The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-08
AN ICELEss REFRIGERATION.
Arizona Mans Invention Which
Works in Hottest Climates.

Arizona Mans Invention Which
Works in Hottest Climates.
Washington Starr
Phoenix, Ariz., is the birthplace OF
the iceless refrigerator, about the most
unique invention that ever gladdened
an Arizona summer, However. II has
already travelled far in its cooling ca
reer, and is even now being manufae-
tured in the east, the patent having
been purchased by an eastern firm.
Robert A. Maddox Is the inventor. He
is a wholly unpretentious man. and OF
this inge2ius household production he
quietly remarked: 1T is an old prin-
eiple, the simple evaporation of water
TO reduce temperature" He has given
10 the world a new practical, ecOnOm-
zeal machine for preserving cool and
pure all kinds of perishable goods
eggs. milk. butter. fruits, vegetables,
fresh meats, as well as cooked foods,
and the ventilation is so perfect that
one article cannot faint another.
The iceless refrigerator presents much
the same appearance as ordinary re-
frigerators. The outer casing and door
may be made of plain or expensive
woods. as taste may dictate. The up
per half and the top are closed tight
ly The lower portion is formed of in
clined stats, through which air may be
freely admitted. The door is also made
tight at the top and provided with Stats
at the bottom.
The interior frame is made entirely
of galvanized iron TO prevent shrinking
and expanding or becoming moldy with
constant dampness, and il is also a good
conductor of heat and therefore assists
IN reducing the temperature lower than
it could otherwise be maintained. Bur
lap or other fibrous material is fastened
upon this inside frame so as to form
an interior wall, which stands at a suf-
fcient distance from the outer wall OF
the structure to form an annular space
between the two
In the top of the inner structure is
an opening covered with screen ma
j terial. Through this and the Stats
around the bottom of the outer casing
a constant draft of air passes. thus
causing an. evaporation of moisture,
with which the fibrous material is sat
urated, so that the interior OF the ap-
| paratus is maintained at a low tenn
perature. All around the top of this
[ frame is a strip of galvanized iron.
with an inclined lip quite bent over.
/ The edge of the burlap is fastened upon
| the face of the frame, One-eighth of an
/ inch above the edge Of the lip, so that
! the water which is discharged upon
| this inclined surface will not flow over
4 the burlap, but viii be directed against
/ il, so as 70 be absorbed, thus saturating
/ the burlap. The fastenings for this
/ burlap or other f1brOus material con-
/ sists of a doubie-pointed tack or hold
/ er. the head of which is soldered or 9TH
/ erwise secured to the face of the gal
vaniZed iron. The fbrous material be-
/ ing pressed over the points. they are
/ folded down TO hold IL in place. This
/ renders IL easily removable for change
| or cleaning. Above the top of the
! frame is a tank for holding water.
/ Projecting from the sides and ends of
| this tank. and at a suitable distance
4 apart, are horizontal pipes having in
/ the outer ends vertically disposed
/ needle valves. which control the flow
of water from openings in the lower
parts of the pipes. These openings and
/ controlling valves are situated in line
above the slanting lips so that water
| delivered from the openings falls upon
| the lip and flows down into the fibrous
/ material, keeping it constantly sat-
urated
The needle valves have screw-thread-
/ ed stems, turnable in a suitable nut
/ on the top of the pipe, and in line there
/ with on the lower part of the pipe are
! made small conical discharge openings.
/ The lower ends of the valves are con-
/ ical. and may be screwed down so as
| 10 entirely close the openings When
turned so as to slightly expose the
/ openings the water will drip, falling
in drops as frequently as necessary for
the purpose OF keeping the hbrous ma
/ teriai wet
The door is made double. like the 9TH
] er part Of the refrigerator. The inside
is attached to the outside by boards OF
sufficient width. running up and down.
and edgewise. and holding the outer
and inner walls apart, also stiffening
| them, so that they cannot warp ana
\ twist. The inside wall is of galvanized
iron, fitted with fibrous material, so
that IL normally stands in a plane with
/ the walls of the box when the door Is
closed. and beneath the inclined water
/ delivering surface at the top. so that
/ the water will be discharged upon the
/ fibrous material OF the door as well as
/ upon the remaining sides Of the box
| when the door is closed.
The protection of articles from be-
coming wet when the door is opened.
( is effected by means Of a trough, hav-
] ing arms or hangers at each end. which
/ are so pivOted that when the door is
/ opened this trough will hang in line
beneath the water-feed and any drip
/ therefrom will fall into the trough and
be conveyed away by means OF dis
| charge sprout al one end. When the
door is closed the contact with the
! trough causes the latter to swing about
its pivot points. out of the way OF the
| drip. which then falls upon the fbrOus
lining OF the door, continuing 10
moisten H.
Around and below the bottom edge Of
the interior wall of the refrigerator is
fitted an open trough, which serves 10
receive any drip reaching that point
from the fibrous material. At one cor
ner this trough is connected with a dis
charge pipe. through which the surplus
moisture passes into a receptacle.
I Fastenings for the fibrous material
are fixed upon the vertical inner corner
! posts. and along the lower edge Of the
inner wall, so that il is securely held.
The interior OF the structure Is pro-
/ vided with galvanized iron shelves.
| They are movable, being held by sup