Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left. 4th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Sept., 1888
I, EDMUND LIONEL PONTIFEX Of Farringdon Works, Shoe Lane, London, E.U.g
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to cooling and refrigerating machines such as are described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to H. F. Stanley No. 3907 in the
year 1875, and in which cold results from the expansion into gas of liquified
ammonia.
The condenser coils which receive the dry ammonia gas and wherein the gas is so
far cooled that it becomes liquid under the pressure at which it is maintained in the
machine I place as heretofore within a cistern above the receiver into which the
liquified ammonia runs-the condenser coils I support upon brackets made to
project inwards from the sides of the cistern and retain the coils in place by uprights
which are carried up from these brackets-Some of the uprights I carry up above the
tops of the coils to support the rectifier coil-I also carry by these uprights or in any
other suitable manner a vertical cylinder which occupies the space in the centre of the
rectifier coil and I carry up this cylinder to above the level of the overflow from the
cistern so that the cooling water rising up through the cistern does not flow through
this space but only in the space between the exterior of this cylinder and the sides of
the cistern so that the flow of cooling water may act efficiently upon the rectifier coil
which is contained within this space.
The several concentric coils of the condenser I make of the same diameter and
approximately of the same length so as to obtain a uniform action in all the liquid
coming away from all at the same temperature. I do this by spacing the outer coils
vertically farther apart than the inner coils-so that the increased diameter of the
outer coils is compensated for by the increased number of the inner coils.
In the rectifier or that part of the machine which receives the ammonia gas from
the analyser and separates aqueous vapour from it I form the coil of pipe through

page_text: which the gas is passed with enlargements or pockets at intervals but in place of as
heretofore leading away a pipe from each pocket out through the side of the cistern
in which the coil is contained I join together the pipes from all the pockets on the
inside of the coil instead of outside as heretofore and lead a pipe therefrom through
a stuffing box in the side of the cistern-this reduces liability to leakage by reducing
the number of joints and necessitates but one hole only being cut through the cistern,
and makes the joints more easy of access.
Upon this pipe which is led away to the analyser is placed a receiving vessel. This
receiving vessel is of a size to contain all the liquor in the connecting pipe so that
there may be no danger of a sudden change of pressure causing the passage back of
the liquor into the rectifier, where it would pass into the condenser coils and receiver
and weaken the charge.
The pipe above mentioned I cause to deliver on to the well of the top tray of the
analyser whilst the weaker liquor from the heater is delivered into the analyser some
trays say four trays lower down-From this arrangement it results that much of
the gas is driven off from the strong liquor before it is allowed to mingle with the
liquor from the heater.
The cock used for regulating the admission of anhydrous ammonia liquid to the
cooler which requires very nice adjustment and other cocks in the apparatus I form
with plugs through which in addition to the passage ordinarily formed through them
there are at the sides of this passage narrow passages which when the tap is partially
turned on allow of a sunall and easily regulated quantity of fluid being allowed to pass
through the tap whilst at the same time it admits of a large volume of liquid being
quickly allowed to pass whenever the tap is fully opened for the purpose of clearing or
blowing away any obstruction which might obstruct the small passage. In the
absorber I cause the weak liquor to absorb the gas to fall as a shower through a
chamber to which the gas is admitted and which also contains coils of pipes with
water flowing through them to carry off the heat liberated by the combination of the
gas with the weak liquor-as in the auxiliary absorber described in the Specification
of the Patent above mentioned. I make this absorber however of greatly increased
size so enabling it to do all the work and dispensing with the second absorber described
in the Specification of the Patent above mentioned. The coils I now make of
different lengths as well as diameters of coils, the inner coils which are of less length
and diameter being made of pipe of smaller bore than the outer coils which are of
greater length and diameter so that the superficial area of the surface may be
approximately proportionate to the quantity of water passing through each coil-
producing a uniform result which I find of great importance.
