Brine generator

Claim 1

IN WATER SOFTENING SYSTEM COMPRISING A CLOSED VESSEL CONTAINING A BED OF MINERAL WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL, MEANS FOR INDUCING FLOW OF HARD WATER FROM A HARD WATER SOURCE THROUGH SAID BED OF MINERAL WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL TO SOFTEN SAID BEFORE DISCHARGE TO A SOFT WATER OUTLET DURING A WATER SOFTENING CYCLE, MEANS FOR INDUCING A FLOW OF BRINE THROUGH SAID BED OF MINERAL WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL TO REGENERATE SAID MINERAL BED BEFORE DISCHARGE OF THE BRINE TO A DRAIN DURING A REGENERATION CYCLE, AND A BRINE TANK ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CLOSED VESSEL CONTAINING WATER SOFTENING MINERAL FOR PREPARING A SATURATED SALT SOLUTION FOR REVITALIZING SAID MINERAL BED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS IN PROVIDING A SALT STORING AND BRINE GENERATING DEVICE POSITIONED IN SAID BRINE TANK TO SUPPORT SALT OUT OF CONTACT WITH WATER EXCEPT DURING A PERIOD OF BRINE GENERATION PRECEDING REGENERATION OF SAID MINERAL BED, SAID BRINE GENERATING DEVICE COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL PERFORATED FLOOR MEMBER DISPOSED TO DIVIDE SAID TANK INTO A RELATIVELY LARGER UPPER SALT STORAGE CHAMBER, AND A RELATIVELY SMALLER LOWER WATER STORAGE CHAMBER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PERFORATED FLOOR MEMBER SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK, A VERTICAL CHANNEL SEPARATED FROM SAID SALT STORAGE CHAMBER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID FLOOR MEMBER, SAID CHANNEL BEING OPEN AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM AND COMMUNUCATING FREELY WITH SAID WATER STORAGE CHAMBER BELOW SAID FLOOR MEMBER, DUCT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CHANNEL FOR INTRODUCING WATER TO THE WATER STORAGE CHAMBER OF SAID TANK AND FOR WITHDRAWING BRINE THEREFROM, FLOAT MEANS IN SAID CHANNEL ADJACENT THE LEVEL OF SAID PERFORATED FLOOR MEMBER, AND LINK MEANS CONNECTING SAID FLOAT MEANS WITH CONTROL MEANS FOR REGULATING WATER FLOWS WITHIN SAID SYSTEM FOR ACTUATING SAID CONTROL MEANS WHEN THE LEVEL OF WATER IN SAID WATER STORAGE CHAMBER RISES ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID PERFORATED FLOOR MEMBER.