IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Augustus Gorman, of the Firm of Siebe, Gorman,
and Co., of Neptune Works, Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, in the
County of Surrey, Engineers and Ice Machinists, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Augustus Gorman'at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1880.
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS GORMAN, of the Firm of Siebe, Gorman, and Co., of
Neptune Works, Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineers and Ice Machinists. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR MAKING ICE AND OTHER REFRIGERATING PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object improvements in the method or means and
apparatus for making ice and other refrigerating purposes.
One part of my Invention consists in subjecting the ether or refrigerant on its
way from the condenser to the refrigerator to the cooling influence of the brine or
uncongeable liquid passing from the freezing tank or ice trough to the refrigerator.
This may be effected by causing the ether or refrigerant on its way from the
condenser to the refrigerator to pass through a vessel of conducting material, such
as copper, on the outside of which the brine or uncongealable liquid is caused to act
as it flows from the freezing tank or ice trough to the refrigerator, and such vessel
may be provided with automatic apparatus for regulating the flow of the ether or
refrigerant to the refrigerator; but I do not confine myself to this precise
arrangement in carrying out this part of my Invention, as other modifications of
apparatus may obviously be constructed to operate on the same principle.
Another part of my Invention has reference to the ice moulds, and particularly
to ice moulds of the kind provided with chambers, in which pistons work in such
inanner as to force water therefrom into the freezing compartments or chambers of
the moulds, so as to agitate the water therein during the freezing process, and my
Invention relates to constructing the chambers in which the pistons work of wood,
whereby I am enabled to effect considerable economy in the cost of the apparatus,
and also to ensure more efficient working thereof than by the use of piston chambers
made of metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Augustus Gorman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd January 1881.
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS GORMAN, of the Firm of Siebe, Gorman and Co., of
Neptune Works, Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineers and Ice Machinists. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR MAKING ICE AND OTHER REFRIGERATING PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object improvements in the method or means and
apparatus for making ice and other refrigerating purposes.
One part of my Invention consists in subjecting the ether or refrigerant, on its
way from the condenser to the refrigerator, to the cooling influence of the brine or
uncongealable liquid that is passing from the freezing tank or ice trough to the
refrigerator. This may be effected by causing the ether or refrigerant on its way
from the condenser to the refrigerator to pass through a vessel of conducting
material, such as copper, on the outside of which the brine or uncongealable liquid
is caused to act as it flows from the freezing tank or ice trough to the refrigerator,
and such vessel may be provided with automatic apparatus for regulating the flow
of the ether or refrigerant to the refrigerator.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan (with covers removed), shewing the arrangement of two freezing
tanks or ice troughs a, a¹, in conjunction with a tank, trough, or vessel b containing
a vessel c constructed of copper or of other material that is a good conductor of
heat. The two tanks or troughs a, a, may be provided with moulds or cells, such
as hereinafter described, or with other arrangements, so that water or other liquid
may be frozen or refrigerated by the heat-abstracting action of brine, which enters
at a² and a³ respectively from any suitable refrigerator. The brine having been
utilised in the tanks or troughs a, a, leaves them by a and as respectively, and passes
into the trough or vessel b containing the vessel c. This vessel c receives the ether
or other volatile refrigerant from the condenser (which may be of any suitable
construction) by the pipe d, and in passing through the vessel c the condensed or
partially condensed ether or other refrigerant (which thence proceeds to the refrigerator
by pipe e) is further condensed or reduced in temperature by the heat-absorbing
action of the brine in the trough or vessel b surrounding the vessel c, as such brine
flows through the said trough or vessel b on its way from the tanks or troughs a, a¹,
to the refrigerator, to which the brine is conveyed by the pipe f. It will, of course,
be understood that the brine is caused to flow by the operation of a pump or
pumps in the usual way, and that the object of my Invention is to insure
(particularly in hot climates) the condensation of the ether or other refrigerant
before its return to the refrigerator, wherein it is to be vaporised for producing
cold.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the trough or vessel b with its vessel c.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the trough or vessel b with its contained
vessel c in side elevation.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the trough or vessel b, and
Fig. 5 is a plan thereof with the vessel c.
