IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SALT FROM BRINE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Howard Worthington Biggs, of Brown's Buildings,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SALT FROM BRINE AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR.
"
Sealed the 7th June 1878, and dated the 4th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Howard Worthington
Biggs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1878.
JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS, of Brown's Buildings, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF SALT FROM BRINE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.'
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in my apparatus, for which I have
obtained Letters Patent, 2106/77, and in apparatus for drying, bagging, blocking,
storing, et cetera, connected therewith.
The principal improvements in the table apparatus are 4 furnaces instead of 2,
and heat is admitted to the upper flue of each table, and passed down to the lower
flue instead of vice versa.
The divisions of the table flues are lined with fire-brick, and in place of the
numerous soot doors (e) referred to in the aforesaid Specification a girth of fire-brick
closes the ends of the flues for each table, which when removed allows of their being
cleaned.
The apparatus is arranged so that it may be heated by gas furnaces or by the
waste heat from chemical works, iron works, coke ovens, and the like. In place of
the screw travelling scrapers are moved by endless chains and scrape the salt
from the trough to an elevator at one end, which passes the salt to the rear of the
apparatus.
The scumming and scaling pans B and C are placed over separate flues to regulate
their leat with suitable dampers, and tubes for heating air are placed in the cross
flue at the end of the furnaces. When working this pan in vacuo, with a view to
dispensing with a vacuum store, I arrange a deep tube or well at the end of the pan

page_text: into which the salt is scraped. The elevator is prolonged and removes the salt from
the bottom of this well.
The case of the elevator and the well act like the syphon tube of a barometer,
maintaining a vacuum within the pan, but permitting the salt to be removed
through the depressed brine in the elevator into an ex-vacuo store without. The
pan is ordinarily worked ex-vacuo or at a small pressure. The steam from the table
pan is conducted by suitable pipes to the engines, preferably three-cylindered, which
drive the apparatus, and also to a series of jacketted pans placed one above the
other to the rear of the table pan. The engines preferably exhaust their steam into
a large separate condenser.
The condensing pans are arranged so that the steam may either pass through all
at once or in succession. The surface of the brine in all but the upper pan lies
within a few inches of the hot jacket of the pan above, and air, preferably heated by
the tubes in the furnace flue, is passed between the two by suitable fans or draught
for hastening the evaporation. These pans are fitted with automatic scrapers,
elevators, spouts, et cetera.
Between the scrapers, or in place of them, I sometimes arrange strings, nets, wires,
et cetera, on which the salt forms, and pass the same through rings, rollers, or
stainpers to collect the crystals therefrom. The salt raised from the table pan by
the elevator previously mentioned is passed by shoots either into wagons, or stores,
or blocking, bagging, tubbing, and potting machinery, et cetera, as may be required.
On its way I arrange that it may be washed, drained, and dried.
To facilitate this process, and with a view of throwing off the surplus brinc, I
employ a centrifugal drum (preferably vertical, but which may be placed in any
suitable position). This drum has its sides covered with very fine guaze or canvas,
or both, which is supported by suitable bands and rings or outer perforated casing.
Within the guaze drum there is an inner drum having on its exterior a long screw
blade, which all but touches the guaze. Both drums are mounted on suitable shafts,
and move at a differential speed in such way that when salt is admitted at one end
of the drum (preferably the top) it is scraped to the other end by the differential
movement of the screw within.
To spead the salt evenly round the guaze drum there is a suitable spout fixed
at the top of the screw drum, which is filled near the centre.
The centrifugal action of the spout causes the salt to fly next to the guaze, and
as it moves at a different rate to the latter the salt is laid in a thin sheet on the
guaze all round the top of the drum ready for the screw on the inner drum in due
course to pass it forward. At the lower ends of both the drum shafts there are
suitable wheels for driving the same, preferably conical friction wheels which rest
upon the upper and lower face of a third conical friction wheel, placed below
the drums on a shaft at right angles.
The difference of the pitch of the 1st and 2nd cone regulates the differential
speed of the upper drums. The shaft of the 3rd friction wheel is driven by a 3
cylindered direct-acting engine fed with steam from the pan, and passing its
exhaust steam into the large condenser previously mentioned. Both the drums are
placed in an outer casing, which may be connected with the condenser or flue. The
casing is divided into 3 compartments by sloping rings within, so arranged that the
upper compartiment catches the brine thrown off from the first passage of the salt,
and conducts it back for further evaporation. The second compartiment catches the
brine passed through the salt for cleansing it from deliquescents, and communicates
with a drainer. The third compartment catches the salt that falls from the drums,
and conducts it to suitable stores or elevators for further use. Within the screw
drum I arrange one or more perforated pipes for washing the salt or cleaning the
drum. These pipes connect through the central shaft or otherwise with suitable
brine, water, or steam pipes.
I sometimes place brushes at the periphery of the screws to clean the guaze, and
a perforated pipe for steam or water may also be used for this same end, fixed within
the outer casing.

page_text: The salt passed out of the bottom of this dryer is raised by an elevator and
passed by shoots to where it is required, preferably into the blocking hopper, or
into the belt stove or stoves, for further drying. This latter has a series of endless
belts placed horizontally over one another, their ends alternately projecting beyond
each other in such way that salt placed on them is passed or scraped successively
from one belt on to the other, being taken backwards and forwards against currents
of warm or hot air. The belts are arranged to move very slowly, so that the salt
may be exposed for some time for drying. There are suitable spreaders, rakes, et
cetera, under which the salt passes, which keep it well exposed to the currents of
warm air which I sometimes blow directly on to it by perforated pipes placed across
the belts. The belts are supported at intervals on rollers. The salt from the centri-
fugal drum is supplied to the top belt by a subdivided hopper or shoot with a roller
at its bottom. The roller is divided into spaces which measure out the salt and
drop it on the belt on its way to the spreader. The belts are proferably made of
guaze or canvas. The salt from the lower belt is discharged into a store or wagon,
or taken by a suitable elevator for sack filling, et cetera.
Sometimes in addition to or instead of this belt dryer I employ revolving heated
cylinders, into which the salt is passed at one end and caused to escape at the other.
Scrapers are placed within the cylinder to aid the salt in travelling, and I some-
times introduce cannon balls to grind the salt, after the fashion of a charcoal mill.
In another arrangement I employ flue tables or heated surface traversed by
suitable scrapers, on which the salt is dried. I provide a large storo chamber, pre-
ferably in compartiments, to receive the contents from this dryer. It is emptied by
suitable doors, valves, or elevators.
For certain purposes, especially for quick drying and convenient storage, I prefer
to forin the salt into little blocks, bars, or thin cakes of sinall diameter, which may
be emptied, when partially dried, into one or more deep stoves, and be finally dried
by blowing hot air through their intermediate spaces from the bottoin and sides of
the stove, the exhaust air being preferably thrown on surface brine.
For producing those little blocks or nuts of salt when the salt is not too dry I
prefer to employ a description of rake over and at right angles to the upper belt,
which as it passes beneath forms the salt into long ridges. These ridges I cross-
divide into nuts or small blocks by the vental action of a knife or wedge falling
once for about each inch the belt travels.
As it is desirable to give these little blocks time to set, which is facilitated by
their being of such small diameter, the belt should move slowly, and with this view
I sometimes feed several belts at once. When the nuts have set dry enough to
come off the belt they may travel many days on the lower belt and be further or
fully dried before being passed into the store.
When nuts, blocks, et cetera, are required from centrifugally dried salt I prefer to
compress the salt in suitable moulds, hydraulically or otherwise. I employ for
nuts a pair of horizontal rollers, placed next to one another, and fed by a central
hopper placed above; or a roller and flat reciprocal surface. One or both of these
rollers liave grooves or sets of holes in their sides, fitted with pistons or bars, moved
by an inner cylinder on eccentric centres or cains within the rollers, or otherwise.
As the rollers approach each other the holes become filled with salt, and may be
pressed by studs on the rollers or by the pistons, which afterwards eject the nuts,
et cetera, on to a belt beneath.
The rollers may be heated to hasten the setting of the little blocks. With the
same object in view I employ sets of tubes which may have moveable dead plates
at their further ends down which I ram salt by pistons which have about a 5-inch
stroke, one inch being down the tube. The salt is passed up to the end of the tubes
and rammed down; the tubes may be heated. As the salt projects at the other
end of the tube I chop it off by a knife working across the end of the tubes, and
the little nuts of salt pass on to a drying belt. These nuts, after having been
thoroughly dried, are crushed and ground between rollers, or in a disintegrator,
stamper, et cetera, and filled into sacks, tubs, pots, et cetera.

page_text: .
The arrangements employed for sack filling may either be such as described in
my previous Patent, or of the following construction :-Under a suitable hopper I
arrange one or more spouts, preferably 2, fitted with automatic double valves for
measuring off the charge of salt for filling the sacks, as explained in my previous
Patent, No. 2106, of 1877, 15 and 50, p. 36. Beneath these spouts I arrange a
reciprocal travelling frame or grid, supported on wheels or slides. This frame
carries a series of cross frames, to which the sacks are clipped or hooked in pairs,
and kept in position for passing under the filling spouts. A lad places a pair of
empty sacks on each of these little frames, the main frame is passed, one pair of
sacks at a time, under the spouts, the valves discharge the correct measure of salt
into the pair of sacks, while the little frame to which the sacks are attached is
rattled up and down or laterally to shake the salt well into its place. This rattling
or joggling may be done at the bottom of the bags instead of the tops. In this
case I fasten the bags on the slide frame only, providing it with clips for the purpose.
After a pair of sacks have been filled the slide frame moves one row forwards, and
the next pair of sacks is filled. Each pair may afterwards have its salt compressed
or shaped for closing the bag by compressors acting from above.
When 10 or a suitable number of sacks have been filled with salt the slide frame
has passed with its charge over a wagon prepared for carrying the sacks where
they are deposited. I construct the wagon preferably with a high division or rail
down the centre between the 2 rows of sacks, and with floors on each side sloping
inwards so as to cause the sacks to lean up against the central rail and against the
further end of the carriage. I arrange to adjust the size of the charge of salt by a
moveable plate in the measuring spouts.
The wagons with their sacks may be passed on to a weighing machine, which
shows by an automatic register whether the weight of the sacks is correct, and also
keeps a check on the amount produced.
To facilitate sewing up the sacks I arrange to have rows of loops or rings woven
into and across the sacks near to their tops; these loops occur at convenient
distances, say every 7/8th of an inch, and facilitate one or more needles being passed
through them for sewing up the sack by hand or machinery. I sometimes employ
clamps for the sacks in place of sewing. The sacks, when ready, are run into a
large store room over the stoves. The carriages may have tramway axles to curve
round shorter spaces.
With the view of working both centrifugal salt or salt ex pan I arrange to
produce 2 sorts of blocks, i.e., compressed or non-compressed blocks, by automatic
machinery. For the former I employ a reciprocal mould case working undor a
hopper after the style mentioned, paragraph 15, p. 32, in my last Specification,
No. 2106, of 1877. There are lifting bottoms to the moulds, and the salt is
compressed and ejected either by cranks and levers, or by the direct action of
hydraulic cylinders. In this latter case I prefer to compress cach row of moulds
simultaneously top and bottom, although either may be used with a counteracting
dead plate separably.
For double compression I employ a cross head over the moulds with compressors
entering the moulds as it moves downwards, and a cross head under the moulds
which compresses the blocks from below by forcing the lifting bottoms upwards.
These cross heads may either be worked by levers or eccentrics, but are preferably
moved by two pairs of hydraulic cylinders, each pair being connected top and bottom
with pipes, and having their piston rods bolted to the cross heads at the two ends.
The salt, after compression, is allowed to remain in the mould case for sufficient
time to set; the case is then run backwards, and the blocks are thrust upwards out
of the moulds by the action of a series of rods acting on the lifting bottons. These
rods are attached to a third cross head, which is moved up and down by another
pair of hydraulic cylinders. These cylinders are constructed so as first to loosen
the blocks in their moulds by the action of a large piston, and then to raise the
blocks above the top of the mould case by a small piston working in the hollow
piston rod of the larger piston.

page_text: The wator with which the cylinder is worked is compressed by an accumulator
or otherwise, and by means of an air chamber or counterpoise piston; when the
pressure is taken off the under side of the piston the counterpoise causes the water
to return to the upper side of the piston and force it down again. A similar
arrangement is employed with the other cylinders.
In some cases I compress the blocks sideways. When the blocks have been thrust
and lifted out of their inoulds a row of nippers (like Fig. 6, Sheet 2, of my aforesaid
Specification) placed near the filling hopper closes on them, and passes them on to a
wagon whose top is placed level with the top of the mould case; or they may be
thrust out on to a belt beneath. To facilitate the blocks leaving the loose bottoms
I sometimes place pieces of wood, et cetera, on the bottoms after the fashion, Fig. 11,
Sheet 2, of aforesaid Specification. The nippers are carried on a little carriage
moved preferably by a long hydraulic cylinder of small diameter.
When making non-compressed or lightly pressed blocks I dispence with the
compressing cylinders, or only use the cam action of Fig. 3, Sheet 3, of said Specifi-
cation, and sometimes also dispense with the lifting cylinders, employing in the
place of the latter cranks to raise the blocks out of their moulds.
With a view of causing (more especially the non-compressed) blocks to set in
their moulds compactly, I place after the hopper which fills the moulds a pipe or
cullender for admitting brine (preferable hot) on to the salt in the moulds that have
just been filled; this drains through the block and causes its top to sink. The
inould caso preferably moves over a heated flue. When a carriage is filled with
rows of blocks it may either be run direct into a stove and afterwards unloaded, or
be left in the stove until the blocks are dry, and then unloaded direct into a boat or
railway carriage.
With a view of more completely carrying out the latter system, I prefer to make
each carriage carry three or four sets of blocks, tier above tier. To effect this I
employ tray carriages carrying trays filled with long corner legs; these trays move
with the machine when filling, and when full are passed into a moveable cage, which
lifts the tray from the tray carriage by suitable projections, which is passed forwards
by suitable lines and back to the machine.
When 2 or 3 trays have been so raised one under the other, a wagon is passed
under the cage and the trays lowered on to it, the corner legs of each tray fitting in
a suitable hole in the wagon or tray below. The wagon with its 3 or 4 tiers of
blocks is then run into the stove and left until it is ready for emptying into the
bcat, et cetera. I employ a similar cage for taking the wagons to pieces, and for
replacing them on the tray wagons after they have been emptied of their salt.
Both cages are preferably worked by hydraulic cylinders, but may be worked by
cranks or otherwise.
The stove is preferably divided off for each line of carriages, and provided with
doors at each end. A flue runs the length of the tunnel or chamber, and the heat
is turned on or off as required. At both ends of the stove there are points or turn-
tables connecting the blocking machine with the stove at one end and the boat or
railway quay at the other.
In another form of blocking machine, somewhat similar to my previous circular
blocking machine, I also arrange to compress the blocks by an hydraulic cylinder,
which moves vertically directly over the inould to be compressed; and I arrange to
compress the block sideways, sometimes placing loose bottoms in the moulds to
support the block when ejected. The block, after compression, moves round in the
table, and is ejected on to a travelling belt or double-linked chain, which passes into
a drying chamber. On this belt there are a series of pieces of thin metal or wood,
one of which is moved up to the bottom of the mould before the block is ejected,
and then gently lowers it it on to the belt, afte the fashion of Fig. 12, Sheet 2, of
aforesaid Specification. The blocks may either be taken from the belt by hand or
preferably be passed on to a skeleton carriage arranged to hold several tiers of blocks
by the forward movement of the belt. As the belt moves forwards the piece of
wood, et cetera, on which the block rests is pressed forwards into the carriage, the

