IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE DECOLORIZATION, DEODORIZATION, AND PURIFICATION OF FOUL awn Widmn WATERS OF SEWAGE AND OF SUPERNATANT SEWAGE WATER
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Lundy, of Leith, near Edinburgh, in
the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Colour, Paint, Varnish,
and Chemical Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EFFECTING THE DECOLORIZATION, DEODORIZATION, AND PURIFICATION OF FOUL
awn Widmn WATERS OF SEWAGE AND OF SUPERNATANT SEWAGE WATER."
Sealed the 30th August 1870, and dated the 10th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Lundy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th March 1870.
I, JOHN JAMES LUNDY, of Leith, near Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Colour, Paint, Varnish, and Chemical
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE DECOLORIZATION, DEODORIZATION, AND PURI-
FICATION OF FOUL AND WASTE WATERS OF SEWAGE AND OF SUPERNATANT SEWAGE
WATER," to be as follows: -
This Invention relates to improvements in effecting the decolorization,
deodorization, and purification of foul water and waste waters, such, for

page_text: example, as those waters which foul the streams and run to waste from
distilleries, dye works, paper works, and other manufactories, of sewage,
and of sewage supernatant water, and consists in submitting them to
what is known as the carbonaceous residuum or animal charcoal,
which is produced and obtained in the manufacture of prussiate of
potash.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention I filter the foul water,
waste waters, or the sewage supernatant water obtained after the
separation of the more solid portions of the sewage by mechanical means,
or by allowing the same to subside in settling ponds by filtering the
same through the animal charcoal before described by any of the well
known methods of filteration, the said animal charcoal being either mixed
or not mixed with or placed in alternate layers or otherwise with cinders,
coke, gravel, sand, stones, or any other suitable substance or substances
singly are combined, whereby the filtering beds or tanks may be kept.
more open according to the rapidity of the filtration required, or to the
density or specific gravity of the water requiring to be decolorized,
deodorized, or purified.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention I cause the foul
water, waste waters, supernatant sewage water, or sewage to be mixed
up with the before-mentioned animal charcoal by being stirred up
therein, whereby after the animal charcoal has been allowed to subside
or precipitate the supernatant water will be found to be decolorized and
deodorized.
In carrying out this part of my Invention the amount of animal
charcoal to be employed will be dependent on the degree of impurity of
the waters or sewage to be treated, but I prefer to use such a proportion
as that the desired degree of decolorization and deodorization may be
effected, which proportion can easily be ascertained by previous ex-
perimental trial on a small scale. Some waters from paper works will
be found to require as little or even less than 3 ounces per gallon,
and it will further be found that the precipitated charcoal can be used
over again until its powers of decolorization and deodorization are
exhausted, when it will be found suitable for agricultural purposes, or it
may be dessicated and reburnt for use again for the decolorization and
deodorization of waters and sewage.

