IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Clapp Roberts, of the City, County, and State of
New York, but at present of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Clapp Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1881.
GEORGE CLAPP ROBERTS of the City County and State of New York, but at
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
present of Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex.
REFRIGERATORS."
My Invention relates to improvements in refrigerators or refrigerating chambers
having an internal circulation, and it has for its object to maintain a constant
circulation of the whole of the air contained within the chamber and prevent
stagnation of any portion thereof, to ensure the contact of the circulating current of
air with the ice but to limit such contact to the lower portions of the ice only so as
to prevent as much as possible the waste of ice by the water resulting from the
melting of the upper portions trickling over and melting the lower portions, and
to utilise the cooling power of the ice water in as complete a manner as possible.
In carrying out my Invention I provide an ice box or receptacle which may be
situated at or near the upper part of the refrigerating chamber and may extend
from top to bottom thereof or any less distance. This chamber has closed sides
and a tight fitting cover at top for the introduction of the ice and may be provided
with a grating at bottom on which the ice rests or instead of a grating one or more
of the sides may be inclined and the ice which is supported thereon will descend as
the lower portions melt. In one or more of the sides at the lower part there is an
inlet opening for the air current and one or more curtains or divisions of wood or
other poor conductor (or it may be a side or sides of the refrigerating chamber
itself) is or are placed or situated opposite the said side or sides at a short distance
therefrom so as to form an air passage or passages extending from near the upper
part of the refrigerating chamber downwards against the side or sides of the ice
box to the air inlet near the bottom thereof. Beneath the ice box or receptacle

page_text: there is one two, or a series of oppositely inclined trays or metal plates upon which
the ice water drips and flows down from one to the next in a thin film, the water
finally passing out through a trap and pipe or coil. An outlet for the air may be
provided beneath the grating at one or more sides of the ice box, or the descending
current of air may find its way out between the trays suitable valves or other
means being provided to regulate the current. To prevent stagnation of any
portion of air beneath the trays a correspondingly inclined curtain or partition of
wood or other poor conductor of heat may be placed beneath each or any of them
at a short distance therefrom so as to forin an inclined passage next to the under-
side thereof open at both ends in which a circulation of air will be determined by
the cooling of the air in contact with the under side of the tray.
The course of the main circulating current is as follows:-The air from the
upper part of the refrigerating chamber enters the vertical passage or passages at
the side or sides of the ice box, is cooled by contact with the sides of the box,
descends and entering the box at the inlet or inlets near the bottom thereof, comes
in contact with the lower portions of the ice whereby it is still further cooled; it
then descends passing over the film or films of ice water upon the tray or trays by
which it is still further cooled, and finally escapes therefrom and after circulating
around the refrigerating chamber rises to the upper part thereof and is again
cooled as above described, a constant internal circulation of the air being thes
maintained as long as there is any ice in the box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Clapp Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1882.
GEORGE CLAPP ROBERTS of the City County and State of New York, but at
present of Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATORS.'
"
My Invention relates to improvements in refrigerators or refrigerating chambers,
and it has for its object to maintain a constant circulation of the whole of the air
in the chamber to bring the circulating current of air into contact with the ice, but
with the lower portions only so as to prevent waste by the melting water trickling
over the subjacent portions and to utilise the cooling power of the ice water as
completely as possible.
In carrying out my Invention the ice box or receptacle may be situated at or
near the upper part of the refrigerating chamber and may extend from top to
bottom thereof, or a less distance. This box is closed at the sides and top and may
be provided with a grating at bottom for the ice to rest upon, or instead of a grating
the box may be hopper shaped and have a simple opening at bottom. In one or
more of the sides there is an inlet for the air at the lower part and opposite each such
opening there is a curtain or division of wood or other poor conductor (or it may
be a side of the refrigerating chamber itself) forming an air passage extending
against the side of the ice box from the upper part of the chamber down to the air
inlet near the bottom of the ice box. Beneath the ice box there is one or more
inclined trays or plates of galvanised sheet iron upon which the ice water drips
and flows down from one to another in a thin film, the descending current of air
passing over and between the plates and being further cooled by contact with
the film of water thereon. To prevent stagnation of the air beneath the lowermost
plate when it is situated at a distance above the floor of the chamber, a corre-
spondingly inclined non conducting partition may be placed beneath it to form an
inclined passage open at both ends in which a circulation of air will be determined
by the cooling of the air by contact with the underside of the plate.
