Improvements in the Production of Cold and Ice and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Cold and Ice and in Apparatus
therefor.
1, EDWARD JOSEPH HARDY of 2 Elm Street, New York, 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 invention relates to the method of producing refrigeration and to refrigerating
or ice making machines in which water is evaporated in vacuum and its vapor
brought in contact with sulphuric acid or other absorbent liquid and in which
pumps and various means have been used to raise and agitate said acid, to expose
new surfaces to the aqueous vapor. The objects of my invention are to produce the
necessary vacuum and absorption of aqueous vapor by a simple method and by the
employment of one and the same pump device for exhausting the air and circulating
the acid.
I shall now describe the method with reference to an apparatus of simple
and compact form and whereby I attain these objects in a very advantageous
manner.
I provide a closed vessel containing sulphuric acid or other liquid suitable as an
absorbent of aqueous vapors and having in the top a pipe for a communication
between it and the water freezing receptacle. Into the closed top of the vessel
there is inserted, preferably the whole of a pump cylinder having a closed bottom
and within said cylinder is fitted a hollow piston having in its bottom a valve
capable of being lifted upwardly to open a passage in said bottom. Said piston
has attached to its top a piston rod which is to be reciprocated by a crank shaft or
other suitable operating means. The top of the hollow piston is open to allow the
upward passage of air and acid therethrough. In the top of the cylinder there is
an opening into which is fitted an air and acid discharge valve capable of being
lifted upwardly and over said valve the lower end of a pipe is secured the other
end of said pipe leading into a carboy or other acid holding receptacle or supply
tank which need not be closed.
In the side of the pump cylinder is inserted the lower end of a pipe that has its
upper end extending above the surface of the acid in the vessel and is to lead the
air and aqueous vapors from above said surface, to a point under the piston when
the latter is ascending to the top of its stroke. In the side of the pump cylinder
is also inserted the lower end of a pipe, that has its upper end on a level with the
surface of the acid. The internal area of this pipe is such as to quickly admit the acid
into the pump cylinder in proper quantities to maintain the surface of the acid in
the vessel at a constant level. The form of the pipe should preferably be crescent
shaped in cross section and the lower end made to enter a horizontal port in the
side of the cylinder to obtain the desired large delivery without increasing the
vertical height of the port opening into the cylinder.
The acid inlet pipe is provided with a valve to regulate the admission of the acid.
This valve may be controlled by a speed governor of any well known form so that
the acid will be admitted only when the machine is in operation and thus the
flooding of the machine with acid be prevented when said machine is stopped under
vacuum.
The pipe has its lower end provided with a perforated rose or sprayer to admit
the acid from the acid supply tank in form of spray or rain into the vessel
above the surface of the acid therein. The whole apparatus is formed of suitable
acid resisting materials or of metal suitably enamelled. There is a pipe with valve
for admitting the water which is to be frozen into the freezing vessel.

page_text: To operate the machine the vessel is charged with acid to the proper level and
the water freezing vessel is attached so as to form an air tight joint. The pump is
then started and the valve operated so as to admit the proper quantity of acid into
the vessel containing the pump: The piston on its up stroke ascends above the
openings leading from the lateral pipes and permits a charge of air and aqueous
vapors from the one pipe and acid from the other pipe to enter the pump cylinder
below the piston and the latter in its down stroke again covers the lower openings
of the pipes and forces said charge of air aqueous vapors and acid up through the
valve in the lower end of the piston, and thoroughly mixes and shakes together the
acid the air and the aqueous vapors taken with it and on the upward stroke
the piston expels the air and acid through the discharge valve which when it closes
again is liquid sealed by the acid on the top of it. A portion of the pump cylinder
above the piston being filled with acid the openings of the pipes into the cylinder
are liquid sealed. no packing being needed for the piston.
After a few strokes of the piston the air is exhausted from the vessel and from
the freezing vessel and water is admitted to the latter from time to time as required
the production of ice being carried on rapidly and continuously. The flow of acid
is so regulated as to supply enough acid in the form of spray for absorbing the
aqueous vapors as fast as they arise and change into ice the water introduced,
the pump maintaining the acid in the vessel at a constant level. The acid and the
aqueous vapor from the pump cylinder are returned into the carboy or acid supply
tank and the latter can be left open for the escape of surplus air brought therein by
the pump.
By this construction the use of a separate vacuum pump is dispensed with.
Moreover in a vacuum pump as heretofore in which oil is used the oil is liable to be
affected by change of temperature and by gases from the sulphuric acid thereby
impairing the vacuum. If the pumping device for carrying out my process consists
of two pump cylinders and pistons operated from opposite cranks upon the shaft
they need not have top valves but the pistons under vacuum will balance cach
other.
