IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE FOR DOMESTIC USE.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raoul Pierre Pictet of Geneva in the Republic of
Switzerland for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ICE FOR DOMESTIC USE.
»
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raoul Pierre Pictet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1882.
RAOUL PIERRE PICTET of Geneva in the Republic of Switzerland.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE, FOR DOMESTIC USE
"
"
IMPROVE-
The present invention has for its object the application to domestic use of the
process of freezing by anhydrous sulphurous acid by means of an apparatus capable
of producing in ten minutes a kilogramme of ice.
The apparatus in question is composed as usual of a freezer, a compressing pump,
a condenser, and a distributor working under the ordinary conditions, but the
freezer has peculiar arrangements for constantly supplying the loss, which however
is very slight, of volatile liquid, and so the apparatus remains ready for work
without any fresh supply, for a long time, say for example a year.
The freezer is represented in the annexed Drawing.
It consists of two superposed chambers of which the lower is the refrigerator
properly so called working between two levels very close together, and of which
the upper chamber is the provision made for reserve.
The refrigerator consists of a cylindrical receiver A within which an annular
vessel B is formed and from the centre thereof a column C springs; it communicates
with the receiver and is swelled out at the top forming an enlargement D furnished
with a stop cock E having a nozzle G. The receiver has on its side a small
passage F.
The apparatus is filled by introducing the volatile liquid by the passage G to
fill the whole interior capacity of the refrigerator A to the top of the coluion C
where it is terminated by the stop cock E, this forms the charge of the apparatus;
when the distributing cock is adjusted which puts the refrigerator in communication

page_text: with the condenser all the excess of volatile liquid above the orifice of the pipe F
runs into the condenser to the level indicated by the line a. a. The liquid
evaporating from all its free surface it is necessary to ensure constant equilibrium
between the enclosed part of the receiver and the interior of the column C, by
means of one or more curved tubes of U form as the Drawing indicates. The
vessel B receives three conical annular moulds filled with water to be frozen they
fit almost exactly against the sides of the vessel B which however contains as is
usual a small quantity of uncongealable liquid, such as glycerine, to ensure the
interchange of temperature. When the ice is formed the moulds are taken out and
treated in the usual way to remove the ice.
The quantity of negative caloric necessary to freeze the water in the moulds
corresponds to the evaporation of a weight of volatile liquid equal to the difference
between the original level a. a. and the level b. b. to which it has descended after
the freezing.
The refrigerator is completely enveloped in a wooden case packed with cork
dust to ensure its isolation. Its total capacity for the work proposed should be
15 litres of volatile liquid and each of the three moulds will contain 330 grammes
of water, say together about one kilogramme.
The nozzle G of the filling cock E is screwed to admit of its being securely
connected with the sulphurous acid bottles.
This apparatus is furnished with a distributor of peculiar construction consisting
of a four way cock, with two of the passages oblique,
This distributor can assume three positions corresponding to the three phases of
the operation either to freeze to discharge the moulds or to fill, and to this end the
four passages in the shell of the cock correspond respectively by means of small
copper pipes with the plunged part of the condenser;-the lateral tube F of
the refrigerator;-the suction pipe of the pump; and the delivery from the
pump.
A complete revolution of the handle of the cock, puts successively the orifices of
the plug in communication with, 1st the freezing, complete closing, 2nd the
discharge of the moulds the plunged part of the condenser communicates with the
lateral tube of the refrigerator. 3rd the refilling, this connection is maintained
and the suction of the pump communicates with the delivery.
When the apparatus is to be set to work, the refrigerator being in the condition
described above with its volatile liquid at the level a. a and the handle of the
distributor pointing on the indicating dial to "to freeze," the pump is set to work,
the liquid of the refrigerator evaporates and passes off to be reliquified in the
condenser which it fills little by little.
.Cold is produced in the vessel containing the moulds and ice is formed; as soon
as this is complete the pump is stopped.
