CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, RECEIVING, AND HOLDING ALL ANIMAL REFUSE, AND MANUFACTURING THE SAME INTO MANURE WITHOUT NUISANCE, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE COLLECTING, DEODORIZING, REMOVING, AND UTILIZING HUMAN EXCRETIONS AND OTHER ANIMAL MATTER OF LARGE TOWNS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Wilks, of Bloxwich, in the County of
Stafford, Dealer in Manure, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, RECEIVING, AND HOLDING ALL ANIMAL
REFUSE, AND MANUFACTURING THE SAME INTO MANURE WITHOUT NUISANCE,
PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE COLLECTING, DEODORIZING, REMOVING, AND
UTILIZING HUMAN EXCRETIONS AND OTHER ANIMAL MATTER OF LARGE
TOWNS."
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 24th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Wilks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th October 1871.
I, DANIEL WILKS, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Dealer
3 in Manure, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, RECEIVING, AND HOLDING
ALL ANIMAL REPUSE, AND MANUFACTURING THE SAME INTO MANURE WITHOUT
NUISANCE, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE COLLECTING, DEODORIZING, REMOVING,

page_text: AND UTILIZING HUMAN EXCRETIONS AND
Towns," to be as follows (that is to say)
OTHER ANIMAL MATTER OF LARGE
:-
My Invention has for its object the separating, deodorizing, collecting,
preparing, and utilizing refuse animal matter in all the varied forms in
which such matter may accumulate in large towns and populous com-
munities, such as stale meat, fish, refuse from slaughter houses, or animal
excreta, more particularly from closets and urinals, so that the same
may be collected, deodorized, and converted into a powerful manure of
the greatest possible regenerating or recouping power for stimulating
and supporting vegetation.
I effect this important object in the following way, that is to say :—
The animal refuse herein-before referred to may be collected in any
suitable way, but for closets I prefer the use of portable receivers so
constructed that when used the urine shall be collected in one part and
the solid excreta in another, that the same may be kept and treated
separately, both as regards deodorizing and preparing or converting the
same into manure for use; and this separate system I wish preserved
in the collecting and treating of all such or other animal fluid or solid
matter which may be collected in any convenient way and taken to a
suitable receiver to be converted or reduced into a mercantile condition,
effected in the following way:-I take coal, burned wood, or other
vegetable ashes, and for the purpose of making them more suitable I
reburn them, the finer portions of which I collect, distribute, and mix
(in suitable proportion) with gaseous refuse, such as ammonia water
and used or spent lime, and incorporate the same with the fluid or solid
excreta, which will have the threefold effect of deodorizing, retaining,
and fixing the volatile gases, and absorbing the moisture; or the pre-
pared ashes may be applied or progressively used with the portable
receiver to each or joint closets as they are being filled, as the presence
of the prepared ashes deodorizes and absorbs all nauseous effluvia or
malaria commonly arising from such matter, taking from such places
all offensive smells; and these refined or prepared ashes I purpose using
in public or private urinals, closets, and lavatories as well as butchers'
sinks or receptacles for garbage and animal refuse.
In manufacturing manure of the gross materials herein named, the
deodorizing effect is so thorough and complete that convenient situation
for its distribution may be selected without objection.

page_text: And in giving effect to this portion of my Invention I purpose in
some cases (after the ash mixing and consequent deodorizing and
moisture absorption process has been effected) placing the matter so
treated in a heated air-tight room, that the ammonia or other ingredients
of the compound shall not escape or be lost, or evolved by high tem-
perature in the drying process; or such drying process may be effected
by using air-tight cases charged with the compound and submitted to
heat; but in a general way, I believe, by allowing the compound so
treated to lie together in large quantities it will prepare itself by
spontaneous heat, and retain all the properties so essential for vegetable
sustenance, and in this condition it assumes the form of a dried powder
without the least offensive smell, and which I purpose distributing for
sale in fixed quantities, packed in canvas bags or otherwise.
And as a concluding remark I will observe that in giving effect to my
system of sewage collection and utilization, I purpose to the greatest
extent possible preventing water or other reducing ingredients mixing
with the matter before referred to, as it takes from it the properties so
essential for sustaining and recouping vegetation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Wilks in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
WILKS, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Dealer in Manure,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Daniel Wilks, Her special license that
I, the said Daniel Wilks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Daniel Wilks, my executors, administrators,
and 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, excrcise, and vend, within the

