IMPROVEMENTS IN ICE PRESERVERS, REFRIGERATORS, AND ICE SAFES
Year: 1868

page_text: granted
GE RENT, OF
No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ICE PRESERVERS, REFRIGERATORS,
AND ICE SAFES," bearing date the 5th May 1868 (No. 1469).
5 DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
filed by the Patentee, the said GEORGE KENT, in the Great Seal
Patent Office, with the Specification to which the same relates
according to the Statute in that case made and provided.
WHEREAS since the filing of the Specification of the said Patent I
0 have been advised in respect to certain of the improvements in ice
preservers, refrigerators, and ice safes described in my said Specification,
that although they are new in regard to the forms given to such
apparatus it is doubtful if the novelties are of such a nature as to admit
of these improvements being legally claimed under my Patent: And

page_text: whereas I have been advised that the method of maintaining a down-
ward flow of refrigerated dry air through an ice safe, preserver, or
refrigerator, in which my Invention consists, is not clearly defined by
my Specification.
Now for these reasons and in order to limit my claim of Invention to
the method of producing a current of dry cold air through ice safes, pre-
servers, or refrigerators, as described in my Specification, and as shown
by the Drawings annexed thereto, I do hereby alter my said Specification
by introducing at the end thereof the following words, videlicit :-
"I limit my claim to ice safes, preservers, and refrigerators, in
"which ventilation by a current of dry air is produced by means of a
"downward flow of refrigerated or chilled air passing through them in
"the manner following:-The air is admitted through an opening in
"the safe or refrigerator leading into the ice chamber so as to go directly
on the ice, and when cooled to a low temperature and practically dry
"it falls into the provision chamber, displacing or driving before it all
effluvia or gaseous impurities emitted by meat or other provisions, and
all foul or impure air is carried off and escapes by the small opening
"at the bottom. The ventilation or downward flow of dry air through
the safe, preserver, or refrigerator, will be constantly maintained by
"reason of the greater specific gravity of the cooled air as compared with
"the external air, and I disclaim all other matters and things herein
described."
"
14
"
66
66
And further I disclaim and strike out from my Specification the parts
commencing with the words "This Invention has, firstly, for its object "
at line 3, page 5, of the said Specification as printed by Her Majesty's
Printers, and ending with the words "cool and fresh" at line 10, page 6,
and also the parts commencing with the words, "a refrigerator for
cooling," at line 26, page 6, and ending with the words "c is a com-
partment for containing water or fluid to be cooled, and this can be
drawn off through the tap c," at line 32, page 8, of the said printed
copies. And as respects the part of the Specification commencing with
the words "miniature ice preservers," at line 11, page 6, and ending
with the words "fresh dishes of fruit, &c.," at line 25 of the same page,
and which part of the Specification relates to Figure 3 of the Drawings,
as I now desire to retain no claim to the safe here described and shewn,
save and except the arrangements for ventilating the same, explained by
the note on the. Drawings, I strike out the words "may be" in the first