Even in the arrangement described the pump might be left open at the top and
the delivery valve dispensed with but by such a construction there would be
increased resistance because of the pressure of the atmosphere in the upstroke
of the pump.
If the pump were only partly immersed in the acid vessel, there would be an
objectionable joint between them, especially if such joint were above the holes or
ports to the lateral pipes. On the other hand if the pump were outside of and
seperate from the acid vessel there would be objectionable joints, the apparatus
would be less compact and more expensive, and some parts would be liable to
corrosion. All these defects are avoided in the construction here described.
small apparatus therefore in any event I prefer this arrangement but do not confine
myself to this manner of carrying my process into effect.
Dated this 18th day of November 1890.
For
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Cold and Ice and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, EDWARD JOSEPH HARDY of 2 Elm Street, New York, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to 5
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to the method of producing refrigeration, and to refrigerating
or ice making machines in which water is evaporated in vacuum and its vapor

page_text: brought in contact with sulphuric acid or other absorbent liquid and in which
pumps and various means have been used to raise and agitate said acid, to expose
new surfaces to the aqueous vapor. The objects of my invention are to produce
the necessary vacuum and absorption of aqueous vapor by a simple method and by
the employment of one and the same pump device for exhausting the air and
circulating the acid.
I shall now describe the method with reference to an apparatus of simple and
compact form and whereby I attain these objects in a very advantageous manner.
The apparatus is represented in vertical section in the accompanying drawing.
A represents a closed vessel containing sulphuric acid or other liquid suitable as
an absorbent of aqueous vapors and having in the top a bent pipe B for a communi-
cation between it and the water freezing receptacle M. Into the closed top of the
vessel A. there is inserted preferably the whole of a pump cylinder C having a
closed bottom C2, and within said cylinder is fitted a hollow piston D having in its
bottom a valve E capable of being lifted upwardly to open a passage in said
bottom. Said piston has attached to its top a piston rod, which is to be recipro-
cated by a crank shaft or other suitable operating means. The top of the hollow
piston is open at ² to allow the upward passage of air and acid therethrough. In
the top of the cylinder but on one side of its centre, there is an opening into which
is fitted an air and acid discharge valve F capable of being lifted upwardly; and
over said valve the lower end of a pipe F2 is secured to the top of the pump cylinder
and the other end of said pipe leads into a carboy N or other acid holding receptacle
or supply tank which need not be closed.
In the side of the pump cylinder is inserted the lower end of a pipe G that has
its upper end extending above the surface of the acid in the vessel A, and is to
lead the air and aqueous vapors from above said surface, to a point under the piston
when the latter is ascending to the top of its stroke. In the side of the pump
cylinder is also inserted the lower end of a pipe H, that has its upper end on a
level with the surface of the acid. The internal area of the pipe H is such as to
quickly admit the acid into the pump cylinder in proper quantities to maintain the
surface of the acid in the vessel A at a constant level. The form of the pipe H
should preferably be crescent shaped in cross section and the lower end made to
enter a horizontal port in the side of the cylinder to obtain the desired large
delivery without increasing the vertical height of the port opening into the
cylinder.
In the elbow of the pipe B is inserted an acid inlet pipe I which is provided with
a valve I to regulate the admission of the acid. This valve may be controlled by
a speed governor of any well known form so that the acid will be admitted only
when the machine is in operation and thus the flooding of the machine with acid be
prevented, when said machine is stopped under vacuum.
The pipe I has its lower end provided with a perforated rose or sprayer I³ to
admit the acid in form of spray or rain into the vessel A. above the surface of the
acid therein. The top of the pump cylinder is provided with an air-tight stuffing-
box K of suitable forin. The pipe I conducts the sulphuric acid from the carboy
or supply tank N into the top of the vessel A.
The whole apparatus is formed of suitable acid resisting materials or of metal
suitably enamelled. O is a pipe for admitting the water which is to be frozen, and
O¹ the spindle of an inlet valve.
top
To operate the machine, the vessel A is charged with acid to the level of the
of the pipe H and an open top water freezing vessel, as M is attached to or applied
against the rubber gasket on the under side of the disk L so as to form an air
tight joint. The pump is then started and the valve 12 operated so as to admit the
proper quantity of acid into the vessel A. The piston D on its up stroke ascends
above the openings leading from the pipes G and H, and permits a charge of air
and aqueous vapors from the pipe G and acid from the pipe H to enter the pump
cylinder below the piston and the latter in its down stroke again covers the lower
openings of the pipes G and H, and forces said charge of air acqueous vapours and

page_text: acid up through the valve E in the lower end of the piston, and thoroughly mixes
and shakes together the acid the air and the aqueous vapors taken with it and on
the upward stroke the piston expels the air and acid through the discharge valve F
which when it closes again is liquid sealed by the acid on the top of it. A portion
of the pump cylinder above the piston D being filled with acid the openings of the
pipes G and H into the cylinder are liquid sealed no packing being needed for the
piston.
