AN IMPROVE- MENT IN THE METHOD OF REFRIGERATING AND VENTILATING, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, but temporarily of the City of Philadelphia,
United States of America, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN THE METHOD OF REFRIGERATING AND VENTILATING, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR. A communication from Benjamin Franklin Teal, Mechanical
Engineer, and George Gross Fryer, Mechanical Engineer, both of Philadelphia,
in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd October 1879.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, but temporarily of the City of Philadelphia, United States of America,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF REFRIGERATING AND
VENTILATING, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from Benjamin
Franklin Teal, Mechanical Engineer, and George Gross Fryer, Mechanical Engineer,
both of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to the method of and apparatus for producing low-
temperatures for all purposes, such as ice making, refrigerating, and ventilating, by
means of air compressed to any desired pressure, which is subsequently allowed to
return to its normal (atmospheric) pressure during the performance of mechanical
work, which deprives said air of its heat in proportion to the amount of energy
so expended.
I do not claim the process of compressing air and then allowing it to expand,
at the same time performing work, for that is old, and was originally suggested by
Dr. Gorrie about 1855; nor do I claim broadly any process for placing compressed
air in a suitable condition to exercise refrigerating effect by causing it to operate
the piston of the compression cylinder or to perform work, because such is not my
Invention. My method consists in utilizing all of the energy of the compressed
air, and producing the maximum degree of cold due to the conversion of the heat
into work by regulating the supply of compressed air admitted to the cylinder
according to the degree of compression of the said air.
Any suitable mechanism may be used to accomplish the above object, but my
גל

page_text: present device, which I desire to secure by Letters Patent, consists in the con-
struction and arrangement of the machinery and apparatus so that, first, air is
compressed and expanded simultaneously in the same cylinder only on opposite
sides of the piston; second, the cooling water is thrown into the compressing end of
the cylinder during compression in the form of spray, and has a maximum pro-
portionate supply when the air compression is nearest its maximum; third, the
valves of the compressing end of the cylinder do not necessitate any clearance
whatever, and thereby prevent loss in the pressure of the compressed air due to
the contraction of volume by decrease of temperature; fourth, the expansion valve
is so constructed that a clear flow can be had from the expansion end of the
cylinder into the compartment or main without the changing of direction; fifth,
the process whereby the expanding air is expanded to atmospheric pressure if
necessary to obtain the greatest refrigerative result from air compressed to any
pressure; sixth, the automatic cutting off or throttling of the steain in the chest
of the steam cylinder of the compressors through the agency of the compressed air
or by other means, so that the expanding air may be made to do a maximum
amount of work; seventh, the apparatus for extracting the water from the com-
pressed air; eighth, the injection of water into the top of the compressed air chamber
by the same pump by which the injection water is forced into the cylinder; ninth,
the method of disinfecting the air withdrawn from the compartment.
The following is a description of the apparatus by which the above nine effects
may be accomplished
I employ a compressing and expanding cylinder, the piston of which is operated
by means of a steam engine or other suitable motor through the agency of a shaft,
cranks, and pitmen. When two cylinders are used the compressing cranks should
be directly or nearly opposite to each other, and the engine crank at right angles to
them. The top or head of the cylinder has two concentric chambers. Opening
into the first or annular chamber is the suction pipe. This annular chamber is
supplied with a ring shaped valve, which is held against its sent by springs. The
inner chamber is also supplied with a valve. The annular valve opens into the
cylinder, and is used for the purpose of admitting air into said cylinder prior to
compression, while the valve of the inner chamber is used for the purpose of
allowing the escape of air after compression.
Situated over the chamber is a pamp cylinder. Working in this pump is a
plunger, which is made to follow the compression piston. Upon the bottom of said
plunger is a small perforated flange, and over this is a perforated cap which is
secured to the piston.
The plunger is hollow, delivering the water forced through it by means of the
perforations aforesaid into the compressing end of the cylinder. The pump cylinder
is furnished with a suction pipe & check valve, and a discharge pipe and relief
valve.
The bottom portion of the main cylinder is supplied with a port opening into a
valve chest, which is furnished with a valve operated by an eccentric or cam.
Opening from this chest is the discharge pipe. The port opening and discharge
are arranged so that when the port in the expansion valve is opposite the cylinder
port, a clear discharge as well as a straight one for the expanded air is obtained;
said straight discharge prevents all possibility of the deposition of ice caused by
the congelation of any moisture that may remain in the expanded air.
