IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Skene, of 61 and 62, High Street, Bloomsbury,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Ice Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE."
Sealed the 4th July 1879, and dated the 18th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Skene at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1879.
ROBERT SKENE, of 61 and 62, High Street, Bloomsbury, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Ice Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TRANSPARENT BLOCK ICE."
This Invention has reference to machinery or apparatus for producing transparent
ice, and by my Invention ice can be produced two feet thick as cheaply as six
inches by the methods now in use, perfectly transparent and of greater purity.
1st. This is effected by the manner in which the water is agitated.
2nd. By the manner in which the ice cells are constructed and placed in the
freezing tank.
3rd. By the way in which the cooling medium is made to pass through the ice
cells.
For agitating the water I place a floor (in the tank which contains the water to
be frozen) from one fourth to one third of the depth of the tank, from the the bottom
as broad as inside of tank, but not so long, leaving an open space at each end.
Underneath said floor I place the agitator, which is nearly as broad and deep as the
space between the floor and bottom of the tank. Said agitator is made to travel
backwards and forwards, forcing the whole of the water in the tank to have the
same motion; this dispensing with the agitators between the cells, and allowing the
whole of the water between them to be frozen into transparent ice. The harder
portion of the water and impurities elemnated during the freezing process naturally
sink to the bottom, and will be contained in the space between the floor and bottom
of tank.
The ice cells, through which the cooling medium passes I also make shorter than
the tank, and about the same length as the floor, and partially resting upon it and
partially suspended by a projection at the ends of each cell at the top, made on

page_text: purpose to keep them in the place they are wanted, and to facilitate their being
moved closer or further apart, according to the desired thickness of ice.
The cells are made about one inch thick, hollow, with a passage for the cooling
medium of about 5/8 inch wide and the depth of the cell. They are all connected
together by means of moveable unions at the ends, the cooling medium entering at
one end and leaving at the other, until it has passed through all the cells in the
tank and returns to the regulating four way cock, by which it can be made to enter
alternately at each side of the tank. After leaving one tank it can then be carried
by means of a moveable connection to the next tank, and made to pass through all
the cells of it in like manner. The advantages of this arrangement are, when the
ice is thick little cold is parted with, but is fully utilized in the second or third
tanks, where the ice is thinner, this making thick ice as cheaply as thin; also, when
a fresh tank is put on the cooling medium after leaving, it can be made to pass
through the one just finished, detaching the ice, utilizing the cold, saving time and
labor of applying hot water or steam.
The cells are not fixed to the tank in any way, nor do they tutch the sides or
ends, so that there is much less cold lost than by any arrangement heretofore. They
are only joined to each other by unions, which can be attached or detached in a few
minutes. They can be set any distance apart, but to make ice, say, two feet thick,
I would place the cells eleven and a half inches apart, and when frozen close, remove
every alternate cell and freeze up again the space occupied by them, substituting a
longer union to connect the cells.
To take out a cell or cells, it is only necessary to pass steam through them to
detach the ice for which provision is made.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Skene in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th July
1879.
ROBERT SKENE, of 61 and 62, High Street, Bloomsbury, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Ice Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TRANSPARENT ICE."
This Invention has reference to the machinery or apparatus for producing
transparent ice, and by my Invention ice can be produced two feet thick as
cheaply as six inches by the methods now in use, perfectly transparent and of greater
purity.
1st. This is effected by the manner in which the water is agitated.
2nd. By the manner in which the ice cells are constructed and placed in the
freezing tank.
3rd. By the way in which the cooling medium is made to pass through the ico
cells.
For agitating the water I place a floor (in the tank which contains the water to
be frozen) from one fourth to one third of the depth of the tank from the bottom,
as broad as inside of tank, but not so long, leaving an open space at each end.
Underneath said floor I place the agitator, which is nearly as broad and deep as the
space between the floor and bottom of the tank. Said agitator is made to travel
backwards and forwards, forcing the whole of the water in the tank to have the
same motion, thus dispensing with the agitators between the cells, and allowing the
whole of the water between them to be frozen into transparent ice. The harder
portion of the water and impurities eliminated during the freezing process naturally
sink to the bottom, and will be contained in the space between the floor and bottom
of the tank.
