IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Seale Haslam, of Derby, in the County of
Derby, Engineer and Ironfounder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Seale Haslam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1881.
.
ALFRED SEALE HASLAM, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Engineer and
Ironfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to improvements in details of my patent refrigerator or
air cooling machine, parts of which are described in the Specifications of my
Patents, Nos. 1484 and 5060, dated respectively the 12th April and 4th December
1880.
The Invention relates, firstly, to a novel construction and arrangement of the
air expansion cylinder, the receiving chest and expansion chest, or snow box, of
which are at opposite sides of the cylinder, or by preference one at the side and
the other at the top of the cylinder. This arrangement permits of separate valves
being used for the supply and exhaust. The supply valve under these conditions
can be fitted with a variable cut off and the valves are reduced to a small size,
which diminishes the friction to a minimum and effects a saving of power.
This
arrangement permits of short ports being used in all connections in the exhaust, a
matter of great importance in refrigerating apparatus.
Air expanding under these conditions does not permit snow or ice to form in
the said ports and obstruct the passage of air. The exhaust valves can also be
carefully adjusted to the face of the ports, and by reason of the expansion chest
not having to resist internal pressure its cover may be constructed of wood or any
light non-conducting material, and made easily removable to clear the chest of
any snow that may form therein.
The rods which work the valves for admitting the air to and exhausting it from
the expansion cylinder derive their motion from an excentric common to both.
Thus the one valve rod is jointed to the rod of the excentric and receives its
motion directly therefrom, while the other valve rod receives its motion through
+

page_text: a rocking shaft and link rod, the latter of which connects with the excentric rod.
The shaft carrying the excentric just mentioned is furnished with a second
excentric for working the cut off valve. This valve is connected by a link rod to
an arm of a rocking shaft, a second arm from which is jointed to the rod of the
second excentric.
The Invention relates, secondly, to an apparatus or starting gear for putting the
engine in motion when it may be stopped on a dead centre. This consists in the
use of teeth or notches cast on the side, or by preference on the periphery of
the fly wheel, and taking into which is a pawl mounted on a rocking piece, which
forms a socket for a hand lever which serve to operate the pawl and start the fly
wheel. The pawl is kept in gear (when in action) with the teeth of the fly wheel
by the pressure of a spring, but when the hand lever is dropped the pawl will drop
out of gear.
A third improvement consists in an air compressing cylinder taking the water
used for cooling its surface direct from the condenser tank in the bed plate of the
engine or other convenient source, the water circulating through helical passages
in the jacket, and through the covers, and round the valves, the covers being fitted
with improved suction valves with springs on the outside of the covers and easy
of access.
These springs can be replaced while the compressors are at work, and be adjusted
while the valves are in motion. The delivery valves are of special construction,
fitted onto and working in a tube or sleeve containing the springs. The sleeve
forms a guard for the spring, and the removal of the end cover admits of new
springs being fitted without removal of the valve or sleeve. The tube or sleeve
gives a large and durable bearing surface. The valves may be arranged to
work on the outside of the tube or sleeve, either plan being applicable to the
arrangement.
The Invention relates, fourthly, to a special arrangement of the parts constituting
an air cooling or freezing machine, the object being to secure compactness,
efficiency of action, and easy access to all parts.
The bed plate forms a surface condenser similar in construction to that
described under the Patent, No. 148480. The bed plate is also constructed to
contain an air reservoir, and a collector, and separator for dealing with aqueous
vapor as described to some extent under the Patent, No. 50600. The engine is
fitted to the bed plate, the steam cylinder and compressing pump on the top face,
and the air expanding cylinder with two valve chests is fitted on the end of the
bed plate and connected to a crank arranged to distribute the strain in an equal
manner.
