Improvements in or relating to Ice-making Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
Improvements in or relating to Ice-making Apparatus.
A communication from GUSTAV SCHACKE, Engine-fitter, Augsburg, Empire
of Germany.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following.statement :-
The so-called "crystal-ice" i.e., ice artificially made, perfectly clear and free
from air-bubbles is only or best produced from distilled water; but in practice it is
customary to make use of ordinary water, kept continually in motion while the ice
is formed in the freezing chamber. By this process every endeavour is made to
avoid the formation of air-bubbles; but hitherto, in default of an efficient stirring
device, those efforts have failed to secure successful results. With hand-stirring it
is possible to take account of the progressive formation of ice in the freezing
chamber to such an extent as to be enabled to prevent any disturbance of the
growing mass of ice, and the freezing up of the stirring apparatus. This possibility
however disappears, in connection with the mechanical agitators which alone
require consideration in connection with the artificial production of ice in factories;
for which reason, hitherto, the stirring has been stopped during the freezing period.
The natural consequence of that cessation was, that a block of ice was produced,
externally clear but showing an interior dull, and full of bubbles. The sole object
of stirring was consequently unattained.
In contrast thereto, the stirring device which forms the subject of this invention
possesses the great advantages that it may be operated by hand or power, auto-
matically adjusts and accommodates itself to the progressive formation of ice in the
freezing-chamber and maintains the stirring in the freezing water up to the last
possible moment.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a freezing cell or chamber with the stirring or
agitating apparatus; and
Figure 2 a view of the same as seen from above;
Figure 3 is a section showing in enlarged detail the telescopic and adjustable
construction of the stirring device, in the form selected for illustration by way of
example;
Figure 4 is an elevation (partly in section) of a modification of the stirring
device; and
B
Figure 5 is a view of the same as seen from above.
In the freezing cell or chamber A, which, as is known is filled with water and
suspended in the salt-solution of the ice-generator, is plunged a sliding or adjustable
rod or tube, provided with a number of floats or scoops, and moved up and down
by hand or by suitable mechanism. The rod or tube is composed of several parts
or sections etc. sliding telescopically one within the other. In the form shown
in Figure 1, these component sections or parts upwards from the lowest bare
constructed of pipes elliptical in form in cross section, and partly open at the
circumference. These pipes increase in diameter upwards and slide one within the
other, and are fitted with suitable divided scoops. The agitators d d on the lowest
tubular section 6 of the rod may be formed as a sort of flanged disc and they
may be reduced in diameter towards the bottom of the freezing cell or chamber.
This latter arrangement arises from the consideration of the fact that the ice
formed in the cell invariably takes the shape of a hollow block with a parabolic
[Price 8d

page_text: internal periphery, as shown in Figure 1. The growth of the ice-block proceeds
in similar manner, the apex of the parabola mounting ever higher and higher in
the cell. The pipe-sections are made with an outside rack of stop or ratchet teeth
(Figure 3) wherein a spring-click or pawl e lodged in the lower part of the next
higher pipe-section is arranged to engage. The various pipe-sections must be
made sufficiently adherent by friction or by spring pressure to prevent any
telescoping in consequence of the upward pressure or resistance offered by the water
in the cell to the descent of the scoops or floats of the stirring apparatus when the
latter is immersed and plunged to the bottom prior to being set to work; but
not to prevent the upward sliding or telescoping of the pipe-sections by knocking
against the ice formed at the bottom as the formation of ice and its consequent
depth or thickness progresses.
Thus, when the agitator or stirring device B is regularly raised and lowered
without variation from one and the same vertical axis, the scoops or floats will keep
the water in continual movement and drive out all air-bubbles. If the lower end
of the bottom pipe-length bencounter the gradually rising apex of the parabola
ie. of the bottom of the axial hollow in the ice-block, while the other sections
continue to descend, the bottom pipe-section will be pushed into the next higher
section to the extent of one or more teeth, and the same telescoping process may
take place at each and all of the superior or higher joints; so that the effective
length of the central rod of the agitator will continually decrease.
connection it is perfectly immaterial, in fact whether the sliding or telescoping
movement takes place at any one point or at which point of the agitator, or whether
the shortening is distributed equally or unequally over all the pipe-lengths i.e. over
the entire length of the apparatus. Inasmuch as, in this manner the block of ice
becomes ever and ever larger, the agitator ever and ever shorter, the agitating
motion can be kept up practically nutil the block of ice is completely formed.
The result is an ice-block, throughout clear and free from air-bubbles.
In this
The second example or modification of this invention differs from that above
described--apart from some unimportant variations in form-mainly in the arrange-
ment of the floats or scoops c c.in such manner that they are attached to the
pipe-sections 6 b¹ etc. by means of hinge-joints. In respect of mere variations in
form, the cross section shows that in this case the component parts are circular
closed pipes instead of elliptical and open; further also the form of the click or
pawl e Figure 4 is somewhat different from that shown in Figure 3. As will be
clearly seen from an examination of Figures and 5 lugs having eyes are formed
on the pipe-sections in each pair of which a pin c¹ is lodged which passes through
lugs, with eyes, formed on the floats or scoops, and on which these latter pivot, as
on a hinge-joint. The object of this arrangement is to allow the floats etc. to fold
inwards in proportion as the thickness of the sides of the ice-block increases, i.e. as
the diameter of the axial hollow of the block decreases. It sometimes happens,
when higher degrees of extreme cold are employed, that the growth or formation
of ice on the sides is disproportionately rapid, so that the thickness of the ice;
accretions increases more rapidly than the apex of the parabolic hollow mounts
within the block. In such a case the movable floats etc: afford material com-
pensation, and an essential adaptation in this respect of the agitator which, as has
been seen, is self-adjusting in a vertical direction.
The component parts bb etc. may also-though certainly with some
disadvantage be arranged side by side, instead of sliding or telescoping one
within the other. The ratchet teeth and spring-catches may be dispensed with if
the friction sufficed to maintain the component parts or pipe-sections in their
relative positions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
· 1. In annaratus for manufacturing clear ice a self-adiusting stirring device.or

page_text: agitator adapted to be moved to and fro in a vertical line and composed of two or
more parts or sections such as b b' etc. which slide or telescope one within another
and are provided with floats or scoops such as c and which, by means of one or
more detents or stop devices are automatically held fast at the highest point to
which from time to time they are raised by the ice-accretion at the bottom of the
freezing cell or chamber substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described pivotting or hinging the floats or scoops c to
the component parts or pipe sections bb' etc. in order that, as the thickness of the
ice accretion increases they may be capable of folding in against their central
support substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 04th dam of April 1804
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.