page_text: wood or thin metal sliding at each end on a bar attached to the carriage. When
making non-compressed blocks in the machine I place inoulds of tin, et cetera, in
the moulds of the table, and discharge them on to the travelling belt.
When laying the works out, more especially for producing other forms of salt
than block salt, in place of using the lower story of the stove for storing blocks, I
place two long pans, preferably of wood, one on each side of a central division wall.
These pans are heated by the waste heat from the table pan, and have a long
Cornish flue down about the centre of each.
The products of combustion or spare steam can either be turned down, both or
either, and additional heat may be added by an auxiliary furnace when required.
One pan is started before the other, and when nearly full of salt the heat is turned
down the other tube, the surplus brine is transferred to the other pan by a chain or
other pump, and the salt is drained and removed in wagons passing through
suitable openings in the end or side of the pans. When emptied of salt the pan is
refilled with brine and again heated until the other pan is ready for similar treat-
ment, when the operation is repeated.
-
In place of this arrangement I sometimes arrange to pass the heat which may
come from a gas furnace over a portion of a surface pan. I arrange a wide air case
over the portion of the pans traversed by the products of combustion. This case
may heat brine above it, and is placed only a few inches above the brine, and its
sides dip below the surface of the brine in such way that should soot form on its
lower side and fall into the brine it is confined to that portion of the pan over which
the products of combustion pass. On one or both sides of this air case, and at a
short distance from it, I place divisions in a trough form or from the bottom of the
pan reaching nearly to the surface of the brine; cool brine is admitted to this
trough or compartment by suitable openings or pipes, and the heated brine beneath
the air case escapes to the sides, and heats the brine in the adjoining pans. The air
heated by its passage down the air case is caused to traverse the brine in the outer
pan or pans, and kept down to its surface by a covering a few inches above it.
The salt collecting under the air chamber may be removed by suitable scrapers.
There are one or more large rooms over these two pans for the storage of bags,
et cetera. The lower one is protected from steam rising from below by a light roof
under its floor. When a large stock of bags has to be stored I employ separate
lines of rails, according to the size of the store, running down the room, with
wooden division boards dividing the spaces between, against which the sacks may
be lent. These lines are sunk so that a wagon loaded with sacks has its floor level
with the floor of the large room. The sacks from this wagon are either removed by
a hand truck or by a loose top on the carriage moving sideways to the spot where
the sacks have to be deposited. When each day's production of sacks can be sent
away the next day I prefer to have several lines of rails on the level floor of the
room; in this case I leave cach day's production on the wagons until next morning,
when the wagons are passed on to the boat quay, emptied, and run on to an empty
line of rails for refilling.
When employing two stories for strong sacks, I either use an incline on the left
for the carriages between the two stores, or preferably two sack-filling machines,
one for each story.
For feeding the pot-filling machinery I arrange to crush and sieve the salt. For
this purpose I employ either grinding rollers or stampers to crush the salt, and a
rotatory sieve, cylinder, or long sieve swung from above and caused to move to and
from by one or more eccentrics. The unsound salt is returned for recrushing.
For filling tubs I employ wagons or a travelling belt, which passes them in
succession under measuring hoppers. The apparatus is preferably constructed of
Professor Barff's iron, and covered in with packing, et cetera, to prevent radiation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Howard Worthington Biggs in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th October 1878.
JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS, of Brown's Buildings, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF SALT FROM BRINE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object improvements in my Apparatus, for which I
have obtained Letters Patent, No. 2106, of 1877, "Improvements in Apparatus for
the Manufacture of Common Salt and Carbonate of Soda, and for Packing Salt and
other Substances, and for Regulating the Density and Temperature of Liquids,"
and also in a less degree of Patents, No. 1788, of 1877, and No. 4324, of 1876.
The principal improvements in the table apparatus are illustrated, Figs. 1 to 4.
They show an arrangement for producing salt progressively by the use of waste
heat, and jacketed steam pans, clearing it of impurities by scumming and scaling
pans, boiling the brine in a vertical table pan, washing and partially drying the salt
in a centrifugal drum, grinding and drying the salt in a belt stove, and further
portions and details of the process.
The
Figs. 10 to 15 illustrate works laid out to use the apparatus advantageously,
thereby effecting a saving in labour and facilitating the manufacture of salt.
letters where they apply are the same on all the above Figures.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view, partly in section; Fig. 3, an
end view, in section; Fig. 4, a sectional view of pan A from the back.
Figs. 5 to 9, varieties of belt stoves.
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of works laid out for producing and storing bay
and other varities of salt designed with view of saving labour in its production
and subsequent treatment.
Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the ground floor for the table
pan and apparatus, also the lower floor of the bag store.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the upper floor of the bag store, showing the arrangement of
rails for the bagging machine.
Fig. 13 is an end view of the right-hand end of the building; Fig. 14, an end
view of the left-hand end.
Fig. 15, another arrangement of the left-hand end for storing sacks, salt in bulk,
and for stoving blocks in a tunnel stove.
Letter A refers to the table group; B, to the furnaces; C, the self stokers; D,
fuel bunker; E, railway line; F, bont line; G, scumming pan; H, scaling pan; I,
steam pipe; J, condensing pans; K, hot air tubes; L, exhaust fan; M, elevator for
table pan; N, centrifugal drum, for drying and washing salt; O, elevator; Ox,
situation of grinding rollers; P, belt stove; Q, grinding rollers and hopper; R,
engine; S, store; T, bagging machine; U, double lifts, between upper and lower
bag rooms; V, upper bag store; W, lower bag store; ✗, driving shaft, Yx, hot
room or stove; Y, surface pans; Z, chimney; E, main walls and doors; A, Y,
position of blocking machinery.
In Figs. 1 to 4, A is the vertical table pan, cach table composed of two side
plates enclosing flue between. They are set on their edges on suitable masonry or
brickwork bedded on concrete. The tables a are placed at a sufficient distance from
one another to allow a workman to get down between then for their examination
and repair. Their inner flues ax are lined with fire-brick, and a girth of the saine
material at a made to remove at pleasure permits their being cleaned, examined,
or repaired, as occasion may require. I sometimes place steam jets in these flues to
clean them, and blow the ashes and soot through them. The products of combus-
tion enter the table flues at the top, and pass out at the lower flues to the cross flue
Ax. At the top of the pan there is a steam dome a 2, with an outlet leading into
pipe I. The dome is provided with a man-hole, and is covered with non-conducting

page_text: cement to prevent radiation. At the bottom of the pan, below the tables, there is
a trough a 3 scraped by endless chain scrapers a 4, which deliver the salt to elevator
M. The scraper chains are carried on drums a 5 and a 6 at each end, and are
turned by a belt a7 from a shaft X 1, or otherwise. In some cases I use two
troughs instead of only one, placing them on each side of the table. Through the
centre of the tables there is a long shaft a, a, supported in suitable bearings, and
passing out of the pan through a stuffing box a 8, and turned by a large worm
wheel a 9 and worm a 10 on shaft X 1, which is driven by a belt from the main
shaft X.
On the shaft a, a, there are the table scrapers a 12 balanced opposite one another
to ease the driving. The upper surface of the tables are scraped by the reciprocal
scrapers a 13 on a rod a 14, passing through a stuffing box at the end of the pan,
and actuated by crank a 15, moved by an excentric a 16, on shaft X 1. Below
the pan there is a space left, a 17, to get under the pan, approached by the
ladder a 18.
When working the pan in vacuo I arrange a deep tube or well Mx, Fig. 18 (a
view with the end of the pan and clevator removed) at the end of the pan, into
which the salt is scraped. The elevator M is prolonged, and removes the salt from
the bottom of the well. The case M* of the well and elevator acts like the bent
syphon tube of a barometer, maintaining a vacuum within the pan, but permitting
the salt to be removed through the depressed brine m, m, in the elevator, into an
exc vacuo store without, or pass it on for further use. In some cases I use a revolving
vertical shaft in Mx, with blades to keep the salt moving down. There is a valve
between the case M* and the weli M* to shut off the brine in case the elevator
requires repairing.
I sometimes arrange to heat the pan by gas furnaces, or by the waste heat froin
chemical works, iron works, coke ovens, and the like, or by steam from a similar
pan, but where this cannot be done to advantage I arrange four furnaces B, as shown
in the Drawing, Figs. 1 and 2. Each of these is fitted with rocking bars b and doors
b*, and all are preferably automatically supplied with fuel by self-acting stokers C,
fed by a long right and left hand hand screw c, cc, by a vertical elevator Cx, from the
coal bunker D. These are driven by a belt from the cross shaft x 2, in gear with
shaft 1. This coal bunker has sloping sides, and I sometimes place grinding rollers
at the bottom to break up the coal before the elevator raises it. D has girders at
its top, supporting rails E, from which railway wagons enter the building by door
3, and deliver their fuel direct into the bunker. There is also a narrow guage
line F for bringing up fuel from the boat on the river or canal, to the left of the
building, for which I use a crane F*, preferably worked by hydraulics to facilitate
loading and forwarding the wagons.
The products of combustion coming from the tables by flue A*, first heat the air
in pipes for the belt stove P and pans J, and are then conducted by a flue to heat
further brine or stoves. On their way part are passed under the preparatory
scumuning and scaling pans G and H by the flues g and h, fitted with dampers to
regulate the heat of the pans above. G is arranged after the style of Fig. 8 of my
Patent, No. 2106, of 1877. It is provided with a similar scumming wheel case and
scraper at one end, and a sieve for cow's heels, glue, et cetera, at the other end,
through which the feed brine enters, to make the scum rise. The brine is either
admitted to this from the brine head, or preferably from the pans J.
To cause the scum to have more time to rise in pan Ġ I sometimes place a
vertical division down the pan, and make the brine pass up and down the pan
before escaping. This pan communicates with pan H by pipe *. Its drum is
driven by wheel jl turned by a shaft h 1 passing through one end of pan H. This
shaft turns the endless chain or link scrapers h 2 stretched from end to end of the
pan on suitable rollers. There is a screw at one end of the pan for the removal of
the scale and matter collected by the scrapers. The scrapers and scumming drum
are driven from shaft X by a belt turning X3, which drives screw shaft x 3, turning
a worm wheel on the end of h 1. Both pans G and H are covered in with hoods.

page_text: G* and H* communicate with the steam pipe I of the table pan. There are foot
passages on each side of these pans, so that they may be inspected and attended to
from time to time by doors in the hoods.
Part of the steam passing along pipe I is used for driving the apparatus, but the
bulk passes by the bent pipe Ix through the jackets; of the condensing pans J,
which may be circular, or as seen, Fig. 1, or to a somewhat similar pan to A, worked
with the waste steam.
I prefer the steam should pass through pans successively, as shown in the
Drawing, but in some cases I admit it to all or several of the pans at the saine
end at the same time.
Each of the pans is preferably made in separate pieces ; and firmly bolted
together.
The pans may at any time be lengthened by removing the end plates and con-
necting steam tubes i, and filling the intermediato space with additional portions j.
The wall 4 to the rear of this pan is arched to allow of the pan being so
lengthened, or other pans may be added to their height to increase the heating
surface. The pans are filled with brine Y from the brine head or other pans to
within a few inches of the hot jackets above, and air preferably heated by the
pipes K in flue A* entering direct from K* or coming from the top of the belt
stove is drawn or blown over its surface to hasten evaporation. The pans are
provided with endless scrapers j* carried on rollers j1, 2 for each pan supported
at intervals by rollers j3, and are driven by gearing j 4 by a worm wheel shaft and
belt from X. There are reversible screws 15 at one end of the pans delivering into
pockets on either side of the pan, from which the salt is raised by self-acting
rakes, inclined screws, or short elevators, so that the large elevators (fitted with
draining buckets) J1 or J2 can either deliver it to the centrifugal dryer N or to a
hopper J, which is arranged over the lines F for filling wagons for delivering to
the boat.
In place of the scrapers or arranged between them I sometimes employ strings,
nets, wires, et cetera, on which the salt forms. These I sometimes store on the
strings, but preferably pass through rings, rollers, or stampers connected with the
pan, or within convenient distance of them, and collect the crystals coming there-
from in a spout for loading wagons or otherwise. Under the bottom of the lower
pan there is space j 6 left to get at the plates. An exhaust fan L driven by its
own engines by steam from pipe I occasions a current of air, preferably heated,
to pass constantly over the brine in pans J, with which it cominunicates by the
the bent pipe or flue Lx. The fan passes its exhaust on to the chimney to increase
the draught, sometimes heating brine on its way. Such steam as is not condensed by
passing through the jackets either follows the same course or is condensed in a
suitable condenser provided for the purpose. The shaft is driven by the three-
cylindered engine Ŕ. It, together with the engines for L and N and other purposes,
are all preferably fed with steam from pipe I, and discharge their exhaust into a
large separate condenser provided for the various engines with a free supply of
water, and with all the necessary pumps, pipes, and valves to condense their steam
and remove the products of condensation.
In some cases I admit the exhaust steam from the jackets j into this condenser,
first passing it by a weighted valve to avoid its interfering with the necessary
vacuum for the engines.
The salt from the table pan is raised by the elevator M, Fig. 10. This elevator
is fitted with draining buckets. It is driven by gearing x, m, delivering
either down the spout M* into the centrifugal drum N, or by a valve at m can be
caused to deliver its salt by shoot m 1 into the trough or tube m 2, in which there
is a screw or belt for delivering it to a blocking machine or wagon placed beneath
or conducted to where it is otherwise wanted.
The elevator J2 from the condensing pans J is arranged either to deliver to the
centrifugal drum or to tube m 2 by a similar valve to m. It is driven by a belt
from the shaft of M.