The engine or machine is fitted with regulating valves to vary the currents of
air and water. The air is first compressed in the compression cylinder, it thence
passes to the condenser, and after being cooled to about the temperature of the
water the air is stored in an air reservoir. From this vessel the air passes to the
collector-and-separator where the aqueous vapour which it contains is extracted,
and the air is further cooled by bringing extreme cold air direct from the expansion
cylinder or from the cold room, valves being provided for the variation of the
currents. When the compressed air is cooled in the collector-and-separator it is
finally admitted to the expansion cylinder, whence it is conducted to the cooling or
refrigerating room.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Seale Haslam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd December 1881.
Alfred Seale HASLAM, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Engineer and
Ironfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to a special arrangement of the several parts constituting
an air cooling or freezing machine, the object in view being to secure compactness,
efficiency of action, and easy access to all parts of the apparatus which may require
attention; and also to improvements in the details in my Patent refrigerator. or air
cooling machine, parts of which refrigerator are described in the Specifications of my
Patents, Nos. 1484 and 5060, dated respectively the Twelfth April and Fourth
December, One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
My apparatus is constructed for use on the dry air system, that is to say,
without
at any period of the cooling process bringing the air to be cooled into direct contact
with the water used for such cooling.
In my improved refrigerating apparatus the compressing cylinder, condenser,
"collector and separator," expansion cylinder, and steam or other motor, are
combined and arranged on one and the same bed plate, by which arrangement
great compactness and efficiency are secured.
The air to be cooled is first passed into the compressing cylinder through
improved suction valves furnished with springs on the outside of the covers, which
springs can be adjusted or replaced while the compressor is at work, the said
cylinder and its valves being cooled externally by water circulating through helical
passages formed in the jacket and covers thereof. The air leaves the compressing
cylinder by valves of special construction, which with the inlet valves will be
hereafter more fully described, and passes thence through two or more sets of tubes
within a condenser similar in construction to that described under my Patent,
No. 1484, of One thousand eight hundred and eighty, above referred to, situate in
the bed plate immediately beneath the said cylinder, around which tubes water is
constantly circulating, whereby the temperature of the compressed air is lowered
and the air is caused to yield up a large portion of its water particles. The air
next enters an air reservoir, and thence passes to a special apparatus called a
"collector and separator," also situate in the bed plate and below the air reservoir
and the condenser above named.
The "collector and separator" consists of a series of tubes arranged in sets
within a casing, the interior of which is brought into connection with the cold air
from the meat room, or the expansion cylinder, as may be desired, by a system of
pipes and valves. The construction and operation of this collector and separator
is fully described in the Specification of my Patent, dated December fourth, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty, No. 5060, above referred to, and will therefore
need but little further explanation.
The compressed air from the reservoir passes through the sets of tubes in the
"collector and separator," around which tubes the cold air from the meat room, or
the colder air from the expansion cylinder, as the case may be, is caused to pass,
which air by impinging upon them greatly cools the compressed air passing through
them. The compressed air next passes to the air expansion cylinder which is fitted
with a novel arrangement of valves allowing of exact adjustment and a variable
cut off, and which are moreover readily accessible. The construction of this
part of the refrigerator will be more fully described hereafter.

page_text: From the expansion cylinder the cold air at ordinary atmospheric pressure passes
to the meat room or other structure, the contents of which are to be cooled.
This improved refrigerating apparatus is specially designed for use on board
ship, and it is for this purpose that its several parts as well as the engine for
operating the same are combined so as to be self contained, and mounted on one
bed plate, an arrangement ensuring great compactness, economy of space, the
utmost efficiency in working, and easy access to all parts.
It has been found, however, that after the engine has ceased to work the large
amount of energy stored in the compressed air within the reservoir and other parts
of the apparatus is such that on slightly turning the fly wheel the said air will
drive the fly wheel for some twenty revolutions. This starting of the fly wheel
when at sea is therefore attended with considerable risk to life, and in order
to obviate this a novel arrangement of starting gear is provided, by which gear
the fly wheel of this improved refrigerator may be started at a safe distance
therefrom.
It will thus be seen that in addition to the general combination and arrangement
of the several parts of the refrigerator in their relative positions as above mentioned,
which combination and arrangement are believed to be both new and useful, and
forms the first head of my Invention, the refrigerator is constructed with improved
devices for more effectually attaining the object in view.
