Improvements in Refrigerators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refrigerators.
We, CHARLES FREDERICK MILLER, Manufacturer, and ALEXANDER
WHITESIDE CARLILE, Chemist, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, &
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN REFRIGERATORS, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of refrigerating devices
operating by the alternate vaporization and liquefaction of volatile liquids, the
same being conducted while in the gaseous form in a closed pipe through a
refrigerating chest for the purpose of cooling the contents of the latter. To this
end, we adapt the said devices, whether within or without the chest, to be used
either in the compressing or the absorbing system of refrigeration, and combine
them with compressing and absorbing devices and the necessary tubular connec-
tions and cut off valves, as herein stated. The said invention also consists in
certain mechanism, whereby an insufficient supply of refrigerating vapor is made
to automatically cure itself by the action of the overheated vapor on devices
expansible by heat, this device being connected to an outlet valve of a receptacle
of volatile liquids.
In the accompanying drawings, the figure represents a side elevation partly in
section, of the refrigerating apparatus embodying my invention.
A designates the refrigerating chest, 13 a horizontal platform extending out
from one side of it, and C a smaller horizontal platform extending out from the
other side, each platform resting on a bracket or c attached to said chest, and on
a leg or supporting block B, C, under the outer end of said platform. On the
platform B, three generating cylinders D, E, F, are supported, each being heated
by a lamp G or other calorific device in a chamber Gunder said cylinder or
generator. Generators D and E are surrounded by water jackets D', E', provided
with inlet pipes d, e, and outlet pipes d¹ & e for allowing the supply of water to
said jackets and its escape therefrom. Each of these pipes is provided with a
cut-off valve d² for controlling or stopping such flow. A horizontal pipe G²
receives branch pipes g, ',, from said generators, the pipes g, g¹, extending
down within the generators D, E, respectively, and nearly to the bottoms thereof.
The pipe 9 extends down to and within the generator F. A cut-off valve f is
arranged in pipe G between pipes g and g¹, a similar valve f being in pipe g¹ and
another, in pipe g. Each of these valves thus serves to cut off one of these
generators from communicating with the others. The cylinder F is used only as
a reinforcing generator to supply gaseous ammonia to either one or both of the
other generators when the ammoniacal solution therein becomes weak. When the
valve is closed, both of the generators D and E are cut off from cylinder or
generator F; when this valve is open and either one of the other valves for fis
open also, the generator to which the valve for f' belongs will be supplied by
reinforcing generator F. When all the valves ff¹, fare open, both of the
generators D and E are thus supplied.
From generator D a pipe extends upwards, forming a coil H within a steam-
condensing cylinder I; and from generator E a similar pipe extends upward
forming likewise a coil H within a steam-condensing cylinder I'. The pipes h, h³
join after passing through said condensing cylinders, the former being bent into a
horizontal position for convenience, and provided with a cut-off valve h² before
reaching the point of junction. The pipe is also provided with a similar
valve above the cylinder I. Each steam-condensing cylinder I or I' is provided

page_text: with a water-inlet and a water-outlet . The current of cold water passing
through each cylinder from the inlet to the outlet condenses the steam in the gas
ascending from the generator through the coil, and this steam in the form of water
runs back into the generator, leaving the ammoniacal gas in said coil comparatively
free.
From the junction of the pipes h, a long horizontal pipe J extends to and
beyond a point where a pipe is attached thereto, leading to a pressure-gauge ..
A valve 2 in said pipe J beyond this point cuts off at will all further passage of
the gas in that direction and directs it into a pipe & opposite to pressure-gauge-
pipe . This pipe is formed into a coil K within a condensing cylinder L,
which is provided with an inlet I, and an outlet l, and operates like those con-
densing cylinders before described. Its office is to convert into liquid the vapor
passing through said coil and the degree of cold in the condenser is adapted thereto.
From this coil and condenser the pipe extends down to a storage tank M for
the liquefied gas, located within said refrigerating chest. From the lower end of
this tank, the ammoniacal liquid descends through a pipe m to a cooling pipe n,
which is formed into a large cooling coil N within said refrigerator chest. From
this coil the liquid passes through a pipe № to a cylinder for a purpose
hereinafter explained; and thence through a pipe N2 to the pipe G² leading to the
generators. During the passage of the liquid through the coil N it expands into
gas again, abstracting heat in so doing from the interior of the refrigerating
chest, and whatever the latter may contain. The gas thus produced is received
by one of the generators D or E, the other generator of this pair being cut off by
the valve for before described. These generators are used alternately, that is
to say, one is used for generating during a considerable period, and then the
other, the receiving one being cooled by the cold water applied to its jacket or
surrounding water space, as before described, while the other is heated by its
lamp to generate gas.
Instead of allowing the refrigerant to pass directly from pipe m to pipe n and
coil N as before described, we may use it in the transit to cool or freeze liquid.
Thus the pipe m is provided with a downward extension m', which enters a small
brine tank and forms a coil P¹ on the bottom thereof, thence passing out and
connecting with an upward extending pipe m², which leads to pipe a aforesaid.
Pipe n is provided with a valve a¹ between pipes m and m² for cutting off.at will
the passage from the former directly to the latter, and thus bringing said brine-
chest into the circuit. Pipes m' and m² are provided with valves m³ and m for
controlling the current through said brine-chest. Ice-cans P2 are set into the top
of the latter, and, supplied with water to be frozen. Bottles of wine may be set
into the brine within said chest, the top, to which said cans are attached, being
removable.
A valve M in pipes m serves to regulate the flow of liquid from the tank M
to the coil N, whether the said brine-chest be in circuit or not.
It is very
desirable to make the action of the valve automatic, so that the weakening and
consequent overheating of the refrigerant may compensate for itself by partly or
wholly opening the said valve beyond the position previously occupied thereby.
To this end, we provide an alcohol tube O in the form of a worm or spiral within
cylinder aforesaid, where the ammoniacal gas, after leaving coil N, has access
to it. One end of said alcohol tube is closed, but the other end opens into a
cylinder O¹, where it acts on a piston Q, the rod Q of which is adjustably attached
to an angle-lever R pivoted to a bracket S on the outside of the machine.
connecting rod t extends from the other end of this angle-lever to a disk s on the
rotary valve-rod or stem of the said valve M¹. The overheating of the gas
and consequent expansion of the alcohol in the said tube will, through these
connections, open the said valve and allow a larger supply of fluid to pass down
from the tank.
A
From the pipe J beyond the valve J2, a long pipe U extends down to a pump V,
inounted on platform C. This pump is supplied through pipe w, having valve w',

