IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RE- FRIGERATING OR PRODUCING COLD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry West, of No. 4, King Edward
Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RE-
FRIGERATING OR PRODUCING COLD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 20th May 1873, and dated the 28th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry West at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th March 1873.
I, JOSEPH HENRY WEST, of No. 4, King Edward Street, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
REFRIGERATING OR PRODUCING COLD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to machinery or apparatus of the class
in which cold is produced by the evaporation in vacuo of ether or other
volatile liquids which are afterwards condensed for re-use.

page_text: .
According to my Invention the steam engine and vapor pump are
constructed and arranged in such manner as to considerably reduce the
length of the bed plate, and to materially diminish the friction and
consequent wear of the pistons and glands, a cross head working in
guides between the engine and pump cylinders being connected by
suitable side connecting rods to the crank shaft in rear of the steam
cylinder.
The concentricity of the vapor pump valve spindles with their guides
is maintained by means of split conical bushes interposed between the
valve spindles and their guides (of which I prefer to use two to each
spindle) the said split bushes being adjusted from time to time, as may
be necessary to compensate for any wear of the valve spindles.
I obviate the noise and liability to injury arising from violent con-
cussions of the valve spindles at the termination of their strokes by the
use of buffer plates and suitable. springs arranged to act as cushions for
receiving the thrust of the valve spindles.
.
In order to prevent the escape of volatile liquid from the vapor
cylinder and to guard against the entry into the said cylinder of
atmospheric air or of any material used for lubricating its piston rod, a
double packing is arranged around the piston rod in the cylinder cover
in such manner as to leave a chamber or annular space around the rod,
which chamber or space is placed in communication with the condenser,
so as to maintain a pressure within the chamber or annular space equal
to the pressure for the time being in the condenser. The refrigerator is
provided with a reservoir or receptacle for volatile liquid below the pipes
or tubes within which the brine or other cold conducting liquid circulates,
thereby leaving the whole of the said pipes or tubes available for cooling
purposes.
To regulate the flow of the volatile liquid from the condenser to the
refrigerator I use a governor constructed with a light metal ball suitably
guided, to which is attached a valve opening inwards, the whole being
contained within a suitable box or chamber into which the volatile liquid
enters, causing the ball to rise with its valve, and thereby to open the
passage or way to the refrigerator as required.
I construct the condenser receiver with tubes through which water
passes on its way to the condenser trough, within which the water rises
through a perforated partition and around the condensing tubes. These

page_text: tubes are connected together at their respective ends in sets by connecting
pieces, each made to receive the ends of several tubes, thereby simplify-
ing the construction of the apparatus, lessening the liability to leakage,
and affording greater facility for taking it apart for cleaning.
To obviate the loss of ether or other volatile liquid which is discharged
with air from the condenser receiver when relieving excessive pressure
therein, I connect the discharge cock with an auxiliary receiver by means
of a pipe arranged in contact with the refrigerator or with the brine pipe
of the ice trough, so that the ether escaping from the condenser receiver
shall be condensed by the cold before entering the auxiliary receiver
from which the air may be allowed to escape, leaving the condensed
ether or other volatile liquid in the auxiliary receiver.
I construct the ice trough in compartments with transverse brine
chambers between them communicating with the brine passages passing
through the water compartments of the trough, and I provide the brine
pipe with branches, one to each of the transverse brine chambers.
In connection with the ice trough I employ an auxiliary refrigerator
for cooling the water or other liquid to be frozen before it enters the
feeezing compartments of the ice trough.
Lastly.
7. I combine an elastic or expanding vessel with the brine pipes
to relieve the connections and brine cells from any temporary excess of
internal pressure.
5 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Henry West in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
HENRY WEST, of No. 4, King Edward Street, Southwark, in the County
0 of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: 1
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Henry West, Her special license
· that I, the said Joseph Henry West, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Henry West, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein 5
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING OR PRODUCING COLD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
1
ICE AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Joseph Henry West, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within 1
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Henry West, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be. performed, to be particularly described and ascertained 2
in and by the following statement thereof and the Drawings therein
referred to (that is to say) :-
.
:
This Invention has reference to machinery or apparatus of the class
in which cold is produced by the evaporation in vacuo of ether or other
volatile liquids which are afterwards condensed for re-use.
2
According to my Invention the steam engine and vapour pump are
constructed and arranged in such manner as to considerably reduce the
length of the bed plate, and to materially diminish the friction and
consequent wear of the pistons and glands, a cross head working in
guides between the engine and pump cylinders being connected by 3
*suitable side connecting rods to the crank shaft in rear of the steam
cylinder.
The concentricity of the vapour pump valve spindles with their guides
'is maintained by means of split conical bushes interposed between the
valve spindles and their guides (of which I prefer to use two to each
spindle), the said split bushes being adjusted from time to time as
may be necessary to compensate for any wear of the valve spindles..

