IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVA- PORATING BRINE AND OBTAINING SALT THEREFROM.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Howard Worthington Biggs, of Mason's Buildings,
Liverpool, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVA-
PORATING BRINE AND OBTAINING SALT THEREFROM.
"
Sealed the 13th February 1877, and dated the 8th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Howard Worthington
Biggs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 8th November
1876.
JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS, of Mason's Buildings, Liverpool. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING BRINE AND OBTAINING SALT THEREFROM."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for evaporating
brine and obtaining salt therefrom. For these purposes I employ a series of metal
tables placed one over the other to any height desired. They are heated by means
of furnace flues beneath their surfaces, or they may be heated by steam, hot water,
or otherwise. Over each table a carriage is arranged to traverse to and fro. On
the carriage there is a perforated pipe or rose, which being supplied intermittently
or otherwise with brine from an elevated reservoir or by a pump, deposits a spray
on the table as the carriage travels over it. The carriage is also provided with a
scraper, which scrapes off from the surface of the table the film of salt resulting
from the evaporation of the spray of brine. The scraper pushes the salt off at the
end of the table, it falls into a trough, along which a screw carries it to a shoot by
which it is discharged into a store chamber. Only one, or say two, tables may be
used, in which case they can be made to move to and fro over hot flues or otherwise.
The salt may be pushed through holes in the table or over the sides of the table.
In some cases Í enclose the tables in a casing in which a vacuum is maintained
by an air pump or otherwise. The steam resulting from the evaporation is drawn
into a condensing chamber where it is condensed by means of a shower of cold
water.
According to another arrangement the table is made of an annular form, and is
caused to revolve, the spraying and scraping apparatus remaining stationary; or
the spraying and scraping apparatus may be caused to travel whilst the table
remains stationary. The product is discharged into a receiver through an opening
[Prine Gd21

page_text: in the centre of the table. The surface of the table may be inclined towards the
centre opening.
The salt may be discharged on the outside of the table or through holes or
spaces in the table. The table may be circular with no hole in the centre.
The table may be enclosed in a casing in which a vacuum can be maintained as
in the former case.
According to another arrangement I employ a cylinder, which is placed hori
zontally and is heated externally by furnace flues. The cylinder is caused to
revolve and its inner surface is kept moistened with brine, which is applied as a
spray or otherwise. The salt film produced within the cylinder by the drying of
the brine is removed by a scraper or scrapers, and by a trunk passing out at the
axis it is conveyed away to a store chamber; or there might be a chamber into
which the salt could be accumulated within the cylinder, which chamber could be
periodically emptied through a hole in the bottom or side of the cylinder. A
vacuum is in some cases maintained within the cylinder.
In order to prevent the perforations from which the brine issues being stopped
by a deposit of salt, the perforated tubes or roses may be kept cool by encasing
them in an outer tube or jacket to which water or brine is supplied.
I sometimes also employ, enclosed in a casing in which a vacuum is maintained,
a cylinder heated internally and moistened with brine on the exterior. The film
of salt is removed by a scraper and descends into a receiver.
The tables, cylinders, or surfaces for certain qualities of salt may have to be
constructed of fire-clay, glass, granite, stone, etc., to avoid rusting the salt, or with
an enamelled surface.
The tables may be used with the sprinkling and scraping apparatus working on
the under side of the table, or on both the under and upper side of the same table,
or on the inner and outer side of the same cylinder.
In working tables from the under side the salt would fall into a chamber with
sloping sides; at the bottom of which a screw would remove the accumulated salt,
or the salt would fall on the lower table and be removed by the same scraper that
was working the lower table.
The tables may be set upon their edges or at a convenient angle, or the cylinder
may be set upright or at any convenient angle.
The cylinder may be round, or round with one or more flat sides, or conical,
globular, or many sided.
In all cases the evaporating surface may move or be stationary, or the scraper
and jets may move or be stationary, or the table, cylinder, or surface and the scraper
and jets may both move at different speeds intermittently or otherwise.
The brine may when the vacuum is used be made to suck itself up to the desired
height in place of being supplied from a reservoir or by a pump.
A second jet pipe, following the spray thrown by the first pipe, may be arranged
to blow cold air on the forming crystals to hasten or improve their formation.
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 8th May 1877.
JOHN HOWARD WORTHINGTON BIGGS; of Mason's Buildings, Liverpool. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING BRINE AND OBTAINING SALT THEREFROM."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for evaporating
brine and obtaining salt therefrom. For this purpose I employ heated tables upon
which the brine is thrown in the form of spray and scrapers, which remove the
salt from the tables as it is formed. I also arrange delivering apparatus which
convey the salt from the tables into store chambers.
The heated tables, the spraying apparatus, and the scrapers are enclosed within