Fig. 6 represents in plan a modified arrangement of apparatus designed to
operate on the principle of my Invention. In this case only one freezing tank or
trough a is shewn, though obviously two or more may be employed. In the
present case it will be observed that the vessel c is of a flattened form, and that
(as will be seen in Figs. 7 and 8) it is provided with a horizontal partition or
diaphragm c*. Also in this case the inlet pipe leading from the condenser and the
outlet pipe leading to the refrigerator are both arranged at the same end of the

page_text: vessel c, but the inlet pipe communicates with the upper compartment of the said
vessel c, and the outlet pipe communicates with the lower compartment thereof.
The brine is conducted to the refrigerator by the pipe f as in the previous
arrangement.
Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively an end view of the trough or vessel b, and a plan
view of the same with its contained vessel c.
Although I have shewn only two arrangements, it will be evident that various
forms of apparatus may be constructed to operate on the principle of my Invention
as above set forth; thus, for example, not only may the number and construction of
the freezing tanks or ice troughs a, a, etcetera, be varied, but also the construction
and arrangement of the troughs or vessels b, and of their contained vessels, may be
varied without departure from the essential characteristics of this part of my
Invention. Thus in lieu of a circular or flattened vessel c, I may use coils or
pipes, or other equivalent means. Also instead of the brine surrounding a vessel
containing the ether or other refrigerant, the latter may surround a vessel through
which the brine is caused to flow, care being taken, however, that the space to be
filled by the refrigerant shall be suitably limited, so that the ether or equivalent
may be thoroughly condensed by bringing it into contact with the surface or
surfaces of the vessel or vessels or pipes containing the brine.
It is to be observed that in all cases, whatever be the arrangement of the
apparatus, the vessel or vessels containing the brine, and also the vessel or vessels
containing the ether or other refrigerant from which heat is to be extracted by the
brine (as such ether or other refrigerant passes from the ordinary condenser to
the refrigerator) are to be kept closed airtight when the machine is in operation.
Another part of my Invention has reference to ice moulds of the kind provided
with chambers in which pistons work in such manner as to force water therefrom
into the freezing compartments or chambers of the moulds, so as to agitate the
water therein during the freezing process, and my Invention relates to constructing
the chambers in which the pistons work of wood, whereby I am enabled to effect
considerable economy in the cost of the apparatus, and also to ensure more efficient
working thereof than by the use of piston chambers made of metal.
Referring to the Drawings, Fig. 11 shews in plan part of a tank or trough a,
containing a number of chambers or moulds g, constructed of a material (for
example, copper coated with tin) that is a good conductor of heat.
Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-section of one of the chambers or inoulds g.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 14 is an end view thereof; and Fig. 15 is a plan.
h is a chamber or compartment constructed of wood, and communicating at h³, h²,
and ³ (or at other suitable points) with the freezing compartment of the chamber
or mould g; i is a piston or agitator provided with a rod k, to which an upward
and downward movement is imparted by any suitable means, so as to cause water
to flow out of the wooden chamber or compartment h into the freezing compartment
of the mould y, and vice versa.
Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 shew a modification in which the wooden chamber h
is arranged centrally of the chamber or mould g, the said wooden chamber being
provided with two sets of holes h¹, ha, h³ (the number and arrangement of these
holes may be varied), so that by the operation of the piston or agitator i the water
may be agitated in the two freezing compartments g¹ and g² of the mould g.
It will be evident that the chamber containing the agitator instead of being
arranged at one end, or in the middle of the freezing chainber or ice mould, as
shewn, may be in any intermediate position.
Having described the nature of iny said Invention, and the manner of carrying
it into effect, I would have it understood that what I consider to be novel and
original, and claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent herein before in part
recited is,-
1. Causing the ether or other refrigerant on its way from the condenser to the
refrigerator to be subjected to the cooling influence of the brine or uncongealable

page_text: liquid that is passing from the freezing tanks or ice troughs to the refrigerator, so
as to insure condensation of the ether or other refrigerant before its return to the
refrigerator, substantially as described.
2. The combined arrangements of apparatus, shewn in and described with
reference respectively to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, and Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive of the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, for subjecting the ether or refrigerant (during its
passage from the condenser to the refrigerator) to the cooling influence of brine or
uncongealable liquid that is passing from the freezing tanks or ice troughs to the
refrigerator.
3. In freezing vessels or ice moulds provided with pistons or agitators by the
operation of which water is drawn from and forced into the freezing compartments
or chambers, so as to agitate the water that is being frozen and enable clear ice to
be produced, constructing the chambers in which such pistons or agitators work of
wood, substantially as herein above described and illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15
inclusive, and in Figs. 16 to 20 inclusive, of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Augustus Gorman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.