IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING CLEAR ARTIFICIAL ICE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING
CLEAR ARTIFICIAL ICE." A communication from Ferdinand Wicker, Director
of the "Barmer Roheis Fabrik" (Barmen Artificial Ice Factory), residing
at Barmen, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd June 1876.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING CLEAR ARTIFICIAL ICE." A communication.
The ice manufactured in ice machines by the artificial production of cold is
distinguished from natural ice by its milky colour and great porosity, which latter
quality renders the ice less durable than natural ice. The difference in quality of
artificial and natural ice is due to the substances kept in solution by the water, as
lime, salts, and others. These substances separate themselves by freezing and rest
in thin couches and channels between the ice crystals, preventing in such manner
its being compactly congealed.
The trials heretofore made in different parts have failed, and even the employ-
ment of distilled water for this purpose has not been successful.
The herein described method and apparatus of making transparent ice may be
used in every Carre or sieve ice machine without altering the said machine or
lessening the productiveness of the same.
Distilled water is free from the solid bodies which are found in solution in
ordinary water, but it contains air brought into it, partly during the condensation
of the vapours in the refrigerating apparatus, and partly afterwards whilst the
water is in contact with the atmospheric air. If distilled water free from air is
frozen in an ice machine a wholly transparent ice is obtained, the solidity of which
is equal to that of natural ice.
My apparatus for obtaining water free from air consists of the following parts,
that is to say:-
First. The purifyer, a closed vessel of cylindrical form. On the bottom of this
vessel is fixed a pipe which is closed below and supports flat cups.
In the cover of
[Price 61.1

page_text: the purifyer a tube is inserted air-tight. This tube enters. another tube and reaches
almost to the bottom of said tube. A steam supply pipe and a steam exhaust pipe
are provided for this purifyer.
Second. The condenser, a cylindrical vessel which is open above, and in which is
arranged the condensing coil.
Third. The cooling vessel, also of cylindrical form with the cooling coil.
Fourth. The conservator, a cylinder in which is provided a float. This latter is
a hollow metal cylinder which fits air-tight to the walls of said cylinder. A cord
fixed on this float has on its other end a suspended counterbalance weight.
Fifth. The pump.
The steam arriving from a steam generator enters first into the purifyer below
the flat cup, and leaves the same through the aforesaid exhaust tube, then enters into
the coil of the condenser, and is cooled therein by the water surrounding the said
coil. The distilled water flows into the funnel of the tube of the purifyer, rises
through the other tube. to the first cup on which it is diffused, and it overflows
to the second cup and thence to the third cup, whence it is collected on the lower
part of the purifyer. The water heated by the steam in the cups is wholly freed
from the air contained in it. The water thus free from air collected on the bottom
of the purifyer is by the aforesaid pump brought to the conservator, and on its way
to the said conservator passes the coil of the cooling vessel. In this coil it is
effectually cooled by the cold water surrounding the coil so that it enters the con-
servator ready for use. The float of the latter, which rises and sinks with the
water, protects the water from contact with the air.
On the cock of the conservator is fixed a long tube or hose of caoutchouc, which
on its other end bears a float, the dimension of which corresponds with the cross
section of the freezing boxes. The outflow of the said tube is closed by a valve.
If the said cock is opened the valve is opened by means of the pressure of the water
and allows a free outflow of the water, but if the cock is shut off the valve is closed
and prevents the emptying of the tube or hose. The freezing boxes are filled in
such manner that the float of the hose is down at the bottom of the freezing boxes;
by water entering into the freezing boxes the air kept below the float is pushed
out, and the float prevents a further admission of the atmospheric air. Every filled
box is provided with a float for protecting the freezing water from the access of air.
The water flowing from the ice machines is employed for cooling the vessel and the
condenser.
ΠΙ
te team of a steam engine may be emploved for the condensation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th December
1876.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frank-
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany.
AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING CLEAR ARTIFICIAL ICE." A communication
from Ferdinand Wicker, Director of the "Barmer Roheis Fabrik" (Barmen Arti-
ficial Ice Factory), residing at Barmen, in the Empire of Germany.
