IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING FRESH WATER AND SALT ON BOARD SHIP FROM SEA WATER, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hildesheim, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING FRESH WATER AND SALT ON BOARD SHIP FROM SEA WATER, AND
IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR
"
Sealed the 20th February 1872, and dated the 23rd August 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hildesheim at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd August 1871.
"
I, JOHN HILDESHEIM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of “In-
PROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING FRESH WATER AND SALT ON BOARD SHIP PROM SEA
WATER AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOB," to be as follows, that
is to say:
•
This Invention has for its object the separation of salt from sea
water in order to produce fresh water on board ship, and it at the same
time allows the salt to be recovered, so that by means of this Invention
the space at presant occupied on board ship by carrying fresh water
...

page_text: on a voyage is in great part saved and rendered available for freighted
cargo, at the same time the risk of being without a supply of fresh
water on board ship is avoided.
'
'
The Invention is carried into effect by freezing the salt or sea water
by means of a freezing machine fitted on board the ship; an essential
feature in the construction of which machino is that the chambers in
which the water is frozen are formed in small cells in order to obtain
the ice in small pieces in place of large lumps or flat cakes or slabs
as hitherto, and that the ice so made may be as free as possible from the
interposition of particles of salt, and by exposing a larger surface to
the action of heat or increased temperature be rapidly liquefied in the
melting tanks or chambers to which it is transferred from the cells of
the freezing machine. The cells in which the ice is made or chambers
containing them may be fitted with agitators so as to facilitate the
extrusion of the salt. The melting tanks or chambers may be provided
with an enclosed space surrounding them or passing through them, or
coiled or straight pipes may be used, through any or either of which
heated water or hot air or steam may be passed for accelerating the
liquefaction of the ice. The freezing action may be produced by the
expansion of air previously compressed by a pump into a chamber or
chambers and cooled down by water or other cold fluid, and which
chamber or chambers communicate with or constitute divisions between
the cells herein-before referred to, or the cells may be placed in such
chamber or chambers. When the ice is removed from the cells the
salt extruded during the freezing action is collected, after which the
cells are ready for another freezing action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hildesheim in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN 30
HILDESHEIM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her-
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in-the-
year of our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the 38

page_text: 36th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Hildesheim, Her' special license that
I, the said John Hildesheim, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Hildesheim, my exccutors, adminis-
trators, or 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 OBTAINING
FRESH WATER AND SALT ON BOARD SHIP FROM SEA WATER, AND IN The Apparatus
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Hildesheim, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo performed, and causo
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 I, the said John Hildesheim, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :—
My said Invention has for its object the separation of salt from sca
water in order to produce fresh water ou board ship, and it at the same
time allows the salt to be recovered, so that by means of this Invention
the space at present occupied on board ship by carrying fresh water
on a voyage is in great part saved and rendered available for freighted
cargo, at the same time the risk of being without a supply of fresh
water on board ship is avoided.
The Invention is carried into effect by freezing the salt or sea water
by means of a freezing machine fitted on board the ship; an important
feature in the construction of which machine is that the chambers in
which the water is frozen are by preference formed in small cells in
order to obtain the ice in small pieces in place of large lumps or flat
cakes or slabs as hitherto, and that the ice so made may be as free as
possible from the interposition of particles of salt, and by exposing a
larger surface to the action of heat or increased temperature be rapidly
liquefied in the melting tanks or chambers to which it is transferred
from the cells of the freezing machine. The cells in which the ice is
made or chambers containing them may be fitted with agitators so as

page_text: to facilitate the extrusion of the salt. The melting tanks or chambers
may be provided with an enclosed space surrounding them or passing
through them, or coiled or straight pipes may be used, through either
.or any of which heated water or hot air or steam may be passed for
accelerating the liquefaction of the ice. The freezing action may be
produced by the expansion of air previously compressed by a pump
into a chamber or chambers and cooled down by water or other cold
fluid, and which chamber or chambers communicate with or constitute
divisions between the cells herein-before referred to, or the cells may
be placed in such chamber or chambers. When the ice is removed from 1
the cells the salt extruded during the freezing action is collected, after
which the cells are ready for another freezing action.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which
'the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would 1
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the combining of a freezing machine
with a ship for the purpose of obtaining fresh water from sea water,
and with the object of rendering the space at present occupied on board
ship in carrying fresh water available for freighted cargo, substantially
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hildesheim, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
2