Improvements in Condensing and Refrigerating Coils for Refrigerat- ing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 23th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Condensing and Refrigerating Coils for Refrigerat-
ing Machines.
"
I, ALLAN CAMPBELL, of 100, Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, in the
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, one of the United States of America, Manu-
facturer, 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:
66
"
―
The modern refrigerating machine refrigerates by performing with a volatile
gas a continual round of three functions which are briefly known to the art as
compressing," "condensing," and " expanding." My invention relates to the
condensing apparatus, or "condensing coils," into which the gas is pumped from
the compressing mechanism, and from which the liquified gas is conveyed to the
expansion coils." The compression of the gas heats it, and it is hot when it
enters the condensing coil. Commencing at the point where the gas enters the
condenser, its heat is gradually absorbed by the water or other cooling medium
until it is discharged as a liquid. The usual methods of condensation in which
water is employed are, first, that in which the gas is passed through coils of pipe
which are submerged in a tank of water, second, that in which the water falls
down over horizontal coils of pipe through which the gas is forced, and third, an
old but little used method in which the gas is forced through a pipe that is enclosed
in a larger pipe serving as a water jacket. The object of my invention is, to
expose the gas in the condensing coil to just as great an area of condensing sur-
face as possible by subjecting it to the cooling action of both the water and the
outer atmosphere, and by preventing the generation of air bubbles on the surface
of the confining walls of the water conduit coming next the heated gas, so as
to avoid the formation of a non-conductor between the gas and water, by bringing
the heated gas in juxta position with the warmest water, and the cooler gas with
the cooler water, and at the same dividing the current of compressed gas when
it enters the condenser so as to expose the same to just twice the condensing
surface it has heretofore had, and thus greatly decrease the extent and dimensions
of the said "condensing coils." This I accomplish by the means hereinafter
fully described, and as particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation-of-the-same..
Figure 3 is a detail view of a central coupling in cross section.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 5 is a detail view of the end coupling of my invention in cross section.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section-of the same...
medifontion of my invention

page_text: nately back and forth to its outlet at the top of the coil. The return-bends
of this pipe A are made by elbows a, a, which are suitably connected to the
straight sections of the pipe by connections b, b.
Between the connections b, b, the straight sections of the water pipe are
enclosed and surrounded by the pipes B, which latter are of such diameter as
to leave an annular space between the same and said water pipe, through which
the gas circulates. The pipes B, B, extend from a point near the connections b
to near the center of length of the coil, and are there connected to the fellow
section of pipe B, alining therewith by means of a T-coupling C,D. At their
outer ends they are connected to the pipe B above or below it, as the case may
be, by twin T-couplings E located at their ends which latter are so constructed
as to furnish a communicating passage between the bores of each successive
parallel pairs of said pipe, B, arranged in superimposed progressions.
T-couplings C and D, which correspond in construction, consist of a cylindrical
body with alining lateral flanges projecting in tangential planes from one
side thereof, as shown. The bore of each of these couplings is slightly reduced
at each end, and screw-threaded to receive the threaded ends of pipes B, and, at
about its center of length said bore is provided with several inwardly projecting
spacing-lugs e, that support and retain the water-pipe extending therethrough
in concentric position. The bore of each of these couplings are also provided at
about the center of length thereof with a transverse opening f that strikes
through the center of the outer plane surface produced by the flanges d, and the
mouth of this opening f is surrounded by a concentric circular raised surface,
and the raised surface of one of these couplings is provided with an annular
tongue or tenon g, and the other with a corresponding annular groove into which
said tongue enters. It is not necessary that the couplings C, C, connecting the
two lowermost alining sections of pipe B, B, and the two uppermost sections of
pipe B, be provided with these tongues g, but it is advisable that the opening f
be interiorly screw threaded to receive the ends of the valve controlled outlet-
pipe and inlet-pipe G respectively. The remainder of these centrally located
couplings, however, are arranged in pairs C, D, and each pair is so placed that
the mouths of the openings f thereof, face and communicate with each other in
vertical alinement, and after a gasket g of lead or other suitable material having
a central opening therein is placed between them, said couplings are clamped
together. by suitable bolts and nuts i.
The twin-couplings E are constructed of two T-couplings, substantially like
couplings C, except that the outer end of the cylindrical body k thereof is pro-
vided with a lozenge shaped flange e¹. The outer portion of the opening in
the outer end of couplings E is slightly greater in diameter than the inner
portion thereof (which latter is made just large enough for the pipe A to pass
through), and the shoulder made by such increased diameter is, preferably,
beveled slightly. The annular space thus formed is filled with suitable packing,
and this packing is compressed by the circumferential flange m of a plate K,
which is clamped to coupling E by means of suitable bolts and nuts n, as shown,
so as to make a perfectly gastight joint in the outer end of said coupling. The
two parts of the twin coupling are connected together in the same manner that
the parts of the couplings C are, with a lead gasket of suitable shape between
them.
