IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING OR FREEZING APPARATUS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS GENERALLY
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING OR FREEZING APPARATUS, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS
GENERALLY." -A communication from abroad by Jean Baptiste Java
Mignon and Stainslas Henri Rouart, both of Paris, in the Republic
of France. Engineers.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th November 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
5 of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING OR FREEZING APPARATUS,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF
FLUIDS GENERALLY," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste

page_text: Java Mignon and Stainslas Henri Rouart, both of Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineers, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
refrigerating or freezing apparatus, working intermittently and based
upon the affinity of a gas for a liquid. The said apparatus is capable of
being constructed on any large scale, and has its parts proportioned so
as to produce a given result within a given time, it obviates the
necessity for taking account of the residue of volatilization, and may be
worked with case and perfect safety.
The improved apparatus consists essentially of a closed vessel con-
taining any suitable gaseous liquid or solution, such for example as
ammonia, which is heated by steam from a steam generator conveniently
situate. This steam generator may be situate for example immediately
beneath the ammonia vessel and form the bottom thereof, and may be
fitted with a series of cups or wells for increasing the heating surface.
The steam so generated enters a heating coil placed inside the ammonia
vessel. This coil is connected to a water pipe by a cock for the purpose
of cooling after heating. A tube having an ordinary rectifier at its lower
end connects the top of the ammonia vessel with a gas liquifier or
condenser, which consists of a worm immersed in a vessel of cold water.
The lower end of this worm opens into another vessel for the reception
of the liquified gas, which is distributed by means of a pipe and peculiar
distribution cock, herein-after more fully described, to a series of coils of
pipeing disposed at a lower level in'a refrigerating or freezing vessel, and
immersed in a non-freezing liquid contained in such vessel within which
the volatilization of the liquified gas takes place. The interior of this
vessel is so divided as to leave the smallest space for the non-congealable
liquid, which so to say absorbs a portion of the cold and transmits it to
the liquid to be congealed which is contained in suitable vessels in the
freezer. The coils in the freezing vessel are also connected with the
ammonia vessel by a descending pipe provided with an equilibrium valve
at its lower extremity, and at its upper part with a syphon tube fitted
with a valve opening into the upper part of the ammonia vessel, for the
purpose of destroying the pressure of the gas which is imprisoned
between the level of the liquid and the top of the vessel.
ta
The distribution cock before referred to, and which is equally applicable
other Durnoses where creat nicety of adiustment or opening is

page_text: required, consists of a conical plug, the stem or spindle of which carries
a fine pitched worm wheel and is rotated by an endless screw turned by
hand and gearing into the said wheel.
These parts are enclosed within a chamber, which is filled or partially
filled with glycerine or other non-freezing liquid for the purpose of
preventing the fixing of the parts by collection of the hoar frost which
is formed thereon.
The plug opens a communication, when properly turned, with a plate
containing as many perforations as there are coils in the refrigerating
vessel to be supplied with liquified gas, one end of each coil being fitted
into each hole.
On the upper end of the spindle of the cock there is fitted an indicator,
which in conjunction with a divided dial shows the exact amount of
opening of the cock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joun
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors; adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 OR FREEZING APPARATUS, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS GENERALLY,"

page_text: a communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste Java Mignon
and Stainslas Henri Rouart, both of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineers, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and a
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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
The said Invention relates to an apparatus capable of producing cold
or ice by the separation by heat of a gaseous solution, the liquefaction of
the gas obtained by this separation, and its volatilization by utilizing its
affinity for the liquid in which it had been originally dissolved. This
apparatus works intermittently and may be made of a large size. Its
utility consists in the economy of its construction and the simplicity
of the manner in which it is put in operation, which in some cases would
cause it to be preferred to apparatus of the same nature which work
continuously.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding figures.
The following description applies particularly to an apparatus wherein.
a solution of ammonia in water is employed, but is susceptible of
variations necessitated by the special nature of the gases employed, the
principles remaining the same.
The apparatus is composed of the following parts, vizt. :-
-A
boiler A (Figure 1) containing the ammoniacal solution distilling the
gas and reabsorbing it; this boiler is heated by a steam boiler B; the
worm C serves for both the heating and the cooling; a liquefier D,

