US2341962A - Refrigeration apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 15, 1944. E. c. TANNER 2,341,962

I REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: V L INVENTOR 6.14. v W /a2. v BY Feb. 15, 1944. E. c. TANNER 2,341,962

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5- 1 ELo C. TANNER. MQML 4%;

Y I A'ITO EY Patented Feb. 15, 1944 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS E 0. Tanner, Springfield, Masa, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August M, 1941, Serial No. 406,755

7 fllaims. (Cil- 62-402) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more especially to dry coolers for packaged beverages.

It is an object of the invention to provide a dry cooler for packaged beverages in which a large number of packages are available for selective withdrawal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compactarrangement 'of the operating mechanism in a dry cooler for packaged beverages.

- A further object of the invention is to provide means in a dry cooler for packaged beverages for effecting accelerated cooling in selected areas of the cooler.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved air circulating path in a dry cooler for packaged beverages.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means for reducing heat leakage through the joints between a refrigerator door and the edges of the door opening.

These and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1' is a vertical sectional view of the dry cooler of this invention;

' Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIH of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a fastening device on the deflector.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, the referenc numeral Ill designates a rectangular, open-topped refrigerator cabinet which is divided into an insulated bottle-cooling compartment II and a machine compartment l2 below the bottle-cooling compartment I I. The top of the bottle-cooling compartment I l is closed by an insulated and jointed cover l3. A rubber sealing gasket 25 is provided at the joints between the cover l3 and the cabinet Ill and the joint between the two sections of the cover I3. The bottle-cooling compartment H comprises two side walls 14 and I5, two end walls I6 and ii, and a bottom wall l8. A foraminated platform I9 is positioned by supporting pins 38 a spaced distance above the bottom wall- A flat, inclined cooling unit 2| extends upwardlyfrom the edge of the platform 19 adjacent to the end wall IE to adjacent the upper edge of the end wall I6. The cooling unit 2! extends sidewardly to the side walls M and I5. The cooling unit 2| comprises a plurality of spaced-apart sheet metal strips 22 through which a metal tube 23 is passed back and forth. A vertical partition 24 extends upwardly from the platform at the lower edge of the cooling unit 21 to adjacent the cover I3 of the cabinet l0 and an extension at the central portion of the upper edge of the partition is bent downwardly at an angle slightly beyond the horizontal to form an air baffle 26.

An opening 27 is provided in the upper central portion of the partition 24,-and a propeller fan 28 is positioned in the opening 21. The propeller fan 28 is secured to a shaft 29 of an electric mo- .tor 3| which drives the fan 28. The motor 3! is secured between the partition and the cooling unit by brackets 32.

A shelf 33 is supported on pins 34 adjacent the side wall l5 and extends from the side wall 15 into the bottle cooling compartment II a distance equal to about one-third the width thereof. The shelf 33 is spaced from the platform I!) and the cover l3 to provide storage spaces of equal height above and below the shelf 33. A similar shelf 36 is supported on pins 31 adjacent the side wall The space between the Id of the cabinet I0. shelves 33 and 36 is equal to about one-third the width of the bottle-cooling compartment ll.

The fan 28 draws air through the cooling unit 2| from the air duct 20 between the platform l9 and the bottom wall l8 of the bottle-cooling com partment I l and directs the air in a substantially horizontal stream through theopening 21, thefan 28 which passage permits the fan 28 to blow an adequate portion of the air to the remote end of the bottle-storage compartment ll so that the chilling effect of the air is substantially uniform throughout the bottle-cooling compartment I I.

The bottles in this type of a cooler areusually placed upright so that the contents thereof are readily identified bythe bottle caps. In this position, the bottles even though closely packed, provide vertical air passages between them through which the air blown into the upper portion of the compartment by the fan circulates to the foraminations in the platform It.

The baiiie 28 deflects the stream of'air delivered by the fan 28 away from the cover II and from the joint between the cover l3 and the cabinet l and the joint between the two sections of the cover ll. These joints are of relatively lower insulating value and would result in an undue heat leakage if the air stream were permitted to sweep along them.

An additional deflector 39 may be inserted on either side of the fan 28 to deflect the chilled air sidewardly to the bottles stored on either of the shelves as or 36. This arrangement is useful when warm bottles on either of the shelves at or 38 are to be cooled quickly. The deflector is provided with T-shaped securing devices 4| which fit into slots 42 in stirrups 43 secured to the partition 24 on both sides of the opening 21.