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
COLLECTING, RECEIVING, AND HOLDING ALL ANIMAL REPUSE, AND MANUFACTURING
THE SAME INTO MANURE WITHOUT NUISANCE, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE
COLLECTING, DEODORIZING, REMOVING, AND UTILIZING HUMAN EXCRETIONS AND
OTHER ANIMAL MATTER OF LARGE TOWNS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Daniel Wilks, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel Wilks, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention has for its object the separating, deodorizing, collecting,
preparing, and utilizing refuse animal matter in all the varied forms in
which such matter may accumulate in large towns and populous com-
munities, such as stale meat, fish, refuse from slaughter houses, or
animal excreta, more particularly from closets and urinals, public tanks,
stables, and cow houses, piggeries, domestic sinks, and other like places,
so that the same may be collected, deodorized, and converted into a
powerful manure of the greatest possible regenerating or recouping
power for stimulating and supporting vegetation.
:
I effect this important object in the following way (that is to say) :-
The animal refuse herein-before referred to may be collected in any
suitable way, as for instance, for closets in and about densely populated
districts, or public institutions, such as schools, prisons, hospitals, rail-
way stations, factories, and like places, I prefer the use of receivers of
such extent and capacity as room and convenience will permit, and so
constructed that when used the urine shall be collected in one part and
the solid excreta in another. The said excreta or other animal solid or
fluid matter so collected I purpose deodorizing by the frequent use
according to requirement of my new absorbant deodorizer, the particulars
and preparation of which I will hereafter describe, that the said excreta

page_text: may be collected and treated separately both as regards deodorizing or
removing such matter as well as in preparing or converting the same
into a highly recouping manure for stimulating and renewing vegetable
products, the said prepared manure being thoroughly deodorized by my
improved treatment. And this separate system I wish preserved in the
collecting and treating of all such or other animal fluids or solids which
may be collected in any convenient way as above referred to from the
1
removing such matter as well as in preparing or converting the same
into a highly recouping manure for stimulating and renewing vegetable
products, the said prepared manure being thoroughly deodorized by my
improved treatment. And this separate system I wish preserved in the
collecting and treating of all such or other animal fluids or solids which
may be collected in any convenient way as above referred to from the
situations above described.
The fluid and solid matter thus separately collected I purpose removing
in any convenient way, such as by an open cart or wagon, as the fluid
or solid excreta is entirely deodorized and changed in appearance and
rendered unobjectionable to the sense of sight and smell, and being thus
collected and removed to any suitable receiving depôt is converted and
reduced into a mercantile condition as hereafter referred to, the said
matter being thoroughly mixed or absorbed by the gradual admixture of
my improved absorbant deodorizer, which I prepare in the following
way I take the refuse from ordinary house ash-pits or fire-places
with vegetable refuse from houses or gardens, or refuse animal matter
such as dead animals, old boot and shoes, and other like refuse, and
burn them, the ashes of which form my powerful absorbant deodorizer,
which absorbant deodorizer I further mix if necessary with the collection
from the closets or other receptacles before referred to, if such deposits
have been made without the progressive use of my deodorizer, which I
recommend should be used to the extent of about five per cent. as a
deodorizing mixture with the solid excreta, that is to say, a receiver in
connection with a closet of the capacity to hold a ton weight of such
solid mattor, one cwt. of my absorbant deodorizer will be sufficient to
deodorize and convert such matter into the condition before described,
and prepared for conversion into manure, which I effect by placing the
matter so treated and collected in a heated air-tight room that the
ammonia or other volatile gases of the compound shall not escape or be
lost or evolved by high temperature in the drying process. Or such
drying process may be effected by using air-tight cases charged with the
compound and submitted to heat, but in a general way, I believe, by
allowing the compound (so treated) to lie together in large quantities it.
will prepare itself by spontaneous heat and retain all the properties so
essential for vegetable sustenance; and in this condition it assumes the
form of a dried powder without the least offensive smell, and which I