page_text: N (Fig. 3) is the centrifugal drum for throwing off the surplus brine from the
salt and for washing it. It is made of metal coated with magnetic oxide, and is
preferably placed vertically, and based on strong masonry and concrete with a
passage beneath. It may however be placed in any suitable position, and employed
for drying and washing various styles of salt, including film made salt produced
from heated cylinders, flnt or other surfaces. The drum N has its sides covered
with very fine gauze or canvas supported by suitable bands or rings, or by an
outer perforated casing. Within the gauze drum there is an inner drum N*,
having on its exterior a long screw blade n*, which all but touches the gauze; or
it may have separate scrapers in one or more places on the drum, or a long
revolving screw preferably on an axis parallel with the axis of the drum. The
drums are mounted on central shafts, and move at a differential speed in such way
that when salt is admitted at one end of the drum (in this case the top) it is
scraped to the other end by the differential movement of the screw or scrapers
within.
I sometimes deliver the salt on to a somewhat flattened radiating or rigid cone
at the top of N*, but prefer to spread it out more evenly round the gauze drum
by using a spout secured to the top of N*, which is filled near the centre, and
which delivers the salt on to the gauze at a given depth a little in front of tho
first lap of the screw. This latter works it down by degrees to the discharge end
of the drum, where it falls into the salt chamber n 2. At the lower ends of the
central shafts there are suitable driving wheels, preferably conical friction wheels n 3
and 4, which rest upon the sloping face of a cone n 5, which is driven by a direct-
acting three-cylindered or suitable engine n6 fed with steam from pipe I. The
difference of the pitch of 3 and 4 regulate the differential speed of the upper
drums. The two drums N and Nx, are placed in an outer casing Na, which I some-
times connect with the condenser or flue underneath to carry off the waste vapour.
There is a passage N, b, beneath to get at the engine and wheels. Abovo the salt
chamber n2 there are two compartments n 7, n 8, separated by the sloping rings.
The upper one 7 catches the brine thrown off from the first passage of the salt,
and this is pumped or run back again into one of the pans for further evaporation,
or otherwise treated. The second compartment n 8 catches the brine passed
through the salt for cleansing it from deliquescents, and communicates with a tank
or drain.
9 is the pipe and funnel, by which a small quantity of fully saturated
brine is admitted through the hollow part of the central shaft to the interior of
the drum for this purpose.
Pipes for steam or water placed inside N, a, aro provided for cleaning the gauze
externally, and I sometimes provide an additional pipe or pipes internally for
washing or steaming the whole of the drum to free the gauze from obstruction, and
for the same end occasionally employ brushes in the periphery of the screws n*.
I arrange either to discharge the salt from compartment 2 direct into a pocket
near its base, from which it is raised by elevator O driven by a belt from X, or to
pass it by a suitable shoot first through two or three pairs of V grooved grinding rollers,
preferably fitted with scrapers on their under side, and then into the pocket for
the elevator O to remove. These rollers are situated at Ox, and besides reducing
the grain of the salt so as to expose a larger surface for evaporation also serve to
equalize the two varieties of salt when coming simultaneously from pan A and
pans J. The elevator O is driven from shaft X.
The salt raised by elevator O passes into a hopper Ox, which by a valve can
either discharge its contents by shoot ox into the screw pipe m 2 for blocking or
other purposes, or pass it by a shoot o 1 into a trough p, wherein there is a right
and left hand screw p 1, which spreads it out for distribution on the moving belts in
the belt stove P. The trough p opens on to a roller at its bottom, which slowly turns,
delivering the salt on the belts beneath. It has one or more long grooves or spaces in
it, lengthways, and as it turns the salt passed along its top by the screw 21 collects
in the space, and is removed and thrown out on the moving belt beneath. In place
of this measuring roller I sometimes employ other arrangements, such as holes at

page_text: frequent intervals along the bottom of the screw trough p, allowing the salt to run
through direct on to the moving belt beneath, the same being afterwards equalized by
passing under a spreading bar placed, say, about an inch over, and a little way
down the belt.
In another arrangement I open and close the bottom of the screw trough each
time it is ready to discharge or employ the distributor shown in Figs. 5 to 9, ex-
plained hereafter, or a sloping trough with expanding fan subdivisions to direct the
salt may be used.
The endless belts in P pass round rollers p 2 and p 3 at one end, and p 4 and p 5 at
the other. Their ends alternately project beyond each other in such way that
salt placed upon them is passed or scraped successively from one belt on to the
other, being taken backwards and forwards against currents of warm or hot air.
There are inclined pieces to direct the salt at p 6, and end scrapers may also be used
to loosen the salt on the belts if required. The belts are arranged to move very
slowly, so that the salt may be exposed for some time for drying. They are hero
driven by an endless belt or chain passing round the wheels on the end of p2 and p 3,
and also round the wheel of measuring roller p*, which is intergeared with the
screw shaft and driven by a belt, or may be turned by a screw shaft and worm
wheels from the main shaft X.
There are suitable spreaders, rakes, et cetera, under which the salt on the belts
passes, which keeps it well exposed to currents of warın air which I sometimes
blow directly on it by perforated pipes placed across the belts. The belts are sup-
ported at intervals on rollers p7. The salt from the last belt is collected by a chain
scraper or screw p 8, and either delivered by a suitable spout or raised by the clevator
P to a tube p, q, Figs. 10 and 13, in which there is a screw supplying the roller
hopper Q. The stove chamber is strongly put together to resist the heavy end drag
of the belts. It is supported on strong girders p 9, and walls p 10, with internal
and external girders and strengthening rods as shown, Fig. 3, or otherwise.
There is a passage p 11 beneath to examine the bottom. Heated air from the
furnace pipes K is conducted by the pipe Kx, and enters the stove at its bottom
at *, from whence it is distributed by suitable pipes and passages over and below
the belts. The heated air is passed or drawn off at the top, and either allowed
to escape by suitable pipes, or is conducted over the surface pans by pipe p 12, or
into the fly L*.
The belts are preferably made of gauze or canvas, prepared with tan or cutch
to make them more durable, but may be constructed of parallel plates or sections
jointed together, and the rollers be shaped to aid their passing round them. These
sections may also have wheels to run along suitable rails in the stove.
With
a view of increasing the drying capacity of the belts, and so lessening the number
of the belts required, or of enabling belts of a less size to be used, I arrange in
certain cases to spread the salt on the lower or return belt, as well as on the upper.
The salt is passed to the return belts by side pockets, and collected and distributed
thereon by the arrangements illustrated, Figs. 5, 6, and 7, or otherwise.
Fig. 5 is a sectional side view.
Fig. 6 a plan view of the return side of a belt.
And Fig. 7, an end view of an arrangement to pass the salt from the return side
of one belt to that of the next without interfering with the regular passage of the
salt from the top surface of one belt to another, as illustrated in Fig. 3.
A frame of sloping scrapers a is supported on cross girders b, and communicates
by side pockets c, with a somewhat similar set of scraper & beneath, supported on
girder e. The lower sides of the pockets c slope inwards. As the belt noves in the
direction shown by the arrows the salt is scraped by a into the side pockets c, and
thrown on the moving belt below d, which latter distributes it over the belt moving
in the return direction to the one from which the salt came. There is a spreading
bar at f which levels the ridges of salt coming from d evenly over the belt.
In another arrangement I have holes left in the belt through which the salt is
passed by scrapers under which the belt travels; but where the belts are wide, or

page_text: space on the belt is of importance, I prefer to remove and transfer the salt from
one belt to another by screws placed across the belts, or preferably by two little
endless belts a and b (see Fig. 8, 8 a, and 9), communicating their contents to one
another by the side pockets c. The upper belt with projections on it rests on a plate,
the front part of which scrapes the salt from the large belt. The plate is strength-
ened by cross bars d supported on each side of the stove. The belt is stretched
over pulley e, mounted on a vertical shaft f, and as it moves across the face of salt
brought up to it by the large belt it scrapes a continuous stream of salt into pocket
c for the belt beneath to redistribute. The belt b is turned by rollers g, and is
supported on little rollers h, carried in a frame i placed across the lower belt. It
receives the salt from the belt above and carries it across the lower one. To remove
the salt from this belt I employ either a reciprocal scraper j, which moves quickly
to the left and back across b for each length of salt it brings up, thereby throwing
it on the belt as shown, Fig. 8, or a fixed sloping scraper frame k (Fig. 9, plan view)
carried on bars Z, is placed across a rather wider belt than b, similarly mounted, and
in such way that as the belt progresses the salt spread on its surface by a spreader.
mis slipped off into various channels 1, 2, 3, 4, et cetera, and distributed on the lower
belt which is recceding from it.
Although the above systems are more especially designed for transferring salt
from the interior of one endless belt to that of another, in some cases I employ them
to transfer salt from the exterior of a belt to its interior, or vice versa, and
otherwise.
In certain cases in place of the belts I use disconnected slips or trays, and move
them on or by narrow belts x, Fig. 19, on each side of the stove on which they rest,
or by which they are moved in line by suitable projecting studs on each. For
transferring these sections of the belt from one level to the other I employ at one
or both ends of the stove horizontally hinged frames or small sliding cages (see a,
Fig. 19) moved up and down by cams or otherwise in such way as to receive from
the upper belt a section a, a, which it lowers on to a more projecting belt beneath,
by which it is taken away.
For sections of the belt mounted on wheels and running on rails in the stove I
arrange corresponding rails on the cage.
For sections moving on rollers in the stove, in place of rails I arrange rollers b
on the cage (see Fig. 19 B).
When very long stoves can be used, as for instance, in the length of room Y*,
Fig. 10, I prefer to fill them with sections at one end and empty them at the other.
For this purpose I employ a cage a, Fig. 19, with several tiers in it; it moves up
and down in front of a loading stage after the fashion described, paragraph 25, page
24, of my Patent No. 2106 of 1877, and is charged full of, say, 10 trays or sections at a
time. It is then put into position, and the sections are moved from the cage to the
stove, so that studs on the belts with their projection can take them forward. This is
effected by employing racks and wheels like Fig. 15, Sheet 2, Patent 2106 of 1877,
or by short endless belts or otherwise.
Figure 19 C shows an arrangement of endless helts c passing round pulleys ex
on the vertical shafts C1, carried in bearings on the stove. There is a projection on
each of these belts for moving the sections into the stove when the shafts are
turned. When the shafts are at rest the projections are turned away froin the
sections and permit the cage a to be moved up and down without in any way
interfering with the cage or its load.
D shows endless belts & carried on rollers d*, mounted on the cage a, for the same
purpose, and moved up and down with it. They are driven by suitable gearing,
and move the sections by studs or by their resting on them.
Similar cages are employed to collect and remove the load at the delivering end
of the stove.
In some cases I employ at the further end of the stove a cage, like A or B, Fig. 19,
and return the load on a lower belt to the charging end. In this case the cage for each
up-and-down movement discharges, say five sets of new trays into the stove, receiving

page_text: five sets of returned trays from the stove; the empty and full sections occupying
alternate tiers in the cage.
Fig. 20 is a sectional side view of an arrangement for drying salt on flue tables
or heated surfaces traversed by chain scrapers and currents of air. The tables
are placed one over the other, and the salt passes from the top to the bottom of
the chamber as is the case with the belt stove. In this arrangement, however, the
tables instead of the belts support the salt while the scrapers move instead of being
fixed.
The tables E, F, G, are placed preferably lengthwise in a stove A, B; their
ends alternately project to receive the salt from the one above. The air from the
upper tables E is blown in from their sides across the table.
There are rollers C on each end, on which are mounted jointed belts or chains D,
carrying the scrapers d; these latter move slowly and pass the salt froin one end
of the table to the other. They preferably have their scraping edge cut so as
to rake and turn the salt about and to form it into little ridges on its way along
the table. There are ledges at the sides of the tables to keep the salt from falling
off, and perforated pipes H to blow air, preferably heated, over the salt.
The tables E and F are heated by internal flues; G are heated by the hot air
blown under and over them, and the salt by pipes H. The upper tables E form a
parallel space or groove I, along which the scrapers traverse. It is arranged for
drying wet or sticking salt liable to form lumps on the table. Should any such
lumps adhere to the table the scraper is kept down to its work by the table above,
and quickly removes them. I prefer to use E, F, and G, in the same stove, but I
sometimes construct stoves with one only of these styles throughout.
In another arrangement I employ circular horizontal tables with a central shaft
passing down them, to which are attached sloping scrapers, rakes, or screws for
spreading or moving salt about on their surfaces. The tables are preferably placed
in pairs one over the other and arranged to deliver salt from one to another by
suitable holes in them or by pockets at their sides. The first of each pair scrapes
the salt from its exterior to a large hole in the middle of the table, or holes in its
width, down which it passes to the table beneath. The second table scrapes it pro-
gressively to and over its circumference, which is of a less diameter than the table
above, and allows the salt to fall on the top table of the next pair.
I blow hot air up through the tables to hasten the drying, and sometimes make
the tables with internal flues.
In certain cases I employ all the tables of one of these types only, either all
passing the salt from the centre to their exterior, or vice versa. When so doing I
employ screws or belts to transfer the salt to or from the centre to the
circumference.
-
Cylinder Dryer. Fig. 21 is a vertical section; Fig. 22, an end section
of an arrangement for drying salt by means of a revolving cylinder heated
externally.
A is the cylinder, fitted with rails a and rings a*; it is carried on wheels B, and
kept in position by wheels C, which are regulated by set wheels c*. The wheels
are keyed to cross shafts b and c, supported in suitable bearings on the bed plate D
and in the end plates E. The cylinder is made to revolve by a belt or gearing in
connection with B.
F is a fan or dasher driven by pulleys G, and carried in bearings in the end
plates E; its ends are curved or set at an angle for the purpose of passing
air, preferably heated, through the cylinder to hasten the drying. The air is
admitted by a pipe H and casing I, and escapes by the pipe J. This I sometimes
curve down and connect with a chamber in order to trap any dried salt that may
be blown in through the apparatus.
K are cannon balls to crush the salt after the fashion of those used in a charcoal
mill. I sometimes use a roller or rings on a shaft in their place, or work the
cylinder without them.
L is a fluo casing of iron or brick round the cylinder; it is supplied with. the

page_text: products of combustion, heated air, and sometimes steam by the chamber M,
beneath and the flue N.
O is a chimney to draw off the waste heat.
P is a hopper by which the salt is admitted.
- Q, the outlet by which it escapes, guarded by a grid q.
R and Sare girders carrying the scrapers 7, 8; they are bolted to the set ring
e on the end plates E round the cylinder, for which purpose a number of holes are
provided. The scrapers nearly touch the inside of the cylinder, and their backs
are divided in sloping ridges in order that as the salt passes across them it
should be passed forward by degrees, and be eventually passed out of the
cylinder by Q. The scraper is set rather further back from the cylinder than s.
In some cases I only employ one scraper or a screw to pass the salt along the
cylinder in place of the pair of scrapers. When not employing cannon balls, rollers,
rings, or other means for crushing the salt, I prefer to place the cylinder with its
discharging end lower than its receiving end to assist the salt in moving
through it.
For the production of little blocks or "nuts" of salt, or bars or thin cakes of
salt, I arrange various machines, four of which are illustrated, Figs. 23 to 34.
Fig. 23 shows an arrangement in section wherein travelling belts pass beneath
hopper spouts, and cover themselves with salt, which is afterwards divided and sub-
divided into the shapes desired.
A is the hopper with hopper spouts or slips a, which are open at the bottom; it
is here bolted on to the top of belt stove B. The belts C pass round rollers c, and
have a steady movement away from the hopper. The belts are kept up to the
open bottoms of the hopper spouts by rollers placed underneath the spouts, or by a
plate D, shown on the lower belt, over which there may be a short strong inner belt
D× moving at the same speed as the outer one, but stronger than it, and serving to
preserve the outer one. As the belts move to the right they withdraw the sult
from the slips, and cover themselves with a thin layer of it for further treatment.
I sometimes employ above the belt near the spout a moving roller, or an arrange-
ment somewhat like D* to receive the salt as it comes from the spout, and squecze
it to an even thickness on the belt.
At the end of the slips a there is a description of rake E and knife F (see Figs. 24
and 25), which form the salt into bars and nuts. The divisions of the rake
extend laterally from little grooves in which the knife can move to subdivide the
bars of salt into nuts.
The grooves should widen at their discharging end, so as to lessen the friction of
the salt in its passage forward.
By regulating the shape of the spout and rake, or the distance between the
divisions of the latter, the salt may be formed into various shapes and widths,
while its length is determined by the more or less frequent movement of knife F.
The rake is supported by a girder E*, and the knives F are swung on the
shafts carried in bearings on the frame; they are moved up and down quickly by
the cam G, which is in gear with the belt rollers c. The cam G moves lever Hand
rod, which is connected with the cranks fx on the shafts f.
The knife is curved onits outer side, and wedge-shaped on its inner side, so as
to disturb the salt in the grooves as little as possible, and may have a slight side
action. There are perforated tubes I, which blow a constant current of heated air
over the salt to hasten its drying.
The belts should be of sufficient length to allow the nuts to set or harden before
they are removed from it, and may with advantage be placed from end to end of the
long hot room Y*, Fig. 10; the upper and under sides of the belts being used as
in the belt dryers previously explained, Figs. 5 to 9.
In some cases, in place of dividing and subdividing the salt immediately as it
comes from the hopper spout, I place moving wires, band saws, knives, or knife
rollers someway down the belts, and divide the salt into bars, nuts, or other
shapes when the sheet of salt on the belts has become somewhat dry.
The

