IMPROVEMENTS IN RE- FRIGERATORS FOR COOLING WORTS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CONDENSERS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Oxley, of Frome, in the County of Somerset,
Brewers' Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RE-
FRIGERATORS FOR COOLING WORTS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CONDENSERS."
Sealed the 10th December 1867, and dated the 26th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said James Oxley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1867.
I, JAMES OXLEY, of Frome, in the County of Somerset, Brewers' Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATORS FOR COOLING WORTS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO CONDENSERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the economizing of the quantity of water
used in cooling brewers' worts and other liquids, and also in condensing
steam or other aeriform fluids. For this purpose my Invention consists in the
mode herein-after described of employing water and air together, either in re-
frigerating tubes or in condensing cells or chambers, respectively arranged so as
to act independently of each other, being separately fixed in the case in which

page_text: they are contained. In applying my Invention to refrigerators a series of flat
tubes are arranged in a case of wood or metal, parallel to each other, and about
three-quarters of an inch apart, fixed in such a manner that the wort or other
liquid to be cooled shall be caused to flow over one tube and under the next
alternately throughout the whole series from the end of the case at which it
enters to that at which it escapes after being cooled as required. The separate
tubes communicate at one end with a common supply pipe on each side of
the case by means of short branch pipes by which they are supplied with cold
water as required. They are also supplied in a similar manner with atmospheric
air under pressure. Each tube is also furnished with outlet pipes and branches
for the exit of the air and water after absorbing the heat from the wort or
other liquid flowing through the case in contact with the outer surface of the
tubes. In order to facilitate absorption of heat by the air and water, each
tube is divided internally by a number of horizontal partitions which are
arranged in such a manner as to form a series of spaces through which the
cooling air and water are caused to make a tortuous passage in their progress
from the upper to the lower part of the tube; and in order to regulate the
quantity of water in the tubes as required, the water inlet cock of each tube
is so arranged as to admit only the requisite quantity of water, and each
horizontal partition in the said tubes is perforated with a number of small
holes or slots in such a manner as to afford a ready escape for the water down
the sides of the plates of the tubes from one division of their interior to another
whilst the air, driven in by a fan or otherwise, is forced through the tortuous
passages, and caused to blow the water all over and through their inner
surfaces.
When my Invention is applied to condensers, a number of cells or chambers
are arranged in a case of wood or metal independently of each other, each cell
or chamber having separate water and air connections as herein-before
described and also internal horizontal partitions. Passing through these cells
or chambers is a coil of pipes or pipe intended to receive the aeriform fluid
required to be condensed, such coil of pipe or pipes being arranged in a zig-
zag form, so that the straight or flat portions thereof are enclosed by the
separate cells or chambers, and are thus brought under the refrigerating
influence of the air and water which are forced into the insides of the cells
or chambers, and are thereby brought into contact with the outsides of the
coils so as to condense the aeriform fluid contained therein..

page_text: יו
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Oxley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
March 1868..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES OXLEY,
of Frome, in the County of Somerset, Brewers' Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Oxley, Her special licence that I, the said James
Oxley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Oxley, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATORS FOR COOLING WORTS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO CONDENSERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Oxley, 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 James Oxley, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,.
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and,
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in Refrigerators for Cooling Worts and
other Liquids, which Improvements are also applicable to Condensers," has for
its object the economising of the quantity of water used in cooling brewers',
worts and other liquids, and also in condensing steam or other aeriform fluids.
For this purpose my Invention consists in the mode herein-after described.
of employing water and air together, either in refrigerating tubes or in con-.
densing cells or chambers, respectively arranged so as to act independently of
each other being separately fixed in, the case in which they are contained.

