US548561A - Apparatus for making fertilizer from nightxsoil - Google Patents

Description

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. LAMB. APPARATUS FUR MAKING PERTILIZER PROM NIGHT SOIL. No. 548,561.

Patenteot. 22, 1895.

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l(No Model.) u 2 Sheets-Sheet v2.

I E. LAMB. APPARATUS POR MAKING PERTILIZER FROM NIGHT SOIL. No. 548,561. Patented 001:. 22, 1895.

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UNITED STATES yPATENT l I EDWIN LAMB, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FERTILIZER FROM NlGHT-SOIL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,561, dated October 22, 1895. Application ledebruary 20, 1895 Serial No. 539,152. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN LAMB, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvexnents in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Fertilizer from Night-Soil, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for converting night-soil into a fertilizer, and it has for its objects among others to provide a simple and cheap apparatus for this purpose, of i few parts, and those simple in their nature, efficient in operation, and durable.

I provide a receptacle into which the refuse is first placed, and this receptacle is provided with perforated sides through which the material passes, but which will not permit of the passage of tin cans and the like which often find theirway into the refuse. From this receptacle the material passes into a larger one, from which the liquid portion passes to side compartments, where it is caused to pass through gravel or some analogous substance and from thence to an evaporator. The solid matter passes to a cylinder, Within which is arranged a revolving heater composed of tubes, through which steam is caused to pass as the same is revolved. The steam, after passing through the tubes and performing its office, passes to the evaporator, where it serves to evaporate the water taken from the material. More than one cylinder may be employed in connection with the one receptacle and all driven by the same power, there being, of course, a tubular beater for each cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in Which-'- Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section through my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof with a portion broken away.

, Like letters of reference indicate like parts in bothof the views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a suitable receptacle of any suitable material and of any desiredshape, preferably rectangular, as shown in Fig. 2. It may be supported at any desired height in any way, as upon supports or trestle-,work A', and upon its sides it is provided with the small compartments A2 and separated from the main compartment or re.- ceptacle by partitions a, provided with perforations or holes d', as seen in Fig. l. These small compartments are designed to receive sand or some analogous material through which the liquid from the refuse is caused to percolate. The bottoms of these small compartments are connected by pipes a2 with a pipe A? common to them all, and which connects by pipe A4 with the evaporator B, which maybe arranged at any convenient place. y Within the receptacle A there is suspended a supplemental receptacle B', having perforated sides and bottom through which the refuse may pass, but preventing the passage of tincans, pieces of wood, and other foreign substances, such'as often are thrown into the night-soil. This receptacle is held within the outer receptacle in any suitable manner, and one or more openings b are provided for the introduction of the material thereto, there being to each opening preferably a hopper B2, closed b v a cover b', which may be hinged, as shown at b2 in Fig. l.

C are uprghts for, the support of the shaft D. E is a cylinder mounted on the said shaft, so that the latter may turn independent of the cylinder but still capable of being turned upside down when itis `desired to remove the contents thereof. It is provided upon its upper side with aslide or doorfor cover D closing the opening therein, as shown in both of the views. This cover or door may be secured in place in any suitable manner. Two or more of these cylinders may b e employed, as seen in Fig. 2, and each is supplied withV the material from the receptacle A through a pipe D2, which is provided with a suitable valve or cock d, as shown in Fig. l, and the said 'pipe should have a detachable or slip connection with the oylinder,so that when it is desired ICO to turn the latter over bottom side up to dismoved to allow ofthe necessary movementy of the cylinder without injury to the pipe or the connection.y

The shaft D has at each end a longitudinal f passage e and e', respectively, as seen in Fig. l. One endr is designed for connection with some suitable source of steam or hot air, as seen at e2, and the inner end of this passage communicates by radial passages eswith the hollow casting or head F, and the passage at the other end of the shaft communicates with a hollow casting or head G by radial passages f, the heads or castings being suitably secured to the shaft and, if necessary, braced, as by the brace-rods f, as shown in Fig. l. The heads or castings are connected by the tubes H, which are secured therein in any wellknown way. The shaft passes through suitable stuffing-boxes h near the ends within the cylinder, as shown. The yheads and their connecting-tubes are arranged to be revolved within the cylinder in any suitable manneras, for instance, by having onthe end of the shaft outside the end of the cylinder a gearwheel or pinion I, which is designed to mesh with a gear-wheel or pinion .I on the shaft K, which is suitably mounted and receives its power through the pulley K from any suitable source by belt. (Not shown.) If two cylin-y ders are employed, the gear-wheel or pinion J should be arranged between the gears of the said cylinders, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to rotate them both and in opposite directions.

Il is an outlet-pipe from the receptacle or cylinder E for the purpose of carrying away the odor, which is preferably conducted to the grate of the furnace. (Not shown.)

M are rollers beneath the cylinder and upon which the latter may be easily turned when it is desired to empty the same of its contents.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above set forth the operation is as follows: The refuse is placed into the receptacle B through the hoppers and openings and percolates through the openings therein into the receptacle A, foreign substances-such as tin cans, pieces of Wood, and the like-being prevented from passing out of the inner receptacle. From there they may be removed when necessary. The liquid is passed through the sand in the compartments A2 and through the pipes into the evaporator, where it is evaporated by the steam passing through the coil N, connected with the end ot' the shaft D, and coiled through the evaporator, as seen in Fig. 1. The matter relieved of the liquid is then let into the cylinder through the pipe D2 and steam or hotair admitted to the tubes H and the latter, with their heads,

rrotated until the materials are relieved ot' their odor and moisture, andfafter being subjected to the action of the steam or hot air for the proper length of time, which will have to be determined by experience and varied according to the nature of the material being operated upon, the cylinder is turned bottom side up and the contents removed.

Modifications in detail may be resorted Ito without departing from the spirit of the 1nvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

The apparatus may be employed for drying other materials than night-soil for the manufacture of fertilzer or for separating the water therefrom.

l. The combination of a cylinder, a rotary tubularbeater therein, a receptacle connected with the cylinder, and providedfwith apercelating device and an evaporator, all arranged for joint operation, as set forth.

2. The combination with a receptacle hav-r ing side compartments, of an evaporator conrnectedf'with said compartments, a cylinder connected with the receptacle, and a rotary tubular beater within the cylinder the shaft of which has connection with a coil in the evaporator, as set forth. g

3. The combination with the receptacle and the inner receptaclewith perforationshof the cylinder, the evaporator, the coil therein, the tubular beater with hollow heads within the Cylinder, the connection between rone of said heads andthe coil, and means for rotating the beater, as set forth.

4. The combination with the receptacle, with side compartments with perforated partitions, of the smaller receptacle or compartment suspended Within the same between said partitions and having perforated walls and bottom located a distance above the bottom of the main receptacle, substantially as show/n and described.

5. The combination with the receptacle and the cylinder connected therewith, of the outlet for the odor from the cylinder, the interposed evaporator having a coil connected with the shaft of a tubular beater and with a pipe connecting the compartments of said receptacle and the rotary tubular beater within the cylinder, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN LAMB.

Witnesses:

W. A. BEEGHER, J. CRAIG SMITH.

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