IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING MACHINERY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barker of the International Patent Office
Birmingham in the County of Warwick Consulting Engineer and Patent
Agent for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING MACHINERY"
A communication from abroad by John Chambers of To Mata Napier Now
Zenland
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1882.
GEORGE BARKER of the International Patent Office Birmingham in the County
of Warwick, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATING MACHINERY." [A communication from abroad by John Chambers
of Te Mata Napier New Zealand]
This Invention relates to improvements in refrigerating machines, by which
simplicity of construction, durability, efficiency and other advantages are obtained.
In carrying out this Invention as applied to that class of refrigerating machines
known as "cold air machines" the compression pump is arranged to work without
suction, valves, and with yeilding cylinder covers, which covers form the valve
plates or seatings for the discharge valves.
The cylinder is jacketed, and is arranged to work either with or without
injection. The injection cocks are applied within the water space surrounding
the cylinder thereby avoiding all necessity of external injection pipes.
The expansion cylinder or air engine has rotating valves so arranged that the
air enters the cylinder and is discharged there from through one port at each end
and at the bottom of the cylinder.
This admission of the compressed air through the same passages from which the
expanded air is discharged, prevents the formation of ice on the valves or in the
passages
With each pair of excentrics required either for the steam or air engine, one is
firmly secured to the crank shaft, while its fellow, is loose on the shaft, but is
secured to the fast one first named, in such a manner as to admit of a nice
adjustment and yet be entirely free from any liability of shifting.

page_text: The condensors or air coolers are cylinders or casings containing groups of
U bent tubes or pipes arranged with a dividing partition between the legs of the
tubes, whereby the cooling or condensing medium surrounding the tubes is caused
to flow up and down, or forward and back outside of the tubes in a direction
contrary to the current of air or vapour passing through the tubes.
The complete condensor is formed of a series of the before named cylinders or
casings with their contained pipes and so arranged that the air or vapour in
passing from one group of pipes to the next is caused to pass through sheets of
perforated metal wirecloth or equivalent material thus enabling the air or vapour
to deposit the water in excess of saturation, but held in mechanical suspension,
while in the process of being cooled or condensed.
This series of cylinders or casings with their contained pipes are so arranged in
conjunction with a series of underlying compartments and one drain pipe, common
to all, that at each downward termination of the current of air or vapour, the
products of condensation fall into a receptacle provided and pass away through the
said drain pipe, which has a water sealed passage between each group of the
series, while the air or vapour has an unbroken passage through the entire series
although the different groups of tubes or pipes may be surrounded by different
cooling or condensing medium,
It will be apparent without further description that the foregoing described
improvements, the compression pump, the method of adjusting, and securing
the excentrics and the condensing and cooling arrangements, would be equally
applicable and suitable for the different methods of mechanical refrigeration by
use of the condensable gases.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Barker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th August
1882.
GEORGE BARKER of the International Patent Office Birmingham in the County
of Warwick Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATING MACHINERY." (A communication from abroad by John Chambers
of Te Mata Napier, New Zealand)
My said Invention relates to improvements in refrigerating machinery partly to
that class of refrigerating machinery worked by the use of the condensible gases
but more especially to that class known as cold air machines.
In order that this my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the annexed Sheet
of Drawings the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 Shoet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan of a compression
pump and of the condensing or cooling vessels.
Figure II Sheet 1 is sectional elevation of compression pump and condensers.
Figure III Sheet II is a plan of an air engine.
Figure IV Sheet II is half view and half sectional elevation of an air engine.
Figure V Sheet 1 shows details of eccentrics.
A Figures 1 and 2 is cylinder casing of compression pump. B Figure 2 is cylinder
liner of compression pump. C Figure 2 are supporting ribs cast in casing A.
D Figure 2 are enlargements of C. E Figure 2 injection cocks fitted in enlarge-
ment D. F Figures 1. and 2 are fixed heads or covers to casing A. F¹ Figure 2 are
openings in covers F for removing the valves. F Figure 2 are plugs for closing
the openings F. G Figure 2 are moveable heads or valve plates. H Figure 2 aro
discharge valves, seated and guided on plates G. I Figuro 2 are springs for closing
valves H. J Figure 2 are strong metal springs to hold valve plates G to their
seatings. K Figure 2 are rubber springs acting in conjunction with J. LFigure 2
aro seatings for valve plates G. M Figure 2 is the piston of compression pump.
N Figure 2 a series of small openings through the central portion of cylinder-liner.
O. Figure 2 an annular channel around the cylinder liner B formed by the liner
and two of the supporting ribs C P Figures 1 and 2 are the condensor casing.
QFigures 1 and 2 are groups of inverted U bent tubes in each casing P. R. Figures 1
and 2 is a partition or midfeather between the legs of the bent tubes Q.