The ice cells, through which the cooling medium passes, I also make shorter than
the tank, and about the same length as the floor, and partially resting upon it and
partially suspended by a projection at the ends of each cell at the top, made on
purpose to keep them in the place they are wanted, and to facilitate their being.
inoved closer or further apart, according to the desired thickness of ice.
The cells are made about one inch thick, hollow, with a passage for the cooling
medium of about 5/8 inch wide, and the depth of the cell. They are all connected
together by means of moveable unions at the ends, the cooling medium entering at one
end and leaving at the other, until it has passed through all the cells in the tank and
returns to the regulating four way cock, by means of which it can be made to enter
alternately at each side of the tank. After leaving one tank it can then be carried
by means of a moveable connection to the next tank, and made to pass through all
the cells of it in like manner.
The advantages of this arrangement are, when the ice is thick little cold is parted
with, but is fully utilized in the second or third tanks, where the ice is thinner,
thus making thick ice as cheaply as thin; also, when a fresh tank is put on the
cooling medium after leaving, it can be made to pass through the one just finished,
detaching the ice, utilizing the cold, saving time and labour of applying hot water
or steam.
The cells are not fixed to the tank in any way, nor do they touch the sides or
ends, so that there is much less cold lost than by any arrangements heretofore. They
are only joined to each other by unions which can be attached or detached in a few
minutes. They can be set at any distance apart, but to make ice, say, two feet
thick, I would place the cells eleven and a half inches apart, and when frozen close
remove every alternate cell, and freeze up again the space occupied by them, substi-
tuting a longer union to connect the cells.
To take out a cell or cells it is only necessary to pass steam through them to
detach the ice for which provision is made.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, a transverse section; and Fig. 3, a plan
view of machinery or apparatus under my Invention for the manufacture of trans-
parent block ice.
a is the tank containing the water to be frozen; b, floor placed
at some distance above the bottom of the said tank, so as to leave a space c beneath
it. The said floor usually extends the whole breadth, but it is not the same length
as the tank, the object being to leave openings or passages d, d¹, at each end. Under
the said floor b, and fitting loosely in the space c, is placed an agitator or piston e.
To and fro motion is given to the said agitator or piston by means of the connecting
rod and rocking shaft f, or any mechanical equivalent for the said connecting rod and
rocking shaft operated from any convenient power. The cells g, g³, g³, g³, through
which brine or refrigerating fluid is caused to circulate, are in heighth about the
depth of the tank from the top to the floor b, and nearly the same length as the
said floor. The said cells rest on the floor b in part, and are in part suspended by
means of projecting pieces h, which latter rest on the edges of the tanks. Said
cells g, g', g², g³, being formed at each end with openings, are provided with unions
i, by incans of which and connecting tubes j they are connected together; %, brine
or refrigerating fluid supply pipe, connected to the four way cock or controlling
valve ; m, m, pipes leading from the fourway cock or controlling valve to the
cells g, gn, pipe for conveying the brine or refrigerating fluid, leaving the cells
to a second tank containing cells, or to the refrigerator.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:- -The motion of the agitator or piston
e in the direction shown by the arrow causes the water to be frozen to leave the
space c by the opening d, and pass through between the cells, and enter the space c
through the opening d¹. The opposite motion of the agitator or piston will move
the water in the reverse direction.
Brine or refrigorating fluid passes through the cells in the direction shown by the
arrows; it enters first the cell g, and passes out through the cell g³. On reversing the
position of the fourway cock or regulating valve, the brine or refrigerating fluid
will first enter the cell g³, and afterwards pass out through the cell g.
The cells may be moved nearer together or placed further apart by varying the
length of the connecting tubes or unions j.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,-
Machinery or apparatus for the manufacture of transparent block ice, constructed
as herein set forth in substance to effect agitation in the manner described over or
past suitable cells, through which brine or refrigerating fluid is caused to flow.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Skene, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty first day of July, in the year of our Lord Eighteen hun-
dred and seventy nine.