IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ICE
Year: 1884

page_text: I SAMUEL POPLETT of Westmoors, Knowle in the county of Warwick Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ICE to be as follows:-
An Ice Making Machine of modern construction capable of making 50 tons of
clear ice in 24 hours requires (in round numbers) more than 3000 superficial feet
of surface of ice boxes or tanks (congealing tanks) 150 tons of brine for conveying
the cold about 1000 moulds in which the ice is formed and 150 tons of water in
the moulds kept constantly at or below the freezing point-The moulds are
suspended or supported in the congealing tanks containing the brine and to obtain
the best results it is necessary to maintain a nearly constant and uniform tem-
perature in all the boxes or tanks and to effect this the 150 tons of brine must be
kept in rapid and continuous circulation through the refrigerator and around all
the moulds whilst to make clear ice the 150 tons of water must be kept in
continual agitation during the entire process of freezing-My invention relates to
improved arrangements and apparatus for effecting this circulation and this agitation
which I now proceed to describe reference being made to the accompanying
drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 sheet 1 is plan of congealing tanks refrigerator and refrigerator tank
ice moulds circulating pumps and agitating arrangements with one method of
actuating the same; partly in section.
Figure 2 is longitudinal sectional elevation of same.
Figure 3 sheet 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of congealing tanks and
moulds shewing a different method of working the agitating gear-the same letters
or numerals indicate like parts on the different figures (a) congealing tanks-
(b) the moulds (c) the refrigerator tank (d) the refrigerator (d) point of entrance
of warm brine into refrigerator tank (d¹¹) receiving chamber or receptacle into
which the cooled brine in discharged (d) regulated opening from refrigerator
tank into receiving chamber (d)-(e) division of refrigerator tank for the circu-
lating pumps (e¹) point of discharge of the cooled brine from the circulating
pumps into the congealing tanks-(f) circulating pumps (f') foot valve (f¹¹) the
bucket (f) the rod connecting bucket with crank-(g) the main actuating
shaft (h) toothed bevil gear for working the circulating pumps-(h¹) crankshaft-
(i) friction bevil wheels for working the agitators (¹) crankshaft for same-
(1) insulated compartment in the mould in which agitation is effected (¹) one

page_text: form of agitating bucket which may be made either of wood, rubber, or gutta
percha (1) plunger in lieu of bucket of either of the before named materials.
(k Figure 3 sheet 2) toothed bevil gears for working agitating gear-(l) crossbar
to which agitating buckets or plungers are attached-(m) vertical lifting rod
(ml) rod connecting lifting rod with wrist pin in large gear-(11) stand carrying
inain shaft and provided with studs upon which large gear revolves.
It will be noticed that the refrigerator (which is not included in the improved
apparatus) is interposed in the series of congealing boxes or tanks and so arranged
that the brine cooled by passing through or in contact with it is all discharged into
one of the series or one end of the system and before it can return to the
refrigerator and be recooled it must flow through the entire system of tanks and
around all the moulds.
The operation is as follows-Assuming that the tanks are supplied with a
suitable quantity of brine that the moulds are in position & filled with water to be
frozen and that the ice making machine (only the refrigerator shewn) is at work
the upward movement of the bucket in the circulating pumps creates a vacuum
under the foot valves which can only be filled by brine from the refrigerator and
owing to this vacuum the pressure of the atmosphere on the brine in the refrigerator
tank forces it through the refrigerator-The point of overflow from the circulating
pumps being something above the surface of the brine in the congealing tanks
allows an unobstructed flow of the cold brine from the pumps over the weir and
into the congealing tank whilst at the same time an equal quantity of warm brine
is forced through the refrigerator to supply the displacement caused by the pumps-
this lowers the brine in the refrigerator tank and allows the warm brine from the
contiguous congealing tank to flow in and thus complete the cycle-And in this
manner a continuous circulation is effected through the entire system of tanks and
the power required is only that necessary to raise the quantity of brine the few
inches that the brine discharged is above the level of that in the tank.
At the same time that the circulation is effected in the manner described the
water in the moulds is kept in constant agitation by means of the appliances shewn
in the drawings.
With the buckets (or pistons with valves) (¹) the flow of the water in the
moulds is always upward from the bottom and outward from the top as shewn by
the arrows, but with the solid piston (11) the flow is up and down with the piston
and necessarily outward and inward at bottom and top.
I am aware that circulation of the brine through the tanks and agitation in the
moulds is not new and also that insulating spaces in the moulds in which agitation
can be maintained through the entire process of freezing have been the subject
matter of several patents but my improvements as herein described relate to the
arrangement of the different parts and to the mode or method of circulation and
agitation and not to the principle involved.
Dated this eighth day of September 1884.