page_text: knives or stamps used are arranged to clear themselves from salt adhering to their
surfaces.
When employing several belts one above the other as shown, Fig. 23, I prefer at
the other end of the belts to receive the small solids of salt on to a series of shelves,
which lower or raise them to a belt below or above those on which they are made;
these shelves are mounted on endless bolts passing over rollers, top and bottom, and
are turned up by a suitable motion.
In place of using belts for the production or drying of cake, bar, or nut salt, I
sometimes employ trays as shown, Fig. 19, or pass a moving table or carriage beneath
the hopper and spreader, or move the hopper and spreader over a table or carriage,
leaving a thin layer of salt thereon, which may be divided by knives or wires, as
previously explained.
Fig. 26 is an elevation; Fig. 27, an end view; and Fig. 28, details of an
apparatus for producing compressed bars or nuts of salt by the use of two
rollers or cylinders placed next to one another, and fed by a central hopper placed
above.
A is the bed plate carried by side girders Ax ; B are the side frames; C, the
rollers on which the cylinders D and D* are supported and steadied; E, E, are the
upper rollers for compressing the salt; F, F, are the lower rollers for ejecting the
saine on to the belts G, G, which are carried on rollers and shafts g and g*. Tho
upper rollers are kept down on the cylinder by the wheel and screw c*.
The cylinders are made ring-shaped, and have long grooves & slotted in a line
parallel with their axis, as seen, Figs. 27 and 28 in section.
In these slots there are bars H, which slide in guides at their ends, grooved into
the inner sides of the cylinders at d1; they are forced outwards by passing rollers
E and F, and have springs not shown, keeping them inwards when not so forced.
On each side of the cylinders there is a rail & 2 and a rack d3, which is intergeared
with a wheel on the shaft of F.
Both rollers have driving wheels e 1 and f1, which are turned by a spur
wheel j by the wheel J driven by the driving drum I by the cross shaft i and bevel
wheels ix.
The action of the apparatus is best seen, Fig. 28. The slots in the cylinders fill
themselves with salt as they pass under the hopper K, and as the rollers approach
each other the salt is compressed between the projecting studs or teeth of the
cylinder d and the bar H, which is forced outward by having to pass roller E.
After compression the salt remains in the slots until forced therefrom by the bars
passing under the roller F, which is set nearer the side of the cylinder than C; this
ejects the salt on to the belt G, G*, below.
In all these machines I often employ trays like Fig. 19 in place of the belts.
When nuts instead of bars are wanted, I place wires or a frame of shallow knives
under the cylinders, so that as the bars of salt are pressed outward they pass
through the same, and get subdivided into nuts. The cylinders are, preferably,
cased in and supplied with heated air.
In another system I perforate the cylinder with holes instead of slots, and have
pistons fitting the same attached to bar H. The hopper is fitted with adjustable
plates internally to regulate the supply of salt to the spaces in the rollers, and
prevent their being choked and stopped by receiving too much salt. The belts G
and Gx are placed neare the cylinders, so that the bars or nuts may pass on to thein
without having far to drop. They are here arranged for foeding two stoves, one
right and one left, but may be made to feed in one direction only, by placing
the apparatus diagonally across a broad belt and allowing each cylinder to load one
half of the belt; or there may be a belt for each cylinder, one above the other. In
this case, I either make the near cylinder less in diameter than the far one, and
sometimes use it with studs only, or else raise the near cylinder with its accom-
panying rollers, et ceteru, enough to permit a second belt to be introduced beneath it.
In some cases I construct the belts of thin jointed metal or wood, to avoid

page_text: shaking the salt as it passes over rollers further along the belt in the drying
chamber.
In an arrangement wherein I use a roller with a reciprocal plate or a rotating
plate, I prefer to use studs on the former, and arrange for the pistons or slide bars
H to be in the latter, moved over a roller like E or over suitable cams.
Fig. 29 is an elevation of a machine for ramming salt down short tubes or slots
carried in a cylinder. A. is the bed plate; B, the side frame; C, the rollers support-
ing the cylinder; D, the cylinder fitted with holes or slots; E, the tube or rammer
case (sec Fig. 30); F, the cross head moving the rammers f, whose heads I sometimes
make cup shaped; G, the eccentrics for moving the rammers; H, the dead plate;
I, the hopper filled with salt; J, the charging bar worked by a lever j, and cam j* ;
K, the groove into which the salt is charged. It has divisions between the tubes
which may be cut out of the solid or put in on a plate K*, Fig. 31; L is the ratchet
for moving the cylinder; M, a locking bar to hold the cylinder steady for being
charged; both are carried on a swing lever, L, M, moved by a cam on the eccentric
shaft; N, the driving pulley; N*, fly wheel; and n, a spur on same shaft which drives
n*, keyed to the shaft of the eccentrics G. The cylinder is cased in with a chimney
O to let off the damp air, and has several perforated pipes P within for blowing hot
air on the salt in the cylinder; Q is the cross head of the ejectors q, which discharge
the salt on to the belt R. The ejectors are worked by crank Q* rod q*, from the
ends of the rammer bar F, or otherwise.
The holes in the cylinder are preferably constructed to turn out about a cubic
inch of consolidated salt per hole, but may be made any size that will hold the salt
when turning. The inside and outside of the cylinder is faced smooth, and it
turns with accuracy between H and K. The holes on the outer side of the cylinder
are bevelled off to allow the rammers to enter freely, and there are holes provided
near the edges of the cylinder into which the locking bars M enter, and hold it fast.
With a view of taking up less room on the belt for the nuts discharged, I sometimes
drill holes in the cylinder like Fig. 32, and work double rammers and ejectors, and
move the cylinder and belt a pair of rows at a time.
In another arrangement I ram and eject both on the same side of the cylinder, in
which case I sometimes employ a deep ring for the cylinder and pass the salt
progressively through the holes when it is cut off as it projects from the ring by a
knife or wire.
The cylinder may be made to turn either way, but the way drawn gives the nuts
more time for drying than if turned in the contrary direction.
For certain varieties of salt, I employ movable pistons for these holes in the
cylinder after the style of H, Fig. 28. In that case the dead plate is put further
back and the lower portion of the ejectors removed, so that the piston or bar heads
may have room to pass between them and the cylinder.
In another form of machine where very moist salt is compressed, I place the
rammers at the top of the cylinder, and connect the bars on the opposite side of the
cylinder with rods, so that as the top holes are ramined, the salt from the lower ones
is discharged on the belt.
Fig. 33 and Fig. 34, details, is a similar arrangement for ramming salt, but with
long instead of short tubes. A is the bed plate; B, the side frame; C, the hopper fitted
with double serrated bars D and central plate D*, worked by lever d and rod d*,
by an excentric on the driving shaft or otherwise, which may be also used for D;
E is the charger moved by lever e; F are the rammers mounted on bar F×, and
running in guides; G are the tubes; H, the excentrics for driving the rammers
turned by wheel h, spur i, and pulleys I, or otherwise; Ix is a fly wheel on the shaft
of i. The tube case G, filled with a series of tubes g, of any desired shape, is firmly
bolted to B, and is, preferably, made in two parts, see Section, Fig. 34. It is
strengthened by girders g* and strongly bolted together at every few inches.
The length and diameter of the tubes are arranged according to the shape of nut
required, the salt to be compressed, and the moisture it may contain. For very
moist salt I prefer to have the discharge end of the tube higher than the ramming

page_text: end, to lessen the moisture in the salt discharged. The tubes, however, may bo set
upright, or at any convenient anglo.
There is, preferably, a small hole near the ramming end of each tube to allow the
moisture to escape.
At the discharge end the tube is opened for the admission of knives K, like F,
Fig. 23, which may also serve as a temporary stopper or dead plate; from this point
to the discharge end, the tube is larger to allow the nut to move freely when pushed
forward. A thin plate j overlaps the belt M on to which the nuts are passed. I
sometimes give the belt an intermittent movement, or arrange for it to move regularly,
and employ a dipping rake worked by cams on the shaft of the excentric, which
regularly removes a row of nuts each stroke on to the bolt M at the same speed it
is travelling, to better preserve the salt from friction on the belt.
The knives K are worked by a swing lever k coming in contact with the
backward stroke of * or by cams on the shaft of the excentrics.
The apparatus may be constructed any convenient width, but if very wide, should
have one half of the excentrics set half a turn forward, and the bar F* bo worked
in guides for each half to ease the driving.
For very heavy pressure I sometimes employ hydraulic cylinders for this and
Fig. 29.
The belts M and M* are covered in by a case N, into which hot air from pipe o
is blown by a blast fan O through the opening o* on cach side of the case, and kept
well down on the salt by sloping pieces of metal n. With this hopper and those of
the previous apparatus I sometimes employ revolving knives on a vertical shaft to
press the salt downwards in addition or instead of the motions illustrated.
The machine works as follows:-The bars D work the salt in the hopper under
the charger E, which loads the half open tubes as the raminers are withdrawn from
under it. The rammers press this salt forward until past the opening, and then
compress it against the resisting salt in the tube, which is forced one nut length for-
ward. The piston now returns, and knife K falls, cutting off a row of nuts in
front, which as the operation proceeds is passed on to the belt M, and on these
allowed to set and consolidate under the current of hot air blown in by O.
On reaching the upper end of the belt, the nuts pass on to the belt beneath,
which moves at a much slower speed, and allows nuts, several deep, to consoli-
date sufficiently to be turned into a stove at P, or on to further belts for hardening.
In cases when it is difficult to employ belts of sufficient length to allow of their
constant working, I sometimes arrange for this machine to be mounted on wheels,
so that after filling one belt it may be moved to another, allowing the first belt to
stand until its nuts are set and hardened.
When making bars or blocks of large diameter by any of the foregoing arrange-
ments, I prefer to use thin plates of metal or wood, on which the salt is delivered,
or which meet the salt and move with it during delivery, so as to preserve its shape.
In the last apparatus these plates are preferably arranged to receive the salt before
its being severed.
Reciprocal Blockor.- Fig. 35 is a plan view partly in section; Fig. 36 is a
side view of same; Fig. 37 is an end view of same.
Fig. 38, details of an automatic apparatus for producing blocks of salt or such
other material as may require time to set or partially solidify in their moulds before
removal therefrom. Its movements are here arranged with hydraulic cylinders and
driving belt, but they may also be arranged to be entirely driven by the belt with
cranks, excentrics, levers, or otherwise, dispensing with the use of hydraulics.
A is the reciprocal mould case; B, rails for same; C, catches for moving the case
forward; D, spur wheel for moving the case backwards; E, flue under case;
F, wagon line to stove; G, cylinder for moving the case and wagons; H, hot air
case; I, salt spout from hopper above; J, cullender; K, upper cross head with com-
pressers; L, lower cross head; A, cross head with ejectors; N, cylinder for working
same; O, clips; P, carriage for same; Q, rail frame; R, long cylinder; S, wagon

page_text: belt; T, driving pulleys; U, first cam; V, second cam; W, position of loose bottoin
feeder; X, framing.
The reciprocal mould case A is mounted on wheels ax running on rails B which
are supported at intervals on the main frame X. The moulds in the case have
lifting bottoms a.
On each side of the case there are long racks al moved by ratchets C for its
intermittent forward movement, and below these there are other racks a 2 in gear
with wheel D for its backward movement. The case is preferably heated by the
flue E which communicates with the waste hont flue of the pan or otherwise. It
curves past the machinery by the side flue E* under the wagon line F. The ratchets
care supported and moved by side lever c keyed on to a cross shaft cx (which is
carried on bearings on the frame X) and move by a pendent iever c 1 by the cylinder
Gand connecting rod J.
The wheels D keyed to shaft d are turned by a clutch box d1 in con-
nection with the shaft of wheel D*. Above the table there is preferably a case H
containing heated air to quicken the drying, and to collect and carry off the steam.
The salt is filled into the moulds by spout I which communicates with a hopper
above. It is fitted with measuring valves i or their equivalent and moveable plates
at their ends, as in I, Fig. 10. J is the cullender or pipe for admitting brine, pre-
ferably concentrated and hot, to the salt in the newly filled moulds for washing it and
causing it to set more compactly. I sometimes use a similar cullender after the com-
pressers have acted on the salt to add to to the solidity of the block. The waste brine
is collected in a tray placed below the moulds and run into the surface pans or other-
wise. K is the cross head of the upper row of compressers & which enter the
moulds a when lowered. On the faces of I sometimes place stamps to mark or
letter the salt, providing a self-acting brush at the sido to keep them clean each time
they are raised out of the moulds.
The cross head K slides in guides at each end and is moved up and down by a
pair of hydraulic cylinders K* whose rods are bolted to the cross head at its ends.
The cylinders are connected with pipes, top and bottom, and worked by the same
valve. The lower cross head L is similarly steadied in guides and actuated by a
pair of cylinders L* whose rods * are bolted to its ends. It raises the mould
bottoms and acts in conjunction with K above, so as to compress the block top and
bottom simultaneously.
The size and length of stroke of the cylinder is varied according to the com-
pression desired. When dispensing with one set of compressers I employ a counter-
acting dead plate on the opposite side of the case. M is the cross head carrying the
ojectors m, which fit into and raise the lifting bottoms of the moulds and hold them
in position for the clips O to take the blocks therefrom. I sometimes arrange for m
to turn when the clips have closed on the blocks, in order more readily to detach
the block from the plate a. This cross head also moves in guides at each end, and
is moved up and down by a pair of long-stroke hydraulic cylinders N, whose
rods are bolted to it at n*. These cylinders are constructed so as first to loosen
the blocks in the moulds by the action of their large pistons n, which is steadied
by a grooved head nx, Fig. 38, and then to raise the blocks above the mould case
by the small piston n 1 working in the hollow piston rod of the large one.
The
cylinders are connected top and bottom by pipes n 2, n 3, and n 4. The clips O close
to on the sloping sides of the row of blocks raised between them by N, and
transport them to the wagon. They swing in bearings p* on their carriage P,
and are moved in and out by the excentric o actuating the hinged ends o 1 or
otherwise.
I sometimes let the moulds form notches or projections in the blocks to give the
clips a better hold on them.
The clip carriage P is mounted on wheels p runuing on the raised rail frame Q,
which is supported at each end by the uprights g aud q*. Through bearings in
the top of the carriage P. passes a slotted or feathered rod o, p, on which slide the

