IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING SURFACES FOR SKATING IN ALL SEASONS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING SURFACES
FOR SKATING IN ALL SEASONS."-A communication from abroad by
Matthew Julius Bujac, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th January 1870.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING SURFACES
FOR SKATING IN ALL SEASONS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prepare or create frozen surfaces
for skating in all seasons by the artificial congelation of a shallow depth
of water contained in a basin constructed for the purpose.

page_text: In carrying out the Invention a circular or other convenient shape
of basin is constructed capable of containing a depth of a few inches of
water. In this basin and below the surface of the water are placed a
number of tubes, through which is made to circulate ammoniacal gas,
ether, carbonic acid, or other fluid or liquid which is capable upon its ŏ
expansion of abstracting the latent heat contained in the water and
thereby converting the latter into ice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent 1
Office on the 26th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her!
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Newton, my exccutors, administrators, and 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 PREPARING SURFACES FOR SKATING IN ALL SEASONS,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Matthew Julius Bujac,

page_text: of the Oity and State of New York, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 Drawing here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :—
The improvements which form the subject of the present Invention
relate to the production of surfaces suitable for skating upon. To this
end I construct a shallow reservoir or basin of any convenient shapo
and suitable extent of surface. This reservoir may be constructed either
in metal or wood, in masonry, or in any other suitable material, and it
is to be so arranged and constructed that the water which it encloses
may be submitted to the freezing action of any apparatus or machine
which is capable of converting the water into a solid block of ice with
a perfectly smooth and even surface.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn a building specially
constructed with the improved arrangements for skating, and it may be
supposed to represent a building suitable for a skating club, which may
be used for skating purposes in all seasons.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the building, and
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section or sectional plan of the same.
In the centre of a large dome or rotunda A is constructed a shallow
basin or reservoir B intended to receive water, which is to be kept
constantly in a frozen state, so as to present a perfectly smooth and even
surface. Around this basin is formed a walk, path, or platform O. The
apparatus which it is intended to employ for freezing the water in the
basin B is that known as Mr. F. P. C. Carré's apparatus, but I do not
mean to confine myself thereto. These apparatus (of which there may

page_text: be several,) are placed in a pit constructed for the purpose, as at D,
and access may be obtained thereto by means of the steps or
stairs d, d³.
The method I propose to adopt to effect the desired congelation of
the water is to place in the water in the basin B tubes t, t, which will
act as conduits for the passage of ammoniacal gas, ether, carbonic acid,
or other suitable matters. The latent heat contained in the water will
be extracted by the expansion. of the gases in the tubes, and the
temperature of the water being thus considerably lowered it will be
converted into ice. In the Drawing z, z, are the pipes or tubes which
return the gases to the absorbing vessels, and are the pipes or tubes
which conduct the gases from the recipients to the basin B. At P and
P¹ are placed the supply pumps, and at G are placed the steam boilers,
the fire-places of which communicate with a common chimney F.
At the centre of the basin is made a small well or tank R for the
purpose of receiving any water produced by the melting of the ice.
The central column H, which rests on a foundation at the bottom of the
well R (and around which is constructed a staircase leading to a
platform M intended for an orchestra) serves as a ventilating flue or
chimney.
The dome may be provided with a number of candelabras, gaseliers,
or lustres I, and the establishment may be rendered complete by
providing retiring rooms for ladies and gentlemen (placed at V,V,V¹‚V¹),
also a billiard room L, a restaurant or dining room N, and a café or
refreshment room O. At k, k³, are placed the turnstiles or entrances to
the dome. On the left of the principal or main entrance K there. may
be a shop S, or the offices of the officials as at T.
From the above description it will be understood that the peculiar
feature of the Invention for which I claim the exclusive use is the
artificial production of frozen surfaces suitable for skating on in all
seasons, the congelation of such surfaces being effected by any convenient
and suitable freezing apparatus capable of converting the water into ice.
I would observe in conclusion that instead of adapting a number of
branch tubes to the large tubes t, as indicated by the blue lines in
Fig. 2, which arrangement when repairs are required (such, for example,
as renewing the joints) would be objectionable, I reserve to myself the

page_text: right of adapting all these branchings at the edge of the basin, which
arrangement would admit of repairing the joints with great facility.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
W T NEWTON