering system in the Principal
building. After this first process of fermentation in a certain time (to be fixed by
chemical analyses) the matter is transported in the next department of the
manufactory. There are also pits where the masses remain under the earth
pressure for further and complete fermentation also during a certain time.
The result of this second process is the beginning of formation of "manure."
Before this manure, rich on nitrogen and sposphorique acid, is packed and made
ready for commerce in dry and transportable condition it is transported in a closed
hall, which is ventilated with hot air and so treated till it is quite dry.

page_text: and similar Matter for the Manufacture of Manure.
CARL LEHOFER of 40 Grange road Bermondsey, London S.E. in the county of
Surrey, academical economist do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCREMENTS, SEWAGE AND
SIMILAR MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The high value of human excrements, relative their contents of nitrogen and
phosphoric acid as manure for horticulture, cultivation and farming is a fact well
known, but it is illusory to consider it so, when the usual system of sewage mixed
up with all sorts of valueless bodies is applied, espacially as the large per centage
of water considerable its commercial value.
The following description explains a new manufacture by which the before
mentioned inconviniences may by avoided so that firstly the less valuable or
valueless materials may be separated from the excrements, secondly the large
quantities of water be put away with, and thirdly the nitrogen and phosphoric acid
be combined in the quiquest manner.
The human Excrements in themselves without consideration of sewage water
consisting of facals and Urine are generally obtained united in secretion and
therefore also containing plenty of water, which to separate will be subject of the
following proceeding.
The proceeding may be utilized either when the Excreta are united, separated,
mixed or unmixed, either directly after secretion or later, through canals, through
floating systems, through pneumatic works or lastly collected in vessels being
transported by rail, water or otherwise for manufacture of manure.
The quantities do nowise influence the manufacture, but the size of the buildings
aud mashinery should be in proper proportion.
28
DESCRIPTION OF THE MANURE WORKS,
The human Excreta, sewage matter etz in whatever a way received are first
directed into the Separating Building: (plate I of the annexed drawings).
This building contains one or more Platforms, which are arranged as follows:
In the uper part of the building is a perforated Platform A: (plate I): on to
which the sewage matter flows through openings v. . . out the pipe or Canal B
whence it moves in the direction of a and is continuously bestrewn by means of
the shaking apparatus u with pulverized mineral substances, such as lime, gypsum
or Kainit, whereby the nitrogen becomes bound and the formation of carbonic acid
amonia is prevented and also the phosphoric acid contained in the masses is

page_text: That Platform A consists of a grating supported on pillars; the openings of the
grating are covered with non corroding sieves, which are arranged in such manner,
that the whole Platform forms a single oblique plane. The sieves have orifices of
the superficial area of about 0·004 square inch each and about fifty orifices per
square inch.
All solid bodies of larger size, than the orifices will permit to pass, are retained
on this platform. These larger bodies are pushed back by a mechanical scraper e
on to b and move from 6 on the other part of the Platform A towards c. There
the Platform terminates in a transvers upright board, provided with suitable
openings, which may be closed at pleasure, where the separated masses accumulate
and are from time to time allowed to pass into the Reservoir C.
That part bc of the Platform A is not perforated like the part b-a, but contains
a number of perforated perpendicular tubes d.... through which the liquid
masses pass below.
The Platform A slopes slightly from 6 to a and from 6 to c and terminates at
the point a in an upright perforated board.
The mechanical Scraper e moves from a to b and is there brought out of gear by
the motion of an Excentric, is pulled back to its first position at a by the action of
a weight fand so on forwards and backwards.
The bottom edge of this mechanical scraper is provided with brushes, which clear
the orifices of the sieves of any accidental stoppages. All the liquid and less
voluminous particles. pass through the perforrated Platform A on to the Platform D.
This Platform D is constructed like the Platform A, but has a greater slope
towards g; it also terminates in an upright perforated board h and its orifices
are of smaller area, then those of the Platform A, so that only the finer particles
will pass through. The on the Platform D precipitated particles are collected at g,
from where they are from time to time removed into the Reservoir C, which also
contains a number of perforated pipes d.
