US2418715A - Refrigerated soda fountain cabinet - Google Patents

Description

April 8,1947. H. K. JOHNSON REFRIGERATED SODA FOUNTAIN CABINET mod n 25, '1942 Patenlecl Apr. 8, 1947 sign'or to The Bastian Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 25, 1942, Serial No. 43.2,311

12, Claims. l

This invention relates to refrigerating appa-, ratus, and more particularly to that type having a plurality of chambers maintained at different temperatures. p

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved hermetically sealed unit With a plurality of expansion coils so constructed and arranged that thetemperatures of 'the compartments containing the coils are different and will remain substantially constant between predetermined limits.

Another object of the invention is the pro- Vision of a multi-compartment refrigeration apparatus provided with refrigerating mechanism comprising an expansion coil for each'compartment, with the coils having different temperatures and all arranged in series fOr-preventing short cycling of the apparatus.

A further Object of the'invention is the pro- Vision of a new and improved hermetically sealed refrigerating unit of the dry type or system that may be assembled as a complete unitary automatically Controlled structure normally requiring no attention during its use or during the life of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is .the provision of a multi-compartment refrigeration apparatus having new and improved means so constructed and arranged that the compartments may be automatically maintained at different temperatures without the aid of either expansion or difierential pressure valves.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a self-contained refrigerating unit or fountain Cabinet, and installed apparatus, that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, easily assembled, efficient in operation, automatically Controlled, and that is extremely simple in its Operating and control mechanism,

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a soda fountain Cabinet;

Fig. 2 .is a diagrammatic showing of the refrigerating mechanism' empioyed in the fountain; and

Fig. 3 is a section of one of the restricted portions of the refrigerating system, .with parts broken away.

In the manufacture and use of refrigerating units especially adapted for counter fountains, and the like, it is commonpractice'to so construct and mount the separate expansion coils for the different compartments that the separate partments' may be maintained at diflerent temperatures. In such an arrangement the expan- -sion coils for the different compartments are usually in parallel, thus necessitating the use of both diilerential pressure and expansion values'. It has also been considered necessary to' employ a comparatively large charge of' refrigerant.

The Controls of the conventional type of re-.

frigerating units are Complicated. As a rule a construction maintaining 'a multl-compartment unit at difierent temperatures for the compart-. ments requires the use of motors of greater than one-half horse power for Operating the system. But it is considered to be good practice, 'where the motor require'd' is greater ,than one-half horse power, to employ an electric starting device for starting the motor, which, of course, complicates the structure and adds to the initlal cost of the system, and is more or less expensive to ope'rate' beside occupying additional space.

The present invention seeks to greatly reduce the original cost of the apparatus and its costtof installation, as well as materially reducingthe. running expenses of the entire refrigeratin'g apr paratus, t

During the present crisis the material employed in the manufacture of refrigerating devices is of Vital importance. The present system' requires a minimum of material since numerous parts, as valves and the like, have been eliminated and other parts greatly Simplified. The

amount of refrigerant is greatly reduced. In a refrigerating apparatus formerly requiring '10 to 12 pounds of Freon (F-12), with a half horse power motorfor Operating the refrigerating mechanism, an apparatus of the same capacity requires only 3 to 4 pounds of the'same refrigerant, and the device may be operated by a third horse power motor. i

Furthermore, in maintaining the separate compartments of a dry system refrlgerating apparatus at different 'temperatures it is common practice to provide a surge tank into which the refrigerant from higher temperature compartments may expand in order to prevent short cycling of the system. But in the present system,

where the expansion coils are all in series, the

surge tank is eliminated and the charge is greatly reduced. Both of-these features are considered of great importance, and especially when taken.

in connection with the fact that a smaller motor tured and sold as an hermetically sealed apparatus at a greatly reduced price. This is considered a very important feature of the invention, because it not only conserves material but the assembled unit may be sold at agreatly reduced price.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character lll designates a fountain or'refrigerating Cabinet having a pluraiity of Compartments. The Cabinet has front and back side walls l l, end walls 2, and a top wall l3. The Cabinet is divided into a plurality of chambers or compartments comprising what, for convenience of description, will be termed a cdndensing Chamber or compartment l4; astorage Chamber or compartment 15:

a liquid or water bath compartment 16; ice cream compartment l'l; and a hardening compartment IB.

The front portion of the Cabinet has an upward projection IS, in the form of a compartment extending the full length of the Cabinet, and which will be referred to as the jar rail. This jar rail is provided with atop wali 2l, on which is mounted the fountain or dispensing arms 48, 49, for the sweet water and for the carbonated water. Contiguous to the top wall 21, and extend ing downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, is a jar supp'orting piate 23, within which is mounted the containers for the ,removal jars 24 con talning the various flavored syrups, as is usual in such construztions. A depres'sion 25 is provided beneath the fountain or dispensing'valves 22 for providing a, seat Or support for the -glasses or other containers used in serving the public from the'dispens'ing' arms.