page_text: I SAMUEL PUPLETT of Westmoors Knowle in the county of Warwick Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF ICE and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
An ice making machine of modern construction capable of making 50 tons of
clear ice in 24 hours requires (in round numbers) more than 3000 superficial feet
of surface of ice boxes or tanks (congealing tanks) 150 tons of brine to convey the
cold about 1000 moulds in which the ice is formed and 150 tons of water in the
moulds kept constantly at or below the freezing point-The moulds are suspended
or supported in the congealing tanks containing the brine and to obtain the best
results it is necessary to maintain a nearly constant and uniform temperature in all
the boxes or tanks and to effect this the 150 tons of brine must be kept in rapid
and continuous circulation through the refrigerator and around all the moulds,
whilst to make clear ice the 150 tons of water must be kept in continual agitation
during the entire period of freezing.
My invention relates to improved arrangements and apparatus for effecting this
circulation and this agitation which I now proceed to describe reference being made
to drawings sheets 1 and 2 of which were filed with my provisional specification,
and sheet 3 is filed herewith,
Fig 1 sheet 1 is plan of congealing tanks, refrigerator and refrigerator tank--
ice moulds-circulating pumps and agitating arrangements-with one method of
actuating the same-partly in section.
Fig 2 is longitudinal sectional elevation of same.
Fig 3 sheet 2. is a transverse sectional elevation of congealing tanks and moulds
showing a different method of working the agitating gear.
Fig 4 sheet 3 is plan of one arrangement of tanks to a reduced scale.
The same letters or numerals indicate like parts on the different figures.
a congealing tanks-b the moulds the refrigerator tank-d the refrigerator-
dpoint of entrance of warm brine into refrigerator tank-d receiving chamber
or receptacle into which the cooled brine is discharged-d regulated opening
from refrigerator tank into receiving chamber de division of refrigerator tanks
for the circulating pumps-e point of discharge of the cooled brine from the
circulating pumps into the congealing tanks f circulating pumps-f¹ the foot
valves-f the bucket-f111 the rod connecting bucket with crank-g the main
actuating shaft-h toothed bevil gears for working the circulating pumps-h¹ crank-
shaft i friction bevil wheels for working the agitators crankshaft for same-
jinsulated compartment in the moulds in which agitation is effected one form
of agitating bucket which may be made either of wood, rubber or gutta-percha
11 plunger in lieu of bucket of either of the before named materials-k Fig 3
sheet 2 toothed bevil gears for working agitating gear- crossbar to which agitating
buckets or plungers are attached-m vertical lifting rod-m². rod connecting lifting
rod with wrist-pin in large gear-n. stand containing main shaft and provided with
stud on which large gear revolves.
In the double arrangement partially shewn it is to be understood that the
congealing tanks a a both to the right and left are continued and connected to
tanks in front and back and in such a manner that before the moulds are placed in
position the brine discharged over the weir e¹ has an uninterrupted flow around to
the point of discharge d' into the refrigerator tank a This will be more clearly
understood by Fig 4.