page_text: I obviate the noise and liability to injury arising from violent con-
cussions of the valve spindles at the terminations of their strokes, by
the use of buffer plates and suitable springs arranged to act as cushions
for receiving the thrust of the valve spindles.
In order to prevent the escape of volatile liquid from the vapor
cylinder, and to guard against the entry into the said cylinder of
atmospheric air or of any material used for lubricating its piston
rod, a double packing is arranged around the piston rod in the cylinder
cover in such manner as to leave a chamber or annular space around
the rod, which chamber or space is placed in communication with the
condenser so as to maintain a pressure within the chamber or annular
space equal to the pressure for the time being in the condenser. The
refrigerator is provided with a reservoir or receptacle for volatile liquid
below the pipes or tubes within which the brine or other cold conducting
liquid circulates, thereby leaving the whole of the said pipes or tubes
available for cooling purposes.
To regulate the flow of the volatile liquid from the condenser to
the refrigerator, I use a governor constructed with a light metal ball
suitably guided, to which is attached a valve, the whole being contained
within a suitable box or chamber into which the volatile liquid enters,
causing the ball to rise with its valve, and thereby to open the passage
or way to the refrigerator as required.
I construct the condenser receiver with tubes through which water
passes on its way to the condenser trough, within which the water rises
through a perforated partition and around the condensing tubes. These
tubes are connected together at their respective ends in sets by con-
necting pieces each made to receive the ends of several tubes, thereby
simplifying the construction of the apparatus, lessening the liability
to leakage, and affording greater facility for taking it apart for
cleaning.
To obviate the loss of ether or other volatile, liquid which is discharged
with air from the condenser receiver when relieving excessive pressure
therein, I connect the discharge cock with an auxiliary receiver by
means of a pipe arranged in contact with the refrigerator, or with the
brine pipe of the ice trough, so that the ether escaping from the con-
denser receiver shall be condensed by the cold before entering the
auxiliary receiver from which the air may be allowed to escape leaving
the condensed ether or other volatile liquid in the auxiliary receiver.