page_text: separated from the boiler by a pipe carrying at its base a rectifier E and
an escape valve F; a receptacle G for the liquified gas, situate below
the liquefier; a freezer E, situate below the receptacle for the liquefied
gas and connected to the boiler by the dip pipe I, provided at its lower
part with a valve K.
The boiler A is simply a reservoir for ammonia. The steam boiler B
is a very important part. The heating of this boiler is obtained by an
open fire in as simple a furnace as possible. The steam boiler is composed
of tubes 6 depending into the fire-place, and having the desired amount
of surface; the upper part of these tubes is covered with water, serving
also for the heating. The vapours formed proceed into the worm C,
where they become condensed to return to the boiler after having pro-
duced the heating, the pressure being regulated by safety valves. The
worm C is of a special construction; it is fitted on to the cover of the
steam boiler which forms the bottom of the ammonia boiler, and in
the side of the ammonia boiler by special joints; it serves for the cooling
of the ammonia boiler by causing water to circulate in its interior by
means of the cock L; a small valve or cock serves for the expulsion of
air for the facility of heating. The liquefier D is a simple worm sur-
rounded with cold water; the rectifier E is composed simply of a series
of baffle trays similar to those of distilling apparatus.
There is nothing special in the construction of the receptacle for the
liquefied gas. It is a closed vessel, provided or not with a liquid level
according to the size of the machine.
The freezer is of special construction. It is composed of a series of
tubular passages through which the volatilization of the liquified gas is
effected; it is arranged so as to economize space, and for the employ-
ment of the least possible quantity of uncongealable liquid which absorbs
a portion of the cold disposed of. The Drawing shews the details
required for this purpose.
The freezer is provided with a cock M for the distribution of liquefied
gas, such cock having a very small motion by means of an endless screw.
This cock deserves special mention since it is susceptible of being applied
to other apparatus of the same nature. It is shewn in vertical and
horizontal section in Figure 2, and is composed of a plug and a seat
opening into a distributor, which is a simple plate perforated with as
many holes as there are series of tubes in the freezer. The plug carries

page_text: 1°
a toothed wheel of a fine pitch, which is actuated by an endless screw v;
an enamelled dial ƒ and hand or pointer a are provided to indicate the
smallest motions of the plug. The plug and seat are enclosed in a small
trough containing uncongealable liquid, more particularly glycerine, so
that this apparatus always works with the greatest facility however low
the temperature may be, and is never hindered by the masses of ice
which the condensation of the vapour of water from the atmosphere may
produce under the form of rime, which advantage is especially useful in
apparatus which work continuously.
It is to be understood that these cocks are of a special construction,
and of such a nature as to prevent leakage, as is moreover shewn on the
Drawing.
The dip pipe I is provided with an equilibrium valve; it also carries on
its upper part a syphon tube N provided with a valve n opening into
the upper part of the ammonia boiler A. The use of this syphon is very
important. It serves to destroy the pressure of the gaseous atmosphere
confined between the crown of the ammonia boiler and the upper level
of the liquid contained in this boiler.
The following are the advantages of this apparatus, vizt.:-It may be
made of as large dimensions as may be desired; may be manœuvred
without danger, the heating being effected with a bath of boiling water;
a regular working may be obtained by means of the operation of the
valves which admit of the counter pressure exercised by the unabsorbed
gases at the crown of the boiler being destroyed; no account has to be
taken of the residues of the volatilization of the liquefied gas, which are
provided for by the arrangement of the freezer above the boiler; and,
lastly, the apparatus may be constructed on a rational system, each part
being made of such proportions as will admit of its normally effecting
the work it has to perform in a given time for the production of a given
amount of cold.
It is understood that the arrangement of the steam boiler may be
varied; it may be placed at the side of the apparatus, or even steam
from an existing boiler may be utilized.
It is unnecessary to describe all the details of construction, such as
cocks, joints, the joints of the worm, and the like, since the Drawings
sufficiently illustrate these, which though important from a practical
point of view, are independent of the organization itself of the apparatus.