S Figure 1 and 2 the tube sheet or head in which both ends of the bent tubes in one
group are fixed. T Figures 1 and 2 is the underlying base to casings P. U Figure 2
a mid feather or partition in base T. V Figure 2 a series of perforated metal
plates with intervening spaces inserted across the air passages in base T.
W Figure 2 a passage or drain pipe communicating with all the chambers under
the bent tubes Q. X Figure 2 are semi-partitions across the drain pipe W forming
seals against the passage of air when the drain pipe is partially filled with water.
Y Figures 1 and 2 air cocks in top of casings P. Z Figure 2 depositing chamber in
baso T. Z' Figure 2 is the chamber where air enters. Z Figure 2 is where the
air first enters tube Q. I Figure 3 and 4 cylinder of air engine. II Figure 4 piston.
III Figure 4 cylinder ports III inlet IIIB outlet passages. IV Figure 4 the
main valve. V Figure 4 cut off valves. VI Figure 4 valve stems VII Figure 4
the rocking arms attached to valve stem VI. VIII Figure 3, eccentrics
VIII Figure 5 details of eccentrics. 1X Figure 3 rods connecting rocking arms VII
with eccentrics VIII. X Figure 3. circulating pump. XI Figure 3 connections

page_text: with pump X to jacket or cylinder casing A of compression pump. XII Figure 3
doors to exhaust chamber of air engine. XIII Figure 3 discharge pipe for
expanding air.
In compression pumps having induction valves the area for eduction valves is
limited to a moiety of the cylinder heat. This limited area involves excessivo
friction in discharging the air and an increase of valve action and as a consequence
increased wear and liability to breakage more especially if water is injected into
the cylinder; in which case the cylinder at times may be entirely filled with water,
and without special arrangements for instantaneous relief the breaking of parts is
liable to ensue and a high piston speed is not safely attainable.
Now one part of my said Invention has for its object the overcoming of these
defects which I effect in the following manner :-
I make use of the well known arrangement of central inlet holes and in this
way dispense with induction valves and the entire cylinder cover is given up to
eduction valves; To further augment the discharged area I arrange the cylinder
covers or valve plates in such a way that they also will move outwards
against excessive pressure from within. These valve plates may be guided by the
external surface of the bore of the cylinder casing A or as shown in the Drawings
on bosses cast upon the fixed covers F. The valve plates are held to their scatings
(when the discharge valves are open) by the strong metal springs J and also by the
rubber springs K. The combined resistance of the springs J and K being somewhat
in excess of the total resistance of the valve springs consequently the discharge in
regular work is by the small valves while the valve plate G yields only against
excessives pressure.
Another but minor part of my Invention consist in the method of fixing the
injection cocks E within the water space surrounding the cylinder-liner. The plugs
of these cocks have an angle passage through them taking in water midway on the
length of the plug and discharging it at the end of the plug-into the-cylinder. By
this arrangement all external pipes leading to the injector cocks are avoided.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the arrangement for cooling or
condensing the compressed air or gas and for facilitating the deposit of the contained
aqueous vapour. A given volume of saturated air holds a certain amount of
aqueous vapour the amount of the vapour so held depends entirely upon the
temperature of the air but is wholly irrespective of the pressure
Air in its normal condition compressed to two atinospheres or above will always
leave the compression cylinder in a saturated state and all the water in excess of
saturation will pass out with the air in such infinitesimal drops as to be held in
mechanical suspension. This amount so held will be constantly augmented by the
cooling of the air.
By the cold air process of refrigeration it is very desirable that before the
air enters the air engine, this water held in mechanical suspension should be
removed otherwise there is a great loss of effective cooling, and serious trouble from
the formation of ice on the valves and snow in all the exit passages.
To remove this water and thereby over-come the difficulties set forth is the object
of that part of my said Invention which I am now about to describe.
The condenser is composed of one or more cylinders or casings. (In the Drawing
two cylinders are shown) Each cylinder contains a group of inverted U bent
tubes Q. Both ends of the tubes in on group are secured in one tube sheet or
head S. Between the legs of each group of tubes is a partition or mid-feather R.
The tube sheet S forms a tight partition between the space in the cylinder
surrounding the tubes and the chamber under-lying the tube sheet. This chamber
is divided into a series of suitable chambers or receptacles by the partitions U in
base T located in lime with and directly under the mid-feather R in cylinder P.
In this underlying chamber T and midway between each two of the partitions U
is a series of perforated metal plates V wire cloth or equivalent material extending
from top to bottom and entirely across the chamber The air under pressure in
passing from one group of tubes to the next is forced through this metal network

page_text: and in so passing deposits the water in suspension upon these metal surfaces The
water so arrested drops to the sloping bottom of the chamber, runs into the under-
lying drain pipe W which is common to all the chambers. The passage of air
being effectually stopped by the semi-partitions X across the drain pipe W through
which the water is conducted away. The air that may from time to time
accumulate in the tops of the cylinders P can be removed through the air cocks Y.
