IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, and Thomas Robinson, of the same Place,
Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves and
Thomas Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 31st August 1872.
We, JAMES HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of the same Place, Ironfounder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SALT," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in drying down the brine by direct contact
with heated gases, so that while evaporation is going on there shall be
but slight depth of brine, preferably only sufficient to keep the evapo-
rating surfaces moist, the object being to produce salt free from large
crystals, in hard dense masses, which will bear breaking, handling, and
concussion without making any serious proportion of dust, and will not
decrepitate on the sudden application of heat.
In carrying our improvements into practice, we proceed under one
modification as follows:-We feed the brine through the top of an

page_text: evaporating chamber of any desired form, and admit a current of heated
gases, such as the products of combustion, or hot air, or both, at one
end. As evaporation proceeds the salt will crystalize in the form of
stalactites from the top, and as stalagmites on the floor. These stalactites
and stalagmitės will gradually increase in size until the chamber no
longer allows a sufficient quantity of the products of combustion or hot
air to pass through, when the salt can be removed.
Under another modification the brine is run slowly on the floor or
bottom of the evaporating chamber or vessel; and a thin layer of brine
kept upon or over it, or if preferred, brushwood, straw, or other material
may be placed in the evaporating chamber or vessel to provide an
increased evaporating surface. The heated gases are caused to pass over
the surface.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson in the 1
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, and
THOMAS ROBINSON, of the same Place, Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson,
Her special licence that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SALT," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or

page_text: their, or one of their, or one of our hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in drying down the brine by direct contact
with heated gases, so that while evaporation is going on there shall be
but slight depth of brine, preferably only sufficient to keep the evapo-
rating surfaces moist, the object being to produce salt free from large
crystals, in hard dense masses, which will bear breaking, handling, and
concussion, without making any serious proportion of dust, and will not
decripitate on the sudden application of heat.
In carrying our improvements into practice, we proceed under one
modification as follows:-We feed the brine through the top of an
evaporating chamber of any desired form, and admit a current of heated
gases, such as the products of combustion, or hot air, or both, at one
end. As evaporation proceeds the salt will crystallize in the form of
stalactites from the top, and as stalagmites on the floor. These stalactites
and stalagmites will gradually increase in size until the chamber no
longer allows a sufficient quantity of the products of combustion or hot
air to pass through, when the salt can be removed, or they may be
removed from time to time as required.
Under another modification the brine is run slowly on the floor or
bottom of the evaporating chamber or vessel, and a thin layer of brine
kept upon or over it, or if preferred, brushwood, straw, or other
material may be placed in the evaporating chamber or vessel to provide
an increased evaporating surface. The heated gases are caused to pass
owen the surface

page_text: in which brine enters through a perforated roof. In both views like
letters indicate the same parts. The roof of the evaporating chamber is
here shown formed of a series of wrought iron pans 1 placed side by
side, and supported by the side and end walls 2 and 3. Pans made of
cast iron, earthenware, or other suitable material may be used. The
bottom of each of the said pans is perforated with small holes about
of an inch in diameter, and from six to eight inches apart. Brine,
when fed into the said pans finds its way slowly through the per-
forations, has its moisture carried away through the escape flue 4 by
the heated gases from the furnaces 5, and thereby forms stalactites and
stalagmites, as shown in outline in Fig. 1; 6 are holes provided to admit
a tool to break off the stalactites from the roof when the said stalactites
become so numerous as to prevent the passage of the heated gases, or
obstruct the flow of brine; 7 are holes through which detached stalac-
tites and stalagmites are withdrawn.
Although the chamber is here shown as constructed of brick it will be
obvious that cast iron or other metal or material may be used. Brine
can be run on the floor, or brushwood or straw used, as herein-before
mentioned, and such brine can be run from the top or from a pipe ter-
minating close to the floor.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and par-
ticularized the same by details which answer well in practice, we
claim, the evaporation of brine, and production of salt, substantially
as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hargreaves, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy
In the presence of
JAMES JOHNSON,
Clerk to J. T. King,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (L.S.)