page_text: Fig. 13 is a central vertical section to an enlarged scale of the
governor for regulating the flow of the volatile liquid from the condenser
to the refrigerator.
Fig. 14 is an enlarged side elevation of the pump for circulating the
brine or saline liquid, the valve chamber being shewn in section; Fig. 15
is a transverse section of the said pump; Fig. 16 is a sectional plan of
the same; and Fig. 17 is an end view thereof.
a is the steam engine, the general construction of which will be
readily understood from the Drawings; and 6 is the cylinder of the
vapour pump for volatilizing the ether or other volatile liquid. The
engine and the vapour pump arc arranged concentrically with each other
upon a common base plate c, and the piston of the engine is connected
directly to the piston of the vapour pump by a piston rod d, which is
made in two parts, connected together rigidly so as to form practically
one rod in such manner however that the connexion can be broken
when it is desired to work the engine without the vapour pump. The
piston rod is provided with. a cross head & working in guides d². The
cross head d¹ is connected by side rods d³ to another cross head d', which
is connected to the crank of the fly wheel shaft. The front cover 6¹ of
the vapor pump cylinder contains a double packing arrangement (Fig. 6)
with spaces 62, 63, for containing suitable packing material around the
piston rod d. 6 is an annular space, surrounding the piston rod, and
communicates by a passage 6 and pipe 6º with the condenser, so as to
maintain in the space 6' a pressure equal to that in the condenser.
b' is
the inlet valve and 68 is the outlet valve. There are two similar valves
at the other end of the vapour pump cylinder. Each of these valves has
a spindle 6 surrounded by split conical steel bushes 610 interposed
between the spindle and its guides 6", as shewn.
. The Drawing shews spiral springs for pressing the valves against
their seats, but I do not confine myself to this arrangement. 613 are
buffer plates arranged in conjunction with suitable springs (the Drawing
shews spiral springs), so as to act as cushions for receiving the thrust
of the valve spindles. The refrigerator e is composed of a number of
pipes or tubes e fitting at their ends into suitable tube plates e², which
are provided with covers e³, and are also made with divisions e*,
forming suitable cells or chambers for directing the flow of the brine or
other fluid to be cooled from one series of tubes to the other. The

page_text: brine enters at e" and leaves at e*; e is the vapour chamber surrounding
the tubes, and is formed with a receiver or receptacle e³ for containing
the liquid ether or other volatile fluid below the pipes or tubes e¹,
thereby leaving the whole of the said pipes or tubes available for cooling
purposes.
The condenser f is constructed with a water cistern or tank, one.
compartment f¹ of which contains a number of vapor tubes arranged
in a continuous series, and surrounded by the water or other cooling
liquid in the tank. These tubes are connected together at their
respective ends in sets by connecting pieces f³, each connecting piece
being made to receive the ends of several tubes, as shewn in Figs. 1,
10, 11, and 12. The vapour to be condensed enters at f³ and at f*
passes into the condenser receiver f³ which is arranged within the other
compartment f of the tank, and somewhat resembles an ordinary
multitubular boiler, being constructed with a number of water tubes ƒ7.
The water for condensing passes down around the receiver f³ as well
as through its tubes f', then up through perforations in a horizontal
partition or false bottom fs, then up the compartment f¹ (around the
vapor tubes), whence it overflows by the passage f.
The vapour
having been condensed into a liquid state is returned from the condenser
receiver f by the pipes g to the refrigerator e. These pipes 9 are
furnished with a governor h (shewn to a larger scale at Fig. 13).
constructed with a light metal ball h¹ arranged around a slotted tube h³,
whereby it is guided. To this ball is attached a valve ³ opening
outwards, the spindle of the valve being connected to a connecting
piece h working in the slots of the tube and attached to the ball. The
upper part of the condenser receiver f³ is furnished with a pipe i which
is coiled around the pipe and passes on to an auxiliary condenser i³,
which I may consist of a coil provided with a suitable valve and arranged
within a small vessel of water in the usual manner. The brine pipe ¿¹
conducts the cold uncongealable liquid from the refrigerator into the ice.
trough, and the pipe takes the said liquid away after it has done duty
in the ice trough and conducts it to the pump j, by which it is forced
through the pipe * back into the refrigerator to be again cooled.
The ice trough k is constructed in compartments k³, k², with
transverse brine chambers k³, k, between them. These transverse brine
chambers communicate with the brine passages 5 passing through the
water compartments of the trough, and the brine pipe ¹ is provided

