proved Cooling and Refrigerating Apparatus
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb, 1896-Accepted, 30th Apr,
1896
PROVISIONAL DIECIFICATION
Improved Cooling and Refrigerating Apparatus
I, OTTO CHARLES FREDERICK KUPHAL, of Port Richmond, State of New
York United States of America, Writer, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows
The method and apparatus forming my invention are applicable for the pro-
duction of cold air and ice, and generally for cooling and refrigerating purposes,
including the cooling of liquids and of inclosures of all sizes, such as houses, vaults,
vessels, provision safes etc
The principle upon which the invention is based is that of cooling by expansion
of water into vapour the method and apparatus being especially designed to
secure very high expansion of the fluid and correspondingly low temperature
A refrigerating apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention
compuses a preferably cylindrical air-tight receptacle for containing the articles or
air to be cooled Above this chamber is a second receptacle, which is connected
with a third receptacle situated beneath the first referred-to receptacle by a series
of tubes extending through the said first referred-to and centrally arranged
receptacle These three receptacles and all tubes for ning a part of the apparatus
are encased in a suitable non-conducting substance or material
The first receptacle is divided into three or more or less compartments by porous
"French
diaphragms of any suitable material but preferably a substance known as
bisque The uppermost compartment is adapted to contain water, a constant
supply thereof being provided by a pump or the like The tube from this pump
passes spirally around the aforesaid first receptacle in order that the water in the
tube may be thereby cooled before passing into the upper receptacle
The lowermost or third receptacle afore referred-to has a sloping bottom
connected by a tube with an exhaust pump
The central or first receptacle referred to is also connected to a force-pump
whereby the cold air therein may be compressed or forced into other freezing
receptacles
Articles to be frozen are placed in the central or first receptacle referred-to, and
when the suction or exhaust pump is set in operation the water from the top
compartment of the second referred-to receptacle is drawn through the first porous
diaphragm and falls in fine spray onto the top of the next one and then through
that one also The moisture is rapidly evaporated into the vacuum in the tubes
passing through the central receptacle and expands into a very large volume
relatively to the volume of water The heat in the pipes aforementioned 15
absorbed by the vapour and the air in the central or first receptacle is rapidly
cooled to a very low temperature
An alternative and cheaper form of the invention consists of a box-like
receptacle to contain the goods to be frozen This receptacle is placed upon or
formed integral with another receptacle which is connected with the suction or
exhaust pump, and connected also with an upper receptacle (which forms a part of
the first referred to box-like receptacle,) which is divided into compartments by
porous diaphragms The operation of this form of apparatus is the same as that
described with reference to that form of apparatus first described
Dated this 30th day of April 1895

page_text: Improved Cooling and Refrigerating Apparatus
I, OTTO CHARLES FREDERICK KUPHAI, of Port Richmond, State of New
York, United States of America, Writer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same
described and ascertained in and by the following statement
is to be performed, to be particularly
-
The present invention is applicable to apparatus for the production of cold air
and ice and generally for cooling and refrigerating purposes, including the cooling
of liquid and of inclosures of all sizes such as houses, vaults, vessels provision
safes, and the like
The principle upon which apparatus embodying the invention operates is that of
cooling by the expansion of water into water vapor, and this principle is carried
out by atomizing water by passing it through material of the requisite porosity to
secure the passage of the water in a finely divided state, and evaporating the water
thus atomized from the outer surface of the porous material into a vacuum
expansion space, the vapor thus produced being applied to the cooling space or
material to be refrigerated preferably by being diawn through pipes which traverse
the chamber containing the air, liquid or other material to be cooled, which
chamber may be the ice chamber of an ice machine, or a refrigerating chamber of
any kind, or a chamber through which air is forced or in which the cooled air is
held under pressure sufficient to secure its transfer to the point where it is to
be used
In the Specification of United States Patent No 530535, I have described and
claimed broadly such apparatus, and the present invention consists of improvements
thereon, being more especially applicable to apparatus of the general construction
shown and described in said Specification
For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of an apparatus
embodying the same in the preferred form as applied to cooling air forced through
or compressed within the cooling chamber will now be given, reference being had
to the accompanying diawing forming a part of the Specification, and the features
forming the invention then specifically pointed out in the claims
