IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGE- TABLE MATTERS, AND FOR COOLING WINES AND ATTIZED LTATING
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Roberts, of Upnor, in the Parish of
Frindsbury, and County of Kent, Potter, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGE-
TABLE MATTERS, AND FOR COOLING WINES AND ATTIZED LTATING"
Sealed the 7th June 1853, and dated the 22nd December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Roberts at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd December 1852.
I, JOHN ROBERTS, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGE-
TABLE MATTERS, AND FOR COOLING WINES AND OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to cool liquids and solid substances,
and to protect edible matters generally from flies and other insects.
In carrying out this Invention, I construct a rectangular or
other shaped vessel, by preference of clay, and form around its
upper edge a continuous groove or channel to receive the lower edge
of a porous clay cover; which channel may contain water, if thought
desirable, to prevent the access of insects to the interior of the
vessel. This cover is pierced with numerous minute holes, to allow

page_text: of the circulation of air in the vessel; and the vessel itself is also
similarly provided, in order that air may be admitted both below
and above a pierced tray, which is set therein to receive the articles
to be cooled or preserved from the attack of flies, &c. The cover is
provided with a chamber, which is to be supplied from time to time
with water or other fluid that will readily evaporate; and from the
porous nature of the material of which the cover is composed, the
water or other fluid will percolate through the chamber, and
saturate the whole mass of the porous clay. But by reason of the
ascending draft of air, and of the temperature of the atmosphere,
a constant and rapid evaporation of the fluid will take place, and
thereby a low equable temperature will be maintained within the
vessel. It will be readily understood that the form of the apparatus
will depend greatly upon the purpose to which it is to be applied;
but in all cases the same principle of rapid evaporation will be
followed out.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said John Roberts in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN ROBERTS, of Upnor, in the Parish of Frindsbury, and County
of Kent, Potter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
two, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Roberts, Her special license that I, the said John Roberts, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Roberts, 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 ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE MATTERS, AND
FOR COOLING WINES AND OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Roberts, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 John Roberts, 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
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to retain liquid and solid edible
substances at a low equable temperature, and at the same time to
preserve the same from the attacks of flies and other insects. In
carrying out my Invention, I construct, for the reception of the
viands or other matters, a chamber, in which a circulation of air is
kept up, by permitting free access of air to the interior thereof,
through perforations made in the sides or bottom of the parts con-
stituting the chamber. This chamber I construct either wholly, or
in part, of some absorbent material, which will take up or absorb
water by capillary attraction or suction, and will, by the action of
the ascending currents of air in the chamber, and also by that of the
surrounding atmosphere, give off the water so absorbed in the form
of vapor, and thus continuously absorb water, and yield it up as
vapor so long as any water is contained in a supply vessel, with which
the chamber is provided. In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1,
shews in sectional elevation a small cooler, constructed according to
the principle of this Invention, and intended for domestic purposes.
Fig. 2, is a plan view with the cover removed. This improved cooler
consists of a circular earthenware dish a, provided with a flange, in

page_text: the upper face of which a half round annular groove b, is formed. In
this groove a dome-shaped cover c, is set, and water is poured in
the groove, when the cooler is in use, to make a water-tight joint,
and prevent the passage of insects between the joint to the interior.
Through the sides and through the flange of the dish a, minute
perforations are made for the admission of air; and the cover c, is
perforated in like manner to assist in maintaining a perfect ventila-
tion in the chamber; d, is a pierced tray, which rests on a ledge on
the dish, and is intended to carry the matters that are put into the
cooler. In this arrangement, the several parts are composed of
porous clay. The cover c, is made hollow at its upper part to
receive a supply of water, which, owing to the porous nature of the
material containing it, will be absorbed or taken up by the clay as
evaporation from the exterior surface of the cover proceeds; and in
proportion to this evaporation, so will be the abstraction of heat
from the chamber.
When larger sizes of coolers are required for domestic use, I
propose to embody the principle of my Invention in the form shewn
in sectional elevation at Fig. 3. In this instance, instead of con-
structing the cover c, of clay, which would render it very incon-
venient to remove and replace, I form it of perforated zinc, and
sink in the upper part (which must be of solid metal) a well e, for
the reception of water. I place over this metal cover a canvas
casing, the upper part of which is immersed in the water contained
in the well e; and by this means I obtain the required evaporating
surface, which will absorb the water by capillary attraction, in
proportion as it yields it up in the state of vapor produced by the
combined action of the streams of air passing through the cover and
the surrounding atmosphere.
Fig. 4, represents in longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 5, in
cross section, an arrangement of stationary cooler, suitable for the
preservation of meat in large quantities. In this instance, in con-
structing the chamber, I use a frame of angle iron f, f, and fill in
the panels with wire netting or perforated zinc g, g. The roof I
compose of plates of zinc set at an angle to form a trough or
cistern , for holding water; and I close the ends with vertical

page_text: plates. This chamber I cover with canvas both at its top, sides, and
ends; so that the canvas may, by capillary attraction, gradually
exhaust the water from the trough or cistern, and remain, so long
as the cistern contains water, in a state of saturation. The framingf,
is set up in a gutter i, which is made in the floor of the chamber,
and is intended to receive water to form a water-tight joint, and
also to supply water to the evaporating surfaces when the trough h,
is empty. The floor I pierce with holes for the admission of
streams of air, which circulate in, and pass through, the sides of thic
chamber in the manner and for the purpose above explained.
Access is gained to this chamber by means of a door k.
Having now described my Invention, and set forth the best
means with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim, as of my Invention of Improvements in
Apparatus for Preserving Animal and Vegetable Matters, and for
Cooling Wines and other Liquids, constructing chambers, in which a
free circulation of air is kept up, while the entrance of flies or other
like insects is prevented, with surfaces capable of absorbing water
by suction from an adjoining vessel or reservoir, and of giving off
the water in the form of vapour, when such evaporation is assisted
by streams of air passing from the interior to the exterior of such
chambers.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Roberts, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
JOHN ROBERTS. (L. s.)