AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALT FROM BRINE
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
SMITH, of Stoke Prior, near Broomsgrove, in the County of Worcester,
Butcher and Publican, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that after considerable application and
expense I had invented "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALT FROM
BRINE," and Her said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all arts
and inventions which may be for the public good, was graciously pleased, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and forty-one, in the fourth year of Ier
reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they, by myself or
themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I
or they should agree with, and no others, during the term of fourteen years
from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's
dominions called England, Her Dominion Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, shall seem meet, and as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit
and advantage arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of
fourteen years; and for that end Her said Majesty requires and strictly com-
mands all Her subjects whatsoever within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-
Tweed aforesaid, that they shall not either directly or indirectly make, use, or

page_text: put in practice my said Invention or any part thereof, nor in anywise counter-
feit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or subtraction
therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the Inventor or
Inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso
obliging me, the said Benjamin Smith, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the
same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had) will more
fully and at largo appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Smith, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My improved apparatus for making salt from brine is heated by fires, which
are disposed, as usual, on fire grates, situated side by side beneath one end of
a large horizontal salt pan in order to give heat thereto, partly by direct action
of the fires upwards beneath parts of the bottom of such pan, and partly by the
action of flame, heated air, gas, or smoke, which proceeds backwards from
the fires beneath the more remote or back part of such pan; but the sides
of the fire-places which contain the burning fuel, instead of being brick-work
as usual, are (in my improved apparatus) the sides of iron vessels containing
water, and those vessels are heated by the lateral action of the fires, so as to
raise steam from that water, which steam is conveyed upwards by suitable
pipes into spaces beneath the bottoms, or rather beneath false bottoms, of
other additional salt pans, which may be situated over the first-mentioned salt
pan, in order to heat brine in such upper and additional pans by heat derived
laterally from the fires beneath the first-mentioned salt pan. The upper parts
of the aforesaid vessels at the sides of the fire-places form part of the bottom of
the salt first mentioned, so that the water contained in those vessels gives heat
to the brine in such pan, in order to assist the direct action of the fire in the
boiling thereof; also, so much of the principal salt pan first mentioned as is
over the fire-places and over the said vessels at the sides of those fire-places
(being the frontmost end of the said salt pan) is covered over with a close
cover, having sides, to form a steam vessel suitable for receiving and collecting
all the steam which arises from so much of the brine as is beneath that cover
during the boiling of such brine; and the upper part of that steam vessel
forms the bottom of another small additional open pan, wherein brine can be

page_text: heated by the action of the said steam beneath that bottom, and all excess of
such steam beyond what is condensed beneath that said bottom is conveyed
by a steam passage or pipe from that steam vessel beneath the bottoms (or
rather beneath the false bottoms) or other additional salt pans wherein. brine:
may be heated by action of such steam. At each side of so much of the.
frontmost end of the first-mentioned or principal salt pan as is over the fires,.
and over the vessels at the sides of the fire-places, (and which portion of the
said principal pan is beneath the close cover or steam vessel before mentioned,):
a deeper part called a pocket is provided to receive the salt, the pockets being
two long narrow troughs whereof the bottoms descend below the level of the
flat bottom of the pan, in order that such pockets may be adapted to receive
the fine salt which deposits itself on the bottom of the pan in consequence.
of the rapid boiling away and evaporation of water from the brine therein, that
salt so deposited being swept at short intervals of time from all parts of the
said flat bottom into the said pockets at each side thereof, by means of a
scraper or row of scrapers moved horizontally across the said flat bottom by
suitable mechanism, so as to sweep the salt into the pockets; and such action
of the scrapers taking place almost immediately after the salt is formed and
deposited on the bottom, the salt will not be left on the bottom of the pan so
long as to permit it to adhere so firmly, nor in such thickness, to the said
bottom as is the case in ordinary salt pans. The said pockets extend laterally
on each side of the salt pan, with part of their width beyond the upright sides
of the close cover or steam vessels before mentioned, which is over the salt
pan, and such part of the width of the pockets is left open at top, in order to
allow the salt to be taken out from the pockets from time to time when required,
but other part of the width of the same pockets is within the upright sides of
the cover or steam vessel; and the said sides do not descend to the bottoms of
the pockets, in order that suitable spaces may be left beneath the lower edges of:
those sides, and between those lower edges and the flat bottom of the pan, to
allow the salt to be swept by the scraper or row of scrapers before mentioned
from the said bottom into the pockets, as aforesaid; nevertheless the said lower
edges of the upriglit sides of the cover or steam vessel dip sufficiently below
the surface of the brine contained in the pan and in the pockets to prevent
any escape of steam beneath the said lower edges.
