IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS."-A communication
from abroad by John Gravenstine, of the City of Philadelphia, and
De Witt Clinton Taylor, of the City of New York, both in the
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th February 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS," a communication
to me from abroad by John Gravenstine, of the City of Philadelphia,

page_text: and De Witt Clinton Taylor, of the City of New York, both in the United
States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
refrigerating apparatus which may be applied with the best results either
to corpse-preserving caskets, to refrigerators, or to any closed vessel
within which it is desired to maintain animal or vegetable matter in a
cool condition. This apparatus consists of a case forming a portion of
a corpse-preserving casket or of a refrigerating chest within which case
are suspended a tightly closed ice box and outside the latter a casing,
which it is preferred to make of non-conducting material. The said ice
box and casing may either be suspended from and secured to a hollow
projection forming a part of the chest or casket, or may be suspended
from a continuation of the sides of the casket itself. The said projection
when used is provided with a detachable cover having such packing as
to render the joint air-tight. Between the intermediate casing and the
said projection intervenes a space having a direct communication with
the interior of the casket or chest, and between the said intermediate
casing and the tight ice box intervenes another space which also com-
municates with the interior of the casket or chest. These two spaces
communicate with each other through any desired number of openings
in the intermediate casing at or near the upper part of the same. The
air or gasses in the inner space being in immediate contact with the ice
box become cool and descend through the apperture in the bottom of the
said casing, while the warmer air from the interior of the casket or chest
will ascend through the outer space, pass through the openings, and
becoming cooled by contact with the ice box will descend through the
inner space. Hence a circulation will be constantly maintained within
the casket or chest, the said circulation decreasing in rapidity as the
temperature within the casket or chest approaches equalization.
Another important feature of the Invention is that of maintaining the
ice box free from appertures through which the ice water can escape.
Heretofore the ice boxes of refrigerating apparatus have been provided
with appliances for draining off the water. It has been found however,

page_text: the water off while the ice remains, hence the advantage of the absence
of all draining appliances with which other ice boxes are furnished.
For the purpose of obtaining a large area of cooling surface the sides
of the ice box are corrugated or waved.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson,
Her special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 REFRIGERATING APparatus,”
a communication to me from abroad by John Gravenstine, of the City of
Philadelphia, and De Witt Clinton Taylor, of the City of New York, both
in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
暑

page_text: chest will ascend through the space F, pass through the openings h, and
becoming cooled by contact with the ice box will descend through the
space F¹. Hence a circulation in the direction of the arrows will be
constantly maintained within the casket or chest, the said circulation
decreasing in rapidity as the temperature within the casket or chest A
approaches equalization.
It should be understood that the casing A is air-tight and free from
the ventilating apertures common to other refrigerating apparatus.
It may be remarked that the existence of this circulation under the
circumstances described has been fully proved by actual tests.
Another important feature of the Invention is that of maintaining the
icc box free from apertures through which the ice water can escape.
Heretofore the ice boxes of refrigerating apparatus have been provided
with appliances for draining off the water. It has been found however,
especially when ice and salt are used as refrigerating mediums, that more
effective and more economical results can be obtained by the continued
presence of the ice water than by adopting the usual practice of draining
the water off while the ice remains; hence the advantage of the absence.
of all draining appliances with which other ice boxes are furnished.
For the purpose of obtaining a large area of cooling surface the sides
of the ice box are corrugated or waved in the manner plainly shown in
Figure 2.
In the modification of the Invention shown in Figure 3, the flange i
at the bottom of the casing C is dispensed with, and the projection B is
of the same dimensions as and forms a continuation of the sides of the
casing.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. A refrigerating apparatus consisting of an ice box D, casing C,
and passages F and F¹, all arranged substantially as set forth.
Second. A closed ice box D. suspended or secured within a casket or
chest, and arranged for the retention of the water and ice, as set forth.

page_text: Third. The said ice box D formed with corrugated or waved sides for
the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day
of July One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)