Improved Means for Cooling, applicable to Refrigerators, Rooms, Buildings, Railway Vehicles, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
Improved Means for Cooling, applicable to Refrigerators, Rooms,
Buildings, Railway Vehicles, and the like.
I, RUDOLPH MENZ, of No. 19, Royal Exchange, King William Street, Adelaide,
in the Province of South Australia, Watch-maker do hereby declare the nature
of this 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 this invention is to provide a safe or chamber in which a cool
temperature is automatically maintained without the employment of ice or
chemicals which are expensive and sometimes difficult to obtain.
My invention may be applied to the construction of domestic and other safes
for the storage of food substances to door and window openings of an ordinary
room or building and to portable chambers such as railway vans whereby in each
case a great reduction of the internal temperature is obtained rendering the safe
chamber or building cool even in extremely hot weather.
My invention consists in providing in a suitable frame one or more endless
travelling bands of suitable porous flexible material each of which is mounted
upon two or more rollers one or more of the rollers being rotated by some suitable
motive power and the bottom roller being mounted in a trough of liquid preferably
water so that as the band is continuously passing through the liquid it is main-
tained in a damp condition, and as the liquid is evaporated the temperature of
the chamber or of the safe and contents is effectively reduced.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 shows one of the endless bands with its fittings, the band being lifted
out of the trough.
Fig. 2 is a perspective front view of a safe for storing food substances.
Fig. 3 is a view of the top of same with portion of the outer cover broken
away to show the position of the mechanism for driving the bands and the
mechanism for raising the door.
Fig. 4 is a cross section immediately above the top of the bands showing the
means for obtaining the simultaneous movement of the several bands.
Fig. 5 is a cross section near the bottom of the safe showing the water con-
taining troughs.
Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of the front showing the door partly raised.
Fig. 7 is a similar view showing another means for raising the door.
Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical and horizontal sections showing the addition of a fan
or intersifier to increase the evaporation and consequent coolness of the safe.
Figs. 10 and 11 show the application of my invention to the door opening of an
ordinary room or building. Fig. 10 being a vertical view partly in section and
Fig. 11 a horizontal section on line A-B of Fig. 10. In Fig. 10 the opening
is shown closed and in Fig. 11 it is partly open.
Figs. 12 and 13 show its application to the window opening. Fig. 12 is an
elevation and Fig. 13 is a vertical section on line C-D of Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a chamber or building the walls of which are
formed of the endless bands protected on the outside by louvres,

page_text: Fig. 15 is a cross section showing the arrangement of the one band to form
Loth sides and top of the chamber.
Fig. 16 shows my invention applied to a railway vehicle.
On reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the endless band 1 which may be
made of any suitable porous flexible material for instance canvas is mounted
upon top and bottom rollers 2 and 6. The bottom roller 6 is immersed in a
liquid such as water contained in a trough 12 formed in the base 11. In order
that the band may be slackened or tightened when necessary the journals of the
roller are carried by slotted plates 7 which are attached to the standards 10
of the permanent frame (not shown in this figure) by thumbscrews 8 so that the
roller may be raised or lowered as desired. Motion is given to the upper roller 2
by clockwork 5 or other suitable mechanism acting through one of the bevel
wheels 3 or by other convenient device.
In the safe shown in Figs. 2 to 6 I employ four bands one for each of the
four sides. The frame of the safe comprises the base 11 in which are the
troughs 12 four standards 10 at the corners and a top all of which may be made
of wood or metal, but as the troughs must be watertight I prefer to form these
of metal. The standards are made of the shape shown and fitted so close to the
bands as not to allow air to pass around the ends of the bands. The top is made
double the space between the two parts being packed with some non-conductor of
heat such as asbestos except in spaces required for mechanism. The top roller 2
of the back band has a cog or worm-wheel 4 which is driven by clockwork
mechanism 5 mounted between the two-parts of the double top. Motion is com-
municated from this roller to the other rollers by bevel wheels 3 shown more
particularly in Fig. 4.
Access to the interior of the safe is obtained through the door in the front
which is so constructed and supported as to be capable of up and down move-
ment. On the frame 13 of the door at each side is a tongue which fits neatly in a
groove in the standards 10 thereby retaining the door in an upright position.
The top roller 2 is journalled in the frame 13 at the top and the adjustable
plates carrying the bottom roller 6 are attached to the frame 13 at the bottom
so that when the door is closed the bottom roller is immersed in the liquid in the
trough 12. To the inside of the door near the bottom is attached a cord 14 which
passes over a pulley 15 at the top to a coil spring 16 secured between the two
parts of the double top. The door is held in a closed position by a spring bolt 17
which when it is desired to open the door is withdrawn by the handle 18 acting
through the cord 19. To close the door it is pulled down by the hand which
action resets the spring 16 and spring bolt 17.
In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the door carries a rack 20 on each side
which racks are engaged by spur wheels 21 mounted upon a spindle 24 and
provided with a crank handle 22 whereby the door is raised or lowered. Openings
are made in the standards 10 to allow the wheels 21 to gear with the racks 20.
To hold the door open at any desired height a pawl 23 is provided which engages
with the teeth of the wheel 21.
This safe will be especially useful for domestic purposes in private houses,
hotels and restaurants and for storekeepers who desire to keep perishable articles
such as dairy produce handy on the counter.
Should it be desired to hasten the cooling or to obtain a greater intensity of
cold I increase the amount of evaporation by providing a fan 25 in the base of the
safe which draws the air from the interior of the safe and discharges it between
the two parts of the endless bands as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Instead of being
placed in the bottom of the safe the fan can be placed in the top or roof and
caused to draw the air out of the safe and discharge it into the room. This fan
which I term an intensifier is driven by a spring or other suitable mechanism or
connected to some convenient motive power.
In Figs. 10 and 11 one of the bands is shown applied to the outside of a door
opening. The rollers 2 and 6 and trough 12 are mounted upon or attached to a