And for the more full explanation of my said improved apparatus, I have
hereunto annexed a Drawing. wherein the apparatus is represented in several
different Figures, drawn to a scale of one-fourth of an inch to a foot; Figure 1
is an end elevation and Figure 2 an end section, corresponding one to the
other, to shew the fire-places and the water vessels at the sides thereof.

page_text: beneath the frontmost ends of the principal salt pan, also the close cover or
steam vessel over the same; likewise two additional salt pans above the said
steam vessels, which are heated by steam conveyed up from the said vessels
also the connecting pipes between the said two salt pans and the water vessels.
Figure 3 is a horizontal plan of the water vessels at the sides of the fire places,
shewing the connecting pipes and passages across between those vessels.
Figure 4 is a horizontal plan of the principal salt pan, shewing the mechanism
for moving the scrapers across the flat bottom of the foremost end thereof,
which is beneath the close cover or steam vessel. Figure 5 is a longitudinal
vertical section of the whole apparatus, in part corresponding with the plan,
Figure 4; and Figure 6 a transverse section of the two additional salt pans,
which are heated by steam derived from the close cover or steam vessel over
the frontmost end of the principal salt pan.
In all the several Figures the
samo letters of reference denote the same parts of the apparatus. A, A,
Figure 2, are the fire-places, and a, a, the fire grates; B, B, the ash-holes
beneath those grates. The fire doors for entrance to the fire-places in front
are shewn at b, b, Figure 1. C, D, Figures 4 and 5, is the principal salt pan,
which is heated by the fires in the fire places A, A; those fire-places are
situated beneath the frontmost end C of the pan C, D, and the flame,
heated smoke, gas, and air, which proceeds from the fires, passes beneath the
backmost end D of the same pan C, D. The said pan C, D, is divided across
by a partition d, so as to make two distinct compartments C and D, whereof
the front one C is situated directly over the fires, so as to receive the strongest
heat therefrom, and that part C is used for making fine salt, which requires to
be performed with a very rapid boiling and evaporation of the brine, but the
backmost part D, receiving a less heat from the flame, heated smoke, gas, and
air which proceeds from the fires, is used for making that kind of salt which is
called broad salt, and which requires to be made with a slow evaporation of
the brine. E, F, G, Figures 2, 3, and 5, are the water vessels herein-before
mentioned as being at the sides of the fire-places A, A. The upper parts of
those vessels join to the bottom of the salt pan C, the same metal plate which
forms the said bottoin of the pan also forming the tops of those vessels, which
are close vessels, and contain water to be heated by lateral action of the fires
at A, A.
All the vessels E, F, G, are connected together at their upper parts
in the manner shewn in the plan, Figure 3, videlicet, by horizontal cross
passages c, c, at their front ends over the fire doors; the metal plate of
the bottom of the pan forming the upper sides of those passages e, c,
and the same vessels are also connected by horizontal cross pipes f. f, at
their backinast ends, and there are other longitudinal pipes g, g, which

page_text: join to the cross pipes f, f, in the form of a letter T, the said pipes 9, 9,
extending along over the upper part of each fire-place A, A, and their frontmost
ends joining to the cross passages e, e. The pipes f, f, g, g, are circular, and
they have a space over them between their uppermost sides and the bottom of
the
pan C, so that the flame ascending from the fires will envelope the pipes
ff, 9, 9, and give heat effectually to them and to the water within them,
that water being part of the water contained in the vessels E, F, G, which
water has free communication from one of those vessels to the other
by means of the cross passages e, e, and cross pipes f, f, and longitudinal
pipes g, g. Each of the vessels E, F, G, communicates by a suitable pipe with
two additional salt pans H, I, Figures 1, 2, and 5, which pans are elevated and
may be placed over the principal salt pan C, D, in which case they may be
sustained upon long cross beams, whereof the ends are lodged in side walls or
pillars at each side of the pan C, D, and each cross beam may be supported
by two suitable upright pillars erected from the ground at the sides of the
pan C, D, as is shewn in Figures 1 and 2. The pans H, I, are made with
double bottoms to each pan, leaving a space between the two bottoms for the
admission of steam. The lowermost of the two bottoms is flat and horizontal,
but the upper bottom is convex across, as is shewn in Figure 2, so that there
will be a less depth of brine contained in each pan H, I, at the middle part
than at the sides thereof. The spaces beneath such upper bottoms, or, in other
words, the spaces between the two bottoms of each of tho pans H, I, which
spaces are to receive steam, are connected with the water vessels E, G, and F,
by the pipes h, i, and k, Figures 1 and 5.
