Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1886.
Complete Left, 24th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 1st June, 1887.
JONATHAN LUCAS RIGG 11 Victoria Grove Gloucester Road Bayswater Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for effecting a continual circulation
or agitation of the water to be frozen.
The difficulty usually met with in the production of transparent ice arises from the
agitating apparatus freezing up before the water in the vessel or mould is frozen into
a solid block of ico and from this cause the ice is more or less opaque especially in the
centre of the block.
The object of my invention is to remove or minimise this difficulty and this I effect
in the manner hereinafter described.
In the place of an insulated compartment extending the whole depth of the mould
or vessel in which the ice is produced and in which a paddle or plunger is operated I
employ a pump made of any material which is a bad conductor of heat preferably
wood. This pump I partly submerge in the mould or vessel preferably in the centro.
The pump is provaled with a bucket piston or plunger packed with leather or other
fibrous packing and is connected to a rod by a pin. A reciprocating movement is
imparted to the rod by any suitable device and by this means on the outward stroke of
the bucket piston or plunger water is drawn into the pump through ports in the end
and on the return stroke this water is forced out of the pump through the same set of
ports or the operation can be reversed.
By this means a current or an agitation is established in the water to be frozen-
more or less active according to the speed at which the pump is driven.
By varying the section of the ports I direct the current in any desired direction. I
also attach to the pump baffle boards to prevent the water splashing over the edges of
the mould or vessel.

page_text: improvements in Apparatus for the manufacture of
Transparent Ice.
JONATHAN LUCAS RIGG 11 Victoria Grove Gloucester Road Kensington Engineer
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:
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for effecting a continual circulation
or agitation of the water to be frozen.
The difficulties usually met with in the production of Transparent ice arise from the
appliances used for agitating the water freezing up and ceasing to work before
.the water in the vessel or mould is frozen into a solid block of ice-from which cause the
-ice is more or less opaque especially in the centre where the sediment in the water
collects. There have been various methods adopted to overcome this difficulty notably
by introducing an insulated compartment into the vessel or mould in which the ice is
to be formed and in which insulated compartment the agitating apparatus works. This
method is uncertain and it has many disadvantages principally arising from the loss of
time and waste of ice occasioned in detaching the ice from the sides of the compartment
upon which it freezes. The object of my invention is to overcome or to minimise these
disadvantages and this I effect in the manner hereinafter described.
In place of an insulated compartment extending the whole depth of the vessel or
mould in which the ice is formed and in which a paddle or plunger is operated, I
employ a pump made of any material a bad conductor of heat such as wood being
preferred. This pump 1 partly submerge in the water contained in the vessel or
mould preferably in the centre_of_the_same, in such a manner that the ports or suction
and discharge openings are covered with water. The pump is provided with a bucket
piston or plunger packed with leather or other fibrous packing or has grooves on the
periphery of the bucket which grooves becoming filled with water form a liquid
packing. This bucket piston or plunger is provided with a rod which is connected to
any suitable device for imparting a reciprocating movement to the bucket piston or
plunger. At the bottom or underside of the pump barrel or body I provide a port or
ports or openings the section or shape of which is determined by the size of the vessel
or mould and the quantity of water it contains. By inducing these ports or openings
from the centre of the vessel or mould I am able to direct the current which is set up
therein in any desired direction.
The operation of the apparatus I have described is as follows on the upward or
outward stroke of the bucket piston or plunger water is drawn into the pump barrel

page_text: through the ports or openings already described and on the inward or return stroke
this water is forced out of the barrel through the same set of ports, or the operation
can be reversed-By this means a current or an agitation is set up more or less active
according to the speed at which the plunger is driven. The pump being only partly
submerged it is situated above the brine level and consequently it continues to act as
long as any water remains unfrozen. It is obvious that as the quantity of water in the
vessel or mould is reduced the amount of agitation will be greater and to prevent the
water splashing over the edges of the vessel or mould I attach baffles or wings to the
pump barrel or body at or above the level of the ice either by means of hinges pins screws
or other suitable device or in case the pump be made of metal by casting them on to the
barrel or body. I prefer to make these wings or baffles with sides so that the sediment
in the water and which is precipitated and concentrated by the process of freezing is
deposited therein.
I have described an apparatus for one mould and as there are usually a number of
moulds or vessels in each ice making apparatus the same appliances as herein described
can be applied to one or all the moulds at pleasure. I do not restrict myself to any
particular form or size of pump as it will bo obvious these must bo varied to suit the
capacity of the vessel or mould to which they are applied neither do I restrict myself
to the use of a reciprocating pump a pump having a rotary piston may be used and
I do not confine myself to a vertical pump a pump placed horizontally is equally
efficacious.
Fig.
2 sheet 1 is plan of the same.
Fig. 3 sheet 1 is an elevation of the same.
Fig. 4 sheet 1 is an elevation of an Ice mould with agitating apparatus-showing
ports or openings in the bottom or underside of pump-partly in section.
Fig. 5 sheet I is plan of the same.
Fig. 6 sheet 2 is an elevation of an Ice mould shewing another form of agitating
apparatus partly in section.
Fig. 7 sheet 2 is plan of same.
A is the vessel or mould in which the ice is formed.
B is the water it is intended to freeze.
Cis agitating apparatus or pump.
D is the bucket piston or plunger packed with leather or other fibrous packing
or having grooves h. h. h on its periphery.
E the connecting rod for attaching to any suitable device for imparting a
reciprocating movement to the bucket piston or plunger.
F. F are the baffles or wings attached to the barrel or body of the pump.
G. G' are ports or openings at the bottom or underside of the pump barrel through
which the water is drawn into and discharged from the pump.
h. h. h are grooves on the periphery of the bucket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
First. Effecting by means of an apparatus substantially as described herein a
continual circulation or agitation of the water to be frozen, in the vessels or moulds in
which ice is produced.
Second. The application to a vessel or mould in which ice is to be formed a pump
having a bucket piston or plunger and provided with a port or ports or openings
which are submerged substantially as described and shewn.
Third. The addition of wings or baffles to the body or barrel of such pump or
agitating apparatus by means of which the splashing of the water over the edges of
the vessel or mould is prevented, substantially as described and shewn.

page_text: Fourth. The application of such pump or agitating apparatus whether reciprocating
or rotary in action and whether placed vertically or horizontally to vessels or moulds
in which ice is to be formed in such a position as to be partly submerged so that the
port or ports are under water and above the brine level substantially as described and
shewn.
Fifth. Making the wings or baffles with sides to serve as catch pots for the sediment
precipitated and concentrated in the water by the action of freezing substantially as
described and shewn
SAMUEL SUPLETT,
Agent for J. L. Rigg.