IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS AND REFRIGERATING APPARATUS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Redfern, of the General Patent Office,
4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS AND REFRIGERATING
APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Joel Tiffany, of the City of
Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois, and Charles W. Pierce, of the City of.
Boston. State of Massachusetts, both in the United States of America.
Sealed the 1st September 1877, and dated the 28th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Redfern.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th March 1877.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIG-
ERATORS AND REFRIGERATING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by
Joel Tiffany, of the City of Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois, and Charles
W. Pierce, of the City of Boston, State of Massachusetts, both in the United States of
America.
The Invention communicated to me has reference to the manner of insulating,
ventilating, and cooling rooms, spaces, cars, or buildings for the transportation,
preservation, and storage of meats, fruits, butter, eggs, poultry, game, and other
articles of a similar character,
The insulation consists in combining with dead air or packed spaces, spaces
convertible from dead to live air spaces, and vice versa at pleasure, without changing
the structure of the enclosing walls, substantially in the manner herein-after
described.
The ventilation consists in bringing into the refrigerating car, room, or box, or
air space, currents of dry, sweet, clean, cool air taken from without the same, and
by it forcing out the warm foul air from the same, through openings in the top or
upper part of the same, without bringing the incoming air into contact with the ice
in the room or ice chamber.
The method of cooling the air consists in employing an ice tank, which may be
placed above the space to be cooled, or on the side or bottom of the same, according

page_text: to circumstances herein-after described. When placed above the space to be cooled
the ice rests upon the bottom of the tank, which is made of galvanized iron, the
under side of which is fully exposed to the air arising to the ceiling of the room to
be cooled, where the warm foul air coming in contact with the same parts with its
heat and moisture and descends back, to the lower part of the space to be cooled.
In addition to this I also pass dry, clean, cool air taken from without the room
through pipes or flues under the ice in the tank or reservoir into the place to
be cooled, and there discharge the same, substantially in the manner herein
described.
The application of the aforesaid Invention to a car is as follows:-On the outside
of a car constructed like the freight car in ordinary use, air flues are constructed,
running from end to end of the car horizontally, as follows:-I attach firmly to the
sides of the car strips of plank about two inches in thickness and about two feet
apart, and running parallel to each other from end to end of the car; these strips are
then covered with matched boards put on perpendicularly, thus forming horizontal
air flues running from end to end of the car about two feet in width and about
two inches in depth. These form the changeable flues to be used as live or dead air
spaces at pleasure; dead air spaces in cold weather and live air spaces in warm or
hot weather. This change is made by opening or closing the entrance to these
flues, which are to be found at both ends of the car; those spaces are likewise
combined with packed and dead air spaces, or dead air spaces only, or packed spaces
only. This kind of insulation extends over the sides, ends, floor, and roof of
the car.
The ice chamber is in the top of the car. The entrance to this ice chamber is on
the top, through which the chamber is charged with ice; this chamber is likewise
insulated in the same manner as the body of the car. Within this ice chamber and
resting upon the car lines is placed a large galvanized iron tank for holding the ice
for cooling the space in the body of the car or transportation chamber. In the
bottom of this iron tank are placed air pipes for conveying air under the ice,
from end to end and back, cooling the saine and discharging it into the freight
chainber.
For ventilating the car or room, air tubes connect the chamber or body of the car
with ventilating flues in the roof of the car, which always discharge the air entering
through the air tubes at the rear end and outside of the car.
The manner of conducting the dry cool air into the car is as follows:-The air is
taken in through wind sails, air pipes, a water tank, and other air pipes under the
ice, and is thence discharged into the freight chamber, either at the end of the ice
tank or through rods or pipes. The air entering the wind sails passes through the
said pipes to a water tank, thence up through pipes under the ice into the body of
the car; the air thus introduced into the car is freed from dust (1) by means of a 4
gauze screen fastened over the mouths of the wind sails; this wire gauze is of a
inesh of about seventy to the inch. (2) The air is then conducted to the tank and
thrown down upon the surface of water within the tank, to free it from possible
dust; it is thence conducted through pipes, as herein-before described. In this
manner the freight chamber is filled with sweet, dry, cold air, which forces the warm
foul air out of the car through the air tubes and air flues in the roof, as herein before
described.
The water of condensation from the bottom and sides of the tank of the ice
chamber is caught by inclines extending under the entire bottom of the tank. This
drip water with that of the melting ice is conveyed through pipes to the water 5
tank, from which it is discharged through the bottom of the car.
