IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT- MENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE THEREFROM
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francois Alcidi Bonnefin, of the Island of
Mauritius, at present residing at Queen Street, Cheapside, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT-
MENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE THEREFROM,
Sealed the 2nd April 1875, and dated the 3rd October 1874.
I, FRANCOIS ALCIDI BONNEFIN, of the Island of Mauritius, at present
residing at Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE

page_text: TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURe therefrom,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:―
My Invention relates to the treatment of human excreta, and to the
production of manure therefrom, and consists of a peculiar process of
and apparatus for effecting the deodorization or disinfection of the solid
and liquid portions together, and of the liquid portion separately in order
to fix the salts and gases, and render the excreta capable of being
employed as a manure for agricultural purposes.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a receptacle for the excreta,
into which the solid and liquid portions are simultaneously discharged.
This receptacle, which may be made of any desired shape, is composed
of a tub or vessel forming a movable cesspool, in which there is supported
at a suitable distance from its "bottom a movable or false bottom per-
forated with holes, and having fixed thereto a perforated or openworked
cylinder composed of metal or of other suitable material. Over the
surface of the movable or false bottom there is placed a layer of pounded
carbon or charcoal, or other suitable porous substance previously satu-
rated with sulphate of iron or other suitable chemical agent, and
thoroughly dry, which layer of porous material is covered with a layer
of crushed or ground substances intimately mixed with chemical agents
as herein-after mentioned.
The cylinder herein-before referred to may if desired be dispensed with,
in which case a basket or a vessel of wickerwork may be disposed above
the combined layers of porous and other substances. Between the
internal sides of the tub or vessel and the external sides of the basket
or cylinder, there are introduced any suitable absorbent and filtering
materials, or the combined substances herein-after mentioned. The
apparatus so constructed is either disposed directly underneath the seat
of a closet or it may be placed in the lower part of a building, and the
closets on the various floors be made to.communicate therewith by means
of pipes, or it may be otherwise arranged, according to circumstances.
The absorbent and filtering substances which I propose to employ are
the following, viz. :-The sweepings of towns properly dessicated or
calcined, and crushed or ground turf, or peat humus or earth; car-
bonaceous material, such for example as animal charcoal, chalk, grey or
.white plaster, or its equivalent; clay, phosphate of lime, or bone powder
with sulphate of iron,
:

page_text: The various chemical agents and other substances employed are
selected to suit the particular purpose to which the manure is to be
applied, so as to enable such manure to be employed direct without
further treatment.
The absorbent and filtering substances are sprinkled or moistened with
a solution of phosphoric acid or other suitable acid as they are applied
to the tub or vessel. The liquid becomes separated from the solid
portion of the excreta, and passes through the sides of the basket or
cylinder; the fertilizing substances are absorbed. The chemical agents
effect the deodorization or disinfection of the excreta, and fix the salts
and gases, the surplus liquid escaping through the perforations of the
moveable or false bottom to the lower part of the tub or vessel. When
the tub or vessel is moved the excreta is to be covered with a layer of
the above or any suitable absorbent substances, and a certain quantity
of such substances may also, if desired, be supplied by a rocking apparatus
or other suitable means each time the closet is used.
In the case of urinals and the like receptacles I propose to employ an
ascending filter for the purpose of purifying the urine or other liquid,
so as to retain the organic and fertilizing substances, whilst admitting of
the escape of the surplus and useless water. This apparatus is composed
of a receptacle filled with a substance which is saturated with any
suitable disinfectant, such for example as sulphate of iron, at the bottom
of which receptacle there is formed an aperture provided with a pipe,
which is covered with a screen or with straw, or otherwise arranged so as
to slightly obstruct the passage of the liquid. Below the above-men-
tioned receptacle there is placed another receptacle also containing a
substance saturated with the disinfectant, such lower receptacle being
provided with a double or intermediate perforated false bottom, in the
centre of which is an ascending pipe, which the descending pipe from
the upper receptacle enters. This intermediate bottom is covered with a
layer of a substance, such for example, as charcoal or other porous
material which has been pounded, but not ground or pulverized, and
which has been saturated with one or more of the chemical agents
herein-before mentioned, or any other chemical agent suitable for the
purpose, and above this is placed a layer of fine sand. The liquid under
treatment is first brought into contact with the disinfecting material in
the upper receptacle, and then passes into the lower receptacle, where it
is again acted upon by the disinfecting material, and being gradually

page_text: increased in quantity, rises again and is brought into contact with the
chemical agent, with which the porous body on the intermediate bottom
is saturated, and thence is caused to pass upwards through the layer of
fine sand, leaving below the organic matters, which may be subsequently
employed in the manufacture of manure. The water thus purified
may be allowed to run off direct or be saturated with salts of sulphate
of iron for the purpose of disinfecting the drain into which it is
discharged.