Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Obtaining Salt from Brine, and for similar purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Obtaining Salt from
Brine, and for similar purposes.
I, WILLIAM SHEDLOCK, of 37 Landor Road, Clapham, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for obtaining salt from brine and for similar
purposes, and more particularly to apparatus of the kind or class in which the
brine is continuously fed into the evaporating pan and the salt is removed from the
said pan by scrapers as it is deposited therein.
An important feature of my said invention is the employment of one or more
beating chambers or pipes or series of such chambers or pipes so situated in the
pan that the brine can circulate freely around, above and beneath the same, thus
ensuring the most efficient utilization of the heat, which is supplied by the
circulation of, hot water, steam or other suitable heating medium through the said
chambers or pipes.
In addition to these heating chambers or pipes I prefer to provide the bottom
part of the pan with a heating jacket or casing, and I am thus enabled, if desired,
to provide a flat surface on the top of each series of heating chambers or pipes as
well as on the bottom of the pan, from which surfaces the salt can be scraped as it
is deposited.
Another important feature of my said invention is the provision of improved
means for continuously removing the salt, as it is deposited, from the said pan.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I provide a brine-par or evaporating-
pan of suitable material and preferably of circular form, and in the said pan
arrange steam or other heaters, one above another, so as to leave a clear space
between them. The said heaters preferably consist of flat chambers or pipes each
of which, in the case of a circular pan, has the form of an incomplete ring so as to
leave a space for the salt, as it is scraped off their upper surface, to fall through
into a trough or channel hereinafter mentioned. I sometimes provide the bottom
of the pan with a heating jacket or casing and arrange above the same one or more
series of heating chambers or pipes, each series preferably consisting of two or more
of such chambers or pipes mounted concentrically one within another with a space
between them, and suitably connected, so that the steam or other heating medium
can circulate through them all.
In the circular brine-pan I mount a rotary vertical shaft provided with scrapers
adapted to scrape the salt from the upper surfaces of the several heaters, one or
more of such scrapers being provided for each heater or series of heaters;
I preferably arrange the scrapers at suitable angles to each other on the vertical
shaft so as to equalize the pressure on the bearings, and ensure a more uniform
supply of the salt to the conveyor hereinafter mentioned.
The salt falling from the heaters, is received in a trough or channel arranged
beneath an opening in the bottom of the brine-pan. In this trough or channel
works a screw or other suitable conveyor which carries the salt towards an inclined
trunk or conduit in which works a second screw or other suitable conveyor, which
litts the salt to a convenient height above the level of the brine in the brine-pan
and then allows it to fall, through a spout in the wall of the said trunk or conduit,

page_text: into a suitable receptacle or into the moulds. By the use of this inclined conveyor
I ensure that the salt shall be sufficiently drained of the brine as it ascends the
trunk or casing of the said conveyor, and thus obviate the liability to loss of the
brine.
Instead of the said series of heaters, I sometimes provide at a suitable distance
above the bottom of the pan one or more coils of pipe so arrangel that the salt, as
it is deposited upon the said pipe, will fall between the convolutions thereof. In
this case the salt will only require to be scraped from the bottom of the pan.
According to another modification of my invention I employ endless bands or
chains provided with scrapers for scraping the salt off the heating chambers or
pipes into the conveyor trough or channel. In this case I can make the pan of any
desired length.
By my improvements above mentioned I obtain the further advantages that I am
enabled to dispense with inclines over which the salt must be pushed by the scraper
or scrapers, and there are no spaces in the, pan in which the salt, can be deposited.
so that it cannot be removed by the scrapers.
Dated the 13th day of Annil 1906
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Sonthampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Obtaining Salt from
Brine, and for similar purposes.
I, WILLIAM SHEDLOCK, of 37 Landor Road, Clapham, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus for obtaining salt froin brine and for similar
purposes, and is chiefly designed to afford means whereby the heating of the liquid
will be performed in a more efficacious manner than heretofore, and to provide
improved means for automatically and continuously removing the salt or the like
from the evaporating vessel or pan as it is deposited therein.
