IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSPARENT ICE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph West, of 116, Southwark Bridge Road,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSPARENT ICE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1881.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of 116, Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSPARENT
ICE"
My Invention relates more especially to the production of transparent ice in
moulds, but is applicable also to the manufacture of such ice on the surface of what
are known as cells.
In order to manufacture transparent ice, it has long been customary to agitate
the water while it is being frozen, but hitherto it has been difficult to effect that
agitation up to the completion of the freezing operation in consequence of the
freezing in of the agitating instruments employed. To obviate this difficulty
various arrangements of pumps or diaphragms have been devised from time to
time, working externally from the tank or receptacle in which the ice is being
formed. Plungers, rotary paddles, and rocking bars have also been employed to
agitate the water contained in moulds; but so far as I am aware none of these "
devices are effective for the production of transparent ice in moulds,
By the present Invention I am enabled to produce clear or transparent ice in
moulds or on the surface of cells without any fear of the agitating instruments
being frozen in so long as they are kept in motion. In order to effect this I employ.
in the mould or in the space between the cells, as the case may be, one or more
spaces or chambers open to the water to be frozen, but such space or chamber is
composed of non conducting or insulating material so arranged that the brine or
other cooling agent surrounding the mould or circulating in the cells has no effect
upon the water in the aforesaid spaces or chambers.

page_text: '
Paddles or agitators are arranged to reciprocate or oscillate to and fro in these
insulated spaces or chambers in such manner as to cause a continual flow of the
freezing water over the surfaces of the ice as it forms on the sides of the moulds
or cells until the whole space between the forming slabs of ice is frozen up into a
solid clear or transparent slab or block of ice.
These insulated spaces or chambers may be formed at or near the middle of the
length of the moulds or cells, or at one or both ends according to the size of slabs
or blocks of ice required, and other circumstances. They may be composed of any
material that is a bad conductor of heat and is not acted upon by the water, such
as wood, for example; or they may be made hollow of sheet or cast metal and
lined or filled with felt, mineral wool, cork shavings, or other suitable insulating
substance, and in some cases the insulation of the abovementioned space or
chamber may be effected wholly or in part by insulating material placed
externally to the moulds at those points thereof where the freezing effect is not
required to take place.
The external insulating material may also be so arranged that the brine (or other
freezing agent) in circulating round the mould shall flow behind the external
insulating partition, or the brine may be caused to pass down one side of the
partition under the mould and up the other side.
The paddles or agitators may be set in motion in any of the usual ways. By
the arrangements above referred to not only is the transparency of the entire slab
or block of ice secured, but the dirt or sludge, which in the ordinary methods of
agitation, is deposited in the slab or block of ice itself is in this case deposited in
the water remaining in the insulated chambers

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Joseph West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th September 1881.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of 116, Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer. 'IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSPARENT
ICE."
My Invention relates more especially to the production of transparent-ice in
moulds, but is applicable also to the manufacture of such ice on the surface of what
are known as cells.
In order to manufacture transparent ice, it has long been customary to agitate
the water while it is being frozen, but hitherto it has been difficult to effect that
agitation up to the completion of the freezing operation, in consequence of the
freezing in of the agitating instruments employed. To obviate this difficulty,
various arrangements of pumps or diaphragms have been devised from time to
time, working externally from the tank or receptacle in which the ice is being
formed. Plungers, rotary paddles, and rocking bars have also been employed to
agitate the water contained in moulds, but so far as I am aware none of these
devices are effective for the production of transparent ice in moulds.
By the present Invention I am enabled to produce clear or transparent ice in
moulds or on the surface of cells without any fear of the agitating instruments
being frozen in, so long as they are kept in motion. In order to effect this, I
employ in the mould or in the space between the cells, as the case may be, one or
more spaces or chambers open to the water to be frozen, but such space or chamber
is composed of non conducting or insulating material so arranged that the brine or
other cooling agent surrounding the mould or circulating in the cells has no effect
upon the water in the aforesaid spaces or chambers. Paddles or agitators are
arranged to reciprocate or oscillate to and fro in these insulated spaces or chambers,
in such manner as to cause a continual flow of the freezing water over the surfaces
of the ice as it forms on the sides of the moulds or cells, until the whole space
between the forming slabs of ice is froxen up into a solid, clear, or transparent
slab or block of ice.
-
These insulated spaces or chambers may be formed at or near the middle of the
length of the moulds or cells, or at one or both ends, according to the size of slabs
or blocks of ice required, and other circumstances. They may be composed of
any material that is a bad conductor of heat and is not acted upon by the water,
such as cork or wood for example, or they may be made hollow of sheet or cast
metal and lined or filled with felt, mineral wool, cork shavings, or other suitable
insulating substance, and in some cases the insulation of the above mentioned
space or chamber may be effected wholly or in part by insulating material placed
externally to the moulds at those points thereof where the freezing effect is not
required to take place.
The external insulating material may also be so arranged that the brine or other
freezing agent in circulating round the mould shall flow behind the external
partition, or the brine may be caused to pass down one side of the partition under
the mould and up the other side.
The paddles or agitators may be set in motion in any of the usual ways.
By the arrangements above referred to, not only is the transparency of the entire
slab or block of ice secured, but the dirt or sludge, which in the ordinary methods
of agitation is deposited in the slab or block of ice itself, is in this case deposited
in the unfrozen water remaining in the insulated chambers.
In the Drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a mould with my