page_text: line of the said note, and substitute the word "is," and the portion of
the Specification relating to this Figure I arrange to follow at the end
of the description of Figures 12, 13, and 14. And to render the
numbering of the Figures consistent with these alterations, I renumber
the Figures, altering Figure 12 into Figure 1, Figure 13 into Figure 2,
Figure 14 into Figure 3, and Figure 3 into Figure 4, and this I do
wherever the said Figures are referred to in the Specification and
Drawings, and all the other Figures of the Drawings I disclaim and
strike out from my Specification.
And in order that the effect of this Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration may be clearly seen, I annex a copy of the Specification as it
will appear when such Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration is
made as aforesaid.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
KENT, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Kent, Her special licence that I, the
said George Kent, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as the said George Kent, my executors, 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 ICE PRESERVERS, REFRIGERATORS,
AND ICE SAFES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Kent, 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 Seal Patent Office within 6 calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
In constructing ice safes in which it is at times desired to place
provisions, past which a current of cold dry air should pass to keep them
sweet, I place the ice near the top of the safe or refrigerator in a cradle
or rack made of overlapping plates or ribs, by preference of metal, with
air passages between them, so that air may pass between the plates, but
any water coming from the ice will trickle down to the lowest plate and
be conducted to the bottom of the safe or refrigerator through a suitable
pipe, so that the water passing from the ice will not come in contact with
any provisions placed in the safe. I prefer that each plate or rib should
be made thus in section 2, both for the sake of strength and that water
running down from the outer side of one plate may fall on to the inner
side of the plate below it, the plate or ribs of which the rack or cradle is
composed being for this purpose placed thus
3.
one below the other;
or in place of this the cradle or rack may be made of sheet metal or
other material with perforations for the passage of the air. Air can be
admitted through an opening which may be fitted with a valve or
shifting plate at the top of the safe to admit or exclude air as the casc
may require; this valve when open will admit air, which will then pass
down through the ice rack cooled to a low temperature, and will fall to
the bottom of the safe displacing or driving before it any impure air
arising from the provisions, and which foul air will be carried off through
an opening, which may also be fitted with a valve.
Figure 1 shows a front view of a safe such as is above described, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same. a is tho cradle or rack at the
top of the safe, into which the lumps of ice are placed; in the arrange-
ment shown one side only of this rack is so made that air can pass
through openings in it, there being on the opposite side a compartment b
for containing water. The side of the rack through which the chilled
air is to descend is by preference, as above stated, made up of plates of
metal bent to the form shown at Figure 3, the ends of such curved
plates being fixed to the end plates of the rack. The small supply of air
which it is required to pass through the safe is admitted through the
opening c, and this air as it is cooled falls to the bottom of the safe

page_text: taking down with it all effluvia or gaseous impurities emitted by any
impurities which may be in the safe, and at the bottom of the safe it
passes out through a similar small opening not shown in the Drawing.
Any water which may accumulate in the bottom of the ice rack is led off
freely through the pipe d to the bottom of the safe. e, e, are shelves, by
preference of galvanized iron, upon which meat or other provisions may
be placed. Meat or other provisions may also in addition be hung upon
pegs fixed to the sides and door of the safe.
The method above described of maintaining a downward flow of
refrigerated air through a safe in which meat or other articles may be
preserved in place of being closing the safe as nearly air-tight as possible
is a novel and very important feature of my Invention.
Miniature ice preservers or refrigerators may also be fitted with a false
bottom or partition to form an upper and lower chamber, the upper one
to contain ice, the lower one to receive a bottle of wine or other fluid,
or dish of fruit, or other article to be iced, cooled, or preserved by
refrigeration from the ice in the upper chamber. The opening in the
lower chamber may be at one end of the oval case, and be provided with
a closely fitting or nearly air-tight door or plug.
A miniature refrigerator so formed with an upper and lower chamber
is shown in section at Figure 4. In the refrigerator here shown the
upper and lower chambers are made to separate from one another, the
lower chamber being closed by the upper one being placed above it.
The upper chamber is made with a compartment c for cooling water or
fluid, and in the other compartment of this chamber lumps of ice are to
be placed as shown. The lower chamber of the refrigerator may
very advantageously be used for cooling and keeping fresh dishes
of fruit, &c.
I limit my claim to ice safes, preservers, and refrigerators in which
ventilation by a current of dry air is produced by means of a downward
flow of refrigerated or chilled air passing through them in the manner
following: The air is admitted through an opening in the safe or
refrigerator leading into the ice chamber, so as to go directly on the ice,
and when cooled to a low temperature and practically dry it falls into
the provision chamber, displacing or driving before it all effluvia or
gascous impurities emitted by meat or other provisions, and all foul or
impure air is carried off and escapes by the small opening at the bottom.