After a few strokes of the piston the air is exhausted from the chamber A. and
the vessel M and water is admitted to the latter from the pipe O from time to time
as required the production of ice being carried on rapidly and continuously. The
flow of acid through the pipe I is so regulated as to supply enough acid in the
form of spray for absorbing the aqueous vapors as fast as they arise.and change into
ice the water introduced into the vessel M, and the area of the pipe H is such as
to admit the acid into the pump cylinder and maintain the acid in the vessel. A at a
constant level. The pipe F leads the acid and the aqueous vapor from the pump
cylinder into the carboy or acid supply tank N and the latter can be left open for
the escape of surplus air brought therein by the pump.
By this construction the use of a separate vacuum pump is dispensed with.
Moreover in a vacuum pump as heretofore in which oil is used the oil is liable to
be affected by change of temperature and by gases from the sulphuric acid, thereby
impairing the vacuum. If the pumping device for carrying out my process consists
of two pumps cylinders and pistons operated from opposite cranks upon the shaft,
they need not have top valves as F but the pistons under vacuum will balance
each other.
Even in the arrangement shewn the pump might be left open at the top and the
valve dispensed with but such a construction there would be increased resistance
because of the pressure of the atmosphere in the upstroke of the pump.
If the pump were only partly immersed in the acid vessel, there would be an
objectionable joint between them especially if such joint were above the holes or
ports to the pipes G and H. On the other hand if the pump were outside of and
separate from the acid vessel A there would be objectionable joints, the apparatus
would be less compact and more expensive and some parts would be liable to
corrosion. All these defects are avoided in the construction here shown. For
small apparatus therefore in any event I prefer the arrangement shewn, but do not
confine myself to this manner of carrying my process into effect.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what 1
claim is.
1. The method of producing cold which consists in simultaneously and by the
same pump device forming a vacuum, and drawing from a refrigerating vessel a
quantity of air and watery vapor and drawing from a supply tank a quantity of
liquid which absorbs said vapor, the said pump device passing, the commingled
-quantities of air vapor and absorbent liquid back to the said supply tank substantially
as set forth.
2. The method of producing refrigeration which consists in drawing by vacuum
continuously air and watery vapors from a water holding or refrigerating vessel
into a second vessel containing a liquid absorber of said watery vapors and
removing together said air watery vapours and absorber from the second
vessel by a pump which is liquid sealed by said liquid absorber substantially as
described.
3. The method of producing refrigeration which consists in simultaneously
drawing air watery vapors and a liquid absorber of said watery vapors into a
vessel, causing said absorber to be impregnated by the watery vapors and removing
to the liquid absorber supply tank the vapors and their absorber together by the
same means, having their passage liquid sealed by the absorber substantially as
described.

page_text: 4. The method of producing refrigeration by simultaneously exhausting air,
watery vapor and a liquid absorbent for said vapor from one vessel conducting the
absorbent with the assimilated watery vapor into a second vessel and spraying it
again into the first vessel, substantially as described.
5. The method of producing refrigeration which consists in admitting with air
and watery vapours in a vessel a substantially non volatile acid having great
affinity for said watery vapors said acid being admitted in the form of spray and
pumping together the air, the watery vapors and the acid from said vessel whereby
the acid used as a vapor absorbent is also used to liquid seal the moveable parts of
the pumping apparatus.
6. In a refrigerating machine having sulphuric acid for absorbing medium, the
method of producing refrigeration which consists in admitting the acid within the
acid chamber of the machine by spraying therein, and pumping it therefrom with
the air contained in said chamber through passages liquid scaled by the acid
substantially as described.
7. In a refrigerating machine operated by vacuum and by an acid absorber of
watery vapor the combination of an acid vessel, a pump partly enclosed in said
vessel and pipes enclosed within said vessel and having one end entering into the
pump whereby air and acid are led simultaneously into the pump substantially as
described.
8. In a refrigerating machine a receiving vessel having attached thereto pipes
to lead therein air and watery vapours from a refrigerating vessel and an absorbent
acid for said vapors from an acid holding vessel or carboy in combination with a
pump cylinder having pipes entering its sides to lead therein the air, watery vapours
and the acid from the receiving vessel an exit pipe to the acid holding vessel or
carboy and a piston within the cylinder whereby the acid used as a vapor absorbent
is also used to liquid seal the valves and piston of the pump substantially as shewn
on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 26th day of June 1891
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.