IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR DISINFECTION OF FOCAL AND OTHER SOLID AND LIQUID MATTERS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adalbert Baron de Podewils, of Munich, in the Kingdom
65
of Bavaria, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR
DISINFECTION OF FOCAL AND OTHER SOLID AND LIQUID MATTERS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Adalbert Baron de Podewils at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1878.
"IM-
ADALBERT BARON DE PODEWILS, of Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria.
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR DISINFECTION OF FOCAL AND OTHER SOLID AND
LIQUID MATTERS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
'
This Invention relates to an improved process for the treatment or disinfection of
focal and other solid and liquid refuse matters of towns, to render the same useful
in agriculture.
This Invention is based on the fact that smoke from ordinary fuel, such as 'wood,
coal, &c., furnishes the most efficacious and economical means of disinfecting all
such solid and liquid refuse or ordures, and of evaporating the water contained in
foeces without causing any smell.

page_text: which is placed a chamber containing the smoke box b, the latter being connected
to the tank a by a pipe c provided with a strainer d to allow only the urine to pass
into the smoke box b. By connecting the flues of all the fire places on the ground
floor and basement in a single main smoke pipe e, the smoke passes therefrom
towards the chimney h, thence through the snoke discharge pipe i, and finally into
the chimney k, provided the valves f, g, therein are properly arranged. The smoke
is thus brought into contact with and disinfects both the urine contained in the
smoke box and the contents of the tank. The smoke heats, and consequently
evaporates the urine, and in order to prevent the aqueous vapour contained in the
smoke and that arising from the urine from depositing on or running off the cover
of the smoke box, it is constructed of slabs of porous clay in the form of a span roof
whose edges project slightly beyond the sides of the box. The clay slabs become
saturated with the condensed vapour which drips off from their edges into gutters,
whence it is carried away by suitable pipes m¹, m². By fixing porous clay slabs nat
the bottom also of the smoke box, the water contained therein may be partly absorbed.
In case of the urine overflowing the smoke box it is conducted into an overflow tank o.
A gas jet p is used to increase the draught in the smoke box and for heating and
evaporating the urine, the jet being supplied with air by a' pipe q connected to the
soil pipe, which is thus ventilated by the gas jet. In this manner all noxious vapours
and smells are prevented from entering the dwelling through the smoke pipe e, as
the gases pass in an upward direction through the discharge pipe, while the smoked
urine is almost inodorous and rather pleasant than otherwise, and if the smoke main
and box are sufficiently filled with smoke, the most offensive smell in the smoke box
will be absorbed by the soot adhering to its sides. The smoke box rests upon an
iron frame r³, 2, so as to be readily drawn out when required. The smoke chamber
is constructed of brickwork on three sides lined with tin plate, the intermediate
space being filled with ashes. The fourth side has a double door filled in with
ashes.
(b) Disinfection of Urine in Public Urinals (Sheet 2, Figures 1 and 2) :-
The urine is received in a tank a made of cast iron, one wall b of which extends
up as high as the floor c of the urinal, while the front plate d of the latter dips
downwards to within about two inches of the bottom of the tank. These two
surfaces b, d, as also the floor c of the urinal, are lined with slabs of porous clay.
When the urine in the tank rises to a height of two inches, communication with
the external air is cut off by the dip plate d. Smoke is introduced through a pipe e
at one end of the tank, and passes out through a pipe f at the opposite end, by
which means the contents are quickly disinfected and at same time partly evaporated.
The smoked urine never putrifies, and will remain for months almost without smell.
The porous clay slabs b¹, c¹; d', becoming saturated by the smoked urine, serve to
disinfect the fresh urine immediately it comes in contact therewith.
(c) Disinfection of Waste Water (Sheet 2, Figure 3).-In this case the tank is
divided into two compartments a and b by a dip plate, and in the smaller compart-
ment b is placed a strainer or filtering bag for collecting the solids, into which the
delivery pipe d dips. The smoke is introduced into the larger compartment a and
caused to circulate over the surface of the waste water which afterwards passes out
through a discharge pipe c.
