Improvements in Refrigerators and Refrigerator Buildings.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Refrigerators and Refrigerator Buildings.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad by Joseph Francis
Hanrahan of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario, and Dominion of Canada,
Inventor) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to refrigerators and refrigerator buildings, and is designed
as an improvement upon the construction set forth in the Specification of Letters
Patent N° 8776 of 1885.
The object of the present improvement is to insure a thorough circulation of air
throughout every portion of the cooling chamber, in order to insure the carrying
off of all foul or dead air, gases etcetera.
In all particulars except those hereinafter specified, the construction remains the
same as in Patent N° 8776 of 1885 to which reference is hereby made for any
details or explanations not found herein.
In the annexed drawings,
Figure 1, a horizontal section on the line W, W, of Figure 2.
Figure 2, a vertical longitudinal section on the line ✗. X. of Figure 1.
Figure 3, a vertical transverse section on the line Y, Y, Figure 2.
Figure 4, a vertical cross-section on the line Z Z of Figure 2.
A indicates the ice chamber, in which a large body of ice is to be stored to cool
the air which enters through the ventilator D and pipe E, and passes through
flues g and d to the cooling or storing chamber B, as in the former patent.
Additional flues g¹ extending along the sides of chamber A and opening into
chamber B are represented in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing, closed at top; but
these may be used or omitted as preferred.
From the store room or chamber. B the air passes through an outlet flue C to
the space above the ice in chamber A, and thence out to the atmosphere through
pipe F and ventilator D, somewhat as before.

page_text: It has been found in practice that if the outlet opening or mouth of flue C be
located at or near the center of the ceiling of chamber B, as heretofore, the air
currents taking naturally the shortest course, pass from the flues d upward to the
center of the ceiling and out through flue C, leaving the air in the corners and
angles of the room practically undisturbed.
As a consequence the gases, heated air and vapors given off by meat or other
substances stored in room B, are apt to lodge in the angles and corners and thus
impair the efficiency of the refrigerator.
The present invention is designed to obviate this difficulty, by causing the air to
traverse every part of chamber B and to take up and carry off all impure air,
gases and vapors.
This object is attained by providing an outlet o at the corner or angle formed
by the meeting of the ceiling of chamber B with the wall of chamber A, as shown
in Figure 2, said outlet extending along said line from one side of the room B to
the other opening into flue C, in order to give the foul air an equal chance to
rise at every point.
There is further provided immediately beneath the said ceiling a flue or passage p
having a mouth or inlet opening q along the side furthest from the outlet o, and
like said opening extending from wall to wall of chamber B.
The flue p, which opens directly into the outlet opening o, delivers the air which
enters it through the opening q, into the opening o, whence it escapes through
flue C and pipe or outlet F to the outside atmosphere.
From the opening o the flue C inclines upward in the direction shown in
Figure 2, or away from chamber B, thereby facilitating the entrance of air from
flue p into said flue C, and making the passage equally direct for air from below
the ceiling and for air passing through the flue p.
In passing vertically upward to the outlet o and across the end of flue p, the air
produces a suction in said flue and induces a current of air through it, or
strengthens the current caused by the varying temperature of the air.
To permit the air-currents to be closely controlled the valves h h are provided
at the mouths of flues d d, and also valves r, s and t, in the down-flue E and
up-flues C C and F respectively, the valves 8 and t being provided with operating
crds u extending down into chamber B as shown in Figure 2.
The building being thus constructed ice is placed in the chamber A, and meats
or provisions to be refrigerated or preserved are placed in chamber B, and the
action is as follows:-
The air of chamber A becoming cooled and consequently heavier, falls to the
1ottom of said chamber through the flues g passes along the flues dinto chamber B,
and passes naturally along the floor to the further side of said chamber, gradually
taking up the heat of chainber B and rising by reason of the increase in
temperature. As the air thus leaves chamber A and enters chamber B, a fresh
supply enters chamber A. through flue E, and the lighter or more rarefied air from
chamber B, being at the top of said chamber, is crowded out by the incoming cold
air entering at the bottom.
This action produces a current of air from the inlet pipe E, through the ice
chamber A and store room B, to flue C, and thence back to the outer atmosphere
through pipe or flue F in the direction indicated by arrows in Figure 2.
Owing to the greater directness from the point where the cold air enters
chamber B to the outlet o, a certain amount of the air will pass directly upward
along the wall separating chambers A and B, taking up the heated or vitiated air
in that part of the chamber B, while a very large percentage will pass entirely
across the chamber B, rise, and flow to outlet o, partly through flue p and partly
beneath said flue, thus reaching every part of chamber B and making it impossible
for foul or heated air to lodge at any point.
In this way and by reason of the perfect circulation of the air, the action of the
apparatus is materially improved, and perishable articles can be kept with ease
and for a long time.

page_text: Experience and practical tests have demonstrated the fact that the removal of
foul air and gases promptly and thorough is quite as essential to the preserva-
tion of meats fruits and like perishable articles, as is the attainment of a low
temperature, and by the present plan both results are accomplished in a most
efficient and thorough manner.
It is not essential that the flue C pass into or through chamber A. If desired,
it may open directly out from chamber B to the atmosphere.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. In combination with an ice chamber; a cooling or storage room, a cold air
inlet from the ice chamber into the storage room at or near the floor, an outlet
opening at or near the ceiling of the storage room at the side next the ice chamber,
and a flue or passage just beneath the ceiling opening into the outlet and having
an inlet at the side of the storage room opposite to that at which the cold air
entera.
2. The combination of ice chamber A and storage room B communicating at or
near the floor line, an air inlet for chamber A, outlet o from chamber B, and flue or
passage p having mouth or inlet q, and communicating with outlet o, substantially
as shown and described.
3. The combination of ice chamber A provided with inlet E and with flues g
and d and storage chamber B having outlet in communication with the outer
atmosphere and flue p having mouth or inlet q and communicating with outlet o.
4. In combination with ice chamber A, storage room B, communicating therewith
at or near the floor, and outlet o extending entirely across the room B, whereby the
accumulation of foul air in the corners is prevented.
5. In combination with chamber A having inlet pipe E and Blues g and d, storage
room B, having outlet o, and flue p, communicating with said_outlet, flue C aud
pipe or outlet F, and valves r, 8 t located in the flues E, C, and F respectively.