IMPROVEMENTS IN AP- PARATUS FOR THE REFRIGERATION OR FREEZING OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph West, of Mason Street, Westminster Bridge
Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AP-
PARATUS FOR THE REFRIGERATION OR FREEZING OF LIQUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1877.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of Mason Street, Westminster, Bridge Road, in the County
of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE REFRIGERATION OR FREEZING
OF LIQUIDS."
My Invention relates to apparatus for the refrigeration or freezing of liquids
wherein cold is produced by the evaporation of a volatile liquid or by other known
means, such cold being used to cool brine, glycerine, or other freezing liquid, which
in its turn is employed to freeze or refrigerate water or other liquids.
One of my present improvements relates to the apparatus wherein the ice is
produced. I employ for this purpose open vessels of thin metal containing the
water to be frozen, and suspended or resting in compartments in a casing through
which cooled brine is made to circulate, the brine being introduced in the compart-
ment at one end of the casing, and circulating in a zig-zig direction through all the
compartments to the other end. I arrange across this casing a spindle carrying a
number of blades, one of which is suspended in each of the said vessels, and has an
oscillating motion imparted to it by means of the spindle, so as to keep the water
in the vessels in a state of agitation, while the operation of freezing is going on in.
a somewhat similar manner to that described in the Specification to Long's Patent,
No. 2563, of 1871, by which means perfectly transparent ice may be obtained. As
the space in which these agitators move becomes gradually more and more restricted,
owing to the formation of the ice on the sides, ends, and bottom of the vessel,
whereby the motion of the agitators would be obstructed, I make these agitators of
a sliding or telescopic form, so that as the lower end thereof comes in contact with
the ice at the bottom and ends, it will slide up, over, within, or against the upper
part, and thus allow the agitator to continue its motion until only a small quantity.
of unfrozen water is left in the centre of the vessel, the agitator being removed
when its further motion is impeded.

page_text: In order to maintain the agitation of the small remaining quantity of water in
the middle, and to insure its transparency when it is frozen, I, in some cases,
construct the spindle carrying the agitators hollow, and at the points where the
agitators are connected to it, I provide small nozzles of sufficient length to dip into
the water to be frozen. The one end of the spindle is connected to a small pump of any
suitable construction whereby water is alternately drawn from and forced into the
hollow spindle. By this means a portion of the water is continually drawn up
from the freezing vessels through the nozzles, and is then forced back into them
again, thus effecting the required agitation of the water.
The before described agitators are in this arrangement provided with a jaw at
their upper ends, embracing a collar on the nozzles, and secured by a screw, so
that when the agitators are prevented. from farther motion, they can readily be
detached.
In some cases the agitating blades may be entirely dispensed with, and the
necessary agitation may be effected entirely by the stream of water from the nozzles,
as above described, in which case the hollow spindle may or may not have the
before described rocking motion imparted to it.
In the casing for producing ice, as above described, compartments may be
advantageously formed wherein to place vessels for making ices or bottles containing
water to be frozen.
According to another arrangement I provide in the ice box a tank or receptacle.
from which cold water is continually drawn and forced through the before-mentioned
hollow spindle, or through a pipe with nozzles into each of the ice vessels, thus
maintaining the agitation of the water in these, while the surplus water is made to
flow back into the tank, the top. flanges of the ice vessels being made to fit:
practically water-tight upon the tops of the brine cells, so as to prevent any of the
cold water from leaking down into the latter. Or the agitation may be partially
effected by this means, and partially by alternately drawing water from and forcing it
back into each ice vessel, as first, described, the supply of water in either case being.
regulated by means of small taps on the nozzles.