The drawing shows the apparatus with the cooling chamber in elevation, but
partially broken away, and the other parts of the apparatus in central vertical
section
At the top of the apparatus is a water tight tank A divided into three an tight
chambers b, c by slabs of porous material B, B'
water chamber, into which the water to be evaporated is introduced
The upper chamber a is the
lower chamber c a number of vertical pipes which may be widely spaced, as shown,
From the
or set quite closely together according to the degree of cooling required, pass
downward through the cooling chamber to another tank D which is also air
tight, and from which a pipe fleads to a vacuum pump Fudicated in diagram and
which may be of any suitable construction It will be seen that the lower
chamber c of the tank A, the pipes d and the tank D form a vacuum expansion
chamber, the vapour in which is applied to cooling the chamber C, through which
the pipes extend
As shown, the tanks A D and the central tank forming the cooling chamber C,
are made separate and secured together at the ends by flanges and bolts, but it will
be understood that this is simply a matter of convenience in construction, and that
any other suitable process of manufacture may be used As above stated, the
cooling chamber C may be used in any suitable manner, but the apparatus shown
18 designed especially for cooling air, and an air compressor or pump G is shown as
used to force the air into the top of the cooling chamber C through the
cooled air passing out at the bottom of the chamber through the pipe h, either
pipe g, the

page_text: continuously or being compressed within the chamber C by closing the pipe h,
and passing outwar1 when the pipe is opened to withdraw the air for usc
The slabs B, B' by which the tank A is divided into three chambers may be of
any suitable material of such porosity as to secure the desired effect and for certain
purposes it may be found that only one slab need be used while for others more
than two slabs may be desirable The pipes d, fare shown as straight pipes of the
same diameter throughout but it will be understood that they may be of any other
form suitable for the purpose
The construction thus far de cribed is or may be substantially the same as shown
in the Specification of my United States Patent above referred to except that the
water chamber a is made air tight, and this with the other features embodying the
pre ent invention will now be described
To aid the cooling or refrigerating process the entire construction exclusive of
the pumps F, G, is enclosed within a casing H and the pace about the apparatus
within the casing is filled with suitable non-heat-conducting material k It is
desirable that the water entering the water chamber a should be cooled as far as
practicable, and it is preferable to cool this water supply within the apparatus
This result is secured by entering the water supply pipe I at the base of the
apparatus, passing it through a jacket about the pipe f, so as to utilize the low
temperature therein and then passing it upward through the packing k within the
casing H to the water chamber a, this water vipe preferably being coiled about
the cooling chamber C so as to lengthen the course of the water and lower its
temperature as far as possible
The cl sing of the water chamber a an tight forms an important part of the
invention, this feature aiding materially in securing low tempeinture, ind by
cooling the water before introduction a further considerable economy is secured
By the use of a substantially an tight water chamber, moreover, I am enabled to
secure an automatic regulation of the water supply, and further to use in apparatus
without a pump and with any source of water supply, no head being required, the
water being forced in by atmospheric pressure, as a vacuum is formed in the water
chamber by the pump F, so that the water supply is depen lent upon the vacuum
in the air chamber and by the use of a pipe of suitable size or suitably throttled,
a perfect regulation can be secured I have shown a throttle valve m on the
water pipe for controling the inlet It will be understood that some or all of the
water may be vaporized in entering the chamber a from the pipe I, this depending
upon the degree of vacuum in the air chamber, but this does not interfere with
the operation of the apparatus, noi does any freezing of the water in the water
chamber thus interfere While this air tight water chamber is of especial value
as securing automatic regulation when the water supply is dependent upon the
vacuum, it will be understood that this air tight watei chamber may be used with
water fed independently of the vacuum, as by a pump, or under sufficient head,
and such a chamber forms a part of the invention independently of the character
of the water supply
The operation will be understood from a brief description
Assuming that the machine 15 to be tatted without water in the water
chamber a, and with the water pipe I connected to a tank or other similar source
of supply, the vacuum pump F being started, a vacuum is produced in the apparatus
including the water chamber a, and upon the production of a sufficient vacuum,
the water is forced in by atmospheric pressure through the pipe I This water
passes through the slabs B, B₁, being thus atomized, and is rapidly evaporated
from the bottom of the slab B' into the vacuum produced by the air pump in the
chamber C and expands to a very large volume relatively to the volume of the
water This vapour then passes through the pipes d into the tank D, and is drawn