Opening into the valve chest is a compressed air pipe. The expansion valve
is made to cut off automatically or regularly, as hereafter more fully described.
The compressed air from the compressor is driven through a pipe into the top of
a receiving chamber, in the interior of which are a number of wire cloth or per-
forated sheet metal sieves held in suitable frames.
The sieves are secured in an inclined position, so that any water will run into
the slots formed in the frames, and pass down the chamber and the frames to the
bottom, where it is allowed to pass off by means of an automatic valve in the usual
manner.

page_text: The lower frame has an inclined bottom, which prevents the air from coming into
contact with the water at the bottom of the receiving chamber.
Water is discharged into the top of the receiving chamber by means of a rose
nozzle which has direct communication with the cylinder pump and relief valve, as
before described. The relief valve is used to regulate the supply of water injected
into the main cylinder and receiving chamber, it also acts as a check valve.
The air is led from the bottom of the receiving chamber to a second chamber by
means of a pipe. In this second chamber are secured a series of screens on an
incline, and leaving openings between the sides of the chamber and said screens for
the passage of air. The screens may be substantially the same as those in the first
described chamber. Situated upon the top of the second chamber is a box
containing suitable drying materials (such as chloride of calcium) arranged on
trays.
Opening into this box is the pipe which conveys the compressed air to the air
valve chest prior to being expanded. Any water extracted by the screens runs
down the walls of the chainber, and is conveyed by a pipe to the bottom of the first
chamber.
The drying box may be replaced or used in connection with a disinfecting fluid
saturator, said saturator may be composed of a cylindrical basin which contains the
disinfecting fluid, and in which fluid a fan covered with wire gauze is caused to
revolve by the current of compressed air passing in at a central opening and out
by a pipe opening above the surface of the liquid, and which air is disinfected by
passing through the saturated gruze.
The mechanism by which the compressed air is made to regulate the supply of
steam to the engine may consist of a cylinder in which a piston works, moving a
three armed lever, which lever operates any of the ordinary automatic cut off or
throttling mechanisms used to regulate the supply of steam.
The cutting off of the supply of compressed air to the expanding end of the
cylinder is very important, and this is one of my improvements.
The cut off may be automatic and regulated by the pressure of the compressed
air from the compressors. Mechanism for operating an automatic cut off by this
means may consist of an ordinary slide valve, which having a through port allows
compressed air to pass into the cylinder by means of the cylinder port.
Upon the back of this valve the cut off valve slides, said valve being secured
to a hollow rod, upon the lower end of which a piston is secured which works in a
cylinder.
The compressed air passes through the hollow rod, and gives the same pressure
in the cylinder that there is in the valve chest.
This piston imparts a vertical movement by any suitable means to a rod, which
is weighted to balance the normal pressure on said piston. The rod in its upward
movement becomes weighted with weights at certain distances which hold the
valve in certain positions, so that it will cut off at required portions of the stroke
of the piston for given pressures.
From this it will be readily seen that when the pressure of the air is greatest
the cut off takes place sooner, thus making the expanding air do a larger pro-
portion of the work of compression, insuring thereby greater refrigerative result.

page_text: 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
2nd April 1880.
"
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, but temporarily of the City of Philadelphia, United States of America,
Patent Agent.
AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF REFRIGERATING AND
VENTILATING, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A communication from Benjamin
Franklin Teal, Mechanical Engineer, and George Gross Fryer, Mechanical Engineer,
both of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America).
This Invention relates to the method of and apparatus for producing low
temperatures for all purposes, such as ice making, refrigerating, and ventilating, by
means of air compressed to any desired pressure, and subsequently allowed to
return to its normal (atmospheric) pressure during the performance of mechanical
work which deprives said air of its heat in proportion to the amount of energy
so expended.
