IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Furness, of 74, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REFRIGERATING."
Sealed the 15th March 1878, and dated the 8th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Furness at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1878.
EDWARD FURNESS, of 74, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING."
" IM-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for refrigerating, and
consists in constructing the apparatus of a lower vessel in which the articles. to be
cooled or refrigerated are to be placed, and of an upper vessel in which ice or other
cooling medium is placed, the two vessels being connected by a couple of tubes or
passages, one for the flow of cold air from the ice vessel to the meat or other article
or substance vessel, and the other pipe or passage to lead the warmed air from the
lower vessel to the top of the upper one, where the warm air is again acted upon by
the cooling agent and reduced in temperature before descending again into the
lower vessel.
The upper vessel may have one, two, or more ice boxes placed in it, each having
a clearance on all sides between them for the free down passage of the cooled air,
the passages terminating at or near the bottom of the lower vessel from which the
air passes into the chamber containing the substance to be cooled or refrigerated,
that has become warmed by contact with the articles flowing upwards by the up
tube from the upper part of the lower vessel into the upper part of the ice con-
taining chamber. By this means a constant circulation of the air within the two
vessels is maintained in one direction by gravitation produced by coldness, and in
the other by rarefaction.
One or more apertures is or may be made in the casing of the upper vessel for a
supply of fresh air, which commingles with warm air previously to passing over

page_text: the ice, a portion of the up flowing warm air escaping by one or more other
apertures.
The vessels may be of any dimensions to serve for cooling or refrigerating any
quantity of substance that has to be so treated, whether for the household, for
warehouses, or for the refrigeration of, say, meat in board ships or other structures,
for which purpose the Invention is specially adapted.
To increase the amount of rapidity of the circulation one or more fans may be
used if necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Furness in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th July
1878.
EDWARD FURNESS, of 74, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for refrigerating, and
consists in constructing an apparatus, of a lower vessel in which articles to be cooled
or refrigerated are placed, and of an upper vessel in which ice or other cooling
medium is placed; the two vessels are connected by a couple of tubes or passages,
one for the flow of cold air from the ice vessel to the meat or other article or
substance vessel, and the other pipe or passage to lead the warmed air from the
lower vessel to the top of the upper one, where the warm air is again acted upon by
the cooling agent and reduced in temperature before descending again into the lower
vessel.
The upper vessel is provided with one, two, or more ice boxes placed in it, each
having a clearance on all sides between them for the free down passage of the
cooled air. The passages terminate at or near the bottom of the lower vessel from
which the air passes into a chamber containing the substance to be cooled or
refrigerated. Air that has become warmed by contact with the articles flows
upwards by the up tube from the upper part of the lower vessel into the upper part
of the ice containing chamber. By this means a constant circulation of the air
within the two vessels is maintained in one direction by gravitation produced by
coldness, and in the other by rarefication.
One or more apertures is or may be made in the casing of the upper vessel for a
supply of fresh air, which commingles with warm air previously to passing over
the ice, a portion of the up flowing warm air escaping by one or more other
apertures.
The vessels are of any dimensions to serve for cooling or refrigerating any
quantity of substances that has to be so treated, whether for the household, for
warehouses, or for the refrigeration of, say, meat on board ships or other structures,
for which purpose the Invention is specially adapted.
To increase the amount or rapidity of the circulation one or more fans may be
used if necessary.

page_text: My Invention will be clearly understood from the arrangement of the apparatus
shown in the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a
refrigerator composed of a casing A, having a curved partition B fitted vertically
within it and at a distance from the casing so as to form air passages. This
partition terminates at the upper part above the level of the ice box C, leaving a
clearance between it and the top of the casing.
The upper part of the partition is arranged at a slight distance from the inner
front portion of the casing to form a passage E for the ascent of the warm air from
the interior or body of the apparatus in which the substance to be refrigerated is
placed, the body of the apparatus being provided with shelves, cross bars, or other
supports, substantially as shown for the purpose of supporting them.
The lower part of the partition B does not reach the bottom of the chamber,
neither does it touch the back of the casing A, a passage g being thus provided
between the partition and the casing for the down flow of cooled air by gravitation
from the upper chamber, in which the ice is placed to the body or chamber H.
Any condensed vapour that may be generated within the body H falls or settles
upon the bottom plate 6 of the chamber, and as it accumulates can be drawn off by
the pipe c in any suitable manner, but I prefer to make a bend d to the pipe to
form a water seal without interfering with the passage of the accumulating liquid
to the outside of the apparatus.
The front and top of the casing may be provided with doors F, G, and D, which
can be opened and closed when desired, as will be understood by the perspective
view, Figure 2, where a second vertical partition e is shown to divide the body into
two compartments, in one of which game, poultry, and fish are shown, and in the
other cooked food of various kinds, and a lid D is provided at top for removal of
ice boxes or placing fresh ice therein.
Ventilation is provided for the articles by the pipes f and a, a, which lead as
shown to the exterior, the admission of fresh air being regulated by opening or
closing them by any suitable means, and they act in the following manner :-The
pipe f going through the ice chamber is cooled, and the air contained in it falls into
the chamber H by gravity, and in like manner the air in the passage a being colder
than the outside air falls by gravity, so that as the air enters by the pipe fa
quantity is driven out through pipe a; thus the vitiated air is drawn from the lower
chamber, and a constant current of fresh air passes through, regulated at will, by
opening or closing these passages.
Figure 3 represents a refrigerating apparatus, above the upper part of which at
one end is arranged a box or chamber I for the reception of ice or other cooling
agent C; the air falling by gravity through this ice box is led by a pipe a to the
bottom of the lower chamber, displacing the warm air, and causes it to ascend and
return through the pipe E from the top of the other end of the chamber, where it
comes into contact with the ice, then descends again by gravity, thus causing a
constant circulation of air in the chambers and through the pipe E.
A fan or fans or any mechanical device may be used to accelerate this current of
air, and the same method of ventilation may be adopted, as before described.
The cooled air passes into the lower part of the body where a space is formed
under the lower shelf; this being of perforated metal, wooden or other bars, or other
open work material for the free passage of refrigerated air up to and within the
chamber to act upon the substances placed therein.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details, as shown by the accompanying Drawings, as the manner of
carrying out my Invention may be varied by using more than one air passage,
either leading downwards or upwards so as to distribute the air throughout a large
chamber, but I declare that I claim, a refrigerating apparatus in which a constant
circulation of internal air is maintained, the up current of rarified air from one
chamber by ascension, and a down current by gravitation from another chamber
containing a refrigerating or cooling material, the two chambers being in com-

page_text: munication in the manner described, and substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Furness, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
40, Fleet Street,
London.
EDWARD FURNESS. (L.S.)