out and expelled by pump F The heat within the pipes d and the chamber
absorbed by this vapour, and the air or other material in the chamber C thus
cooled to a very low degree of temperature The water enters the chamber a at
a low temperature due to the cooling of the water in the supply pipe F as it passes
19

page_text: through the jacket 1, and upward through the packing k, thus increasing largely
the economy of the apparatus and this economy is further increased by the packing
of the apparatus within the casing H
lt will be understood that the invention may be embodied in constructions of
widely different form, depending to some extent upon the results to be attained,
and, while the construction shown forms a very convenient and efficient apparatus,
I am not to be limited to it
Having now particularly described and iscertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
-
1 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapor therein to cooling a space or body, of an air tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by porous material, substantially as described
2 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapour therein to cooling a space or body, of an air tight water chamber separated
fiom said vacuum chamber by porous material and a water supply controlled
by the pressure in the water chamber, substantially as described
3 The combination with a vacuum chamber arıanged for the application of
vapor therain to cooling a space or body, of in an tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by porous material, and a water supply below said
water chamber and under pressure sufficient to raise the witer into the water
chamber only against a pressure below atmospheric pressure therein, substantially as
described
4 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapoi therein to cooling a space or body, of an air tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by porous material and a water supply pipe irianged
to secure the cooling of the water in the apparatus before reaching the water
chamber, substantially as described
5 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapor theicin to cooling space or body, of an air tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by a plurality of separated layers of porous material,
substantially as described
6 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapoi therein to cooling a space or body, of an air tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by porous material, and a pump connecting with sud
vacuum chamber, substantially as described
7 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapoi therein to cool ng a spice or body, of an an tight water chamber separated
fiom said vacuum chamber by porous material, and non-conducting parking inclosing
said chambers, substantially as described
8 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapour therein to cooling a space or body, of an an tight water chamber separated
from said vacuum chamber by porous material, a pump, pipe connecting the
vacuum chamber and pump, and a casing and non-conducting packing inclosing
said vacuum chamber, water chamber and pipe, substantially as described
9 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapour therein to cooling a space or-body of a water chamber separated from
said vacuum chamber by poious material a casing surrounding said vacuum
chamber and water chamber, a non-conducting packing inclosing said chambers,
and a water supply pipe, passing through said packing to the water chamber from
the opposite side of the apparatu, subtantially as described
10 The combination with a vacuum chamber arranged for the application of
vapour therein to cooling a space or body, of a water chamber separated from said
vacuum chamber by porous material, a casing surrounding said vacuum chamber
and water chamber, a pump, a pipe connecting said vacuum chamber and pump, a
jacket on said pipe, a non conducting packing inclosing said chambers, and a water

page_text: supply pipe passing through said Jacket and packing to the water chamber,
substantially as described
11 The combination with the chamber C, of tanks A, D, porous material
dividing the tank A into air tight chambers, pipes & connecting the inner chamber
with tank D, pump F and pipe f connecting tank D therewith, water supply pipe I
passing through the apparatus to the outer or water chamber of tank A, casing H,
and non-conducting packing k within said casing about the tanks and pipe I,
substantially as described
12 The combination with the chamber C, of tanks A, D, porous material
dividing the tank A into chambers, pipes d connecting the inner chamber with
tank D, pump F and pipe f connecting tank D therewith, Jacket on said pipe,
water supply pipe I passing through said jacket and through the apparatus to the
outer or water chamber of tank A, casing H, and non-conducting packing k within
said casing about the tanks jacket 7 and pipe I, substantially as described
13 The combination with the chamber of tanks A, D, porous material
dividing the tank A into chambers, pipes d connecting the inner chamber with
tank D, pump F and pipe f connecting tank D therewith, Jacket 7 on said pipe
water-pipe I passing through said jacket to the outer or water chamber of tank A
and coiled about the chamber C, casting H, and non conducting packing k within
said casing about the tanks, jacket 1 and pipe I, substantially as described
Dated this 7th day of February 1896
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, WC, Chartered Patent Agents.