IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF TREATING AND CLARIFYING SEWAGE OR OTHER IMPURE WATERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Hallsworth, of Armley, near Leeds, and Richard
Bailes, of Woodhouse Carr, Leeds, both in the County of York, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF TREATING AND
CLARIFYING SEWAGE OR OTHER IMPURE WATERS."
Sealed the 1st June 1877, and dated the 9th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Hallsworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1877.
SAMUEL HALLSWORTH, of Armley, near Leeds, and RICHARD BAILES, of Wood-
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
house Carr, Leeds, both in the County of York.
OR METHOD OF TREATING AND CLARIFYING SEWAGE OR OTHER IMPURE WATERS."
Our Invention consists in the preparation of acid solutions of iron, also of
copperas and dry copperas, in combination with slacked lime, for the purpose of
treating and clarifying sewage or other impure waters.
We prepare the acid solution of iron as follows:—
Firstly. To about one thousand gallons of the liquor that runs from beds of iron
pyrites, prepared as stated in the Specification of our Patent dated October 9th,
1874, No. 3459 (preferably about fifty degrees Twaddle), we add and mix about
two hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid of about one hundred and forty-four
degrees.
Secondly. To about one thousand gallons of dissolved copperas, or copperas
bottoms, or the mother liquor that remains after the crystallization of copperas of
about forty degrees, we add and mix about three hundred and seventy pounds of
sulphuric acid of the above named strength.
Thirdly. To about one thousand gallons of the solution of iron of about forty
degrees, which is produced as a bye product when sheets of iron and wire have
been subjected to a solution of sulphuric acid and water at tin plate and wire
works, we add and mix about three hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid,
about one hundred and forty-four degrees (Twaddle).
Fourthly. We prepare a liquor from iron pyrites or of sulphuric acid and water
in the ordinary manner generally followed at copperas works, neutralize the said
liquor with scrap iron, and evaporate it about seventy-five degrees (hot) Twaddle,
and immediately before running the liquor off into coolers to crystallize we add
[Price 4d.)

page_text: and mix to each one thousand gallons of liquor about five hundred pounds of sul-
phuric acid, one hundred and forty-four degrees. When the liquor has crystallized
the copperas resulting from it is dissolved with water to forty degrees, and to each
one thousand gallons is added about two hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid,
one hundred and fifty-four degrees; the mother liquor is also reduced to the same
strength; both solutions are thon ready for use.
Fifthly. We take, say, about one hundred gallons of a solution of sulphuric acid
and water of about twenty-two degrees (Twaddle), and add about forty-five pounds
of iron turnings, cast-iron borings, or other scrup iron, and when it is dissolved the
liquid is ready for use.
Sixthly. We take the slag from puddling furnaces, commonly called tap cinder,
or other slag or ore that contains iron in a state of protoxide, and grind or crush
them to a fine powder. About four hundred pounds of the ground slag or ore is
put into a cistern, lined with lead, or other convenient receptacle, and (preferably)
moistened with liquor that runs from beds of iron pyrites or water, then add about
four hundred pounds of sulphuric acid, one hundred and forty-four degrees, and stir
the ingredients with a shovel. The materials soon combine, and when cooled it
remains as a dry powder, and is known as "dry copperas." The powder is dissolved
with water to about forty degrees, and is then ready for use.
Seventhly. We prepare the commercial article known as nitrate of iron in the
ordinary manner and reduce it to forty degrees (Twaddle), then add to each one
thousand gallons about two hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid, one hundred
and forty-four degrees.
The mode of treating sewage or other impure waters according to our Invention
is as follows:-The sewage or other impure water under treatment may be run into
a tank or other suitable receptacle. If dye, tannin, or other astringent matter be
present it is found advantageous to proceed as follows:-To say about ten thousand
gallons of the sewage or impure water, about nine gallons of any of the above-
named acid solutions of iron is added and well mixed therewith. About one
hundred and eighty pounds of slacked lime is mixed with water to a milky state
and then added to the impure water under treatinent, after which the whole is well
mixed together and agitated by ordinary known menus and afterwards allowed to
settle. The impurities and discolourations are precipitated, and the clear water
may then be run off.
In trenting sowage and other impure waters which are free from dye liquids,
tannin, or astringent matter we proceed as follows:-About ten thousand gallons
of sewage or other impure water is run into a tank or other receptacle. About
one hundred pounds of slacked lime is mixed with water to a milky state
and then added and well mixed. The impure water under treatment becomes
"curdled" or "cracked." About three gallons of any of the above-named acid
solutions of iron or dissolved copperas (No. 4 proscription) is then added, well
agitated again by ordinary known means and afterwards allowed to settle; the
impurities are precipitated and the clear water may then be run off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Hallsworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th June
1877.
SAMUEL HALLSWORTH, of Armley, near Leeds, and RICHARD BAILES, of Wood-
house Carr, Leeds, both in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
OR METHOD OF TREATING AND CLARIFYING SEWAGE OR OTHER IMPURE WATERS."
Our Invention consists in the preparation of acid solutions of iron, also of
copperas and dry copperas, in combination with slacked lime, for the purpose of
treating and clarifying sewage or other impure waters. But in treating some

