IM- PROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE FREEZING OR COOLING MATERIAL OR MATERIALS USED THEREWITH
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Siemens, of John Street, Adelphi,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the. Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE FREEZING
OR COOLING MATERIAL OR MATERIALS USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 11th March 1859, and dated the 13th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Siemens
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th September 1858.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM SIEMENS, of John Street, Adelphi, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE FREEZING
OR COOLING MATERIAL OR MATERIALS USED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My improvements in refrigerators have reference to that description of
apparatus in which the freezing or cooling effect is produced by dissolving
chemical salts or compounds, and consists in constructing such refrigerators of
a series of vessels or chambers fitting or fixed one within the other, and of an
annular form (concentric or otherwise), so arranged or disposed that the
solution; shall be gradually produced by means of a current of fresh or salt
water, passing upwards through a tubè, and distributed from the top of such
tube, so as to spread itself amongst and afterwards descend through the body

page_text: of the salt, or by other convenient means, and gradually pass away from the
apparatus, and so that in its circulation it shall, firstly or immediately upon its
production, come in contact with removable vessels containing the liquids or
material to be frozen; secondly, in contact with a compartment through which
water or other liquid may be passed or circulate for the purpose of being
cooled; and further, in contact with removable articles, such as bottles, or
jars, or solid objects, for the purpose of cooling them also.
For the complete performance of the freezing process I have also a specific
improvement in the removable vessels firstly above mentioned, which consists
in constructing such vessels of a long and narrow taper form, circular or
otherwise, in section, covered at the upper end and closed at the bottom with
a moveable cork or elastic plug to prevent bursting when solidification ensues,
and allow the contents to be removed. And my improvement or improve-
ments in the treatment of the freezing or cooling material or materials used
with refrigerators has reference to the evaporation of spent solution for the
purpose of recrystallization or reproduction of the salt or compound which
has been dissolved. This part of my Invention consists' in 'arranging or
disposing evaporating pans for the above purpose over a furnace, or the flues
thereof, in such manner as to afford the means of drawing off the contents of
one or more pans into one or more. other pans, the first-mentioned pans being
situate over the cooler or less heated portions of the furnace or flues, and the
other pans being situate over the hotter portions, the former being also
furnished with a scoop or bucket wheel or other analogous contrivance for
lifting the solution and allowing it to drop, and so become exposed to a current
of air, and thereby cause evaporation the more rapidly to take place. It is
preferred to drive the scoop or bucket wheel or contrivance by means of a
windmill, but any other suitable driving power may be substituted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles William Siemens in. the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th March 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WILLIAM SIEMENS, of John Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles William Siemens, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
William Siemens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles William Siemens, my executors; administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS, AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE FREEZING OR COOLING
MATERIAL OR MATERIALS USED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles William Siemens, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles William Siemens, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements in refrigerators have reference to that description of
apparatus in which the freezing or cooling effect is produced by dissolving
chloride of calcium or other chemical salts or compounds, and consists in
constructing such refrigerators of a series of vessels or chambers fitting or
fixed-one within the other, and of an annular form (concentric or otherwise),
so arranged or disposed that the solution shall be gradually produced by means
of a current of fresh or salt water passing upwards through a tube, and
distributed from the top of such tube, so as to spread itself amongst and
afterwards descend through the body of the salt, or by other convenient means,
and gradually pass away from the apparatus, and so that in its circulation it.
shall, firstly or immediately upon its production, come in contact with
removeable vessels containing the liquids or material to be frozen; secondly,
in contact with a compartment or compartments through which water or other
liquid may be passed or circulate for the purpose of being cooled; and further,
in contact with removeable articles, such as bottles, or jars, or solid objects,
for the purpose of cooling them also.
For the complete performance of the freezing process I have also a specific
improvement in the removeable vessels firstly above mentioned, which consists
in constructing such vessels of a long and narrow taper form, circular or other-