and i, which are ascending pipes, connect
vessels E and G at the front ends thereof, and the said pipes go up to join to
the spaces between the two bottoms of the pans H, I, at the front end of cach
pan, and at one side of the middle of the width thereof a vertical partition is
fixed along the middle of the width of the space between the double bottoms
of each of the pans H, I; that partition extending from the front end of the
pan to within about two feet of the farthermost end thereof. The said
partition is closely joined to the lower or flat bottom all along, so as to prevent
tho passage of water across the partition; and although the partition may be
joined at intervals to the upper bottom, in order to unite the two bottoms
firmly together, yet the partition is to have sufficient openings left between it
and the upper bottom to allow a free passage of steam (but not of water)
across the partition in order that the steam may spread itself beneath the
upper bottom throughout the whole extent of the surface thereof. The
vessels E, F, G, are kept quito filled with water, also the passages and pipes
The lower ends of the two pipes h
with the highest parts of the side

page_text: e, e, f, f. 9, 9, and likewise the pipes h, i, k, and there is as much more water
as will cover the lower bottoms of the two pans H and I two or three inches
deep, leaving the rest of the space between the double bottoms vacant for the
reception of steam, which steam will be generated in the vessels E, F, G, by
the heat from the fires acting laterally against the sides of those vessels, and
so much of that steam as is so generated within the middle vessel F, and also
within the pipes f. f, and g, g, over the fires, will make its way therefrom by
the passages e, e, to the side vessels E and G, and will, together with the steam
generated within those two vessels, ascend therefrom through the pipes h and i,
which pipes should be large enough within to admit the steam to ascend in
bubbles through the water wherewith the said pipes are filled, and when that
steam gets up into the spaces between the double bottoms of the pans H and I,
it will there separate itself from the water with which it had been previously
intermixed, and having that water so separated to mix with the stock of water
at the bottom of the said spaces, the steam will occupy the upper part of such
spaces, and passing over the middle partition in each of those spaces will spread
beneath the whole surface of the upper convex bottom, and will give heat to
the brine which is resting upon that bottom in the open salt pans H and I:
And so much water as will be carried up along with the steam when the same
ascends the pipes h and i as aforesaid will slightly increase the depth of the
water that is contained in each of the spaces between the double bottoms of
the pans H, I, that increase beginning at the front end and at one side of the
aforesaid partition where the pipes h, i, join to the said space, and therefore
the water will be caused to run along the said partition to the backmost end
of the space, and will pass across the width of the space around the backmost
end of that partition, and will then run forwards again along the other side of
the partition to come again to the front end of the space from whence the
water (together with the water resulting from the condensation of the steam
beneath the upper bottom in giving heat to the brine above that bottom) will
run down by the branches 1, in, of the upright pipe k, which latter descends
and joins to the vessel F, at the lowest part of the front end thereof, by which
arrangement a continual circulation of the water will be going on through the
course above described, so as to keep the vessels E, F, G, effectually supplied
with water; and in order to allow full action of tho steam, small open vent
pipes should be carried up from the spaces between the double bottoms of the
pans H and I at the middle or most elevated part of the uppermost of those
double bottoms, and at the backmost ends thereof, as shewn at 2, Figure 5;
such open vent pipes will allow air to escape when the steam is first introduced,
and after that will allow all surplus steam to escape, so as to avoid any confine-

page_text: ment of the steam within the spaces between the double bottoms of the pans
EI, I. And note.-If it is required to retain the steam in the spaces between
the double bottoms of the pans H and I to any required pressure above the
weight should be applied at
pressure of the atmosphere, a valve loaded with a
And note. A small branch n
the top of the vent pipes, last mentioned.
