Improved Apparatus for Preparing Lime and other Substances for the Treatment of Sewage, and for Automatically Supplying them in Measured Quantities thereto.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 31st Aug., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Preparing Lime and other Substances for
the Treatment of Sewage, and for Automatically Supplying them
in Measured Quantities thereto.
1, ELI KNOWLES, of 36, Washington Street, in the Borough of Accrington do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has for its object to reduce as far as possible the amount of manual labour which
has hitherto been necessary in carrying out the preparation and mixing of lime or
other substances with sewage for the purpose of its purification.
I propose to slake the lime in the usual way to a dry "fallen" condition; in this
state it is fed into a "pulveriser" a revolving box of such suitable form and having
such interior arrangements as to induce a further disintegration of its charge.
The box is provided with a grating or gratings through which the lime is sifted
and delivered in a finely divided state.
It is then lifted by means of an Elevator or other appliance into a receiver of
suitable capacity from which it is drawn out through an opening at its lower end by
means of a helical rotating "creeper" or other mechanical means and is introduced,
together with a stream of water, to the "mixer" a vessel fitted with revolving stirrers
or paddles in the usual manner.
An important feature in my combination is the arrangement of mechanism by
means of which the supply of lime to the mixer is automatically proportioned to the
varying quantity of sewage to be dealt with, the quantity of material delivered to the
mixer being due to the greater or less velocity of tho before mentioned creeper or its
equivalent. The differential action of the creeper is made to depend on the vertical
movements of a float situated in the sewer or channel along which the sewage flows,
or in a special chamber or vessel connected therewith where the level of the liquid
varies with the sewage flow.
The float is connected by rods and levers or other equivalents such as wire cord and
pulleys with clutch gear and a pair of conical pulleys or other mechanical means to
actuate the creeper or its equivalent so as to deliver the lime to the mixer in varying
proportions due to the quantity of sewage passing through the sewer or over a notch
or guage plate at any specific time.
By these means I obtain a great economy in lime and its more equal distribution to
the sewage with the smallest amount of manual labour in its preparation.
The details of the system may be modified to suit varying circumstances.
TYL of T combo- 1000
HENRY GARSIDE,
Agent for E. Knowles.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Preparing Lime and other Substances for
the Treatment of Sewage and for Automatically Supplying them
in Measured Quantities thereto.
1, ELI KNOWLES of No. 36 Washington Street in the Borough of Accrington and
County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
It has for its object to reduce as far as possible the amount of manual labour which
has hitherto been necessary in the preparation and application of lime or other sub-
stances used in the purification of sewage. A collateral advantage is found in

page_text: diminished consumption of the substance under treatment, a result due to its automatic
delivery in quantity proportionate to the volume of sewage flow.
When lime is to be treated, I prefer that it be first slaked in the usual way to a dry
'fallen' condition; in that state it is fed into a pulveriser, a revolving box of such
suitable form, and having such interior arrangements as to induce a further dis-
integration of its charge. The box is provided with a grating or gratings, through
which the lime is sifted and delivered in a finely divided state. Where floor levels are
convenient, the substance under treatment may be allowed to fall directly into a
receiver of suitable capacity, or, as indicated in the accompanying drawings, it may
be raised to a higher level through a trunk by an endless chain with attached buckets,
and be led by a shoot to the receiver.
The substance is drawn through an opening at the lower end of the receiver by
means of an extractor-called in my provisional specification the 'creeper'-and is
introduced, along with a stream of water, to the mixer, which is a vessel fitted
with revolving stirrers or paddles, and which is already in public use.
The milk thus prepared, is passed to a chamber where it meets the inflowing
sewage, with which it is mixed by mechanical agitation. The combined liquids then
flow to settling tanks or other destination.
An important feature in my combination is the arrangement of mechanism by
which the supply of lime to the mixer is automatically proportioned to the varying
quantity of sewage to be dealt with; the amount of material supplied to the mixer being
due to the greater or less velocity of the extractor before-mentioned, whose differential
rate is made to depend on the vertical movements of a float situated in the sewer or
channel along which the sewage flows, or in a special vessel or chamber connected
therewith, wherein the level of the liquid varies with the sewage flow. The drawings
herewith, divested of minor details, when taken in connection with their attendant
explanation, illustrate my system as in practical use; similar letters are employed
throughout to indicate corresponding parts. A prime motor is to be assumed to be
available.
Fig. 1 shews the general arrangement of the combination in proper order of suc-
cession Fig. 2 is a plan of parts with the receiver removed; Fig. 3 is a view from
the side contrary to Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 shew portions of the apparatus on a larger
scale.