The operation of my improved condenser coil is very simple. The gas enters
the uppermost coupling D through the inlet-pipe G and then divides; one half
of its volume going to the right, and the other half to the left, through the
alining pipes B. The main body of the divided currents of gas continue to
travel to and from the outer couplings E on that half of the condenser into which
it originally entered, and passes in transit through pipe B to said twin-coupling,.
then through said coupling to and through the next lower pipe B back to the
coupling C, D, through which it passes to the next lower pipe B, and so on, back
and forth to the lowermost central coupling C, from whence the products of con-

page_text: densation drain through the outlet. pipe F on the way to the expansion coil.
The result of this construction is, that the gas, as it circulates in the annular
space between the water-pipe and the gas-pipe is subject to the condensing
qualities of the water within and air without, and has twice the condensing
surface it could possibly get in any other way, and in addition to this great
advantage, should the condensation proceed faster on one side of the central
couplings than on the other, the free communication between said halves, per-
mits the pressure to adjust itself, so that at all times a steady, even pressure is
maintained in the coils.
Figure 7 of the drawings illustrates a modification of my invention which
shows the adaptation of my improvements as a refrigerating coil. This refrigerat-
ing coil consists of a continuous coil of pipe N, through which brine or some.
other suitable incongealable liquid is circulated, and which has its inlet at the
upper end and its outlet at the lower end. The straight stretches of this coil N
are enclosed between the return bends thereof by sections of pipe M of larger
diameter, whose ends are connected to T-couplings O, similar in every respect to
couplings E of the condenser coils heretofore described. Two of these couplings
connect the sections of pipe M with the fellow section above it at one end and
with the fellow section below it at the other end, and thus form a gas-tight con-
duit for the liquid feed from the condenser, that is drawn into it through the
single coupling secured to the end of the lower section of pipe M adjacent to
the outlet of pipe N, and is sucked out of it from the coupling O next the inlet
of said pipe N by the compressor. In the place of a central coupling similar to C
of the condenser coil, which is dispensed with in the refrigerator coil, I can,
if desired, employ set-screws or pegs n', which are driven radially into pipe M,
preferably, from below, at suitable distances apart, so as to support and center
the pipe N, in said outer pipe M.
It is obvious that instead of employing but two half sections in the con-
struction of the condenser coil through each of which separate currents of gas
are forced, any multiple of the same could be used, and the same thing can also
be claimed with regard to the refrigerating-coil.
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:-
First. The combination in a condenser coil with a continuous water-pipe coil,
of straight sections of gas pipe surrounding the straight sections of said water
pipe between the return-bends thereof; the top section of said gas pipe having
an intake between its ends and the bottom section thereof having an outlet
between its ends; and said sections of gas pipe communicating at its ends with
a companion section on one side and at a suitable point between its end com-
municating with the companion section on the other side of it.
Second. The combination in a condenser coil with a continuous water-pipe
coil, of a gas-pipe surrounding the straight portions thereof that has its gas
intake located between the ends of the top section thereof and its outlet between
the ends of the lower section thereof, and each section of which is connected at its
ends_and_at_a_suitable_point_between_its_ends_so_that_the_gas is divided into two
oppositely moving currents that travels back and forth to said outlet in that end
portion of the condenser into which it originally passed.
Third. The combination in a condenser coil for refrigerating machines with a
continuous. water-pipe coil A, of sections of gas-pipe B, two of which surround
the greater portion of each straight part of coil A, T-couplings C connecting
each two alining sections of gas-pipe and connected with the corresponding
coupling of the next adjacent parallel alining sections of gas pipe on one side,
and T-couplings E on the outer ends of said sections of gas-pipe connected
with the corresponding coupling E on the ends of the next adjacent parallel alining
section of pipe B on the other side of it, as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Fourth. The combination in a condenser coil of a refrigerating machine with
a continuous water-pipe coil A, of sections of gas pipe B two of which surround
the greater portion of each straight part of coil A, T-couplings C which have
inwardly projecting spacing lugs for centering said water-pipe and connecting
with the corresponding coupling 1 of the next adjacent parallel alining sections
of pipe 1 on one side, and T-couplings E secured to the outer ends of said
sections of gas-pipe, which connected with the corresponding coupling E on the
end of the next adjacent parallel alining section of pipe B on the other side as
and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. In a refrigerating apparatus a continuous coil of pipe through which
a liquid is forced of a series of corresponding sections of pipe of larger diameter
enclosing the straight stretches of said continuous coil, and coupling devices
connecting the ends of the same to their fellows so as to make a conduit for a
gaseous product moving in the opposite direction to the liquid in said inner
pipe, as and for the purpose set forth.
1 1
4+1
Ը
1000
ALLAN CAMPBELL,
By Herbert Haddan & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.