IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ICE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Grosvenor du Vallon and Jules Csete, both of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ICE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Grosvenor du Vallon and
Jules Csete at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December
1876.
GROSVENOR DU VALLON and JULES CSETE, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRO-
DUCTION OF ICE."
Our Invention has reference to apparatus into which a refrigerating medium is
supplied for the purpose of utilizing the cold previously produced, and consists in
the construction of boxes or tanks in which rectangular vessels, made hollow and of
small internal thickness, are caused to vibrate on an axis, one behind another if
several arc used. The said vessels (made of copper, sheet iron, or other suitable
material) are closed and provided with an inlet and outlet, either through trunnion
joints at the ends of the axis of vibration or by means of flexible pipes properly
secured to the said vessels. The tank being filled with fresh water the freezing or
refrigerating medium is caused to flow in and out of the said vessels contained
therein by means of a pump or other suitable appliance, the required vibration of
the vessels being effected either by mechanical power or by hand. The distance at
which the vessels are fixed apart is equal to the thickness of the block of ice intended
to be produced.
When a considerable thickness of ice has been produced on the sides of any two
vessels, so as to leave barely a clearance between the portions of ice so formed,
the full block thereof be required the vessels are lifted out of the slots in which
they pivot, and are coupled two by two by means of slide pieces triangular in shape,
and having a square hole in the upper part, through which an iron or other bar is
passed, thereby forming a system of two cells or vessels vibrating on a common
axis. The freezing process being continued the said clearance soon disappears, and
a solid block of ice is formed.
By means of the above-described arrangement a more perfect agitation of the
water is insured and hard transparent ice produced, a fresh layer of water being

page_text: continually brought in contact with the ice. It is also to be observed that no
independent agitators are used, but that the cold surface of the vibrating vessel and
afterwards the ice is used as an agitator, thereby preventing loss of refrigerating
power and obtaining more result.
A further advantage lies in the continuance of the agitation to the end of the
process of production, as the vessels being coupled in twos the water will continue
to wash between the slabs of ice as long as there is any clearance, and will only be
expelled by the gradual formation of ice in such clearance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Grosvenor du Vallon and Jules Csete in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th June 1877.
GROSVENOR DU VALLON and JULES CSETE, both of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRO-
DUCTION OF ICE."
Our Invention has reference to apparatus into which a refrigerating medium is
supplied for the purpose of utilizing the cold previously produced, and consists in
the construction of boxes or tanks in which rectangular cells or vessels, made hollow
and of small internal thickness, are caused to vibrate on an axis, one behind another
if several are used. The said vessels (made of copper, sheet iron, or other suitable
material) are closed and provided with an inlet and outlet, either 'through trunnion
joints at the ends of the axis of vibration or by means of flexible pipes properly
secured to the said vessels. The tank being filled with fresh water the freezing or
refrigerating medium is caused to flow in and out of the said vessels contained
therein by means of a pump or other suitable appliance, the required vibration of
'the vessels being effected either by mechanical power or by hand. The distance at
which the vessels are fixed apart is equal to the thickness of the block of ice intended
to be produced.
When a considerable thickness of ice has been produced on the sides of any two
vessels, so as to leave barely a clearance between the portions of ice so formed, if
the full block thereof be required the vessels are lifted out of the slots in which
they pivot, and are coupled two by two by means of side pieces, triangular in shape,
and having a square hole in the upper part, through which an iron or other bar is
passed, thereby forming a system of two cells or vessels vibrating on a cominon axis.
The freezing process being continued the said clearance soon disappears and a solid
block of ice is formed.
By means of the above-described arrangement a more perfect agitation of the
water is insured and hard transparent ice produced, a fresh layer of water being
continually brought in contact with the ice. It is also to be observed that no
ipdependent agitators are used, but that the cold surface of the vibrating vessel and
afterwards the ice is used as an agitator, thereby preventing loss of refrigerating
power and obtaining more result.