To prevent the shoking of
the sieves a stream of water is occasionally squirted upon the sieves.
From a to g the Platform D is not perforated and the liquid masses reaching
that part pass through the perforated tubes d or flow over the upright end h on
the Platform F. The distance between the Platform D and Platform A is such as
will permit a man conveniencely to operate there. The liquid masses containing
facal matters in solution after passing through the orifices or the upright end h
arrive at the Platform F, which is constructed similarly to the Platforms A and D
and has also a moderate slop towards K. The whole of the Platforms A, D and F
are of the width of the Separating Building, which latter is made proportionate
to local requirements.
All the Platforms may be longitudinaly separated into a number of sections to
admit partial repairs, when necessary.
The orifices of the Platform F are still smaler, than those of Platform D, so as to
cause all solid particles to pass forwards in the direction of K. It is to be
particularly understood, that the sieves in either Platform may be exchanged in
regard to size of orifices, to suite the character of the sewage or facalmatters, which
has to pass through, them. All liquid masses after passing through the last.
Platform F reach the bottom m, n of the Separating Building, which is provided
with a series of steps all sligthly sloping downward towards n and between the
Platform F and the said bottom a system of filtration o, p by means of perforated
pipes is arranged, by which pipes a continual stream of air conveyed from the
Cylinder P is forced into the liquid masses, there by causing precipitation of the
valuable facal atores of the sewage matter, uniting them with the particles already
precipitated. The overflowing liquid passes through openings q into part G after
beeing subjected to another System of filtration r, 8, t.
To return to the description of the manipulation of substances, separated on
the Platform A and D and collected in the Reservoir C it may be explained, that
they are pushed in a washing drum by means of a mixing and moving wheel

page_text: through the pipe y. The drum rotate in a washing box H. The necessary water
for washing comes out of the water Reservoir T through a regulating pipe a in
the washing box H.
As the mixed matters of sewage still contain in themselves facalatoms, which
accumulated in the Reservoir C, it is necessary to separate the hard and worthless
particles (such as stones, sand etz) by washing and to bring them if possible into
a soluble form, so as to prevent during that action the farther formation of carbolic
acid amonia and to precipitate the dissolved phosphoric acid, the water in the
Reservoir T is saturated with Kainit and lime.-The washing drum has the shape
of a Cylinder with conical ends; in the central part it has an opening, provided
to admit the substances to enter and to be retained during its rotation by a sliding
lid. The casing of the drum consists of a very close sieve through which only the
dissolved atoms pass, but the firm particles are all retained. The washing drum is
subjected to a double rotation, its shaft carries shovel shaped projections and
revolves in one direction, while the drum casing revolves in the opposite direction.
The number and size of drums, the filling and emptying, the moving rapidity
the change of washing waters, must be altogether decided according the quantity
and quality of the accumulated masses in the Reservoir C.-As soon as a sufficient
washing has taken place, the facal atoms, and also the precipitated phosphoric acid
in the mineral substances, which have been accumulated in the washing box H,
are emptied by ẞ and conveyed over to the nonperforated part Y, Z, of the Plat-
form F and also floated over the perforated part towards K.
The firm particles, which are retained in the washing drum, are from time to
time discharged by opening the lid when turned below and are emptied out of the
washing box at the same time at 6 into trucks for removal. The in space G con-
tinuously collected liquid is forced by centrifugal pumps K. . . . through pipes R
into the filtering chambers A... (plate II fig. I of the annexed drawings). Those
Centrifugal pumps are provided with fine wire sieves λ, which prevent any little
mud-particle, which may yet be in the water to rise and pass on, but if there are
still some very fine atoms of chalk, Kainit and facals, they are again precipitated
by means of an air filtering system a, b in the filter chamber A.