The dry cold air introduced into the car in the manner herein-before described
may be distributed through pipes through openings on the under side of the pipes.
The wind sails are provided with swing valves and stops or chambers, through
which the swing valve moves over openings at the entrance of the pipe. The valve 5
may be operated by the force of the wind merely or by a cord and pulley. By
means of the said cord and pulley the valve may be set at any desired position, so .

page_text: This cord may be
as to regulate the quantity of air to be admitted to the car.
conducted to any desirable part of the car, for the convenience of operating it.
The manner of applying this Invention to buildings and storage rooms is as
follows:-When the air is taken from the upper part of the room the air passes in
from without through flues under the ice, filling its place with pure, dry, cold air.
The ends of the horizontal flues pass under the ice to be cooled, and are connected
with perpendicular flues. The foundations, with floor joists and floor, being
properly laid in and upon the ground, the improvement is applied in the following
manner Scantling about three inches by three inches are laid upon the floor
lengthwise of the flooring, and endwise toward the refrigerating room about one
foot apart; the spaces between the scantling, being about one foot wide and three
inches deep, and in length extending from the refrigerating chamber to the flue are
partially filled with a water lime or other similar cement, to the extent of covering
the floor and the sides of the scantling. On the top of this scantling is laid a tight
galvanized iron floor, converting the remaining spaces between the scantling into
air flues, connecting at one end with a perpendicular flue through a horizontal flue,
and at the other end with the refrigerating room. The scantling may be so laid as
to form gutters for the drip water from the melting ice to pass off between the
Scantling at the outer edge of each strip of iron used for the ice floor. In such case
the scantling would be used for each width of iron, and would be so placed that tho
width of iron would extend outward from the scantling about one and one half
inches on each side, to be bent downward at an angle of from twenty to forty
degrees, to conduct the drip into gutters formed at the edges of each sheet of iron
in the ice floor. In laying the floor timbers and floor under the ice, as above
described, there should be a slight inclination of the same outward from the
refrigerating room. The ice in the ice room is to be placed upon the iron floor, which
constitutes the ice floor.
One or more exhaust pumps constructed in any suitable manner and of any
desirable size is or are employed.
The pump may be constructed in manner following:-Insert through the ceiling
of the refrigerating room an inverted tank of any desirable size, open at the bottom
and closed at the top, with a valve in the top opening outwards; enclose the upper
part of this inverted tank, so as to make a circular cistern around the tank, from
one to two inches in width, extending from near the bottom of the tank to the top
of the same, which filled with water will form a packing for the piston of the
exhaust pump. For a piston of this pump a second tank is constructed, like the
one already described, only of a size to pass over the first tank into the circular
cistern. This last tank is enclosed at the top and has a valve opening outward, as
herein-before described. As the packing of this piston is a liquid, water, oil, or any
similar or suitable liquid, the friction in its operation is comparatively nothing, and
consequently it can be operated with little power. In localities where wind can bo
relied upon the wind sails can be employed; in other localities any mechanical
means inay be employed.
In the car herein-before described the operation is as follows:-The car being
freighted and closed against the access of external air, except as above described,
the ice chainber being charged with ice, the water tank being charged with water,
as soon as the car is put in motion air enters the wind sails and passes down the
pipes herein-before described, into the tank and deposits any possible dust therein
upon the surface of the water therein; it then returns through pipes under the ice
in the ice tank, is cooled and emptied into the car in the manner already described;
this forces the warm foul air in the car, if any, out through the air tubes into the
ventilating flues in the roof, and thence discharges the same at the rear end of the
car. When the external air is such that it is not desirable to admit the same into
the car the valve of the wind sail may be closed, or if it be desirable to change the
air of the car very slowly the valve may be set to admit only the required quantity.
In cold or very cool weather the flues on the outside of the car may be closed and

page_text: converted to dead air spaces, as a protection against cold; in very warm weather
the openings may be left open for the air to circulate through the flues.
As applied to a building these outside ventilating flues may be placed in a perpen-
dicular position. The internal arrangement is as follows:-The exhaust pump being
operated by the application of any suitable mechanical device, the air in the top of
the room is taken out of the top of the room and its place is supplied with fresh,
dry, clean, cool air entering through the perpendicular flue, the connecting flue and
the horizontal flues running under the ice and emptying itself into the lower
part of the room is diffused through the room, imparting thereto a sweet, cool
atmosphere.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Frederick Redfern in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
September 1877.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRI-
GERATORS AND REFRIGERATING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by
Joel Tiffany, of the City of Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois, and Charles
W. Pierce, of the City of Boston, State of Massachusetts, both in the United States
of America.
