IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING AND COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Acres, of Pouldrew Mills, in the County of
Waterford, Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING
AND COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO USEFUL
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 30th October 1855, and dated the 30th April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Acres at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
April 1855.
I, EDWARD ACRES, of Pouldrew Mills, in the County of Waterford, Miller,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DESICCATING AND COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO
USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, in the first place, in the following modes of with-
drawing the moisture from and reducing the temperature of air intended to be
applied to various uses for drying and preserving articles or substances. The
air in a heated state is caused to pass into a-vessel, in which are contained a
number of pipes, the temperature of which is kept low by the constant circula-
tion of cold water through them. The air being drawn through the vessel will
part with its moisture by condensation of its vapours, by coming in contact
Paine Rd7

page_text: with the cold surfaces of the pipes and the interior of the vessel, which forms a
cistern for the cold water.
The vessel consists of an outer case or cistern, and an inner box contain-
ing the condensing pipes. The cold water is admitted at the lower part of the
outer case or cistern, and flows out in a heated state at the upper part thereof.
The heated air required to be desiccated & cooled is supplied to the appa-
ratus at one end, and drawn through it by means of an exhauster at the other
end. I prefer that the air should be heated in a stove having a double jacket,
so as to avoid the introduction of sulphurous gases into the apparatus. The
moisture may also be withdrawn from the air by drawing it by means of an
exhauster through a body of quick lime or muriate of lime, which will dis-
engage and imbibe the moisture until it becomes saturated, when fresh lime
or muriate of lime should be substituted. The air thus dried may be cooled,
if required, by the means above described.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in applying the air. thus
treated to the following purposes:-Theair desiccated and cooled by the above-
described processes, or in any other convenient manner, may be used for drying
and preparing grain, or for preserving grain in air-tight reservoirs, and for
curing and preserving fish and other animal substances; it may also be intro-
duced between the surfaces of millstones for the purpose of keeping them.
cool; and it may be applied to other uses to which air thus dried and cooled
is applicable.
The application for drying and preparing grain may be effected by intro-
ducing the air thus desiccated & cooled into the upper part of a drying kiln,
with its agitating apparatus similar to that described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to me, and bearing date Dec' Sth 1854, but without the heating
apparatus combined therewith.
In order to preserve grain, two air-tight pipes may be attached to the
reservoir in which it is contained, one at the upper part and the other at
the lower part of the same, connected with an exhauster, by means of which
the desiccated air may be drawn through the grain, carrying off with it the
moisture and impurities therefrom.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Acres in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
ACRES, of Pouldrew Mills, in the County of Waterford, Miller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Acres, Her special license, that I, the said Edward Acres,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Acres, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN DESSICATING AND COOLING ATMOSPHERIC AIR, AND THE APPLICATION
THEREOF TO USEFUL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward Acres, by an instrument in writing under iny hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
saine to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said Edward Acres, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improvements in Desiccating and Cooling Atmospheric
Air, and the Application thereof to Useful Purposes," consists, in the first
place, in the following modes of withdrawing the moisture from and reducing
the temperature of atmospheric air, intended to be applied to various uses for
drying and preserving articles or substances:-
The air in a heated state is caused to pass into a vessel, in which are con-
tained a number of pipes, the temperature of which is kept low by the constant
circulation of cold water through them. The air being drawn through the
vessel will part with its moisture by condensation of its vapours, by coming in
contact with the cold surfaces of the pipes and the interior of the vessel, which

page_text: forms the cistern for the cold water. The vessel consists of an outer case or
cistern, and an inner box containing the condensing pipes. The cold water is
admitted at the lower part of the outer case or cistern, and flows out in a
heated state at the upper part thereof. The heated air required to be desic-
cated and cooled is supplied to the apparatus at one end, and drawn through it
by means of an exhauster at the other end. I prefer that the air should be
heated in a stove having a double jacket, so as to avoid the introduction of
sulphurous gases into the apparatus.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in applying the air thus
treated to the following purposes:-The air desiccated and cooled by theabove-
described process, or in any other convenient manner, may be used for drying
and preparing grain, or for preserving grain in air-tight reservoirs, and for
curing and preserving fish and other animal substances. The application for
the latter purpose may be effected by means of two air-tight pipes attached to
the reservoir,one at the upper part and the other at the lower part of the same,
connected with an exhauster, by me. ns of which the desiccated air may be
drawn through the grain contained in the reservoir, carrying off with it the
moisture and impurities therefrom. The air thus dessicated and cooled may
be also applied to any of the purposes for which air dried and cooled is appli-
cable, aud in particular it may be introduced between the surfaces of mill.
stones for the purpose of keeping them cool.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will pro-
ceed to describe it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying Drawing,
in which is represented the general arrangement of the parts of the
above referred to, without attention to detail.
apparatus
Fig. 1 is a front view of a stove set in brickwork, for the purpose of heating
the air as required; Fig. 2 represents, in longitudinal section, the different
relative positions of the parts of the apparatus; Fig. 3 shews, in perspective
elevation, the condensing or refrigerating apparatus detached; and Fig. 4 is a
horizontal section of the same, shewing the arrangement of the pipes therein.
In these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the brickwork in which the apparatus is set; B is the heating stove ;
C, C, are apertures on each sides of the stove, to admit air to the fire box of the
same through a number of holes, as shewn; Disa passage for conveying air
to be heated by the fire box E of the flue F.; G is an aperture for admitting
air to the fire box E; over the flue F is a brick chamber H, in which the
heated air from the flue is collected, and from which it passes to the condenser
or refrigerator I. This condenser or refrigerator is composed of two water

page_text: cisterns K and I, one at the upper and the other at the lower part of the
apparatus, between which are arranged a series of condensing or refrigerating
pipes M, M. The water cistern K is supplied with cold water by the pipe
K*, and the cistern L is furnished with a pipe L, through which the hot water
is allowed to pass off as required.
It will thus be seen, that as the air in a heated and rarefied state is intro-
duced into the condenser or refrigerator from the chamber H, it comes in
contact with the condensing or refrigerating pipes M, M, and the cold water
cistern K, by means of which the air will be made to part with its moisture by
the condensation of its vapours. The air thus treated is drawn from the
condenser or refrigerator and applied to its required purpose.
I would here
remark that I have not thought it necessary to describe the foregoing appa-
ratus in detail, as my Invention does not relate thereto. I would also
remark that the air may be heated by other means than as described; also,
that the cold water for condensing the vapours and refrigerating the air may
be reduced in temperature by means of evaporation if necessary.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
mean or intend to confine myself to the precise arrangements of apparatus
above described, neither do I claim as of my Invention any of the parts sepa-
rately or otherwise than as combined for the purpose described; but what I do
claim as of my Invention is,-
. First, the process or processes of desiccating and cooling atmospheric air by
the condensation of its vapours in the manner described.
And, secondly, the application of the air thus treated to the uses herein-
before referred to.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Acres, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE MARTIN,
Lismore.
EDWARD ACKES. (L.S.)