Certain Improvements in a Preserving System for Perishable Articles.
Year: 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in a Preserving System for Perishable
Articles.
I, IGNAZIO ALLEGRETTI, residing on Fourth Street, in Berkeley, county of Alameda,
and State of California, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer and
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to the general class of machines or apparatus for preserving
perishable articles, especially fruit and similar edibles; and my invention consists in
a novel refrigerator, a movable ice-chamber, and an air-purifier, the whole forming
what may be called a system for the purpose mentioned.
In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is hereby made,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus of my system.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line y-y of Figure 1.
A is the casing, which may be any box, vessel, car, or apartment having double
walls filled with non-conducting material.
B is a skeleton-frame in the casing, and of a less height, so that an ice-space bis
formed above. The frame B is separated from the casing by independent separated
blocks C, which are nailed to the casing, and the frame is nailed to them.
Thus an air-space 61 is provided. The frame B is lined with plates D of zinc,
galvanized-iron, or other material of good conducting properties, and they inclose a
Chamber d, in which the material to be preserved is kept.
Access is had to chamber d through tight passages d controlled by doors d².
Access is had to the ice-space b, through apertures 62, controlled by doors b³.
The ice-space is divided by means of hanging flaps or strips E.
F are the boxes of the movable ice-chambers.
They are made in sections of galvanized-iron plates, and have a shallow trough f
below, to which the body-plates are fitted, said plates being fitted together by flanges
on their edges. The box is thus tight enough to hold ice, but may be readily taken
o pieces.

page_text: One of the plates is shorter than the others, thus leaving an opening for the
insertion of the ice. G is an exterior wooden skeleton-frame, inclosing the box F.
It has a removable bottom g, which is on a slope, so as to incline the base trough f
of the box.
The frame G has an open end opposite the opening in the box F, so that the ice
may be placed therein. The base and one of the ends of frame G, have cleats or
projections g2, by which the frame is secured by bolts g³, or otherwise in the chamber d,
or other apartment, such as a car, for example.
These movable ice-chambers are for the purpose of effecting refrigeration throughout
the mass of the material in chamber d.
Their upper ends are open and communicate directly with the ice-space b above.
and access may be had to them by means of apertures in the casing A, controlled by
doors g. These movable ice-chambers may be located in the refrigerating apartment
in any other manner and position, and access may he had to them through any
suitable openings, the main object being to make them readily removable.
Within the refrigerating chamber d, is a pipe or tube H, having each end open.
Its lower end is raised from the floor of the chamber d, so that air may have free
access to it.
Its upper end projects through the top or roof of the chamber, and opens out
where it may be exposed to the heat of the sun, so that a draft may be created.
Around tube H, is a tube K, leaving a passage k, between it and the inner tube,
this passage communicating below. with the chamber d, and above with the outer air.
Its base is controlled by doors k¹, and its top by doors k².
In the sides of tube K, near its lower end, are made apertures controlled by
doors, and above are apertures having doors k, both sets of apertures communi-
cating with the passage k. In tube H, near its lower end, and about opposite the
apertures controlled by doors 3 in tube K, are made apertures controlled by doors h.
I may have in both tubes, door-controlled apertures a, for the insertion of a candle
or lamp, where artificial heat is used to create a draft.
1 may have window-lights ¹, let into both tubes for inspection purposes.
The inner tube is so arranged that it may be moved vertically to alter the relative
positions of the tubes in order to change the direction of the air-currents, or, if
preferred, both tubes may be longitudinally adjustable.
The general operation of these devices is as follows: The casing A may be, as
before stated, any kind of a structure, such as a house, a ware-house, a car, vessel, or
other vehicle, or anything of like nature, in which it may be desired to preserve the
perishable articles.
Around the bottom, sides, and ends of the chamber there is a free circulation of
air, and above there is a body of ice.
Within the chamber are the movable ice-chambers, which affect the center of the
mass of the material, and these chambers may be readily removed and taken apart,
when desired, for transportation, etc.
The air of the chamber is purified and kept dry by a circulation of drafts through
the passages and apertures of tubes H, and K, and these drafts may be regulated,
controlled, and changed in direction, by operating the proper doors and adjusting
the tubes.
Thus the foul air from below may be drawn through the inner tube, as through a
common chimney; also, to increase the area of suction, I may open the doors k³, and
the doors ; then, if I wish to direct the draft through both tubes, I close these doors
and open, and 2; then again, to extract the heated air and moisture from the
upper portion of the apartment, I close doors k², k², and k³, and open doors k, and
doors, whereby the draft passes not only through the inner tube, but also through
doors k, down passage k, through doors h, into the inner tube, and thence up. Either
tube may be arranged to be vertically adjusted, so that the avenues of cominunication
between the tubes may be changed.
I may use more than two tubes, and have them extend through a series o
anartmenta

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An apartment or chamber, having outer walls filled with non-conducting
material, and an inner skeleton-frame separated from the outer walls by means of
independent blocks forming an air-space on all sides and below, and lined with metal
plates, and an ice-space above said frame, substantially as described.
2. Movable ice-chambers formed of outer skeleton-frames, and inner separable
metal plates, substantially as described.
3. In combination with an apartment, a chamber or box for containing ice, placed
in said apartment and secured by bolts or other fastenings, in such a manner that it
may be readily removed, when desired, substantially as described.
4. An apartment having door-controlled openings in its walls, in combination with
a chamber or box for containing ice, placed in said apartment in such a manner that
its openings communicate with said chamber or box, and secured in the apartment so
that it may readily be removed, when desired, substantially as described.
5. An apartment or chamber, having outer walls filled with non-conducting
material, and an inner skeleton-frame with a metal lining and separated from the
outer walls to form a circumscribing air-space, and an ice-space above, in combination
with movable ice-chambers placed within the apartment amidst the contents thereof,
substantially as described.
6. The air-purifier, consisting of tubes arranged the one within the other so as to
form concentric passages, door-controlled apertures between said tubes, and the
apartment in which they are placed, door-controlled apertures between said tubes and
the outer air, and door-controlled apertures by which the passages of said tubes
communicate, substantially as described.
7. An air-purifier, consisting of tubes or pipes arranged the one within the other,
and longitudinally-adjustable, to vary their relative positions, said tubes or pipes
forming concentric passages, communicating with the apartment, with the outer air,
and with each other, through apertures made to correspond at different points by the
adjustment of the tubes or pipes, substantially as described.
8. An apparatus for preserving perishable articles, consisting of a metal-lined
apartment having a surrounding air-space, and an ice-space above, movable ice-
chambers within said apartment, and an air-purifier, consisting of concentric tubes
within the apartment, and having passages communicating with the apartment, with
each other, and with the outer air, substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty seventh day of September 1887.