IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REFRIGERATORS." A communication from abroad by Henry Carr Goodell, of
Atchison, County of Atchison, State of Kansas, United States of America,
Grain Dealer."
*
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd January 1882.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 14 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Henry Carr Goodell of Atchison, County of Atchison State
of Kansas United States of America "Grain Dealer.
»
This Invention relates to refrigerators of that class of a larger size which are
used in markets, hotels and the like, and it consists first of a refrigerator or
refrigerating room having an ice box occupying the entire upper part and suspended
from the ceiling in combination with a series of drainage bars, whereby the water
of condensation and of the melting ice is carried off. It consists further of certain
details of construction hereinafter fully described. The essential principle of my
Invention is based upon the observed fact that in refrigerating rooms of this class
the air and moisture from the neats and like substances introduced into the lower
part of the chamber, rises rapidly to the top and my Invention has in view the
suspension of a mass of ice throughout the upper part of the chamber over suitable
draining strips so that this warm air as it rises is suddenly and uniformly chilled
leaving its moisture upon the ice itself to be carried off with the water resulting
from the melting of the ice. In the main chamber a small upper door serves to
admit ice. The cage which holds the ice is composed of vertical and transverse
bars connected to the side and end timbers which are upheld by suspension rods.
The end timbers of the frame are rebated across the ends and receive the overlying
ends of the side pieces. One side piece extends the whole length of the cage

page_text: across the rear thereof and is supported by suitable rods, those at the corners both
in front and rear passing through both side and end pieces. The beams on the
front side are supported in like manner but are cut away to leave a space in the
centre and are provided with a supplemental beain which extends under the open
space between the ends of the beams. It will be understood that the cross beams
or scantlings are suspended underneath the side beams and, excepting at the points
where they rest upon the lower beam they are easily removable without disturbing
any other part.
In like manner the vertical bars are made independently removable being screwed
or bolted at their lower ends to the inner surface of the side and end beams, and at
their upper ends to the inner surface of the upper framework. The open space
between the ends of the beams permit a sliding frame to be drawn in and out.
This sliding frame is composed of bars which slide between the transverse bars of
the cage. They are connected at the inner end preferably by a metal strip
underneath the bars, attached to each one of the sliding bars. A second bar
extends across the horizontal or transverse bars and is connected thereto under-
neath the sliding frame, this serves to limit the forward movement of said frame as
well as to sustain it. A piece is attached to the front end of the slide bars and
when the sliding frame is pushed in, fits into the space between the ends of the
beams. This sliding frame when the cage is in place is directly opposite the small
upper or ice door and when that door is open the sliding frame may be drawn out
to receive blocks of ice which, being deposited upon the outer end of said sliding
frame are easily pushed in with the frame and may then be shifted to either end.
The suspension rods pass through the top of the chamber and through strips on
which they rest by means of nuts or heads the said strips serving to distribute the
strain. Just below the cage is arranged the drip mechanism. On each side of the
refrigerator are bars supported a little distance from the wall by means of brackets.
The upper edges of these bars are cut away at intervals to receive the drain boards.
These drain boards are made preferably eight inches wide and are set about four
inches apart. The lower bars are recessed to a depth greater than the thickness of
the drain boards and upon the projection between said recesses, is supported a second
series of drain boards each one of which overlaps the edges of two of the first series
of drain boards which rest in the notches.
The third series of drain boards are supported in notches in the top series of
drain supporting bars, which notches are arranged so as to bring the said third
series of drain boards directly over the space between the second series. Dowel
pins secure the boards to cross bars. These drain boards are made with grooves
on each side and are inclined slightly from front to rear whereby the water is
carried back and discharged into a trough attached at the back directly under the
ends of the lower series of drain boards. Water from the trough may be led to
the outside by means of a pipe passing through the wall or flooring and provided
with a suitable trap. The drain boards have also slight grooves on their under
surfaces, near the edges which serve to arrest and carry off any drips which may
gather underneath. The trough is supported upon brackets in the same manner as
the bars, leaving a clear space next the wall for the free circulation of air. I
provide a second door of admission with a window preferably of plate glass, said
window being composed of two or three plates, though I prefer three plates an
inner and two outer forming two air chambers, which afford more effectual
resistance to the passage of heat, and to any obscuring of the glass by condensation.
I do not however limit myself to the location of the window and the door. It
may be necessary in some arrangements of the refrigerator to place the window
elsewhere. I prefer lining these chambers with an improved lining of lamp black
but any
other suitable substance may be used if preferred. It should be observed
that a space of about one inch is left between the series of drain boards so that
there is free passage for the air to rise up between the drain boards passing around
the edges thereof but as the boards of each series overlap each other it is not
possible for the water from the melting of the ice to fall between them and this