page_text: suitable frame 26 which is hung upon hinges 27 outside of the ordinary door
and provided preferably with a closing spring and fastening similar to those used
upon wire covered doors. To permit access to the rooni the band
rollers and trough are swung outwards with the frame. Above and
in front of the upper roller is an ornamental protecting case 28. and
one end of the spindle is extended outwards and fitted with a gear
wheel which is engaged by a gear wheel projecting from clockwork mechanism 5
attached to the case 28. The slotted plates T which carry the
journals of the bottom roller 6 are attached by thumbscrews 8 to the frame 26
and so shaped that the bottom roller is immersed in the liquid in the trough 12
which is rigidly secured to the bottom of the frame. By slacking the thumbscrews
the bottom roller may be raised or lowered as necessary to keep the band suffi-
ciently taut. In Fig. 10 portion of the front of the trough and portion of the
front part of the band at the bottom are broken away.
In Figs. 12 and 13 a band is shown applied to the outside of a window opening.
In this case the rollers 2 and 6 trough 12 and actuating mechanism 5 are mounted
upon a suitable frame 29 which is attached to the outside of the permanent window
frame by hooks or other suitable devices so that it can be readily removed in
cool weather when not required.
These two latter applications of my invention are devised to enable a cool
temperature to be obtained in an ordinary dwelling house or room. This arrange-
ment will be particularly valuable for use in hospitals or sickrooms. A suitable
quantity of disinfecting fluid if placed in the trough will as the evaporation
takes place deodorise and disinfect the room with no other trouble to the
attendant. Similarly also a few drops of perfume placed in the trough will
spread an agreeable odor through the room.
In all applications the bands may be utilised for advertising purposes by
printing or otherwise marking them with suitable words or devices which will
be displayed as the rotation progresses.
The chamber illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 is devised for use more particularly
by butchers or dairymen who desire to store a large quantity of food in a cool
atmosphere. In this case the endless band is made to form both the sides and top
as shown more particularly in Fig. 15. Rollers 31 are provided at the centre of
the top to keep the bands from sagging and each band passes through two
troughs 12, one at each side of the chamber. In order to shield the bands from
fierce winds and from the direct rays of the sun I arrange outside the whole of the
bands a set of adjustable louvres 32.
In applying my invention to a railway vehicle for the carriage of dairy produce
or other food supplies I prefer the arrangement indicated in Fig. 16. The front
and back of the vehicle are formed in the usual way but the sides have one or more
openings in which the bands are arranged. In order to protect the bands from
excessive wind or from the direct rays of the sun adjustable louvres may be
arranged on the outside. Motion is imparted to the bands by belt or other
gearing from one of the vehicle axles or by clockwork or other motive power
carried in the vehicle. Should the bands be driven from the axle it will be
necessary to provide some other power for their rotation when a long stand occurs
at a station. In order to prevent water splashing out of the troughs, pads or
brushes of felt or rubber may be arranged so that their edges abut against the
bands and practically close the opening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In the construction of cool safes chambers or rooms forming the wall or walls or
parts of them of one or more lengths of porous flexible material in the form of an
endless band or bands each of which is stretched upon top and bottom rollers the
lower one of which is immersed in a trough of liquid the rollers and band being

page_text: rotated by any suitable motive power at a sufficient speed to keep the band damp
as the moisture is extracted by the atmosphere substantially as described.
2. A cooling safe or chamber the sides of which are wholly or partially con-
structed of porous flexible material in the form of an endless band or bands each
of which is stretched upon top and bottom rollers the lower one of which is
immersed in a trough of liquid the rollers and band being rotated by clockwork
or other mechanism at such a speed as to take up sufficient water to keep the band
damp substantially as described.
3. In a cool safe or chamber one or more endless travelling bands of porous
flexible material such as canvas mounted upon top and bottom rollers the upper
roller being rotated by some suitable motive power and the bottom roller being
immersed in a trough of liquid substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
4. The arrangement within a door or window or other opening of a suitable
frame carrying rollers at the top and bottom upon which is stretched an endless
band of porous flexible material the lower roller being immersed in a trough
of liquid and the upper roller being in engagement with clockwork or other
suitable motive power substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. In combination a trough containing liquid a superimposed endless band of
porous flexible material revolving on rollers and passing through the said liquid
and mechanism adapted to rotate the rollers and cause the band of flexible
material to travel as and for the purposes set forth.
G. In a cool safe or chamber a door formed of two parts of porous flexible
material in the form of an endless band stretched upon top and bottom rollers
which are held in a frame so supported that it may be raised upwards and when
replaced dip into the trough of water and gear with the actuating mechanism in
the manner and for the purpose described.
1041 JSTanamh 1900