page_text: It will be found that after either of these processes, namely, of
filtration or of mixing and precipitation many waters that now froth and
foam will not do so when allowed to run into a stream, river, or
watercourse.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John James Lundy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JAMES LUNDY, of Leith, near Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, Color, Paint, Varnish, and Chemical Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John James Lundy, Her special license
that I, the said John James Lundy, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John James Lundy, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING
THE DECOLORISATION, DEODORISATION, AND PURIFICATION OF FOUL AND WASTE
WATERS OF SEWAGE AND OF SUPERNATANT SEWAGE WATER," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said John James Lundy, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
sume to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John James Lundy, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in effecting the decolorisation,
deodorisation, and purification of foul water and waste waters, such, for
example, as those waters which foul the streams and run to waste from
distilleries, dye works, paper works, and other manufactories, also of
sewage and of sewage supernatant water, and consists in submitting
them to what is known as the carbonaceous residuum or animal charcoal,
which is produced and obtained in the manufactories of prussiate of
potash.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention I filter the foul waste
waters, or the sewage, or the sewage supernatant water obtained after the
separation of the more solid portions of the sewage by mechanical means,
or by allowing the same to subside in settling ponds by filtering the same
through the animal charcoal before described by any of the well known
methods of filtration, the said animal charcoal being either mixed or not
mixed with or placed in alternate layers or otherwise with cinders, coke,
gravel, sand, stones, or any other suitable substance or substances singly
or combined, whereby the filtering beds or tanks may be kept more open
according to the rapidity of the filtration required, or to the density or
specific gravity of the water requiring to be decolorised, deodorised, or
purified.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention I cause the foul
water, waste waters, supernatant sewage water, or sewage to be mixed
up with the before-mentioned animal charcoal by being stirred up
therein, whereby after the animal charcoal has been allowed to subside
or precipitate the supernatent water will be found to be decolorised and
deodorised.
In carrying out this part of my Invention the amount of animal
charcoal to be employed will be dependent on the degree of impurity of
the waters or sewage to be treated. As nearly every foul water requiring
purification will vary according to the manufacture it has been previously
used for in the various ingredients it contains or in its specific gravity;
and as the animal charcoal can be re-employed, I prefer to add to the
first foul water operated upon an excess of the aforesaid animal charcoal
over and above what is actually necessary to attain the desired degree of
decolorisation or deodorisation. I also prefer to wet the charcoal with a

page_text: smaller quantity of the foul water itself or with clean water in a tub,
cask, or other vessel, stirring the same until it is well incorporated with
the water, and then pour the same into the cistern, pond, tank, or other
vessel or apparatus containing the bulk of the foul water to be operated
upon through a sieve, so that it is the more easily diffused therein
without leaving froth or scum upon the top of the first batch of water
purified. When the animal charcoal is mixed with the water to be
purified, all that is necessary is to agitate or stir it well therein, for
which in most cases a few minutes will suffice. The requisite quantity
of the animal charcoal to be employed and the time requisite for
agitation being easily ascertained by observing the subsidence of the
sediment in a glass or other vessel of the water operated upon, which
may be drawn from time to time from the cistern, pond, or tank used, or
upon ceasing to agitate or stir it, observing the precipitation in the
cistern, pond, or tank itself. When the precipitation has taken place
sufficiently the clear water can be drawn from the surface by means of
syphons, taps, or other apparatus, more foul water can then be added to
the same animal charcoal, and the operation repeated by agitating and
stirring the two together time after time until the power of decolorization
and deodorization is exhausted from the animal charcoal. It will be
found that where the specific gravity of the waste water to be operated
upon is heavier than that of the animal charcoal it will be requisite to
reduce the specific gravity of the water below that of the animal charcoal
to permit precipitation, which may be done by the addition of foul water
of less specific gravity or with clean water. It will be found useful and
economical in some manufactures to allow the waste water or waters to
remain in a settling tank a few hours before treatment, and only to treat
the supernatant liquor with the animal charcoal in the manner before
described. The rapidity of precipitation will vary with the specific
gravity and the impurity of the water operated upon. Strong caustic
ley from paper works will require a longer time than the cooling and
washing waters, and it will be found preferable in some cases to mix
these waters together to facilitate their purification. The various colored
waste waters of dye works will be found to be almost invariably much
more rapidly decolorized than those from paper works. It will be found
that after either of these processes, namely, of filtration or precipitation,
impure water which previously would froth and foam will not do so
when allowed to run into a stream, river, or watercourse. After the

page_text: exhaustion of the animal charcoal it may be employed for agricultural
purposes, as it has been heretofore employed for that purpose, or it may
be desiccated and reburnt for re-employment, for decolorization, deodori-
zation, or for agricultural purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application
and utilization in the manner before described of the aforesaid animal
charcoal for the purpose of effecting the decolorization, the deodorization,
and the purification of foul water, waste waters, supernatant sewage
water, and sewage, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Lundy, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Third day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy.