IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OF THE AGENTS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hector Auguste Dufrené, of No. 10), Rue de
la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OF THE
AGENTS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
-A communication from Charles Tellier, residing at Paris, in the
Empire of France.
Sealed the 30th July 1869, and dated the 6th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hector Auguste Dufrené
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th February 1869.
I, HECTOR AUGUSTE DUFRENE, of No. 10, Rue de la Fidélité,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IOR
AND OF THE AGENTS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,"
to be as follows, that is to say:—
The Invention has for object the manufacture of artificial ice by
utilising the cold produced by the evaporation of very volatile liquids,

page_text: specially of methylic ether or ammonia, and by mechanical com-
pression of the vapours thereof. These agents are enclosed in a liquid
state in recipients or congealors, which I construct by preference as
herein-after described. The congealors may be made to contain uncon-
gealable liquid, such as chloride of calcium or glycerine, in which the
water is to be placed. Their inner surfaces may also enclose the water
to be solidified, or their outer surfaces may be directly immersed therein.
The detaching of the ice is effected in this case by means of the vapours
of the freezing material employed, which may then enter at will behind
these surfaces, and in condensing produce sufficient heat to effect the
separation. When by means of its contact with the surfaces to be con-
gealed and of the low pressure of the surrounding atmosphere the
liquid is vaporised these vapours are taken back by a suction and
force pump provided with a hydraulic stuffing box and suitable valves.
This pump forces the vapours into a condenser, where they are liquefied
only by pressure. For the purpose of facilitating this liquefaction I
leave in the condenser, without however it being necessary, a certain
quantity of absorbing liquid, which passes with the freezing agent into
the congealor.
A pump is employed for extracting this absorbent, and
brings it back to the condenser so as to serve over again. After this
liquefaction the volatile liquid is again vaporised, and returns to the
congealor either by raising a piston or depressing a valve, and goes
through the same operations as described.
The congealor is preferably constructed without such a medium as
an uncongealable liquid, as usually practiced. I construct the congealor
of one piece, and divide it into compartments, and the ice that forms
in it is detached by causing the vapours of the freezing liquid to
pass over its surfaces by means of a tap from a condenser or other
supply. The blocks of ice are slightly melted by means of latent heat
and detached.
I obtain methylic ether at a low price by utilizing for its manufacture
sulpho-methylic acid, washing in lime or potass these products obtained.
I obtain ammonia by causing iron sponge to absorb nitrogen, and
separating it by a current of hydrogen, which uniting with the nitrogen
forms the desired product

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hector Auguste Dufrené in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th August 1869
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HECTOR
AUGUSTE DUFRENE, of No. 10, Rue de la Fidélité, Paris, in the Empire
of France, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, Her
special licence, that I, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hector Auguste
Dufrené, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE AND OF THE AGENTS EMPLOYED
THEREIN, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," a communication
from Charles Tellier, a person resident at Paris, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hector
Auguste Dufrené, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the sȧid
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
..: M
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereto
annexed. and to the Figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
The improved apparatus I employ for carrying out this Invention, and

page_text: in which mechanical pressure is the acting agent, is based on the
principle that certain liquid agents, such as methylic ether and ammonia,
evaporise immediately, taking up from the surrounding bodies the
caloric necessary for vaporisation. The consequence of this action is
that it is necessary to collect the vapours produced as soon as they are
disengaged, and to reliquefy them in such a manner as to be able to use
the freezing agent over again; hence result two principal divisions in
the mechanical parts of the apparatus, videlicet, firstly, the compressing
pump for reproducing the liquid agents to be vaporised; secondly,
the congealor for utilising the ice producing agents.
Sheet 1 represents the whole of the improved apparatus. Figure 1 is
an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of the apparatus, consisting of two prin-
ciple parts, videlicet, the compressing pump A and the congealor C, the
condenser B being also an accessory part of the compressing pump.
As the congealor is known and employed in various forms I will
describe it separately.
The compressing pump A serves for collecting the vapours evolved by
the congealor C, and for forcing them into the condenser B, and con-
sists, firstly, of a cast-iron cylinder, a, a, a¹, a¹, provided with a jacket,
between which and the cylinder is a flow of water for taking up the
caloric caused by the compression and friction; secondly, of suction and
force valves, the suction valves being placed at a, a, and the force
valves at a', a¹; the force valves are placed at the lower part of the
cylinder so as to permit of expelling the parts of the liquid methylic ether
or ammonia which are projected into the cylinder or which under the
compressing action are there liquefied; thirdly, of a metallic piston
moving in the pump body. The condenser B is composed, firstly, of a
worm d, d; secondly, of a drainer Z; thirdly, of a float E, kept in equili-
brium by suitable means; fourthly, of a casing f, f, f, f, to keep a current
of cold water round the worm, and which is introduced by the pump g
worked from the machine direct by means of a band g³, g', Figure 2, or
by means of a jointed connecting rod if the pump be an oscillating pump
instead of a rotatory pump. The congealor C may vary in form, the
form which I prefer being shewn at C, Figures 1 and 2. This congealor

page_text: is composed, firstly, of a cooling tube H, H, which forms the body of
a tubular boiler enclosing the liquid methylic ether; the interior tubes
are seen at h, h, h, h, h, h; secondly. of a pump I placed horizontally,
put in motion by a pulley i, which receives motion direct from a cord
and pulley and serving to receive the liquid from the trough or
vessel 1, 1, 1, 1, and force it to pass into the tubes h, h, h, h, of the cooling
tube H, H; this liquid is uncongealable, and in cooling lowers the
temperature of the decanters, boxes, or other vessels immersed in the
trough; thirdly, of the trough 1, 1, 1, 1, which forms the casing or jacket
of the congealor and should be isolated as much as possible either by
means of charcoal, resin, or other suitable means; fourthly, of boxes
or decanters m, m, m, which are immersed in the refrigerating liquid.
The height of the liquid in the trough is regulated by the run-off m³.
The reservoir J is simply a methylic ether bottle which is moveable and
can be replaced when required. A cock allows of closing or opening
the reservoir at will. To set the apparatus at work I open the tap j
of the reservoir J, when a tube j¹ placed similarly to that of a seidlitz
water syphon conducts immediately all the methylic ether from the
reservoir J into the cooling tube H, H. The ebullition of methylic
ether takes place at 30° under zero of the centigrade thermometer. If
the tap K. is opened and communicates with the atmosphere the
ebullition of the methylic ether will take place, and the vapours thus
produced will cause the temperature of water to descend from the
temperature of the atmosphere to that of .0° centigrade and there will
remain fixed. But this operation would lead to the loss of ether vapours,
which must be avoided; therefore instead of leaving the cock K freely
open to the atmosphere a tube n, n, n, is placed above it which joins on to
the compressing pump A. The motion given to the pump from the
pullies T, T, causes the vapours to be collected in the cylinder a, a,
and forced back by the tube o, o, into the worm d, d, of the
condenser B. The above-described motion causes a double effect to
be produced, firstly, the compression, by which the vapours in the
worm d, d, are collected; secondly, the cooling of the compressed
vapours by means of the pump g, which causes a current of water at
the ordinary temperature to pass round the worm. Under this double
action the vapours give up their latent caloric to the water surrounding
the worm d, d, and become condensed, and thus liquefied they fall into
the recipient e, e, where raising the float E they escape through the

page_text: pipe p, and are brought back by the tube q to the cooling tube H, H.
A cock R permits of closing at pleasure the communication with this
cooling tube. The liquefied ether thus brought back to the cooling
apparatus again vaporises, and thus the operation may be continued.
The air is expelled from the apparatus by means of a purge tap on a
tube O, O. I can employ another improved construction of congealor,
which I call a plate congealor. This plate congealor, represented by
Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 1, is substituted easily for that represented in
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, by merely joining it on to the tubes n, n, n,
and q, one of which conducts the methylic ether vapour's produced by
congelation and the other brings back to this congelator the liquefied
ether. When it is simply required to make ice this congealor permits
of direct congelation in the centre of the water to be congealed, and
also of utilising the freezing action without a medium on the plates
which receive this action. The isolation of the congealed water is at
first produced: by the mass of water uncongealed, which remains at 0°
centigrade, and consequently requires less care in preventing its reheat-
ing than for liquids under 0°; whereas in the circulating congelation
these operations involve, firstly, the vaporisation of ether and its
reduction to about fifteen degrees to eighteen degrees centigrade;
secondly, the cooling of the bath to about ten degrees to twelve degrees
centigrade; thirdly, the congelation. There is in this case only, firstly,.
the vaporisation of the ether, which rarely goes down lower than ten
degrees centigrade; secondly, the congelation. When the ice is
removed there is no occasion for providing against the chloride of
calcium or other uncongealable liquid, which remains adherent to the
moulds, and there is no unmoulding required, as the ice comes out
in blocks.
I will now proceed to the description of the plate congealor, of which
Figure 3 represents a transverse vertical section, and Figure 4 a plan.
It consists of cells formed of metallic sheets separated by metal tie
pieces about two-fifths to three-fifths of an inch in thickness, the whole
being united by rivets and solder. These tie pieces placed at suitable
distances keep the sheets apart and prevent their being detached. By
this arrangement each cell forms a narrow water-tight chamber, having
large surfaces, as shewn at a, a, a, a, Figure 3, on which the ice is
formed. The number of cells may be varied as desired. Each cell is

page_text: united by a small tube e, e, which is joined to the collecting piece N.
This collecting piece is also provided with three other small tubes, which
are clearly shewn in Figure 4. One of these tubes g is united to the
condenser of the machine and permits the constant arrival of the
cooling liquid from the condenser. Another of these tubes h allows
the vapours produced by the congelation to pass over to the compressing
pump. The third tube i is provided at its lower part with a long
tube i¹, i¹, and branching off allows the cooling liquid to enter the cells
through the two cocks l, l, and through the small distributing
tube m¹, m³, with which they are provided. The cells are immersed in
wooden or metal troughs p, p, p, p, p, p, p, p, suitably isolated, and are
filled with water. The cells are surrounded with water, the arrival or
entrance of which is confined to the part marked by the dotted
line p³, p³, by means of a tap q, q, Figure 4, placed at the exterior orifice
of the canal q, q', Figure 3. By these means the congelation is easily
effected, and the taps e, e, being also open, videlicet, those which are
above the small tubes h, g, the methylic ether vapours will form freely
and pass to the compressing pump, where the operation is performed.
The ice will cover the plates of the cells, and in a given time a bed or
layer of ice about one inch in thickness will be formed, which will have
to be removed.
I will now describe the operation of detaching or removing the ice.
The ice adheres so strongly to the sides of the cells that care is required
to detach it. This operation is performed alternately on each side of
the congealor, consequently the working of the apparatus is not stopped,
but continues its various operations, as herein-after described; thus,
supposing I am operating on the side R the tape is first closed, by
which the congelation stops the vaporisation. This being done the
cock s is opened, which by means of a tube s¹, S', united to the condenser
where the vapours are under pressure allows the vapours from the worm
to arrive in the cells. These vapours meeting with a lower temperature
than in the condenser liquefy there on the plates. The temperature of
the plates then rises to 0° centigrade and the ice becomes detached.
This result being obtained the taps is closed and also the cock l, which
has been left half opened, as if not closed it would allow the cold liquid
to enter from the collecting apparatus N, by which the congelation
should be reproduced, but the ice detached from the plates still holds

page_text: to the bottom and to the edges. To complete the operation, and this
is done simultaneously, the cock q is opened, the water, which is to be
used for another congelation, is introduced relatively warm, videlicet,
at from 10°, 15°, 20°, to 25° centigrade. The water at first bathes the
sheet iron plate v, v, which forms the bottom of the cells, and the dis-
engagement then takes place. Afterwards this water is raised by the
two ends of the trough at W, W, bathing also the other plates x, x, x, x;
the detaching here is again effected immediately. When the water has
arrived at the run-off g is shows that enough has been introduced, so
that the ice being withdrawn there remains just sufficient for a further
operation, the cock q is closed, the knobs z, z, which support the
plates x, x, applied on the cells are withdrawn, the latter separate and
fall on each side p, p, of the trough, and the ice becoming free is easily
removed: When the ice is removed the apparatus can be replaced in
its normal condition, that is to say, the plates x, x, are placed together;
and the cocks / and / opened.
.
Sheet 2, Figures 2, 3, and 3ª, represents an apparatus constructed on
the same principle as that herein-before described, but specially intended
for the use of hospitals, mansions, and aerated beverage and other like
establishments. This apparatus produces at pleasure ice decanters of
congealed water, and is intended to make according to its size about
ten pounds to twenty pounds per hour. Its construction differs but
slightly from that of the apparatus herein-before described, and these
differences relate chiefly to the congealor, and will be easily understood
by reference to the Figures of the Drawing, in which Figure 2 shows the
congealor in elevation, and Figure 3 in section. It is composed of a
number of worms-a, a, united by two joints to the collector c. Figure 3*
represents a plan of the congealor. These worms may be from 6, 8,
to 15 or more in number, and placed in one or two rows, but this number
and arrangement may be varied, and they should all be united to the
collector c. This collector is provided with two taps m, n. The tap m
unites the congealor to the compressing pump A. The tap n unites the
congealor to the ether recipient and serves to expel the air. As it will
be.seen the apparatus is more compact than that shown in Sheet 1. The
condenser B.is placed behind the compressing pump. The whole is
mounted on a single stand or support, thus permitting of the machine
being conveyed complete.