According to another arrangement, more particularly applicable to the construc-
tion of ice boxes, such as described in the Specifications to my Patents, Nos. 451
and 2336 of 1874, where the cold brine is made to circulate through flat closed
metal chambers, on the outer sides of which the ice is formed, I construct the.
agitators of tubes of zig-zig or other suitable form situated between the brine
chambers, to which agitators a reciprocating motion is imparted in a similar manner
to that described in my Patent, No. 451 of 1874. The cold brine, after leaving the
brine cells, is made to circulate through these tubular agitators, a connection between
the two being established by a flexible or jointed pipe, so that at the same time
that the agitator agitates the water it also cools down the water situated in the
space between two brine chambers, and thus accelerates its formation into ice, which
is otherwise considerably retarded by its distance from the chambers, particularly
when thick blocks of ice are to be formed.
In the first-described arrangement of ice boxes, it is sometimes desirable, in order
to effect the uniform freezing of the ice, and cause it to be of the same thickness in
all the ice vessels, to reverse the current of the brine at intervals; to effect this I
construct the inlet and the outlet pipes for the brine each with two branches, com-
municating with each end of the ice box, and at the junction of the branches I
provide a three-way cock, so that 'according to the position into which these cocks
are turned, the brine'may be made to flow in either at the one or the other end of
the box, the cock on the outlet being turned so as to cause the brine to flow off from
the opposite end.
Another of my improvements relates to the pumps employed for exhausting the
volatile vapour from the refrigerator, and forcing it into the condenser. In the
pumps heretofore employed there is always a considerable loss of the volatile liquid
through leakage of the vapour through the stuffing boxes and glands of the pumps.
According to my Invention I prevent such leakage by employing single acting.

page_text: plunger pumps, arranging by preference two or three pump cylinders side by side,
their plungers being actuated by cranks set at equal angles round a crank shaft,
which passes through a hermetically closed casing, on which the pump cylinders are
formed or fixed.
The suction and delivery valves for the ether vapour, which are by preference of
the construction hereafter described, are situated in valve chambers on the outer
closed ends of the pump cylinders, all communicating respectively with one and the
same suction and delivery pipe, so that by arranging the pumps to 'make their
strokes in succession an approximately uniform suction and delivery of the vapour
will be maintained. From this arrangement it will be seen that the only possible
leakage of the vapour will be past the plungers into the air-tight casing, below, so
that as soon as this is filled with vapour no further leakage can take place. The
vapour in this casing or chamber inay be removed by connecting it by a pipe and
stop-cock to the suction chamber of the pump, so that by occasionally opening this
cock the pump will draw out any vapour in the chamber below.
In order to prevent even the above-mentioned leakage, I provide at the ends of
the cylinders through which the plungers work a packing of the following arrange-
ment:-I forn a recess in the end of the cylinder, into which I place a split metal
packing ring fitting close against the piston, and having its back surface bevilled off,
and upon this packing ring I fit an annular gland having an inclined surface fitting
against that of the packing ring, so that as the gland is forced into the recess of the
cylinder by screw bolts it forces the packing ring gas-tight against the piston, and.
is also itself forced gas-tight against the back of the recess. The suction valves of
such pumps are usually constructed with a spring acting upon their stems to cause
them to close quickly when the outstroke is completed, and these springs are apt to
get broken, and the pieces in falling into the pump cylinder do considerable damage
to the pump.
To prevent this I enclose the valve -spindle and spring within a
small cylinder carried by the cross guide of the valve, so that if the spring breaks.
the pieces are retained within the cylinder. I also enclose the spindle of the delivery
valve within a cylinder, and I form on the end of the spindle a piston fitting the
cylinder. The latter has a side hole, which when the valve is on its seat is
uncovered by the valve piston, so that the vapour under pressure with which the
valve box is filled can enter the cylinder. On the forcing open of the valve by
the instroke of the pump piston the valve piston compresses the vapour in the small
cylinder, which thus acts as a spring or buffer to limit the motion of the valve.
