US69223A - Improved refrigerator-car - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIGE.

LE GRAND KNIFFEN, oF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS..

IMPRovED REI-"al(3i-:RAT'0R-CAR.

Specicatiou formn g part of Letters Patent No. 69,223, dated September 24, 1867.

"of this specification, aud'in which Figure l represents al view in perspective of the body of an ordinary freight-'car to which my invention has been adapted. Fig. 2 represents, a longitudinal vertical section, and

Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section through the same. A l

It is the object oi'my invention to produce a.

refrigerator-car in which fresh meats and other perishable articles can safely `be transported to distant markets; and to this end the invention herein claimed consists, first,in a car lined with a material which is a bad condnctorotheat, andV containing a refrigerating apparatus or material tomaintain a low temperature; second, in lining an ordinary box freight-car with some tibrous or textile material which will resist the `.transmission of heat; third, in converting an ordinary freight-car into a refrigerator by 1ining itwithsnccessive layers of paper; fourth,

iin lining a box-ear with removable sections of mon-,conducting materials; fifth, in lining a irefrigerator-car with a yielding o r elast-ic ma- ;rial which is Yalso a bad conductor of heat; sixth, in arranging both the articles to bel transported and the refrigerating material within the same non-conducting lining or envelope;seventh, in arranging a hinged door in the lining opposite the doors of thecar; eighth, in so arranging removable ice-racks that they will be supported by the-sections nearest the door; ninth, in combining with a refrigerator-car a removable 'ice-rack; tenth, in combining with a refrigerator-car a refri gerating apparatus for producing` cold without the use of icc; eleventh, in placing quicklime or other absorbent' of moisture within the car to produce a dry atmosphere; twelfth, in arranging props around the car to support a series of top beams, which can be moved toward or from eachother to accommodate different sized carcasses to be Suspended from them;

thirteenth, in arranging movable swiveling hooks on the cross-beams.

In the accompanying drawings, which show one convenient mode of carrying out my invention, an ordinary freight box-ear, A, which may be constructed either of wood or iron, is shown as lined with a fibrous or textile material, B, which is a bad conductor dtheat.

This lining, in this instance, iscomposed of several thicknesses of pasteboard covered at their edges; or places of abutment with wool en or. felt cloth, moreetlectu'ally toexclude the air, and forming sections made tofit the .interior of the car, and united by hooks C and staples on the inside ofthe car7 or some other '.fastening which will permit them readily to be separated. The lining may be'glazed or varnished, it' desired, to resist moisture and prevent it from acquiring the odor of the ar- .ticles transported., The oonsections are' first laid down and the side sections erected upon them. The end sections are arranged between the side sections, and these latter are provided with props D, upon which cross-beams E rest. These beams not only keep the side sections in place, but are laid loosely on t-he props, so that the distance between them may be varied. Swiveling esh-hooks t' are suspended from these beamsby rectangular hooks 1,

which embrace the sides and top of the beam and can be moved endwise on it.r As the distance between' the beams can be varied b y sliding them on their props or stringers, and as the hooks can vbe moved toward o r from each other ou their beams, it will be seen that they can readily be adapted to the conveyance of carcasses of different sizes. The' top sections rest upon the side sections and on top thebeam E. In the section which would come opposite each door ot' the car I make a door, I, which I prefer to open outward on hinges,

as this arrangement is less complicated andv more convenient than a sliding door in the lining would be. Racks F are arranged on the inner side of cach door-section to receive cross-bars to support the icc`to cool thc'car. The ice may" be placed within a box or vessel, and wrapped in or covered with woolen cloths, sawdust, or other bad conductors of heat, to prevent it melting too fast. A dripping pan and pipe. should also be provided to receive and discharge the Water WhichjioWs from the melting ice.

By the above-described mode of construction the articles to be transported can be first arranged Within the car and the ice then put in, and in cold weather the rack may be removed and its place occupied by freight. To render the car dry as Well as cold, I place unslaked lime, or some other absorbent of moisture, in vessels in any convenient position in the car. I- also, under some circumstances, use. refrigerating-mixtnres to. cool lthe car without the use of ice. This might be done by pipes arranged along the top ot' the carto receive the mixture and let the warm air, which naturally rises, surround the pipes. In the present instance, however, I have shown globular vessels arranged at eac-h end of the car and supplied with pipes G passing through the top to receive a mixture of Glaubersalts and sulphurc acid, or some other mixture, which,4 by its rapid evaporation, will produce intense cold.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A refrigerator-car constructed substantially inthe manner described, for the purposeof transporting meats and other perishable articles. K

2. Lining anordinary box-car with tbrous ortextile non conducting material, for the purpose set forth.

3. Converting an ordinary freight-car into a refrigerator by lining it with successive sheets or layers of thick paper, substantially in the manner described.

4. The combination, substantially in the manner described, with a box-car, ot' removable sections or linings of non-conducting material, whereby'I can in a few moments convert an ordinary car into a refrigerator.

5. Lining 'a box-car with elastic non-con ducting material which will yield to the working of the car, oreven allow it to be broken Without rupturing the non-conducting envelope.

6. The arrangement, in arefrigerator-car,of v

both the articles to be kept cool and the ice or refrigerating apparatus inside the non-conducting envelope, whereby I protect the refrigerating apparatus from the externalheat .without additional protection.

7. The arrangement, as described, of the hinged door in the lining with the sliding door of f the car, whereby direct access can be had to the refrigeratirig-chamber.

8. The arrangement, as described, of removable ice racks with the lining sections nearest the doors, (or those in which the doors are placed,) whereby the ice is placed in last, and is thus more convenient of access and space economized.

9. In combination with a refrigerator-car, a

removable ice-rack, which can be taken ont when notrequired and its room occupied by other things.

10. The arrangement, in a refrigerator-car, of a'ret'rigerating apparatus to produce cold without using ice when desired.

11. rllhe arrangement, within a refrigerator@ In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed lmy name.

L. G. KNIFFEN.

Witnesses:

WM. Se. BIGKFORD, S. BIcKFoRD.

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