Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN CHARLES WILLIAM STANLEY, Gentleman, of 41 Barnsdale Road in the
county of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be
as follows:-
I have discovered that the mud of rivers and other waters into which sewage is
allowed to flow contains nitrogenous matter in quantity varying with the position
whence the mud is taken from the river bed-that in the immediate vicinity of the
sewage outfall being most highly charged with nitrogenous matters. Samples that
I have tested dredged up from the still waters of the London Docks, contained the
following by analysis.
Nitrogen 47%
°
Equal to Ammonia 57 %
To recover this nitrogen from the mud when taken from the dredgers, or as
otherwise collected it is dried with low heat or on floors by air then calcined in
closed vessels such as retorts or the like. Sometimes I mix with this dry mud
a small quantity of peat or the like which has been used for bedding horses. The
nitrogenous matters driven off by the action of the heat are collected either
in water or otherwise and dealt with in the manner usually adopted for their
conversion into ammonical compounds for sale. The residue contains chemical
inatters which will be available when subjected to a special chemical treatment for
various useful purposes.
Dated this 21st day of January 1884.

page_text: I JOHN CHARLES WILLIAM STANLEY of 41 Barnsdale Road in the county of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DEPOSITS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECOVERING
"
NITROGENOUS MATTERS THEREFROM and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
I have discovered that the mud of rivers and other 'waters into which sewage
flows contains nitrogenous matter in quantity varying with the position whence
the mud is taken from the river bed that in the immediate vicinity of the sewage
outfall being most highly charged with the nitrogenous matter samples that I have 1
tested of mud dredged from the still waters of the London Docks contained the
following by analysis.
Nitrogen 47%
Equal to Ammonia 57%
To recover this nitrogen from the mud it is taken from the dredgers or otherwise 1
collected and is dried by low heat or the action of air and is calcined in closed
retorts or such like vessel. I find it desirable to mix with the mud to assist its
burning peat, moss litter or the like preferably such as has been used for bedding
horses and contains ammonia the nitrogenous matters driven off by the action of
the heat are collected either in water, or otherwise dealt with in the manner usually 2
adopted for their conversion into ammoniacal compounds for sale. The residue
contains chemical matters which will be available when subjected to a special
chemical treatment for various useful purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 2
I claim is —
1. The method or process substantially as set forth for recovering the nitrogen
from the mud of rivers and the like by calcining in closed vessels and collecting
the vapours which are given off,
2. In the treatment of river mud and the like for the recovery of the nitrogen 3
the addition of peat, litter or equivalent..
Dated this 20th day of October 1884.