page_text: with branches to each of the brine passages kº, as shewn, and it is also
provided with an elastic or expanding vessel to relieve the connections
and brine cells from excess of internal pressure; k is an auxiliary
refrigerator for cooling the water or other liquid to be frozen before it
enters the freezing compartment of the ice trough.
The process by which cold is produced and maintained is as
follows :-
A vacuum is first produced in the refrigerator e as well as
in the vapour pump 6, condenser f, and other parts of the machine,
through which the volatile liquid has to circulate. The refrigerator is
then charged with the volatile liquid and the vapour pump is set in
motion so as to maintain a low temperature in the refrigerator by a
constant evaporation of the volatile liquid therein, the vapour from
which as it comes from the refrigerator is delivered into the condenser
where it becomes. liquified, and it afterwards flows back to the
refrigerator through the pipe g and governor ready to be used again.
The cold obtained by the evaporation of the volatile liquid is utilized by
passing a continuous current of saline or other uncongealable liquid or
fluid by way of the tubes e³, e, in the refrigerator e. This saline liquid
is caused to pass (at a temperature below the freezing point) by way of
the pipe into the cells 5, outside of which are the chambers k¹, k³,
containing the fresh water to be frozen, and as the saline liquid
circulates through the cells 5 ice forms on the outer sides of the said
cells, as shewn at m, Fig. 4. The saline or other liquid having become
charged with heat extracted from the water refrigerated is returned
through the pipe to the refrigerator by the action of the circulating
pump so as to be recooled. In this manner the process of congelation
is continued for as long a time as the apparatus is kept working.
When the ice has attained the necessary thickness the further entry
of salin e liquid is stopped by shutting the cocks x in the pipe ", and the
plugs in the bottoms of the cells are removed, in order to empty the
cells, the saline liquid from which passes into the transverse brine
chambers, and is then discharged into the auxiliary refrigerator k³ by
withdrawing the valves k³.
i When all the saline liquid has entered the auxiliary refrigerator the
valves k³ are replaced, and the cocks in pipe i³ are closed, the cocks y in
28
the pipe and the cocks z being at the same time opened. Water at
the ordinary summer temperature is now poured into the funnel k" of
the pipe, and fills the saline cells until the warm water overflows into

page_text: the chambers ³ and k', by which means the inner surface of the ice
may be thawed, and the ice may then be removed from the sides of the
brine cells. The water used for thawing is then discharged from the
cells in a similar manner to the saline liquid, but passes out at the
opposite side through the pipe 4 leading into a drain or otherwise to
carry off the water.
The brine in the auxiliary refrigerator may be withdrawn by the
pipe ", and may be used over again.
The ice loosened, as already explained, having been removed the cold
șaline liquid is now again allowed to occupy the cells, and the process of
congelation is carried on as before.
For the purpose of saving time, and rendering the working of the
apparatus as economical as possible, I cause the water intended for ice
making to enter a funnel 1, and to pass through tubes or channels ♬ in
the auxiliary refrigerator ; and by means of the pump 12 I deliver
the said water into the ice trough through the pipe ³, so as to replace
the water converted into ice.
I have explained that the cold saline liquid is caused to discharge
itself into the auxiliary refrigerator, wherein it surrounds the tubes or
passages through which the fresh water passes on its way to the ice
trough. The result of this arrangement is that as the temperature of
the saline liquid is at or near the freezing point it will reduce the
fresh water passing through these tubes or passages to a temperature
approaching the same. Should any air find admission into the con-
denser the pressure that would otherwise accumulate in the receiver of
the said condenser is relieved by opening a cock, and allowing it to
escape through the pipe i, which is coiled or twisted around the pipe ¹³,
as already explained.
As the temperature of the vapor escaping by the pipe i will usually
range from about 80° to 95° Fahrenheit, and as the temperature of the a
pipe through which the saline liquid enters the ice box will generally
be at or below the freezing point, the result of the contact of the two
pipes will be to rapidly condense the vapor in the pipe i, and to separate
it from any air with which it may be charged.
The condensed vapor and air (if any) will enter the small auxiliary a
condenser, which will retain the volatile liquid, and will allow the air,