The air from the upper part of the refrigerating chamber enters the vertical
passage, is cooled by contact with the side of the ice box, descends, and enters the
box near the bottom where it comes in contact with the lower portions of the ice
whereby it is still further cooled; it then passes through the grating and over
the film of ice water, upon the inclined plates by which it is still further cooled.
After circulating around the refrigerating chamber it rises and is again cooled as
above described a constant internal circulation of the air being thus maintained
long no there is
ion in tha has
The accompanying Figures respectively represent vertical sections of different
examples of refrigerators constructed according to my Invention. The same letters
of reference indicate similar parts in all of the Figures.
A represents the outline of the refrigerating chamber. B is the ice box fixed
therein upon suitable supports fixed to the two opposite sides of the chamber or
otherwise. It is provided with a tight fitting trap or door in the top or in front
at the upper part for introducing the ice which rests on the grating C at bottom or
upon the inclined sides of the box when it is made hopper shape as in Figure 5.
D is the air inlet (one or more) just above said grating. E is a curtain made of
wood or other bad conductor forming an air passage F leading down from the

page_text: upper part of the chamber to each inlet D. G are series of inclined trays to catch
the drip and conduct it to the outlet which in Figure 1 is reached through a coil of
pipes H contained within the chamber. In this figure the ice box does not extend
down to the floor of the refrigerating chamber and there is an air inlet D and
passage F at one side only and but one inclined tray G. I is a nonconducting
partition placed beneath this tray G forming a passage in which a circulation of
air is determined as indicated by the arrows. J layer of felt or other nonconducting
material.
'
In Figures 2 and 3 the ice box extends the whole, or nearly the whole height of
the refrigerating chamber and is situated at the middle thereof and is provided
with air inlets D and passages F at two opposite sides, and with sets of oppositely
inclined trays G which discharge into trapped outlets in the bottom of the
chamber.
In Figure 4 the ice box also extends the whole height of the chamber and is
situated at one end thereof, and the air inlet passage F is formed between the top
and the rear side of the ice box and the top and end of the chamber.
In Figure 5 the grating is dispensed with and the ice box is made hopper shape,
the ice resting on the inclined side of the box and sliding down the same as it
melts away at the lower part.
In all these arrangements the side of the ice box against which the air inlet
passage is formed, should be made of sheet metal in order to cool the air in said
passage, the other sides and the top being preferably made of wood or other non-
conducting material to prevent the melting of the ice in the upper part of the box,
the curtain or curtains E being also made of non-conducting material.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would observe that I do not limit myself to the precise arrangements
herein represented as they may be variously modified, -the-refrigerators illustrated
being merely given as examples but I declare that what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st. In a refrigerator or refrigerating chamber, an ice box provided with air
inlet and outlet passages and apertures so arranged as to determine a circulation of
air within the chamber from the upper part thereof through the lower part only of
the ice box, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. In a refrigerator or refrigerating chamber, the respective arrangements of
the ice box provided with one or more air inlet passages and apertures, air outlets
and inclined trays combined and arranged to produce a circulation of air within
the chamber, substantially as herein described and represented in the respective
Figures of the Drawing.
3rd. The combination with the lowermost of the inclined trays placed under the
ice box herein described of a partition forming a passage beneath the tray,
whereby to determine a circulation of air and prevent condensation of moisture
against the underside of the tray substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said George Clapp Roberts have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty second day of June A.D. 1882.