page_text: wise, in section, covered at the upper end and closed at the bottom-with a
moveable cork or elastic plug to prevent bursting when solidification ensues;
and allow the contents' to be removed.
The Figures 1, 2, and 3 in the accompanying Drawing illustrate the
manner of performing this part of my Invention. Figure 1 is a vertical sec-
tion of one of my improved refrigerators taken through the line A, B, in the
Figure 2, this Figure being a corresponding view. shewing the refrigerator
half in plan and half in section (horizontally) through the line C, D, in the
Figure 1 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through or across one of the
removeable freezing vessels separate or detached from the remaining portions
of the apparatus; E, E*, represents the external cam or frame of the re-
frigerator, consisting of the outer casing E and of the inner casing or lining
E*, the annular space E³ between them being filled with powdered charcoal
or other material, which is a non-conductor or bad conductor of heat, so as to
protect the sides and bottom of the can from the effects of atmospheric tem-
perature. The top of the apparatus is covered with two lids, one of them
F, F, over the central chamber I³ hereafter mentioned, and the other of
them G, G*, (which is made in several parts for the sake of convenience,)
over the annular chamber H likewise hereafter mentioned; and each of these
consists of outer and inner casings, the spaces between which, F and G²
respectively, are also filled with powdered charcoal or other suitable material.
E³, E', are handles for lifting the apparatus bodily; and F³, F³, and G³, G³,
are handles for removing, the two lids respectively; H is another casing or
partition situate at a short distance within and around the lower portions of the
sides of the casing E*, and above the bottom thereof, and forming the annular
space or passage H*. Two pipes or tubes communicate with this passage,
one of them. He being a feeder or inlet from the outside of the apparatus, and
the other of them H³ being a discharge or outlet into the central chamber,
the outlet pipe being surrounded with a conical casing or covering H, and the
space H³ between them being filled with powdered charcoal or other suitable
material. I, I, are outer and inner casings respectively of the annular
internal can of the refrigerator, this can having no bottom, but holding its
contents in the annular space 13, between the two casings of which it is con-
structed. The space I³, included within the inner casing I*, constitutes the
central chan:ber before mentioned; and the space H around the casing I, and
between it and the casing E*, constitutes the aunular chamber before men-
tioned. Two pipes or tubes pass through cased channels in the lid G, G*, and
communicate with the internal can, one of them I being a feeder or inlet
from the outside of the apparatus, and the other of. them I being a discharge

page_text: or outlet from or out of the apparatus, a portion of the tube or passage I' being
formed by means of a partition I dividing it off from the body of the chamber
or space 12. K is a gauze wire cylinder fitting upon the cone H' for holding
the chloride of calcium or other salt or salts to be dissolved; and La .cylin-
drical support or frame for holding in position the removeable vessels M, M,
which are intended to contain the liquids or material to be frozen, the frame
L having vertical slits or openings, immediately opposite to each of the said
vessels; H is a discharge or outlet pipe from the annular chamber H® to
the outside of or away from the apparatus.
The mode of employing the improved refrigerator will be more readily
understood from the following illustrative example of the uses to which it is
adapted: Suppose it is desired to produce refrigerative effects in three degrees
of intensity upon the three following liquids, substances, or things respectively
to be treated, namely, upon fruity liquids to be frozen for the production of
actual ice, also upon water (to be much reduced in temperature, but not frozen),
and also upon decanters or bottles of wine (to be cooled in a less degree).
The fruity liquids are to be placed in the removeable vessels, M, the water is
to be caused to circulate through the apparatus, entering by the inlet I* into
the space I of the annular can, and passing out therefrom by the outlet I³,
as shewn by arrows in the Figure 1, and the decanters or bottles are to
be placed in the chamber H, which is specially formed for the reception of
articles of this description. The central chamber I³ and cylinder K having
been previously charged with crystals of chloride of calcium, or with any
other suitable crystals, a small but continually flowing stream of water is to
be caused to circulate through the apparatus entering by the inlet H2 into the
annular passage H*, thence through the tube H³, passing out therefrom, and
diffusing itself amongst the crystals, dissolving a portion thereof; and the
intensely cold solution thus produced passing immediately and firstly to, upon,
or against the exterior of the removeable vessels M, M; secondly, against both
internal and external surfaces I* and I respectively of the annular can con-
taining the water, (a communication from inside to outside being provided by
openings at the bottom as shewn); and, thirdly, passing through the chamber
H containing the decanters or bottles. The desired frigorific effects will then
be produced, and the several liquid substances or things to be treated may
from time to time be changed by drawing off in the case of the water either
continuously or at intervals, and by removal in the other cases, access being
obtained by removal of the lids, the, connections at. I* and I, one or both of
them being made with flexible tubing or otherwise, or being temporarily dis-
jointed when necessary. It is to be noted that the arrangements for the