page_text: if any, to escape through an outlet valve into the atmosphere in the
usual manner. The volatile liquid so collected may be drawn off
periodically.
Instead of coiling the pipe i round the pipe ¹ it may be coiled around
the refrigerator e.
Machines constructed according to my Invention present considerable
advantages. Thus for instance the arrangement of the steam engine
and vapour pump as illustrated by the Drawings, possesses the advantage
of materially reducing the space occupied by the motor, so that in a
machine constructed to make, say 10 tons of ice per day, the length of
the bed plate will be reduced by about eight feet as compared with
apparatus having the vapour pump and steam engine on separate beds,
and the cross head moving in guides between the cylinders affords
material support to the pistons.
In Harrison's and Siebe's machines the outlet valve spindle is allowed
to travel for a distance determinate with the area required,.and further
motion of the valve is prevented by the back of the valve striking
against the bridge which acts as a guide and forms a complete stop to
further opening of the valve. As when the piston is at that end of its
stroke furthest removed from the valve, the vapour in the cylinder is
considerably below the atmospheric pressure the piston has travelled
the greater portion of the return stroke before the vapour has acquired
sufficient density to open the valve so that the gaseous body has a very
limited time (namely, the duration of the remaining portion of the
piston's stroke) in which to pass through the opening in the valve, the
latter is impelled with great violence against the stop or bridge, and
consequently frequent breakages or disarrangements of the valve result
from the punishment received, and necessitate stoppages of the whole
apparatus during the repairing or replacement of the damaged valves.
Now by my Invention the force of the blow is transferred from the valve
back or weakest part to the end of the valve spindle or strongest part-
which is of steel, the effect of the blow being in a great measure
neutralized by the cushions or buffer springs, behind which, yielding to
the blow break the force of the impelling power, and also afford a little
more area for the vapour to escape. I have found the noise of the valve
occasioned by being suddenly stopped in the manner described is
lessened by placing a disc of hard hammered leather or wood between

page_text: the buffer plate and the spring; care being taken to protect the leather
or wood from the action of the spring by interposing a thin metal plate.
These remarks apply in a great measure also to the inlet valves.
As the object of the apparatus is to produce cold by the evaporation
of volatile liquids in vacuo, its efficiency is obviously promoted by the
absolute exclusion of atmospheric air from the cylinder; and supposing
all the joints to be sound, the only vulnerable place to guard against is
the piston rod gland. I have therefore found great advantage from
connecting the annular space around the piston rod with the condenser;
and causing the pressure therein (when the machine is at work) to act
around the piston rod as described, which effectually answers the
purpose above mentioned.
I
may mention that I have had one of these machines in daily use for
about a month without having either found the pressure in the condenser
increase or had occasion to blow off air.
As the cold produced in the refrigerator is not from the liquid ether
but from its vapour, it is important that none of the brine tubes should
be immersed, but that the whole should be subject to the action of the
vapour.
The form of condenser embodied herein causes a thorough mixing of 1
the condensing water around the tubes, which water entering at the
chamber around the receiver at its coldest temperature gravitates to
the bottom and percolates upwards through the perforated plate at the
bottom over the tubes, and out at the overflow pipe. In this manner
the water can be detained in the condenser until it reaches about 90°
Fahrenheit at the outflow or very near the boiling point of ether.
The pump for the circulation of the brine or other cooling medium being
a double acting pump having the two inlet valves on one side, and two
outlet valves on the opposite side, the valves are readily accessible when
necessary. These valves are of metal and may also be constructed with 8
spindle guides or common india-rubber, or leather flap valves may be
used.
By cooling the water in the auxiliary refrigerator before it enters the
ice trough for freezing much time is saved, for although the brine in the
auxiliary refrigerator becomes warmed from tubular contact with the 3
water passing into the ice trough, yet as the reduction of a high tem-

page_text: described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry West, have hereunto
"
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.