should ascend from the upright pipe k to an open cistern K, wherein a float
may be placed to float on the surface of the water in the cistern K, and that
float may be connected with a cock or valve at the end of a water pipe coming
down from some elevated cistern in the roof; the said float and cock or valve
being of the nature of what is called a ball cock, and acting in such manner
that whenever there may be any diminution of the stock of water in the
vessels E, F, G, and H, I, and their pipes, then the water in the cistern K
will subside, and thereupon the said float will open the said cock or valve, so as
to admit as much water into the cistern K as will replenish the said stock, and
The heated water contained in tho
keep it up to its full intended amount.
vessels E, F, G, and the passages e, e, is in contact with the underside of the
metal plate whereof the bottom of the pan C is made, and also the steam
which is generated within the vessels E, F, G, and passages e, e, whilst that
steam is in progress of making its way towards the ascending pipes h, i, as
before described. Wherefore by action of such hot water and steam much
heat is communicated to the brine contained in the pan C in aid of the heat
which is communicated thereto by the direct action of the fires in the fire-
places A, A, and by the heat so communicated the said brine is caused to boil.
rapidly and to evaporate water rapidly from it, and consequently salt is
deposited on the bottom of the pan C; and in order to prevent the salt which
is so deposited from resting long on the said bottom, whereby it would be
liable to adhere thereto, pockets or lateral troughs L, M, Figures 1, 2, and 4,
are formed along each side of the pan C, the bottoms of those pockets being
on a lower level than the flat bottom of the pan C; and J is a scraper or row
of scrapers, which is drawn across the said flat bottom of the plan C from side
to side thereof, at frequent intervals, in order to sweep the salt which has been
deposited on that bottom laterally therefrom into the pockets L, M, which is
done at frequent intervals by means of suitable machinery first sweeping in one
direction across the said bottom and then back again across in a contrary.
direction. The scraper or row of scrapers J is formed of a number of scrapers,.
each having one or two eyes or sockets, by which it is suspended on a long:
cylindrical rod of iron; the scrapers being disposed one at the end of the other
along that rod, as is shewn in Figure 7, so as to form a row like one long scraper ;
but in consequence of being composed of several distinct. scrapers, each one

page_text: can descend by its own weight, so as to apply with its lowermost edge in close
contact with the flat bottom of the pan C, in order to accommodate to any
inequalities of that bottom from a truly flat surface. The cylindrical rod
whereon the row of scrapers J is so suspended is to be carried horizontally
across the flat bottom of the pan C, with a motion parallel to itself, and for
that purpose each end of the rod is fastened to an endless chain P, which is
extended over two pullies N, O, and those pullies are fastened on the ends of
two horizontal axes Q, Q, which axes at their opposite ends have other like
pullies fixed upon them, to receive another .like endless chain for supporting
and actuating the other end of the rod of the scrapers.J, as is shewn in Figures
4 and 5. The ends of the. axis. Q, Q, rest on bearings; sand motion is com-
municated to the ends of one or both of those axes, so as to turn them round
first in one direction and then back again in a contrary direction, whereby
the rod of the scrapers J, together with the row of scrapers which are hung
thereon, will be drawn by the, endless chains P. across the width of the bottom
of the pan C from one side thereof to the other. side with the motion of. the
row of scrapers J, parallel to itself, in order that the several scrapers inclining
by their own weight about their said rod J may apply with their lowermost
edges in close contact with the flat bottom of the pan C, so as to scrape and
carry the salt before them. all across the flat bottom of the plan C, and thereby
remove the loose salt which has deposited itself on the said flat bottom into
that one of the pockets L, M, towards which the row of scrapers J is at the
time moved. And when the row of scrapers J has in that manner passed all
across the width of the flat bottom of the pan C, then the several scrapers
drop each by its own weight into the pockets L or M, so as to hang pendulous
from their horizontal rod J; and therefore, as soon as that rod begins to move
back again, the several scrapers will by. their own weight apply in an inclining
direction (with a contrary inclination to their former inclining direction), their
lowest edges being in close contact with the flat bottom of the pan C, and by
action of the endless chains Pithe: rod J. and. row.. of scrapers will then be
drawn all across the said bottom, so as to carry the loose salt before it into the
opposite pocket, and the several scrapers will then drop down therein, and hang
pendulous from the rod J, in readiness, when that rod begins to be moved back
again, to re-assure an inclining direction with a contrary inclination to their
former inclining direction, so as to apply with their lowest edges in close con-
tact with the flat bottom of the pan C, as before. Wherefore, when the row of
scrapers J is moved in either direction across the flat bottom of the pan C, the
several scrapers which constitute that row will assume their proper inclining
direction to enable them to act, effectually as scrapers, in order to apply by

page_text: their weight to the flat bottom of the pan C, so as to sweep the loose salt before
them across the said flat bottom into that one other of the pockets L or M at the
side of that bottom towards which the row of scrapers is at the time moving.
