# US 2019/0169077 A1 · Composting method

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- Number: US 2019/0169077 A1
- Document ID: US20190169077A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/267,566
- Filed: 2019-02-05
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-24
- Assignees: Wilfred Hoath
- Inventors: Wilfred F. Hoath
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169077A1

## CPC

- C05F 17/05: Treatments involving invertebrates, e.g. worms, flies or maggots
- C05F 3/00: Fertilisers from human or animal excrements, e.g. manure
- C05F 3/06: Apparatus for the manufacture
- C05F 17/971: for feeding or discharging materials to be treated; for feeding or discharging other material
- Y02A 40/20: Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
- Y02P 20/145: the feedstock being materials of biological origin
- Y02W 30/40: Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse
- C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A method for vermicomposting includes providing an underground cell comprising a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, layering a base bedding layer at the bottom of the underground cell, layering a bottom organic waste layer on the base bedding layer, layering a stack of one (1) or more intermediate bedding layers and one (1) or more one or more intermediate organic waste layers, alternating between an intermediate bedding layer and an intermediate organic waste layer, on the bottom organic waste layer to partially form a compost heap, layering a top bedding layer on a top organic waste layer of the stack of the intermediate bedding layers and the intermediate organic waste layers to form the compost heap, watering the compost heap at a predetermined watering cycle, introducing worms to the compost heap, aerating the compost heap at a predetermined aeration cycle, and harvesting compost from the compost heap.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing an underground cell comprising a bottom, sidewalls and an open top; layering a base bedding material layer at said bottom of said underground cell;
layering a bottom organic waste material layer on said base bedding material layer;
layering a stack of one or more intermediate bedding material layers and one or more one or more intermediate organic waste material layers, alternating between an intermediate bedding material layer and an intermediate organic waste material layer, on said bottom organic waste material layer to partially form a compost heap;
layering a top bedding material layer on a top organic waste material layer of said stack of said intermediate bedding material layers and said intermediate organic waste material layers to form said compost heap;
watering said compost heap at a predetermined watering cycle;
introducing worms to said compost heap; aerating said compost heap at a predetermined aeration cycle; and,
harvesting compost from said compost heap, said compost comprising decomposed organic waste material, decomposed bedding material and vermicast.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
layering another stack of one or more additional intermediate bedding material layers and one or more one or more additional intermediate organic waste material layers, alternating between an additional intermediate bedding material layer and an additional intermediate organic waste material layer, on said top bedding material layer to increase a volume of said compost heap; and,
layering another top bedding material layer on another top organic waste material layer of said another stack of said additional intermediate bedding material layers and additional intermediate organic waste material layers to form said compost heap.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising soaking said base bedding material layer, said intermediate bedding material layers and said top bed layer in water until completely saturated before layering.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
allowing snow to accumulate on said top bedding material layer;
removing said snow from said top bedding material layer;
layering another stack of one or more additional intermediate bedding material layers and one or more one or more additional intermediate organic waste material layers, alternating between an additional intermediate bedding material layer and an additional intermediate organic waste material layer, on said top bedding material layer to increase a volume of said compost heap; and,
layering another top bedding material layer on another top organic waste material layer of said stack of said additional intermediate bedding material layers and additional intermediate organic waste material layers to form said compost heap; and, replacing said snow on said another top bedding material layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of said base bedding material layer, said intermediate bedding material layers and said top bedding material layer comprises at least one of one or more planar sheets of cardboard and one or more sheets of paper.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said base bedding material layer, said bottom organic waste material layer, said intermediate bedding material layers, said intermediate organic waste material layers, said top organic waste material layer and said top bedding material layer number a total of between approximately ten layers and twelve layers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of said bottom organic waste material layer, said intermediate organic waste material layers and said top organic waste material layer comprise a thickness of between approximately one-half inch and approximately one inch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined watering cycle comprises at least once a day.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined aeration cycle comprises at least once every three weeks.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said worms comprise red wiggler worms.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein introducing said worms comprises providing approximately one pound of said worms per square yard of said compost heap.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein harvesting said compost from said compost heap occurs when said compost heap is approximately one-tenth of its original volume.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein providing said underground cell comprises forming said bottom approximately horizontally.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein providing said underground cell comprises forming said bottom at a non-zero angle relative to horizontal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein said non-zero angle is sufficient to allow said water to flow through said compost heap in a generally horizontal direction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein providing said underground cell comprises forming said sidewalls approximately vertically.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said underground cell comprises a width at least approximately ten feet, a length of at least approximately ten feet and a depth of at least approximately ten feet.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising forming at least one excavation lane adjacent to said underground cell to provide access to said compost heap.

### Claim 19

A compost heap comprising:
an underground cell comprising a bottom, sidewalls and an open top;
a base bedding material layer layered on said bottom within said underground cell;
a bottom organic waste material layer layered on said base bedding material layer;
a stack of one or more intermediate bedding material layers and one or more intermediate organic waste material layers, alternating between an intermediate bedding material layer and an intermediate organic waste material layer and, layered on said base bedding material layer;
a top bedding material layer layered on a top organic waste material layer of said stack of said intermediate bedding material layers and said intermediate organic waste material layers;
water dispersed through said top bedding material layer, said top organic waste material layer, said intermediate bedding material layers, said intermediate organic waste material layers, said bottom organic waste material layer and said base bedding material layer; and,
worms dispersed through said top bedding material layer, said top organic waste material layer, said intermediate bedding material layers, said intermediate organic waste material layers, said bottom organic waste material layer and said base bedding material layer to produce decomposed organic waste material and vermicast.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The compost heap of claim 18, wherein said worms comprise red wiggler worms, and wherein said worms are dispersed at a ratio of approximately one pound of said worms per square yard of said compost heap.