USRE4992E - Improvement in ice-machines - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets .-Sheet I..

MARTIN-sL-Bf-ATH.

lmprovementn Ice-Machines.`

Reissued July i6, 1872.

28mm-sheen MART-IN .8; IBEATH.

lmip'rQvement rn fee-Machines. A No. 4,992. Renamed July 16,1872.

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l [GIOIIIO 010101101010] maf UNITED STATES SAMUEL B. MARTIN AND JOHN M. BEATH, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-MACHINES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters lfatent No. 127,180, dated May 28, 1872; reissue No. 4,902, dated July SPECIFICATION. To all whom. 'it may concern:

Bcit known that we, SAMUEL B. MARTIN and JOHN M. BEA'rI-I, of the city and in the countyof San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful [n1- provements in Ice-Making and Refrigerating Machines; and we do hereby declare that the iollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference 'marked thereon. y

Our invention rela-tes to that class of machines in vwhich cold is continually produced by the vaporization, liquefaction, and return for continuous use of a volatilel tiuid, acting directly on the substance to be frozen, without the intervention otanou-congealable liquid. It'eonsists of three parts or divisions, common to all such machines-namely, eongealer, compressing-pump, and condenser.

As hejmost important part of our nven tion relates to the congealer wc will first `brieily refer to the principle on which this part of our invention is based in order that we may better show wherein our invention differs from all others before known or used. It will be apprehended by those who areskilled in the arts to which our invention belongs thatthe withdrawal ot' heat from water in quantity sutlicient to produce icc in bull; by the vaporization of a volatile liquid contiguous to it involves either a rapid transln'issionot heat from water to the liquid or the action must be spread over a large surface. Asice isa slow conductor of heat,and as the heat withdrawn has to pass through the ice already formed,a rapid freezing of ice of any considerable thickness is impracticable, and can only be partially urged by vaporilzing the liquid at extreme low temi perature, and, consequently, low pressure, which can `only be accomplished b v an -unwarrantablc expediture of power. Therefore a uniform distribution of both liquid and water over a large surface is a condition indispensable 'to the production of ice with econonly; and we have found its consequent slow .formation is essential in produein g it in solid .and transparent lform from nndistilled water.

' Herctoi'ore the .method of freezing by direct contact has been by means of spraying the liquid within the freezing-surface by covering the inner snrfaccot the freezing-vessel with a-bsorbents of tne liquid, or by Ineans of expansionchambers, and Inore recently by nieans of hollow slabs or long and narrow chambers holding a speciiic charge ot' liquid, suilicient,

by 'itsV vaporizatiou, to give a stated result or freeze a given quantity of ice on the surface ot' the containing-vessel; but the vaporizatiou ot' any liquid olleriug free space for the escape ofthe vapor or gas from the surface ofthe liquid will absorb nearly all its latent heat of A vaporization before leaving the surface of the liquid; therefore the constant subsidence of the liquid as it passes ott' in the gaseous state will inevitablyprodnee an irregular formation of ice. Also, themachincs heretofore invented and in use are, from the nature o1' their construction, practically limited in size, so that in a man ut'actory of any considerable extenttheyl liquid particles are vaporized by the time they reach the outlet.. By taking advantage of this Inovement of liquid and vapor together we are enabled to lay our pipes horizontally', however long they nia-y be, and by incasing them in metallic pla-tes at a suitable distance apart Wc are enabled, with great economy, to produce an immensely large surface, capable of forming transparent ice of uuifor'ltif thickness from water restingagainst its sides. Thon our channeled plates constructed. ou this principle consist ofvertical metallic plates traversed longitudinally by parallel channels, in which the volatile liquid flows as it expands into vapor -or gas, thereby forming ice-0u either surface. p

Figure 1 isa perspective view of our whole apparatus, inwhich li B is a continuous chann'eled plate 'lodged in the tank A. L is the- PATENT OFFICE i in g.

enlarged side view of the channeled plate B' B, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a form of channeled plate used for refrigeration and ice-making on the small scale. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of channeled plate used for rapid freezing. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the regulating-valve.

We make these channeled plates of the depth required for our sheets of ice, and of the length required for our channels. We iind this method of construction preferable to that of returning the same channels in a single plate, as in the latter plan the sheets of ice are thin at the lower, edge by reason of the diminution of the freezingpower near the outlet.