page_text: improved refrigerating room will be found in practice to be as dry when in use as an
ordinary room. The same arrangement of ice cage and drain boards may be used
in connection with supports for said cage resting below instead of suspension rods,
but the plan of suspending from the top is better, inasmuch as it does not occupy
and obstruct the chamber with any supporting devices.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th June 1882.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 14 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Henry Carr Goodell of Atchison, County of Atchison State
of Kansas United States of America Grain Dealer.
This Invention relates to refrigerators of that class of a larger size which are
used in markets, hotels, and the like, and it consists first of a refrigerator or
refrigerating room having an icebox occupying the entire upper part and suspended
from the ceiling in combination with a series of drainage bars whereby the water
of condensation and of the melting ice is carried off. It consists further of certain
details of construction hereinafter fully described. In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 represents a central section transversely of the drip bars. Figure 2
represents a section longitudinal of said bars. Figure 3 a separate view of the
drain boards.
The sections show the entire structure. The essential principle of my Invention
is based upon the observed fact, that in refrigerating rooms of this class, the air and
moisture from the meats and like substances introduced into the lower part of the
chamber, rises rapidly to the top and my Invention has in view the suspension of
a mass of ice throughout the upper part of the chamber over suitablo draining
strips so that this warm air as it rises is suddenly and uniformly chilled, leaving its
moisture upon the ice itself to be carried off with the water resulting from the
melting of the ice. In these Drawings the walls of the main chamber are indicated
at A, a door B affords access to the users, and a small upper door C serves to
admit ice. The cage which holds the ice is composed of vertical bars a. a. and
transverse bars b connected to the side and end timbers which are upheld by
suspension rods. The end timbers of the frame are shown at c. c. They are
rebated across the ends and receive the overlying ends of the side pieces d, e e.
TL cide piece d extends the whole length of the cage across the rear thereof and
is supported by suitable rods f, those at the corners both in front and rear passing
through both side and end pieces. The beams e on the front side are supported in
like manner but are cut away to leave a space in the centre and are provided with
the supplemental beam which extends under the open space between the ends of
the beams c c. It will be observed that the cross beams or scantlings are suspendod

page_text: underneath the side beams d and c and excepting at the point where they rest
upon beam they are easily removable without disturbing any other part. In
like manner the vertical bars a are made independently removable being screwed
or bolted at their lower ends to the inner surface of the side and end beans and at
their upper ends to the inner surface of the upper framework.
The open space between the ends of the beans ce permits a sliding frame E to
be drawn in and out.
This sliding frame is composed of bars ii which slide between the transverse
bars b of the cage. They are connected at the inner end preferably by a metal
strip underneath the bars attached to each one of the bars i i. A second
bar extends across the bars band is connected thereto underneath the sliding
frame this serves to limit the forward movement of said frame as well as to
sustain it. A piece e¹ is attached to the front end of the bars i and when the
sliding frame is pushed in fits into the space between the ends of the beams e.
This sliding frame when the cage is in place is directly opposite the small upper
door C and when that door is open, the sliding frame may be drawn out to receive
blocks of ice which being deposited upon the outer end of said sliding frame are
casily pushed in with the frame and may then be shifted to either end. The
suspension rods pass through the top of the chamber and through strips m on
which they rest by means of nuts or heads, the said strips serving to distribute the
strain. Just below the cage is arranged the drip mechanism.
On each side of the refrigerator are bars n n and oo supported a little distance
from the walls by means of brackets. The upper edges of these bars are cut away
at intervals to receive the drain boards q. These drain boards are made preferably
eight inches wide and are set about four inches apart. The lower bars n. n are
recessed to a depth greater than the thickness of the drain boards and upon the
projections between said recesses is supported a second series of drain boards each
one of which overlaps the edges of two of the first series of drain boards which rest
in the notches.
Water
The third series of drain boards are supported in notches in the top series of drain
supporting bars oo which notches are arranged so as to bring the said third
series of drain boards directly over the space between the second series. Dowel
pins 2 secure the boards q to cross bars n and o. These drain boards are made as
shown in section with grooves t t on each side and are inclined slightly from front
to rear whereby the water is carried back and discharged into a trough F attached
at the back directly under the ends of the lower series of drain boards.
from the trough may be led to the outside by means of a pipe passing through the
wall or flooring and provided with a suitable trap. The drain boards have also slight
grooves on their under surfaces near the edges which serve to arrest and carry off
any drips which may gather underneath. The trough is supported upon brackets
in the same manner as the bars leaving a clear space next the wall for the free
circulation of air. I provide a second door B with a window preferably of plate
glass, said window being composed of two or three plates, though I prefer three
plates an inner and two outer, forming two air chambers which afford more
effectual resistance to the passage of heat and to any obscuring of the glass by
condensation. I do not however limit myself to the location of the window and
the door. It may be necessary in some arrangements of the refrigerator to place
the window elsewhere. I prefer lining these chambers with an improved lining
of lamp black but any other suitable substance may be used if preferred. It
should be observed that a space of about one inch is left between the series of
drain boards, so that there is free passage for the air to rise up between the drain
boards passing around the edges thereof, but as the boards of each series overlap
each other it is not possible for the water from the melting of the ice to fall
between them, and this improved refrigerating room will be found in practice to
be as dry when in use as an ordinary room.
The same arrangement of ice cage and drain boards may be used in conjunction
with supports for said cage resting below instead of suspension rods, but the plan

page_text: of suspending from the top is better inasmuch as it does not occupy and obstruct
the chamber with any supporting devices.
Having thus described the Invention and how the same may be practically
carried into effect; what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is
1st. The described cage consisting of the beams c, d, e, e, bars a, b and
suspending rods substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd. The combination of the ice cage and the refrigerating chambor with the
sliding frame E and door C substantially as described.
3rd. In a refrigerator the draining apparatus consisting of the side bars n and o
notched as described, and the drain boards arranged on said bars as set forth.
4th. In a refrigerator the combination of the bars n and o notched and provided
with dowel pins as described, with the three series of drain boards arranged on
said bars as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Philip Middleton Justice have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Nineteenth day of June in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of
ALLEN P. JONES,
14, Southampton Bldgs.,
Chancery Lane,
London, W.C.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE. (L.S.)