US1478471A - Car refrigeration - Google Patents

Description

De@ 25 19:23, EAWATE J. P. DOWDING CAR REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 30. 1921 3 ShetshSheet E! lllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIW' s sheets-sheet 5 @eco 25 B923.

J. P. DOWDlNG CAR REFRIGERATION Filed s et. so. 1921 .f/am Powc/d Fatented '25, i923..

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Application led September To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. DowDING, a citizen ofthe United States, residing 'at Chicago, -in thewcou-nty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newl and useful Improvements in 'Car Refrigeration, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention has forits objectv the provision of improved means `for prechilling, rechilling and maintaining alow temperature in refrigerator compartments, having its. particular application .to refrigerator cars and the like."

Refrigerator cars of approveddesignare usually provided with ice bunkers 'at' each end, to be charged periodically with ice and suiiicient salt to produce a brine bf low tem` perat-ure in ,the bunkers,.the, air of the car, chilled by contact lwith the bunkers, circulatingi under conditions of gravity thronghtout the car interior. a

Other types of refrigerator cars are cooled. 'by means of` l10W/temperature brine circu-y lating through pipes. disposed around the icar interiori; while in others refrigerating fmachines are employed driven from theA car axle or other source of power.

In all such refrigerator cars it is neces' sary to precool thoroughly before the car is incondition to be loaded. Utilizing the refrigerating means -of Athe car itself, whether ice bunkers or brine circulation or ice machine, a period of approximately thirty-six hours is required to lower the temn perature of the car suiiicientlyfto receive its load, and this represents a great loss to thev railroads and shippers by reasonof acar being withdrawn from service during this period of precooling." 4o It isalso necessary in the case of long hauls Ato re-ice at intervals, stations being provided with facilities for the purpose. Ordinarily the ice bunkers are not entirely 'empty and the replenishing of the same at 46 such stations will suilice, but in cases where by reason of delay in transit or otherwise the bunkers have become empty and the temperature within the car has risen beyond that requiredl for eiiicient -preservatlon ofthe ladaa ing, it is important to recool or rechill more qui kly than could bedone 'by ice alone.

'My invention contemplates, not the sub- 30,1921.'` senat No. masia.

stitution of other refrigerating means for the ice usually employed, but the provision of quickly acting brine circulation in asso- 'ciation with-the refrigerating bunkers for th'e prechilling of the car and for the speedy rechilling of the same at icing stations along the route, resulting in a great savingv of time 'at-the starting point and at the icing stations and also a great saving in the amount' of ice required, and a decided improvement inthe conditions undenwhicli the lading is maintained from the time it .is placed in -thecar until it reaches its destination:

IThe objects of the invention are-attained by equipping a refrigerator car with the usual ice bunkers provided for the chilling and' .gravity circulation of airwithin the i,

car, and in association therewith, a pipe system for a Huid refrigerant including injector devices to 'v produce circulatory .air

currents incontact with the fluid, together with means for connecting the pipe system of the car with an extraneous source of fluid refrigerant under pressure at the load'- ing andicing stations. v

. 'By this arrangement, in combination, the

car can be quickly prechilled while being` iced and while being loaded, and later along the road can be rechilled by iuid refrigerant at the same time it is being re-iced and withf,

out opening the car.

In order that the invention Amay be readily understood in its' constructional features as well as in the manner of employment, I have in the accompanying drawings illus: trated different lexemplitications of the same asa basis for a description thereof, It will be readily apparent that the invention iscapable of modified application, wherefore tliedrawings' and A'description are to be taken in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense., v

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section illustratingthe invention em-l.

bodied in a railway car;

Fig. `2 is a transverse section through Fig. 1 with a portion broken away; f Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 41 show-ing a modified form of the injector well;

Fig. `4' is a longitudinall sectionv through the car, foreshortened, illustrating the different arrangement of pipe Jandginje'ctor system;v j

Fig. 5 is a top planview of the pipe sys# tem with its housing;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5; and f Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-'-7ofFig.4. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the car end wall is designated at 11,

the floor at 12, and the roof `at 13. Within the end of the car is arranged the usual ic'e bunker or bunkers 14, supplied with ice from above through the opening provided with a closure '15. .The ice bunker space is separated 4in the` usual manner from the lading space `of the carby a partition' or bulkhead 16 which is spaced from the ceiling and Hoo-r of the car., so as to function as an air-guiding baille effective t permit the warm air )to move into contact Vwith the .bunker at the top-of the car and thereafter retain it in intimate vassociation with`the bunker to eect its cooling, as a result of which it ,moves downwardly and returns to the lading space by moving outwardly below the bulkhead. `Below the ice bunker there is Vprovided the usual drip tray 17 from which the waste is drawn olf through an opening provided with a trap, not shown.

yAccor-dm to my invention, the c ar 1s equipped a ditionally with an inlet pipe 18 for uidrefrigerant such as low temperature brine,'the outer end ofthe inlet pipe being closedby a screw cap l19 which may bey removed for connection of the inlet pipe with'a supply pipe from a source of brine' under pressure.A