In our described method of continuing separate channels through the length of the plate -tica-hle amount of surface with a given num ber of channels and weight of metal, and to avoid joints as `far as practicable. found that the distance between the channels may be as much as four (4) inches without diminishing the eil'ect when the freezingy goes ou at the proper. rate. -In view of these conditions we prefer to form our.V channels of pipes composed of lead, tin, and autimony, known inthe market as composition pipe. This pipe we inclose between plates B of light sheetiron, each piece being rolled with semi-tubular depressions toreceive the pipe. These plates are riveted together, as shown at Figs. 4 and 5, thus forming one `plate with the channels 4before described. This plate is made torc- ,turn upon itself', as shown at Fig. l, so that the whole may be placed in a rectangular tank, A, ofconvenient proportions. We make the space between the folds of the plate suilicient for the formation of the required thickness of ice on each surface, and also a space in the center for the escape of air. By this means we are enabled to make clear and solid .ice without any previous preparation of the water, whereas it' all theV waterl between the surf iace is frozen the central portion is invariably opaque and porous. As the gasiiied liquid is still of low temperature and Acontains some liquid particlesaiter leaving the congeal'er,

vvwe further utilize it by continuing the congealcr-pipes through the trough C, and pass-' ing the water to be used in thesucceeding charge through this trough in contact with the pipes and in an opposite direction.r The trough C (the receptacle for holding or storing the water) and the cougealer-tank A we cover with non-conducting material, or place them in a building which is itself made non-conductln order. that the freezing action may be equal in each of' the plates, if more than one We ham is usedfand that it may be equal from the top to the bottom of each of the plates, it is necessary that each of the channels or pipes a receive the same quantity of liquid. Besides', lany considerable excess of liquid iu any one pipe will be carried into the pump and there vaporized and removed by it Without deriving any benefit from its vaporization.

v We have found the usual means of distri bution entirely inadequate to produce the desired result, and have, therefore, vinvented a device for thispurpose which we call the distributer D. It .is composed of two hemispheres of cast-iron, bolted together bythe iianges. vThe lower halfsphere is equally divided into compartments, as shown at Fig. 3, into the bottom of each4 one of which is inserted one of the pipes a composing the congealer. In the center of this is a vertical shaft, B, the upper part of which is hollow, as is also the arm (l extending from it. Into the end of this shaft. the liquid is brought by the pipe K. The constant revolution o f this arm deposits an equal amount of liquid in each of the compartments orfunnels, which,'by its weight, sinks into the pipe connected with it,

and thereby secures an exactly equal division of the liquid toeach of the pipes, the number f of compartmentsbeing equal4 to lthe Whole number of pipes in the congealer. This arm may be moved by the incoming liquid, subject to the high pressureof the condenser, by constructing it infthe form of a reaction or Barker wheel; but we prefer moving it more slowly by the shaft passing through a stuffing-boxbelow and driving it `by means of apulley.

In ice-machines heretofore in ,use the iiow' of liquid to the c'ongealer has only been gov- .erned by the quantity of liquid in the receiver attached to the condenser.

water surrounding these pipes, which will increase the pressure,`and through this increase of pressure the supply is'checked by the mercury-gauge e. This consists of an inverted siphon, with enlargements f and g in each leg, as shown in Fig. 1. The diiference of level of these enlarged portions is made equal to the height of a column of mercury supported by the average pressure in the congealer. The

enlarged' portion G contains a float, connected with the lever j by the rod kf The other end of the lever is connected with a-'hollow cylindrical valve, .-6, Fig. 8, so that increase ot' pressure in the pipes of the congealer, acting through the tube upon the mercury in the cylindcrf, depresses it and raises the ilat, which closes the valve and checks the dow. A decrease of pressure in like manner increases the ilow. In this manner 'we regulate the intensity of the freezing action throughout thecon gealer.

