HOW TO USE THE ICE BOX 123 



Construction of the refrigerator. The household re- 

 frigerator is really a large box with thick, heat-insulating 

 walls, and with doors or covers to the several compart- 

 ments inside. There is always one chamber for the ice, 

 and several others with shelves for food. All of the 

 compartments within are connected by air ducts or 

 spaces, so that there is a free circulation of air through- 

 out the entire refrigerator. The drainage pipe leads to 

 a pan, or to a waste pipe. This drainage pipe is pro- 

 tected by a trap which prevents warm air from coming 

 in. The wall is of much importance; one of the best 

 is made of layers suggested in the diagram. If heat 

 enters this wall, it must go through all of these insulating 

 substances. 



How to use the ice box. When air comes in contact 

 with ice, it gives up heat to the ice, and becomes colder and 

 heavier, and sinks to the bottom of the ice chamber. 

 An outlet below the ice allows this cold air to pass out at 

 one side to the bottom part of the refrigerator, where warm 

 food substances give off their heat to the cold air, which is 

 warmed and gradually rises, passing in again at the top 

 of the ice chamber. Thus we have a circulation of air 

 within the ice box. 



The warm air, returning to the ice, causes some of it to 

 melt, and the heat is thus carried off in the water which 

 drips out into a drain outside. Since most foods have more 

 or less odor, we must place those which give off the most 

 odor at the top of the ice chest where, the air is warmer, 

 while meats, milk, and butter should be placed in the 

 coldest part of the ice box, where they will not take the 

 odor from other things. If you want your ice box to be 

 cold inside, do not cover the ice with newspapers or a woolen 