The Invention communicated to me has reference to the manner of insulating,
ventilating, and cooling rooms, spaces, cars, or buildings for the transportation,
preservation, and storage of meats, fruits, butter, eggs, poultry, game, and other
articles of a similar character.
The insulation consists in combining with dead air or packed spaces, spaces
convertible from dead to live air spaces and vice versa, at pleasure, without changing
the structure of the enclosing walls, substantially in the manner hercin-after
described.
The ventilation consists in bringing into the refrigerating car, room, or box, or
air space, currents of dry, sweet, clean, cool air taken from without the same, and
by it forcing out the warm foul air from the same, through openings in the top or
upper part of the same, without bringing the incoming air into contact with the ice
in the room or ice chamber, as shown in the accompanying Drawing.
The method of cooling the air consists in employing an ice tank which may be
placed above the space to be cooled, or on the side or bottom of the same, according
to circumstances herein-after described. When placed above the space to be cooled
the ice rests upon the bottom of the tank, which is made of galvanized iron, the
under side of which is fully exposed to the air arising to the ceiling of the room to
be cooled, where the warın foul air coming in contact with the same parts with its
heat and moisture, and descends back to the lower part of the space to be cooled.
In addition to this I also pass dry, clean, cool air taken from without the room
through pipes or flues under the ice in the tank or reservoir into the place to
be cooled, and there discharge the same, substantially in the manner herein
described.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the application of the said improvement
to a railway carriage or car, and in which a part of said improvements are shewn.
Figure 2 represents a vertical sectional viow taken at or near the end of the car,
showing the manner of ventilating, insulating, and cooling the same, according to
my said Invention.
Figure 3 shews the method of laying the air pipes in the bottom of the ice tank,
for cooling the air before discharging the same into the car.
Figure 4 represents the pipes or rods in the top of the car from which meat or

page_text: other similar freight is suspended, and also their relative position to the air pipes
introducing dry cool air into the car.
Figure 5 represents the wind sail in its structure and connection with the air
pipes conducting the air to the water tank in the body of the car.
Figure 6 represents the method of capping the car lines upon which the ice tank
rests, to protect the car lines from the drip of condensation.
Figure 7 represents the same Invention and improvements applied to a building
or permanent structure for an ice room and refrigerating room, with the air flues
extending to the top of the building or above the same, and connecting with the
pipes or flues running under the icc.
Figure 8 represents a sectional view of the ice chamber, showing the ends of the
horizontal flues passing under the ice.
Figure 9 represents the connection of the perpendicular air flue with the hori-
zontal air flues running under the ice.
Figure 10 represents the structure and position of the exhaust which is shewn in
the top of the chamber in Figure 7, for the purpose of removing the warm foul air
from the chamber and bringing into its place cold, dry, and pure air, through the
perpendicular and horizontal flues therein represented.
The application of the aforesaid Invention to a car is as follows:-I take a car
constructed like the freight car in ordinary use; on the outside of the car I construct
air flues running from end to end of the car horizontally, as follows:-I attach
firmly to the sides of the car strips of plank about two inches in thickness and
about two feet apart, and running parallel to each other from end to end of the car;
these strips are then covered with matched boards put on perpendicularly, thus
forming horizontal air flues running from end to end of the car about two feet in
width and about two inches in depth, as shewn in Figure 1 of the accompanying
Drawing at a, a, a, a, the entrance to which flues is shewn in said Figure at a¹, a¹;
these form the changeable flues to be used as live or dead air spaces at pleasure;
dead air spaces in cold weather and live air spaces in warm or hot weather; this
change is made by opening or closing the entrance to these flues at a², a', which are
to be found at both ends of the car. These spaces are likewise shewn in Figure 2
at a, a, a, a, a, in combination with the packed and dead air spaces, or dead air
spaces only, or packed spaces only, in Figure 2. This combination is fully shewn, to
wit, the air spaces a, a, a, a, already described with the packed or dead air spaces b
and c; this kind of insulation extends over the sides, ends, floor, and roof of the car,
as shewn in Figure 2.
The ice chamber C is in the top of the car, which is seen in Figures 1, 2, and 4;
the entrance to this ice chamber is likewise seen in Figure 1 on the top
at 0, 0, 0, 0, through which the chamber is charged with ice; this chamber is
likewise insulated in the same manuer as the body of the car; within this ice
chamber, and resting upon the car lines, is placed a large galvanized iron tank for
holding the ice for cooling the space in the body of the car or transportation chamber.