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan in section of apparatus designed for boiling brine in vacuo,
scraping the salt from the tables on which it is produced and storing it in separate
store chambers which can be alternately emptied without stopping the machine.
The apparatus may with less advantage be worked ex vacuo, and the tables be made
to move instead of the scrapers, etc.; Figure 2 is a side view in section of the same
apparatus; Figure 3 is an end view in section; Figure 4 is a sectional view of one
of the tables, showing the arrangement of flues; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the
scraper carriage.
A are the tables placed one above the other, supported on girders a, cross
girders a*, pillars a¹, and are kept in position by end plates a². This structure
rests on a base A, B, containing the furnaces B, and the combustion chamber C,
and the radiating flues. The furnaces B are blown by blowers b, and are fitted
with sliding doors b¹, ash doors 62, and coke or stack table 63. Their heated gases
meet in the flue B, C, communicating with the combustion chamber C, where they.
mingle with jets of air and steam according to the heat required; B, C, is provided
with a damper b, c, moved by rod and handle b, c¹. B, C, has a flue B, G, fitted
with a damper communicating with the waste flue G, and is used for lighting the
fires or cooling the tables; D are the radiating flues provided with steam jets from
the combustion chamber to the vertical inlet flues E, Ex, which are each provided
with a separate damper. Each table has 6 flues, three heated from one end and
three from the other.
J
The vertical flues E heat the first four tables of each set, while Ex heats the
remaining two and draws off the waste gases into flue G to pass on to another pan,
store, or chimney; G is fitted with a damper and steam jet; H are the carriages
moving to and fro on the tables A. They are formed of strong angle iron tied with
rods, and extend from side to side of the apparatus. They carry the brine jets J
and the scrapers L. The first for spraying the tables with brine, the latter for
scraping off the salt when formed. The carriages are supported either on slides or
as in this case on wheels h¹ keyed to three long shafts h. They have a wheel at
each end, and two intermediate wheels passing over rails on the tables. These
wheels run on rails a, h, slightly raised above the level of the table. At each end
parallel with the rails there is a rack a, h¹, into which teeth on one side of wheels h¹
fit, so that as the carriage is moved to and fro the wheels are made to turn and
their surfaces are worn down evenly. The jets J are attached to the carriage in the
middle and at each end, and are fed with brine by pipes i, h, which pass through a
stuffing box o¹ in the casing O. These pipes are attached to the moving frame R,
and have at their ends stuffing boxes i, h¹, through which pass pipes i, h², connected
with supply pipe k, l, attached to the fixed frame S. Pipe k, l, is arranged to be
supplied from either the elevated pan I or from another source by the pipe K,

page_text: suitable taps being provided for the purpose. There is a supply pipe and float i to
fill the pan I with brine. L are the scrapers; they are divided into short lengths, so
that they may adapt themselves to any unevenness in the surfaces of the tubes.
They scrape the salt off the upper side of their own table and from the under, side
of the table above. The centre scraper is fixed, and clears the salt from the centre
tables. The side scrapers 11, 12, 13, 1, clear the salt from the side tables, as l¹ and 12
are raised 13 and are lowered, and vice versa. They are actuated by a small
weight 16, which is pushed over at the end of each stroke by a pin in the table
above. The jet pipes J are also regulated by the weight 16, the jets being turned
on at each end as the scrapers are brought in contact with the surface of the tables.
(I prefer this arrangement for making film salt, but for boiling brine in bulk I
somtimes dispense with the jets and employ three scrapers like the centre one, and
put additional screws on the outside of the side table). M are the screws for
removing the salt as it falls from the tables above; M, I, does the same for the pan
above. They are supported at intervals by hanging bearings placed across the
trough m. They are turned both ways for the purpose of filling the salt stores N¹
and N2 alternately. These stores are provided with valves n to shut them off from
the chamber O, valves n¹ for discharging the salt down a shoot n² by.screw n³, a
manhole n¹, and two or more glass spy holes to show when the stores are ready to
be emptied, also air and steam pipes and taps. The screws M at their shaft end
pass through a tube m¹ in N¹, at the bottom of which the valve n is situated.
O is the vacuum chamber containing the tables A. It communicates at the top
with the two condensers P1 and P2. It has pipes and cocks, to drain it or admit
steam, air escape valves, man-holes, glass spy holes, etc., and is coated with non-
conducting cement or bricked to prevent radiation. The steam within it heats the
pan I above. There are various double valve oil cups and pipes arranged to oil the
bearings on the carriages within. I sometimes construct galleries round this
chamber to facilitate the inspection of the tables.
P1 and P2 are the condensing chambers. They have pipes connecting with the
upper portion of chamber which supplies them with steam, and pipes p connecting
with an air pump; p¹ are perforated tubes, which shower cold water on the steam
to condense it. The condensed water runs away by pipe p, q, which connects with
the torrecellian column Q. I prefer however to let this water warm brine in
another pan by pipes or jackets before it passes down the torrecellian column.
R is the moving frame, to which are attached all the rods and pipes which
actuate the carriages H in the vacuum chamber. These rods or pipes pass through
stuffing boxes in the side of O. The frame is made of angle iron and lattice
girders, strongly tied with iron rods and supported on wheels 2 at the bottom
and at the top, which run to and fro on rails and racks s¹. On the top of the
frame there are two racks r, u, passing over the pan J and attached to its
carriage U. Similar racks are fastened to its lower end, which pass into holes fitted
with wheels in the basement A, B. The four racks are moved to and fro by pinion
wheels, keyed to shafts 5, which are turned by a vertical shaft 6 There
are stops on the frame to prevent it from being moved too far either way.
S is the fixed frame supporting the rails and side racks s¹. It is tied together
with cross rods, and fastened to the girders in casing O and pan I. It is supported
on brickwork s², and holds the vertical pipe k, l, in position for the supply of brine
to the jets.
T is the reversing gear for causing the to-and-fro motion of the carriages. It
consists of three pulleys t¹, 2, 3, driven by a single strap from drum U. The
first pulley t¹ is keyed to the shaft t, which draws the carriages to the right; the
second, t2, is a loose pulley for stopping the action of the carriages; t is loose on
the shaft t but turns bevel wheel t* in gear with t5, which communicates a reverse
notion to to, which is keyed to shaft t and draws the carriage to the left. Notches
on the frame R actuate a rod t, having a weight t³, and pass the strap alternately
to each side of the drum. Shaft t has a friction box t, which connects with t¹º in
gear with wheel t" keyed to t¹ turning the vertical shaft 7. The friction box t