(d) Disinfection of Mud (Sheet 2, Figures 4 and 5).-Each tank contains four
filtering bags, and the smoke enters by a tube a at one side, and passes out by
another tube b at the other side. By a suitable arrangement of valves d and e the
smoke may be passed through without entering the smoke box. The water contained
in the sludge drains through the filtering bag and flows out at the exit pipe b for
the smoke which is placed at a lower level than the inlet pipe a. In this manner
the mud, instead of being allowed to remain in the streets, may be at once conveyed
to the smoke boxes, where on being subjected to the action of smoke it becomes
dried and reduced in bulk and also rendered inodorous, so as to enable it to be
placed in heaps for use as manure.

page_text: By the use of smoke brought into direct contact with focal matters, whether solid
or liquid, in addition to the heat of the furnace for the purpose of evaporating the
water contained in said matters, the following results are obtained:-(ist.) Fuel is
economised, as smoke being a fluid composed of heated gases and molecules of carbon,
produces a dessicative effect both by its motion and by its heat. (2nd.) The vapor
passes off rapidly from the faces, and thus evaporation is accelerated. (3rd.) The
gases evolved by the evaporation are rendered inodorous and innocuous while the
focces are disinfected. (4th.) The preparation of poudrette may thus be effected in
the midst of towns, and even in the dwelling itself, without causing any nuisance.
If the foeces are to be used in agriculture there should be added to the contents of
the pit quicklime CaO and sulphuric acid H.SO, to prevent volatilisation of the
ammonia. Besides its use for the above purpose, the poudrette forms a fuel which
may be used for evaporating fresh quantities of focal matters.
(a) Preparation of Poudrette by Using the Smoke from a Factory (Sheets 3
and 4, Figures 1, 2, and 3)-By forcing the smoke through the focal matters by
means of a blower, instead of causing it simply to pass over the same, the matters
may be rapidly disinfected, and if simultaneously with this forced introduction of
smoke a considerable heat be developed by a special furnace, or if the smoke itself
possesses a high degree of heat, the smoke entirely saturated with vapor will
escape, and the evaporation will take place with great rapidity.
The smoke chamber is located in the basement below the road level. The buckets
are emptied through a pipe a into a reservoir or tank b containing a stirrer c for
well mixing the solid fecal matters with the other ingredients. These matters are
discharged by a pipe d at the bottom of the reservoir into a smoke chamber e, the
top of which, as well as the reservoir, is formed of slabs of porous clay placed at a
slight inclination. Gutters and pipes 71, 72, are provided to carry off the liquid
draining from these slabs after they have become saturated. The smoke is caused
to penetrate the forces by the action of a blower f placed on the smoke pipe g which
dips into the contents of the smoke chamber; the smoke then passes away through
an outlet pipe h to the chimney i. A special furnace k is provided beneath
the smoke chamber which serves to heat the fœces and also assists in carrying
off the smoke to the chimney. The smoke from the furnace is conducted
into the smoke chamber e by a special chimney l A pipe m rises from the
smoke chamber through the bottom of the reservoir or tank b above mentioned,
through which the vapors produced in said reservoir or tank by the heat pass.