The present Invention and device which I desire to secure by Letters Patent
consists in the process whereby the expanding air is expanded to atmospheric
pressure, if necessary, to obtain the greatest refrigerative result from air compressed
to any degree, and the apparatus by which it is accomplished. First, air may be
compressed and expanded simultaneously in the same cylinder only on opposite
sides of the piston; second, the cooling water is thrown into the compressing end
of the cylinder during compression in the form of spray, and has a maximum
proportionate supply when the air compression is nearest its maximum, thereby
preventing loss of pressure of the compressed air due to contraction of volume by
decrease of temperature; third, the valves of the compressing end of the cylinder
do not necessitate any clearance whatever, and thereby prevent loss in the pressure
of the compressed air; fourth, the expansion valve is so constructed that a clear
flow can be had from the expansion end of the cylinder into the compartment or
main without the changing of direction; fifth, the steam is automatically cut off
or throttled in the chest of the steam cylinder of the compressors through the
agency of the compressed air or by other means, so that the expanding air may be
made to do a maximum amount of work; sixth, the apparatus for extracting the
water from the compressed air; seventh, the injection of water into the top of
the compressed air chamber by the same pump by which the injection water is
forced into the cylinder; eighth, the method of disinfecting the air withdrawn
from the compartment.
The arrangement and construction of apparatus adapted to carry my Invention
into effect is represented in the annexed Drawing, which forms part of this
Specifiation, it being understood that slight modifications of the apparatus are from
time to time required to meet exceptional cases.
Fig. 1. represents a vertical section of my complete apparatus.
Fig. II. represents a plan of same.
Fig. III. represents a longitudinal section and elevation combined of the
compressors.
Fig. IV. represents, a transverse vertical section through one of the compressors.
Fig. 5 represents a cross section through the head of the compressors, and shows
the plan of the valves.
Fig. 6 represents a section of disinfectant saturator.
Fig. 7 represents a section of the expansion valve and automatic cut off.
Fig. 8 represents a section and elevation combined of the automatic cut off or
throttling mechanism which regulates the steam cylinder supply.
Fig. 9 represents a section of the pump plunger piston cap by which the
plunger is made to follow the piston.

page_text: Fig. 10 represents a plan of a ship, showing the arrangement of machinery and
the course of the air in the compartment to be cooled.
Fig. 11 represents a modified view of Fig. 10.
A is a compressing and expanding cylinder, the piston a of which is operated by
means of a steam engine B or other suitable motor through the agency of a shaft,
cranks, and pitmen. When two cylinders are used the compressing cranks should
be directly or nearly opposite to each other, and the engine crank at right angles
to them. The top or head of the cylinder A has two concentric chambers, a¹, a².
Opening into the first or annular chamber a' is the suction pipe C; this annular
chamber a is supplied with a ring shaped valve a³, which is held against its seat
by springs a The inner chamber a is also supplied with a valve a³. The
annular valve a³ opens into the cylinder, and is used for the purpose of admitting
air into said cylinder prior to compression, while the valve as of the inner chamber
is used for the purpose of allowing the escape of air after compression.
Situated over the chamber a is a pump cylinder a. Working in this pump is a
plunger a', which is made to follow the compression piston a. Upon the bottom of
said plunger a is a small perforated flange, and over this is a perforated cap a³,
which is secured to the piston a. The plunger a is hollow, delivering the water
forced through it by means of the perforations aforesaid into the compressing end
of the cylinder. The pump cylinder a is furnished with a suction pipe and check
valve aº, and a discharge pipe and relief valve a. The bottom portion of the main
cylinder A is supplied with a port a", opening into a valve chest a¹³, which is
furnished with a valve a¹³, operated by an eccentric or cam.
Opening from this chest a¹ is the discharge pipe D. The port opening a" and
discharge are arranged so that when the port in the expansion valve a¹³ is
opposite the cylinder port all, a clear discharge as well as a straight one for the
expanded air is obtained, as shown in Fig. 4; said straight dischargo prevents all
possibility of the deposition of ice caused by the congelation of any moisture that
may remain in the expanded air. Opening into the valvo chest a¹ is a compressed
air pipe E. The expansion valve a¹³ is made to cut off automatically or regularly,
as herafter more fully described.
The compressed air from the compressor is driven through a pipe F into the top
receiving chamber G, in the interior of which are a number of wire cloth or perfor-
ated sheet metal sieves g¹ held in suitable frames g. The sieves are secured in an
inclined position so that any water will run into the slots g³ formed in the frames g,
and pass down the chamber G and the frames to the bottom, where it is allowed
to pass off by means of an automatic valve g³ in the usual manner.
The lower frame g has an inclined bottom g, which prevents the air from
coming into contact with the water at the bottom of the receiving chamber G.