page_text: sewage or impure waters we find it more advantageous to employ neutral sulphate of
iron or neutral muriate of iron in combination with slacked lime.
We prepare the acid solutions of iron as follows :-
Firstly. To about one thousand gallons of the liquor that runs from beds of iron
pyrites, prepared as stated in the Specification of our Patent dated 9th October,
1874, No. 3459 (preferably about fifty degrees) (Twaddle), we add and mix about
two hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid of about one hundred and forty-
four degrees. In some cases this amount may be reduced to about one hundred
and twenty pounds.
Secondly. To about one thousand gallons of dissolved copperas, or copperas
bottoms, or the mother liquor that remains after the crystallization of copperas of
about forty degrees, we add and mix three hundred and seventy pounds of sul-
phuric acid of the above named strength.
Thirdly. To about one thousand gallons of the solution of iron, of about forty
degrees, which is produced as a bye product when sheets of iron and wire have been
subjected to a solution of sulphuric acid and water at tin plate and wire works, we
add and mix about three hundred and fifty pounds of sulphuric acid, about one
hundred and forty-four degrees (Twaddle).
Fourthly. We prepare a liquor from iron pyrites or of sulphuric acid and water
in the ordinary manner generally followed at copperas works, neutralize the said
liquor with scrap iron, and evaporate it about seventy-five degrees (hot) Twaddle,
and immediately before running the liquor off into coolers to crystallize we add and
mix to each one thousand gallons of liquor about five hundred pounds of sulphuric
acid, one hundred and forty-four degrees. In some cases we find it necessary to
use as much as six hundred pounds of the sulphuric acid of the above named
strength. When the liquor has crystallized, the copperas resulting from it is dis-
solved with water to forty degrees; the mother liquor is also reduced to the same
strength by water; both solutions are then ready for use.
Fifthly. Wo take, say, about one hundred gallons of a solution of sulphuric acid
and water, of about twenty-two degrees (Twaddle), and add about forty-five pounds
of iron turnings, cast-iron borings, or other scrap iron, and when the iron is dis-
solved the liquid is ready for use.
Sixthly. We take the slag from puddling furnaces, commonly called tap cinder,
or other slag or ore that contains iron in a state of protoxide, and grind or crush
them to fine powder. About four hundred pounds of the ground slag or ore is put
into a cistern, lined with lead, or other convenient receptacle, and (preferably)
moistened with liquor that runs from beds of iron pyrites or water, then add about
four hundred pounds of sulphuric acid, one hundred and forty-four degrees, and stir
the ingredients with a shovel. The materials soon combine, and when cooled it
remains as a dry powder, and is known as "dry copperas." The powder is dissolved
with water to about forty degrees, and is then ready for use.
We prepare our neutral solutions of iron as follows:-We take, say, about six
thousand gallons of the liquor that runs from beds of iron pyrites at copperas
works, and neutralize the surplus acid in the ordinary manner with scrap iron and
reduce the solution with water to about forty degrees Twaddle. We prepare a
solution by dissolving about one ton of "neutral copperas" in four hundred and
forty gallons of boiling water. We prepare muriate of iron by adding to strong
muriatic acid an equal bulk of water, and neutralizing with scrap iron.
The mode of treating sewage or other impure water is as follows:-The sewage
or other impure water under treatment may be run into a tank or other suitable
receptacle. If catechu, tannin, or other astringent matter be present it is found
advantageous to proceed as follows:-To say about ten thousand gallons of the
sewage or impure water, twenty gallons of any of the above-named neutral solutions
of iron is added and well mixed therewith. About one hundred and eighty pounds
of slacked lime is mixed with water to a milky state, and then added to the impure
water under treatment, after which the whole is well mixed together and agitated

page_text: by ordinary known means and afterwards allowed to settle. The impurities and
discolourations are precipitated and the clear water may then be run off.
In treating sewage or other impure waters which is free from catechu, tannin, or
other astringent matter we proceed as follows:-About ten thousand gallons of
sewage or other impure water is run into a tank or other suitable receptacle. About
one hundred pounds of slacked lime is mixed with water and then added and well
mixed. The impure water under treatment becomes " curdled or "cracked."
About three gallons of any of the above-named acid solutions of iron or dissolved
copperas (No. 4 prescription) is then added, well agitated again, and afterwards
allowed to settle; the impurities are precipitated and the clear water may then be
run off.
In using the neutral solutions of iron when treating impure water in which
catechu, tannin, or other astringent matter is present sufficient of the neutral solu-
tion should be added and well mixed, so as to convert the whole of the astringent
matter into a bluish black colour, the necessary quantity of milk of lime should
then be added, as before stated, and the effluent water will then be clear and free
from colour.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, we would here remark
that the ingredients named may be varied in their quantities to suit the varied
impurities of sewage or other impure waters without in any way departing from
the nature of our Invention; but what we do claim and desire to be secured to us
by Letters Patent is, the combination of the various herein-before named ingre-
dients and their application for clarifying sewage and other impure waters, sub-
stantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Bailes, for myself, and on behalf of
the said Samuel Hallsworth, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
RICHARD BAILES. (L.S.)