Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
I, THEOPHILE MOLINARD, of 20A, Rue d'Alger, Marseilles, in the Republic of
France, 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 dry air refrigerator which forms the object of the present invention has
for its aim to produce a dry cold in the compartments intended to receive the
solid and liquid food substances and the like which are to be preserved or stored,
this cold being obtained by means of ice or any other refrigerating material
entirely separated from the products to be preserved in such a way that the latter
are preserved from all contact with moisture
The dry air refrigerator has also for its aim to utilise the water arising from
the melting of the ice.
The method of carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a refrigerator for solid food products,
Figure 2 section of the same on the line Y X of Figure 1 with one tube in
elevation,
Figure 3 plan of same with the cover raised,
Figure 4 elevation of a refrigerator for liquids
Figure 5 section of the same on the line YZ of Figure 4;
Figure 6 plan of the same with the cover raised,
Figure 7 metallic tubes,
Figure 8 tank,
Figure 9 tank,
Figure 10 perforated basket;
Figure 11 vertical section of the filter through its axia;
Figure 12 plan of the lid of the filter,
Figure 13 elevation of the apparatus combined for liquids and solids,
Figure 14 side view of same, showing the arrangement for the liquids,
Figure 15 side view of the same apparatus showing the arrangement for the
solid food substances
The refugerator may be fixed or movable. The latter will first be described
which is provided with a triple casing, designed to effect as complete an insula-
tion as possible
The outer casing is of wood, it is provided on its exterior face with one or
several openings closed by doois pp separated by movable cross bars, and at its
top part with an opening closed by a lid P serving for the introduction of the ice
The second casing d is formed of any suitable insulating material placed be-
tween the outer casing and the inner or third casing y. This latter consists
of a slab of marble, plate of glass, metal or wood suitable for this purpose. The
empty space forms a real cold chamber communicating with the tanks Ŕ intended
to receive the water of condensation.
In order that the description which follows may be better understood, the part
CO
077

page_text: of the refrigerator will first be described which is designed for preserving the
solid food substances (Figures 1, 2 and 3).
Cylindro-conical tubes or receptacles A of metal plain or grooved are fixed
inside the refrigerator and are intended to hold the ice, and are of dimensions
suitable for presenting a laige refrigerating surface These tubes are fixed and
supported above by a metallic plate L They communicate by N A cylindrical
float B is fixed in the inside of each of these tubes, serving to support the ice
and to separate it from the melted water which flows away through M.
Air is admitted to the inside of the apparatus by the ventilators oo
The action of the apparatus is very simple
The ice is introduced into the tubes AA, and rests upon the cylindrical floats B,
carrying at their upper extremity a collar or rim pierced with small holes in
order to facilitate the passage of the melted water, which then collects in the lower
part of the tubes The volume of thus water increases with the diminution of the
volume of ice and the floats rise in the tubes until all the ice is melted By the 1
use of these floats the ice never comes into contact with the melted water, and
there thus results so much the greater economy, as it can be made to remain in
the tubes so as to utilise all its refrigerating power before being discharged
through M. As the ice and water are completely isolated from the substances
to be preserved, they no longer give up their moisture to these latter
When there is no ice at command, a suitable degree of cold may be attained
by using a refrigerating mixture or amply cold water But in this case it is
better to remove the floats
Each time the doors are opened a certain quantity of air more or less damp
(according to the hygrometne state of the atmosphere) is introduced into the:
cold chamber containing the substances to be preserved This moisture immedi-
ately condenses on the sides of the refugeiating tubes and is transformed into
small drops, which, by then own weight, fall upon the inclined bottom of the
cold chamber and flow with ease through the tube t into the tank R
The part of the refrigerator relating to liquids to be refrigerated will now he
descubed (beer for example) see Figures 4, 5 and 6
In the cold chamber described above a metal tube or receptacle C is arrangel,
containing a coil J which surrounds a basket H perforated with small holes, the
bottom of which basket 18 in communication with a tank E placed upon a tank D),
supported by a support G A ring m forms a division between C and E and acts;
at the same time as a guide for the basket H The last turn of the coil J rests.
upon the said ng m which serves to support it. A little below and at the side
of D a filter T is arranged provided with a lid h adapted to be screwed down and
communicating with tank E by a pipe e and with tank D by a pipe f
The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows:-
The said
The ice is placed in the basket H which is perforated with small holes in
order to permit the melted water to pass and flow into tank E
basket is surrounded by the coil J into which the beer under pressure passes
through a pipe a In traversing the coil, the beer is subjected to the refingerating
action of the ice and is discharged through a pipe b after refrigeration The beer
18 much colder when remaining some length of time in the pipe
With reference to the manner of utilising the water proceeding from the
melting of the ice, the method of procedure is as follows.
In proportion to the melting of the ice, the water falls into the tank E from
whence it runs into the filter F by the pipe e which causes it to pass through the
filtering material 9 which it traverses and from where it is discharged free from
all its impurities, through the pipe 'f into the tank D where it arrives fresh,
limpid and fit for consumption
The air passes into D 'through tube by which it is placed in communication
with the exterior air
To facilitate cleaning of the tubes and tanks onfices e closed by stoppers are
provided
4