page_text: wheel 1 which turns the excentric driven by o. This rod is actuated by an arm
and rod from cam U. The carriage is moved to and fro by a long small bore
cylinder R, whose piston rod is fastened to the carriage at 7, P.
I sometimes prefer to turn the blocks over before transferring them to the
wagon Fx, after the style of Figs. 6 and 7, Sheet 2, of Specification 2106, of 1877,
placing the casing H further back for this purpose. To this end I place the clips c
and a therein mentioned with suitable means of motion in a line parallel with the
length of the apparatus, employ a case open on one side, and swung at each end in
bearings carried by carriage P. When the case has clipped the blocks coming from
the mould case, it turns over and holds the blocks upon the ledges c; it then
travels over the wagon Fx, opens the clips c, and lowers the blocks thereon. The
wagon now moves forward a row, withdrawing the blocks from the clip case, which
then returns over A, reverses itself, and is ready for a fresh load.
For very moist salt I use thin plates or boards, top and bottom of the block, to
prevent injury to the block. They are either applied by hand or by an arrange-
inent after the style of Fig. 11, Sheet 2, of Specification 2106, of 1877.
I arrange all the cylinders to start and stop their pistons very gently, being
fitted with ports like D, Fig. 1, Sheet 2, Specification 2106 of 1877, and are
supplied with water from an accumulator or otherwise, and by means of an air
chamber or counterpoise piston; when the pressure is taken off one side of the
working pistons, the counterpoise causes the water to return to their other sides
and force them back again.
The wagons F have their tops, or the tops of the trays which some of them
carry, level with the top of the case A. The wagons accompanying the case in its
forward movements, and receive the blocks on their tops in rows by the action of
clips O and carriage P. They are moved by suitable projections on the endless
belt S. The belt passes round two wheels; the former s 1 is keyed to a shaft 8*,
on the end of which there is a large ratchet wheel S*. This wheel is moved by a
weighted catch a 3 or arm 84 by rod 8 5 connected with lever c 1.
To provide movement for the wagons equivalent to the space between the buffers
of the wagons there is a short notch on the wheel a*, for which the cylinder G takes
a short stroke (not enough to move the case) between times.
The apparatus is driven by pulleys T and T*, and its movements are auto-
matically by cams U and V. Pulley T turns shaft t, and screws round
cam U, on whose axle there is a pinion t 1, which again turns cam V by the inter-
mediate wheels t2 and t3 and v; pulley T* turns wheel D* by wheels t4, t 5, t6.
Cam U takes one complete turn for each row of blocks, and cam V one only for the
double journey of the case. U has levers u 3, which with rods work the valves of
the three pair of cylinders L, M, N, and cylinder R, and regulate the movements of
valves i and the clips O. The levers when held out by the cam U have all the
movements at rest and out of the way of the movements of case A. or the wagons S*.
There are locking bars v1 moved by cain V, which when the case is ready to
return catch and hold them in this position until the case has been returned and
their movements are again required.
There is a clutch box at a moved in and out of gear by a balance weight actuated
by pins on the case, in such way that it is put in gear when the case has com-
pleted its movement forward, and thrown out of gear when it has completed its
backward movement. A strap fork moves the belt on to pulley T* by the action of
cam V, and on to the middle loose pulley or on to pulley T by a balance weight
actuated by a pin on the case when it has completed its back journey. There are
stops or buffers to receive the case at the end of its stroke each way. The case
moves backwards slowly to give time for shifting the wagons, and for replacing
them with empty ones.
A handle is provided for the attendant to restart the apparatus or to set it to
restart itself.
For lightly pressed blocks I use cams after the style of Fig. 3, Sheet 3 of Speci-
0100

page_text: When working the apparatus for the production of non-compressed blocks I dis-
pense with K and L, and sometimes raise the blocks from the the mould case by
cranks instead of cylinders N, using screws, racks, et cetera, to move carriage P.
W is where I place a loose bottom case after the fashion of Fig. 11, Sheet 2 of
Specification 2106 of 1877, for placing pieces of wood et ceteru, on the inould
bottoms when the blocks have been removed before they are again lowered; part
of the casing H is removed to make room for it.
In another arrangement I compress the blocks sideways, with a view of giving their
crystals more lateral space for adjusting themselves, thereby securing a more even
compactness throughout the whole block, and in a shorter time of compression.
In place of taking the blocks from the upper side of the case I sometimes arrange
to take them from the under side, lowering them on to wagons or belts placed
there to receive them. In this case the moulds preferably widen downwards, and
the lifting bottom is either dispensed with altogether, a dead plate being used under
the hopper and upper compresser, or flaps or slide bottoms are used in its place,
which are opened for the blocks to pass out. The belt and wagons when used
under the case A preferably permit rods to riso through them, after the style of
Fig. 12, of Sheet 2, of Specification 2106, of 1877 only instead of receiving the
blocks on the head of the rods, I prefer that they should hold up a piece of wood
or other material, to give the block a better base to stand on when being lowered
on to the carriages or belt.
When using a belt under the case A for receiving the blocks and passing them
on to a wagon at its side, I sink line F somewhat, and either use an apparatus like
Figs. 13, 14, Sheet 2, of Specification 2106, of 1877, or else arrange for each row of
blocks to be received on a board or plate under the case A, and be slid sideways
direct on to a wagon by suitable movements of the apparatus.
The apparatus works as follows:-The case A in Fig. 36 is in the act of being
filled and discharged, moving from right to left one row of moulds at a time by the
action of ratchets C and cylinder G. The forward part is being filled with salt as
it passes under hopper I; the latter is having its blocks transferred to wagon S* as
it passes them under o. At each turn of cam U the following movements take
place, unless locked by cam V, which stops the movements successively as each end
of the case alternately moves past them:-The row of moulds over M have their
blocks raised into the clips O, which close on them, and deliver them on carriage S*.
The moulds under the hopper I receive their proper charge of salt from the move-
ment of the valves i. The moulds between K and L have their salt consolidated
by their united action, while if the cullender is used, a flush of hot brine is received
on the heads of the moulds beneath it. The various parts now get back again into
their places, when the case and wagon are moved forward another row, and the
work proceeds as before. As the case passes from under O, P, m and o are stopped
by cam V. The saine takes place with the valves i when the case passes from under
spout I, and K and L are stopped when their services are no longer useful. After
the table has been run back to the right and is returning, the various movements
are again restarted by cain V, which thus carefully prevents waste of salt or useless
action of the cylinders, and keeps everything clear for the table to move.
the case reaching the length of its stroke to the left it topples over a weight, which
puts clutch d1 in gear. The cam V lifts the catches c from their racks, and runs
the belt on to pulley Tx, which winds the case back to the right. During its move-
ment the attendant provides fresh empty wagons for the load of blocks above to be
delivered.
On
If it is desired to leave the blocks longer time to set in their moulds before
removal the attendant sets a handle, which allows the machine to run the strap on
the loose pulley when the case A has completed its stroke to the right, otherwise
on the case getting in that position it moves a lever and rod, running the strap
on to T, and thereby restarting the cams U and V, which cause the case to again
*move to the left, discharging and refilling its moulds as it proceeds, as previously
explained.

page_text: With the view of causing the blocks to set more quickly, I sometimes arrange to
raise them in their moulds by forcing up the loose bottom a a few inches by
suitable mechanism, and blow air, preferably heated, through the inoulls from below.
The ease is afterwards run back, and the blocks are ejected from the case as pre-
viously explained.
Lifting Cage. The carriages for the blocking machine are preferably arranged to
carry three or more tiers of blocks, one above the other, into the stove. 1 arrange
to do this by having loose tops on most of the wagons that pass the blocking
machine. These tops or trays have corner legs, which allow of their being fitted
one upon the other, as seen Fig. 40, end view, in which condition they are run into
the stove. Very similar wagons have been in use for peat drying, and I make no
claim for them except in general combination with my tunnel stoves, Fig. 15, for the
purposes described. The operation of putting together and taking to pieces these
tier wagons is fascilitated by the lifting cage A, working in a suitable framing, and
moved by an hydraulic cylinder B, or otherwise. The cage and cross head C slide in
guides at D; on the sides of A. there are ledges a and b. When the cage is down,
so that the cross head is at E, a carriage carrying a tray is run into it, the tray
passing just over the ledges a. The carriage is stopped in a correct position by a
locking catch, and the cage started. It lifts the top off the carriage, and stops with
its cross head at G; by disengaging a catch which shuts the valves of the cylinder B,
or by stopping the lifting machinery used in the place of the same, the carriage,
minus its top, is run on to a siding, and a fresh carriage carrying tray number two
is run into the cage and there stopped. Its top is similarly raised by the ledges b,
and the cross head stops a little above C. Its carriage is run on to the siding, and a
stove wagon is this time placed in the cage. The two upper tiers of blocks are then
lowered on to it, as seen Fig. 40, the corner legs of the trays fitting into suitable
holes, and forming a 3-tier carriage, which is next run into the stove. Near the
cage which I use for putting the tier carriages together on the main line leading
from the blocking machine, I employ a similar cage for taking the empty carriages
to pieces after they have been emptied of their blocks in the stove or elsewhere. It
is placed on the return line leading to the back of the blocking machine, and places
the empty trays from the tier wagons returning from the stove on to the tray
wagons, which it receives from the siding. By this system only the stove wagons
onter the stove, the tray wagons circulating in their proper turn by the blocking
machine through the first cage on to a siding, back through the second cage to the
rear of the blocking machine, and so on continuously.
The cage drawn is arranged for carriages of 3 tiers, but I sometimes arrange
them for two only, or for far more, as when I place 6 or 8 trays one above the other
for drying nuts, cakes, bars, or loose salt. In this latter case, although several tray
wagons may be used as above, I prefer to bring the trays up to the cage by an
endless belt working between the lines F and below the level of the axles on the
wagons in such way that the cage can pick up the required number of trays by
suitable ledges projecting from its sides, and then lower a complete set of them on to
a stove wagon with wheels wide apart backed into the cage over the endless belt,
and arranged for their reception and for their transportation into the stove. A
similar cage with convenient lines of rails is arranged at the other end of the belt
for taking the tier carriages to pieces and distributing the trays on the belt for re-
filling with salt.
In another form of blocking machine somewhat similar to my previous blocking
machine, Fig. 1, Sheet 2, of Specification 2106 of 1877, I also arrange to compress the
blocks by an hydraulic cylinder which moves vertically directly over the mould to
be compressed.
I arrange to compress the blocks sideways, sometimes placing loose bottoms in
the moulds to support the blocks when ejected.
The table containing the moulds is mounted on a cone like my last machine, or
on a vertical shaft carried in bearings on a bed plate below the table and in bearings
in a frame placed over it, and firmly connected with the bed plate by pillars or

page_text: framing at the sides of the table. The table is turned intermittently, preferably, by
a screw or by a wheel, on which there are intermittent teeth, which comes in
contact with teeth on the under side of the outer rim of the table.
The moulds are on the outer upper side of the table, and are preferably placed
radiating from its centre. These are constructed of sufficient depth to hold a charge
of salt, which after compression forms a block about as thick as it is wide. The
vertical corners of the moulds are preferably rounded off so as to facilitate the
block in leaving the mould. Over the moulds there is a hopper which charges
the moulds with salt as they pass under it like hopper I, Fig. 1, Sheet 2, of Speci-
fication 2106 of 1877. Below this portion of the table there is a plate over which
it moves to prevent the salt from falling out of the bottom of the moulds, or to
support a loose bottom which may move along it. As the table turns each mould
charged with salt passes under an hydraulic cylinder fitted with a compresser of the
shape of the mould, which enters the mould from the top and compresses the salt to
the desired thickness.
Between the compresser and the salt I sometimes place a thin sheet of metal,
wood, or cardboard to prevent salt sticking to it, as in my previous machines.
When the piston withdraws from the mould the table again moves forward for the
operation to be repeated with the next mould, and so on until the opposite side of
the table is reached, where an ejecting cylinder is placed over the table, whose
piston moving slowly downwards forces the block froin the mould. In so doing a
thrin sheet of inetal or wood placed under the salt (either moved up from below or
put into the mould before it was filled with salt) receives the block and lowers it
into a double chain belt placed at a short distance under the table. This thin
sheet of metal or wood is lowered by an arrangement somewhat similar to Fig. 12,
Sheet 2, of Specification 2100 of 1877, or by lovers moved by the ejecting piston
over the mould. The object being that they should work together, and prevent the
block being broken or jarred in its passage to the belt.
The blocks are preferably made about 12 inches in length, by about 6 or 8 inches
square, but may be made of any convenient size or shape to suit various markets.
The belt is endless and passes over suitable wheels or drums at each end. It is
formed of jointed pieces of metal, through which the arrangements for lowering the
block work, although in certain cases these arrangements may be made to pass at
the side of the belt.
The belt is sometimes arranged to bring up the thin pieces of metal or wood on
which the blocks afterwards rest.
When making non-compressed blocks in the machine I dispense with the com-
pressing cylinder, and place moulds of tin or other suitable material in the moulds
in the table, and after filling them with salt discharge them on to the travelling
belt below. The belt has an intermittent movement and removes the blocks away
from the machine as fast as they are deposited safely on its surface. It may either
take them direct into a drying chamber, or pass them near a carriage, preferably
arranged with skeleton tiers to carry several blocks one above the other, on to which
they can be loaded by hand or by the machine. For this latter purpose I arrange
that as the belt moves forward it pushes the pieces of wood or metal on which the
blocks rest forward into the carriage, the wood or thin metal sliding at each end on
bars in the carriage provided for the purpose. Although preferring to compress the
salt in the moulds from the upper side of the table I sometimes place one or
both cylinders below it, using a strong plate over the mould, and compressing the
salt upwards.
In all cases the cylinders are arranged to start and stop gently, and their move-
ments are preferably governed by cams taking one turn for each block produced.
The movements of the apparatus are driven by a main shaft, which is arranged
to drive the screw or gearing for turning the table, gives an intermittent move-
ment to the belt, and turns the regulating cams for working the cylinders. This
shaft is either turned by a belt or by a little engine fixed to the bed plate of the
apparatus, and may either be driven by steam or hydraulic pressure.

page_text: Carriage Loader for Blocking Machine.-The blocks as they comic from the
blocking machinery are either allowed to travel on the belt into the stove, or are
transferred by hand or machinery on to another belt or wagon which pass into
the stove. For transferring the blocks on to a wagon I cause the same to pass over
the end of the belt on to a projecting framing carrying rollers. The pieces on
which the blocks rost aro pressed forward by projections on the belt, or else the belt
is stopped for each wagon length, and the blocks pushed into its stove sido of the
belt. This framing delivers the blocks on to a wagon, and fills it with a row of
blocks from side to side. The wagon is then moved the longth of a block, and a
fresh row of blocks are again filled across the wagon parallel with the first, and so
on. When the wagon is full another wagon is put in its place, and the first is
removed into the stove. When filling the wagons I cause the end of the belt to be
raised up and down to suit the various tiers of the wagon, or cause the wagon to
be moved up and down by a moving platform worked by hydraulics or otherwise.
In another arrangement 1 lift the blocks automatically from the belt one by one
or in rows from a horizontal to a vertical position, and then push them sideways
into a carriage run into the machine and arranged for their reception, as shown,
Fig. 41, side view; Fig. 42, end view; Fig. 43, plan view. A is the lower framing
of the machine supporting the upper lean-to frames a and a* with tie rods a 1,
and providing suitable bearings for the moving parts of the apparatus. It has up-
rights 2, guides a 3, and rails at a 4 and a 5; a 6 are rails leading to the stove; B
is the belt drum carried on shaft b and turned by wheel B*. It moves the belt c
from the blocking machinery, one block at a time, between the vertical elevators D.
The pieces of thin metal or wood on which the block travels project on each sida
of the belt, and permits ledges dx on the endless belts or chains D to raise them
as they move upwards. These belts pass round drum d and d 1. On the shafts
of the lower drums d1 are bevel wheels d 2 turned by bevels d3 on the shaft № 4,
which is turned by the wheel D*. The wheels B* and D, x, are turned one after the
other intermittently by suitable pins and intermittent teeth e and projections on
the wheel E, and are kept in the proper position each time by catches or lock pins
on the framing; E is driven by the bevel F on shaft f, preferably in gear with the
blocking machine. On the shaft of E there is a worm which turns a wheel on the
cross shaft g of cam G, causing it to make one complete turn for each wagon
treated. This cam regulates the movements of the valves of two little hydraulic
cylinders H and I or gearing in their place; H moves by its rod h two crank levers k
and, whose connecting rods 1 and 2 move the frame, charging J in and out
between the elevators. The frame J is supported at the top by wheels J1 and at
the bottom by wheels J 2. It only moves when a row of blocks, raised by the
elevators D, are ready to be pushed into the wagon, and gets back quickly into the
position shown, Fig. 41, after each stroke, where it remains until required to
operate again. There are short stud rollers k carried by the framing to support
the ends of the block pieces as they are pushed into the wagon. Cylinder I moves
the twin swing levers i, which are connected at their tops by rods i*, carrying a
catch 1 balanced upwards by a weight 2. Both cylinders are arranged to start
and stop very gently. On each side of the fraining between the rails there is a
catch and also balanced upwards. These three catches act in notches made
in a bar m, passing under the axles of the stove carriage M in such way as to pass
the carriage on one compartment at a time in front of the charging frame J. The
rails are set at a slight incline upwards from right to left, so as to keep the
carriage M well back against the catches and 1. The carriage is further kept in
a correct position for charging by the little pulleys n on the framing acting on the
upper and lower tier of the carriage. The carriage is divided into compartments,
supporting tiers of ledges or slides, for the support of the block pieces when pushed
into it. When filled it is preferably run into a tunnel stove, see Fig. 15, and the
blocks allowed to dry therein or taken elsewhere for storing or removal.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The belt C moves one block at a time
between the elevators D just over one pair of the ledges d, and stops. The elevators