page_text: The ventilation or downward flow of dry air through the safe preserver
or refrigerator will be constantly maintained by reason of the greater
specific gravity of the cooled air as compared with the external air; and
I disclaim all other matters and things herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Kent, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above-named George
Kent to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to
which the same relates, the above-written Disclaimer and Memorandum
of Alteration.
Dated this Seventh day of July One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.
Temple.
R. P. COLLIER,
Attorney-General.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Kent, of No. 199, High Holboru, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ICE
AND ICE SARDO"
Sealed the 3rd November 1868, and dated the 5th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Kent at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1868.
I, GEORGE KENT, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ICE PRESERVERS, REFRIGERATORS, AND ICE SAFES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has, firstly, for its object the constructing miniature
refrigerators or ice preservers. For this purpose I form miniature
refrigerators or ice preservers of sheet metal or other suitable material,
the sides of the refrigerators or ice preservers being made double, and
the space between the plates which form the double sides being filled in
with powdered charcoal, cowhair, or other suitable non-conducting
material. The bottom of the refrigerators or ice preservers I also make

page_text: double and of sheet metal. The top of the refrigerators or ice preservers
I cover over with a lid, and this lid also is made of sheet metal and
double. For a miniature refrigerator or ice preserver suitable for cooling
water for drinking the refrigerator or preserver may be made cylindrical,
and may have standing up from its bottom a ring of metal to receive
the bottom of a glass beaker or vessel to contain water or other fluid
to be cooled. When the refrigerator is in use the space between the
glass vessel and the sides of the refrigerator is filled in with broken
pieces of ice, or the miniature ice preserver or refrigerator may be made
of an oval form of sufficient length to allow of a bottle of wine being
laid down lengthwise within it, and may be fitted with a false bottom,
on to which when the safe or refrigerator is to be used lumps of ice
are placed; a bottle of wine may then be laid on to the top of the ice
and be covered over by the lid; or a miniature ice preserver or refri-
gerator may be fitted with á false bottom or partition to form an upper
and lower chamber, the upper one to contain ice, the lower one to
receive a bottle of wine or other fluid or a dish of fruit or other article
to be iced, cooled, or preserved by refrigeration from the ice in the upper
chamber. The opening to the lower chamber may be at one end of the
oval case, and be provided with a closely fitting or nearly air-tight door
or plug.
A refrigerator for cooling a larger number of bottles of wine may
be similarly made, and be of an oval or cylindrical form, the central
space being shut off from the other parts of the refrigerator by partitions
of thin sheet metal. The bottles to be cooled are stood up on end in the
spaces so shut off, and the central space is filled with ice. The interior of
the refrigerator may also be fitted with a tank or other vessel for contain-
ing water, which can be drawn off through a small tap on the exterior.
I also form refrigerators for cooling bottles in the following manner :-
The bottles to be cooled are stood up side by side on a tray or stand,
and a cover fitted with handles on its exterior is then placed over the
bottles, the bottom of the cover resting on the tray or stand. The lower
end of the cover is closed by a suitable bottom, through which as many
holes are formed as there are bottles to be cooled, or a portion of the
space may be adapted to receive a dish of fruit. Around each hole is a
cylindrical case of thin sheet metal which stands up within the cover,
and when the cover is placed over the bottles each bottle passes through
one of the holes in the bottom of the cover; into one of these cylindrical

page_text: metal cases the top of the cover is fitted with a lid, and this lid and the
sides of the cover are both made double of sheet metal, as before
described. Across the interior of the cover near its upper end is a
perforated plate, on to which lumps of ice are placed when the
refrigerator is to be used; or the bottle refrigerator may be made so
that the bottles are passed through holes in the top of a refrigerator
into thin metal cases, the holes being then closed by suitable plugs
or lids. In this case the refrigerator may conveniently be of a cylindrical
shape and be filled with lumps of ice through a central hole in its top,
and this central hole may be surrounded by the holes through which
the bottles are to be inserted. In ice safes as now ordinarily constructed
a portion of the interior space of the safe may similarly be fitted for
cooling bottles, the bottles being inserted through holes in one side of
the safe into thin metal cases, and the holes then closed by suitable
plugs or covers. Four or other number of rows of such thin metal cases
are placed, one above the other, inside the safe, and above the uppermost
row is fixed a perforated plate of metal, on to which ico is placed, so
that as the ice melts the water passing therefrom may trickle down
over the thin metal cases; or the whole of a safe or refrigerator may be
thus fitted for cooling bottles.
In constructing ice safes in which it is at times desired to place
provisions, past which a current of cool dry air should pass to keep them
sweet, I place the ice near the top of the safe or refrigerator in a cradle
or rack made of overlapping plates or ribs, by preference of metal, with
air passages between them, so that air may pass between the plates,
but any water coming from the ice will trickle down to the lowest plate
and be conducted to the bottom of the safe or refrigerator through a
suitable pipe, so that the water passing from the ice will not come in
contact with any provisions placed in the safe. I prefer that each
plate or rib should be made thus in section 2, both for the sake of
strength and that water running down from the outer side of one plate
may fall on to the inner side of the plate below it, the plates or ribs
of which the rack or cradle is composed being for this purpose placed
thus
3.
one below the other; or in place of this the cradle or rack
may be made of sheet metal or other material with perforations for the
passage of the air. Air can be admitted through an opening which
may be fitted with a valve or shifting plate at the top of the safe to