page_text: currents of the circulating fluids are in harmony with the well-known law of
the convection of heat, that the more heated particles or portions of a fluid
will ascend, and that the less heated particles or portions will descend.
I would here remark, that the outer casing E of the apparatus is intended
to be made of sheet iron, and that the several other casings and tubes, &c. of
the apparatus are intended to be made of tinned copper plate, but that any
other suitable metal or material may wholly or in part be substituted.
The specific improvement in the removeable vessels is most completely
illustrated in the sectional view, Figure 3, where M is the body of the vessel,
which is of metal and of a taper form; N is a metal cover, and O the move-
able elastic plug or cork at the bottom; P, a ring for strengthening the vessel
where the plug fits, and Q, a collar or projection for resting upon the frame L,
and supporting the vessel in its intended and proper position therein (see
Figures 1 and 2).
My improvement or improvements in the treatment of the freezing or
cooling material or materials used with refrigerators has reference to the
evaporation of spent solution, for the purpose of recrystallization or repro-
duction of the salt or compound which has been dissolved. This part of my
Invention consists in arranging or disposing evaporating pans for the above
purpose over a furnace or the flues thereof in such manner as to afford the means
of drawing off the contents of one or more pans into one or more other pans,
the first-mentioned pans being situate over the cooler or less heated portions
of the furnace or flues, and the other pans being situate over the hotter
portions; the former being also furnished with a scoop or bucket, wheel, or
other analogous contrivance, for lifting the solution and allowing it to drop,
and so become exposed to a current of air, and thereby cause evaporation the
more rapidly to take place.
The Figures 4 and 5 in the Drawing illustrate the manner of performing
this part of my Invention. Figure 4 is a vertical section of my improved
arrangement of evaporating pans, furnace, and apparatus taken through the
line a, b, in the Figure 5, this Figure being a corresponding view, half in plan
and half in section, through the lines c, c*, and d, d*, in the Figure 4; e, e, are
an ordinary brick furnace and flues; f is an evaporating pan, situate in the
cooler position, that is to say, over the flues; and g, another evaporating pan,
situate in the hotter position, that is to say, over the actual furnace, and at a
somewhat lower elevation, the relative levels allowing the solution to be
treated to flow off from the upper pan finto the lower pan g, through the
pipe h; the upper pan f is further furnished with, or has constructed over it,
a series of trays or shallow pans i, i, perforated with a number of small holes,

page_text: and situate one under the other, so as to allow the solution, when supplied to
the uppermost tray, to fall through the perforations in each tray successively,
and finally into the pan f. And further, this pan and the trays arc provided
with the means of lifting the solution from the said pan into the uppermost
tray, which means, instead of being a scoop or bucket wheel, as specifically
above mentioned, is illustrated in the Drawing as being effected by means of
a pump k, and this pump may be worked by a windmill or otherwise, as pre-
ferred. The exposure to the atmosphere of the solution as it drops from tray
to tray will materially expedite its evaporation.
When the solution has been evaporated by the apparatus till it has attained
a density of about fourteen hundred degrees of the ordinary bydrometer, it is
to be ladled into suitable pans or vessels, and allowed to remain at rest until
crystallized. The crystals so produced are to be stored in metal canisters
until required for use in the apparatus firstly above described and represented
in the Figures 1, 2, 3.
I would here remark, that the several pans and trays of the evaporating
apparatus are intended to be made of sheet iron or tinned copper, but may be
made of any other suitable metal or material.
The Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawing are represented on a scale of
about one-fourth of the actual linear dimensions, and the Figures 4 and 5 on
a scale of about one-twentieth of the actual linear dimensions of the apparatus
respectively illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Siemens, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 10th day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.