Improvements in connection with Apparatus for Maintaining a Low Temperature, especially applicable for Use with Chambers for Containing and Preserving Meat, Vegetables, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
Improvements in connection with Apparatus for Maintaining a Low
Temperature, especially applicable for Use with Chambers for
Containing and Preserving Meat, Vegetables, or the like.
a
We EVERARD HESKETH and ALEXANDER MARCET, both of 23 St. Swithin's
Lane in the City of London Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide efficient means whereby an equable low
temperature can be maintained automatically or whereby each of several spaces
can be automatically maintained at the required temperature or temperatures
the said invention being applicable more especially to chambers which contain
unfrozen meat, vegetables, or the like, which is, or are, preserved by a proper
temperature maintained in the said chambers.
When by a refrigerating machine cooling brine it has been desired to maintain
different temperatures it has hitherto been customary to circulate brine which has
been cooled by means of the refrigerating machine through pipes, or passages, in
the said chambers, the said brine being circulated through the said pipes, or
passages, by a pump drawing the brine from a tank (which we will call the
circulating tank) & passing it through pipes, or passages, in the chamber, an
back to the circulating tank, with which tank & the tank containing cooled brine
(and which we will call the cold brine tank) it is connected so that when
required, fresh cold brine can be passed into the circulating tank by means of a
cock, or valve, controlling the passage between the two tanks.
It has been proposed to regulate the temperature automatically by causing
variations of temperature in the cooling chamber, to act on the pumps so as to
cause them to pass more, or less, brine from the circulating tank to the pipes or
passages, in the cooling chamber, but according to our invention we cause
variations of temperature to regulate the opening and closing of the passage for
brine (or equivalent cooling medium) from the cold brine tank to the circulating
tank so that the same quantity of brine is always passed through the pipes, or
passages, in the cooling chamber, but more, or less, cold brine is passed from the
cold brine tank to the circulating tank according to whether the temperature of
the cooling chamber rises or falls.
To effect this, various devices can be employed which will act under variations
of temperature to control the passage between the two tanks.
For example we may employ the expansion and contraction of metals, or liquids
to effect this object, or an electric circuit may be completed and broken so as to
act under the variations of temperature as aforesaid.
In large chambers where the brine pipes are in several sections each controlling
the temperature of a portion of the space and the several pipes receive brine from
a distribution box into which the brine is pumped from the brine return tank we
connect branches to each of these sections of brine pipes where it leaves the brine
distribution box these branches being provided with regulating valves by which
cold brine can be introduced into the several sections of the brine pipes and we
connect devices which act under variations of pressure as aforesaid to the said
regulating valves so that each device (acting under variation of pressure as afore-
said) situated in any one portion of the chamber regulates the admission of brine

page_text: to the section of the pipes which is situated in that particular portion of the
chamber. The cold brine will of course be at a pressure higher than that in the
distribution box.
Dated this 17th day of May 1895
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in connection with Apparatus for Maintaining a Low
Temperature, especially applicable for Use with Chambers for
Containing and Preserving Meat, Vegetables, or the like.
We, EVERARD HESKETH, and ALEXANDER MARCET, both of 23 St. Swithin's
Lane in the City of London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of our invention is to provide efficient means whereby an equable
low temperature can be maintained automatically or whereby each of several
spaces can be automatically maintained at the required temperature or temperatures
the said invention being applicable more especially to chambers which contain
unfrozen meat, vegetables, or the like, which is or are, preserved by a proper
temperature maintained in the said chambers.
When by a refrigerating machine cooling brine it has been desired to maintain
different temperatures, it has hitherto been customary to circulate brine which has
heen cooled by means of the refrigerating machine through pipes or passages, in
the said chambers, the said brine being circulated through the said pipes or
passages, by a pump drawing the brine from a tank (which we will call the
circulating tank) and passing it through pipes, or passages, in the chamber, and
back to the circulating tank with which tank and the tank containing cooled brine
(and which we will call the cold brine tank) it is connected so that when required,
fresh cold brine can be passed into the circulating tank by means of a cock, or
valve controlling the passage between the two tanks.
It has been proposed to regulate the temperature automatically by causing
variations of temperature in the cooling chamber, to act on the pumps so as to
cause them to pass more, or less, brine from the circulating tank to the pipes, or
passages, in the cooling chamber, but according to our invention we cause
variations of temperature to regulate the opening and closing of the passage for
brine (or equivalent cooling medium) from the cold brine tank to the circulating
tank or system so that the same quantity of brine is always passed through the
pipes, or passages, in the cooling chamber, but more, or less, cold brine is passed
from the cold brine tank to the circulating tank according to whether the
temperature of the cooling chamber rises or falls.
To effect this, various devices can be employed which will act under variations
of temperature to control the passage between the two tanks. For example we
may employ the expansion and contraction of metals, or liquids to effect this
object by acting upon a valve through any suitable gear or by completing and
breaking an electric circuit so as to magnetize and demagnetize an electro magnet
to attract and release an armature connected with the valve.
In large chambers, where the brine pipes are in several sections each controlling
the temperature of a portion of the space and the several pipes receive brine from
a distribution box into which the brine is pumped from the brine return tank, we
connect branches to each of these sections of brine pipes where it leaves the brine
distribution box these branches being provided with regulating valves by which