page_text: The complete apparatus for refiigerating liquids and for utilising the water
proceeding from the melting of the ice does not take up much room in the refri-
gerating chamber, the vacant space can be used for keeping cool and fresh other
liquids in bottles
The preceding arrangements apply only to refrigerators intended for the pre-
servation of food substances (Figures 1, 2 and 3) or to refrigerators specially
constructed for the refrigeration of liquids (Figures 4, 5 and 6) For convenience
of working and readiness of service, however, the arrangements above described
have been combined into one refrigerator which may be designated a "mixed"
refrigerator.
The "mixed " refrigerator is illustrated in Figures 13, 14 and 16 of the
accompanying drawings and is constructed for preserving food substances and
for refrigerating liquids at the same time It is divided into two separate com-
partments by a partition Q (Figure 13) which can be a solid partition or an
openwork one The arrangement for preserving the food substances 18 placed on
one side, and the arrangement for refrigerating the liquids on the other side and
the combination of these arrangements in a single apparatus forms the "mixed"
dry air refrigerator, which I have been the first to carry out in a practical manner.
The preceding description relates to the movable refrigerator, but is equally
applicable to the stationary one, the construction of which is more economical,
especially when it has to do with apparatus of large size The only difference
between the two systems 18 in the casings X and Y which, in the stationary
refrigerator are constructed of bricks or of masonry which can be again covered
with a layer of any suitable material in order the better to insulate it. Whatever
be the system adopted, the employment of the dry air refrigerator results in the
production of a dry cold. Thus, as has been already explained, not only is the
moisture contained in the air which 18 introduced from the exterior into the cold
chamber at each opening of the doors condensed upon the sides of the tubes, but
even the natural moisture of the food substances is in great part absorbed by the
dry air, and deposited on the same sides where it is transformed into drops, which
by reason of their own weight fall upon the inclined bottom of the said chamber
and flow through the tube into the tank R.
From the preceding it will be seen that everything has been combined to render
as dry and cold as possible the au which comes in contact with the substances
to be preserved, and consequently to completely isolate these substances from
moisture caused by the ice and its melted water
The accompanying drawings only show one form of the apparatus for carrying
out the invention but it will be readily understood that any modifications of stape
and dimensions may be adopted as may in particular cases be found requisite in
connection with the same
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. A dry air refrigerator in which tubes plain or grooved are arranged to
receive the refrigerating substances in such a manner as to obtain a dry cold
and to keep the substances to be preserved entirely free from the moisture pro-
ceeding from the ice or from the melted water, substantially as herein before
described
2 A dry air refrigerator in which cylindro-conical tubes plain or grooved are
provided with cylindrical floats to support and keep the ice separated from its
melted water, substantially as hereinbefore described
3 A dry air refrigerator having a special arrangement for refrigerating liquids,
comprising a metallic tube containing a coil surrounding an ice basket perfor-
ated with small holes in order to permit the melted water to pass through and
run into a tank (E) placed underneath, substantially as herein before described

page_text: 4. A dry air refrigerator having a special anangement for utilising the water
proceeding from the melting of the ice, characterised by a filter being placed to
receive the unfiltered melted water through a pipe (e) and to deliver it filtered
through another pipe (f) to a tank (D) placed below the collecting tank E for
the ice water substantially as hereinbefore described
"
5 The general construction and combination of parts forming the mixed"
dry air refrigerator constructed for preserving solid food substances and for
refrigerating liquids at the same time substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 10th day of June 1898
WP THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agente for the Applicant.