page_text: Invention applied thereto; Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a transverse section of
same. Similar letters refer to like parts in all the Figures.
A is the ice mould, which may be constructed of sheet metal in the usual way,
and furnished with the usual handles for lifting the mould in and out of the bath
of brine; B, B, are two pieces of material which is a bad conductor of heat, such
as cork or wood for example, and which are secured by screws or otherwise to the
side of the mould, and C is a piece of similar material secured to the bottom of
the mould. These three pieces of material thus form a chamber; open at both ends,
which is insulated from the conducting sides and bottom of the mould; D is a
paddle or agitator adapted to fit more or less accurately into the said chamber, but
always easily enough to admit of its being moved or reciprocated to and fro therein
in the direction of the arrows by means of the rod E to which it is attached, or by
other suitable means.
.
.
It will now be readily understood that if the mould be filled to the desired
height with the water to be frozen and the whole immersed in the brine of the
congealing tank in the usual way, ice will be formed on the sides, ends, and bottom
of the mould where the insulating material B, C, does not occur, but that in the
chamber formed by the said insulating material ice will not form, especially if
the paddle or agitator D be kept reciprocating to a greater or lesser extent in the
insulated chamber, as above described, and that a further result of the motion of
the paddle or agitator will be to keep the water on each side of it in motion, so as
to be constantly washing over the surfaces of the ice in course of formation,
whereby the said ice will be kept perfectly clear until frozen into solid blocks. In
the arrangement shewn in the Figures 1, 2, and 3, two blocks of ice are shown in
course of formation, the operation being supposed to be as yet only partially
effected, the ice already formed is indicated by the letters G, G. The Figures shew
how the block is gradually formed, the shape of the mould tapering from the non
conducting chamber towards the ends prevents the central portion of the block
from closing up at the end next the insulated chamber before the further end has
become solid.
Figures 4 and 5 shew similar arrangement; but instead of one insulated chamber
placed in the middle part of the length of the mould, as in Figures 1, 2, and 3, for
forming two blocks of ice in one mould with one agitator, two insulated or non
conducting chambers are used, one at each end of the mould, one block of ice being
formed in the space between them. In this case the insulating material B is
applied at the ends of the moulds as well as at the sides, each chamber being open
at one end only. Each chamber contains its appropriate paddle or agitator D, and
these may be caused to reciprocate towards and from each other (that is, in opposite
directions at the same time), in order to agitate the freezing water between them in
the most efficient manner; or if preferred, they may both be moved in one direction
at the same time. In this case it is desirable to taper the mould from the two
ends towards the centre for the purpose above described in reference to Figures 1, 2,
and 3. Instead of insulated or non conducting chambers at both ends of the
mould, one only may be employed at one end thereof if preferred, as shewn in
Figure 6, and in that case the mould may advantageously taper from the insulated
chamber towards the other end, as shewn.
Figures 7 and 8 shew another method of constructing the insulated chamber,
in which B represents a hollow water tight chamber formed of sheet or cast metal
or other suitable material, the hollow being filled or not with felt, mineral wool,
cork shavings, or other suitable insulating substance.
Figures 9 and 10 shew the upright parts of insulated material adapted with
moveable pieces B' fitted with dowels H at their lower ends, which take into
corresponding holes in the bottom piece of the chamber. These moveable pieces B
are secured at top, and prevented from floating by the clip pieces I, which are held
in place by studs and nuts, as shewn, or otherwise. The object of these pieces B³
is to provide against the possibility that the end of the block or blocks of ice may
adhere tightly to the edges of the insulating material from which the ice is not so