In our machine the iiow of liquid to the con gealer is governed Economy of power in working the compressing-pump requires 'the condenser to be maintained at the lowest temperature practicable. This has heretofore been accomplished by means of a running strea'mof water of twentyiive to thirty times the quantity actually made into ice. This large volume of water is often difficult to obtain, and is in almost all cases obtained at considerable expense. ,We substitute in the place of this stream of water atmospheric air, only using water for the purpose of facilitating the transfer of heat from the pipes to the air, the quantity actually consumed being only the small amount conveyed away by the air in the form of vapor. Our condenser is composed of a series of pipes, G, connected with'the eduction-pipe H, and descending spirally as they approach the center, and then terminate in the hollow castiron cylindrical ring 1, which forms a receiver for the condensed liquid. These pipes and the receiver are inclosed in a cylindrical casing, L, with openings M around the bottoni for-the admission of air. In thecenter of thc bottom of this casing, which is slightly coricave, is 4stepped a vertical hollow sh uft,0 with four arms, P, and carrying a propeller-wheel, Q, at the upper end. 'This shaft is revolved with sufficient "elocity to force the water with which it is charged out of the hollow arm, which. descends in the form of spray over the coils of pipe G, .while the propeller Q draws the air in through the side -openin'gs M and forces it in a gentle current out at the contracted top of the casing. The water falling on the iioor of the condenser runs to the center and is again drawn into the shaft, and so continuously circulates, the water serving as a medium through which the heat evolved by the condensing-gas is transferred to the air,

through which it is constantly passing as it through the ends of the arms I before putting it 'in operation. "All joints about our whole 'apparatus being made perfectly tight by sol-l dering or packing withv rubber or lead, we

charge it with a volatile fluid. At present we prefer this fluid to be ammonia, which we obtain from the aqua ammonia of commerce by distillation, usually drying the gas as it goes overby passing it through quicklime. We introduce it into our machine by connecting a pipe with our distributer, allowing the gas to drive the air before it, and out through a cock in the receiver 1. We iillthis receiver about two-thirds full of liquefied gas. The pump and other machinery being putin operation, cock in thepipe K' is opened,.allowing the liquid to pass from the receiver to the distributer D, from thence to the lcongealer, where 1t is converted into vapor by the heat withdrawn from the water with 4which the congealer is filled; thence'it passes through the trough C to the pump E, where it is forced into the condenser through the eduction-pipe H.

In the pipes of the condenser it is liquefied, runs down theincliucd pipes to the receiver 1, from which it is again returned to the congealer, and so on continuously. When the ice is formed on the plates of the congealer of the-required thickness it is detached' by opening a cock, r, and allowing gas from the condenser to ow into the congealer. XVe divide these sheets of ice into blocks of suitable size for handling by flattened sheet-iron tubes m,

-two of which are shown. These are closed at the superior conducting properties of the tube would cause the ice to freeze thicker there than elsewhere. After the ice is det-ached froml the freezing-plates a bar of iron, inserted into the opening made by the tube, easily cracks the remaining portion of ice, when we float the blocks `to one end of the tank, and with suitable tongs and tackle hoist them out. The new charge of water is pumped or runlin as the ice is being removed.

In our apparatus we are enabled to use any volatile fluid whose tension of vapor amounts to a few inches of mercury at the freezingpoint of water; but economy in motive power and cost of machinery requires us to use such fluid as will .absorb the greatest amount of heat in being converted into vapor or gas ofgiven volume and tension, without having to resort to extreme low pressure to vaporize` or l extreme-high pressure to liquefy it.

Having selected our duid, we ascertain, from standard authority on the subject, its latent heat; the specific heat of its vapor; also, the tension land volume of its, vapor at different temperatures, from which we are enabled to calculate'the amount of cold produced by the vaporization of a given quantity of liquid, the

'pressure required to condense it, and the vol ume of air required to remove the heat evolved by its condensation, usually allowing the air to be raised in temperature three or four dcgrees, and the water which goes withv it in the formof vapor to absorb and carry about onefourth the vwhole amount of heat to be removed.

From the above data we are enabled also fo calculate the volume of vapor orgas co be removed from our congealer by the lcompressing-pump, and the power requiredto work it. In thecongcaler theliquid unitbrmlyincreascs in volume as'it expands into va-porand approaches the pump, and also vdiminishes Y, in volume as it reccdes fromthe pump andliquelies in the condenser. gate sectional area ofthe pipes in either congealer or condenser should be suicient to con- Vseveral hundred feet in length,

vey the gas or vapor at a velocity not exceeding sixteen (16) feet per second at any point in its course.