page_text: admit or exclude air as the case may require; this valve when open
will admit air, which will then pass down through the ice rack cooled
to a low temperature and will fall to the bottom of the safe, displacing
or driving before it any impure air arising from the provisions, and
which foul air will be carried off through an opening, which may also be
fitted with a valve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Kent in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
KENT, of No. 199, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHERFAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Kent, Her special licence
that I, the said George Kent, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Kent, my executors, 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 ICE PRESERVERS,
REFRIGERATORS, AND ICE SAFES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Kent, 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has, firstly, for its object. the constructing miniature
refrigerators or ice preservers. For this purpose I form miniature
refrigerators or ice preservers of sheet metal or other suitable material,
the sides of the refrigerators or ice preservers being made double, and
the space between the plates which form the double sides being filled.
in with powdered charcoal, cowhair, or other suitable non-conducting
material. The bottom of the refrigerators or ice preservers I also make
double and of sheet nietal. The top of the refrigerators or ice preservers
I cover over with a lid, and this lid also is made of sheet metal and
double. For a miniature refrigerator or ice preserver suitable for
cooling water for drinking the refrigerator or preserver may be made
cylindrical, and may have standing up from its bottom a cylinder or
ring of metal to receive a glass beaker or vessel to contain water or
other fluid to be cooled. When the refrigerator is in use the space
between the glass vessel and the sides of the refrigerator is filled in
with broken pieces of ice.
Such a miniature refrigerator is shown in section at Figure 1 of the
Drawings hereunto annexed. a, a, are its double sides and bottom;
b is the lid, which is also made double and of sheet metal as above
stated. The spaces between the plates which form the sides, bottom,
and cover are filled in with powdered charcoal or it might be with
other suitable non-conducting material. c is the cylinder of thin
metal standing up from the centre of the interior of the miniature
refrigerator or ice preserver; the ice as above stated is to be placed
around this cylinder, and the beaker or vessel containing water or
other fluid to be cooled is placed within it. d is a screw plug which
when removed allows all water to drain away from the ice in the
refrigerator. A miniature refrigerator, such as above described, is very
suitable for cooling water either for a dining or refreshment room, or
for a sick room or otherwise, or it might be employed for cooling a
single bottle of wine, and as it is made extremely light and ornamental
in appearance, and as it occupies but little space, it may be kept in
apartments where the ordinary heavy and cumbersome ice safe would not
be admitted.
Miniature ice preservers or refrigerators may also be made of an
oval form of sufficient length to allow of a bottle of wine being laid