page_text: cold brine can be introduced into the several sections of the. brine pipes and we
connect devices which act under .variations of pressure as aforesaid to the said
regulating valves so that each device (acting under variation of pressure as
aforesaid) situated in any one portion of the chamber regulates the admission of
brine from the cold brine tank to the section of the pipes which is situated in that
particular portion of the chamber. The cold brine will of course be at a pressure
higher than that in the distribution box.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing shews diagrammatically sufficient of an
arrangement according to this invention to illustrate how it may be carried out in.
practice. Figure 2 is a section on the line 1-2 Figure 1.
A shews part of the pipe through which the cold medium is circulated by a pump
or the like from the cold brine tank or other source and through the pipes in the
cooling chamber indicated at B.
The pipe A leads into a distribution box A2 from which the sections of
pipes A³, A, A lead into different parts of the cooling chamber B, and thence
pass back to the tank or the like from which the supply is drawn. In connection.
with each section of pipes A3, A4, A5, the following arrangement is used. C, is a
pipe leading from the cold producing machine where the cooling medium is made-
cold or from the tank in which it is stored. c is a valve on the said pipe C. The-
lever of the said valve c is connected to the rod of a piston d working in a
cylinder D, the front end of which is open to the air. A pipe e communicates with
the said cylinder at the rear of the piston the said pipe leading from the interior
of a pipe or chamber E situated in the cold chamber B. The said pipe or
chamber E is shewn as being provided with a number of wings or gills e² to increase
the surface subjected to the action of changes of temperature in the chamber B..
The chamber E pipe e and rear part of the cylinder D, contain alcohol or mercury
or other fluid, preferably one very sensitive to changes of temperature ;-If the
temperature in the chamber B, becomes too high the alcohol or the like expands
and presses the piston d forward and the valve c is operated to admit more cold.
medium into the circulating system. When the temperature lowers the reverse
takes place. Findicates a relief valve by which excess of cooling medium escapes
and returns through the pipe to the low pressure pump or tank. The arrangement.
may be applied to one section or system or to any number of separate sections of
circulating pipes or passages. The pipe C inay open into a tank for the circulating
medium instead of into the pipes direct.
Although we have illustrated the valve e as being operated in the manner shewn
it will be readily understood that it can be analogously operated by any other
suitable arrangement whereby the changes of temperature in the cold chamber
or the like act to effect the operation of the controlling valve substantially as
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for maintaining an equable low temperature in cold chambers, and
the like, by the circulation of a cooling medium; a device acted upon by changes.
of temperature in the cold chamber, or the like and in turn acting upon a device for
regulating the passage for cooling medium from the tank or other source of supply
of the cold medium, to the circulating tank or system so that the same quantity of
cooling medium is always circulated through the pipes or passages in the cooling
chamber, or the like, but the degree of cold of the said cooling medium so
circulated is regulated in accordance with the temperature of the said chamber or
the like by the supply of cold medium substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for maintaining an equable low temperature in cold chambers.
and the like by the circulation of a cooling medium through pipes or passages in
separate sections in various parts of the chamber, or the like; devices acted upon
by changes of temperature in the various parts of the chamber, or the like, each

page_text: such device respectively acting upon a device which regulates the passage of
cooling medium from the tank or other source of supply of the cold medium, to
the circulating tank or system and through the respective sections of pipes or
passages in the parts of the chamber or the like in which the first named devices
are respectively situated so that the same quantity of cooling medium is always
passed through the several sections of pipes or passages and the temperature of
the medium passed through each section is regulated in accordance with the
temperature of the part of the chamber in which it is situated by a supply of cold
medium substantially as herein before described.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an automatic
temperature regulating device; substantially as and for the purpose, hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of February 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.