Water is discharged into the top of the receiving chamber G by means of a
rose nozzle g³, which has direct communication with the cylinder pump a®, and
relief valve ao, as before described. The relief valve a¹ is used to regulate the
supply of water injected into the main cylinder A and receiving chamber G. It
also acts as a check valve.
The air is led from the bottom of the receiving chamber G to a second chamber H
by means of a pipe I. In this second chamber H are secured a series of screens h
on an incline, and leaving openings h³ between the sides of the chamber and said
screens for the passage of air. The screens may be substantially the same as those
in the first described chamber G. Situated upon the top of the second chamber H
is a box h³ containing suitable drying materials (such as chloride of calcium)
arranged on trays. Opening into this box h³ is the pipe E, which conveys the
compressed air to the air valve chest a prior to being expanded.
Any water extracted by the screens h runs down the walls of the chamber H, and
is conveyed by a pipe h¹ to the bottom of the first chamber G. The drying box
may be replaced or used in connection with a disinfecting fluid saturator, as shown
in Fig. 6; said saturator may be composed of a cylindrical basin J, which contains
the disinfecting fluid, and in which fluid a fan covered with wire gauze is caused

page_text: to revolve by the current of compressed air passing in at a central opening, and
out by a pipe Y opening above the surface of the liquid, and which air is disinfected
by passing through the saturated gauze. Fig. 8 represents the mechanism by
which the compressed air is made to regulate the supply of steam to the engine B;
said mechanism consists of a cylinder K, in which a piston k works moving a three
armed lever l, m, n, which lever operates any of the ordinary cut off or throttling
mechanisms made to regulate the supply of steam.
The cutting off of the supply of compressed air to the expanding end of the
cylinder A is very important, and this is one of my improvements. The cut off
may be automatic, and regulated by the pressure of the compressed air from the
compressors. Mechanism for operating an automatic cut off by this means is shown
in Fig. 7, and consists of an ordinary slide valve a", which having a through
port M allows compressed air to pass into the cylinder by means of the cylinder
port P.
Upon the back of the valve as the cut off valve Q slides, suid valve being
secured to a hollow rod R, upon the lower end of which a piston T is secured which
works in a cylinder S.
The compressed air passes through the hollow rod R, and gives the same pressure
in the cylinder S that there is in the valve chest a". The piston T imparts a
vertical movement by any suitable means to a rod U, which is weighted at V to
balance the normal pressure on said piston T.
The rod U in its upward movement becomes weighted with weights W at certain
distances, which hold the valve Q in certain positions, so that it will cut off at
required portions of the stroke of the piston a for given pressures.
From this it will be readily seen that when the pressure of the air is greatest the
cut off takes place sooner, thus making the expanding air do a larger proportion of the
work of compression, insuring thereby greater refrigerative result. The operation
of the apparatus to produce refrigeration by air is as follows:-Air is compressed in
the compressing cylinder during the upward stroke of the piston a, and at the
same time water is injected into said cylinder in the form of spray by means of pump
plunger a. This upward travel of the pump plunger a' also tends to keep open
valve us, allowing the compressed air to pass into the pipe F, by which it is conveyed
to the chambers G and H, which may be one chamber divided into two com-
partments, if desired. As the air is compressed in the cylinder and the volume
becomes sinaller, the same quantity of water is injected as at the beginning of the
compression; hence the relative volume of water to the volume of compressed air
is greatest when it is most needed. All of the water does not usually go through
the plunger a7, but some is forced through the relief valve a¹ and discharged as
spray into the top of the chamber G by a rose nozzle g³. The relief valve may be
closed so that all of the water will be discharged into the cylinder A. The water
is discharged upon wire gauze screens g' into the chamber G, and during its decent
it drips from one screen to the next, but tends to run out by the slots g² and
descend to the bottom of chamber G out of contact with the current of compressed
air, and little or none of the water ever gets to the lower screen of the chamber G.
The compressed air is made to take a circuitous route by the screens g', some of
the air passes through the screens. By this means the partly cooled air from the
compressor is thoroughly cooled, and when it passes through the pipe I it has very
little water in suspension. During the ascent of this cooled air in the chamber H
the screens h extract most of the moisture, which runs to the bottom of the
chamber H, and finally to the bottom of the chamber G by pipe. When there is any
excess of water it runs off automatically by the ball float valve g; the air now passes
through the drying box h³ containing the drying materials, where it is thoroughly
dried. From box hs it passes by the pipe E to the chest a¹, when it is allowed to
pass into the lower end of cylinder A, but the supply being cut off at a certain
portion of the stroke it is allowed to expand. This expansion is performed at the
same time that the air is being compressed on the other side of the piston a, and
consequently the air is made to do work. At the completion of the stroke of the
piston the air is fully expanded and the valve a¹³ opens its discharge port, whereby

page_text: a clear and straight discharge is obtained into the compartment or main, which
prevents the formation of ice which forms when ordinary valves and crooked
discharge are used, and prevents undue friction and consequent heating of the
cold air.