page_text: with their ledges rise, raising the block from the belt one tier level above it. The
belt again moves, followed by the movement of the elevators, until a succession of
blocks are facing the tiers (in this case seven) in the wagon.
The charging
frame J now presses these blocks in.o the wagon and gets back, so as to allow fresh
blocks to pass up again in front of it to be similarly treated when their turn comes.
When a compartment of the wagon has been charged from side to side cylinder I
moves the wagon forward, so that a new compartment is presented for similar
charging. The wagons are preferably linked together in a line, so that as soon as
one wagon is filled it is pushed forward with another one following it, to be simi-
larly charged. To pass the wagons over the intermediate space between the buffers
of the carriages, cylinder I takes a short extra stroke.
I sometimes use twin chains in the place of a belt to bring the blocks up. In
this case I place an elevator with wide ledges in between the chains, facing the
blocks. These are moved forward over the ledges sideways, when the latter rise
and hold them one over the other in position to be pushed backwards into a wagon,
which in this case passes on rails over the belt.
A lifting cylinder may be used instead of the elevator, raising the blocks to the
desired height, where they are retained by catches and afterwards pushed on to the
wagon.
In another arrangement I use wide elevators and raise several say eight blocks
in length at once, so that a compartment may be filled each time the carriage M
moves forward, which enables the apparatus to work inore slowly.
To facilitate the movement of the blocks along the ledges of these wide belts I
employ stud rollers or little endless belts stretched on jointed sections of the
elevators, and either use direct-acting long small bore cylinders to move frame J, or
employ much longer lovers K and K 1 for that purpose, and extend the rails 4 and
a 5 on which the frame runs to increase the stroke of J.
In place of elevators I sometimes use cages with ledges which have an up-and-down
movement given to them. The ledges either turn back or recede to allow the cage
to pass belt for a fresh load when moving downwards past the belt or during the
charging of a compartment to permit the cage to be lowered for a fresh charge.
When employing cages for raising the blocks from the bolt, I sometimes give
motion to the little endless belts which it carries, so that projections on them push
the blocks on to the carriage, and thus dispense with the use of frame J.
The apparatus is preferably cased in and supplied with heated air, so that the
blocks are drying during the time that they are being transferred from the belt to
the wagon.
The carriages with their load of blocks are preferably run into a tunnel stove, see
Fig. 15.
Tunnel Stove. It is divided off in tunnels 6 for each line of carriages so that
one set may be filled in and another emptied in independent tunnels without its
doors being opened and the rest of the stove chilled.
The tunnels may have arched or flat roofs, or like those shown in the Fig. 15.
There are doors at each end for each tunnel. Beneath cach tunnel I place a flue e
in connection with flue A*, or a suitable furnace. Each flue has regulating dampers,
so when the stove is not being used the heat is turned off and sent down some of
the other flues, or used for other purposes.
There are points or turntables connecting the blocking machinery with the
various tunnels at one end, and the boat or railway quays at the other.
I somotimes use wire ropes to run a train of wagons into and out of these tunnels.
As fast as the wagons are emptied of their blocks at the loading quay they are sent
down a spare line to be refilled and returned to the stove.
Grinding, Storing, and Sieving-The grinding hopper Q, Figs. 10 and 13, is
arranged to supply the rollers within when they are at work, but to have its surplus
salt removed by a screw a working down the tube 1 should the salt rise too high
in the hopper, and require removing to the store S. At the end of 1 there is a
revolving disc q2 with radial grooves on its upper surface, on which the salt falls

page_text: and is spread out over the store by centrifugal force; 2 is driven by Devel wheels
off the end of the screw shaft q.
The store may be in compartments and is omptied by valves at the bottom when
required, but preferably by the elevator Sx which is arranged to work at the same
time as the bagging machine and rollers in Q, but which may be worked separately,
as for instance, when salt in bulk is required when I arrange a short elevator fed
from to deliver the salt into wagons on the upper floor.
I sometimes place a reciprocal grid scraper horizontally at the bottom of the
store S and cause it to move backwards and forwards in cases where the sult cakes
and requires to be scraped loose before passing up the elevator Rx.
Revolving blades may be also used to prevent the salt from caking in mass.
When finally drying partially dried nuts or cakes or large crystals of salt capable of
permitting the passage of air through the interstices in the store, I cause hot air to
enter at its bottom and pass through the salt and conduct the heated air, and any
salt dust arising therefrom from the top of the store preferably over one of the
surface pans where the salt dust settles.
The grinding rollers in Q are preferably constructed with deep interlocking
annular V shaped grooves in them. The periphery of each ridge is preferably
serrated so as to keep the space in the opposite roller clear from the salt caking.
The rollers in Ox are similarly arranged, but have in addition scrapers arranged to
clear the under sides from any salt sticking to them. I prefer to use three pairs of
these rollers, one over the other, so that the salt passing through all one after the
other is thoroughly ground before it is passed forward. In connection with these
rollers for grinding I sometimes employ a rotatory sieve, or a long sieve hung at the
corners and caused to vibrate by the action of one or more excentrics working
vertically, as in the case of sieves used for sifting grain. The salt passing through
the sieve is collected and passed forward for use, while that discharged at the end
of the sieve is brought back again by an elevator to the hopper Q, and reground
before being again passed into the sievo.
For grinding nuts, cakes, bars, or other small forms of compact salt I sometimes
employ a disentegrator or stampers, crushing the salt between two surfaces. Some-
times in addition to this treatment passing the salt through the rollers in Q, and
subsequent sievos. The salt passing through Q (and subsequent sieves when used)
can be either directed to pass into the tube m 2, or taken by the clevator Qx, and
discharged into the hopper of the bagging machine (which is marked Tin Figs. 10
and 13).
Reciprocal Sacker.-Fig. 43a is an elevation of the bagging machine marked T,
Figs. 10 and 13. Fig. 44, an end view; Fig. 45, a plan view, both partly in
section; and Fig. 46 and Fig. 47 plan views of details of an apparatus for filling
Backs with salt or other material by means of a reciprocal frame moving under
measuring spouts and discharging the sacks when filled on to wagons for removal to
the store or elsewhere as required.
A is the reciprocal frame mounted on slides or wheels a, moving on the upper
surface of the side frames B, which are bolted to the bed plate C, and steadied by
frames Bx at each end, and by the hopper frame D, which supports the hopper E.
F1 and F2 are the measuring valves, preferably in numerous divisions, as shown
Fig. 45. Fx is the space between the valves made to hold more or less salt, according
to the position of the hinged side plates G, which are placed on each side of Fx, and
made to move to and from each other by studs g on their lower outer sides, which
protrude through the sides of Fx, and which are actuated by right and left screws on
the shafts and h1, turned by the handle H and cross shaft hx. I are the spouts
for delivering the salts into the bags. J are the clips for securing the bags to the
frame, opened and closed by the handle Jx, or otherwise. K is the platform of the
joggler for lifting the bottoms of the sacks up and down to shake the salt into its
place. It is supported by side uprights, guided between rollers k, or on guides on
the side frame B and bed plate C. These are caused to move up and down by
rollers k running on cams L on the cross shaft b, or may be driven by eccentrics

page_text: moved up and down in a frame worked by excentrics on l.
The shaft l, with the
arrangement shown in this design, is turned by the worm wheel Lx at its end by
the screw M on the drum shaft n. N and Nx are the fast and loose pulleys on n.
The strap is moved from one to the other by the fork rod ox moved by the weight
O or handle o x. O moves ox by the shaft and rod ol and o2, and always runs
the strap on to the loose pulley unless the handle O is held back to the left. This
is effected during the working of the machine by a drop catch P, which is only
raised to stop the machine when the frame A reaches either end of its stroke, studs
being placed on it for the purpose.
The reciprocal frame A is caused to move backwards and forwards by racks a 1
at its sides, into which wheels q on shaft 9x intergear. This shaft is driven by
bevel wheel g 1, in gear with bevels r and rx, which run loose on the vertical shaft R.
There is a clutch box Rx turning with the shaft and put in gear with either of the
wheels or rx by a topple weight Sx, or otherwise. This weight is toppled over by
projections on the case placed so as to effect its movement when it has reached the
end of its stroke at both ends.
The shaft R has an intermittent motion given to it by wheel 2, coming for a
certain distance in contact with intermittent teeth on the side of wheel Lx. It
moves case A one row of sacks at a time, and then allows them to stop to be filled
and joggled, when it again moves them on to make room for another pair or to
place them over the wagon.
The valves F 1 and 2 are actuated by the crank levers f1 and f2, weights f3
and f4, and two rods f 5. These latter are carried in guides near the bottoni, and
have little wheels f6, which move up and down over suitable cams a 2 and a 3,
running the length of the case on either side. One valve is always shut, and they
move alternately. Each time the valves move a record of the number of sacks
filled is noted on the indicator T. U are rails preferably inclined upwards towards
the centre of the apparatus. V is a wagon shortly to be filled. It is detained in
its present position by a catch moved by handles W on either side of the machine.
I arrange the clips in the table in various ways, but the one I prefer is that shown
in Fig. 46, plan view, with the top removed. The clips are composed of inner and
outer surfaces j1 and j 2, both grooved horizontally on their inner surfaces, which
grooves interlock and hold the sack firmly between them. The inner surfaces pro-
ject rather lower than the outer ones to facilitate placing the bags thereon.
half of the clips j1 are fixed to a frame on the lower side of the caso A. The other
half move to the right and left by a frame j8, to which they are attached by the
action of an excentric jx, turned by handle Jx, or otherwise; j3 is a swing bar
carried in suitable bearings, turning on axle j4, and moved by handle j5; it has
projecting pins at each end 16 and 17, which distend the sack and hold it on the
inner clips before the handle J* is turned. On one side of the case, Fig. 46, the
pins are shewn turned back out of the way, on the other open and distending the
bags.
One
Fig. 47 is a plan view of clips for top joggling. Each pair is distinct, and the
clip frames 8 move across the case instead of lengthways. Each pair has a separato
excentric jx turned by a soparate handle Jx, or preferably by projections jxx on the
frame which lock each pair of clips as they pass it. These are opened by a bar at
each end of the frame, which, when the four pairs of sacks are over, their wagon
noves automatically, or is moved by the attendant to liberate the sacks. Both
pair of clips in the caso of top joggling, are on moveable frames a, and are joggled
up and down by pins on a Thead on the upright, and forming part of an extension
of the same which comes in contact with the under surface of a. I sometimes
arrange these clips to be shaken laterally on slides or on a centre, instead of being
moved up and down. With top joggling I pass the wagons in succession through
the machine from right to left, or vice versa, which may also be arranged with
bottom joggling when the plate K is either made to dip below the level of the line
or turn up, or dip in parts, or move sideways.
I sometimes simply hook the bags on to the frame or frames, or arrange for the

page_text: bags to havo metal rings or stretchers placed on them at their top by a lad, and
drop the bag through the frame from the upper side, when the ring either jams
itself between sloping sides in the case, or is clipped by the movement of an outer
ring or parts of one in sections closing upon it by means of levers or excentrics.
The former of these varieties of clips may be used for the eight at once bagger
described in the next Figure.
A
The apparatus works as follows:-Four pairs of sacks are placed on the clips and
handle; Jx is pulled over as shown, Fig. 43. Handle ox which, while the machine
is standing, is to the right, is pulled over to the left. This starts the case A moving,
catch P drops and holds the handle back, when the machine is fairly at work.
pair of sacks pass under hopper I, valve F 2 opens, the joggler K rises to meet the
sack and joggles the salt well into its place, when it again lowers out of the way,
The case A again moves, valve F 2 shuts to, and valve F1 opens, refilling Fx, and
again shuts to before the frame stops, presenting a fresh a fresh pair of sacks under
the hopper to be similarly filled, and so on, until the end of the traverse is reached,
when the catch P rises, liberates handle ox, and stops the machine. The frame has
before the end of its stroke overbalanced the topple weight Sx, and set the wheels
for moving the case backwards. The bags well filled and shaken have now moved
over wagon V, which is charged by the attendant moving the pin handles j 5 to the
left, and opening the clips by handle Jx. In the wagon shown, a chain or bar is
placed across the end at vx, handle W is pressed back, the wagon with its charge
runs out of the machine, permitting fresh bags to be clipped as quickly as possiblo
when handle ox is pulled over, re-starting the case on its back trip to fill another
wagon at the other end in the same way.
Although only four pairs of sacks are shown in the Drawing, where room permits,
and time is of importance, I place five, six, eight, or ten pairs of clips on the
frame, making the side frames B longer for the purpose. In this case I prefer
to work the clips automatically, and keep the attendants constantly placing bags
on the clips as fast as they are discharged into the wagon. In this way the
clipping and filling go on simultaneously, and time is saved.
To facilitate this process I employ an additional movement to the case A, which
runs it back past the filled sacks, so that the hoppers commence at once to fill
the newly clipped sacks. I employ a master cam, taking one turn for every to-
and-fro movement of the case, and regulating this extra movement, as also the
movement of the valves F1 and F 2, which only discharge into sacks which have
to be filled. I sometimes arrange while the bags remain clipped to shape the
salt at their tops by compressers acting from above.
Eight at once Bagger-Fig. 48 is an elevation, and Fig. 49 an end view of an
apparatus for filling several tubs, boxes, or sacks at the same time.
On the firm basement A there is the frame B with four pillars C, which support
the girders D and hopper E. Between the pillars on each side, standing somewhat
forward, are the arched frames F, which are firmly bolted to them, and also to
the baseinent B; G is an upper tie frame. It supports the measuring valves H
and Ha, the charge adjuster I, and the spouts and clips. There is a lower tie
frame Gx connecting the four pillars above the cam shaft K. This latter turns in
bearings on the frame B. L is the floor of the filling room, along which there
are rails (preferably at a slight gradient and sunk into the floor), communicating
with the store room or loading jetty; M is a hauling drum with a wire, rope, or
chain m. It is carried on brackets from the pillars C, and driven by pulleys N 3
by the intermediate wheels n, n 1, n 2, n 3, and n 4. O is a foot paddle
for applying a break to the drum. It is balanced upwards by the lever and
weight ox.
The wagons P have lifting tops Px kept in position on the lower framing by
steady pins passing trough the latter. Qis the sinking platform with rails
forming part of the through line; it is moved by the frames S sliding in guides at
c and gx, and is actuated by cams Qx. When raised, the top of the wagons pass
clear over the pads Fx which are fastened to the top of the frames F. When

