Compressed Salt Block For A Liquid Treatment Apparatus

A water softener apparatus, comprising:

• a housing adapted to accommodate at least one brine tank and at least one compressed salt block comprising:
• a longitudinally extending elongated body having a vertical longitudinal axis, a top horizontal face, a bottom horizontal face, and comprising:
• a block portion having a rectangular cross-section taken in a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the vertical longitudinal axis, wherein the rectangular cross-section is defined by a major front exterior surface that is a base surface of the block portion, a major rear surface, and a pair of exterior minor surfaces;
• and
• an extension portion formed integrally with the major rear surface of the rectangular cross-section of the block portion as a single compressed salt block, wherein the extension portion has a cross-sectional area in said horizontal plane in the form of a right truncated triangle, the extension portion having a first exterior side that is contiguous with one of the pair of exterior minor side surfaces of the block portion, a second side that is contiguous with the major rear surface of the block portion, and an exterior hypotenuse side that extends at an acute angle relative to the base surface of the block portion from a rear edge of the first exterior side toward the major rear surface of the block portion;
• wherein a horizontal cross section of the elongated body is constant along the vertical longitudinal axis of the elongated body and the exterior hypotenuse side of the extension portion defines a functional face adapted to abut against a vertical wall or an exterior vertical surface of a tank of a water softener apparatus to position the compressed salt block within said water softener apparatus;
• wherein the housing of said water softener apparatus comprises a first space portion for accommodating said at least one brine tank, and a second space portion for accommodating the at least one compressed salt block;
• wherein the extension portion of the at least one compressed salt block extends into a space in the second space portion between an external surface of the at least one brine tank and an inner wall surface of the housing adjacent the external surface of the at least one brine tank to thereby position the at least one compressed salt block within the housing.

A method of forming a compressed salt block comprising:

• a longitudinally extending elongated body having a vertical longitudinal axis, a top horizontal face, a bottom horizontal face, and comprising:
• a block portion having a rectangular cross-section taken in a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the vertical longitudinal axis, wherein the rectangular cross-section is defined by a major front exterior surface that is a base surface of the block portion, a major rear surface, and a pair of exterior minor surfaces;
• and
• an extension portion formed integrally with the major rear surface of the rectangular cross-section of the block portion as a single compressed salt block, wherein the extension portion has a cross-sectional area in said horizontal plane in the form of a right truncated triangle, the extension portion having a first exterior side that is contiguous with one of the pair of exterior minor side surfaces of the block portion, a second side that is contiguous with the major rear surface of the block portion, and an exterior hypotenuse side that extends at an acute angle relative to the base surface of the block portion from a rear edge of the first exterior side toward the major rear surface of the block portion;
• wherein a horizontal cross section of the elongated body is constant along the vertical longitudinal axis of the elongated body and the exterior hypotenuse side of the extension portion defines a functional face adapted to abut against a vertical wall or an exterior vertical surface of a tank of a water softener apparatus to position the compressed salt block within said water softener apparatus;
• the method comprising the step of compressing loose salt in a mold in a direction perpendicular to the top horizontal face and/or bottom horizontal face of the compressed salt block being formed.