The action of this arrangement of cooling or condensing is as follows:-Referring
to the Drawings Fig 2 Sheet 1. The compressed and saturated air_enters one of
the series of underlying chambers or receptacles Z in base T at Z. The current of
air meeting the mid-feather U is caused to enter the group of bent tubes at 7³
passing up and down the tubes it is discharged into the second chamber or
receptacle Z from thence it passes through a series of perforated plates V and is
by the second partition U caused to enter the second group of bent tubes and again
passes up and down and so on through the series-The cooling or condensing
medium which may be water, air or other substance, enters the cylinder or casing P
at Pl above the tube sheet S into the space surrounding the tubes and is caused by
the mid-feather R to pass up and down the tubes in an opposite direction to the
current of air passing through the tubes thereby giving the maximum effect of
cooling power. From this explanation it will be seen that any water entering the
condenser with the air but not in suspension (injection water for instance) will
not pass into the drain pipe W from the first chamber or receptacle Z in the
base T.
An effective method of separating the water held in suspension is to cause the
air current to strike against metal surfaces. This effect is realized by the current
of air striking against the partition U before entering the tubes this action is
repeated at every downward tormination of the air current by the air impinging
against the metal surfaces at the bottom of each chamber Z and the water lodged
in cach receptacle passes direct into the drain pipo W. The air is then forced
through the perforated metal plates V and the remaining moisture in suspension is
effectually reinoved
I do not confine myself to any form or number of casings or cylinders P as it
will be evident that a series of groups of bent tubes with mid-feathers as shown
and a series of receptacles or depositing chambers with the intervening series of
perforated plates and a drain pipe common to all the chambers may all be arranged
in one casing without going outside of the distinctive fentures of my Invention
as hereinbefore set forth.
It will also be apparent that this same arrangement of condensers or coolers may
be effectively employed as condensers and refrigerators for machines using the conden-
sible gasses. In all so called cold air machines it is found that the most satisfactory
results are obtained by expanding the compressed and cooled air behind a piston
of an air engine thereby recovering a portion of the power expended in compressing
the air.
The chief difficulty arriving from this method of expanding the compressed air is
the formation of ice on the valves and on the exit passages, and in this way
seriously obstructing the working of the machine.
According to another part of my said Invention I overcome this difficulty by
arranging both the inlet and exhaust valves to work on the bottom of the cylinder,
and with but one passage at each end of the cylinder for the inlet and the exit of
the air. By this arrangement at each stroke of the engine the warm compressed
air in entering the cylinder passes over the exhaust valve and effectually removes
any ice previously formed. By this arrangement the valves, although under the
cylinder require no springs or appliances to keep them to the seating; they
work with very little friction and the waste passages between the valves and
cylinder are reduced to the minimum.
The arrangements for adjusting and securing the excentrics in a way that
admits of very nice adjustment without the possibility of shifting is another part
of my Invention.

page_text: In general appearance the eccentrics are of the ordinary type one of which is
secured firmly to the crank shaft in lieu of a pin fixed in one eccentric (the fast
one) and a circular slot in the other. I have on the plate of each eccentric a
number of holes drilled at an uniform radius, but the holes in on eccentric have a
slightly different pitch from the holes in the other. We will suppose that these
holes are "/" diameter and that with one occentric the pitch is 13" and with the
other the pitch is 17/10" in this case the loose eccentric could be set in any position
and the adjustment varied by sixteenths of an inch and when adjusted could only
be shifted by the shearing of the seven eighth inch pin.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect as
communicated to me I would in conclusion observe that what I believe to be
new and original and therefor claim as the said Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First: In a compression pump the combination of a series of discharge valves
with a moveable valve plate upon which the discharge valves have their seatings
and guideways substantially as and for the purpose herebefore described.
Second-In condensing or cooling vessels the combination of U bent tubes
with a mid-feather or partition between the legs of the tubes substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described.
Third-In condensing or cooling vessels one or more series of perforated_metal
plates, wire cloth or equivalent material arranged, with intervening spaces for the
purpose herein before described.
Fourth In an arrangement for condensing or cooling the combination of a
series of groups of U bent tubes with a mid-feather or partition in each group
with the series of receptacles or depositing chambers and with a drain pipe common
to all the chambers in one or more vessels or casings substantially as and for the
-purpose-herein before-described.
Fifth-In an air engine the arrangements of rotating valves with ports and
passages at the bottom of the cylinder substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
Sixth-The method of adjusting and securing eccentrics in their relation to
each other substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Seventh-In a compression pump the method of admission of and the regulation
of the flow of the injection water from the jacket into the cylinder without external
pipes substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said George Barker have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Seventh day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.