page_text: is provided to prevent any breakage in case R is overdrawn before the pulleys are
reversed.
U is the driving shaft; it drives in addition to t1, t2, and 3, the two screws m
and m, n, by similar pulleys to the above. The two lower screw shafts are in gear
with one another by shaft m2, the upper screw m¹ is driven by a belt from a
wheel m³ on the lower. It also drives the discharge screws n³ by wheels and
shafts n5, n.
V is the scraper carriage for the pan J, it is strongly constructed with angle iron
and tie rods, and is moved by the rack rods r, v, fastened to it. It runs on rails
with side racks, as in the chamber below. It is fitted with four lifting scrapers,
which pass the salt to the central screw M, J. Two of these scrapers are lifted
while two are lowered, they are actuated by rod vx, which passes through a stuffing
box vx1 in the side of the pan, and is attached to a swing weight v, ?, pivoted
on the moving carriage R. Notches on s¹ cause it to move from side to side at the
end of each stroke.
W¹ and Ware the salt stores for the pan J; they are each fitted with a valve w
to cut off communication with the pan, a valve w³ for emptying the store by the
shoot w, a pipe to drain off the brine, and a discharging screw 3 to hasten the
delivery of the salt.
To work the apparatus I fill pan N with brine closed damper b, c, open a damper
in b, g, light the fires, put on the jets in the flues D to blow out any foul gas, open
damper b, c, and put on the blowers b. I close the store valves n¹ and blow
chamber O full of steam to drive out the air by the escape valves.
open communi-
cation with the air pump, and start the condensers and torrecellian columns, turn
off the steam from O, and as soon as the vacuum is established start the carriages H
and the screws M and M, I, turn on the jets J, and the apparatus is at work.
I alternately fill the stores on the right and on the left side; as each is filled I
reverse the screws M and M, I, exhaust any air from the store by the air pump, and
discharge the salt into those on the other side without in any way interfering with
the vacuum. The heat of the furnaces is regulated by the blowers b and dampers
b, c, and b, g, and that of the tables by the jets in flues D and by the dampers in
flues E, Ex.
In this
In place of making film salt I sometimes fill the chamber O nearly full of brine,
which I prefer to introduce heated from another pan, and boil it in vacuo.
case I prefer to have fixed scrapers and screws for the two outside edges of the
tables. I sometimes use the apparatus ex vacuo for certain qualities of salt.
Although I prefer to heat the tables in the way shown, they may be heated
with hot oil or steam, for which I sometimes arrange them with suitable pipes and
cocks.
.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of apparatus for evaporating brine with heated tables
arranged parallel the one with the other, and with scraping apparatus for scraping
both the sides or surfaces of such tables.
Second. The construction of apparatus for evaporating brine with vacuum pans
or chambers containing scrapers serving to remove the salt from the surfaces upon
which it is deposited.
Third. The construction of apparatus for evaporating brine with vacuum pans or
chambers containing discharging apparatus serving to remove the salt from the pans
or chambers and delivering it into closed store chambers, in which also a vacuum is
maintained.
Fourth. The construction of apparatus for evaporating brine with vacuum pans
or chambers containing discharging mechanism serving to remove the salt from the
pans or chambers and to deliver it into store chambers, in connection with which
there are valves or doors so arranged that at pleasure the salt may be removed from
the store chambers without destroying the vacuum in the evaporating pans or
chambers,

page_text: Fifth. The construction of apparatus for evaporating brine and obtaining salt
therefrom, substantially as described and illustrated by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Howard Worthington Biggs, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. H. W. BIGGS. (L.S.)