The ice manufactured in ice machines by the artificial production of cold is
distinguished from natural ice by its milky color and great porosity, which latter
quality renders the ice less durable than natural ice. The difference in quality of
artificial and natural ice is due to the substances kept in solution by the water, as
lime, salts, and others. These substances separate themselves by freezing and rest
in thin couches and channels between the ice crystals, preventing in such manner
it being compactly congealed.
The trials heretofore made in different parts have failed, and even the employment
of distilled water for this purpose has not been successful.

page_text: The herein described method and apparatus of making transparent.ice may be
used in every "Carré" or sieve ice machine without altering the said, machine, or
lessening the productiveness of the same.
Distilled water is free from the solid bodies which are formed in solution in
ordinary water, but it contains air brought into it partly during the condensation
of the vapours in the refrigerating apparatus, and partly afterwards whilst the
water is in contact with the atmospheric air. If distilled water free from air is
frozen in an ice machine a wholly transparent ice is obtained, the solidity of which
is equal to that of natural ice.
My apparatus for obtaining water free from air consists of the following parts;
that is to say :-
First. The purifier A, a closed vessel of cylindrical form. On the bottom of this
vessel is fixed a pipe g, which is closed below, and supports above it flat cups
h, hh In the cover of the purifier a tube J is inserted and made air-tight.
This tube enters the tube g and reaches almost to the bottom of the said tube.
A steam supply pipe, and a steam exhaust pipe / are provided for the purifier.
Second. The condenser B, a cylindrical vessel which is open above, and in which
is arranged the condensing coil m.
Third. The cooling vessel D, also of cylindrical form with the cooling coil n.
Fourth. The conservator E, a cylinder in which is provided a float F. The latter
is a hollow metal cylinder which by means of packing is caused to fit air-tight to
the walls of said cylinder. A cord O, fixed on the float, has on its other ond a
suspended counterbalance weight P.
Fifth. The pump C.
The steam arriving from a steam generator enters first into the purifier A below
the flat cup h, and leaves the same through the aforesaid exhaust tube l, then
enters the coil of the condenser B, and is cooled therein by the water surounding
the said coil. The distilled water flows into the funnel of the tube J of the purifior,
rises through the tube g to the first cup ¹ on which it is diffused, and overflows to
the cup and thence to the cup III, whence it is collected on the lower part of the
purifier The water heated by the steam in the cups h³, h, and h, is wholly freed
from the air contained in it. The water thus freed from air collected on the bottom
of the purifier is by the aforesaid pump brought to the conservator, and on its way
to the said conservator passes the coil n of the cooling vessel D. In this coil it is
effectually cooled by the cold water surrounding the coil, so that it enters the
conservator ready for use. The float F of the latter, which rises and sinks with
the water, protects the water from contact with the air.
If the apparatus is working care must be taken that the float F is kept down on
the bottom of the conservator E until the entering water has forced out the air,
which is kept below the float through an opening provided in the said float. The
level of the water in the conservator is indicated by the counterweight P. The
water thus prepared is, by means of the cock Q, discharged into the freezing boxes
of the ice machines. On the cock Q of the conservator E is fixed a long tube or
hose of caoutchouc, which on its other end bears a float, which in its dimensions
corresponds with the cross section of the freezing boxes. The outflow of the said
tube is closed by a valve. If the said cock Q is opened the valve is opened by
means of the pressure of the water and allows a free outflow of the water, but if
the cock Q is shut off the valve is closed and prevents the tube or hose from being
emptied. The freezing boxes are filled in such manner that the float of the hose
is forced down to the bottom of the freezing boxes; by water entering the freezing
boxes the air kept below the float is forced out, and the float prevents a further
admission of the atmospheric air. Every filled box is provided with a float for
protecting the freezing water from access of air. The water flowing from the ico
machines, which may be those known as “Carre's” machine, is employed for cooling
the vessel D and the condenser B.
The waste steam of a steam engine may be employed for the condensation.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim-
First. The above described method of separating air from distilled or other water
to be converted into ice by an ice machine.
Second. The air separating apparatus, consisting of the purifier A, the condenser B,
the cooler D, and the conservator E, with their accessories, as above described and
shown in the Drawing.
Third. The floats for closing the conservator E and the freezing boxes.
Fourth. The method of discharging the airless water into the conservator E, and
into the freezing boxes by the means above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.