In producing cold for the refrigeration of brine by exhausting the vapour of the
volatile liquid from the refrigerator, it is essential for the proper regulation of the
working of the apparatus to be able to observe simultaneously the extent of vacuum
maintained by the pumps, and the degree of cold produced. In order to enable
this to be done with facility, I place within a strong glass casing a thermometer,
and either a mercury barometer, an aneroid barometer, or a vacuum gauge. The glass
casing has an aperture provided with a screwed metal ferrule, by which it can be
screwed into a hole in the exhaust pipe from the refrigerator, or into the refrigerator
itself. The bulb end of the thermometer is by preference made to project some distance
through the aperture of the casing, so that when the instrument is fixed in place
the bulb will be in. immediate contact with the vapour. It is protected against
fracture by a perforated metal covering attached to the casing. The instrument
being fixed in place the inside of the casing will be subject to the same vacuum
that exists in the exhaust pipe or refrigerator which will consequently be indicated
by the barometer or vacuum gauge, while at the same time the thermometer will
indicate the temperature of the vapour as it forms.
Another of my improvements relates to the refrigerator. The outer casing of
this apparatus is cooled down by the internal evaporation of the ether to a con-
siderable degree, which cold is lost by absorption of heat from the surrounding
atmosphere. According to my Invention I utilize the cold so produced by placing
the refrigerator in a tank of wood or other suitable material, in which is placed the
water that is subsequently to be formed into ice. This water will be cooled

page_text: down to a considerable degree during the working of the apparatus, and is with-
drawn from time to time through a cock to be placed in the ice boxes.
,
Another improvement has reference to the condenser. In this apparatus the
volatile liquid after condensation flows into a chamber, from which it is conducted
through a pipe back into the refrigerator. As there is always a certain quantity of
air carried along with the vapour into the condenser, such air accumulates in the above-
mentioned chamber and requires to be discharged from time to time. This is usually
effected by blowing it off into the air through a blow-off cock, but as there is also a
certain quantity of uncondensed volatile vapour in the chamber such vapour escapes
together with the air which also drags with it some of the liquid itself, thus
occasioning a loss.
According to my Invention I avoid this loss by providing at the top of the said
chamber a smaller chamber communicating with the larger one by two holes at
bottom, and with the atmosphere by a pipe at top provided with a cock, there
being a finely perforated diaphragm dividing the chamber into an upper and lower
compartment.
The air, together with any liquid ether or vapour thereof, being forced by the
pressure in the larger chamber through one of the before-mentioned holes into the
lower compartment of the smaller one, the liquid ether will fall back into the larger
chamber through the second hole, it being prevented from ascending into the upper
compartment by the diaphragm. The small chamber is surrounded by a water
jacket in which a circulation of cold water is maintained, so that as the ether
vapour ascends with the air into the second compartment it becomes condensed into
the liquid form and descends back into the condenser again while the air escapes
through the before-mentioned pipe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Joseph West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th July
1877.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of Mason Street, Westminster Bridge Road, in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE REFRIGERATION OR FREEZING
OF LIQUIDS."
My Invention relates to apparatus for the refrigeration or freezing of liquids,
wherein cold is produced by the evaporation of a volatile liquid or by other known
means, such cold being used to cool brine, glycerine, or other freezing liquid, which
in its turn is employed to freeze or refrigerate water or other liquids.
One of my present improvements relates to the apparatus wherein the ice is
produced. I employ for this purpose open vessels of thin metal containing the
water to be frozen, and suspended or resting in compartments in a casing, through
which cooled brine is made to circulate, the brine being introduced in the com-
partment at one end of the casing, and circulating in a zig-cag direction through all
the compartments to the other end. I arrange across this casing a spindle carrying
a number of blades, one of which is suspended in each of the said vessels, and has
an oscillating motion imparted to it by means of the spindle, so as to keep the
water in the vessels in a state of agitation while the operation of freezing is going
on in a somewhat similar manner to that described in the Specification to Long's
Patent, No. 2563 of 1871, by which means perfectly transparent ice may be obtained.
