Improvements in Refrigerating Chambers or Receptacles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refrigerating Chambers or Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM HOWLIN of 29 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria, Refrigerator Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved refrigerating chamber or room, railway
truck or cart wherein ice is used to produce a circulation of cold dry air so as to
enable perishable provisions which may be stored therein to be preserved for long
periods.
I construct the chamber, truck or cart of wood or other suitable material of suitable
size with double walls.
I pack the space between the walls with charcoal or other non-heat conducting
material. The chamber is fitted for access purposes with one or more air-tight
doors.
In the interior along the upper part of the sides of the chamber are trays of
galvanized iron or of other suitable material each having their under surface covered
by a sheet of flannel or felt or other material adapted to absorb moisture and which
material may be removed for cleansing or drying purposes.
Above the surface of each tray are placed movable bars which support a wire
netting or grating which is used as the ice rack. The trays aforesaid receive the
drip from the ice through the netting and are each slightly inclined to one end at
which a waste pipe is attached to drain the waste water off the trays and communi-
cating with a narrow chamber or tank fitted at the end or other suitable part of the
chamber. This tank or cold water compartment is closed on all sides except to the
inlet pipes hereinbefore described and an outlet pipe for discharging surplus water
and leading outside the chamber. I prefer to make the tank not more than one
inch and a half thick front to back, but the height and width may be of any suitable
dimension so as to present as an aid for cooling purposes a large surface to the
refrigerating chamber.
Standing vertically above the front edge of each tray aforesaid; and extending to
the roof and to the opposite walls of the refrigerating chamber is a partition or
plate with perforations or louvres or openings across its base and across its extreme
upper part. These louvres regulate the circulation of air in the refrigerating
chamber. Bars are placed horizontally beneath the trays or along, the ceiling to
which provisions may be suspended by hooks or shelving, or other supports may be
attached to the walls for stage purposes in any suitable manner. When it is desired
to use the refrigerating chamber for such purposes as described the ice racks are
packed with sufficient blocks of ice and the access door or doors closed, so as to
render the chamber air-tight; and thereupon refrigeration proceeds in the following
manner irrespective of external temperature in consequence of the non-heat conducting
qualities of the walls aforesaid.
The cold air from the ice escapes from the spaces or openings left at the bottom
edges of the louvres and descends by gravity to the bottom of the chamber
displacing the warmer and moist air which is lighter and forces it upwards to the
roof. This warmer air having no outlet is drawn through the perforations in the
upper part of the louvres or openings aforesaid, when it meets the ice and becomes
condensed and all impurities in the form of gas or moisture are borne away with the
waste water and by the continuation of the process described the circulation of a
current of purified cold dry air throughout the chamber is established and
maintained.
The moist vapours arising from the meat or other edibles stored are thus removed

page_text: by condensation as aforesaid. The water from the ice falls into the trays and flows
from thence into the cold water compartment by the waste pipe as aforesaid, and the
said compartment thus being kept fall of water at a very low temperature it becomes
assistant to the ice in keeping down the temperature of the chamber, truck or cart.
The interior of the chamber may be lined with galvanized iron or the like to
facilitate cleansing which may be performed with a hose jet or in any suitable
manner.
According to a practicable and useful arrangement for carrying out the invention
the interior of the refrigerating chamber has double walls say of thin timber with
packing of charcoal or other non-conductor of heat; access is had by an air-tight
door the interior is provided with trays of galvanized iron with sheets of flannel or
blanketing buttoned, hooked, or otherwise secured closely under the trays moveable
bars just above the trays are provided, sheets of wire netting resting upon the bars.
The turned-up edge of the trays is brought a short distance above the surface of
the netting or ice racks so as to keep the ice as high as possible without danger of
sliding off.