' fAtfits' inner end the linlet pipe 18 connects with a Across-'head 20 provided with a series of downwardly projecting injector nozzles 21. This cross-head with. the nozzles is.disposed in the upper portion of a wellor conduit 22 formed between thepartition 16 and a wall 23. 'The conduit lis open at its upper end to the upper part ofthe lading 'space of 'the car adjacent the bunker and' iny its lower-portion is disposed a tray 24 for the collection 'of any excess of. the liquid refrigerant discharged by the nozzles.

lFromits lower end the conduit has outlet communication with the 'lading 'space through another branch 25 which extends upcar. At the same time, the circulation of air i integri Above the opening 30 there is a deiector 31 lwhich directs the outcoming refrigerated air downwardly through thebunker space, whence it flows forwardly beneaththe tray 32 which is arranged below the open end of the conduit to vcollect the fluid freed by the air.' The draw-0E pipe 27 extends from the tray through the vend of the carand is7 pro' vided as before with a closure cap 28.,

ulBoth in that form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and that shown in Fig. 3

a pendent lattice shield 33 shuts olf the bunker space below the injector pipe system from the lading space `of the car or othercompartment.

ln both forms of the invention herein-` above described the fluid refrigerant under pressure admitted to the pipevsystem ofthe t' car throughl the l inlet .pipe 18 is discharged' downwardly by the nozzles 21 into the 'conduit, thereby causing by injector action .an

inflowof warm air to the top of the-conduit the conduit and are separated at lthe bottomthereof, the fluid being collected in the tray and carried o, and the cool air discharging.l n laterally either towards the' ice bunker or directly into Athe car interior, thus setting up circulatory air currents-.which speedilybring @5 about an equable low temperature within-thel ,from the lading space. V*The air and refriger- 'i vant fluidare thus forced togethervthrough thus induced increases the circulation in conv tact with the bunker, so that, acting in conjunction with the refrigerating spray, the ice whichy continues, lafter the supply of lrefrigerant fluld is cut olf, to maintain a 'gravity circulation of the air within the carwhereby the temperature. ismaintained substantially constant so long as the ice supply lasts.

Whether -the quick acting -refrig'erating ipe system is employed only at the time of ice in the bunkers is assisted in quickly wardly and then opens towards the lading space at 26. draw-olf pipe 27 is provided for the excess'l refrigerant, and-at its outer end is equipped with a cap 28 to which may bek connected a waste pipe or a return pipe if the refrigerant is to bereused.

Having reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing; the branch 25 'of conduit illustrated in'Figs.

1 and 2 is. dispensed with, and the conduit' 29, open above to the lading space adjacent the bunker has a lateral opening below at 3Q towards the ice bunker.

'lowering the temperature of the car interior" C Jihad ing orin' transit at the icing stations, lthe to a point where thev after-consumption of 4 the ice while the car is moving willl be materially reduced and theamount ofice required periodically at the icing stations will be kept 'at a minimum.' The apparatus thus quickly` H() within the Vbunker 14 performs its-function,`

extracts the heat from the car andcargo before'it is started in transit, so that-the lserved that in `addition-to the usual ice bunkers at the`ends of the car, an inlet pipe agregar 34, closed by a cap 35, extends through the end wall of the car and is slightly otl'set at 36 so as to bring the same to one side of the central car timber 37. It then extends longitudinally of the car at 38 and is provided at intervals with upstanding forwardly directedinjector nozzles 39 arranged in tandem. A trough-like conduit 40 is disposed about the' lpipe 39 to collect the fluid discharged from the nozzles and to deliver the same through the short pipe 41 to a draw-o pipe 42 extending' to the outside of the car l and closed by a -cap 43. The conduit 40 is cut away above at intervals to provide inlets 44 for warm air and outlets 45 for chilled air, thev inlet openings being disposed at the rear ofand adjacent the nozzles 39 and the outlets in advance of said nozzles.' Within the conduit adjacent the outlets are disposed inclined dedecting plates 46by which the air entrained within the conduitby the injector nozzles is guided upwardly through the outlet openings. At the 'outlet openings the conduit is flanged over asl indicated'at 47 for attachmentv -to the car ceiling and is' also widened as indicated at 48 to catch any moisture which may be carried upwardly by the outflowing chilled air.

` `refrigerating action of the ice in the bunkers' whereby thecar may be quickly lowered in temperature while the 'ladlng is being placed bunker and having air inlet communication in position from refrigerated docks or loading platforms, and either before or after the car is loaded. It may be rechilled along the road without opening the car, thus securing a considerable saving of time, of inconvenience, and a great reduc-tion in the amount of ice used both at the loading station and in transit, accompanied by a higher efficiency` in the preservation of perishable lading.

While I have described the invention with particular reference to its employment in a movable refrigerator compartment, such as j a railway car, and while itnds its principal utility in such installations, it willbe under-A stood that the lnvention is not limited to such appl1cat1on,` but is adaptable for emv ployment in connection with stationary cold storage plants and cooling rooms of packing houses, etc.