As the space in which these agitators move becomes gradually more and more
restricted, owing to the formation of the ice on the sides, ends, and bottom of the
vessel, whereby the motion of the agitators would be restricted, I make these
agitators of a sliding or telescopic form, so that as the lower end thereof comes in
contact with the ice at the bottom and ends it will slide up over, within, or against
the upper part, and thus allow the agitator to continue its motion until only a small

page_text: quantity of unfrozen water is left in the centre of the vessel, the agitator being
removed when its further motion is impeded.
In order to maintain the agitation of the small remaining quantity of water in
the middle, and to insure its transparency when it is frozen, I in some cases construct
the spindle carrying the agitators hollow, and at the points where the agitators are
connected to it I provide small nozzles of sufficient length to dip into the water to..
be frozen. The one end of the spindle is connected to a small pump of suitable
construction, whereby water is alternately drawn from and forced into the hollow
spindle. By this means a portion of the water is continually drawn up from the
freezing vessels through the nozzles, and is then forced back into them again, thus
effecting the required agitation of the water.
any
The before-described agitators are in this arrangement provided with a jaw at
their upper ends embracing a collar on the nozzles, and secured by a screw, so
that when the agitators are prevented from farther motion they can readily be
detached.
In some cases the agitating blades may be entirely dispensed with, and the
necessary agitation may be effected entirely by the stream of water from the nozzles,
as above described, in which case the hollow spindle may or may not have the
before-described rocking motion imparted to it.
In the casing for producing ice, as above described, compartments may be advan-
tageously formed wherein to place vessels for making ices, or bottles containing
water to be frozen.
According to another arrangement I provide in the ice box a tank or receptacle,
from which cold water is continually drawn and forced through the before-mentioned
hollow spindle or through a pipe with nozzles into each of the ice vessels, thus
maintaining the agitation of the water in these, while the surplus water is made to
flow back into the tank, the top flanges of the ice vessels being made to fit prac-
tically watertight upon the tops of the brine cells, so as to prevent any of the cold
water from leaking down into the latter; or the agitation may be partially effected
by this means, and partially by alternately drawing water from and forcing it back
into each ice vessel, as first described, the supply of water in either case being
regulated by means of small taps on the nozzles.
According to another arrangement, more particularly applicable to the construc-
tion of ice boxes such as described in the Specifications to my Patents Nos. 451 and
2336 of 1874, where the cold brine is made is made to circulate through flat closed
metal chambers, on the outer sides of which the ice is formed, I construct the agitators
of tubes of zig-zag or other suitable form situated between the brine chambers, to
which agitators a reciprocating motion is imparted in a similar manner to that
described in my Patent No. 451 of 1874. The cold brine after leaving the brine
cells is made to circulate through these tubular agitators, a connection between the
two being established by a flexible or jointed pipe, so that at the same time that
the agitator agitates the water it also cools down the water situated in the space.
between two brine chambers, and thus accelerates its formation into ice, which is
otherwise considerably retarded by its distance from the chambers, particularly when
thick blocks of ice are to be formed.
In the first-described arrangement of ice boxes it is sometimes désirable, in order
to effect the uniform freezing of the ice and cause it to be of the same thickness in
all the ice vessels, to reverse the current of brine at intervals. To effect this I
construct the inlet and the outlet pipes for the brine, each with two branches commu-
nicating with each end of the ice box, and at the junction of the branches I provide
a three-way cock, so that according to the position into which these cocks are turned
the brine may be made to flow in either at the one or the other end of the box, the
cock on the outlet being turned so as to cause the brine to flow off from the opposite
end.
Another of my improvements relates to the pumps employed for exhausting the
volatile vapour from the refrigerator, and forcing it into the condenser. In the
pumps heretofore employed there is always a considerable loss of volatile liquiḍ

page_text: through leakage of the vapour through the stuffing boxes and glands of the pumps.
