Abstract: An improved harvester for harvesting a salt crop from the bottom of a shallow, elongated solar crystallizer containing a substantially saturated salt solution overlying the salt crop. The harvester includes track means extending longitudinally along the sides of the crystallizer on which a pair of carriages are movably mounted and support the ends of a frame extending transversely across the crystallizer. The frame includes salt gathering means for transferring the salt crop laterally in the form of one or a plurality of longitudinally extending furrows or ridges in response to the travel of the harvester along the tracks and the resultant gathered salt is extracted by one or a plurality of suction inlets disposed in alignment with the furrows in the form of an aqueous brine slurry. The extracted salt crop is subsequently separated and recovered while the liquid brine is returned to the crystallizer.

Abstract: A solar crystallizer and a process for producing solar salt adaptable for use in climates heretofore believed unfavorable for solar salt production. The invention employs a solar crystallizer defining a shallow pond of salt solution the level of which is carefully monitored and controlled by withdrawing unsaturated solution from the upper stratum of the pond such as produced from rainfall and introducing substantially saturated brine into the pond at a lower stratum overlying the salt crop on the bottom thereof providing a continuous protective saturated brine layer and enhancing the efficiency of water evaporation by a comparatively shallow depth.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of a particulated material such as, for example, seasoning materials including salt, pepper or the like, in which the particulated material is discharged in the form of a substantially uniform curtainous stream and the articles or foodstuffs are transferred through the curtainous stream, a plurality of times to assure substantially uniform coating of the surfaces thereof. The apparatus includes slinger means for dispersing and propelling the articles through an upper section of the curtainous stream from the upstream to downstream side thereof and deflector means for intercepting and redirecting the articles back through the curtainous stream through an intermediate section thereof to the upstream side thereof.

Abstract: An improved salt dissolver for producing a uniform supply of a concentrated salt solution incorporating a novel filter and collector manifold assembly adjacent to the base of a tank adapted to be filled with bulk quantities of a soluble salt compound. The filter and collector manifold arrangement provides for high solution flow rate and facilitates replacement of the tubular filter element as may be required or desired from time to time.

Abstract: A new self-cleaning salt dissolver construction which includes a special dissolving zone which supports the salt for dissolution while at the same time permitting the collection of sludge-impurities in the dissolving zone such that the sludge-impurities can be removed by a special cleaning operation when desired, without requiring the removal of the salt bed from the dissolver.