IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CLEAR OR TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Guillod, of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF CLEAR OR TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE."
Sealed the 5th April 1878, and dated the 10th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Guillod at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1878.
DAVID GUILLOD, of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CLEAR OR TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE."
In order to make clear or transparent blocks of ice it is necessary to remove the
air liberated in the process of congelation before it becomes imprisoned by the
crystals of ice as they form. Various means have been employed for this purpose,
such as agitators working up and down and sidewise in the water to be frozen, and
also circulating the water bodily through the vertical moulds; but as far as I am
aware none of the means heretofore employed has been practically successful in
producing with certainty blocks of ice thoroughly clear and transparent throughout
their thickness.
It has been customary heretofore in manufacturing block ice to employ moulds
placed vertically and open at the top; now according to my Invention I employ
moulds open at both ends, placed either horizontally or somewhat obliquely in a
tank containing the water to be frozen; and I cause a circulation of the water
through the interior of the said moulds by means of a screw, paddle, or suitable
pump, whereby the air liberated in the process of congelation is swept out of the
said moulds.
When several moulds are employed I find it convenient and advantageous to
arrange them in the tank side by side, and so that the water circulates through
each mould in succession, returning to the first after leaving the last. Each mould
may be furnished with a separate screw, paddle, or pump; or one of these may be
arranged to circulate the water through several moulds. The moulds are made
with hollow walls for the circulation of the freezing liquid in any convenient or

page_text: usual manner, and they may be round, square, oblong, or any other convenient or
fancy shape, in cross section, and of any suitable length. Space must be left at the
ends of the moulds for the escape of the air liberated in the process of congelation,
which air, as above stated, is swept out of the mould by the current of water
passing through it; and, if desired, a vacuum pump may be applied to produce a
greater or less vacuum in the tank, whereby the liberation and escape of the air is
facilitated. The escape of the air is also facilitated by placing the moulds somewhat
obliquely with regard to the horizontal, the water being caused to circulate from
the lower towards the upper ends.
By the employment of the horizontal or oblique arrangement of moulds with the
revolving screw or paddle, or other suitable pump, as above described, I am enabled
to produce a much greater agitation of the water during its circulation through the
moulds than can be effected in the usual vertical arrangement, and thereby a much
more efficient liberation of the air is effected. Furthermore, the freezing liquid is
thereby caused to circulate over the top of the water to be frozen as well as round
the sides and bottom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Guillod in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th July
1878.
DAVID GUILLOD, of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CLEAR OR TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE."
In order to make clear or transparent blocks of ice it is necessary to remove the
air liberated in the process of congelation before it becomes imprisoned by the
crystals of ice as they form. Various means have been employed for this purpose,
such as agitators working up and down and sidewise in the water to be frozen, and
also circulating the water bodily through the vertical moulds; but as far as I am
aware none of the means heretofore employed has been practically successful in
producing with certainty blocks of ice thoroughly clear and transparent throughout
their thickness.
It has been customary heretofore in manufacturing block ice to employ moulds
placed vertically and open at the top; now according to my Invention I employ
moulds open at both ends, placed either horizontally or somewhat obliquely, and by
preference in a tank containing the water to be frozen; and I cause a circulation of
the water through the interior of the said moulds by means of a screw, paddle, or
suitable pump, whereby the air liberated in the process of congelation is swept out
of the said moulds into spaces at the ends thereof, whence it escapes direct into the
atmosphere, or is withdrawn by a vacuum pump.
By the employment of the horizontal or oblique arrangement of moulds with the
revolving screw or paddle, or other suitable pump, as above described, I am enabled
to produce a much more effective agitation of the water during its circulation

