IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING OR ICE-MAKING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING OR ICE-MAKING APPARATUS." A com-
munication from abroad by George Washington Stockman, of Indianapolis,
Indiana, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING
OR ICE-MAKING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by George Washington
Stockman, of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
My Invention relates to improvements in ammonia refrigerating or ice-making
apparatus, in which my improved vapor or gas-absorber operates in conjunction
with an ordinary retort or evaporator, a vapor condenser, a cooler for weak or
diluted liquor, a refrigerator, and a pump.
The object of my Invention is to effect a continuous circulation of the ammonia
in its vaporous or gaseous and liquid conditions, by employing the weak or diluted
liquid ammonia as an absorbing medium, after it has been reduced in temperature
by the use of a weak liquid cooler, and the partially spent vapor from a
refrigerator.
This object I accomplish by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which,—
Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of my improved absorber and its
connections with a retort or evaporator, a vapor-condenser, a cooler, a refrigerator,
and a pump.
Figure 2 is a top view of the refrigerator.
Similar letters in the two Figures indicate like parts.

page_text: A represents a retort or evaporator with a heater B; C is a vapor condenser;
D is a cooler for diluted or weak liquor; and E is a refrigerator, all of the ordinary
kind; F represents the shell of the absorber, which is surrounded by the water
jacket G; H is the purge tank; and I is a forco pump.
The heater B is provided with a steam pipe J near its top, and a pipe K at its
base for carrying off condensed steam. The vapor pipe L leads from the top of the
retort A to the condenser C; the said pipe is provided with a valve 1 near the
retort, and forms the condensing coil M in the condenser C and the liquid ammonia
pipe V. The pipe V is provided with the valve 6 and pressure gauge g¹, and
terminates in the upper end of the distributor O. P, P, represents several
independent coils of pipe in the refrigerator box E, one end of each coil starting
from the distributor O with valve 7, and discharging at the other end into the
collector Q. This collector Q is provided at its base with a downward projecting
pipe R for the spent vapors to pass through into the absorber coil S. The vapor
pipe R is provided with a valve 7 and a pressure gauge 9. N is a pipe leading
from the base of the retort A into the cooler D forming the cooler coil U, and
discharging into the absorber F through the cold liquor pipe T, and the rose jet or
sprinkler W. The said pipe N is also provided with a valve 3 near the retort A,
as shewn in Figure 1, and is used as the diluted or weak-liquor pipe. X is a cold
water supply pipe with branch m for cooling the absorber F, and further provided
with a branch Y for supplying the condenser C and cooler D with water; Z is a
water pipe leading from the top of the condenser C into the base of the cooler D for
supplying the cooler with water from the condenser C. The cooling chamber D is
provided near its upper end with an overflow pipe a, as shown. A purge pipo 6' leads
from the top of the absorber F into the tank H, and is provided with a cock 625
for opening or closing the said pipe when required. The tank H is also provided with
a pet cock e for discharging the contents of the said tank. The shell of the
absorber F is provided with a pressure gauge g³ above, and a Scotch glass gauge c
at one side to determine the height of liquor in the absorber.
The force pump I is provided with an inlet pipe t, which leads from the interior
of the absorber through the water jacket G to the said pump, and has a valve 5
between them. The discharge pipe leads from the pump to the retort, and is
provided with two check valves f,f, between the valves 2 and 4, as shewn.
The operation of my improved absorber with the other apparatus is as follows,
that is to say :-
The retort or evaporator A is charged with aqua ammonia about two thirds full.
The absorber F is also charged with the same, about one half full. The retort A is
made of iron, strong enough to withstand an extremely high pressure of ammonia;
steam is introduced through the pipe J into the heater B, and the aqua ammonia
in the retort A is evaporated.
It is obvious that the heater B may be a plain cylinder, as shewn; or it may be
a coil of pipe if desired. The vaporized ammonia passes through the pipe L into
the coil M of the condenser C (the said coil M being immersed in cold water fed to
the said condenser by the branch Y of the water pipe X), and is reduced to a
liquid state, and is discharged in this condition through the pipe V into the
distributor O. From this distributor O the liquid ammonia passes through the
valves y into the coils P of the refrigerator Ę; and in distributing the said liquid
ammonia it is relieved of its pressure, and is instantly converted into its gaseous
condition with a rapid absorption of heat, and consequent reduction of the surrounding
temperature.
The gas after performing its functions in the refrigerator E is allowed to escape
from the coils Pinto the collector Q, and from the said collector the gas is con-
ducted by the pipe R to the absorber coil S, and discharges into the absorber near
the suction pipe i of the pump I. The refrigerating effect of the spent gas in
passing through the coil S cools the liquor contained in the absorber.
As the spent gas is discharged from the lower ond of the absorber coil S it