The pulveriser (A) is a box of polygonal form, mounted on the shaft (a) and
rotating with it, its axis being inclined so as to facilitate charging and also to improve
its disintegrating action. It is further supported at about the middle of its length by
an outer ring, shewn with end view of the box at (B) and projected at (C). The ring
carries anti-friction pullies, which are adjusted to a hoop of circular outline (1) fitted
to the exterior of the box. The box is rotated by means of a bovil pinion (c)
engaging with an annular wheel attached to the base of the box. It has two sieves,
one at the bottom of strong woven wire, with mesh of about 4" opening; the other a
diaphragm plate (d) nearer to the mouth of the box. I find that a number of holes
of about "diameter, drilled or cast in about a quadrant of the plate as seen in (B)
give sufficient area of aperture. There is an opening (-) between the sieves closed
by a door or plate, which permits of matter being cleared out which will not pass the
bottom sieve.
The comminuted material as it falls from the pulveriser, is lifted through the
trunk (D) and passes by the shoot to the receiver (E). This vessel rests on the
framing (F). It is circular in plan, and has an opening (e) in its base immediately
over, the extractor,' which is here a helical creeper rotating in a small chamber fixed
to the receiver. The receiver has a strong axial shaft-preferably of square section-
of the full length of the vessel, with a bearing at the upper end, a gland at the base
of the receiver, and carried by a fixing at its foot. It is rotated through the worm
wheel (). Three or four square arms (9) project from it, one near to the bottom of
the receiver. These, in their revolution, being forced through the pulverised
substance, prevent its 'caving' in the neighbourhood of the extractor.
The mixer (G) shewn with its external pipe, which receives the substance as it

page_text: falls from the extractor, being, as already stated, well known, need not be particularly
described. It has separate driving gear.
The parts beneath the receiver are supported by various brackets attached to the
framing. Their motions are derived from the driving pulley (h) and are transmitted
to the extractor through the long differential drums (1) and (2) the chain
wheels () and () the change wheels (k), (!), and the worm wheel (m) on the shaft
of the extractor. The long drum (2) is driven from its fellow, and a double
belt-guide (n) slides along the rods (o) from end to end of the space between the
drums. The long screw (p) gives motion to the belt-guide. This screw is continued
as a plain shaft outside the framing and carries the opposite bevils (7) of the reversing
train and the clutch (r) between them. This clutch is keyed with a sliding fit, and,
together with its connected screw, is turned in one or other direction just as it engages
with one or other of the freely rotating bevils. It is operated by the lever (s) which
in turn, is connected by a system of rods and levers or their equivalents with the
float (H). This is balanced by the weighted lever (t). The lever (s) has its fulcrum
at the end of the screwed spindle (u) whose other end is guided.
The wheel (),
independently supported, and kept in place end ways, has its bore screwed to fit the
fulcrum spindle, which is caused to move axially to and fro by the rotation of the
wheel. A pinion (w) is fixed on the plain part of the long screw and, through an
intermediate carrier, turns the wheel in alternate directions as required.
The action of this part of the mechanism is as follows:
When the flow of sewage is in average quantity, and the float in normal position,
the lever (s) is at about the middle of its arc of movement; the clutch with its
associated screw are motionless, the projecting pins of the clutch being out of contact
with those of both reversing bevils; the belt-guido ought to be at about the middle of
its traverse; and the extractor, through the intermediate gear, is then being rotated
at a determined rate. As the float rises or falls, the clutch engages with one or other
of the reversing bevils, causing thereby the rotation of the long screw with an accom-
panying traverse of the belt-guide, and an increased or diminished speed of the
drum (2) and ultimately of the extractor. When engaged, the clutch might at once
cause the movement of the belt-guide from end to end of its course, but this tendency
is corrected by the simultaneous but slower rotation of the wheel (e) which has the
effect of shifting the fulcrum of the lever (s) and bringing the clutch nearer to its
medial position. Shortly stated, the entire range of movement of the float, the full
traverse of the belt-guide, and the corrective endlong motion of the fulcrum spindle
should be so related as to be accomplished in approximately equal times.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what mannor the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The arrangement and application of the apparatus described herein, or such
modifications thereof as may be substantially similar, for the treatment of lime or
other substances when used for the purification of sewage.
2. The construction of the pulveriser (A) and the receiver (E) with their accessary
fittings substantially as described herein.
3. The connection of a float with a system of differential mechanism, so as to
influence its action, in the manner, and for the purpose, herein described.
4. The constructive details of the differential mechanism herein described, or any
substantially similar variation therefrom.
Dated this 30th day of August 1889.
HENRY GARSIDE,
Agent for Eli Knowles.