IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE." A communication
from abroad by Theodore Benedict Edouard Turrettini and Raoul Pierro Pictet,
hath of Coneva
Sealed the Sth May 1877, and dated the 13th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1877.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ICE." A communication from abroad by Theodore Benedict
Edouard Turrettini and Raoul Pierre Pictet, both of Geneva.
The objects of the present Invention is to produce blocks of transparent ice by
the processes by which ice is produced artificially. This transparence can only be
obtained by freeing the water from the air which it contains, and which is retained
when congelation takes place.
Attempts have been made to attain this result by agitating the water in the moulds
during the congelation by means of a mechanical agitator or by circulation, but this
operation is hardly practicable for application on a large scale, and it requires
costly and complicated apparatus. Hence it is now proposed to adopt other means,
which are described below.
The water intended for filling the moulds is introduced in the first place into a
cylindrical vessel by means of a pipe terminating in a funnel, and provided with
a stop-cock, so that the cylinder can be closed air-tight, and it is filled nearly to
the top.
In the interior of the cylinder an agitator carrying beaters is arranged; its axis
passes through a stuffing box, and it can be rotated by means of a pulley and band;
the bottom of the cylinder also carries fixed beaters or pallets interposed between
those of the agitator. At the top of the cylinder there is a pipe in communication
with an air pump, which draws the air from the cylinder, and maintains a vacuum
within it. Another pipe passes out from the bottom of the cylinder, and it is
provided with a stop-cock for drawing off the water when it has been purged of
air to the moulds in which it is to be frozen. By these means air can be separated
from water on a large scale at a very small expense.
-

page_text: To the above method another very simple an efficacious process may be
preferred. This process consists in aiding the escape of the air from the water
by passing a current of air, or of a suitable gas, through the water intended to be
frozen. This may be done by plunging into the moulds a pipe connected at the top
with a blowing machine. The air issuing from the end of the pipe at the bottom of 5
the mould sweeps away as it rises all the air contained in the aqueous mass, and
which is liberated at the instant of congelation, and there results a perfectly
transparent block of ice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sydney Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th September 1
1877.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ICE." A communication from abroad by Theodore Benedict
Edouard Turrettini and Raoul Pierre Pictet, both of Geneva.
The object of the present Invention is to produce blocks of transparent ice by the 1
processes by which ice is produced artificially. This transparence can only be
obtained by freeing the water from the air which it contains, and which is retained
when congelation takes place.
Attempts have been made to attain this result by agitating the water in the
moulds during the congelation by means of a mechanical agitator, or by circulation, 2
but this operation is hardly practicable for application on a large scale, and it
requires costly and complicated apparatus. By the present Invention other means
described below are adopted.
The water intended for filling the moulds is introduced in the first place into a
cylindrical vessel by means of a pipe terminating in a funnel, and provided with 2
a stop-cock, so that the cylinder can be closed air-tight, and it is filled nearly to
the top.
In the interior of the cylinder an agitator carrying beaters is arranged; its axis
passes through a stuffing box, and it can be rotated by means of a pulley and band.
The bottom of the cylinder also carries fixed beaters or pallets interposed between 3
those of the agitator. At the top of the cylinder there is a pipe in communication
with an air pump, which draws the air from the cylinder, and maintains a vaccum
within it. Another pipe passes out from the bottom of the cylinder, and it is
provided with a stop-cock for drawing off the water when it has been purged of air
to the moulds in which it is to be frozen. By these means air can be separated 3
from water on a large scale at a very small expense.
Another very simple and efficacious process may be preferred to the above
method. This process consists in aiding the escape of the air from the water by passing
a current of air or of a suitable gas through the water intended to be frozen. This
may be done by plunging into the moulds a pipe connected at the top with a 4
blowing machine. The air issuing from the end of the pipe at the bottom of the
mould sweeps away as it rises all the air contained in the aqueous mass, and which
is liberated at the instant of congelation, and there results a perfectly transparent
block of ice.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand 4
and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.