The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-12
Selling Cold Sir
So much a Foot
HERE'S AN INVENTION DE-
LIGHTFUL TO CONTEMPLATE.
Housekeepers Can Turn the
Chilling Blast Off and On
at VIII.

Recent developments indicate that the
day is not far distant when by simply
turning a knob or touching button cold
air may be supplied for the needs OF
family in the came manner as gas, water
or steam is furnished at present
Architects are now watching with inter
est a novel scheme for carrying refrigera-
ton into the cottages ard hotels OF At
lantic City by means of pipe lines iaiS
through the streets.
The cold air iteelf is not sent through
the pipes, that plan having been tried in
various places has always proved a failure,
because OF the loss of cooling power by alb
sorption of heat from the earth or air in
spite of all precautions TO prevent it. In
The new system the entire refrigerating
power of lie machine is delivered and
utilized in the refrigerators of the Gus
toners, more beirg lost on the way.
In New York city the plan has been tried
Of furnishing q whole set OF apartments
with cold air from the same source, by one
OF three methods, either direct expansion
OF ammonia. the circulation OF salt brine, or
by maintaining a vacuum. None of these
have proved entirely practicable for the
purpose, however, and the main reason
why they have not turns on the old yeXed
question Of servants.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
Plants for the distribution of cold air
from one source are in successful opera
ton in various large hotels in New York
and other cities, but until the last new
scheme was projected no method has been
contriyed TO make them eXpodient for pri-
yate families.
In q large ioiei the chief engine and all
appurenances are in charge OF a competent
engineer, who allows no interference with
his plans. In an apartment house, even
il the central source is in charge of an
able manager, the various pipes must be
tapped ana turned off or on, by the indi
vidual servants Of each family with whose
premises they connect. The average cook
or table gin is utterably Incapable OF under
standing the Importance of the response
/ bility oevolving on Der. ard the refrigera-
tor is twenty -siXdegrees one day, and sixty
two the next, according to chance.
MANUFACTURED AT ONE RESIDENCE.
The company just started and whose plans
are not yet III active operation, propose TO
make things very simple for their patrons.
The liquid anhydrOus ammonia used in the
process is to flow from the machine at the
! central station through one pipe TO the point
OF use This ammonia is to be al a pressure
OF 80 pounds to the square inch at summer
! temperature. At the apartment where il is
! to be used il is expanded 10y being allowed TO
HOW through SIltil4 tle1 III Il Y
/ adjusted to the amount of refrigeration
required This expansion takes place in q
1 coil of pipes known as The expansion coil,
1 within the space to be cooled. and from this
| coil the ammonia, now changed to vapor, re-
! turns through a larger pipe to the central
4 station.
/ A third pipe. connected with the liquid and
/ vapor pipes at each refrigerating box, and
/ also with man-holes at the street crossings.
constitutes a vacuum, or safety line, and is
an important part of the system. BE- means
/ Of il. any section in which new connection
OF repairs are TO be made can be emptied
without inteunitting the operation OF Tie
! system elsewhere. A reservoir tor liquid
anhydrous anmonia) is placed at the out
! going end of the machine, a second reser-
! voir, for strong aqua ammonia, at the incom-
! ing end of the machine, and a third for weak
aqua ammonia is also employed Regu-
/ laJing valves. operated. by electricity, are
| each controlled by a themosJat in the place
/ 10 be cooled. To adjust this, the valve is
| opened at one degree above and closed at one
| degree below the average temperature
required.
BOTH CLEAN AND RELIABLE.
It is claimed for this system of mechanical
refrigeration that it is vastly superiGr in
/ efficiency, reliability, cleanliness and
! economy to that obtained from melting
4 ice St Louis has had such a system in
operation for four years, and so has Den