Skating and other like Purposes.
Year: 1884

page_text: Skating and other like Purposes. .
I, 'ALEXANDER CHARLES MAC LEOD of 28 Burton Street, Castlefields, Shrowsbury
in the County of Salop Doctor of Medicine do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ICE SURFACES OR RINKS FOR.
SKATING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES to be as follows :-
Hitherto surfaces or rinks of real ice have been formed by causing a rofrigerating
fluid to. flow through channels or passages which constitute the support or part of
the support of the layer or film of water to be frozen. Now my invention consists
in freezing the water, and.thereby forming a floor or rink of ice by the application
of cold to the top or surface of the water, and the manner in which I carry the
invention into effect is to pass a current of refrigerated or cold air over the surfaco
until a sufficient thickness of ice has been produced. While the current of air is
being passed over the water it is well to apply an awning or cover of canvas or
other suitable material, at a slight distance above the water so as to ensure that
the air current shall impinge upon the water. Ice rinks made according to my
invention may have any desired depth of water below the frozen surface; tho
ice can therefore possess the same elasticity as that formed by nature on ponds
or lakes.

page_text: Skating and other like Purposes.
I ALEXANDER CHARLES MAC LEOD, of 28 Burton Street, Castlefields, Shrewsbury
in the County of Salop, Doctor of Medicine do hereby declare the nature of my,
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ICE SURFACES OR RINKS FOR
SKATING AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to bo particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
"
Hitherto surfaces, or rinks of real ice have been formed by causing a refrigerating
fluid to flow through channels or passages which constitute the support or part of
the support of the layer or film of water to be frozen; the surfaces or rinks thus
formed are hard and rigid because the whole body of water becomes frozen; they
are also irregular and uneven owing to the fact that the flakes or lumps first
formed float up to and accumulate at the surface. Now my invention consists in
freezing the water and thereby forming a floor or rink of ice by the application
of cold to the top or surface of the water, and the manner in which I carry the
invention into effect is to pass a current of refrigerated or cold air over the surface
until a sufficient thickness of ice has been produced. While the current of air is
being passed over the water it is well to apply an awning or cover of canvas or
other suitable material at a slight distance above the water so as to ensure that tho
air curront shall impinge upon the water. Ice rinks made according to my
invention may have any desired depth of water below the frozen surface; the ice
therefore possesses the same elasticity as that formed by nature on ponds or lakes;
while at the same time it is smooth and regular.
The refrigerated or cold air for the purpose of my invention may be obtained by
means of any suitable refrigerating machine such, for example, as those used for
maintaining cargoes of meat in a frozen state on board ship.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The formation of ice surfaces or rinks for skating or other like purposes by
passing a current of refrigerated or cold air over the surface substantially as herein-
before described.