page_text: It is to be noticed that by the arrangement shewn the refrigerator (which is not
included in the improved apparatus) is interposed in the series of congealing tanks
and is so arranged that the brine cooled by passing through it or in contact with it
is all discharged into one tank of the series at one end of the system and before
it can return to the refrigerator to be re-cooled it must flow through the entire
system and around all the moulds.
The operation is as follows assuming that the tanks are supplied with a suitable
quantity of brine that the moulds are in position and filled with water to be frozen
and that the ice making machine (only the refrigerator shewn) is at work-The
upward movement of the buckets in the circulating pumps creates a vacuum under
the foot-valves which can only be filled by brine from the refrigerator and owing
to this vacuum the pressure of the atmosphere on the brine in the refrigerator tank
forces it through the refrigerator-The point of overflow from the circulating
pumps being something above the surface of the brine in the congealing tanks
allows an unobstructed flow of the cold brine from the pumps over the weir and
into the congealing tanks whilst at the same time an equal quantity of warm
brine is forced through the refrigerator to supply the displacement caused by the
pumps this lowers the brine in the refrigerator tank and allows the warm brine
from the contiguous congealing tanks to flow in and thus complete the cycle. And
in this manner a continuous circulation is effected through the entire system of
tanks and the power required is only that necessary to raise the quantity of brine
the few inches that the brine discharged is above the level of that in the tank
and by the employment of a series of circulating pumps discharging alternately the
flow over the weir is constant and consequently a minimum rise will suffice to
maintain the flow.
At the same time that the circulation of the brine is effected in the manner
described the water in the ice moulds is kept in constant agitation by means of the
appliances shewn on the drawings-These appliances consist of a bucket or plunger
for causing the agitation and two methods of actuating the same.
With the bucket (a piston with valves) which I consider the preferable method
the flow of water in the moulds is always upwards through the insulated space and
outwards at the top thereby causing not only effectual agitation of the water but a
continual change from bottom to top and a perfect equalization of temperature.
With the plunger agitation is effected but not so complete a change or circulation
in all parts of the moulds-It is not advisable to construct the buckets of metal
for reason that ice will form on any metallic surface notwithstanding the insulation
of the spaces in which they work-The buckets may be made of wood but owing
to the limited space remaining when the insulation is of suitable thickness, I prefer
to make them of gutta percha or hard rubber-from either of these materials a
durable & efficient bucket may be formed and one that upon which the action of
the water or brine will have no effect.
Another advantage is that ample water passage through the bucket may be had
without impairing the strength.
Two methods of actuating the agitating devices are shewn and it is to be noticed
that by both methods only a minimum space above the top of the congealing tank
is required-The entire apparatus can be conveniently fixed underneath the floor of
the tank house this is very advisable for reason that by such an arrangement there
is no obstruction to the overhead traveller and indispensable appliance for lifting
and replacing the moulds and removing the ice.
Another distinctive characteristic of the arrangement is that the circulation of
the brine and agitation of the water is effected by one or more continuous rotating
shafts outside of the tanks and easily accessible and not as is frequently the case by
submerged machinery within the tanks and by a series of longitudinal reciprocating
bars above the tanks.
I am aware that circulation of brine around ice moulds for the purpose of
freezing the water within the moulds is as old as artificial ice making and that
agitating the water in the moulds for the purpose of forming clear ice is also old,

page_text: and that the insulating of spaces within the moulds in which agitation can be
maintained during the entire process of freezing has been the subject matter of
numerous patents and to these per se I make no claim-Neither do I restrict
myself to the precise arrangements of the apparatus described and shewn as these
may be varied to some extent without departing from the nature of my invention.
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 In apparatus for the artificial production of ice the employment of a
series of circulating pumps so arranged as to withdraw from the refrigerator tank
only the re-cooled brine and by the same operation causing a vacuum whereby the
pressure of the atmosphere impels the warm brine through the refrigerator to fill
the displacement substantially as described and shewn.
Second In apparatus for the artificial production of ice, effecting agitation of
the water being frozen, by the use of buckets or pistons with valves, in insulated
spaces within the moulds substantially as shewn and for the purposes described.
Third In apparatus for the artificial production of ice, constructing the bucket
for agitating the water in insulated spaces within the moulds of gutta-percha or
hard rubber for the reasons herein before stated.
Fourth In apparatus for the artificial production of ice the arrangement of
actuating the agitating devices consisting of one main line of sbafting between
two tanks frictional gearing and cranks substantially as described and shewn in
Figs 1 and 2. sheet 1.
Fifth In apparatus for the artificial production of ice the arrangement of
actuating the agitating devices consisting of two or more lines of shafting toothed
wheels and pinions so arranged as to give a vertical motion to a cross bar to which
the bucket or plunger rods are attached and in such a manner that the actuating
devices are on the sides and mainly below the tops of the tanks substantially as
shewn in Fig 3 sheet 2 of the drawings and for the purposes described.
Sixth In apparatus for the artificial production of ice the general arrangement
of tanks, moulds, circulating and agitating appliances and methods of actuation
substantially as and for the purposes described in the specification and shewn in
Figs 1. 2. 3 and 4 on sheets 1. 2 and 3 of the drawings annexed.
Tthin 07hd daw of Antahan 1001