If the baiile 39 is to be transferred from one side of the opening 21 to the other, the battle I! is lifted to disengage the T-shaped securing devices cooling unit 2| through a capillary tube 48. Va-

porized refrigerant returns to the compressor through conduit 49.

It will be apparent from the above that this invention provides a cooler for bottled beverages and the like in which the bottles are so stored that a large portion of them is available for withdrawal when the cover of the cooler is-opened. This is of advantage if several types of beverages are cooled in the same cooler. The cooler is also compactly arranged and certain areas of the cooler are adapted for accelerated cooling. It will be further apparent that the air circulating path in the cooler is not obstructed even though the cooler is loaded to capacity with bottles.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed'thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cooler for packaged beverages, the combination of a heat insulated, rectangular chamber having bottom, side, and end walls, and a top wall comprising a door; two shelves in said chamber secured adjacent opposite side walls of the chamber and spaced above the bottom wall thereof and from each other; and means for cooling and circulating the air in said chamber, said means including a fan positioned near an end wall of said chamber and above the space between said two shelves, said fan blowing the air substantially horizontally and parallel to said side walls into said chamber.

2. In a cooler for packaged beverages, the combination of a heat insulated, rectangular chamber having bottom, side and end walls, and a top wall comprising a door; a perforate platform in said chamber, near, but spaced from the bottom wall thereof to define an air duct therewith and a food storage space above said platform; and means for circulating and refrigerating the air in said chamber, said means withdrawing the air from the air duct and blowing said air through the upper central P rtion of said food storage space in a direction substantially parallel to the top wall of the chamber.

3. In a cooler for packaged beverages, the combination of a heat insulated, rectangular chamber having bottom, side and end walls, and a top wall comprising a door; a perforate platform in said chamber, near,but spaced from the bottom wall thereof to define an air duct therewith and a food storage space abovelsaid platform; means for circulating and refrigerating the air in said chamber, said means withdrawing the air from the air duct and blowing said air through the upper central portion of said food storage space top wall comprising a door; a perforated plat;

form in said chamber, near, but spaced from the bottom wall thereof to define an air duct there-v with and a storage space above said platform; a flat, inclined cooling unit having air passages therethrough positioned with its upper edge adjacent one of said end walls and its lower edge spaced from said one end wall and adjacent said platform; a vertical partition in said chamber parallel to said one end wall and extending upwardly from the lower edge of said cooling unit to adjacent the top wall'of said chamber. said partition having an opening; a fan in said opening; and a motor for driving said fan located between said fan and said cooling unit.

5. In a cooler for packaged beverages, the combination of a heat-insulated, rectangular chamber having abottom, side, and end walls and a top wall comprising a door; a perforated platform in said chamber, near, but'spaced-from the bottom wall thereof to define an air duct therewith and a food-storage space above said platform; a flat inclined cooling unit having air passages therethrough positioned with its upper edge adjacent one of said end walls and its lower edge spaced from said one end wall and adjacent said platform: a vertical partition in said chamber parallel to said one end wall and extending upwardly from the'lower edge of said cooling unit to adjacent the top wall of said chamber, said partition having an opening: two spaced shelves positioned in said chamber intermediate said platform and the top wall of said chamber; a fan in said opening for blowing an air stream horizontally through said chamber above-the space between said two shelves; and a bame adjacent to the fan for directing said air stream away from the door of said chamber.

6. In a cooler for packaged beverages, the. comcllned cooling unit having .ainpas'sagea therethrough positioned with its upper edge adjacent one of said end walls and its lower edge'spaced from said one end wall and adjacent said platform; a vertical partition in said chamber parallel to said one end wall and extending upwardly from the lower egige of said cooling unit to adjacent the top wall of said chamber, said partition having an opening; two spaced shelves positioned in said chamber intermediate said platform and the top wall of said chamber; a fan in said opening for blowing an air stream horizontally through said chamber above the space between said two shelves: and a. removable balfle adjacent to the fan for directing said air stream towards the storaige space above one of said shelves.

7. In a cooler for packaged beverages the combination of a heat insulated chamber, a cooling unit for said chamber, a fan in said chamber for blowing a stream of air horizontally therethrough, means providing storage spaces at two opposite sides of said chamber, and a removable deflector adjacent the fan for directing said air stream a either to one or the other of said storage spaces.

ELO C. TANNER.

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