According to my Invention I prevent such leakage by employing single-acting
plunger pumps, arranging by preference two or three pump cylinders side by side,
their plungers being actuated by cranks set at equal angles round a crank shaft,
which passes through a hermetically closed casing on which the pump cylinders are
formed or fixed.
The suction and delivery valves for the ether vapour, which are by preference of
the construction hereafter described, are situated in valve chambers on the outer
closed ends of the pump cylinders, all communicating respectively with one and the
same suction and delivery pipe, so that by arranging the pumps to make their strokes
in succession an approximately uniform suction and delivery of the vapour will be
maintained. From this arrangement it will be seen that the only possible leakage
of the vapour will be past the plungers into the air-tight casing below, so that as
soon as this is filled with vapour no further leakage can take place. The vapour in
this casing or chamber may be removed by connecting it by a pipe and stop-cock
to the suction chamber of the pump, so that by occasionally opening this cock the
pump will draw out any vapour in the chamber below.
In order to prevent even the above-mentioned leakage I provide at the ends of
the cylinders through which the plungers work a packing of the following arrange-
ment-I form a recess in the end of the cylinder, into which I place a split metal
packing ring fitted close against the piston, and having its back surface bevilled off,
and upon this packing ring I fit an annular gland having an inclined surface fitting
against that of the packing ring, so that as the gland is forced into the recess of the
cylinder by screw bolts it forces the packing ring gas-tight against the piston, and
is also itself forced gas-tight against the back of the recess.
The suction valves of
such pumps are usually constructed with a spring acting upon their stems to cause
them to close quickly when the outstroke is completed, and these springs are apt to
get broken, and the pieces in falling into the pump cylinder do considerable damage
to the pumps. To prevent this I enclose the valve spindle and spring with a small
cylinder carried by the cross guide of the valve, so that if the spring breaks, the
pieces are retained within the cylinder. I also enclose the spindle of the delivery
valve within a cylinder, and I form on the end of the spindle a piston fitting the
cylinder. The latter has a side hole, which when the valve is on its seat is uncovered
by the valve piston, so that the vapour under pressure with which the valve box is
filled can enter the cylinder. On the forcing open of the valve by the instroke of
the pump piston the valve piston compresses the vapour in the small cylinder, which
thus acts as a spring or buffer to limit the motion of the valve.
In producing cold for the refrigeration of brine by exhausting the vapour of the
volatile liquid from the refrigerator it is essential for the proper regulation of the
working of the apparatus to be able to observe simultaneously the extent of vacuum
maintained by the pumps, and the degree of cold produced. In order to enable this
to be done with facility I place within a strong glass casing a thermometer, and
either a mercury barometer, an aneroid barometer, or a vacuum gauge. The glass
casing has an aperture provided with a screwed-metal ferrule, by which it can be
screwed into a hole in the exhaust pipe from the refrigerator, or into the refrigerator
itself. The bulb end of the thermometer is, by preference, made to project some
distance through the aperture of the casing, so that when the instrument is fixed in
place the bulb will be in immediate contact with vapour; it is protected against
fracture by a perforated metal covering attached to the casing. The instrument
being fixed in place the inside of the casing will be subject to the same vacuum
that exists in the exhaust pipe or refrigerator, which will consequently be indicated
by the barometer or vacuum gauge, while; at the same time, the thermometer will
indicate the temperature of the vapour as it forms.
Another of my improvements relates to the refrigerator. The outer casing of
this apparatus is cooled down by the internal evaporation of the ether to a con-
siderable degree, which cold is lost by absorption of heat from the surrounding
atmosphere. According to my Invention I utilize the cold so produced by placing

page_text: the refrigerator in a tank of wood, or other suitable material, in which is placed the
water that is subsequently to be formed into ice. This water will be cooled down
to a considerable degree during the working of the apparatus, and is withdrawn,
from time to time, through a cock to be placed in the ice boxes.