The filter chambers, which must be constructed in separate parts are brought
into connection by floodgates d... so that the quantities of water entering
through the pipes e . . . . in the water box D pass through the whole number of
filter chambers connected with each other, therefore in having to pass the whole
filtering system a large precipitation is brought about. The possibly not yet
cleansed water is directed through some other floodgates h.... . into the filter
basin B. This has on its bottom a filtering layer c consisting of gravel, sand,
and pebble and is covered with suitable cellulose refuse matter, which is mixed
with mineral substances, as before said, and has the task of keeping back any
organic matter, which may still remain in the water. A reserve basin with a
layer like the one mentioned before, has to take the place of the basin B during
the removal and renovation of the filter layer. After about 20-30 minutes the
last filtration is completed and the clear water flows through pipes . . . into
a reservoir or Canal and out of that into its final destination (river, lake or sea),
but as the water contains no pernicious qualities likely to do harm the ground-
water, may also be used for irrigation. The filtering chambers are constructed in
separat parts for the purpose of emptying the precipitated particles of facals and
minerals in succession the water pass through the pipes g into the basin B or into
the reserve Basin. The suspended matters retained by the filter chambers are from
time to time united with the other facal masses through the tubes K. and pass into
the Separating Building.-Having explained the process of Separating I will now
proceed to describe the manufacture of manure.
The facals, respectively the human Excrements, and the precipitated mineral
substances, accumulated at L M and N in whatever way applied to the production
of manure are on account of their physicial nature and their chemical construction

page_text: in reference to their contents of nitrogen and phosphates to be considered of
unequal proportions; it is therefore necessary to the production of a proportionate
valuable manure, that those qualitative unequal matters should first be equalized
and prepared in proper proportion to their contents of facalatoms and secretion of
Urine.
For that purpose they are to be ground in suitable mills and continually mixed
with mineral substances, containing lime potash or natron, to form a kind of liquid
paste and then removed by pumps, pneumatic works or other means into trucks or
waggons for conveyance to the place of manufacture of manure.-This place
(plate II fig. II, III and IV) is partly covered by a fixed or portable roof, which
can be used for greater convenience in rainy wheather, and in this place are
tanks A . . . (fig. II, III a. IV) for the receiption of the facal liquid paste. The
number and dimension of those tanks depends on the daily quantity of matter to
be used. The bottom of each of those tanks has a succession of slopes in the
middle of which one or several efflux-openings a
are situated. These are
...
formed of short perforated pipes and have each a valve b. ., which can be opened
as required, or hermetically closed.
The efflux openings lead into a large pipe B which is laid lengthwise under the
bottom of the tanks. The semi liquid masses require for the purpose of being
dried the use of materials, which by their porous nature have the qualities, to
absorbe the water and at the same time augment the accumulation of the nitrogen.
For this purpose various kinds of household, industries and other refuse matters may
be used, but if those should not be sufficient at hand it will be necessary to supple-
ment them by the use of other materials and substances from the animal, vegetable
and mineral kingdoms. Those matters are to be sorted, according to their organic
construction, dried and if necessary pulverized, but care should be taken to remove
sand, stones or other materials, which are useless for the manufacture of manure.
The manufacture of manure is divided into a number of processes by successive
treatment in tanks. The preparation of manure in the first tank process is carried
out in the following way: "Firstly, the surface of the bottom of the tanks is
covered with a layer of long fibrous substances and this with a layer of facal semi
liquid paste, and this again with a layer of mixing materials. In this way the
filling up of the tanks is continued, untill the whole is covered with a layer of
minerals, containing lime, kali or natron. To hasten the fermenting process and
at the same time to abstract the contents of water the mixture requires to be
closed in under pressure. For this purpose the tanks are to be covered first with
boards c.... and afterwards with earth, which having been collected at the
side of the place Ċ for that purpose, is to be heaped up upon it. These pressure
is increased at intervals for the purpose of causing a sufficient saturating process
within the tanks. The pressed out water passing through pipes B is conveyed by
pipes D back to the system of filtration in the Separating building (plate I) where
the same filtering process takes place as described before. The length of time
required for the formation of manure varies according to the nature of the mixing
materials used. It will be necessary from time to time to take out samples from
the manure tanks for chemical analysis, from which the proper time for emptying
of the first tanks and transfering the contents to the second tanks can be judged.
