IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Williams, of Eccleshall, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 24th June 1853, and dated the 20th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th January 1853.
I, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of Eccleshall, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to arranging apparatus for refrigerating pur-
poses so that air may be compressed and in that condition pass through
a close condensing chamber, containing water or other liquid whose
temperature is lower than that of the compressed air, by which the heat
generated by compression will be in part absorbed and carried off, and
then conducting such condensed air so that it may expand in contact
with that which has to be cooled, from which matter the air in expan-
sion absorbs heat, and produces refrigerating effects.

page_text: The mode of proceeding is this:-I compress the air in either one or
more cylinders by means of suitable plungers, the cylinder or cylinders
having suitable ingress and egress valves and pipes or ways to conduct
the compressed air to the lower part of the condensing chamber in
which it is condensed by the constant supply of fresh cold liquid.
To assist in the more perfect condensation of the compressed air as
it passes upwards--through- the liquid apply therein rotary fans or
other suitable agitation, by which all is kept in motion, and a more
perfect admixture ensured, and to aid in keeping the parts cool I im-
merse thenî in a tank constantly supplied with cold water. The com-
pressed air, after passing through the condensing chamber above re-
ferred to, is conducted through a pipe or pipes to a valve or valves, and
reticulate work placed at the lower part of the open vessel or vessels
containing the liquid or solid matters to be cooled, and in issuing from
these valves it expands in immediate contact with the liquid or solid
mätter to be cooled.
In some cases, as when converting water into ice, I place the vessels
containing the water to be frozen in another open vessel supplied with
suitable fluid-kept cool by the same process. And when congelation
commences in the vessel containing the water to be frozen I withdraw
the valves from the inner vessel, and continue the process through the
aid of the mixture in the outer vessel containing a fluid only congealable
at a much lower temperature: The liquid I prefer to use in the outer
vessel is naptha, spirits of wine, or other liquid congealable only at low
temperatures.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Williams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th July 1853..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM-WILLIAMS, of Eccleshall, in the County of Stafford, Engineer,
send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by: Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January,, in, the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Williams, Her special
licence that I, 'the said William Williams, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Williams,
.my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and. lawfully might make,
use, exercise; and vend, within the United. Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an 'Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Williams, by an instrument
in writing under my hand, and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 'I, the. said William Williams, do lierėbý
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The Invention relates to means of converting water into ice, but
which are also applicable to producing general refrigerating effects by
the expansion in contact with the matters to be cooled of air which
has been previously compressed; and which, whilst in that "compressed
condition, has been deprived of the heat generated by compression.
And I would here state that it has long been proposed to produce
cooling and refrigerating influence by the absorption of heat consequent
upon the expansion of air which has been subject to compression, and
which has, whilst under.compression, been deprived of the heat gene-
rated by the conipression; and various arrangements of. machinery have
been proposed for the purpose, but hitherto, to the best of my know-
ledge, the arrangements of machinery proposed have not been attended
with commercial success. And I mention these in order to state that
the present Invention consists in improved arrangements. of parts of

page_text: machinery, for effecting the compression of the air, also to a mode of
arranging condensing chambers for effecting the more perfect absorption
of heat from such compressed air by its admixture with water or other
fluid whose temperature is below that of the air which has been sub-
jected to compression, and also to arrangement of apparatus for con-
ducting such condensed and cooled air, in order, by its expanding in
immediate contact with the water or other matters to be cooled, to pro-
duce the required refrigerating effects.
In order. that the means pursued by me may be fully understood I
will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shows a side view; Figures 2, and 3, two end views;
Figure 4, a sectional plan; and Figures 5, and 6, other sectional views
of parts of apparatus according to my Invention for producing the re-
quired condensing and cooling influence upon the air.to be employed
as the refrigerating means. A, A, A, are three comprèssing cylinders
bolted to the valve chamber B, the whole being secured to the bottom
of a water tank.C. Each cylinder. is furnished with a hollow plunger
E, accurately fitted to the bore of the cylinder, the upper part
of each cylinder being provided with a stuffing box or gland F; the
packing rings G, of such glands are made deep to allow of a cup leather
being inserted, as in an hydraulic press, to ensure a more perfect gland.
The valve chamber B, to which these cylinders are bolted, is divided
into two chambers I, and J; I, receives a constant supply of fresh
atmospheric air from above through the pipes K, K, and the entrance
valves L, open inwards one to each cylinder A, admitting atmospheric
air on the ascent of the plungers E. Through the valves M, opening
outwards from the cylinders A, the air is forced into the chamber J.
From this valve chamber the air is conducted by the syphon pipes
N, N, to the condensing or absorbing chamber O. This chamber O, is
cylindrical and secured to the tank.C, one end passing through the side
of the tank to allow of the stuffing box P, to be adjusted. .Through
this chamber O, passes the shaft Q, furnished with vanes R, similar to
a fan blast, but I prefer.that they should be perforated with holes.. The

