IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATING ICE SAFES FOR CONTAINING AND PRESERVING PROVISIONS AND OTHER PERISHABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Isham Baggs at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th July
1871.
I, ISHAM BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,. do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFRIGERATING ICE SAFES FOR CONTAINING AND PRESERVING PROVISIONS AND OTHER
PERISHABLE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
One part of this Invention consists in rapidly cooling the contents
of ice safes by dividing the air which is contained therein into two or
more portions by means of diaphragms, tubes, or other similar or
analogous arrangements, so as to cause one or more portions of such
air to become colder than the remainder. By these means rapid.
currents of air are produced within the safe, and the contents thereof
are quickly refrigerated by convection, and so retained at a low
temperature. In some cases it is found more convenient to use a
portable apparatus for refrigeration, that is to say, a cylinder or other
receptacle capable of containing ice and of cooling the air in its imme-
diate vicinity so as to produce the rapid circulation of currents of air

page_text: by the means previously stated. A vertical tube passing through the
centre of such receptacle answers this purpose satisfactorily. The ice
box may be furnished with a tap below for the purpose of drawing off
the water which results from the melting of the ice, and with one or
two handles above, by means of which it may be lifted when charged
with ice into any box or receptacle, which thereby immediately becomes.
an ice safe.
A further part of this Invention is as follows:-In order to prevent
one class of provisions from injuring another by imparting odour or
flavour, as, for instance, to prevent fish or onions from affecting the
flavour of butter, fruit, and other articles liable to be so affected, a safe
is constructed with a number of separate and distinct compartments,
each of which is ventilated independently of the others by means of two
small tubes which have free access to such compartments by one of
their extremities, their opposite ends passing through the non-conduct-
ing shell or case of the safe into the open atmosphere. By these means
a constant circulation of air is effected, the lower or colder portion
of which passes slowly out into the atmosphere, the warmer or upper
portion flowing in and supplying its place.
In ventilating safes it is preferred to bring the incoming current
through the pipe down towards the bottom of the safe as being warmer
than the contained air it is sure to ascend and so becomes better
diffused.
. In some cases the air in the safe is dried by allowing the atmospheric
air in small and regulated quantity to come in contact with a portion
of the metallic line of the bottom of the safe. This object is effected
by making a small chamber below and outside such metallic lining,
and admitting the atmospheric air by a tap, plug, or other analogous
and well known contrivance subject to regulation at will by well known
appliances so as to allow a greater or lesser portion of air to fall or
pass through by reason of its being cooled and therefore possessing
increased specific gravity.
The purity of the air contained in icc safes constructed and arranged
in accordance with this Invention can be preserved by the use of animal
charcoal as a disinfectant. This may be conveniently placed in bags or
trays and protected from contact with the articles contained in the safe
by a covering of wire gauze or perforated metal.

page_text: When ice safes are required on a large scale for the preservation of
meat, fish, poultry, and other articles in large quantities for the use of
dealers in the same, a very thick non-conducting case or envelope sunk
in the floor or otherwise arranged so as to cover the exterior of the case
may be employed. Within this case or envelope a lift is fitted with
strong perforated shelves or bars and hooks for holding meat and other
articles. When the lift is down a proper non-conducting cover is placed
upon the top, and when it is requisite wholly or partially to remove the
articles contained in the safe the cover is removed, and by means of a
rope and windlass or otherwise the lift is raised, and again lowered and
covered up when desired.
In applying this Invention to railway vans provided with ice safes
therein, a cover is placed at the top of the van and a crane employed
to lift the provisions in and out of the top, or a door is placed at the
side of the van which is capable of being made approximately air-tight,
and which is only opened for the purposes of loading and unloading.
For preserving meat and fresh provisions on board ships and other
vessels for long or short voyages, one or more large air-tight safes may
be employed, the same being of any convenient form and so, constructed
as thoroughly to exclude bilge water and foul air. A lift of any suitable
kind is employed to raise the articles out of the safes, or such articles
are suspended upon hooks and are removed by means of a boat hook or
other contrivance, care being taken to keep the door of the safe open
for as short a length of time as possible.