We also lind it necessary, in order to secure economy in motive power and make solid and transparent ice of convenient \thickness, to make the whole freezing-surface' of our congealer of sufficient extent to make the required quantity of ice when the congelation goes on at a rat-e not exceeding one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness per hour. And with the same. object of economy in view, we make the whole superficial surface of pipe in our condenser equal to one square foot of surface for every pound of ice or equivalent refrigeration produced per hour.

In our congealer which we have described we freeze homogeneous transparent and solid sheets of ice of convenient thickness-say about six inches.` The parallel grooves formed in the surface of the sheets of ice are an advantage, as they serve as guides in subdividng them.

For machines of large size, which may be made of the capacity of ten tons per hour, if required, we make usually each freezing-plate using two or three sizes in each channel, placing the largest size at the outlet.

As short channels are objectionable on account of the diicnlty of equalizing the temperature in them, we prefer, in constructing small machines, to make the plates of the length of the containing-tank, and obtain the.

required length of channels by returning the pipes in the same plate, as is shown in Fig. 6.

In case we are required to form ice of given thickness in less time than can be done by the described form of plates, we make our plates with plain surfaces, and with the channels closer together, filling the intervening Vspace between the pipes with bar or cast iron, rolled or cast to lit the pipe, and protect it, as shown in the cross-section, Fig. 7 or the composition-metal pipes themselves may be` drawn of rectangular shape on the outside, so -as to be laid one upon another, and thus form the required plane surface in this form of our congealer. We, make the distance between the plates, or the distance between the folds 'ot' the plates, equal to the required thickness of the sheets of ice, and freeze the intervening water solid. The plane surface of the plates permits the ice to be withdrawn when detached from the plates..

When .we use our apparatus for refrigerating rooms, for curing meats, audfor other like purposes, we extend our channeled plates in which the volatile fluid is vaporized longitudinall y through. the center of the room, returm ing the pipes on themselves, as shown in Fig.

6, so'as to place them all in the same vertical plane. The width ofroom refrigerated by a single plate may beequal to about three or four times its height. A descending current of cold air in the vicinity of the plate is replaced by warmerair from the ceiling, by which i .or connected by webs or vplates of metal.

Having thus described our invention, we do not claim as new the described method f detaching the ice from the congealer-plates,

'as that was described by Harrison, of Victoria,

Australia, in English patent What we do claim, Letters Patent, is

l. In the congealer of an ice-making machin e, channeled walls or partitions,npon which the ice isformed, and within which the freezing agents are distributed in a series ,of channels, substantially as described. t 2. In'an ice-making machine, the combina tion of the following elements, viz., a series of distributing-channels .for the freezing agents and surfaces outside and' between said channels, upon which the ice is formed, substantially as described.

3. In an ice-making machine, the combina-- tion of the following elements, viz., surfaces 747 of 1856; but and desire to secure by upon which the ice is formed, a series of dis-` tributing-channels for the freezing agents, and means for supplying the freezing agents to the series of distributing-channels, all substantially as described.

4. A system of independent pipes or channels having each pipe adapted to receive an equallamount of liquid, and having the pipes connected in the congealing-chamber in such manner as to present proper surfaces for the formation of the ice, as described.

5; The combination of a system of independent pipes and a distributer for supplying l the pipes equally with fluid, as described.

6. The distributer D, constructed specifically -as described, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the plates B, provided with'semi-tubular depressions, with the pipes as described.

8. '.ihe device for cooling the condensin pipes, constructed substantially as describe for the purpose set forth.

- 9. The combination, in a condenser of an cemachine, of the following elements, i. c., means for conducting the vapor-'to be condensed into and through the condensing-chamber, means for discharging water in spra and means for creating a current of air,su stantially as describcd.-

10. The means employed for regulating the flow of the liquid by the pressure of the'vu.-

l por, substantially as described:

'nectin devices, and

11. The combination of the mercury-gauge provided with a. oat the intermediate couthe valve i', substantial- 1y es escribed.

12. A-hollow tube or tubes, adapted to be connected to the freezing-plates for the pur Ease of dividing the sheets of ice, the same eing iilled with water of ordinary tempera. ture when it is desired to' remove the ice, substantisily as described.

13. The attened tubes m, constructed specidcully as described.

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