During the downward stroke of the piston the air is drawn in at the top of the
cylinder by the induction valve a³, and the expanded air is discharged at the
bottom. As the piston a descends it draws the plunger a' with it, which sucks
water into the cylinder as, and at the same time instantly closes the valve at. The
same air may be used over and over again, but when this is the case it may
sometimes be necessary to disinfect it at each handling, which may be done by the
means shown in Fig. 6.
Should the pressure of the compressed air be greater than required the mechanism
for regulating the steam comes into play and reduces the power of the engine B, and
makes the expanding air do a greater proportion of the work of compression.
One form of an automatic cut off for the air has been previously explained. I do
not confine myself to the particular mechanism described to do this. The valve
shown in Fig. 4 may be actuated by a suitable eccentric or cam, so as to make it a
regular cut off, but I prefer two valves and an automatic cut off, as it is economy,
and gives a greater refrigerative effect. The operation of compressing and expanding
goes on simultaneously at each upward or compressing stroke of the piston.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, as communicated to me by
my before mentioned correspondents, I wish it understood that I do not claim as my
Invention the process of compressing air and then allowing it to expand, at the
same time performing work, for that is old, and was originally suggested by
Dr. Gorrie about 1855, nor do I claim broadly any process for placing compressed
air in a suitable condition to exercise refrigerating effect by causing it to operate
the piston of the compression cylinder or to perform work, because such is not my
Invention. My method consists in utilizing all of the energy of the compressed air,
and producing the maximum degree of cold due to the conversion of the heat into
work, by regulating the supply of compressed air admitted to the cylinder, according
to the degree of compression of said air, but what I do claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,-
First. The process herein described of utilizing all of the energy of the compressed
air admitted to the cylinder, and producing the maximum degree of cold due to the
conversion of heat into work, which consists in regulating the supply of compressed
air admitted to the cylinder, according to the degree of compression of said air, as
described.
Second. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the cylinder A provided
with a piston a in combination with the annular induction valve a³, discharge valve
a, and expansion valve a¹³, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the pump cylinder a provided
with a supply pipe and check valve a in combination with a hollow perforated
pump plunger a attached to and actuated by the compression piston, substantially
as shown and described.
Fourth. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the cylinder A provided
with a head having separate compartments a¹ and a² for the induction and eduction
of air in combination with valves a³ and as, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. The cylinder for expanding the compressed air provided with the port all
in combination with the valve port as and pipe D, leading in a nearly straight line
to the apartment to be cooled, whereby a direct course for the expanded air to said
apartment is provided, as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the combination with the
cylinder port P and the valve port M of the cut off valve Q, having a hollow rod R,
a piston T, and a cylinder S, together with the rod U and the weights V and W, for
the purpose of cutting off automatically the compressed air admitted to the expansion
cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: Seventh. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the chamber G in combina-
tion with the cylinder or frames g provided with slots g³, the sieves g', and a rose
nozzle g³, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the combination of the
chamber G, sieves g', rose nozzle g³, relief valve a¹º, and automatic discharge valve
g³, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Ninth. The chamber H provided with the sieves h in combination with the
compressing cylinder A and cooling chamber G, as described.
Tenth. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the combination of the
plunger a, cylinder a, relief valve a¹º, rose nozzle g³, and chamber G, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the disinfectant apparatus
composed of a cylinder J, supply pipe X, discharge pipe Y, and revolving plates j,j,
having their peripheries covered with wire gauze or perforated plates, substantially
as shown and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. In a refrigerating and ventilating apparatus, the cylinder or cylinders
for the simultaneous compression and expansion of air on opposite sides of the
piston, substantially as described, in combination with the receiving chambers C
and H, the suction pipe C from the refrigerator, discharge pipe F, supply pipe E,
and exhaust pipe D, all constructed and operating substantially as described and for
the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Middleton Justice, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord 1880.