Thus the inlet and outlet valves of the compressor are each of novel construction
and constitute the second head of the present Invention.
The third head of the Invention relates to the novel construction and arrange-
ment of the air expansion cylinder, and the fourth head of the Invention relates
to the improved safety starting gear for putting in motion the fly wheel of the
engine.
These several improvements will now be described in order, reference being made
to the accompanying Drawings, in which the same letters of reference indicate like
parts. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved refrigerator, and Fig. 2 is a plan
view thereof, showing the general combination and arrangement of parts under the
first head of my Invention.
A is the compresser, to which the air to be compressed passes alternately by the
branch pipes A', A', through the improved inlet valves A2, A2, at either end of the
cylinder, and from which the compressed air issues by the outlet valves A³, A³, and
branch pipes A', A', by which pipes it is conducted to and through two or more
sets of tubes in the condenser B, around which tubes water entering by the pipe b
is constantly circulating. The covers of the said condenser B are divided by
partitions to insure the air passing from one set of tubes to the other in succession.
When two sets of tubes are used one of the covers only need be divided to guide
the air through them, but if three sets are used each cover will require a division
plate for this purpose. The water after flowing around the tubes of the condenser B
passes by an opening or a short vertical pipe to the jacket of the compressor A, and
circulates around the cylinder and valves of the said compressor through spiral
passages formed in the jacket and communicating with channels formed in the
cylinder heads, by which means the water is thoroughly turned over and its cooling
power utilized to its highest degree. The water after thus externally cooling the
compressor passes off by the pipe a¹. The compressed air after leaving the
condenser B passes to the compressed air reservoir C situate immediately beneath
the condenser B and compressor A, this reservoir serves to ensure regularity in
working the apparatus.
Below the said air reservoir is the "collector and separator D" which consists of a
box or casing fitted with a series of tubes in sets arranged substantially in the
same manner as are those of the condenser B, the compressed air after leaving
the reservoir C passes thence into one cover D¹ of the "collector" D, which cover
is divided to keep separate the currents of air passing through the two sets of
tubes after the manner already explained with reference to the condenser B. The

page_text: air passes through one set of tubes and back again through another set of tubes,
around which tubes cold air from the meat room or from the expansion cylinder E
is drawn by the compressor A, the direction of the air being controlled by a
suitable arrangement of sliding valves. D is the return pipe from the meat room
to the collector, and D3 is the pipe from the "collector" to the compressor by
which the cold air from the meat room is drawn through the collector D and
around the tubes therein. E is the expansion cylinder arranged midway of one
end of the base plate, its valves being worked by excentrics on the crank shaft of
the engine F, by the piston rod of which the compressor is worked. On the end
of this crank shaft the flywheel G is mounted; this flywheel of the refrigerator is
provided with the improved safety starting gear above referred to, and which will
be more fully described hereafter.
The compressed air having been still further dried and cooled within the tubes
of the collector D passes by the pipe E¹ to the expansion cylinder E, which
cylinder it leaves by the main cold-air trunk E. Hand slide valves E3 and E' and
a throttle valve E³ are provided for regulating the direction of the cold air as
follows:-
Should it become necessary to admit extreme cold air to the interior of the
" collector" so as to freeze the moisture contained in the compressed air, it will
only be necessary to close the valve E in the pipe D by which the air from the
meat room is drawn into the collector D, and to open the sliding valve E³
between the expansion cylinder E and the said collector, at the same time
turning the cock A³ so as to open the pipe D' and close the pipe D³. During this
operation the valve E may be partially closed if necessary, the compressor A will
then draw extreme cold air by the pipe D' from the expansion cylinder E through
the collector D, causing it to impinge on the tubes placed therein.
Or if desired air may be drawn to the compressor from the outer air by a pipe A
provided with a suitable cock or valve which will be ordinarily kept shut.