My said invention comprises the construction of apparatus of this kind or class
in such a manner that the salt or other substance deposited in the evaporating
vessel or pan will be delivered therefrom into an external trough, channel or
conduit extending above the level of the liquid therein, and will be elevated in and
discharged from such external conduit, and these operations will be automatically
and continuously performed.
My said invention also comprises the employment of one or more heating
chambers or pipes, or series of such chambers or pipes, so situated in the evaporating
vessel or pan that the brine can circulate freely around, above and beneath the
same, thus ensuring the most efficient utilization of the heat, which is supplied by
the circulation of hot water, steam or other suitable beating medium through the
said chambers or pipes.
And my said invention also comprises other improvements hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan, aud
Figure 2 a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1, illustrating one form of my
improved apparatus.

page_text: Figure 3 is an elevation of the discharge-side of the said apparatus.
Figure 4 is a plan showing another form or modification of my improved
apparatus, some of the parts being removed.
Figure 5 is a partial section on the line ', a', Figure 4, and
Figure 6 is an elevation of the discharge-side of the apparatus shown in Figures 4
and 5, a part thereof being shown in section.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the evaporating vessel or pan, which is in communication, through an
opening A in the bottom thereof, with an external trough or channel B. A
vertical rotary shaft C is mounted in a step-bearing C¹ at the bottom of the vessel
or pan A and in a bearing C2 in a bridge-piece D secured to the top of the pan.
This shaft is to be rotated in any convenient manner through the medium of bevel
wheels or other suitable gearing. A revolving scraper E is secured to the shaft C
and is moved around thereby on the bottom of the vessel or pan A, so that it will
scrape the deposited salt or the like therefrom and deliver it through the
aperture A into the trough or channel B. F is an inclined casing or trunk
connected with the said trough or channel B, and extending upward above the
desired level of the liquid in the vessel or pan A. In this casing or trunk is
arranged a suitable elevator G, whereby the salt or the like from the said trough
or channel will be raised above the level of the liquid and discharged through an
outlet F into suitable moulds or other receptacles. It will be seen that the trough
or channel B and the inclined trunk or casing F form an external conduit through
which the salt or the like can be conveniently conveyed away from the pan A by
automatic mechanism without the escape of liquid from the said pan. Moreover
by this arrangement I ensure that the salt shall be properly drained of the brine
as it ascends the said trunk or casing.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a screw-conveyor H is arranged
in the trough or channel B for the purpose of conveying to the elevator G, the
salt or the like delivered into the said trough or channel.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the trough or channel B has
the form of an inclined passage or chute, and the scraper E is so constructed that
it will push the material which it scrapes from the bottom of the vessel or pan A,
gradually outwards or towards the circumference thereof, and will ultimately
deliver it through the aperture A' into the trough or chute B.
J, J, J2 are heating chambers supported in the vessel or pan A at a suitable
height above the bottom thereof so as to permit the liquid to circulate freely
around, above and beneath them, and thus ensure the heating of the liquid in:
a very efficacious manner. The chamber J is provided with an inlet pipe K for
the steam or other heating medium and the chamber J with an outlet-pipe L
therefor; and the said chambers are connected respectively by means of pipes or.
passages K', K².
When I employ heating chambers with flat tops as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,
1 provide a scraper E' also secured to the revolving shaft C, for scraping the
deposited salt or the like from the said chambers. The said chambers are made in
the form of incomplete rings, a gap being left between the ends of each chamber,
above the opening A in the bottom of the pan, so that the material scraped from
the said chambers will fall into the trough or channel B. The scrapers E, E¹ are
arranged diametrically opposite each other, or, if more than two are employed,
they are arranged at suitable angles to each other, so as to equalize the pressure on
the bearings C, C and ensure as uniform a supply of the salt as practicable to the
conveyor H and elevator G. Figures 1 and 2 show these scrapers in different
positions.
I prefer to also provide the vessel or pan A with a heating jacket or casing M
on the underside thereof, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. This jacket may be
connected with the chamber J by the pipe L, or it may be separately supplied
with the steam or other heating medium. When steam is employed, the heat of
the water of condensation from the said heating chambers and jacket is utilized for

page_text: raising the temperature of the brine or other liquid before. it enters the vessel or
pan A. I can, if desired, use two or more series of heating chambers J, J', J
arranged one above another.
