IMPROVEMENTS IN FREEZING AND REFRIGERATING APPARATUS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FREEZING AND REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."
by Edmond Carré, of Paris, France.
A communication from abroad
Sealed the 26th January 1877, and dated the 26th October 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. " IMPROVEMENTS IN FREEZING AND REFRIGERATING
APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Edmond Carré, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in freezing and refrigerating apparatus
operating by the aid of a vacuum, and the presence of a hygrometric substance,
known as Edmond Carrés' sulphuric acid apparatus. The Carré ice machine is too
well known to require any detail description.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 of which
shows an arrangement of machine for the rapid production of ice of any thickness.
The water is placed in the upper vessel A, from which a pipe a descends through
the cock R of the apparatus into the vessel B. The pipe a is closed at its upper
end by a valve c, whose rod rises through a guide in the cross bar d on the top of
vessel A. The lever e mounted on cross bar & takes under a cross pin c¹¹ for lifting
valve c, the upward motion of the valve being limited by another cross pin c¹, upon
which a spring d¹ bears for pressing down the valve on its seat. The vessel A
is screwed down upon a leather washer contained in a cup R¹ on the cock R, which
cup is filled with water in order to ensure a perfectly hermetic joint. When a
vacuum is produced in the apparatus in the usual way the tail end e¹ of the lever e
is depressed to allow from 10 to 15 cubic centimetres of water to suddenly enter
vessel B, where it becomes quickly converted into ice; water is then again admitted,
the working of the pump being all the while continued until the desired quantity
of ice is obtained.
Water which has been deprived of air by boiling or in vacuo gives the best
results. Other liquids such as the syrups ordinarily used for making ices may also

page_text: be frozen in a similar manner. The valve c may be replaced by a cock fitted on the
neck A¹ of the vessel.
When the apparatus is used in the ordinary way the vessel A is unscrewed, and
a solid plug inserted in its place. The vessel B should be covered with a jacket of
white wool, about an inch in thickness.
As the sudden admission of water into the vessel B might cause a small quantity
of acid to pass into the air pump, this objection, whether due to the cause above
mentioned, or to improper working, may be obviated by employing the arrange-
ment shown in Figure 2. In this arrangement there is placed within the ordinary
dome A of the apparatus a cylindrical vessel B communicating at the top with the
suction pipe B¹, and having an open mouth at bottom fitted with a circular valve c
guided by ribs c¹¹, and resting on a notched seat c', which permits the passage of
the normal current to the pump, but in the event of a sudden efflux of the gas,
which would be liable to carry the acid with it, the valve rises and closes against
the flange seat b above on the mouth of the vessel B, and any small quantity of
acid which may have passed is intercepted by the diphragms D, D¹, through which
the current circulates, passing successively through the openings d, d¹, d. There
are three series of diaphragms D, D₁, superposed. The dome A is fixed upon the
vessel E by a leather packed flange joint at A¹, after the joint has been made in the
suction pipe by the screw union B" on the fixed part of the dome E.
Figures 2 & 2 bis also show the arrangement of the parts for working the acid
agitator. The lever f is jointed at about five inches from its centre of oscillation to
a connecting rod jointed to the pump beam, and in such manner as to oscillate
30 degrees, its oscillations being transmitted by shaft f¹ to a crank arm f¹¹, whose
crank pin f works in a fork g of a lever G pivoted at g¹. The tail end of lever G
is screwed into a socket H, which, as shown in Figure 2, is itself screwed into the
socket of an agitating blade I, which extends to within a short distance of the
opposite end of a receiver J.
An arrangement similar to i, H, g¹, connects the blade I through an opening in
the receiver, Figure 3, represented at K. The blade I is bent to insert it through
the opening, and is then straightened. All admission of air into the apparatus is
prevented by the stuffing box L, which is enclosed by a tube or case open above
to admit the lever f, and filled with oil thickened with resin.
The working parts are made either of brass or gun metal, the blade I and its
appendages, the receivers and all parts in contact with the acid being of lead with
five per cent. of antimony added. The prolonged action of the apparatus causes a
considerable heating of the sulphuric acid, and it is therefore desirable to cool the
receiver by means of a current of water.
The
In Figure 3, A represents a tank or trough in which the receiver is placed, and
A¹, tap for supplying cold water, which runs off by an overflow pipe a.
tank is made in two parts, longitudinally, which are soldered together and around
the standards B and cylindrical part All of the receiver, leaving the discharge
cock C free. The cooling of the receiver may also be effected by causing water to
circulate in a pipe T placed within, as represented in Figure 2, T¹ being the water
inlet, and T the outlet. The cooling of the receiver may also be effected by
wrapping a cloth round it, and keeping it wet by water running from a perforated
pipe above. The discharge pipe c is fitted with a cock having a glass, porcelain,
silver, or platinum plug c¹, having a squared end fitting in a conical stem à made of
antimoniated lead, in which is inserted a gun metal pin by which the cock is turned.
A spring d presses the cock in its seat.
Figure 4 represents a deflector a supported on four legs a¹, which is placed in the
upper part of the air pump, and serving together with cover B to prevent any oil
from being thrown out.
Figure 5 shows an apparatus for cooling water in a continuous manner. The
cooling water fills to about three-fourths of its height the annular space A which is
connected by a tube and cock a with the absorber receiver. The central space A¹
communicates by a passage a¹ with an enclosing vessel B. A jet of water being

page_text: introduced at pipe as passes out at a¹, and rises in vessel B, and passes out at
pipe b. By closing passage a¹ the substances to be cooled may be placed in A¹,
and water be supplied by pipe 6' to the surrounding vessel and pass out at b. The
water is admitted to the annular space A at an opening closed hermetically by a
screw cap a The whole is enclosed in a wooden casing C with nonconducting
materials between C¹ removable cover. The vacant space at the bottom of the
casing is provided with a door at c to admit any food it is desired to keep fresh,
in which case the central part c¹ of the bottom supported on buttons c¹¹ should
be removed.
Figures 1, 2, bis, and 4, are drawn of the full size; and Figures 3 and 5 on a
scale of one-fourth the full size.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is, the improvements as herein shown and described in freezing and refrigerating
apparatus of the kind herein mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
A. M. CLARK, (L.S.)