page_text: Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew a construction of apparatus for use at
sea constructed on the same principle. The interior arrangements
of the parts of the apparatus being similar to those herein-before
described there is no need to describe them; I will therefore only
describe the different arrangement of these parts. In order to be
independent of the motion before or behind the engine of the vessel
the compressing pump is mounted on a frame, carrying also the
motive steam cylinder. A is the compressing pump, and B the
steam cylinder, coupled together by a crank axle E and crank
pin F.
The steam cylinder may be of any suitable construction. I
would observe, however, that at every revolution effected by it the com-
pressing pump performs a freezing operation. Instead of the two
cylinders A, B, being thus coupled one can be set opposite the other
and work on the same axle; in this case one slide bar only is necessary,
and the rod of the piston of one of the cylinders will be in effect the
extension of the other. I therefore reserve the use of this arrange-
ment, which can when occasion requires be made use of. In most
cases this latter arrangement cannot present the same advantages as
that shewn in the Drawing, as in this case the maximum of resistance
of the compressing pump coincides with the dead point of the engine;
there is therefore less useful employment of the steam than in the
arrangement shewn where the cylinders working at 45° allows the
steam to be used at its maximum pressure. The standard or support of
the machine is hollow, and encloses in the part a, a, a, a, the worm of
the condenser. The side of the support is water-tight, so as to keep in
the water drawn up by a special pump, or for the supply of the ship.
The float is not used, being replaced by the spring cock shewn in
Figure 8. This cock permits by tightening the spring s, s, by means
of the screw r, r, of rendering the valve more extended and obtaining
on the inside of the condenser the necessary pressure for the conden-
sation, which pressure permits the temperature of the water employed to
be ascertained by the steam guage placed at b; b, b, b, b, is the space for
placing the ammoniacal bottles. For this purpose this part of the support
is grooved. By these arrangements the apparatus takes up as little space
as possible. The congealor is shewn in R, S, and is of the same con-
struction as that shewn in Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 1, with this difference;
that the collecting apparatus N, instead of being placed between R and S,
is placed on the upper part of the place intended for this operation.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 show this position as well as the general position
or arrangement of the cells in vertical and transverse views. For the
more easy comprehension of these Figures the principal parts are shewn
by. the same letters of reference as in Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 1, of
the Drawings. By reference to Figures 5 and 6, shewing the con-
gealor, it will be seen that the space between the cells and the
troughs p, p, p, p, is great; this space allows for the rolling of the
ship without the water being thrown aside. A wooden plug v, v, is
placed on the cells so as to limit the congelation and diminish the
projection of water outside. A cover u, u, fastened by a pressure
S.
screw is placed. on. R, It can by means of a tie piece y be
combined with the plug. v, v, so as to unite the two operation in one.
Ammonia can be employed as well as methylic ether in the apparatus.
For sea, use it is preferable on account of its non-inflammability.
I will proceed to describe the manufacture of the freezing liquids.
The apparatus represented by Figure 7 is arranged for producing
methylic ether; it is composed of several vessels A, B, C, D, E, F. A.
is a boiler which receives the mixture of sulphuric acid and alcohol.
A worm a, a, permits of heating this mixture and of extracting from it
the ether accompanied with other products disengaged in the operation.
The vapours thus produced pass off through the tube b, b, at the end
of the worm c, which is constantly surrounded with cold water. This
current causes the aqueous and alcoholic parts produced by the
distillation to condense and return into the recipient B. The methylic
ether accompanied with carbonic acid and sulphurous acid passes off
through the tube e, e, and the whole passes through a solution of
potass or other alkali placed in the vessel D, and where the acid vapours
are neutralised the ether escapes through the pipe f which conducts
it into the vessel E containing chloride of calcium, becomes dry, thence
passes either into the vessel F, where it is absorbed by sulpho-methylic
acid, or it passes into a compressing pump similar to the pump A,
which forces it into bottles similar to the bottles shewn at J, as herein-.
before described. The ammonia is manufactured either by simple
distillation of the ordinary ammonia of commerce or by the reaction
of lime on the hydrochlorate of ammonia, or by the following process,
videlicet, in long retorts filled with fine iron powder slightly agglome-
rated a current of nitrogen is caused to pass, which nitrogen may be