page_text: lowered, the wagon's top rests on the pads, and the wagon sinks between steadying
stops on the side frame. When the top of the wagon has been so placed it is raised
and dropped on the pads by inner vertical slide frames R, which move in grooves in
F and gx, and are actuated by the cam Rx, or by an excentric or otherwise. The
shape of the cam is varied according to the style of shaking the sacks or tubs
require. In some cases I dispense with this movement, and employ top joggling
instead.
The measuring valves H and Ha are moved by the cranks h and ha, rods ⁄ 1 and
12, and levers 3 and 4, actuated by cams Hx. I is the charge regulator, like
H, Fig. 44. The clips in this machine work automatically; they are moved by a
shaft placed over their excentrics and intergeared with thein. This shaft is turned
by wheels 1, 2, shaft j3, wheel j4, and rack j5. The rack is steadied in
suitable bearings, and moved by lever j6 and cam Jx. There is a handle at j7 to
lock the clips open when tubs are being filled.
The cams keyed to shaft Kare driven by the screw wheel Kx from the pulley N1
by shaft nk and worm kx. On the side of Kx is a stopping cam S, which by
levers and rod sx runs the belt from N1 on to the loose pulley N 2 each time the
cams have made one complete revolution.
There are starting handles T on each side of the machine which are connected
together at t and work the fork rod 8x. Handle U removes a stop from under T,
and allows the belt to be run on pulley N 3 for working the drum; handle V is a
bronk acting on the side of the wagon; handle W is a weighted lever moving a
catch w for stopping the wagon in the correct place for treatment.
To Work the Apparatus.-One or more wagons, preferably a train, connected
together with linked joints are moved by the chain m from the store room on the
left up a slight incline to the right of the machine. The last wagon is then backed
up to catch W, and the attendant on one side of the machine and an assistant on
the other, each place four bags on the clips i, when the machine is started by
handle T; this runs the belt on to N 1, at the same time moving lever 8 out of a
depression in cam S. As the cams turn the clips close on the sacks and hold them
fast, the wagon wagon sinks, leaving its top Px on the pads Fx. Valve Ha opens,
running salt into the sacks, which is well shaken down by their bottoms being raised
and dropped, as Px is lifted and dropped on the pads by the action of the cams Rx
beneath. When the sacks are well filled and shaken down the clips loosen and
allow the sacks to take their places on the wagon which rises to meet them. The
valve Ha shuts to and valve H opens, thereby measuring off a fresh charge for the
next wagon. Cam S now runs the belt on to the loose pulley, when the machine
stops itself in the position shown, Fig. 48, handle W is pressed forward, and the
weight of the wagons to the right push the filled wagon out of the machine and
replace it with an empty one, which stops against the catch W and is similarly
treated.
I have illustrated a wagon with a central division board and division 21, but
any kind of wagon may be used which permits the lifting bottom to be raised as a
whole or in sub-divisions, which latter is the plan I adopt when only one pair of
sacks or tubs are filled at a time on the wagon. In this case a section of the
pads Fx is raised by cam Qx instead of the wagons sinking, and each breadth of
the wagon top is shaken up in succession.
For filling tubs or cases I employ ledges or rings on the lifting bottoms to keep
the tubs in their places. The empty tubs are put on the wagons in the store room
and run by or through the machine to the right, and passed back again as fast as
they are filled.
The hauling drum may be used at some distance from the machine, or a continuous
endless wire be used instead of the chain m, when the lines may be worked on a
level. When only a few wagons requiro filling at a time they may be moved by
hand and the hauling tackle be dispensed with.
Sack Sewing. To facilitate sewing up the sacks coming from the bagging
machine, I arrange for the wagon containing the sacks to pass in a single line

page_text: between t and tx, Fig. 12, where women sew them up on their way to the store. I
further arrange to have one or more rows of strong loops, preferably white or fancy
coloured, or rings woven into and across the sacks near the tops. In some cases I
have these rows of loops put into the sack by a powerful sewing machine, taking
long stitches, preferably while the canvas is in the piece before the sack is made up.
The loops occur at convenient distances, say about every inch, and facilitate one or
more needles being passed through them for sewing up the sacks by hand or
machinery.
For sewing up the sacks any suitable style of needle may be used, but I prefer to
use needles of the type known in the hosiery trade as self pressers, that is to say,
with an inner curved top, which will pass through a loop, and when charged with a
thread on the other side draw it back again by means of a loose flap centered in
the needle which turns over and forms with the curved end of the needle an eye
which retains and passes the thread through the first loop. I pass this needle or
needles through loops on one side of the sack, and either catch up those on the other
in succession or several at a time, so as to pass the loops through one another, when
I secure them by a cross thread, or else form a chain of loops along the top of the
sack. A needle or needles may be passed through loops on both sides of the sack,
when a cross thread placed between them is drawn through the loops on both sides
and is secured by a cross thread on each side, and the whole drawn up tight. For
another variety of sowing I pass a needle zig-zag through loops, first on one side of
the sack and then on the other, and draw the zig-zag up tight, securing the ends in
any case.
Tub Fillor. Fig. 50 is an elevation; Fig. 51, an end view both partly in section;
and Fig. 52, a detail plan view of another forin of tub-filling apparatus, dosigned for
filling tubs or barrels with lateral instead of vertical shaking to settle the salt.
A is the basement frame carried on girders B; C are four corner pillars, as in the
last apparatus, connecting the basement with the upper girders D with their hopper E,
which is fitted with measuring valves H and Ha, and charge regulator I, the same
as Fig. 48. Frame Gx supports these, as also three spouts F for filling the tubs,
which are passed benoath it on wagon G. There are two tables J, one on either
side of the carriageway, which are firmly bolted to brackets on the pillars C. On
these tables slide in suitable grooves or on rollers two frames K which approach and
recede from each other by the movement of the swing lever M, which actuates them
by means of the rods m, levers lx, ad rack wheels L. These latter are keyed to
the shafts, and run in bearings j projecting from the tables J. On the inner sides
of J there are sliding frames N which move to and fro in a line parallel with the
wagon way. They are worked by cranks O on the vertical shafts o, connected with
them by connecting rods ox jointed to a projection n from the back of the slides N.
The face of these slides carry rubbers or pads P which slightly incline downwards
and may be adjusted high or low to suit the convexity of large or small tubs. The
wagon G (see Fig. 52, plan view) is provided with three little turntables g carried
in suitable bearings or rollers on the wagon. The upper face of these turntables is
arranged with numerous rings to suit the diameter of various large or small tubs.
For each turntable there is a locking catch which keeps the tables from turning
while the wagon moves about, but which unlock when the wagon is under the
hopper, as shown, Fig. 50, by coming in contact with suitable projections on the
bar cx. The vertical shafts o are driven at their lower end by bevel wheels on the
cross shaft p, which is turned by the pulley Y and fly wheel Yx. The cranks O are
set opposite each other, so that the rubbers P work at the same speed but in
opposite directions. The lever M carries a heavy weight Mx, which is raised by
the action of cam Q on the shaft q, to which is keyed a screw wheel R which is
turned from pulley S by the cross shaft 8 and worm wheel sx. On each side of K
there are two cams. The inner ones work the valves H and Ha by levers, one of
which is seen at 5 and cross shafts h 3 and h4, and rods h 1 and h2, and ecranks h
and ha, as in the last machine. Cam T regulates the starting and stopping of the
rubbers P by moving the fork rod that governs the fast-and-loose pulleys Y. Cam U

page_text: is a stopping cam like S in Fig. 49. V is the starting handle which moves the belt
on to the fast pulley S1 by the rod v; V moves the belt back again when the cams
have taken one complete turn; W is a locking handle to keep the wagon steady
while the tubs are being filled. I sometimes employ screw clips or locks for the
wagon in its place. X is a break handle for regulating the entrance of the wagon
into the machine. I sometimes arrange a winding drum for this machine, after the
style of those mentioned for the last apparatus.
To Work the Machine.-A wagon carrying three empty tubs is placed in the
machine, as shown, Fig.,50, and there locked by handle W, or otherwise. Handle V
is then moved, and the cams started. The rubbers P close to on the tub and the
salt pours into them from the spouts F. Cam T starts the rubbers, rolling the tubs
backwards and forwards on their own axis, which shakes the salt well into its place.
When the tub is well filled cam T stops the rubbers, which withdraw; valve H
closes, and H a admits a fresh charge to the measuring hoppers. The apparatus is
then stopped by cam U and the wagon unlocked, when it is passed out of the
machine to make way for another to be similarly treated. When it is not
desired to shake the salt down in the tubs a handle is arranged to prevent
the weight Mx from falling, and the belt on pulley Y is removed. In a simple
form of this apparatus I merely pass the wagon with tubs under the spouts
and work the valves by hand.
For very large tubs, or in places where room is restricted, I arrange to have a
turntable like G, Fig. 52, arranged on the floor of the filling room under a filling
hopper, which is either reciprocated or moved faster and slower by excentric gearing.
A tub is rolled on to this turntable, which may be worked with or without side
rubbers, and the same started, reciprocating or revolving with jerks until the tub is
well filled, when it is rolled off and another tub filled in the saine way. For sinall
tubs I employ travelling belts, which place them in succession under hoppers.
I prefer to weigh the wagons bearing sacks, tubs, or cases before passing them
into the store, or loading them on to the boat or railway wagon. For this purpose
I arrange an automatic weighing machine as follows:-In the course of the roadway
leading from the bagging machine, or near the loading jetties Vx and Wx, Fig. 10, I
place a platform with rails on it, over which the wagons with their charge have to
pass. The wagons used are all of about the same weight, and the platform is
balanced by an adjustable weight or spring to the exact or standard weight desired
for the wagon with its proper charge to weigh. By a lever with suitable weight or
spring the platform rises or sinks more or less, according to whether the load is
more or less at variance with the standard weight. In so doing it actuates by a
rod the vibrating lever A to a greater or less extent.
Fig. 53, side view, Fig. 54, end view of the automatic register. This lever is swung
in bearings at a near the bottom of the case, and is forked at its upper end a 1.
The fork carries a little swing frame B, with a point, pencil, or punch at C, and a
weight at the other end Bx. Beneath C there is a strip of paper passed round
roller D, and kept to its face by a small roller E. D has ledges at its sides (and a
surface of cloth or india-rubber where pricks are used), with points at given
intervals on the two sides to keep the paper steady and to check the number of
wagons weighed. The roller is caused to turn by a ratchet lever F moved up and
down by a small cam G. There is a ratchet or locking pin to prevent it from
slipping backwards, and it preferably moves the slip about one-tenth of an inch
for each turn of the cam. The slip of paper is contained on roller H, which holds,
say, a month's supply. The paper has preferably a central line ruled along its
length, representing the standard required, with sido lines noting given variations.
It is passed under E, over D, along the face of a plate I, with side ledges, over
roller J, and is wound on to roller K. K is either turned by a cord from D, or by
a suitable weight and cord; it takes up the slack paid out by D. Both H and K
are easily replaced with others when required.
There is a projection b at the back of the weight Bx, which moves freely in a
groove at the end of lover L, which latter is moved up and down by a cam on the

page_text: saine shaft as G. When is moved up it causes the point B to prick or mark the
paper on roller D; when down, b falls, and is free to move without touching . The
cams G take one turn for each wagon weighted, and are turned by shaft M. and
bevel wheels m and mx.
There is a second point or pencil carried on a little arm N, balanced up by a weight
at its back, and moved down by a key in the hands of the manager to mark the
coinmencement of each day's work. The whole is enclosed in a suitable lock-up
case, with glass at the top over the slip of paper at O. There is a flap desk at P
for noting down the day's work.
paper
To facilitate counting the pricks or marks on the paper on either side of the line
I arrange a long plate with a slit in it, or a true edge to slide over the slip of
sideways from one side. It has racks at the ends, and is moved by a little shaft
running the length of the case, turned by a mill-edged thumb nut on the outer side
of the case. The end slide on which this plate moves is graduated for different
weights, and the edges of plate I are also marked off in spaces denoting the number
of wagons weighed.
In some cases I place the drums on vertical shafts, with the glass o at one side of
the case, when I employ a vertical rod to move point B, instead of the swing
lever A.
The register is worked in connection with the bagging machine, and oporates at
the same time it is working. A shaft turned by shaft 7 of the bagging machine
turns the regulator shaft M, and also works a locking bar to keep the weighing
platform steady when the bagging machine is not at work, and when wagons are
being moved over it. There is a long swing frame carried in bearings near tho
ground placed parallel with the line of rails on one side of the weighing platform.
It is about the length of one wagon and a half; its upper side is on a level with
the side of the carriages that pass along by it. At one end there is a roller, which
causes it to be pressed back as a wagon passes. At the other end there is a catch,
which detains the wagon in a correct position for being weighed on the platform.
One wagon thus remains detained on the platform until a second wagon is pushed
after it, which frees the catch for the first wagon, and detains the next in its place,
and so on.
Although the automatic weighing apparatus is here arranged to work by power
and in connection with the bagging machine, I sometimes work it by a hand wheel
or levers, and for other purposes.
In place of this arrangement I sometimes place a small box, Fig. 55 and 56, beneatli
the bagging floor, and connect lever A with the weighing machine, and shaft M
with the shaft for locking and unlocking the weighing platform.
There are three or more bells b, c, d, with their hammers bx, cx, dx, and tip
pieces 61, c1, and d 1 swung on a spindle f.
The lever A is swung on bearings at a, a, and has a crank arm Ax, which moves
a little shaft ax up and down more or less according to whether lever A is deflected
to the right or left by varying the weight of the wagon. Ax and ax are balanced by a
weight a 3. On the top of ax there is a projection a 1, which as it turns forces back
one of the hammers, which strikes its bell through the action of a suitable spring.
There is a wheel on the lower part of ax marked a 2, carried in bearings at g and g',
through which the shaft slides up and down, but by which it is turned.
shaft M there is a wheel m, which is intergeared with a 2, and which takes one
turn for cach wagon weighed. If the wagon is the correct weight when weighed
projection a' rings the middle bell c. If too heavy it rises and rings the upper
one b, which is deeper toned, while if too light it rings the lower one d, which is in
a much higher key.
On the
The operative regulates handle H or I of the bagging machine so as far as possible
to keep the middle bell only striking.
In a still simpler arrangement 1 place a disc near the bagging machinery, and
cause a needle to be deflected, according to the weight of each wagon.