page_text: intermixes with the liquor, and is absorbed by mutual affinity; as the gas is
discharged from the coil S the temperature of the liquor in the vicinity of the
discharge is increased; and this warmed liquor in the absorber F is then returned
to the retort A by means of the force pump I, the flow of liquor to the said pump
being regulated by the stop valve 5 in the pipe 2, so as to keep the quantities of
the liquor in the retort A and the absorber F at their relative heights, that is, the
retort about two thirds full, and the absorber. about one-half full. The weak liquor
in the retort A is forced by means of the pressure generated in the said retort from
the bottom of the retort through the pipe N, coil U, and pipe T, to and through
the sprinkler W of the absorber into the said absorber F, and the quantity thus
forced through the said pipes into the absorber is regulated by the valvo 3, as
shewn.
The cooler D is supplied with water, as before described, from the condenser C
by means of the pipe 2. This water having already been used in the condensation
of the vaporized ammonia is here further utilized to cool the weak liquor as it
passes through the coils U, the pipe T, and rose-jet or sprinkler W into the
absorber, to a temperature and condition favorable to an absorption of the spent
vapor as it is discharged into the absorber. The branch m of the cold water pipe X
discharges the water on the top plates of the absorber F, and runs down the sides
into the water jacket G, from which it escapes by the overflow pipe d.
In order to have full control in regulating the working of the apparatus a
pressure gauge is conveniently placed on the retort A; also a gauge g is placed
on the pipo V near the regulating stop valve 6. The gauge g² is attached to the
spent-vapor pipe R, and the gauge g³ is attached to the top of the absorber F, as
above stated.
The purge pipe b' and tank H are for the purpose of purging the whole apparatus
of atmospheric air. The pipe 61 conducts the air to near the bottom of the tank H
partially filled with water, which absorbs by affinity any ammonia that may escape
through the said pipe b¹ with the air. The pet-cock e in the head of the tank is
used to allow the air to escape from the tank.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
-
First. In a vapor or gas absorber for ammonia refrigerating or ice making
apparatus the absorber, consisting of the metallic air and water tight case
inserted in a water-jacket G, and provided with an absorbor coil S, a glass gauge c,
a pressure gauge g³, a rose jet or sprinkler W, a purge pipe b¹ with a cock 62, and
suction pipe i for a pump, substantially as shewn and described.
Second. In combination with the absorber, constructed substantially as described,
and containing an absorber-coil pipe S, and a rose jet or sprinkler W, the pipe R,
with valve 7 and pressure gauge 92, and the collector Q of the refrigerator E,
substantially as above set forth.
Third. In combination with the absorber F, constructed as described, and con-
taining the absorber-coil S, and rose jet or sprinkler W, the pipe T, the cooler D
with the coil U, the pipe N with stop valve 3, and the retort A, as and for the
purpose specified.
Fourth. In combination with the absorber F, constructed as described, and con-
taining an absorber coil S and rose jet or sprinkler W, the purge pipe b' with the
top valve be, and the tank H with the discharge cock e in its top, substantially as
above set forth.
Fifth. A vapor or gas absorber for ammonia refrigerating or ice making apparatus
provided with the rose-jet or sprinkler W, located centrally inside and at the top of
the same, over the absorber coil S, the lower end of which coil is arranged to
discharge the spent gas in close proximity to the suction-pipe i of the pump, as
above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a vapor or gas absorber for ammonia refrigerating or ice making

page_text: apparatus the absorber F, substantially as described, with the water jacket G
surrounding the same, combined with the cold water pipe m, as above set forth and
for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.