The liquor to absorb the gas is made to fall as a shower on to the surface of a tray
perforated with small holes ranged in concentric circles through which it drops down
on to the tops of the coils of cooling pipe and trickles down from coil to coil. At
the bottom it is pumped off through a pipe on the inlet end of which is a perforated
strainer or guard to prevent the ammonia pump suction getting choked: In order to
be able to readily clean deposit from the interior of each of the coils of pipe in the
absorber I provide for attaching a pump cylinder to the outlet of any one or other of
the coils. The cylinder is fitted with a piston which by a piston rod extending from
it can be jerked violently to and fro as the cooling water is flowing through the coil.
The shock liberates scale deposited inside the coil and the scale is carried off by the
flow of the condensing water.
There are stuffing boxes at the places where the pipes of the guard or safety cock
to the receiver pass through the sides of condenser to reduce the number of joints and
provide for expansion and at other places where desirable.
For making an ammonia tight joint wherever the end of a coil or pipe is to be
secured to the side or end of any of the vessels or chambers of the apparatus a nut is
screwed on to the pipe on either side of the plate. On one or it might be both sides
of the plate a circular recess is formed around the pipe-a packing ring of india
rubber or other suitable material which is circular in cross section is placed into this
recess and around the pipe.

page_text: A nut screwing on to the pipe is made circular at one end to enter the recess above
mentioned or is made to bear against a washer that enters the recess and the inner
end of this nut or washer is dished or hollowed so that when forced against the
packing ring it presses it forcibly inwards against the pipe and the ring cannot escape
from the pressure put upon it.
For low pressures a packing ring of this kind may be applied on one side only of
the plate and a plain nut be screwed against the opposite side but for high pressures I
generally prefer to use a similar compressed packing ring on both sides.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, EDMUND LIONEL PONTIFEX, of Farringdon Works, Shoe Lane, London, E.C.,
Engineer, 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:-
My improvements relate to cooling and refrigerating machines such as are described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to H. F. Stanley No. 3907 in the
year 1875, and in which cold results from the expansion into gas of liquified
ammonia.
The condenser coils which receive the dry ammonia gas and wherein the gas is so
far cooled that it becomes liquid under the pressure at which it is maintained in the
machine place as heretofore within a cistern above the receiver into which the
liquified ammonia runs-the condenser coils I support upon brackets made to project
inwards from the sides of the cistern and to retain the coils in place by uprights which
are carried up from these brackets. Some of the uprights I carry up above the tops
of the coils to support the rectifier coil. I also carry by these uprights or in any other
suitable manner a vertical cylinder which occupies the space in the centre of tho
rectifier coil and I carry up this cylinder to above the level of the overflow from the
cistern so that the cooling water rising up through the cistern does not flow through
this space but only in the space between the exterior of this cylinder and the sides of
the cistern so that the flow of cooling water may act efficiently upon the rectifier coil
which is contained within this space.
The several concentric coils of the condenser 1 make of the same diameter and
approximately of the same length so as to obtain a uniform action in all, the liquid
coming away from all at the same temperature. I do this by spacing the outer coils
vertically further apart than the inner coils-so that the increased diameter of the
outer coils is compensated for by the increased number of the inner coils.
In the rectifier or that part of the machine which receives the ammonia gas from
the analyser and separates aqueous vapour from it 1 form the coil of pipe through
which the gas is passed with enlargements or pockets at intervals but in place of as
heretofore leading away a pipe from each pocket out through the side of the cistern
in which the coil is contained I join together the pipes from all the pockets on the
inside of the coil instead of outside as heretofore and lead a pipe therefrom through a
stuffing box in the side of the cistern this reduces liability to leakage by reducing the
number of joints and necessitates but one hole only being cut through the cistern, and
makes the joints more easy of access.
Upon this pipe which is led away to the analyser is placed a receiving vessel.
This receiving vessel is of a size to contain all the liquor in the connecting pipe so
that there may be no danger of a sudden change of pressure causing the passage back

page_text: of the liquor into the rectifier, where it would pass into the condenser cons and
receiver and weaken the charge.
