Device for making brine

Claim 2

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet (3) for the water is situated at the place in the brine bin (2) where the saturation of the brine is normally the lowest, whereas the outlet (4) for the brine (5) is situated at the place where the saturation is normally the highest.

Claim 3

Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the inlet (3) for the water is situated above the level (A) up to which the brine bin (2) is normally filled with salt (6), whereas the outlet (4) for the brine is situated at the bottom of the brine bin (2).

Claim 4

Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the device (1) contains a dosing chamber (7) whose entry (8) is connected to the outlet (4) of the brine bin (2).

Claim 5

Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it is provided with a valve (11) to control the water supply and in that the dosing chamber (7) is provided with a control mechanism (10) which controls said valve (11) as a function of the fluid level in the dosing chamber (7), such that the valve closes as soon as the fluid level in the dosing chamber (7) has reached a certain level (B).

Claim 6

Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the dosing chamber (7) is provided with a valve (9) at its entry (8) and in that the dosing chamber (7) is provided with a control mechanism (10) which controls said valve (9) either directly or indirectly as a function of the fluid level in the dosing chamber (7), such that said valve (9) closes as soon as the fluid level has reached a certain level (B).

Claim 7

Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it is provided with a valve (11) to control the water supply, whereby this valve (11) is also controlled by means of the above-mentioned control mechanism (10), such that this valve (11) closes as soon as the fluid level in the dosing chamber (7) has reached a certain level (B).

Claim 8

Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the valve (9) for the supply of brine (5) in the dosing chamber (7) is coupled to the valve (11) to control the water supply, such that when the valve (11) for the water is closed, opened respectively, also the valve (9) for the brine (5) will be closed, opened respectively.

Claim 9

Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the valve (9) for the supply of brine is controlled by means of a pressure-sensitive element (32) which controls the valve (9) as a function of the pressure prevailing in the pipe (13) which, when water is being supplied, is situated downstream of the valve (11) which controls the water supply.

Claim 10

Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive element (32) mainly consists of a membrane (33) which is fixed in a chamber (34) which is connected to said pipe (13) via a pipe (35), and an element (36) attached to the membrane (33) which pushes open the valve (9) when the membrane (33) is moved as a result of the increase of pressure in the chamber (34).

Claim 11

Device according to any of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that it has a common pipe (12) for the supply of water to the device (1) and for the discharge thereof of brine (5) by exerting a suction force on it; in that the above-mentioned valve (11) for the supply of water is placed in the above-mentioned pipe (12); and in that this valve (11) is connected to two pipes, a pipe (15) to bring the water in the brine bin (2) and a pipe (35) to suck the brine (5) from the dosing chamber (7) respectively, whereby the pipe (15) to bring the water in the brine bin (2) is provided with a non-return valve (14) which opens as water is supplied and closes as brine (5) is sucked out, and whereby the pipe (35) to suck the brine (5) from the dosing chamber (7) is provided with a non-return valve (38) which closes when a fluid pressure is provided in the pipe (35) and which opens when fluid is sucked in.

Claim 12

Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the non-return valve (38) in the pipe (35) to suck in the brine (5) from the dosing chamber (7) has a double action, more particularly in that it closes when a fluid pressure is exerted in the above-mentioned pipe (35), and opens as fluid is sucked in, but also closes when air is sucked in.

Claim 13

Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the non-return valve (38) consists of a housing (39) with an entry (40) and an exit (41) which are each provided with a seating (42,43), and a floating valve disc (44) which works in conjunction with the above-mentioned seatings (42,43).

Claim 14

Device according to any of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that the control mechanism (10) consists of a float mechanism.

Claim 15

Device according to any of claims 5 and 7 to 13, characterized in that the control mechanism (10) consists of a float mechanism which is formed of a float body (21) and a lever (23) working in conjunction with it which can be rotated around a point of rotation (22) and which controls the valve (11) for the water supply, whereby this valve (11) is kept in its open position under the influence of the weight of the float body (21).

Claim 16

Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the weight of the float body (21) can be set.

Claim 17

Device according to any of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the float body (21) is erected in a sliding and guiding manner along the pipe (35) through which the brine (5) from the dosing chamber (7) is discharged.

Claim 18

Device according to any of claims 4 to 17, characterized in that a filter element (46) is placed in the brine bin (2) and the dosing chamber (7).

Claim 19

Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the inlet (3) for the supply of water to the brine bin (2) is provided with a sprayer (45).