Waste pipes are provided for the drip from the trays to the tank and an overflow
out-let pipe leading from the tank to the exterior of the chamber, also another
outlet pipo communicating with the exterior, and by means of which the cold water
in the tank may be drawn when required by turning a tap. A plate is provided
having an opening or space at its base above the turned-up edge of the trays and
perforations along the extreme upper edge of the plates. Bars are also used beneath
the trays for the suspension of meat or other provisions in the chamber also rods
with hooks, for the suspension of provisions: blocks of ice placed on the ice racks
serve for refrigerating purposes. The moveable bars referred to are supported at
each end by cross pieces. A cone attached to exit of waste pipe serves when the
cone is filled with water above the said point of exit, when using the refrigerating
. chamber the external atmosphere is prevented from entering the said chamber by
means of the waste pipe aforesaid.
Dated the 10th day of May 1889
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refrigerating Chambers or Receptacles.
I WILLIAM HOWLIN of 29 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria, Refrigerator Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
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 an improved refrigerating chamber or room, railway
truck, cold storeage compartment, vehicle or cart wherein ice is used to produce
a circulation of cold dry air, so as to enable perishable provisions which may be
stored therein to be preserved for long periods.
I construct the chamber, truck or cart of wood or other suitable material of
suitable size with double walls. I pack tho space between the walls with charcoal
or other non heat conducting material, preferably using the form known as asbestos
millboard. The chamber is fitted for access purposes with one or more air-tight
doors.
In the interior along the upper part of the sides of the chamber are trays of
galvanised iron or of other suitable material each having their under surface covered by
a sheet of flannel or felt or other material adapted to absorb moisture and which
material may be removed for cleansing or drying purposes.
Above the surface of each tray are placed moveable bars which support a wire
netting or grating which is used as the ice rack. The trays aforesaid receive the drip
from the ice through the netting and are each slightly inclined to one end, at which

page_text: a waste pipe is attached to drain the waste water off the trays and communicating
with a narrow chamber or tank fitted at the end, or other suitable part of the
chamber. This tank or cold water compartment is closed on all sides except to the
inlet pipes hereinbefore described and an outlet pipe for discharging surplus water
and leading outside the chamber. I prefer to make the tank d not more than
one inch and a half thick front to back, but the height and width may be of any
suitable dimension so as to present, as an aid for cooling purposes a large surface to
the refrigerating chamber.
Standing vertically above the front edge of each tray aforesaid, and extending to
the roof and to the opposite walls of the refrigerating chamber is a partition or plate
with perforations or louvres or openings across its base and across its extreme upper
part. These louvres regulate the circulation of air in the refrigerating chamber.
Bars are placed horizontally beneath the trays or along the ceiling to which
provisions may be suspended by hooks or shelving, or other supports may be
attached to the walls for stage purposes in any suitable manner. When it is desired
to use the refrigerating chamber for such purposes as described the ice racks are
packed with sufficient blocks of ice and the access door or doors closed, so as to
render the chamber air-tight, and thereupon refrigeration proceeds in the following
manner irrespective, of external temperature in consequence of the non-beat conducting
qualities of the walls aforesaid.
The cold air from the ice escapes from the spaces or openings left at the bottom
edges of the louvres and descends by gravity to the bottom of the chamber displacing
the warmer and moist air which is lighter and forces it upwards to the roof.
This warmer air having no outlet is drawn through the perforations in the upper part
of the louvres or openings aforesaid, when it meets the ice and becomes condensed
and all impurities in the form of gas or moisture are borne away with the waste
water, and by the continuation of the process described the circulation of a current
of purified cold dry air throughout the chamber is established and maintained.
The moist vapours arising from the meat or other edibles stored are thus removed
by condensation as aforesaid. The water from the ice falls into the trays and flows
from thence into the cold water compartment by the waste pipe as aforesaid, and the
said compartment thus being kept full of water at a very low temperature it becomes
assistant to the ice in keeping down the temperature of the chamber, truck or cart.
The interior of the chamber may be lined with galvanised iron or the like to facilitate
cleansing which may be performed with a hose jet, or in any suitable manner.