The pullies N, O, N, O, for the endless chains P may be put in motion by any
5 suitable means; the most simple means will be to affix a cog-wheel on one end
of one of one the axes Q of the said pullies N or O, which cog-wheel may either
have oblique teeth or else level teeth, with a worm or endless screw, or else
a bevel pinion to act in those teeth, that worm or pinion being on a horizontal
axis, which extends across the pan C, with a winch handle at one or both ends,
by which a man or men can turn it round, and by so doing the row of scrapers
will be moved slowly across the flat bottom of the pan C, and when it has been
so moved all across the said flat bottom, then, by turning the same winch
handle or handles round in a contrary direction, the row of scrapers will be
moved back again; or if steam or water power or horse's power can be had, the
requisite motion may be given by suitable connecting axes from the said power
to the said axes whereon the winch handles have been mentioned as being
applied, so as to turn that axis round instead of turning it by winch handles;
and in such case there may be two of the small bevel pinions on that said axis.
to work in the teeth of the same bevel wheel at opposite sides of the centre
thereof, those pinions being so applied on their said axis, that only one of them
will be in gear with the teeth of the bevel wheel at the same time, and by any
suitable mechanism whereby one of those pinions will be put in gear, and the
other at the same moment taken out of gear, the row of scrapers will be moved
in one direction until it gets quite across, and then the gearing of the pinions
being reversed, that one which was in gear being put out of gear, and vice
versa, the row of scrapers will be moved back again, although the motion of
the axis of the pinion continues to be always in the same direction. The
mechanism for so reversing the gearing of the two pinions must be brought
into action by a suitable connection with the bevel wheel, so as to be self-
acting, or otherwise; if only one bevel pinion is used, the same as first described
for being worked by men, the axis thereof may have two pair of fast and loose
pullies applied thereon, in order to turn it round by means of two endless belts,
whereof one is a crossed belt, and the other belt is not crossed; consequently,
although the two belts are actuated by the same drum of the mill work, that
pulley whercon the crossed belt is acting will be turned round the contrary way.
to the other pulley, whereon the other belt, which is not crossed, at the same
time acting, and the guides for the said two endless belts are to be arranged so as
to cause one belt to apply upon its fast pulley when the other belt is on its loose
pulley, and thereby the row of scrapers will be moved across in one direction;

page_text: but when it gets across, then the guide for the belts being moved so as to shift
that belt which was upon its loose pulley on to its fast pulley, and vice versa,
then the row of scrapers will be moved back again. The said endless belts
may be made of flat rope or of girt webbing, or what is called india-rubber
belting may be used. Or another mode of giving the requisite parallel motion
to the horizontal rod J of the row of scrapers may be, instead of using endless
chains and pullies N, O, to employ two long screws disposed horizontally across
over the flat bottom of the pan C, and rather above the said rod J, and with
their length parellel one to the other, disposed in the direction in which the
scraper is to be moved backwards and forwards. The rod J of the row of
scrapers is to be suspended at places in its length between its middle and its
ends from nuts which are fitted on those two screws, as shown at q, q, Figure 7;
and the rod J will be carried by those two screws parellel to itself across the
flat bottom of the pan C, when the two screws are turned round, and both of
them must be turned round with like motions, which may be done by means
of connecting wheelwork applied to the ends of the two screws. And when
those screws have carried the row of scrapers all across, then they must be
turned round in a contrary direction, in order to move the row of scrapers.
back again. The two screws may be turned either by winch handles
worked by men, or by steam or water, or horse power, as already explained
R, R, Figures
in respect to the mode of working by endless chains.