In the bottom of this iron tank are placed the air pipes B¹, B', for conveying air
under the ice from end to end and back, cooling the same and discharging it into
the freight chamber in the manner herein-after described. The manner of placing
these pipes in the bottom of the ice tank is shewn in Figure 3; the object for
binding the pipes in the manner therein represented is to hold the ice from sliding
about within the tank.
The manner of ventilating the said car or room is shewn in Figure 2; the air
tubes e, c, c, e, connect the chamber or body of the car with the ventilating
flues a, a, a, in the roof of the car, as seen in Figure 1, which always discharge the
air entering through the air tubes c, e, e, c, at the rear end and outside of the car,
as shewn in Figure 1, at a¹, a¹, a¹.
The manner of conducting the dry cool air into the car is as follows:- The air
is taken in through the wind sails A, A, the air pipes B, B, the water tank I, and
the air pipes B¹, B', B', B', under the ice, and is thence discharged into the freight
chamber either at the end of the ice tank or through the rods or pipes g..Dr.G; I; Gr

page_text: as shewn in Figures 2 and 4. The air entering the wind sails passes through the
pipes B, B, to the water tank I, thence up through the pipes B³, B', under the ice
into the body of the car, as shewn in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5; the air thus introduced
into the car is freed from dust (1) by means of a gauze screen fastened over the
mouths of the wind sails A, A, as shewn in Figure 1; this wire gauze is of a mosh
of about seventy to the inch; (2) the air is then conducted to the tank I, and
thrown down upon the surface of the water within the tank to free it from possible
dust, it is thence conducted through pipes B', B¹, B', B¹, as herein-before described.
In this manner I fill the freight chamber with sweet, dry, cold air, which forces the
warm foul air out of the car through the air tubes e, e, e, e, and air flues in the
roof a, a, a, a, in the manner herein-before described.
The water of condensation from the bottom and sides of the tank of the ice
chamber is caught by the inclines H, H, extending under the entire bottom of the
tank; this drip water with that of the melting ice is conveyed through pipes Z to
the water tank, from which it is discharged through the bottom of the car, as
shewn in Figure 2.
The dry cold air introduced into the car in the manner herein-before described
may be distributed through the pipes g, 9, 9, 9, as shown in Figure 4, through
openings on the under side of the pipes, as shown in the said Figure.
The structure of the wind sails A, A, is shewn in Figure 5, which shows a section
of the wind sail A with its swing valve V and stop W, or chamber through which
the swing valve moves over the openings R at the entrance of the pipe B; this
valve may be operated by the force of the wind merely or by a cord and pulley K,
as shown in the said Figure. By means of the said cord and pulley the valve may
be set at any desired position, so as to regulate the quantity of air to be admitted
to the car; this cord may be conducted to any desirable part of the car for con-
venience of operating it; the manner of capping the car lines upon which the ico
tank rests is shewn in Figure 6.
The manner of applying this Invention to buildings and storage rooms is as
follows, reference being had to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying
Drawing-Figure 7 represents a vertical section of a building containing a
refrigerating room D and ice chamber E and an exhaust chamber F, with their
manner of insulation, and an exhaust pump 7, 9', for removing the upper air of the
refrigerating room D, as shewn in Figure 7 and illustrated in Figure 10 of the
accompanying Drawing. When the air is taken from the upper part of the room D
the air passes in from without through the flues S, S", and S, S¹, S', under the
ice filling its place with pure, dry, cold air; the ends of the horizontal flues passing
under the ice to be cooled are scen in Figure 8 at S', connected with the perpen-
dicular flue S by S", as represented in the said Figure. The foundations with
floor joists and floor, as shown in Figure 7, being properly laid in and upon the
ground, the improvement is applied in this manner, scantling 3in by 3in are laid
upon the floor lengthwise of the flooring and end wise toward the refrigerating room,
as represented in Figure S, about one foot apart. The spaces between the scantling
being about one foot wide and three inches deep, and in length extending from the
refrigerating chamber to the flue S" in Figure 9, are partially filled with a water
lime or other similar cement to the extent of covering the floor and the sides of the
scantling, as shewn in Figure 7 at S¹, S¹¹, S¹; on the top of these scantling is laid
a tight galvanized iron floor converting the remaining spaces between the scantling
into air flues S', S¹, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8, connecting at one end with the per-
pendicular flue S through the horizontal flue S", and at the other end with the
refrigerating room D, Figure 7. These scantling may be so laid as to form gutters
for the drip water from the melting ice to pass off between the scantling at the
outer edge of each strip of iron used for the ice floor; in such case three scantling
would be used for each width of iron, and would be so placed that the width of
iron would extend outward from the scantling about one and one half inches on
each side, to be bent downward at an angle of from twenty to forty degrees to
conduct the drip into gutters formed at the edges of each sheet of iron in the ice

page_text: floor. In laying the floor timbers and floor under the ice, as herein-before described,
there should be a slight inclination of the same outward from the refrigerating
room D, Figure 7; the ice in the ice room is to be placed upon the iron floor which
constitutes the ice floor.