page_text: a product of the manufacture of oxygen given off in the air. The
iron powder kept at a sufficiently high temperature absorbs the nitrogen
and forms nitride (azoture). Over this nitride (azoture) passes a current
of hydrogen produced by any suitable means; I prefer however the
hydrogen produced by the decomposition of the vapour of water by
zinc. : This decomposition is easily effected. Several iron boilers
mounted on a furnace are placed one at the end of another. These
boilers are well closed and arranged relatively to one another like
Wolf's jars; they can therefore be heated at the desired temperature,
videlicet, nearly to the point of ebullition of zinc, and the current of
steam to be decomposed may be passed from one to the other. This
steam is decomposed in the first boiler, and the products are washed
in the second boiler so as to decompose what remains of steam not
decomposed by the first action. Five or six boilers thus follow each
other. Finally the hydrogen arrives on the nitride (azoture), and
decomposing disengages the ammonia, which is collected either in
water or in an acid. This means, like that above described by methylic
ether, only applies to the manufacture on a large scale of the liquid
agents.
Figure 9 represents the arrangement to be employed for the manu-
facture of methylic ether shewing also a plan of the worm e, f.
A, B, C, D, are four superposed vessels; the vessel D receives the
mixture of sulphuric acid and alcohol through a cock n; a worm e, f,
receives a current of steam and heats the mixture.
The vapours
produced escape through the tube g, h, which conducts them to the
vessel C containing water, where they are washed and leave the water
and alcoholic vapours drawn along with them, pass down again to be'
washed in the vessel B in the alkaline solution, and lastly arrive in A,
and are dried on chloride of calcium; they then pass through the
cock m into the apparatus where they are to be used. n, n, n, are
three levels; f, f, f, are discharge cocks; and p, p, p, inlet cocks; K,
arm hole. The tubes g¹¹, h", g¹, h', work in a similar way to that
of the tube g, h.
The apparatus for the distillation of ammonia for the isolated
machines is represented by Figure 16, and may vary in form. It is
composed of two vessels A and B placed one above the other. The

page_text: vessel B by means of the curved pipe b and the plunger c, d. A
pump M worked by hand draws in the ammoniacal solution and forces
it back into B. This ammonia fills the vessel and passes off by the
run-off c, d, and thus arrives in the recipient A, where heated by the
worm a, a, the ammoniacal vapours are allowed to pass into the lower
part of the vessel B and are washed, and finally escape through the
tube to the compressing pump of the ice apparatus, where they are
sucked in and liquefied. For this purpose in the apparatus furnished
with an ammoniacal or ether producer the suction tube of the com-
pressing pump is provided with a second collar for receiving a cock
for working the pipe and allowing the return at will in a gaseous form
of the freezing liquid into the apparatus. q is the hole for the discharge
of the exhausted water; r, s, sight holes for inspecting the feeding
of the apparatus. Instead of the ammoniacal solution hydrochlorate of
ammonia and lime may be employed. In this case a simple cast-
iron retort in a fire-place is required. When ammonia is employed I
can use the aqueous ammonia for the purpose of reducing its pressure.
In this case, as the water will go into the congealor, it will be necessary
as the working proceeds to regulate the egress of the residues of the
congealor by means of a small pump worked by the engine. These
residues are introduced as they are drawn out into the condenser worm.
The presence of water thus brought in so much diminishes the pressure,
but as it leaves the congealor in a very cold state, and as it is necessary
to make use of this cold, it is caused to pass over a changer which
takes up the cold and thus renders it useful.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, is a dripping off condenser for methylic ether. The
oil heavier than ether accumulates in a, a, and returns through the
hole g to the grease vessel, whilst the liquefied ether which is much
lighter passing through the hole r follows the course described. A
purge cock can also be placed on the congealors so as to extract the
oil which would be drawn along.
75..
And having now described the nature of the said Invention com-
municated to me, and the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details of construction and operating herein
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings, as the same
may be modified without departing from the main features of the said

page_text: Invention as herein laid down; but what I do claim as new and intended
to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the
improvements in the manufacture of ice and of the agents employed
therein, and in the apparatus connected therewith, herein-before
described and represented in the various Figures of the accompanying
Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hector Auguste Dufrené, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
H. A. DUFRENE. (L.S.)
H. A. DUFRENE. (L.S.)