1, 2, and 5, is the close cover or steam vessel, which is placed over the
pan C, in order to receive and collect the steam arising from the brine con-
tained in that pan, as herein-before mentioned. The frontmost and back-
most upright sides of the said steam vessel R join to the flat bottom of the
pan C, but the two lateral upright sides r, r, stand over the pockets L, M,
and do not reach to the bottoms thereof, neither do they touch the flat
bottom of C, the said sides r, r, being rather wider apart than the width of
that bottom C, in order that open spaces may be left between the lower edges
of the sides r, r, and the sides of the flat bottom C for the salt to be swept off
that flat bottom into the pockets L, M, by action of the row of scrapers J, as
already explained, and also in order that the several scrapers of that row may
just have room enough to drop down into such spaces, so as to hang down
therein in a pendulous manner from their rod J, in a suitable manner to be in
preparation for assuming a contrary inclination (when the row of scrapers is
moved back again) to the inclination which the same scrapers had when the
row was moving forwards. The lower edges of the sides r, r, dip down deep
enough into the brine to prevent any steam escaping from the steam vessel R
beneath the said edges. The pockets L, M, reach out laterally each way

page_text: beyond the extent of the upright sides 1, r, and so much of the pockets as thus
reach out beyond are open at top, in order to take out from the pockets the salt
which has been swept into them; that taking out may be done at any time
when convenient, as it occasions no interruption to the operation of the appa-
ratus. The upper part of the close cover or steam vessel R rises with an
arcbed top, as is shewn in Figures 2 and 5, and that arched top forms the
bottom of a small open pan V, V, which is therefore situated over the steam
cover, and the pan V, V, first receives the supply of brine, which is afterwards
to be made into salt in the pan C, D, that supply of brine being cold when it
is first introduced into the pan V, V, but by the action of the steam beneath
the arched top whereon the said brine rests that brine becomes heated in
preparation for being let down into the pan C to be there boiled. The supply
of cold brine may be run with a continual small feeding stream into the pan
V, V, and may be let out therefrom in its heated state by a like continual
small stream into the pan C, the flow of both those streams being regulated to
suit the rate at which the brine is in progress of being disposed of in the pan
C by the boiling away or evaporation of the water and the deposition of salt
from such brine, or the supplying stream of cold brine into the pan V, V,
as well as the stream of the same brine out of that pan, after it has become
heated therein, may be set running from time to time, and then stopped or run
slower, as will best suit the operation of the apparatus. And whereas water
will be condensed from the steam which acts beneath the arched top of the
steam cover or vessel R (in proportion as such steam gives heat to the brine
which is above that top) due provision must be made for collecting all the
water which is so condensed, in order to effectually prevent it from dripping
down into the brine in the pan C beneath. For this purpose, small gutters
must be disposed beneath the arched top with one edge of each gutter in close
contact with the under surface of that top, and the other edge projecting so
much out therefrom as will intercept all condensed water that may be
trickling down the said surface; the said gutters may extend lengthwise of
the arched cover, parallel one to another, nearly in a horizontal direction,
but with a slight slope, to cause the condensed water which drains down
into them from the said under surface of the arched top to run away from
all the said gutters into suitable pipes at the upright sides of the steam
vessel R, by which pipes the said condensed water is conveyed away and got
rid of without mixing with the brine in the pan C or in the pockets L, M.
