Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-01
rE-MAK|NC PATENT
IS NOW ON EXHIBITION
First Right Granted New Or
leans Man in 1851-Ab-
stract of Specifications.

SN NV W SPSUstsSastOtsSs
The first United States patent for the
manufacture OF ice. No. Sosn. was grant
ed to John Gorrie of New ORLEANS, La.
May q. 1851. for a process of artificial
production OF ice and the original patent
and papers have been placed on .xhib.-
ton In the United States National Mu-
scum
They are held TO be especially Uter-
esting I'm that they cover completely DIR
Gorrie's early method OF making ice and
his refrigerating system, which was the
indirect process-tnat Is. the cooling of
an uncongealable liquid which hi turn
cooled other substances.
According to the early custom OF the
patent office the papers aud patent are
written By hand on parchment. and.
though now quite old. are. nevertheless.
In excellent condition.
Deposited In National Museum.
In lSpS George II. whiteside OF Apa-
lachicola, Fla. secured these papers.
which ne presented TO the Southern Ice
Exchange. and for that organization de
posted them in the National Museum.
together with a ssries of articles on
the same subject which appeared in the
Commercial Advertiser OF Apalachicola.
| Fla. I'm the year 1874. as written by Dr.
| John Gorrfe under the nom de plume OF
Jenner
| There follows an abstract from specii-
cations OF Gorrie's first patent:
| ITO all whom II may concern be II
known that l. John Gorrie of the city Of
New Orleans. In the parish of Orleans
and state OF Louisiana, have invented a
new and useful machine for the artificial
production of Ice and for general refriger-
atory purposes. OF which the following T.
a full. clear and exact description
! 1t is a well known law of nature that
the condensation of air by comp @sion Is
| accompanied by the development OF heat.
| while the absorption of heat from sur
/ rounding bodies the manifestation OF
the sensible effect commonly called cold
uniformly attends the expansion OF all
and this is particularly marked when It
is liberated from compression.
Nature of Invention,
THE nature OF my invention consists in
taking advantage Of this law TO convert
water into ice, artificlally. by absorbing
its heat Of liquefaction with expanding
air. To obtain this effect in the most adj
vantageous manner. il is necessary TO
compress atmospheric air into "a reservoir
4
one-tenth, or other convenient and suit
| able proportion OF it's ordinary volume.
1 The power thus consumed In condens.ng
the air Is. to considerable extent. re-
| covered. at the same time that ne de-
sired frigorific effect is produced. oy al
| lowing the air to act with It's crpans.ye
force upon the piston OF an engine. hich
| by connection with a beam. or other
continuance, common 10 both. helps ~
work the condensing pump. This engine is
| constructed and arranged I'm the panner
/ Of high pressure steam engine. >
| When the air cooled by Its expansion
escapes from the engine ii Is made 10
pass round a vessel containing the water
to be converted into ice, or through a
pipe for effecting refrigeration otherwise:
the air while expanding I'm the engine be-
ing supplied with an uncongealable liquid
whose heat 1t will absorb. and which can
in turn be used to absorb heat from wa
ter to be CONCEALED. BY this arrange
ment. ] accomplish my object with the
least possible expenditure Of mechanical
force. and produce artificial refrigeration
than can be done by any known means.
Claim of Inventor.
Having thus fully made known my i'm
proved process of manufacturing ice and
explained and exemplitied suitable
machinery for carrying the same prac-
derstood that do not claim as my in
vention any or the several parts of tic
| apparatus In themselves. but what l do
claim as my invention and desire TO Sc
cure by letters patent is:
| First. the employment OF liquid
uncongealable at the low temperature
| at which IL is required To keep the en-
| gine to receive the heat of the water
| to be CONCEALED and give IL out to the
expanding air.
| Second, claim the employment of
| an engine for the purpose OF rendering
the expansion OF the condensed air grad
| ual In order to obtain its full refrgera-
| tory effects. and at the same time, rem
der available the mechanical force with
| which 1t tends to diiate to aid in work
| ing the condensing pump. irrespective OF
| the manner in which the several parts
are made, arranged and operated.
Method of Congealing.
Third. I claim supplying the water
gradually and slowly TO the freezing Yes
| sells, and congealing IL by aostracting the
heat from its under surface substan-
| tally as herein set forth. And lastly.
claim that process OF cooling or freez-
| Ing LIQUIDS by compi ess .ng air into a
| reservoir. abstracting the heat evolved
| n the compression ly means OF jet or
\ water; allowing the compressed air In All
engine surrounded 10y cisteln OF an
enforceable liquid. which is continually
| injected into the engine and returned TO
4 the cistern. and which serves AZ me
dunn TO absorb the heat from. the liquid
| to be cooled or frozen, and give IL out
| 10 the expanding air.