page_text: easily separated as from the surface of the mould. For this purpose the pieces B²
may be drawn out with the block or blocks and subsequently detached from them,
it being understood that the clip pieces I are removed first to allow of the said
moveable pieces B2 being drawn out with the ice, and that after these pieces are
detached from the ice they are replaced in the mould ready for another operation.
Or if preferred the whole of the insulating material may be adapted so as to be
withdrawn with the ice and afterwards detached therefrom.
Figures 11 and 12 shew the application of insulating or non conducting material
on the outside of the mould instead of inside; Figure 12* shews how an insulating
or non conducting chamber may be formed externally to the mould, so as to
perform the same office as the insulating or non conducting material shewn in
Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14. A¹, the brine tank partitions made parallel to side
of mould; A, the mould; B, strips of leather, cork, or other suitable material fixed
to the sides and bottom of the brine tank; B, strips of metal of suitable section
fixed on to sides and bottom of mould, a tight joint being thus obtained between
the sides and bottom of the brine tank and of the mould when the latter is in
place. The space B forming the insulating chamber being freed from brine
becomes an air space or chamber, which prevents the formation of ice in the space
when the paddle D operates. It is obvious that the same result may be obtained
by fitting the leather, cork, or other suitable material to the mould and the strip
of metal to the brine tank, and that instead of the partitions A¹ parallel to
the sides of the mould they may be vertical, and the strips of leather, cork,
etcetera, so formed as to present a surface parallel to the sides of the mould.
In Figures 13 and 14, insulating or non conducting material is shewn outside the
mould as well as inside, the object being to further prevent the formation of ice
in the insulated chamber, which may sometimes happen when working with brine
at very low temperatures. In Figure 13 the mould is shewn in an ice box with
partitions, the brine being caused to flow down one side of the external insulating
material B³ under the lower end thereof and up the other side. In Figure 14 the.
brine is caused to flow behind the external insulating material B³.
As above stated, I consider it preferable to form the moulds or cans A tapering
from the insulated chamber to the opposite end or ends for the reason explained;
but it is not essential that they should be so formed, as they may be made with
parallel sides horizontally; but for the more ready removal of the ice when made,
they should be made to taper vertically in the usual way.
I prefer to effect the agitation by causing the paddles or agitators D to reciprocate
or oscillate, as above described, but they may be caused to revolve on their vertical
centres. If desired holes may be formed in the paddles or agitators D, as shewn
in dotted lines in Figures 11 and 12, in order to prevent splashing or washing over
of the water in the mould.
The above described arrangements are also applicable for similar purposes to
what are known as cells or hollow walls, through which brine or other non
congealable liquid is circulated, as well as to moulds or cans, it being merely
necessary to apply the insulating or non conducting material to the parts of the
surface of such cells where the agitator is required to work. I have not deemed
it necessary to specially describe or illustrate such application, as it will be readily
understood from the descriptions and illustrations applicable to moulds or cans.
By the above described arrangements not only can blocks or slabs of ice be made
perfectly transparent throughout their thickness, but if the water being frozen
should contain mechanical impurities the greater portion of such impurities will
remain in the water left in the insulated chamber instead of being frozen into the
block or slab as heretofore.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
I make no claim generally to a separate chamber for the agitation of the water
being frozen on or between cells or hollow walls, in which chamber an agitator or
paddle is caused to act upon the said water and to keep it in motion, as I

page_text: am aware that such has already been proposed and patented, but what I do claim
is,-
-
Firstly. In connexion with moulds or cans for the formation of blocks or slabs
of ice, the use of open ended chambers formed of insulating or non-conducting
material, in which chambers agitators are reciprocated or rotated horizontally for
the purpose of producing motion of the water to be frozen over the surfaces of
the ice as it forms in the parts of the moulds or cans external to such chambers,
the said insulated or nonconducting chambers and agitators being constructed,
arranged, and combined substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the various Figures of the Drawings and for the purposes set forth.
. Secondly. In connexion with cells or hollow walls through which brine or other
noncongealable liquid is circulated, and between or on which blocks or slabs of ice
are formed, the use of insulating or non conducting material applied to the parts
of the walls of such cells where the agitators are required to work, as hereinbefore
described and for the purposes set forth.
Thirdly. The employment of insulating or nonconducting material or chambers
externally to the parts of ice moulds or cans where horizontally reciprocating or
rotating paddles or agitators are arranged to work, such external insulating or
non conducting material or chambers being used either alone or in combination
with the internal insulating or non-conducting open ended chambers forming the
subject of the first and second claims, as herein before described and illustrated in
the Drawings and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Joseph West, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.