The number of such gutters will depend upon the size of the arched top;
there must be two principal gutters disposed at the two lowest parts of the
arched top where it joins to the two upright sides r, r. The condensed water

page_text: will trickle some distance down the under surface of the arched top by adhesion
of the water thereto without dropping away therefrom, and a gutter of the
kind aforesaid must be provided to intercept and catch the water which is so
trickling down before it has proceeded far enough to have accumulated in such
quantity as to overcome the adhesion and fall in drops from the under surface
of the arched top. The remaining steam, which is not condensed in giving heat
to the brine in the pan V, V, is conveyed away from the upper part of the steam
vessel R by a steam passage or ascending pipe S, which joins to the highest
part of the arched top of R at the frontmost end, and the passage S after
reaching a suitable height, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 5, turns forward
horizontally, and then branches off sideways each way, as shewn at t, t,
Figures 5 and 6, in order to join to the spaces between the double bottoms of
the two additional salt pans T, T, which pans are of the same kind as the two
pans H, I, before described, but the pans T, T, are placed on a rather higher
level than H, I, and the pans T, T, may be situated over the store room for
keeping the stores of manufactured salt, the pans r, r, being placed on cross
beams, with pillars or piers and walls to sustain their weight. The uppermost
of the double bottoms of each of the pans T, T, is convex on the upper side,
and as that forms the bottom of the open salt pan, the depth of the brine
therein will be less at the middle part than it is at the sides of the pan, the
same as already stated respecting the pans H, I. The steam which is con-
veyed by the passage S, t, into the space between the two bottoms will
communicate heat to the brine in the pans T, T, and the water which will be
condensed from the steam in so communicating will collect on the lowermost
flat bottom, and will run down therefrom into the passages t, t, and into the hori-
zontal part-of-the-passage S, but will be stopped from entering into the upright
part of that passage by a partition which (as shewn in Figure 5) rises up in
continuation of the frontmost side of the said upright part above the bottom of
the horizontal part of the passage S, leaving nevertheless sufficient space for
the steam to pass over the top of that partition and enter into and pass along
the horizontal part S above the water therein. The water which is detained
in the horizontal part of the passage S by the said partition is permitted to run
down through the descending pipe k, Figures 1 and 5, which has been already
explained. And note.-Communications may be made by suitable steam pipes
or passages, as shown at y, Figure 5, so as to connect the spaces for steam
between the double bottoms of the additional salt pans II, I, with the corre-
sponding spaces for steam between the double bottoms of the other additional
pans T, T, in order that if there is any, surplus of steam in any one such steam
spaces, that such surplus steam may go to another steam space where steam

page_text: shall be wanted; such passages may have stop valves in them to close them
when the said communications are not required. And note.-The lower end
of that pipe k joins to the lower part of the vessel F, as shewn at Figures I
and 5, by means of a short horizontal branch of considerable size, having a
moveable cover on the end, which being removed gives access to the inside of
the vessel F, for the convenience of cleaning out that vessel from any sediment
which may have deposited therein, and the other vessels E and G should have
like provision for removing sediment from them, see Figure 1; and like branches
with covers may be provided in each of the passages e, e, Figures 3 and 5, over
each of the fire doors and in the lines of the pipes g,g, suitably for cleansing out
the inside of those pipes. The flame, heated gas, smoke, and air, proceeding from
the fire, after passing backwards from the fire places A, A, and spreading beneath
the bottom of the pan C, D, which may be supported on pillars in the usual
manner of ordinary salt pans, then passes into flues beyond the backmost end
of the pan D, in order to form a drying stove for drying the salt after it has
been made, all which, being constructed in the usual manner of ordinary salt
pans, does not require further explanation. And note.-Another mode of
moving the scrapers across the flat bottom of the pan C may be as follows:-
That pan with its pockets L, M, at each side, and its steam cover or
vessel R, r, r, over the pan C being constructed as represented in Figure 2,
but being constructed without the pullies N, O, and endless chains P
there shewn, and also instead of a long row of scrapers J, Figure 7 (to
reach all the length of the bottom) having only one scraper of two or
three feet long, of the same kind as one scraper out of the row J, that
short scraper being connected with a chain proceeding each way therefrom in
a direction across the width of the flat bottom of the pan C, and those chains
passing under the lower edges of the sides r, r, which lower edges are to be
provided with long iron rods for receiving rollers thercon, in order to allow the
chains to draw easily under the said edges r, r, and then the said chains are
conducted upwards in oblique directions from under the lower edges of the
sides 1, r, to pass over two pullics, each of which is mounted on a round
horizontal rod of iron fixed to the building, nearly on a lovel with the top edge
of the pan V, V, and those rods serve as centres of motion for the pullies; tho
chains hang down after passing over the last-mentioned pullies, and a man by