page_text: purpose distributing for sale in fixed quantities, packed in canvas bags
or otherwise, and I have found that with the deodorizing compound so
prepared I am enabled to destroy the deleterious properties in spent lime
used in purifying coal gas, and convert its strongly impregnated
ammoniacal properties to the enrichment of my manure, by mixing it
freely with the absorbant deodorizing compound; and in like manner also
the ammonia water distilled from the manufacture of gas when absorbed
and taken up by my absorbant deodorizer herein-before described
becomes a powerful manure, whether used in this condition or mixed
with animal refuse as before described.
I have found in preparing or converting the animal matter herein
referred to into manure, after collection, that to prevent the escape of
ammonia and other valuable gases, to the recouping and sustaining of
vegetation, it is advisable to cover over the collected heaps while drying
with any inexpensive coarse fabric, such as cocoa-nut matting, and over
such matting I purpose distributing a thin layer of my absorbant
deodorizer, which will absorb the gases envolved from the mass by
spontaneous heat, and which said layer of deodorizing compound will
become impregnated with the valuable products so evolved, and as a
consequence becomes valuable as manure; and this same process may
be applied in a variety of ways, as the covering of otherwise open tanks
of slaughter-houses, waste sinks of cow-houses, stables, and dwellings, in
which the fluids entering such tanks, sinks, or receptacles may be
trapped, and the top being covered with the matting and rendered air-
tight by a layer of my deodorizer, all effluvia or votatile gases are pre-
vented from escaping; and this deodorizing cover is also applicable to
the outfall tanks of large towns that have perhaps been erroneously
constructed for the purpose of collecting sewage refuse, as this system
of confining the effluvia arising from such tanks by covering them with
a matting and protecting the pores of the same with a layer of my
deodorizer completely removes all objection to such places.
And in open closets, as before stated, I purpose so constructing them
that the urine and solid matter may be separately collected or deposited,
and I urge the necessity for a general adoption of this separate system,
in order that the valuable products for recouping and sustaining vege-
tation may be collected and utilized instead of being neglected and lost.
This desirable arrangement may be simply and efficiently carried into
effect in the following way :-Either in the construction of new privies

page_text: or as an addition to the privies now in uso I recommend a piece of
galvanized sheet iron bent into the form of an inverted V; this piece of
iron being about eighteen inches wide and from sixteen to eighteen
inches on each angle forming, and the iron thus bent may have end
pieces rivetted or secured so as to keep the thin iron in the desirable
inverted V shape, such end pieces being allowed to stand up and flanged
outward for screwing up against the under side of the seat, so as to bring
the apex of the angle of the two inclines forming the inverted V across
the seat some five or six inches below it, and against the interior of the
front of the seat I apply a thin galvanized piece of splashing iron so
curved inwards as to collect the urine from the front incline of the V plate,
and to pass it through an outlet into a receptacle placed in the front of
the seat, by preference partly sunk beneath the floor, and which receptacle
may be made of a rectangular shape, say from nine to twelve inches
wide and ten to twelve inches deep, more or less, as convenience will
permit, and of a convenient length for occasional removal, being pro-
vided with suitable handles; and this vessel or receptacle I fill up with
my absorbant deodorizer, which will actively absorb the urine as it
descends, holding and retaining the ammoniacal and other fertilizing
gases that would otherwise be evolved, and this receptacle is covered by
a wood cover and front so as to appear like a step to the seat, and at the
back, above the seat, I apply a hopper fitted with a valve, into which
hopper I place my absorbant deodorizer, and by the hand of the attendant
or by the action of the door the valve may be actuated so as to permit a
certain quantity of my absorbant deodorizer descending, which being
spread over the solid fecal matter deposited over the back incline, all
offensive smell or malaria is completely destroyed.
It will be readily seen and understood by any practical mind that the
details herein described may be otherwise realized without affecting the
general principle and object of my Invention, as for instance the back
and front inclines instead of being formed of galvanized sheet iron may
be made of earthenware or other plastic material, curved or shaped in
any desirable way that will concentrate and promote a cleanly appear-
ance; and in like manner the vessel for receiving the urine may be of
earthenware, if so preferred, and the front step or back hopper or
receiver for holding the deodorizer may be elaborated on or ornamented
in any costly or decorative way as to make such places pure and healthy,
whether for private dwellings or large establishments; and in like
manner the same way by which I absorb and purpose utilizing the

page_text: urine from closets, so also I purpose utilizing the urine deposited at
public urinals by constructing a suitable vessel or vessels either of
galvanized iron or other. metal or material such as earthenware, and
into which vessel or vessels I deposit a suitable quantity of my absorbant
deodorizing compound, which after being saturated will require to be
removed and recharged, the compound so saturated becoming a valuable
manure, while the urinal so treated will be entirely free from the highly
disagreeable condition in which public urinals are now invariably found.
Having now generally described my Invention and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish particularly to observe
that throughout my system, water, which is now become a scarce
commodity in large communities, is not required, but, on the contrary,
its presence destroys and impoverishes the fertilizing properties I desire
to collect and conserve.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Wilks, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
DANIEL WILKS. (L.S.)