In the second tanks a similar proceeding is gone through, although the lesser
quantity of water has to be brought into consideration and therefore the mixing
materials are to be mixed in a smaller degree, but still in a quantity sufficiently
large to absorbe the remaining contents of water.
The mixed facal masses in the second tanks remain until the formation of a
complete manure is accomplished.
The earth covering of the tanks, which are in the open air has to be sufficiently.
thick, so that the exterior climatic circumstances cannot exert a disturbing influence
on the chemical action inside the tanks, which therefore also serve for storeing the
manure. On the removal of manure, which should only take place after chemical

page_text: examination the still existing dampness in the manure is removed by exposure to
the air and this has always to be done shortly before sale. In places where the
human excrements are conveyed to the Separating building by a Canal-System it
becomes necessary to consider the amount of thunder-shower etz and to admit
such sudden additional quantities of water, special recervoirs, of dimension large
enough to take several days downpour, have to be used, from where they are
guided by and by into the pipe B (plate I).
.
In the proximity of rivers special consideration should be given to the level of
the whole construction of the works, so that any possible danger from inundation
be avoided. At the beginning of frosty weather the Separating-building is to be
warmed by hot air or steam, so that no frost may have any influence on the working.
Lastly the foul air, which will be formed in the Separating-Building is to be con-
ducted by the ventilation pipes T into the boiler furnace to be there consumed.
On the first Platform under the blowing out pipe B are placed overshot water
wheeles O.. (plate I) which are moved and kept moving by the fall of the sewage
matter; they have to be powerfull enough to keep several apparatus in motion,
and they may be put in use in every place, where the entering sewage matters
carry sufficient water to turn the wheels. Besides the water, which is pumped out
in the filter chambers, will again be used as motive power by undershot wheels V
(Plate II). The heavy solid masses of sewage, which sink down in the pipe B
(plate I) will be discharged from time to time to the Platform A through openings
with sliding lids u. A powerful engine is to be kept working W (plate I) to keep
the whole of the apparatus in motion.
Advantages obtained by use of the above described process as follows:
I. "It overcomes the difficulty of treating the largest quantities of sewage and
facal matter, in dry and wet weather, whatever be the number of the population."
II. "It can be adapted to every existing.system of canalization for carrying off
sewage and similar matter."
III. "It prevents the pollution of rivers and harbours and promotes pisciculture."
IV. "It prevents the accumulation of mud at present forming a material
impediment to navigation."
V. "It separates the valuable matter contained in the fäcal secretions from the
less valuable ingredients of the sewage."
VI. "It preserves, by a chemical process, both the nitrogen and phosphoric acid,
the most valuable constituents in manures.'
"
VII. "It produces a valuable and cheap manure fit for export."
VIII. "It improves the general condition of the land through the medium of
this manure, and therefore increases the productivity of the soil, and, consequently,
stimulates the national prosperity."
IX. "It admits of the now completely purified water being utilised for horti-
cultural irrigation."
'
X. "It improves sanitation, and exercises a beneficial effect upon the public
health."
XI. "It requires but comparatively small means for carrying this system into
execution."
And XII. "It offers a sure prospect of yielding profitable returns."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. The use of a series of perforated Platforms, one above the other, for
separating human excrements from valueless particles and large quantities of
water, as described.
Secondly. The purifying of quantities of offal or fäcal matter by washing
through by means of a particularly constructed apparatus ( in H) (plate I)
as described,

page_text: Thirdly. The binding of valuable plant-nourishing matters at the beginning of
the separation by means of the shaking apparatus u (plate I) as described.
Fourthly. The use of compressed air with the mashinery for quickening the
filtration and precipitation of facal matter in the Separating building and also
in the filter-chambers as herein described.
• Fifthly. The arrangement of tanks system, combined with filtration and
mechanical appliances as above described.