The handle of the indicator is then put to 'to discharge the moulds." The
pressure in the condenser being greater than in the refrigerator the volatile liquid
is forced back by the plunger and all the liquid returns into the refrigerator which
is the coldest part, this only takes a few seconds.
During this time the moulds are taken out of the vessel B and the blocks of ice
are turned out.
Finally the handle of the indicator is brought to "For filling." Here the liquid
above the lever a. a. in the refrigerator runs back into the condenser.
The moulds are then replaced in the vessel B and they are filled with water
which takes about a minute, and the process is recommenced by bringing the
bandle of the indicator to "to freeze."
It will be observed that in this apparatus the excess of volatile liquid above the
level a. a. passes into the condenser before each operation, afterward coming back
to the refrigator thus making good all losses and maintaining the required level.
In order to ensure as far as possible the perfect closure of the apparatus when
not at work and that full as it is of volatile liquid it may be carried from place to
place without inconvenience; the key is taken out which attaches the piston rod

page_text: of the pump to the connecting rod and the stuffing box receives a screw cap over
the end of the rod which screwing on to the exterior of the stuffing box forms a
perfect closing. In the same way it is convenient to take off the handle of the
distributor during long stoppages and to screw a cap on to the stuffing box to
make a tight joint and prevent loss of the volatile liquid.
It is unnecessary to enter into details respecting the construction of the pump
and of the condenser of which the arrangements are well known and only require
to be adapted with proper care to ensure good working and solidity, as also to avoid
losses and heating. The time necessary to effect the freezing for the small thickness
of ice proposed depends on the speed of rotation of the axis of the pump and the
freezing power of the volatile liquid employed, With anhydrous sulphurous acid
1500 to 1800 strokes of the pump will suffice to produce the result and this will
take about ten minutes.
The motive power required to work the pump is only about one third of a horse
power.
The quantity of Water contained in the tank of the condenser is about 50 kilos
and it may be raised to a temperature of 50 degrees Centigrade, if the temperature
at commencement was 15 degrees the same water will serve for condensation in ten
successive operations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Raoul Pierre Pictet in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1882.
RAOUL PIERRE PICTET of Geneva in the Republic of Switzerland
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE FOR DOMESTIC USE"
"IMPROVE-
The present Invention has for its object the application to domestic use of the
process of freezing by anhydrous sulphurous acid by means of an apparatus capable
of producing in ten minutes a kilogramme of ice.
The apparatus in question is composed as usual of a freezer, a compressing
pump, a condenser, and a distributor working under the ordinary conditions,
but the freezer has peculiar arrangements for constantly supplying the loss, which
however is very slight, of volatile liquid and so the apparatus remains ready
for work without any fresh supply for a long time, say for example a year.
The freezer is represented in the annexed drawing. It consists of two superposed
chambers of which the lower is the refrigerator properly so called working between
two levels very close together, and of which the upper chamber is the provision
made for reserve.
The refrigerator consists of a cylindrical receiver A within which an annular
vessel B is formed and from the centre thereof a column C springs, it communicates
with the receiver and is swelled out at the top forming an enlargement D furnished
with stop cock E having a nozzle G. The receiver has on its side a small
passage F.
The apparatus is filled by introducing the volatile liquid by the passage G to fill
the whole interior capacity of the refrigerator A. to the top of the column C where
it is terminated by the stop cock E, this forms the charge of the apparatus; when
the distributing cock is adjusted which puts the refrigerator in communication
with the condenser all the excess of volatile liquid above the orifice of the pipe F
runs into the condenser to the level indicated by the line a a.
The liquid
evaporating from all its free surface it is necessary to ensure constant equilibrium
between the enclosed part of the receiver and the interior of the column C by
means of one or more curved tubes of U form as the drawing indicates. The
.vessel B receives three conical annular moulds filled with water to be frozen, they fit
almost exactly against the sides of the vessel B-which however contains as is
usual a small quantity of uncongealable liquid, such as glycerine, to ensure the
interchange of temperature. When the ice is formed the moulds are taken out and
treated in the usual way to remove the ice.