page_text: down lengthwise within it, and may be fitted with a false bottom, on
to which when the safe or refrigerator is to be used lumps of ice are
placed; a bottle of wine may then be laid on to the top of the ice
and be covered over by the lid.
Such an ice preserver and refrigerator is shown in longitudinal section
at Figure 2. The preserver or refrigerator here shown is provided with
a compartment c to receive a beaker or vessel containing water or
other fluid, and e is the perforated false bottom upon which the ice
is placed, and above this may be placed a bottle of wine or a dish of
fruit which it may be desired to keep cool and fresh.
Miniature ice preservers or refrigerators may also be fitted with a
false bottom or partition to form an upper and lower chamber, the
upper one to contain icc, the lower one to receive a bottle of wine
or other fluid or a dish of fruit or other article to be ieed, cooled, or
preserved by refrigeration from the ice in the upper chamber. The
opening to the lower chamber may be at one end of the oval case
and be provided with a closely fitting or nearly air-tight door or plug.
A miniature refrigerator so formed with an upper and lower chamber
is shown in section at Figure 3. In the refrigerator here shown the
upper and lower chambers are made to separate from one another, the
lower chamber being closed by the upper one being placed above it.
The upper chamber is made with a compartment c for cooling water
or fluid, and in the other compartment of this chamber lumps of ice are
to be placed as shown. The lower chamber of the refrigerator may very
advantageously be used for cooling and keeping fresh dishes of fruit, &c.
A refrigerator for cooling a large number of bottles of wine may
be similarly made and be of an oval or cylindrical form, the central
space being shut off from the other parts of the refrigerator by par-
titions of thin sheet metal. The bottles to be cooled are stood up on
end in the spaces so shut off, and the central space is filled with ice.
A vertical section of such a refrigerator is shown at Figure 4, and at
Figure 5 is shown a plan of the same with the cover removed. In
these Figures f,f, are partitions of thin sheet metal which shut off the
two ends of the refrigerator from its central compartment. Bottles of
wine or other articles to be cooled are placed in the end compartments,
whilst the lumps of ice are placed in the central compartment. Any
water passing from the ice can be drawn off through a screw plug
at g. c is a cylindrical compartment for cooling water or other fluid.

page_text: The interior of the refrigerator may also be fitted with a tank or other
vessel for containing water, which can be drawn off through a small tap
on the exterior.
I also form refrigerators for cooling bottles in the following manner :-
The bottles to be cooled are stood up side by side on a tray or stand,
and a cover fitted with handles on its exterior is then placed over the
bottles, the bottom of the cover resting on the tray or stand. The
lower end of the cover is closed by a suitable bottom, through which as
many holes are formed as there are bottles to be cooled, or a portion
of the space may be adapted to receive a dish of fruit. Around each
hole is a cylindrical case of thin sheet metal which stands up within
the cover, and when the cover is placed over the bottles each bottle
passes through one of the holes in the bottom of the cover into one
of these cylindrical metal cases. The top of the cover is fitted with a
lid, and this lid and the sides of the cover are both made double of
sheet metal, as before described. Across the interior of the cover near
its upper end is a perforated plate, on to which lumps of ice are
placed when the refrigerator is to be used.
Figure 6 shows a vertical section of a refrigerator so formed. a, a, is
the base or stand upon which the bottles or other articles to be cooled are
placed; this base is made double, as shown, and is fitted with legs upon
which it stands. a' are short rings or cylinders of metal standing up from
the base a, and a² are metal clips standing up above these rings; these clips
and rings serve to hold steady the bottles which are stood upon the base
and keep them in position, so that the cover b may readily be placed
over them. An under side view of the cover is shown at Figure 7. From
this view it will be seen that a separate opening is formed for each bottle
through the metal plate which forms the bottom of the cover, and that
there is also a central opening through this bottom, which will allow of
a dish of fruit being placed on the centre of the stand a; the casings of
thin sheet metal which surround these openings are clearly shown in
Figure 6, as is also the perforated plate upon which the lumps of ice
are to be placed; this plate is perforated in such manner as to allow the
water passing from the ice to trickle down on the exterior of the casings
which surround the openings through the bottom of the cover; the
water so passing down into the interior of the cover may be drawn off
through a screw plug, not shown in the Drawing; the lid which is to
close over the top of the cover b is also not shown in the Drawing.