In the drawings attached, views of a refrigerating chamber constructed in accordance
with this invention are shown.
Figure 2 represents a plan, partly in section, with the ice rack on one side
removed.
Figures 1, 3 and 4 represent respectively elevations partly in section of a
and two opposite ends of the chamber.
sidė
In one of the Figures (Figure 3) the chamber is shown stored with ice as when
In all the figures same letters of reference are used to denote similar
in use.
parts.
Referring to the drawings is the interior of the refrigerating chamber; a, a are
the double walls for which inch timber is sufficiently thick; a shows the packing
of charcoal or other non-conductor of heat; a² shows the air-tight door; b, b are
the trays of galvanised iron; b, the sheets of flannel or blanketing buttoned,
hooked or otherwise secured closely under the trays; 63, 63, 63, &c. are the moveable
bars of an inch above the tray; 62, 62 are the sheets of wire netting resting upon
the bars, I bring the turned up edge of the trays b, b less than an inch above the
surface of the netting or ice racks so as to keep the ice as high as possible without
danger of sliding off.
In Figure 2 the netting is shown upon one side only for the sake of clearness
though it is used on both sides as shown in the other figures.
c, c are waste pipes for the drip from the trays b, b to the tank d. d¹ is the
overflow outlet pipe leading from the tank to the exterior of the chamber, and ď

page_text: •
another outlet pipe also communicating with the exterior, and by means of which
the cold water in the tank may be drawn when required by turning a tap.
e, e is the plate having the opening or space e, e² at its base above the turned up
edge of the trays b, b, and the perforations e¹ along the extreme upper edge of the
.plates.
ff are bars beneath the trays for the suspension of meat or other provisions in the
chamber x.
9, 9, 9 are also rods with hooks, for the suspension of provisions.
h, are blocks of ice placed on the ice racks for refrigerating purposes. The
bars are supported at each end by cross pieces 1, 1.
k is a cone attached to exit of waste pipe d¹ by which when the cone is filled with
water above the said point of exit, as is done by me when using the refrigerating
chamber the external atmosphere is prevented from entering the said chamber by
means of the waste pipe aforesaid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a refrigerating chamber or receptacle provided with suitable closable means
of access, the combination or arrangement and use of ice supports fitted near to the
top of the chamber, channels to receive melted ice, or liquid therefrom, absorbent
screens applied beneath said channels to prevent condensation thereon, movable side
screen, provided with openings to regulate the flow of the currents of air to and from
the ice, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in
the drawings.
2. The herein described chamber or receptacle for refrigerating uses in combination
with internal ice supports arranged near the top of the chamber, above catchment
receptacles for liquid therefrom, absorbent screens fitted below said receptacles to
prevent drip of condensed matters therefrom and movable screens for directing the
How of the currents of air induced to and from the ice or refrigerant and an internal
reservoir or reservoirs for liquid from the melted ice or refrigerant with means of
removing its contents all substantially as set forth.
3. In a refrigerating chamber or receptacle the combination with ice snpports con-
structed as set forth and provided with channels for collecting the liquid therefrom
and absorbent screens for preventing condensation and drip, of screens with openings
adapted to direct currents of air induced in the chamber to and from the ice as set
forth.
4. The ice racks consisting of the parts lettered b, 1, 62, 63, in the drawing adjusted
near the ceiling of the chamber, truck or cart, as before described, with the waste
pipe attached, 6, 61 the sheets of flannel or equivalent absorbent material, buttoned,
hooked or secured closely under each tray, as before described, and the louvres or
perforated plates e, e, as before described, affixed and suspended above the front of the
ice racks, and adjusted in the respective positions before mentioned, and the water
tight tank & as before described, fitted vertically against the inner wall of the chamber,
truck or cart, as before described, all as applied working the one part with the other
in their combined uses in connection with ice h, has hereinbefore specified for
refrigerating and preserving meat and other edibles.
Dated the 31st dow of Danombor 1880
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.