A METHOD OF CONVERTING SALT OR SEA WATER INTO FRESH WATER BOTH ON LAND AND ON BOARD OF SHIP AT SEA
Year: 1809

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FREDERICK ARCHBOLD, of Great Charlotte Street, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eighteenth day of April, in the forty-ninth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Frederick Archbold, His especial licence that I, the said John Frederick
Archbold, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Frederick Archbold, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A METHOD OF CONVERTING SALT OR SEA
WATER INTO FRESH WATER BOTH ON LAND AND ON BOARD OF SHIP AT SEA;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the
said John Frederick Archbold, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar month
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said John
Frederick Archbold, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and
ascertained in the following explanation thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention is for producing pure fresh water from salt or sea water by
distillation on a new principle and by filtration, and I perform my Invention as
follows: First, as to a general principle of distillation, I place in contact with
a fire, stills of a construction which I shall now describe. Each still has an
outward case of metal, between the interior sides and bottom of which, and the
exterior bottom and sides of the still, a space is left vacant, but the still inserted
into the case in such a manner that there shall be no egress for the steam from
the case except by a safety valve. The head and neck are affixed to the still;
thus, the water in the cases not having the pressure of the atmosphere, will
rise much beyond the boiling heat, and boil the stills which are inserted into
them, and there being no egress for the steam from the case (except by the
safety valve) a small fire will suffice to keep up this degree of heat, and of
course keep the stills always boiling; from that part of the case which comes
in immediate contact with a fire a flue may be inserted, which, making some
horizontal revolutions along the bottom, may pass out into the chimney. The
back also of the fire-place can be a narrow boiler, which may communicate
with the cases of the still. When performed on board of ship, a reservoir of salt
water is placed on the deck of the vessel (through which reservoir the
chimney of the fire may pass and impart its heat), and from thence pipes
liaving a cock attached to each, lead into the cases and stills for the purpose of
their supply. From the necks of the stills pipes are brought conducting the
steam into vessels for cooking the provisions, &c. The range has two metal
doors in front, each of which doors is attached by hinges to iron bolts,
which bolts lit into staples affixed in the side of the range, so that when
the fire is not wanted for the purpose of cooking it can be entirely enclosed
by these doors; but when required, the doors can be drawn out the length of
the bolts, fitting into the staples at the side of the range and form a screen,
between which and the fire the meat, &c. can be roasted. For the purpose of
condensing on board of ship, the tube containing the steam to be condensed
tay pass through the ship, and along any part of the outside of it which lies
immediately in the water, and again entering the ship it discharges tho
condensed matter into any vessel which may be designed for its reception.
After the sea water has been distilled in this manner, it is passed through a
filterer, of which the following is a description:-A small cylindrical case is
made of tin or other metal, and being filled with pounded charcoal, each end is
stopped by a circular cover, perforated with holes fine enough to prevent the
charcoal from passing through; one end of this case is inserted into a cask, also

page_text: bartly filled with pounded charcoal, and the water being poured into the cask
ilters out through the case.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frederick Archbold, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and nine.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Eighteenth day of October,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Frederick Archbold came
before our Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Eighteenth day of October, in the year above written.