page_text: Bottle refrigerators may also be made so that the bottles are passed
through holes in the top of a refrigerator into thin metal cases, the holes
being then closed by suitable plugs or lids. In this case the refrigerator
may conveniently be of a cylindrical shape, and be filled with lumps of
ice through a central hole in its top, and this central hole may be
surrounded by the holes through which the bottles are to be inserted.
A refrigerator thus formed is shown in vertical section at Figure 8, and
in horizontal section in Figure 9. In these Figures c, c, are cylinders of
thin metal which pass up from the bottom to the top of the refrigerator,
and the tops of these cylinders are each closed with a wooden plug f; a
bottle of wine may be placed into each of these cylinders, and thus the
refrigerator shown is suitable for cooling twelve bottles. The opening into
the central compartment of the safe in which the lumps of ice are to be
placed is fitted with a double cover of sheet metal, as shown.
In ice safes, as now ordinarily constructed, a portion of the interior space
of the safe may similarly be fitted for cooling bottles, the bottles being
inserted through holes in the sides of the safe into thin metal cases and
the holes then closed by suitable plugs or covers. Four or other number
of rows of such thin metal cases are placed one above the other inside
the safe, and above the uppermost row is fixed a perforated plate of
metal on to which ice is placed, so that as the ice melts the water passing
therefrom may trickle down over the thin metal cases; or the whole of
a safe or refrigerator may be thus fitted for cooling bottles, as is shown
in front view at Figure 10, and in vertical section at Figure 11, a, a, in
these Figures being the thin metal cases for receiving bottles, and a¹ the
plugs by which the ends of these cases are closed; b is a metallic box or
receiver at the top of the refrigerator into which the lumps of ice are to
be placed. Any water coming from the ice passes down through the
perforated bottom of the ice box and trickles down over the exterior of
the metal cases a, and so cools the bottles placed within them. c is a
compartment for containing water or fluid to be cooled, and this can be
drawn off through the tap c².
In constructing ice safes in which it is at times desired to place
provisions past which a current of cold dry air should pass to keep them
sweet I place the ice near the top of the safe or refrigerator in a cradle
or rack made of overlapping plates or ribs by preference of metal with
air passages between them, so that air may pass between the plates,

page_text: but any water coming from the ice will trickle down to the lowest plate,
and be conducted to the bottom of the safe or refrigerator through a
suitable pipe, so that the water passing from the ice will not come in
contact with any provisions placed in the safe. I prefer that each
plate or rib should be made thus in section both for the sake
of strength and that water running down from the outer side of one
plate may fall on to the inner side of the plate below it, the plates
or ribs of which the rack or cradle is composed being for this
purpose placed thus
one below the other; or in place of this
the cradle or rack may be made of sheet metal or other material with
perforations for the passage of the air. Air can be admitted through an
opening which may fitted with a valve or shifting plate at the top of
the safe to admit or exclude air as the case may require; this valve
when open will admit air, which will then pass down through the ice
rack cooled to a low temperature, and will fall to the bottom of the
safe, displacing or driving before it any impure air arising from the
provisions, and which foul air will be carried off through an opening
which may also be fitted with a valve.
a
Figure 12 shows a front view of a safe such as is above described,
and Figure 13 is a vertical section of the same. is the cradle or rack
at the top of the safe, into which the lumps of ice are placed in the
arrangement shown; one side only of this rack is so made that air can
pass through openings in it, there being on the opposite side a compart-
ment for containing water. The side of the rack through which the
chilled air is to descend is by preference, as above stated, made up of
plates of metal bent to the form shown at Figure 14, the ends of such
curved plates being fixed to the end plates of the rack. The small supply
of air which it is required to pass through the safe is admitted through
the opening c, and this air as it is cooled falls to the bottom of the safe,
taking down with it all effluvia or gaseous impurities emitted by any
provisions which may be in the safe, and at the bottom of the safe it
passes out through a similar small opening, not shown in the Drawing.
Any water which may accumulate in the bottom of the ice rack is led
off freely through the pipe d to the bottom of the safe. e, e, are shelves,
by preference of galvanized iron, upon which meat or other provisions
may be placed. Meat or other provisions may also in addition be hung
upon pegs fixed to the sides and door of the safe.

page_text: The method above described of maintaining a downward flow of
refrigerated air through a safe in which meat or other articles may be
preserved in place of closing the safe as nearly air-tight as possible is a
novel and very important feature of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Kent, have hereunto set 5
my hand and scal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
GEO, KENT. (L.S.)