Another improvement has reference to the condenser: In this apparatus the
volatile liquid after condensation flows into a chamber, from which it is conducted
through a pipe back into the refrigerator. As there is always a certain quantity of
air carried along with the vapour into the condenser such air accumulates in the
above-mentioned chamber, and requires to be discharged from time to time; this is
usually effected by blowing it off into the air through a blow-off cock, but as there
is also a certain quantity of uncondensed volatile vapour in the chamber such
vapour escapes together with the air, which also drags with it some of the liquid
itself, thus occasioning a loss.
According to my Invention I avoid this loss by providing, at the top of the said
chamber, a smaller chamber communicating with the larger one by two holes at
bottom and with the atmosphere by a pipe at top provided with a cock, there being
a finely perforated diaphragm dividing the chamber into an upper and lower
compartment.
The air, together with any liquid ether or vapour thereof, being forced by the
pressure in the larger chamber through one of the before-mentioned holes into the
lower compartment of the smaller one, the liquid ether will fall back into the larger
chamber through the second hole, it being prevented from ascending into the upper
compartment by the diaphragm. The small chamber is surrounded by a water
jacket, in which a circulation of cold water is maintained, so that, as the ether
vapour ascends with the air into the second compartment, it becomes condensed
into the liquid form and descends back into the condenser again, while the air
escapes through the before-mentioned pipe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, an end view; and Fig. 3, a plan
of an ice box, with means, according to my Invention, of agitating the water which
undergoes congelation therein.
Figs. 4 and 5 are front views to an enlarged scale of the telescopic agitator,
Fig. 4 shewing it extended, and Fig. shewing it slid up; Fig. 6 is an end view of
the same. a is the rocking spindle, on which the agitators are fixed by a screw and
nut. Each of these consists of a back piece b, in which a blade c is fitted to slide
vertically, so that, as the ice forms at the lower part of the ice mould d, the blade c
meeting the ice is pushed upwards, and the length and stroke of the agitators are
thereby diminished. I prefer to make the spindle a tubular, as shewn, and connect
it by a flexible tube a¹ to a small pump e worked by the connecting rod e¹ from any
suitable motor; (as this pump is employed merely for displacing it requires no
valves). This connecting rod engaging with an arm e² on the spindle a causes it to
rock as the pump is worked, or the pump may be disengaged therefrom, the arm e²
in that case working the agitator only. When the pump e is in action a portion of
the water undergoing congelation is drawn out of the ice moulds d and forced back
into them at every stroke of the pump, nozzles a³ being provided for that purpose on
the tubular spindle a, as shewn in the transverse section, Fig. 7.
The agitation produced by the in-and-out streams of the water caused by the
pump is in some cases sufficient without agitators, and the rocking of the spindle
Inay then be dispensed with, a pipe with nozzles being substituted, as shewn in the
longitudinal section, Fig. 8, and each nozzle having a cock by which the stream
may be varied.
Fig. 9 is a part front view, and Fig. 10 a transverse section of the pipe and nozzle
shewn to an enlarged scale. I prefer, however, to combine the pipe and nozzle
with the telescopic agitator, so that either may be used at pleasure, and for this
purpose I construct the agitators so that they can be secured on the nozzles by a
pinching screw, as shewn by the front view, Fig. 11, the end view, Fig. 12, and

page_text: →
the plan, Fig. 13, representing one of the nozzles with an agitator fixed on it. The
ice moulds & are made of thin metal immersed in the brine or other congealing
liquid, which is caused to circulate in zig-zag direction through the successive com-
partments of the ice box, as shewn by the sectional plan, Fig. 14. Compartments
of the ice box may be used for forming table ices, as shewn at f, Figs. 1 and 3, or
for freezing water in bottles, as shewn at g. The congealing liquid flows to and
from the ice box by branch pipes h provided with three-way cocks, so that the
direction of the current in the box may be reversed at pleasure. The flanges of
the ice moulds & may be bedded on caoutchouc, or other soft packing, as shewn at
i, in Fig. 8, forming a practically water-tight joint, and in that case the water for
congelation may flow freely over the flanges of the moulds from one to the other.