It will be observed that in this improved arrangement of the several parts of a
refrigerator the air to be cooled is separated from the cooling medium throughout
its circulation through the apparatus, and that all the said parts are situate with
respect to each other according to the natural sequence of the several stages of tlie
process. In some cases I may dispense with the air reservoir C, maintaining
however the relative positions of the other parts of the apparatus either in a
vertical or a horizontal direction.
The special points of novelty in the compressor forming the second head of my
Invention will now be described. Figures 3 and 3* represent the compressor A in
side elevation (partly in section) and end view respectively. A' designate the inlet
air pipes; A, the inlet air valves; A³, the outlet air valves; and A* (Fig. 3*) the
outlet for the compressed air.
Each of the air inlet valves A consists essentially of a disc a² having a hollow
stem working in a fixed sleeve a³ and opening inwards. The outer end of the
hollow stem is screwed to receive a cap through which a spindle is passed, this
spindle passes through the cover and is surrounded by a coiled spring contained
within a hollow casting a bolted to the outside of the cover. A disc a³ or its
equivalent is passed over the end of the spindle which is threaded at its extremity
to receive a nut, and by means of this nut the coiled spring may be compressed to
any required degree, and thus necessitate a greater or less air pressure to be exerted
in order to open the valve. A washer of rubber preferably protected by a metal
rim is secured to the inner end of the cap, and thus all shock to the working parts
of the valves is obviated.
The outlet valves A³ each consist of a dise a² having a hollow stem working in a
fixed sleeve as bolted to the outside of the cover. Into the centre of this sleeve a
rod is screwed, and its inner end bears upon a coiled spring contained within the
hollow stem of the valve disc a' which is thus kept upon its seat until the com-
pressed air forces it outwards. An additional coiled spring is contained within the

page_text: sleeve a³ and surrounds the fixed rod above named, thus preventing the outer face
of the valve disc a² from coming violently in contact with the end of the hollow
sleeve a³.
By this construction of the inlet and outlet valves I obtain great strength of the
working parts, combined with lightness and simplicity of construction, a large
bearing, surface for the valve stems, and easy access to the working parts from the
outside.
The compressed air from the compressor A next passes to the sets of tubes within
the condenser B, which has been already described, wherein it is cooled by the flow
of water around the said tubes, and without coming into direct contact with the
cooling medium.
From the condenser B the compressed air passes to the air reservoir C, which
reservoir it should be remarked is not absolutely necessary to my Invention of a
refrigerator for producing cold dry air, but which is preferably employed in
combination with the other parts of the apparatus, as already described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2, and serves to increase the efficiency by ensuring the
regular working of the machine. From the reservoir C the compressed air enters
the collector and separator D, the construction and operation of which will be
readily understood on reference to Fig. 1, and from the foregoing description. Its
object is to still further dry and cool the compressed air, for which purpose it is
fitly placed below the condenser B and reservoir C, and immediately before or
adjacent to the expansion cylinder E.
It should be specially noted that by the above construction and arrangement of
apparatus the small amount of moisture in the air may be allowed to deposit within
the tubes of the collector and separator D, in the form of ice or snow, without
risk of stopping them, inasmuch as the system of cooling the compressor and the
condenser tubes by the external application of water does not load the air with so
much moisture as would when passing through the collector choke the tubes
thereof with snow, and cause a break down of the apparatus. Should however the
pipes collect too much snow or ice, the current of air is reversed by the cock or
valve A, fresh air being drawn into the machine, and the circulation of cold air
round the tubes being suspended. The air from the reservoir passing through the
tubes at a high temperature clears the tubes from such ice or snow, and the air
passing through the tubes is further cooled in its passage. The air after leaving
the collector D is led by the pipe E¹ to the expansion cylinder E, the con-
struction and arrangement of which constitutes the third head of my Invention,
and will now be described.
The receiving chest and expansion chest or snow box of this expansion cylinder
are placed at opposite sides thereof, or, if preferred, one at the side and the other
at the front or top. This arrangement permits of separate valves being used for
the supply and exhaust; and the supply valve under these conditions can be fitted
with a variable cut-off, and the valves may be reduced to a small size, which
diminishes the friction to a minimum and effects a saving of power. This
arrangement permits of short straight ports being used in all connections in the
exhaust, a matter of great importance in refrigerating apparatus.