pulling down one of the chains can drag the short scraper horizontally across
the width of the flat bottom of the pan C, so as to sweep the loose salt before
it. The other chain at the opposite side of the pan C being allowed to run up
over its pulley as fast as the scraper is so moved, but when the scraper has got

page_text: across into the pocket L or M, then by pulling down the said other chain the
scraper will be drawn back again; but before beginning so to draw it back both
pullies are to be removed endways along their respective round rods (which
serve them for their centres of motion); in order that the scraper, when it
returns, may pass across the flat bottom of the pan in a different path from
that in which it was drawn before, and thus the short scraper being at every
succeeding time drawn across in a different path will successively sweep over
the whole surface of the flat bottom, so as to clear away tho loose salt there-
from, in the same manner as would be done by a. long row of scrapers, as
herein-before described. Note. Each of the chains aforesaid for pulling the
scraper must be connected with the scraper by two branches of the chain,
which branches spread out one from the other, and are fastened to the two ends
of the scraper, which will by that means keep sufficiently parallel to itself
when it is drawn across. Note.-The scraper last described, instead of being
only one scraper, as above mentioned, may be composed of two or three distinct
short scrapers applied one at the end of the other on a round iron rod, so as
to constituto a short row of scrapers. And note.-The water. vessels E, F, G,
are represented in the section Figure 2, as being narrower across at their
upper parts than they are at their lower. parts, so as to render the fire-
places A, A, wider at top under. the pan C than they are at the bottom,
where the fire grates a, a, are, and consequently the lateral action of the
fire must be against reclining sides of the several vessels E, F, G, those
sides reclining away from the fires, but the said vessels E, F, G, may be
made with vertical sides towards the fires, in which case the fire-places A, A,
will be of the same width at the fire grates as they are at the top of the firc-
places under the pan C. Or, the vessels E, F, G, may be made with reclining
sides, but with those sides overhanging towards the fires, in which case the fire-
places will be wider at the fire grates than at the top of the firo-places under
the pan C. In all cases it will be best to make the lower corners of the vessels
rounding at the parts which come nearest to the fire grates, and in all cases the
-cross passages.c, e, and the pipes f, f, and g; g, are to be as herein-before described.
Note. That portion of the principal salt pan C, D, which is behind the
cover or steam vessel R, between the back of that vessel and the partition d,
Figure 4, may be used to make fine salt, which can be withdrawn in the usual
manner of drawing salt, from ordinary salt pans.. The additional salt pans
H, I, and T, T, (as well as the backmost compartment D of the pan C, D,)
are to be used for making broad salt by a slow and gradual evaporation.
Having now described my improved apparatus for making salt from brine,

page_text: I, the said Benjamin Smith, do hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof
the exclusive use is granted to me by the said Letters Patent, consists in the
combination and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus one with
another, as herein-before described, and particularly in the application of water
vessels at the sides of the fires (which fires are disposed on fire grates in their
usual positions beneath the bottom of the salt pan), together with connecting
passages and pipes between the said water vessels, in order that the water
in such vessels and passages and pipes may receive heat by lateral action
from those fires, so as to produce steam, which is conveyed by the system
of pipes hercin-before described, to give heat to brine in other additional
salt pans, for the purpose of making broad salt therein in the manner herein-
before described, and although salt pans with double bottoms, to be heated
by introducing steam into the spaces between those bottoms, are not claimed
as a new Invention, yet part of the present Invention consists in making
the uppermost of the two bottoms of such additional steam-heated salt pans
convex, so that the brine will stand deeper at the sides of such pans than it
does at the middle of their width, as herein-before described. Also in the
system of pipes by which a circulation of water is kept up within and through
the said water vessels at the sides of the fires, as herein-before described; also in
the application of the particular kind of close cover or steam vessel herein-
before described, over that salt pan which is heated by the fires beneath it, in
order to receive the steam arising from the boiling of the brine; that close
cover or steam vessel having a pan above it wherein cold brine is to be heated
by the said steam, as herein-before described, in preparation for introducing
that brine into the aforesaid salt pan, which is situated over the fires, as well
as into the backmost part of the same pan; also in the several modes herein-
before described of actuating scrapers for removing the loose salt from the
bottom of the principal salt pan, which is situated over the fires and beneath
the aforesaid close cover or steam vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-one.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of September, in
the fifth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Benjamin
Smith came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the instrument aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year of
the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Eighth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-one.