I provide suitable means for continuously feeding the brine into the said vessel'
or pan. For this purpose I sometimes allow it to How into the said vessel or pan
directly from a supply-pipe N. I find it more advantageous, however, instead of
permitting all the brine to enter at one point, to distribute it over the surface of
the liquid in the pan. For this purpose I mount upon the revolving shaft Ca
circular vessel Pinto which the brine from the pipe N will enter, and I connect
with the said vessel P one or more perforated pipes Q which extend nearly to the
circumference of the pan. By these means the brine will be supplied in small
streams over a comparatively large area, and, when the parts are arranged as shown,
will be delivered into the pan above the parts of the heating chambers from which,
the salt has just been scraped. I can, however, modify the construction of the
devices which I employ for feeding the brine in a number of small streams or jets
into the vessel or pan.
Instead of the heating chambers above described, I sometimes provide at a
suitable distance above the bottom of the pan one or more coils of pipe so arranged
that the salt, as it is deposited thereon, will fall between the convolutions thereof.
In this case the salt will only require to be scraped from the bottom of the pan.
According to another modification of my invention, I employ endless bands or
chains provided with scrapers for scraping the salt off the heating chambers or
pipes and delivering it into the external trough, channel or conduit, in which it is
conveyed away, elevated and discharged at a higher level than that of the liquid
in the pau. In this case I can make the pan of any desired length. I can also
apply my improvements to evaporating vessels or pans of other forms of
construction.
By my improvements above mentioned, I obtain the further advantages that I am
enabled to dispense with inclines in the pan over which the salt must be pushed by
the scraper or scrapers; and there are no spaces in the pan in which the salt
can be deposited in such a manner that it cannot be removed by the scrapers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-"
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood.
that do not claim broadly or irrespectively of my improvements hereinbefore
described, the employment of continuously-moving scrapers for collecting, the
deposited substance and delivering it out of the evaporating vessel or pan, as I am
aware that an apparatus comprising such serapers has already been the subject of
Letters Patent; but I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An apparatus of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, wherein the salt
or other deposited substance is delivered from the evaporating vessel or pan into
an external trough, channel or conduit in which it is automatically and continuously
conveyed away and elevated and whence it is discharged at a higher level than
that of the liquid in the said vessel or pan, for the purposes above specified.
2. An apparatus for the purposes above specified, comprising au evaporating
vessel or pan provided with one or more heating chambers or pipes, one or more
scrapers for scraping the salt or the like from the heated surfaces, an external
trough, channel or conduit into which the salt or the like is delivered from the said
vessel or pan, and suitable means for conveying away and elevating the salt or the
like in the said conduit and discharging it therefrom at a higher level than that of
the liquid in the said vessel or pan.
3. An apparatus for the purposes above specified, comprising an evaporating
vessel or pan provided with interual heating chambers or pipes supported at a
suitable height above the bottom thereof (with or without an external heating
jacket), one or more revolving serapers for, continuously removing the salt or the
like from the heated surfaces and delivering it into an external trough, channel or
cunduit, and suitable means for conveying away and elevating the salt or the like

page_text: in the said conduit and discharging it therefrom at a higher level than that of
the liquid in the said vessel or pan, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination, with an evaporating vessel or pan provided with one or
more heating chambers or jackets and with continuously-moving scrapers, of
suitable means for feeding the brine or other liquid into the said vessel or pan
in small streams or jets over a large area, substantially as herein before described.
5. The combination, with the revolving shaft in the evaporating vessel or pan,
of a trough or other receptacle revolving with the said shaft and one or more
perforated pipes or channels extending radially from the said trough or receptacle,
substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
6. The combination of a pan provided with an external conduit in communication
therewith through an opening in the bottom thereof and extending to a higher
level than that of the liquid in the said pan, scrapers in the said pan for delivering
the deposited salt or the like through the said opening into the external conduit,
and suitable means for conveying and elevating the said salt or the like to and
discharging it from the upper end of the said conduit, substantially as, and for the
purposes, herein before described.
7. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference
to either of the forms or modifications illustrated in the accompanying drawings
and operating as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated the 13th day of February 1897.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.