The quantity of negative calorie necessary to freeze the water in the moulds
corresponds to the evaporation of a weight of volatile liquid equal to the difference
between the original level a a and the level bb to which it has descended after the
freezing.
The refrigerator is completely enveloped in a wooden case packed with cork dust
to ensure its isolation. Its total capacity for the work proposed should be
15 litres of volatile liquid and each of the three moulds will contain 330 grammes
of water, say together about one kilogramme.
The nozzle G of the filling cock E is screwed to admit of its being securely
connected with the sulphurous acid bottles.
This apparatus is furnished with a distributer of peculiar construction consisting
of a four way cock; with two of the passages oblique.
This distributer can, assume three positions corresponding to the three phases of
the operation either to freeze, to discharge the moulds, or to fill, and to this end
the four passages in the shell of the cock correspond respectively by means of
small copper pipes with the plunged part of the condenser, the lateral tube F
of the refrigerator, the suction pipe of the pump,- and the delivery from the
pump.
A complete revolution of the handle of the cock, puts successively the orifices of

page_text: the plug in communication with: 1° the freezing, complete closing, 2° the discharge
of the moulds the plunged part of the condenser communicates with the lateral
tube of the refrigerator, 3° the refilling-this connection is maintained and the
suction of the pump communicates with the delivery.
When the apparatus is to be set to work, the refrigerator being in the condition
described above with its volatile liquid at the level a a and the handle of the
distributer pointing on the indicating dial to " to freeze," the pump is set to work, the
liquid of the refrigerator evaporates and passes off to be reliquified in the condenser
which it fills little by little. Cold is produced in the vessel containing the moulds
and ice is formed; as soon as this is complete the pump is stopped.
The handle of the indicator is then put to "To discharge the moulds." The
pressure in the condenser being greater than in the refrigerator the volatile liquid
is forced back by the plunger and all the liquid returns into the refrigerator which
is the coldest part, this only takes a few seconds. During this time the moulds
are taken out of the vessel B and the blocks of icc are turned out.
Finally the handle of the indicator is brought to "For filling." Here the liquid
above the level a a in the refrigerator runs back into the condenser.
The moulds are then replaced in the vessel B and they are filled with water
which takes about a minute, and the process is recommenced by bringing the
handle of the indicator to "freeze."
It will be observed that in this apparatus the excess of volatile liquid above the
level a a passes into the condenser before each operation, afterward coming back
to the refrigerator thus making good all losses and maintaining the required
level.
In order to ensure as far as possible the perfect closure of the apparatus when
not at work and that full as it is of volatile liquid it may be carried from place to
place without inconvenience, the key is taken out which attaches the piston rod of
the pump to the connecting rod and the stuffing box receives a screw cap over the
end of the rod which screwing on to the exterior of the stuffing box forms a perfect
closing. In the same way it is convenient to take off the handle of the distributer
during long stoppages and to screw a cap on to the stuffing box to make a tight
joint and prevent loss of the volatile liquid.
It is unnecessary to enter into details respecting the construction of the pump
and of the condenser of which the arrangements are well known and only require
to be adapted with proper care to ensure good working and solidity, as also to
avoid losses and heatings.
The time necessary to effect the freezing, for the small thickness of ice proposed,
depends on the speed of rotation of the axis of the pump and the freezing power
of the volatile liquid employed. With anhydrous sulphurous acid 1500 to 1800.
strokes of the pump will suffice to produce the result and this will take about
10 minutes. The motive power required to work the pump is only about one third
of a horse power. The quantity of water contained in the tank of the condenser
is about 50 kilos. and it may be raised to a temperature of 50 degrees Centigrade,
if the temperature at commencement was 15 degrees the same water will serve for
condensation in ten successive operations
What I claim is :-
My improved apparatus for the manufacture of ice for domestic use substantially
as herein described.
In witness whereof I the said Raoul Pierre Pictet have hereunto set my
hand and seal this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
RAOUL PIERRE PICTET. (LS)