page_text: through the moulds than can be obtained in the usual vertical arrangement, and
thereby a much more complete liberation of the air is effected. Furthermore, the
arrangement enables the freezing liquid to be circulated over the top of the water
to be frozen, as well as round the sides and bottom, whereby more rapid effects are
obtained.
In the Drawing Figure 1 represents in plan an arrangement of six moulds placed
in one tank; Figure 2, a transverse section, at line X, X, of Figure 1; and Figure 3,
a front elevation of the same.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in each of the Figures.
A is a tank, which may be constructed of wood, and by preference fitted with a
cover B; C, C, C, are the ice moulds arranged side by side in the said tank, and so
that there is a space between their ends and the front and back of the tank. These
moulds are shown as made with hollow walls and tops and bottoms, through which
the freezing liquid, such as glycerine, brine, a solution of chloride of magnesium, or
of other suitable salt, is caused to circulate in any convenient or usual manner.
D represents the pipe conveying such liquid from the freezing machine to the
moulds, and E the pipe for conveying it back from the moulds to the freezing
machine. But this circulation of the freezing liquid round the mould may be
effected by any suitable means, and forms no part of my present Invention.
In the Drawing the moulds are shewn arranged in pairs, so that the water to be
frozen is circulated continuously through each pair, as illustrated by the long arrows,
each pair being separated from the adjacent pair by means of partitions F, F, carried
across the spaces intervening between the ends of the moulds and the front and
back of the tank. G, G, G, represent screws or paddles, which, being caused to
revolve in front of the ends of the moulds, effect a more or less rapid circulation of
the water to be frozen through the interior of the moulds. Such screws may be
mounted on spindles, which pass through and revolve in stuffing boxes H, Í, H,
secured water-tight to the front and back of the tank, the spindles being driven by
straps or cords, or by any convenient or suitable means.
It will now be understood that when it is desired to produce blocks of ice in
these moulds the water to be frozen is placed in the tank A, filling the moulds C, C, C,
and the spaces at their ends; the freezing liquid is then caused to circulate through
the hollow walls of the moulds, and the screws or paddles G, G, G, being set in
motion the water circulates through the moulds, emerging therefrom into the spaces
at the ends thereof, where the air which has been swept out of the moulds by the
current of water passing through them is allowed to escape, such escape being
facilitated, if necessary, by an exhaust air pump applied to the upper part of the
tank, so as to produce a greater or less vacuum therein; and in some cases the
escape of the air from the moulds may be facilitated by placing them somewhat
obliquely with regard to the horizontal in such wise that the water is caused to
circulate from the lower towards the upper ends.
When the water has congealed on the insides of the moulds to the required
extent the blocks of ice so produced may be removed from the moulds by first
drawing off the remaining water from the tank, and removing the front or back of
the latter along with the screws or paddles and their driving apparatus. The blocks
of ice being then loosened in the moulds by passing warm liquid through the hollow
sides of the latter in the manner well understood, may then be drawn out from the
moulds with the greatest ease.
The front or back of the tank may be readily adapted so as to make a water-
tight joint with the sides and and bottom by means of india-rubber packing tightened
up by suitable screws or bolts and nuts, such as I, I, I, in the Drawing.
It will be understood that the circulation through the moulds of the water to be
frozen may be arranged in a variety of ways, for example, in such manner that the
same water circulates through a number of moulds, each in succession returning to
the first after leaving the last, or, if preferred, through one only, the water in that
case being returned from the back to the front end, either outside the mould or
through a pipe provided for that purpose; but I have found it most convenient and

page_text: economical to arrange the moulds in pairs, forcing the water through one and
returning it through the other, as shewn in the Drawing.
Instead of screws or paddles, pumps may be employed to circulate the water; but
I have found that screws or paddles with three or four blades inclined to their axes,
as illustrated in the Drawings, are the most convenient and effective.
If preferred, the moulds may be left open at the top, but in that case the time
required to freeze a square block will be somewhat longer than when all four sides
are used for producing the congealing effect.
I have found that moulds adapted to produce blocks of ice one foot square and
three or four feet long, are convenient and effective; but they may be adapted to
produce blocks of round, oblong, polygonal, or other fancy shape, and of any
suitable size.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the preciso details herein described and illustrated in
the Drawings, as they may be varied without departing from my Invention; nor
do I claim generally the circulation of the water through ice moulds for the purpose
of getting rid of the air; but what I do claim is,-
First. The employment of ice moulds open at both ends, placed horizontally or
obliquely, the water to be frozen being caused to circulate through the interior of
the said horizontal or oblique moulds for the purpose of removing the air liberated
from such water during the process of congelation, substantially as herein-before
described, and illustrated in the Drawings.
Second. In combination with horizontal or oblique moulds, through which the
water to be frozen is caused to circulate in the manner herein-before described, the
employment of an exhaust pump for facilitating the escape of the air after it has
been swept out of the mould by the circulation of the water.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Guillod, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
ATTITTOD
DAVID GUILLOD. (L.S.)