IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATORS, a communication to me from abroad by Hermann von Rom of
Stuttgart through his agents Wirth and Company of Frankfort-on-the Main both
in the Empire of Germany, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to maintain a low temperature in refrigerators or
refrigerating chambers. This is accomplished either without or with the use of
ice as represented in Figures 1 and 2 respectively in which similar letters refer to
similar parts.
The refrigerating chamber a Figure 1 is constructed of some non-conducting
substance, and is provided with a roof-shaped cover b of some good heat conducting
material and covered with cotton cloth g or other absorbent fabric, the lower edges
of both cover and cloth dipping on all sides into a gutter c which is filled with
water. The cover bis hinged to the wall on one side so as to lift up as shown in.
the drawing. The immersion of the edges of the cover in water entirely prevents
the entrance of air into the chamber. In case however of it being necessary to
have an air communication with the inside an air pipe f is provided, the outer end
of which rises through the water in the gutter c, and of which the mouth is closed
by means of a bell shaped vessel h placed over it. An overflow pipe d regulates
the height of the water in the gutter c and the drain pipe e permits the gutter to
be emptied when being cleaned. The refrigerating process can be effected either
by allowing the cooling water to drip onto the cloth g which serves to retard its
descent down the cover or by the evaporation from the moistened cloth which
absorbs water by capillary attraction from the gutter. The moisture arising from
the objects placed in the refrigerator is condensed on the inuer surface of the cover
and trickles down into the gutter.

page_text: In the second system (Figure 2) the cooling medium is ice and the water running
from it whilst in a melting condition. The refrigerating chamber a is of the same
construction as before, but the cover b in this case lifts straight up instead of
being hinged, and the overflow pipe d is continued downwards and has its mouth
trapped to prevent the access of air to the ice chamber n. In order to form this
ice chamber the walls of the refrigerator are continued upwards and are surmounted
by the air-tight non conducting cover i, the ice being placed in a basket o supported
on the movable rods l.
The water draining from the ice drips on the fabric g covering the lid b. The
advantages of these systems are great and manifest. The saving of ice with equal
cooling results, is considerable; the refrigerating process can be begun, or stopped
without delay, and the whole apparatus is easy of access for cleaning or repair.
Data thin 16th day of Nam 1001

page_text: Improvements in Refrigerators.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of. A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATORS" (a communication to me from abroad by Hermann Von Rom of
Stuttgart through his Agents Wirth & Company of Frankfort on Main both in the
Empire of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:
This Invention relates to improvements in refrigerators or refrigerating chambers,
and it has for its object to maintain a low temperature in the chamber either with
or without the use of ice.
V
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein Figure 1 represents the complete apparatus and Figures 2 and 3 parts of
the apparatus drawn to a larger scale.
a is the refrigerating chamber constructed of some material which is either a non
conductor or a poor conductor of heat. bis a roof shaped cover made of some good
conductor of heat hinged at one side of the apparatus and dipping at its lower
edges into a gutter or channel c which extends around the refrigerating chamber,
d is an aperture at the edge of the gutter or channel c for running off the water
when necessary closed by a cap. f is an air pipe bent at right angles and coin-
municating with the interior of the vessel a and rising through the water in the
channel c. e is a tubular cap or cover for the air pipe ƒ fitted in a socket e³ on the
top or cover b and adapted to be moved up and down on the air pipe f. This cap e
has a flange e¹ at its lower edge. 7 is a cotton cloth with which the cover b is
covered, said cloth dipping into the water in channel c. The cover b serves as
an upper cooling surface and the refrigeration or cooling of the chamber can be
effected.
1st By the evaporation of the water which will by capillary attraction be
absorbed by the cloth from the water in the channel or gutter c.
2ndly By allowing water to drip onto the cover b from which it runs down into
the water channel cand thence through the aperture d.
3rdly By placing ice in the water channel c.
4thly By providing the interior of the refrigerating chamber with an ice.
receptacle aud
5thly By the employment of an ice box h supported by the inner cover, as
represented in Figure 1.
In the last arrangement the water from the ice runs down the gutter i from the
ice box h into the channel c.
The object aimed at is not only to supply the water channel c in a spontaneous
manner with this ice water, but also to cool the water in the water channel.c
continually.
The effect produced by the absorption of the ice water by the cloth g is to
reduce the temperature in the interior of the chamber a so that a small quantity
only of ice in the box h will be consumed. The water in the channel c moreover
effectually prevents the entrance of air to the chamber a.

page_text: The moisture arising from the objects placed in the refrigerator is condensed on
the inner surface of the cover b and trickles down into the gutter c.
The object of the air pipe f is to allow before the cover is elevated of the
entrance of air from the outside into the chamber a and the exit of the air when
the cover is shut up so as to avoid splashing the water in the gutter c.
The cap or cover e of the pipe fenables the pipe f to be closed by a water seal
and also serves as a handle to raise the cover b. In uncovering the refrigerator
-the cover e of the air pipe f is first raised out of the water so that the external air
has free access to the interior of the chamber, and then the flange e¹ comes against
the ring or socket e² on the cover b and raises the latter.
i
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"
In closing the refrigerator the cover bis first lowered so that its edges dip in
the channel c and then on releasing the cover e the latter drops by its own weight
over the pipe f and effectually closes said pipe by the water seal.
,1
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The combination with a refrigerator or refrigerating chamber furnished with
a water channel or gutter around its edges of a cover dipping into the gutter or
channel substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
2nd The combination with a refrigerating chainber having a water channel or
gutter a cover dipping into said channel or gutter and an air pipe coinmunicating
with the interior of the refrigerator, of the cap e for the air pipe fitted to slide on
the refrigerator cover substantially as shown and described for the purpose
specified.
i
3rd The combination with a refrigerator or refrigerating chamber constructed
'with a water channel around its edges and a cover dipping into said water channel,
of the ice box or receptacle / placed at the upper part of the chamber and provided
with a gutter for conveying the ice water to the water channel substantially as
shown and described.
4th The combination with a cover of the cloth covering dipping into the
water channel or gutter c for cooling the refrigerating chamber by evaporation as
shown and described.