page_text: In applying my Invention to refrigerators a series of flat tubes are arranged
in a case of wood or metal parallel to each other and about three-quarters
of an inch apart, fixed in such a manner that the wort or other liquid to be
cooled shall be caused to flow over one tube and under the next alternately
throughout the whole series from the end of the case at which it enters to
that at which it escapes after being cooled as required. The separate tubes
communicate at one end with a common supply pipe on each side of the case
by means of short branch pipes by which they are supplied with cold water
as required; they are also supplied in a similar manner with atmospheric air
under pressure. Each tube is also furnished with outlet pipes and branches
for the exit of the air and water after absorbing the heat from the wort or
other liquid flowing through the case in contact with the outer surface of the
tubes. In order to facilitate absorption of heat by the air and water. each
tube is divided internally by a number of horizontal partitions which are
arranged in such a manner as to form a series of spaces through which the
cooling air and water are caused to make a tortuous passage in their progress
from the upper to the lower part of the tube. And in order to regulate the
quantity of water in the tubes as required the water inlet cock of each tube
is so arranged as to admit only the requisite quantity of water, and each
horizontal partition in the said tubes is perforated with a number of small
holes or slots in such a manner as to afford a ready escape for the water down
the sides of the plates of the tubes from one division of their interior to
another whilst the air driven in by a fan or otherwise is forced through the
tortuous passages and caused to blow the water all over and through their
inner surfaces.
When my Invention is applied to condensers a number of cells or chambers
are arranged in a case of wood or metal independently of each other, each
cell or chamber, having separate water and air connections as herein-before
described and also internal horizontal partitions. Passing through these cells
or chambers is a coil of pipe or pipes intended to receive the aeriform fluid
required to be condensed, such coil of pipe or pipes being arranged in zig-zag
form so that the straight or flat portions thereof are enclosed by the separate
cells or chambers, and are thus brought under the refrigerating influence of the
air and water which are forced into the insides of the cells or chambers, and are
thereby brought into contact with the outsides of the coils so as to condense
the aeriform fluid contained therein.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by

page_text: reference to the accompanying Drawings in which are represented applications
of the Invention to refrigerators and condensers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan or horizontal view of a refrigerator; Fig. 2 is a transverse
section of the same through one of the flat tubes; Fig. 3 represents the
refrigerator when the case containing the tubes has been lifted up in order
to allow of cleaning or repairs; Fig. 4 is a plan or horizontal view; Fig 5
is a longitudinal section; and Fig. 6 a transverse section shewing the Invention
as applied to condensers.
A, A, is the outside case of a refrigerator; B, B,' are the flat tubes, the
interiors of which are divided by a number of horizontal partitions C, C, so
arranged as to cause the water and air to make a tortuous passage in its
progress from the upper to the lower parts of the tubes; D is a tube for
admitting air under pressure, this tube has communication with each flat tube
B as shewn at d in Fig. 2; E is a pipe for supplying cold water as required,
this pipe communicates by short branch pipes e, e, with each separate tube B.
By this means a supply of cold water and external air under pressure from
the common air and water supply pipes is forced through the separate tubes
in a tortuous course from top to bottom, in each the water and air escaping
at an outlet F after passing through each tube. G is the outlet for the wort.
In Figures 4, 5, and 6, B, B, are separate cells or chambers having
separate connections with the pipes D and E for supplying air and water
respectively; C, C, are pipes into which the aeriform fluid to be condensed is
admitted; these pipes pass through the cells or chambers into chambers at the
ends thereof, or are united beyond the same so as to form a coil. The external
air under pressure and the cold water are respectively forced in from the pipes
D and E, and caused to pass through the separate cells or chambers B, B,
thereby condensing the aeriform fluid or vapour contained in the pipes C, C,
as required; F is the outlet for the condensing air and water; and G is the
vapour inlet; and G* is the outlet for the spirit.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would remark that the forms and
arrangements of the parts of refrigerators and condensers represented and
ascribed may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention, but what I claim as of my Invention is,-
First. The use of air and water together in refrigerators composed of
separate flat tubes with internal partitions contained in a case, such air and
water being used in the manner and for the purpose described.

page_text: And, secondly, the use of air and water together in condensers composed of
separate cells or chambers with internal partitions contained in a case, the
tubes for the aeriform fluid passing through the cells or chambers, and being
cooled by the water and air therein as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Oxley, have hereunto set my
..hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
CHARLES W. CLARK,
Frome, Draughtsman.
JAMES OXLEY. (LS.)