The pipe above mentioned I cause to deliver on to the well of the top tray of
the analyser whilst the weaker liquor from the heater is delivered into the analyser
some trays say four trays lower down. From this arrangement it results that much
of the gas is driven off from the strong liquor before it is allowed to mingle with the
liquor from the heater.
The cock used for regulating the admission of anhydrous ammonia liquid to the
cooler which requires very nice adjustment and other cocks in the apparatus I form
with plugs through which in addition to the passage ordinarily formed through them
there are at the sides of this passage narrow passages which when the tap is partially
turned on allow of a small and easily regulated quantity of fluid being allowed to pass
through the tap whilst at the same time it admits of a large volume of liquid being
quickly allowed to pass whenever the tap is fully opened for the purpose of clearing
or blowing away any obstruction which might obstruct the small passage. In the
absorber cause the weak liquor to absorb the gas to full as a shower through a
chamber to which the gas is admitted and which also contains coils of pipes with
water flowing through them to carry off the heat liberated by the combination of the
gas with the weak liquor as in the auxiliary absorber described in the Specification of
the Patent above mentioned. I make this absorber however of greatly increased
size so enabling it to do all the work and dispensing with the second absorber
described in the Specification of the Patent above mentioned. The coils I now make
of different lengths as well as diameters of coils, the inner coils which are of less
length and diameter being made of pipe of smaller bore than the outer coils which
are of greater length and diameter so that the superficial area of the surface may be
approximately proportionate to the quantity of water passing through each coil-
producing a uniform result which I find of great importance.
The liquor to absorb the gas is made to fall as a shower on to the surface of a tray
perforated with small holes ranged in concentric circles through which it drops down
At the
on to the tops of the coils of cooling pipe and trickles down from coil to coil.
bottom it is pumped off through a pipe on the inlet end of which is a perforated
strainer or guard to prevent the ammonia pump suction getting choked.
In order to
be able to readily clean deposit from the interior of each of the coils of pipe in the
absorber I provide for attaching a pump cylinder to the outlet of any one or other of
the coils. The cylinder is fitted with a piston which by a piston rod extending from
it can be jerked violently to and fro as the cooling water is flowing through the coil.
The shock liberates scale deposited inside the coil and the scale is carried off by the
flow of the condensing water.
There are stuffing boxes at the places where the pipes of the guard or safety cock
to the receiver pass through the sides of condenser to reduce the number of joints and
provide for expansion and at other places where desirable.
For making an ammonia tight joint wherever the end of a coil or pipe is to be
secured to the side or end of any of the vessels or chambers of the apparatus a nut is
screwed on to the pipe on either side of the plate. On one or it might be both sides
of the plate a circular recess is formed around the pipe-a packing ring of india
rubber or other suitable material which is circular in cross section is placed into this
recess and around the pipe.
A nut screwing on to the pipe is made circular at one end to enter the recess above
mentioned or is made to bear against a washer that enters the recess and the inner
end of this nut or washer is dished or hollowed so that when forced against the
packing ring it presses it forcibly inwards against the pipe and the ring cannot escape
from the pressure put upon it.
For low pressures a packing ring of this kind may be applied on one side only of
the plate and a plain nut be screwed against the opposite side but for high pressures I
generally prefer to use a similar compressed packing ring on both sides.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: SECTION SHOwing
the rectiner, the condenser and the
receiver.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the analyser.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the cock for regulating the admission of anhydrous
aminonia liquid to the cooler.
Figure 4 is a plan of the same and
Figure 5 shows a transverse section of the plug of the cock.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the absorber.
Figure 7 is a plan of the same with the cover removed.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the pump like appliance employed to clear the
pipes of the absorber.
Figure 9 is a section showing an ammonia tight high pressure joint.
Figure 10 shows a simpler joint which suffices for low pressure.
In Figure 1 a is a cylindrical cistern to which cold water is supplied by a pipe bat
the lower part. The water ascends within the cistern and overflows by a pipe c at the
top. d d are brackets fixed to the sides of the cistern. Three uprights e extend
upwards from the brackets and support a light cylinder f which is open at the ends.