A further advantage lies in the continuance of the agitation to the end of the
process of production, as the vessels being coupled in twos the water will continue
to wash between the slabs of ice as long as there is any clearance, and will only be
expelled by the gradual formation of ice in such clearance.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, we will proceed to describe
anore particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented apparatus of the kind above
referred to.

page_text: Fig. 4 shews in plan and elevation an arrangement for suspending the cells or
vessels on rocking arms or levers.
In Sheet II. Figures 5 and 6 shew in side and front elevation a single cell
detached; Fig. 7 is a section of the same.
Fig. 8 shews two cells combined with an axis for both to supply freezing medium.
Fig. 9 is a plan showing combined cells suspended in ice box.
Fig. 10 is a side clevation of cells with ends of ice box removed.
Fig. 11 shows an end view of combined cells with ice on their sides nearly frozen
together.
In these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
1
A is a box or tank for containing water to be frozen; B, B, are the cells or vessels
intended to be worked to and fro in the manner herein-after described; C is the
pipe through which the brine or freezing medium is supplied to the cells; D is a
flexible hose of india-rubber or other suitable material for connecting the pipe C
with the cells; E, E, are the union joints between the supply pipe C and the hose D,
being provided with leather washers to secure good joints; F is a rod, by means of
which the several cells or vessels B, B, are worked or agitated as required through
a rocking arm or lever G; H is a small tank at the side of the tank A to receive the
overflow of brine; I is a pipe from the same, forming the suction pipe of a circulating
pump; K is a pipe connected with a refrigerator; L is a cock for letting off water
from the box or tank A as required.
The mode of working the apparatus is as follows:-Having suspended the cells
on their axes connected with the rocking arm or lever G, the unions E, E, should be
connected with the supply pipe C, the rod F should then be placed across the cells
and connected as shewn in Fig. 1; fresh water should now be poured into the
wooden box or tank A until the tops of the cells are reached within about one inch;
brine or other suitable uncongealable liquid is now to be poured into the tank H,
the pump is to be set in motion, and the pumping is to be continued and brine
supplied until the refrigerator and all the cells are full, and an even stream is caused
to run out into the small tank H (as shewn in Fig. 3), until the same is about half
full, after which no more brine should be supplied; the same brine is to be circulated
by means of the pump through the refrigerator and through the cells, after the
freezing point is reached and a thin coat of ice formed on the side of the cells; the
rocking arm or lever G should now be connected to the machine by an excentric or
pulley and kept in slow rocking motion. By means of this action the several cells
suspended on their axes, and being connected at one end by india-rubber hose D,
will be caused to work to and fro in the fresh water, thereby reducing its tem-
perature rapidly and causing ice to be formed with increasing thickness until all
the space is frozen up. Ice will be formed much more rapidly by working or
agitating the cells in this way than if the cells were stationary.
The cock L should now be opened, in order to draw off the remainder of the
water from the tank A, and the pumping and working of the cells should be stopped,
after which the unions E, E, should be disconnected, the rod F removed, and the
cells B, B, lifted out of the tank A.; the brine should then be poured out of the cells
into the small tank H; the unions E, E, should now be connected to a small hand
pump and warm water pumped through the cells, when the ice will be caused
instantly to leave the cells. The ice made in this apparatus is transparent and
hard.
When blocks of ice are required to be made of a certain invariable thickness colla
are coupled together once for all, as shown in Fig. 8, the distance between two cells
giving the thickness of the block.
°
When blocks of various thicknesses are required to be produced the cells are
coupled, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of slings of varying lengths between the
parts M, M, thereby varying and adjusting the distance between the cells as
required.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as of our Invention
is, the apparatus and mode of operation herein-before described, whereby the several
cells are combined and worked or agitated for the production of ice perfectly trans-
parent, in the manner described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Grosvenor du Vallon and Jules Csete, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, the Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
CHARLES J. KNIGHTON,
21, Blucher St.,
Birmingham,
Clerk.
G. DU YALLON.
JULES CSETE,
(TAB)
(L.S.)