page_text: chamber O, is supplied with water from the tank C, by the double
action force pump S, through the pipes S', to about the depth shown
by the dotted lines, the water being at the same time withdrawn from
the chamber O, through the pipes S by the same pump S.
The action then of this part of the apparatus is as follows:-Rotatory
motion is given to the three-throw crank shaft T, by a steam engine
or other suitable power, acting by a strap or band upon the pulley T",
affixed on the shaft T, each crank working respectively a plunger E,
which on its ascent causes a supply of atmospheric air to pass into a cylin-
der A, through the valves L, from the valve chamber I, which is supplied
through the pipes K. Air thus received into the cylinders A, in the
descent of the plungers is forced through valves M, into the chamber J,
from whence it passes through the syphon pipes N, into the passage M'
formed round the condensing or absorbing chamber O, which it enters
at the bottom, and after mixing with the water ascends up the pipe V,
to supply the expanding apparatus hereafter described. And I prefer
that the air in passing into the chamber O, should pass through a
perforated plate O', and thence rising through the water by its less
specific gravity it is caused intimately to mingle with the particles of
water or other cooling fluid used. By the rapid rotation of the per-
forated veins R, affixed to the shaft Q, motion to which is communi-
cated from the main shaft T, by the rigger W, and belt X, the air is
caused to be thoroughly mixed up with and be in contact with the
water much longer than it otherwise would, which allows more time
for the water to absorb the caloric set free by the compression of the
atmospheric air in the cylinders A. The cylinders A, valve chambers,
and condensing or absorbing chamber are placed in water in the tank
C, which is constantly kept supplied from a well or other convenient
source.
The air, compressed and cooled as above explained, passes away by
the pipe through valve apparatus which I will now describe, and which
I call the expanding apparatus, by which the air is allowed to expand
in immediate contact with the articles to be cooled. Two forms of the
expanding valve apparatus are shown at Figures 7, and 8. Each con-
sists of self-acting ball or other suitable valves a, a, enclosed in small

page_text: chambers b, b; the top plates c, of these chambers being perforated
with a number of small holes for the passage and distribution of the
atmospheric air on its passage upwards. These balls a, a, are pro-
portioned in size and weight to the area of orifice of air pipe d, and the
amount of compression previously determined upon. For a pressure of
about eight atmospheres, and an opening of half inch diameter to the
mouth piece, I employ a ball of six inches diameter, or of about sixty lbs.
weight. Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, show the application of these
valves for the conversion of water into ice. V, is a continuation of the
pipe charged with compressed and cooled atmospheric air from that part
of the apparatus already described. ff.f, are stop cocks to regulate or
shut off altogether the supply of air from the main pipe V, to the expan-
sion valves a. g, is a shallow tank, to the bottom plate h, of which are
rivitted a number of cylindrical vessels i; at the bottom of each vessel i;
one of the expansion valves a, Figure 7, is placed, connected to the
main pipe by a branch pipe d, and regulated or shut off by the cock
f. Into each vessel i, an inner conical vessel k, is inserted, and attached
to the top:plate 7, of the tank by the flange joint m, and in each of
these vessels is lowered one of the expansion valves a, Figure 8, also
communicating with the main pipe V, by a tube d, (which in this case
is made flexible,) and regulated by stop cocks f. Into these conical
vessels the water to be frozen is placed, as shewn by the dotted blue
lines. The interstices between the vessels k, and the vessels i, are filled
with any liquid (congealable only at a much lower temperature than
water) to about the height in the tank g, shewn by the dotted blue
lines.
The action of this part of the apparatus is as follows:-The conical
vessels k, being charged with water to be frozen, the expansion valves,
Figure 8, are lowered by their flexible tubes to the bottom of each
vessel. The tank g, and vessel i, having been previously filled to the
proper height, the stop cocks f, are opened, and the condensed air from
the main pipe V, is allowed to pass through each expansion valve. The
compressed air entering the chamber b, b, of the respective valves ex-
pands, and is distributed equally through the liquids in a series of
globules, expanding and-absorbing heat from the liquid in its passage
2)

page_text: upwards to the top. The expanded air in the tank, as also in the
conical vessels, is allowed to pass off after having performed its duty in
absorption.. The object in having two separate chambers for expansion
and absorbtion-is this: if one-only is. used,videlicet, the one containing
the liquid only congealable at low temperatures, congealation of the
water in the conical vessels will only take place by conduction; water
being a slow conductor of heat quickly becomes frozen, and adhering
to the sides of the vessels forms a coating thereto, leaving the interior
in a liquid state, which will take a very long time to solidify. The
employment therefore of the second expansion valve (Figure 8,) in the
interior of the liquid to be frozen materially assists the operation; as
the whole body of water is operated upon at the same time. When
however, congealation has to some extent taken place; it will be neces-*
sary to shut off the supply of 'atmospheric air to the valves (Figure 8,).
which are then withdrawn, aúd the process is continued by conduction
through, the aid of the liquid in the vessel i, and tank .g, until the
whole is solidified; the charges are then withdrawn, and a fresh charge
made, and the operation repeated.
For the cooling of worts and general refrigerating purposes a less
complicated apparatus may be used. For the cooling of worts a simple
tank, about six feet deep, and of sufficient capacity to contain the quan-
tity of wort to be cooled, and fitted with a number of expansion valves,
will be sufficient, as the passage of the atmospheric air upwards will
cause a sufficient current to keep the whole quantity of liquid in motion,
so that the whole will be of one temperature.
For general refrigerating purposes, such as required by sugar houses,
&c., the vessels containing the saccharine matter may be merely plunged
in tanks operated on as in worts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein shown and described, so long as the peculiar character of any
part thereof be retained. But what I do claim is,-
First, the employment of cylinders fitted with plungers, as explained,
in place of pistons in apparatus used for the compression of air for
refrigerating purposes.

page_text: Secondly, the construction and arrangement of a separate condensing
or absorbing chamber, in which the compressed air has its heat (gene-
rated by compression) absorbed by being caused intimately to mingle
with water or other fluid of a temperature below that of the air forced
therein, as above explained.
Thirdly, I claim the placing of the compressing cylinders and the
condensing or absorbing chamber, and parts connected therewith, in a
tank of cold water constantly supplied with fresh water for the purpose
of aiding to keep the same cool.
Fourthly, I claim the arranging and combining valves in connection
with the refrigerating apparatus, as above explained, whereby air com-
pressed and cooled may be caused to expand in immediate contact with
the water or other matters to be cooled.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane.
W WILLIAMS. (L.S.)