The uprights e also serve to support the outer condenser coil and retain it in place.
Each of the uprights e is in two parts and the coil is held between them; the parts
are connected by bolts e¹ there are distance pieces around the bolts and on these the
convolutions of the coil rest. One only of the bolts is shown in the drawing. The
inner part of the upright is of angle iron. Other similar double uprights support
the smaller coils of the condenser; they also stand upon the brackets d d.
9, 9, are the condenser coils, they are all of the same size and length of tube. his
the rectifier coil and this also is carried by the uprights e e and by ex ex which are
continuations of these uprights. are pockets on the rectifier coil, they are
connected together by the pipes within the cistern so that one pipe only has to be
taken out through the side of the cistern and here a joint is made by a stuffing box a¹.
The lowest pocket is provided with a cock h* and by turning this the pocket can be
put out of action. i is a receiving vessel of sufficient capacity into which the pipes
deliver. is a pipe which receives the liquified ammonia from the condenser coils f
and leads it into the receiver 7. The pipe k passes out of the cistern to receive a stop
cock which can be closed when it is desired to confine the ammonia in the receiver.
are pipes connecting the receiver with a gauge glass in which the liquid appears
and marks the height at which it stands in the receiver. Another pipe not shown in
the figure leads the liquified ammonia to the cooler which is as described in the
specification of the Patent No. 39077 referred to above.
In Figure 2 the connection is shown by which the strong liquor from the pockets
of the rectifier is brought to the upper part of the analyser.
mm are the trays of the analyser and as will be seen the weak liquid from the
heater comes into the analyser at n on to a tray several stages below the tray which
receives the liquid from the pockets.
In Figure 3 the cock which regulates the passage of the ammonia out of the
receiver is shown. o¹ o' are notches in the plug o which facilitate the setting of the
cock to pass only a small quantity of liquid. These notches are also seen in Figure 5.
The plug o of the cock is furnished with a pointer of which indicates on a scale the
position of the plug and facilitates the adjustment of the machine.
In Figures 6 and 7 p is the passage by which the gas from the cooler enters the
absorber and q is the passage which admits the weak liquor or water employed to
absorb it. ris a perforated plate which divides the liquor and causes it to full as a
shower through the absorber. s are the coils of the absorber, cold water passes
through them, entering at the bottom and passing out at the top-these coils as the
drawing shows are of various sizes and so proportioned that by whichever pipe the
water passes its temperature is raised by the same amount the surface of the pipe and
the quantity of water passing through it being in the same ratio in every case.

page_text: The water escaping from the upper ends of the pipes s is led away to a drain.
When the pipes require cleansing the apparatus shown by Figure 8 is screwed on to
each in turn and its piston t is worked violently up and down by manual labour.
Figure 9 shows the way in which I make joints when leading pipes through the
walls of the apparatus.
t
is the iron plate forming part of the apparatus, is the pipe, u¹¹ are recesses
formed in the plate u around the pipe-w are nuts screwing along the pipe are
rings of india rubber vulcanised semi-hard. In making joints with the generator, the
absorber, the heater, and the cooler I adopt this method wherever a joint is required
to be ammonia tight under high pressure. Where the pressure is low the joint may
be made as is indicated in Figure 10 with one ring only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The method of mounting the condenser coils substantially as described.
2. The method of supporting the rectifier coil by brackets beneath the condenser
coils and aprights substantially as described.
3. Regulating the flow of cooling water along the rectifier coil by arranging a
cylinder within the coil substantially as described.
4. Connecting the pockets of the rectifier within the cistern and leading a single
pipe from them through the side of the cistern substantially as described.
5. The improved ammonia cock substantially as described.
6. The absorber substantially as described with its several coils so proportioned that
the ratio of surface to flow is approximately the same in every coil.
7. The arrangements substantially as described for keeping the coils of the absorber
free from deposit.
8. The method of making ammonia tight tight joints substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of August 1888.