I claim:

1. lin a refrigerating compartment, the combination of a bunker exposed therein, an air directing conduit disposed adjacent the bunker and having air inlet and outlet cominunication with the compartment adjacent the bunker, a nozzle arranged to discharge longitudinally of the conduit, and a pipe forconveying refrigerating fluid to the nozzle from extern-ally of the compartment.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising the combination with a'refrigerating compartment, of a refrigerating bunker exposed therein, an air conduit extending alongside the bunker and having air inlet and outlet communicationwith the compartment adj acent the bunker, a nozzle arranged to discharge fluid in the conduit to induce movement of air therethrough, and a pipe for supplying iiuid to the nozzlefrom externally of4 'C the compartment.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising the combination with a refrigerating compartment, of refrigerating bunkers exposed therein, an air conduit disposed in the compartment and having air inlet and outlet communica-tion therewith adjacent the bunkers, a nozzle arranged to discharge fluid in the conduit to induce movement of air therethrough, and a pipe for supplying fluid to thenozzle from externally of the compartment.

, '4. yln refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a refrigerating compartment, of a refrigerating bunker exposed therein, an

air directing conduit `in fthe compartmenta 5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising` the combination with a .refrigerating compartment, of a refrigerating bunker exposed therein, a conduit extending adjacent the with the compartment adjacent the upper portion of the bunker Aand air 'outlet com munica-tion withthe compartment adjacent the lower portion of the bunker, a nozzle arranged to discharge fluid in the conduit to induce movement of air therethrough, and means for supplying refrigerating fluid to the nozzle.

6. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising the combination with a refrigerating compartment, of a refrigerating bunkern exposed therein, a bulkhead arranged alongside but spaced from the bunker, a nozzle arranged to discharge Huid along the side of the bulkhead, and means for supplying refrigerating Huid to*y the'nozzle.

7. Refrigerating apparatus comprising# the combination with a refrigeratingl compartlnent, of a refrigerating bunker exposed therein, a'conduit extending alongside `the bunker and forming a bulkhead spaced apart therefrom,- said conduit having air inlet and outlet communication with the compartment adjacent the bunker, and means for injecting refrigerating fluid into the' conduit toI `induce movement of air therethrough.

8.` In a railway car, the combination with an insulated compartment affording lading space, of a refrigerating bunker exposed therein, an air conduit in the compartment adjacent to but'spaced from said bunker, injecting means for spraying liquid refrigerant through said conduit to induce circulation of air from the lading space into contact with the bunker, an' inlet pipe leading to said injecting means, an outlet pipe for refrigerating liquid discharged from the `injecting means, saidyinlet pipe affording a supply connection externally of the.c om partment, and said outlet pipe affording a discharge connection externally of the compartment.

9. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a refrigerating compartment, of a vertically extending refrigerating bunker exposed therein, a bulkhead associated with said bunker to afforda segregated space for 'A circulation of air "along the bunker, a nozzle arranged toldischarge in a substantially vertical direction adjacent the bunker, .and means for supplying/refrigerating fluid to the nozzle under pressure, vwhereby ejection of the same from the .nozzle induces air circulation through said space.

10. In a refrigeratmg car, the combination vwith a refrigerating compartment affording lading space, of a refrigerating bunker having a vertically extending heat absorbing surface exposed: inthe compartment, a vertically extending conduit adjacent the bunker and lading space and having l its inlet vadjacent the upper portionof the compartment and its outlet adjacent .the lower portion thereof spray fluid downwardly through said Aconduit, and a pipe" for conveying refrigerating `fluid to saidmeans under pressure from out:

side the compartment for discharge through. the conduit, whereby circulation of airis in-l duced in the lading space and in association with the bunker.

. 11. Refrigerating apparatus, vcomprising means .arranged to :Mairena-iV i,

the combination with a refrigerating com-v partment of a bunker .exposed therein'and adapted or retention of liquid refrigerant, a conduit housed in the compartment and having inlet and Aout/let lcommunication therewith, a nozzle disposed to inject fluid refrigerant in 'the conduit` to induce circulation of air into contact with the bunker,

and meansy for, conducting fluid to the nozzle from externally of the compartment.

12. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising `the combination with a refrigerating compartment, of a bunker exposed therein, a conduit arranged in association with the bunker andhaving anou'tlet adjacent the lower portion thereof, a nozzle arranged to direct fluid through the conduit, and means for conducting refrigerating fluid to the partment ofr a refrigerating bunker exposedl therein, a bulkhead associated with the eav bunker to afford air circulation yspace therebetween, a nozzle arrangedfto discharge fluid. adjacent the bunker, and a pipefor-conducting refrigeratin g fluid to the nozzle from ex;

'ternally of the compartment.

15. In a railway car, the combination with the refrigerating compartment, of yrefrigeratin'g bunkersl exposed therein, an air conduit disposed in the compartment and having air inlet and outlet communication therewith adjacent the bunkers, injecting means arranged to spray fluid in the conduit to induce movement of air therethrough, and a pipe for supplying duid to the injecting means. l

In .testimony whereof l liavef vhereunto vsubscribed myname.

j Jona rnaoivai; nownme.

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