Air expanding under these conditions does not permit snow or ice to form in
the said ports and obstruct the passage of air. The exhaust valves can also be
carefully adjusted to the face of the ports, and by reason of the expansion chest
not having to resist internal pressure, its cover may be constructed of wood or any
light non-conducting material, and made easily removable to clear the chest of any
snow that may form therein.
The rods which work the valves for admitting the air to and exhausting it from
the expansion cylinder derive their motion from an excentric common to both
through a rocking shaft, arms keyed thereon, and link rods. The shaft carrying
the excentric just mentioned is furnished with a second excentric for working the

page_text: cut off valve. This valve is connected by a link rod to an arm of a rocking shaft,
a second arm from which is jointed to the rod of the second excentric.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the refrigerating
apparatus showing the expansion cylinder; Fig: 5 shews on an enlarged scale the
means for adjusting the cut off, and the indicator for regulating the extent of such
adjustment; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the
cylinder and its accessories.
In these Figures, E is the cylinder to which the compressed air is conducted
from the collector and separator through the pipe E'; e is the receiving chest,
and e¹ the expansion chest or snow box placed respectively on opposite sides of the
cylinder E, as shewn in the Drawing; or it may be one at the side, and the other
at the front or top of the cylinder, by which means separate valves are used for the
supply and exhaust, thus allowing of a variable cut off for the supply valve, and
the use of valves of small size.
e is the supply valve; e³, the adjustable cut off valve, and c* the exhaust valve.
The valves e, e, are worked by an excentric x common to both on the crank
shaft through the horizontal rock shaft and arms keyed thereon, one of the
arms being connected to the rod of the excentric, and the other two being connected
to the rods of the supply and exhaust valves. The cut off valve e is worked by
the excentric 2 through the rock shaft c" and lever arms keyed thereon, one of
which arms is connected to the cut off valve rod by a suitable link. The cut off
valve rod it will be seen is threaded at two points with right and left handed
threads respectively to receive correspondingly threaded blocks which are made
with recesses to carry the removable pieces serving as valve faces, and together
with them constitute the cut off valves.
The rod of this cut off valve it will be seen from Figures 5 passes through a
block e, to which is attached one end of the link whereby it is actuated. This
block e' is secured to the rod by means of the shoulder below it and the nuts
above it. Ou slackening these nuts the rod may be rotated by a spanner applied
to the hexagonal shoulder, and by its rotation will cause the threaded blocks which
carry the removable wearing pieces serving as the faces of the cut off valves c³ to
recede from one another, or to approach one another, thus regulating the cut off.
The relative positions of the wearing surfaces of the said cut off valves e³ with
respect to the inlet ports of the supply valves e may be ascertained with exactitude
by the pointer es which protrudes through a slot cut in the face of the block e7; and
which is caused to travel up or down the graduated face of such block, as the rod
of the cut off valve is rotated to the right or left. This traverse motion of the
pointer e is effected by its rear end being threaded (or formed with a tooth), and
lying in close contact with a threaded portion of the cut off valve rod within the
block e', as will be readily understood. The exhaust valves e* are also capable of
easy adjustment upon their rod by means of the nuts which hold the valve surfaces
in place upon the rod which works them.
In order to set up or adjust the wearing surfaces of the exhaust valves to the
face of the expansion chest against which they work, wedge-shaped blocks e¹0
(Fig. 6) are employed. These wedge-shaped blocks are interposed between the
outer face of the valve pieces e* and inclined surfaces formed in the walls of the
expansion chest e². The wedge blocks are slotted to allow of their vertical
adjustment, and they are then clamped securely by the clamping bolts e. By
these means both the upper and lower valve pieces et can be forced against the face
of the expansion chest with any desired pressure.