The bucket for the focal matters is placed, as before mentioned, upon the pipe a
rising from this reservoir or tank, and its contents discharged therein by opening
the cock on said pipe, the smoke at same time entering the empty bucket by
pipes m, a, and disinfecting it. In this manner the buckets may be emptied without
causing any smell. A pipe n is placed on one side of the sinoke box e provided
with a stop cock, which pipe extends to within a short distance of the top of the
chimney and serves to prevent any overflow in the smoke chamber, and to enable
the state of the forces therein to be readily ascertained. When the first supply in
the smoke box is dry it occupies but a tenth part of its original bulk, and thus
leaves room for a fresh supply to be introduced by opening the cock on the pipe d
connecting the reservoir or tank and smoke chamber, the same action being repeated
until the latter is filled with poudrette. The poudrette is readily removable from
the smoke chamber, as it does not adhere thereto, and may be handled as easily as
dry sand. The space containing the reservoir and smoke chamber may be closed by
iron doors. The covers of the reservoir and smoke chamber are made. removable,
and the smoke chamber is accessible from all sides. The reservoir rests upon Ț. iron
sunports a 02 03

page_text: Furnace for making Poudrette, and for Disinfecting (Sheet 5, Figures 1, 2,
and 3):-
The soil pipe a discharges into an iron tank b. c¹, c², valves for cutting off com-
munication between the tank and soil pipe. At the middle of tank b is placed a
furnace d, the smoke pipe e of which first rises and then descends to within a little
of the bottom of the tank. y, air feed pipe for furnace d, which pipe may be
connected with a portable bellows z. Suppose the tank to be filled with focal
matters, the furnace & lighted, and the bellows operated for accelerating combustion,
the heated smoke will be forced to pass through the matters and escapes through
smoke discharge pipe h into a second furnace i, thence to the chimney k. The
vapors from the focal matters will deposit in the smoke pipe and chimney k, and
pass off through pipe l. This water of condensation may be used for the disinfection
of waste water. The water contained being thus for the most part evaporated, the
covers 1, 2, 3, 4, of the tanks are removed and a portion of the solid foecal matters
withdrawn and introduced into compartment n, where it is completely dried by the
heat which radiates from tank b during the fumigation. That portion of the focal
matters which remains in the tank is now softened by the addition of a fresh
quantity, and as the smoked forces retain the preservative properties of the smoke,
the fresh matters will thus be preserved thereby. In this manner putrefaction is
prevented, and ammonia and other noxious or offensive gases cease to be disengaged.
The reservoir should be of sufficient size to contain a month's supply of focal
matters, and the compartment n of a size to contain all the. poudrette prepared
during six months.
III.
PROCESS OF ACCUMULATING AND PRESERVING FOCAL MATTERS IN
LARGE RESERVOIRS.
If the fecal matters are not intended to be made into poudrette, but to be preserved
for a length of time, they are placed in large iron tanks under which a small furnace
is kept constantly lighted and the smoke from which is caused to pass through the
tank.
In this manner foecal matters may be preserved in an inodorous manner at same
time that the tank is ventilated. The foecal matters being thus preserved, the water
they contain will be much reduced, and the fresh supplies as they arrive will be
disinfected by the matters already smoked; the soot also which adheres to the covers
and walls will absorb all noxious odors, and where the bucket system is employed,
not only may they be discharged of their contents without causing any smell, but
the smoke from the furnace beneath the tank may be utilized for disinfecting the
buckets and coating them with soot.
This improved process of preserving and disinfecting focal matters by means of
smoke differs essentially from all other methods hitherto proposed, inasmuch as by
the use of smoke for preserving the volume and weight of the matters are reduced
by drying, whereas when chemical combinations and earthy or other matters are
employed the volume and weight are increased.
By the use of bellows for forcing smoke through the focal matters they become
thoroughly disinfected, and the water contained is rapidly evaporated.
Moreover the smoked matters serve themselves for preserving those untreated.
For example, it is unnecessary to pass the smoke over the urine in the urinals before
described, it being sufficient to fumigate the reservoir from time to time so as to
cause the soot to deposit upon the walls and cover, and to occasionally pour in some
well smoked urine.
Smoke may also be employed for treating other than focal matters, as, for example,
dung from slaughterhouses.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent, is,--
1st. The entire system or method of disinfecting and preserving focal and other
use matters by means of smoke, as herein specified.

page_text: 2nd. The process of preserving fresh focal matters by those already treated with
smoke as described.
3rd. The process of preparing poudrette by means of smoke, and more especially
the method of forcing smoke through the focal matters by means of bellows, as
described
4th. The several arrangements of apparatus employed for the above purposes, as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adalbert Baron de Podewils, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
4th. The several arrangements of apparatus employed for the above purposes, as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adalbert Baron de Podewils, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ADALBERT BARON DE PODEWILS. (L.S.)