When this arrangement is employed the ice box is made with a supply compart-
ment (Fig. 8) separated from the congealing liquid by a non-conducting partition,
which may be of wood.
Fig. 15 represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 16 a transverse. section of a
tubular agitator according to my Invention applied to the middle portion of each
compartment of an ice box, so as to cool more effectually the water which is farthest
from the cold walls of the compartment. This agitator consists of a tube k with a
zig-zag branch k¹, through which the brine or other congealing liquid is caused
to circulate, whilst the agitator is moved to and fro longintudinally in the com-
partment.
Fig. 17 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 18 a side view of a set of three
exhaust pumps arranged according to my Invention. Each pump is single acting,
having a plunger working through packing of a kind which I will presently
describe. The three-throw crank shaft m, which works the plungers and their
connecting rods are all enclosed within an air-tight casing n. The valve boxes are
arranged in the upper compartments of the pump at o, and a pipe p leads from the
casing n to the suction pipe of the pumps, so that if any of the volatile vapour
should leak past the packings it will be drawn back by the suction of the pumps.
The pump is preferably provided with a cock, so that the pressure within the
chamber may be adjusted as desired.
Fig. 19 shews a section to an enlarged scale of the pump packing 1; it consists of
a split ring coned at the edge on which bears an internally coned gland l, so that
as the gland is tightened inwards the ring l is caused to contract and embrace more
closely the plunger passing through it.
Fig. 20 represents a section to an enlarged scale through a pair of the pump
valves, q being the suction and the discharge valve. The suction valve 7 being
in the usual manner held up by a spring q¹ I enclose this spring with a casing q²,
so that if it should accidentally break the fragments cannot find their way into the
barrel. On the stem of the delivery valve r I fit a small packed piston 1 to
work in a cylindrical casing 72, in which there is bored a small hole or several
holes, so that as the piston passes these holes when the valve rises the fluid
within the casing 2 above the holes becomes compressed, and acts as a cushion to
the valve.
Fig. 21 represents a vertical section of my combined temperature and pressure
gauge; it consists of a glass hood 8, enclosing a barometer tube t and a thermometer
u, the bulb of which projects downwards into the interior of a perforated nozzle
by which the instrument is screwed on to the apparatus.
Fig. 22 represents a transverse section, and Fig. 23 a plan of a refrigerator com-
bined with ice box, so that the refrigerator, instead of absorbing the heat from
the atmosphere abstracts heat from the water that is to be congealed. In this case
vis the refrigerator immersed in the water to be congealed, which thereby becomes
cooled before it is drawn off to be filled into the ice moulds.
Fig. 24 represents a vertical section of a condenser according to my improvement;
it consists of a vessel divided into two compartments, an upper and a lower, by a
wire gauze or finely perforated diaphragm w. The mixture of vapour and air finds
its way into the condenser by one of the holes at the bottom, the force of the current

page_text: being broken by the diaphragm w. The air is let off by the cock at the top in the
usual manner,
and such liquid as is condensed flows out by the other of the holes
at the bottom. The condenser is enclosed in a water jacket or ice chamber to keep
it cool, so as to promote condensation of the vapour within it.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim in respect of apparatus for the refrigeration or
freezing of liquids as means of agitating water undergoing congelation,-
-
First. The use of a reciprocating agitator made in lengths fitted to slide on each
other, so that it becomes shortened as ice is formed under it, substantially as herein
described.
Second. The use of nozzles immersed in the water, through which nozzles por-
tions of the water are caused to flow backwards and forwards, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The combination of agitators, such as are referred to in the first claim,
with nozzles, such as are referred to in the second claim, substantially as herein
described.
Fourth. The use of a tubular agitator, through which a portion of the cooling
liquid is caused to circulate, while the agitator reciprocates in the water to be con-
gealed, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Joseph West, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST. (L.S.)