Access to these adjusting nuts and wedge shaped blocks may be easily had by
removing the cover e³ of the expansion chest or snow box e', which cover by reason
of there being no internal pressure of air to resist I make of wood or other light
nonconducting material, and it may be consequently handed with ease.
In Fig. 8 I have shewn in cross section a modification of the expansion cylinder
adapted for use in a horizontal instead of a vertical position. In this case the rods
'

page_text: which work the valves for admitting the air to and exhausting it from the expansion
cylinder E derive their motion from an excentric common to both, the said
excentric being keyed on the crank shaft of the engine. Thus the rod of the
outlet valve e is jointed to the rod of the excentric, and receives its motion directly
therefrom, while the rod of the supply valve 12 receives its motion through a
rocking shaft, arms keyed thereon, and a link rod, the latter of which connects
with the excentric rod. The shaft carrying the excentric just mentioned is
furnished with a second excentric for working the cut off valve e³. This valve is
connected by a link rod to an arm of a rocking shaft, a second arm from which is
jointed to the rod of the second excentric.
When using the horizontal expansion cylinder I mount it upon the bed plate on
a level with and preferably alongside the engine which works the machine, and
above the condenser and air reservoir. This form of machine is that preferred
when there is plenty of space for the several parts.
It should be observed that the exhaust valve et shewn in Fig. 8 will be set up
to the face of the expansion chest by means differing somewhat from the wedge-
shaped blocks and clamping screws above described.
In Fig. 8, the valve face is set up by means of screws passing through lugs or
blocks formed in one with or attached to the sides of the expansion chest. The
exhaust valve, it should also be remarked, will be operated alternately with the
supply valve, instead of as in the vertical arrangement simultaneously therewith,
and the exhaust valve will require to be adjusted accordingly.
The Invention relates lastly to a simple arrangement of safety starting gear for
putting the engine of the refrigerator in motion when it has stopped on a dead
centre. The arrangement consists in the use of teeth or notches cast on the side,
or by preference on the periphery of the fly wheel G (as shewn in Fig. 9) taking
into which teeth is a pawl g mounted on a rocky piece g¹, cut or formed in one
with a socket into which a hand lever g² is inserted, which lever serves to operate
the rocking piece g¹ and pawl g, thus starting the fly wheel. The pawl g is thrown
into gear (when in action) with the teeth of the fly wheel G by the upward
pressure of a spring g³, but when the hand lever is dropped the pawl will drop out
of gear. The rocking piece g₁ and the hand lever g* connected therewith may
be mounted upon a stud axle carried by a bracket bearing, as shewn in the
Drawing, or it may be put upon a standard bolted to the flooring or to the deck of
the vessel.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Refrige-
rating Apparatus," and explained in what manner the same may be carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim,—
First. The arrangement of parts constituting a refrigerating apparatus on the
dry air system, described with reference to the Drawings, whereby I am enabled
to secure compactness, efficiency of action, and easy access to all parts requiring
.inspection.
Secondly. In an air compressor an inlet valve or valves constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to Figures 3 and 3* of the
Drawings, such valve or valves being easily accessible from the outside, and fitted
with springs which are capable of adjustment or renewal while the valves are in
motion.
Thirdly. In an air compressing cylinder an outlet valve or valves constructed
and arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose described with
reference to Figures 3 and 3* of the Drawings.
Fourthly. In a refrigerating machine an expansion cylinder, such as E, fitted on
one side or face with a supply valve and a cut off valve capable of exact adjust-
ment in the manner described; and on the opposite, or it may be on an adjacent
side or face, with an exhaust valve which allows the expanded air to pass off
.through short straight ports, the said exhaust valve being capable of adjustment in
the manner herein shewn and described, and readily accessible from the snow box

page_text: which is fitted with a light cover of wood or other non-conducting material, all
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifthly. The improved starting gear described with reference to Figs. 9 of the
Drawings, whereby the fly wheels of refrigerating engines may be started at a safe
distance therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Seale Haslam, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
A. SEALE HASLAM. (L.S.)