page_text: from an external storage tank W provided with pressure-gange W and water-
jacket W, the latter having inlet and outlet ³. The gas passes to this storage
tank from the coil N through the pipes N', cylinder O and pipe N2 aforesaid, and
a pipe X leading from the latter, a coil X in a condenser Z and a pipe Z' leading
from said coil to said tank W. The pipe X is provided with a valve a, and the
condenser Z is provided with a water-inlet y and a water-outlet y'.
When this pump and external tank are used, neither of the generators is employed
as a means of supplying the inner storage tank M, or as a receptacle for the gas
given off by the coil N. This gas is cooled in the condenser Z, and again in the
external tank W, but does not become liquified until it reaches the inner storage
tank M. This liquefaction is chiefly due to the pressure caused by the continuing
action of said pump. The valve M then is opened slightly or opens automatically
by the means hereinbefore described, and the refrigerating action proceeds within
the chest A. This pump circuit or system is used when both the generators are
undergoing repairs or cleansing, or when, for any reason, it is deemed best not to
use them for a time. Thus my tank and coil are adapted to be used with either
the compression system or the absorption system of refrigeration, the pump
being the compressing agent in the one case, and the generator in use being
a receptacle for liquid material adapted to absorb the vapors given off by the coil.
Either generator alone, or the pump alone, with, of course, in each instance, the
necessary connections, will suffice as a means of charging the storage tank M,
which is always the means of supplying the cooling coil N, these two latter devices
with the automatic controlling mechanism being the only ones necessarily actively
employed during long intervals.
Each generator, D or E, when used for charging is heated by the lamp, as afore-
said; and when used for absorption is cooled by a current of cold water through its
jacket, the heated water being, of course, first withdrawn.
The chief use of the third generator F is to compensate for weakness of the gas
due to leakage. When its own charge becomes weak after one or more heatings,
or when for any reason withdrawal of it becomes necessary, the contents of said
cylinder or generator may be entirely withdrawn through an outlet-cock F near
the bottom thereof, a fresh supply of ammonia being introduced at the top of said
generator through supply-tube F².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1st. In combination with the pipes and other passages of a refrigerating circuit,
a valve arranged in one part thereof, a device expansible by heat arranged in
another part thereof, and connections between said device and said valve in order
that the expansion of the former caused by the insufficient supply and consequent
overheating of the gas or vapor, may open the latter to increase the flow of
volatile liquid beyond said valve, and thus compensate for overheating, substantially
as set forth.
2nd. A storage tank for volatile liquid in combination with a valve controlling
the outflow of said liquid therefrom, a tubular coil supplied thereby, an alcohol
tube closed at one end, open at the other end, and arranged in the passage or
tubular communication between said coil and said tank, and before the latter in the
circuit, a piston arranged to be acted on by the expansion of the alcohol through
the open end of the tube, and a connecting rod and lever making connection
between the piston rod and the valve rod, substantially as and for-the purpose
set forth.
3rd. A storage tank for liquified volatile refrigerant in combination with a coil
supplied thereby, a condensing pump, a receptacle adapted to contain absorbent
material, a tube extending from the outlet of said coil, tubular connections from
this tube to the said pump and receptacle respectively, an inlet tube for said tank,
tubular connection to the said inlet from said pump and said receptacle and valves

page_text: for cutting out of circuit at will, either the receptacle or the pump, substantially as
set forth.
4th. In combination with a refrigerator chest, a brine-chest formed in a corner
thereof and adapted to receive and support water cans in its cover, a coil in said
brine chest, a storage tank for vaporizable liquid, a tube connecting said tank with
said coil, the main cooling coil for said chest, tubular connections from one of these
coils to the other, and from the tank directly to the main coil, valves allowing the
coil in the brine-chamber to be cut off or admitted into the circuit at will, and
tubular connections from the main coil to the receiving end of the said tanks,
substantially as set forth.
5th. A tank for volatile liquid in combination with a condenser through which it
is supplied, a compressing device and an absorbing and generating device, each
having tubular connection with the inlet end of said condenser, and tubular
connections between the outlet of said tank and the aforesaid compressing and
absorbing and generating devices, the said devices being used alternately, sub-
stantially as set forth.
6th. A tank for volatile liquid in combination with a compressing pump and a
generator, each connected by tubular devices in circuit therewith, and a common
condenser for said pump and said generator, which receives the gas discharged from
them on its way to the said tank, the said pump and generator being used
alternatively, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of June 1891.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.