The exhaust pump g and g¹ may be constructed in any suitable manner, and of
any desirable size, and to any desirable number.
The one represented in the Drawing, Figures 7 and 9, is constructed in manner
following: Insert through the ceiling of the refrigerating room an inverted tank
of any desirable size, open at the bottom and closed at the top with a valve in the
top opening out, as shewn in Figure 7, at q¹; enclose the upper part of this inverted
tank so as to make a circular cistern around the tank from one to two inches in
width, extending from near the bottom of the tank to the top of the same, which
filled with water will form a packing for the piston of the exhaust pump. For a
piston of this pump a second tank is constructed like the one already described,
only of a size to pass over the first tank q into the circular cistern. This last
tank q' is enclosed at the top and has a valve opening outward, the same as in the
tank 2, and is shown in Figures 7 and 10; as the packing of this piston is a liquid,
wator, oil, or any similar or suitable liquid, the friction in its operation is com-
paratively nothing, and consequently it can be operated with little power. In
localities where wind can be relied upon the wind sails A, A, Figure 1, can be
employed; in other localities any mechanical means may be employed.
In the car, as represented in Figure 1, the operation is as follows:-The car
being freighted and closed against the access of external air, except as herein-before
described, the ice chamber C¹ being charged with ice the water tank I being
charged with water, as soon as the car is put in motion air enters the wind
sails A, A, and passes down the pipes B, B, into the tank I, and deposits any
possible dust therein upon the surface of the water therein; it then returns through
the pipes B¹, B', under the ice in the ice tank, is cooled and emptied into the car
in the manner already described. This forces the warm foul air in the car, if any,
out through the air tubes e, e, e, e, into the ventilating flues a, a, a, a, a, in the roof,
and thence discharges the same at the rear end of the car. When the external air
is such that it is not desirable to admit the same into the car the valve of the wind
sail may be closed, or if it be desirable to change the air of the car very slowly the
valve may be set to admit only the desired quantity. In cold or very cool weather
the flues on the outside of the car may be closed and converted to dead air spaces
as a protection against cold. In very warm weather the openings a¹, a¹, may be
left open for the air to circulate through the flues a, a, a, as already described.
As applied to a building, as shewn in Figure 7, these outside ventilating flues are
shewn in a perpendicular position, the course of the air currents are indicated by
the direction of the arrows. The internal arrangement is as follows:-The exhaust
pump being operated by the application of any suitable mechanical devices the air
in the top of the room D is taken out of the top of the room and its place is
supplied with fresh, dry, clean, cool air entering through the perpendicular flue S,
the connecting flue S" and the horizontal flues S¹, S¹, S¹, running under the ice
and emptying itself into the lower part of the room D, is diffused through the room,
imparting thereto a sweet, cool atmosphere.
Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and mode of operating the
Invention communicated to me, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein laid down; but what I claim as the Invention
intended to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. I claim a car, room, box, or space, surrounded with insulated walls, floor,
roof, or ceiling, constructed with dead air or packed spaces in combination with
spaces convertible from dead to live air spaces, and vice versa, at pleasure, substan-
tially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
Secondly. I claim the wind sails A, A, the air pipes B, B, B¹, B³, the ice tank C¹,
and the ventilating flues a, a, a, and air pipes e, e, e, e, in combination, constructed

page_text: and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.
Thirdly. I claim the wind sails A, A, the air pipes B, B, B₁, B¹, the swing valve V,
the icc tank C'; in combination with the pipes g. 9, 9, g, when used for distributing
the cool air through the room of the car, in the manner substantially as described.
Fourthly. I claim the perpendicular flue S, the horizontal flue S", and the hori-
zontal ice flues S¹, S, S¹, and the exhaust pump 7, 91, in combination, in the manner
substantially and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Redfern, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
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