page_text: General Buildings.-The building containing the apparatus and stove is strongly
constructed, as shown in Figs. 10 to 15, with numerous pillars and girders to sup-
port the upper floors, and is arranged with windows, doors, and staircases, and other
requirements, as illustrated. Rails are introduced into the lower portion of the
building through the slide doors a1, a2, a 3, and may be continued for other
apparatus through wall Ex. The latter lead from a railway siding, and are for
wagons bringing fuel by line E or taking away salt by the second line Ex; the
former leads from the canal or river; also for bringing up coal or for delivering salt
from the condensing pans J. There is a main floor V the length of the building,
and a lower one W for about half its length. There are sunken rails on each, as
shown, for the sacking wagons, which are passed from one floor to the other by the
double lifts U; these are preferably double tiered, so that whether either cage is up
or down there is a through line on the upper floor for both sets of rails. At the
river end of these rooms there are loading jetties vx and wx, on to which the
wagons aro run.
A crane v1 is provided to lower the sacks, with a brake or winch at w2, or
counterbalance weight. A side swung crane may be used, but the one illustrated is
swung at the bottom, and moves in and out by a bob on the lowering chain coming
in contact with it. I also arrange to load railway wagons on line Ex from the lower
level of the lift platform Ux. This crane, and also one which I provide at the river
end of line Fx for loading wagons with coal froin the boat, are sometimes arranged
to be worked by hydraulic power. I place a small accumulator and pump near the
table pan, and work it with steam from pipe I. The water is taken in pipes to
work these cranes, and sometimes also the lifts U.
The wagon rails on floors V and W are sunk, so that the tops of the wagons are
on a level with the floors of the stores; this is done to facilitate the transferring of
the sacks to and from the wagons, or for the employment of loose tops to tho
wagons, which may be rolled with their load sideways from the wagon to the spot
where the sacks have to be deposited. I prefer to employ this system for reloading
the wagons when sending off the sacks. The top is preferably made box-shaped,
with one side open; it is fitted with wheels, and is arranged to be easily locked on
the wagon for travelling.
I use various styles of wagons for sack carrying, often fitted with tramway axles
to turn sharp curves.
When using single lines I prefer to use wagons with a high division or rail down
the centre between the sacks, and with floors on each side of the wagon sloping
inwards, so as to cause the sacks to lean up against the central rail and against the
end of the carriage. These carriages are convenient when several separate sunken
single lines are employed in a wide storage room. The lines are placed at a con-
venient distance from one another, with floor spaces between, divided by central 4
wooden division, against which the sacks may be leant, and are easily reloaded when
required.
When using this class of wagon for double lines I sometimes arrange the top of it
to swing round on a pivot on the wagon, so that both sides can be emptied from the
same side of the store.
In another arrangement for the floor of the bagging store I place numerous lines
lengthways (see Fig. 15), their tops being preferably flush with the floor of the
room, like tram lines; these lines are connected together at each end for receiving
sacks from the machine at one and delivering them on the jetty at the other. For
rapid and daily delivery the system saves the trouble of moving the sacks to and {
from the wagons to the store, as they can be loaded, stored, and delivered without
leaving the wagons.
This Fig. 15 also shows an arrangement for storing salt, more especially nut salt,
in bulk in S, S, with valves a and passages b at the bottom of the store for removing
the same as wanted. There are numerous trap doors in the floors v, v, and W,
Fig. 10, through which salt is delivered by wagons c delivering at the top of the

page_text: store S, S. The bottom of the store slopes toward the delivery valves a, and is
firmly supported on cross girders and walls or pillars. I arrange to admit air
through the bottom, as in store S, to keep the salt dry.
For emptying the store, wagons d are passed under the valves a, filled with salt,
and run out as fast as they are filled.
Under floor W, I arrange a hot room or stove Yx, with entrance doors at yx and
elsewhere; it is placed over a wasto heat pan Y, and divided from it by an iron
floor yx 1, supported by suitable girders and pillars. Along this floor prefer to
place rails for wagons to run. It is in this room that I also prefer to place the long
belts, mentioned in Fig. 23, for nut drying, and I make use of the room for stoving,
and drying, and storing blocks and other varietios of salt. The pan Y is divided
into sections, so that one can be worked whilo the other is being emptied; in this case
into three sections Y 1, Y 2, and Y 3, see Fig. 14, with division walls at y 2 and y 3.
The upper portion of the divisions and sides of the pan for a short way below the
level of the brine are of iron; the rost of the pan is preferably of wood.
The waste products of combustion, and sometimes beat from an auxiliary furnace
or gas furnace, is conducted by flue Ax 1, rises at the end of the pan at a× 2, and
passes over the brine, between it and the drying floor yx 1, down ax 3 to fluo x,
and thence to the chimney z.
Valves are placed at yx 2 and yx 3, by which the heat can be shut off from any of
the pans when desired; this is done for the purpose of emptying their salt, when the
brine in the pan about to be emptied may be transferred to one of the other pans
by chain or other pumps, or run off.
There are rails y, y, placed along the bottom of the pan leading to the boat, on
which wagons from without pass through water-tight doors in the pan, opened for
the occasion at the end of the pan near the river; these wagons when filled with
salt by hand or by one of my excavating machines, Figs. 2 and 6, Sheet +, of my
Specification, No. 2106 of 1877, discharge it direct into the boat at the side of the
wharf.
In place of passing the heat over the whole of the pans, I sometimes arrange
to pass it only over a portion of one or more of the pans, and heat the remainder
by currents of heated air. I arrange for this purpose a wide air case over a
portion of the pan traversed by the products of combustion. Two varieties of
this system are shown in Fig. 16, A and B. The sides of the air case a and b
dip below the level of the brine. There are divisions a 1 and 61 of wood or metal
dipping from the bottom of the air case below the level of the brine, to confine the
soot falling from the air case to a reduced space. There is a trough a 2 over
the air case in A, which when fed with brine supplies the trough below through
the pipes a 3, which are regulated by valves. In the second variety of this system
I form the sides of the trough 61 at an angle, placing a return flue 62 under the
trough for the products of combustion to return by after having traversed the
brine above. Both troughs a 4 and 64 are preferably scraped by endless chain
scrapers.
The heated air from the cases a 5 and 6 5 is blown or exhausted over the brine in
the outer portions of the pan, which I sometimes entirely divide off from the
portion of the pan over which the products of combustion pass, for the production
of large crystals of salt, or a class of salt which when ground and passed through
the centrifugal dryer and belt and subsequent apparatus is serviceable for bagging
and other purposes.
In another arrangement I place tubes through the pans, preferably with divisions
at their sides, as shown Fig. 17, passing the products of combustion down the
central passage c, and heating air in the outer ones cl. This air is afterwards
passed over the surface of the brine in the pan above. The tops of the flues are
scraped by reciprocal scraper c 2, and the salt falling at their sides is protected from
forming pan scale by the intermediate air case.
When using flue tubes (without divisions in them for heating air) I either heat
air, which is passed over the pan in an adjoining flue or furnace, or remove the

page_text: floor Yx 1, and place a light roof under W to protect it from the rising steam, scraping
the pans by hand. The table pan is placed soine what to one side of the building, so
as to make room for blocking machinery at A, Y.
.
When using the reciprocal blocker, Fig. 36, I raise the store S some few feet from
the ground, so as to get an extension of the rails to the rear of the machine.
In some cases I arrange the furnaces at the extreme right of the works, turning
the table and its accompanying apparatus round, so that pans J are next to the
waste heat pan Y, and the railways pass at the end of the work, instead of through
the middle.
The whole of the metal work of the apparatus and works is preferably protected
from rust by being subjected to the process of Professor Barff for that object.
It will be seen from the foregoing plans and descriptions that the works and
apparatus are more especially designed for producing large quantities of fine dried
salt for bags in the shape of blocks and nuts, in a manner that will save much
labour, fuel, wear and tear, and add to the facility of producing, handling,
and forwarding large quantities of salt more rapidly than has heretofore been
accomplished.
To summarise the advantages of my process and apparatus, et cetra, and make
them more clearly appreciated, I will compare the process as it is now ordinarily
conducted with that which I recommend to be employed in its stead.
The class of pans ordinarily employed for producing fine qualities of salt are
somewhere about eight metres in width to nine metres in length, and of shallow
depth, and are placed at one end over three or four furnaces arranged to pass the
products of combustion under the length of the pan to a stove at its further end.
For producing fine qualities of salt it is at all times necessary to produce violent
ebullition, and in one of these pans it is generally necessary to constantly urge the
furnaces, which are generally of a most primitive type, so that their heat extends far
under the pan, otherwise a coarser grain will be made at the far end of the pan than
is produced over the furnaces. This frequently results in 350° to 400° Centigrado
of heat being lost for the further evaporation of brine, the heat so lost being only
partially available in the stove before the products of combustion escape at a high
temperature to the chimney at its further end.
The result of hard firing is very costly as regards consumption of fuel, and very
damaging to the pan so heated, the plates being frequently bent or buckled, while
in some instances the salt falling directly over the furnaces becomes fused to the
metal by the intense heat.
The pans are usually scraped by hand, the salt is put into wooden or wicker
moulds, allowed to set, and then turned out and transferred to the stove, where
they require two to three days for driving off the moisture which has to be drawn
out some seventy-five to one hundred millimetres from the centre of the block.
For filling bags, tubs, et cetera, the blocks are afterwards ground or pulverised,
and nearly the whole process from the pan to the final process of loading the sacks
into the boat is conducted by manual labour.
In my process and with the apparatus herein-before described, I arrange that the
whole of the brine to be heated in pan A is within a very few feet of furnaces con-
structed to burn fuel in the most economical manner. Within this pan the deep
narrow tables placed near to one another present so great a heating surface that
the evaporation taking place in the small area above them is so rapid, and the
agitation of the brine so violent, that the crystals forming near the surface of the
brine are shattered into the smallest fragments, and pass between the tables or are
scraped therefrom into a trough below, placed some distance away from the hot
plates, and without any fear of forming pan scale or becoming fused. The evaporating
surface being so restricted, the heat at the surface is practically uniform over
the whole area, and consequently the pan only produces one quality of salt, and that
of the very finest description:
Whereas there is much trouble in the ordinary process to remove the scum and

page_text: scale forming in the pan, in my process these are largely removed automatically
before the brine is submitted to this violent boiling :
Whereas the waste heat in the old process at present escapes through the stove
to the chimney at a high temperature, in my process after heating air tubes and
preliminary pans is passed over the surface of a large area of surface brine which
absorbs all but 155 degrees centigrade of heat above the ordinary temperature of
the locality before being allowed to escape up my chimney:
Whereas the steam in an ordinary pan is allowed to escape into the air, and the
labour about the pan and stove is all manual, I employ the steam for heating
jacketted pans which produce a large quantity of salt per annum, and also avail
myself of it by means of a condenser to drive all the machinery without a boiler.
The waste heat thus economised is estimated to produce one-third more salt than
could be turned out by pan A, or pans less economically constructed, estimated to
be more than pay for the entire labour about the works.
With regard to the economy effected in drying or storing the salt for filling into
bags, tubs, et cetera, whereas the present general practice is first to mass the fine
crystals of salt into moulds forming blocks that require from two to three days for
the heat to evaporate the moisture from their contre, I keep the salt in a state of
powder from beginning to end, exposing it in thin layers on belts or in heated plates
or cylinders to currents of hot air, turning it over the while with rakes and scrapers
so as to constantly offor fresh surfaces for evaporation.
To further economise even this system of evaporating, and to lessen the heat
required, before passing the salt on to the belts or into the cylinders I pass it through
a centrifugal machine which throws off the surplus brino which would otherwise have
to be evaporated. During this process I also wash the salt with brine to free it
from its deliquescent properties. The result of this method of drying salt is, that I
can produce fine powdered salt ready for bagging, almost without any grinding, in
two or three hours, instead of two or three days.
With regard to the process of bagging, which is at present laborious, and requires
many workpeople to fill, weigh, stitch, handle, and load the sacks, I provide
machinery and arrange loops in sacks, which, with the assistance of a man and a
boy and a few women, is estimated to constantly turn out large quantities of sacks
for which two or three times the staff would be otherwise needed.
By arranging stoves, as shown in Fig. 5, and making the salt into small cubes or
nuts, I can store very large quantities of salt which are removed at any time by the
valves at the bottom for grinding and filling into sacks with less fear of the mass
becoming concrete. By producing blocks and nuts by hydraulic and other apparatus,
as previously described, I can compress into the same bulk from half to twice
as much salt as is at present contained in a block, thereby requiring less storage
room and less space for transit or shipment than is at present occupied by the
varieties of blocks.
By compressing salt that has passed through the centrifugal apparatus, and
thrown off all or part of its surplus brine, I further economise the necessary
heat for driving off the same, while by crushing or grinding the salt so com-
pressed, I obtain beautifully fine powdered salt hitherto impracticable for com-
mercial purposes.
The general arrangement and laying out of the works enable a large amount of
salt to be prepared for forwarding by a small staff and with comparative ease.
By protecting the metal work of the various apparatus with black oxide according
to a well-known process, I render the machinery as durable amid the brine and
salt, and in the noxious steaming carbonic acid vapours of the salt district, as
if it were working in a cotton or corn mill. This protection also renders the
apparatus very durable, and prevents the objectionable red tint sometimes
observable on salt from the present corrosion of metal plates.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying

page_text: it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new, and desire
to claim under the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The arrangement of tables A consisting of plates enclosing flues between
them placed vertically, horizontally, or at any angle, and preferably sufficiently far
apart to get at them for repairs, in combination with scrapers and a contracted
orifice or other impediment to the free escape of steam, thus causing violent ebulition
and consequent breaking up of the crystals in smaller particles.
Second. The process of drying salt by first extracting the surplus water by cen-
trifugal machines (coated with magnetic oxide, so as not to discolour the salt) and
then when thus sufficiently dessicated as not to cake on the belts, passing the salt
through a belt stove or other hot drying apparatus, where it is dried by heat and
currents of air in the granular condition or in the form of nuts, bars, cakes, or
otherwise.
Third. The system of producing extra fine salt and preparing it for export so as
to go into a small space, and yet afterwards assume its most generally useful con-
dition of a very fine powder by compressing it into blocks or concrete forms under
hydraulic or other heavy pressure, after almost all the moisture has been extracted
by which means the crystaline texture is broken up and the salt capable of finer
granulization, and then grinding those blocks when they arrive at their destination,
substantially as described.
Fourth. The mode of evaporating brine by means of currents of hot air and hot
jackets over brine in a series of pans placed one above another, as exemplified at J
in the Drawings.
Fifth. The mode of evaporating brine by currents of heated air (not products of
combustion) passed over its surface in combination with flues or air pipes for heating
the same as exemplified at Y, (or in Fig. 16 and 17.)
Sixth. The mode described of storing salt by compressing into small cubes or nuts
so that it will not easily cake into a hard mass for subsequent grinding.
Seventh. The mode of manipulating block salt by bringing the blocks from
the blocking machine on pieces of metal or wood on belts to the wagons, loading
them on the same in tiers, and passing them through tunnel stoves to dry them,
substantially as described.
Eighth. The mode of bagging salt as described by supporting the sacks by clips
or other holders on fixed or reciprocating frames over or at the end of the wagon
way, thoroughly shaking and compacting the salt in the manner described, and
running the wagon under or arranging it so that the platform of the wagon shall be
oscillated or jerked up and down while the sacks resting thereon are filling, so as to
render the salt solid and compact, and yet leave the bags on the wagons ready to be
carried off when completely filled.
Ninth. The mode of barrelling salt on the wagon, so that it can be shipped off with-
out handling, as described, preferably placing cach barrel on a turntable or pivot on
the barrel or its mechanical substitute a smooth plate, and giving them a recipro-
cating rotating or jerking motion on the wagon while being filled.
Tenth. The stove for drying salt, arranged substantially as described in Figs.
19 to 24, preferably so that both the upper and return belt can be used for
carrying salt or its equivalent as scrapers moving the salt over hot plates, substan-
tially as described in Fig. 20.
Eleventh. The sacks and mode of sewing the same with projecting loops woven
or sewn in, substantially as described.
Twelfth. The general design and construction of the various machines and
apparatus shown and described herein, and in my Provisional Specification, as
applied to salt manufacture, taking each complete mechanism separately (except in
the case of the centrifugal machine which may be only new in principle as far as
regards its use in salt manufacture when protected by inagnetic oxide), and the
various improvements on my former Specifications, Number 4324, of 1876, Number

page_text: 1788 of 1877, and Number 2106 of 1877, specially mentioned and described in liko
manner.
Thirteenth. The general arrangement of salt works, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Howard Worthington Biggs, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS. (LS.)
British & International Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.