The compartments 15, l'l and I8 are provided with hingedlclosures 25, 21 ,and 20, and the compartment |6 is 'provided with a removable closure 29. Since the' construction of the fountain or Cabinet is'substantially' like those of the conventional type, it is not thought necessary to describe thesame more in detaii except to state that each one of the compartments, except the compartment M,'ls provided with a conventional insulating'materialon'the walls of the compartment. Thecompartment S isfilled with water 3l, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, which funotions as a heat exchanger'fluid, as will pres ently appear.

The refrigerating mechanism is so constructed that there will be an evaporating orcooling member for each compartment, which, in thepresent instance, is in the form of coils.

Any suitable refrigerant expansion members may be employed, but io'r-illustrating one embodiment of the invention these expansion members will be described as being in the? form of coils or pipes of the usual construction, and of the Conventional heat conducting material usually employed in refrigerating apparatus of this type.

The refrigerating system is of the compression inders are located in the air stream of the condenser fan, which tends to cool them. The pistons are operated by a Crank on the Vertical ar- From the condenser 34 the refrigerant passes';

along through the main lead, pipe or pressure conduit 30, then through a restrictor section 36 of the refrigerant line 30, This restrictor section is of comparatively ,short length, and 'very mate'- rially less in internal diameter than the pipe 30, so that it functions asan expansion valve. The refrigerant is expanded into an expansion coil 31, which may be, and preferably is, of larger diameter than that portion of' the pipe 30 be-' tween the condenser 34 and 'restrictor' section 35. The coil 31 is located in the Storage Chamber l5 for Cooling the latter. It' is arrangedaround the compartment |5 in the usual manner, for Cooling the' compartment. From the Chamber l5 the refrigerant is discharged into the water bath Chamber l6, into the coil 38, Which' s in series with the coil 31 and may be of Substantially the same diameter.

The further expansion of the refrigerant in the coil 38 will cool the water 3| in the Chamber lB, and this water in turn will cool the sweet water and the carbonated water, which are led into the Chamber through the tubes 39 and 4l,' from suitabie sources of supply. These tubes are in communication' with corresponding coils 42, 43, which are immersed in the water 31 in the compartment 18. The co ls 42 and 43 extend above thecabinet, as shownvat 44, 45, respectively, and are connected to the valves 22, 22. These valves are carried by the arms 48, 49, and control the passage of the sweet water and the carbonated water through the Chamber (6, where they have their temperatures reduced.

From the compartment 'iE the refrigerant passes through a second restrictor section SI, which is in ser'ies with the passage 30, 38. The

'diameter of this tube is considerably smaller than the main line 30, so that this restrictor section 5| also functions as an expansion valve.

' The refrigerant passing through this restrictor tu-be expands into a coil 52 in the counter rail compartment IS for maintaining the jars 24 at the desired temperature. The diameter of the coil 52 may be, but not necessarily so, of slightly less diameter than th coil 38. From the com-' 'partment 19 the refriger'ant passes into a section line 30% which is an extension of the main line 30, and into the ice cream compartment through the expansion coil 53 therein.

The main line extension and expansion coll 53 have substantially the same diameters, and preferably, though not necessarily, have a diameter greater than the main line 30 or coil 38. This gives a greater 'expansion space per foot length of pipe, so that, being nearer the suction end of the main extension line 30, the temperature in the Chamber or compartment l'i may be materially reduced over the temperatures in any of the foregoing compartments. From the coil 53 the refrigerant passes over into the hardening compartment |8 through the pipe 30, then through the expanslon coil 54 for maintaining this compartment at a temperature materially lower than the freezing point of water, and' below the temperature in any of the other compartments. From the coil 54 the refrigerant passes through the suction line 31] back to the compressor, thus completing the cycle of operation.

The condenser coil 3 3, the expansion coils 31, 38, 52, 53 and 54 are all in series with the compressor, and with the restrictor sections 36 and 51. The lengths and diameters of the various coils, and the restrictor tubes or sections, will vary with the different sizes of installations, with the efficiency of the heat insulating material employed for the Cabinet, with the room temperature, with the number of compartments employed, with' the difierences of temperatures maintained in these compartments, and with the amount of refrigeration required, as well as the type of compressor employed and the kind of refrigerant used, and various other factors too numerous to mention suitable means are provided for controlling the operation of the compressor motor 33. As shown, this is accomplished by a conventional thermostatically Controlled switch 55, which is adapted to be operated by a volatile fiuid in a fiuid expension bulb 58, located in one 'of the compartments, as is well known in the art. As shown, it is located in the hardening compartment IB, Fig. 2. The thermostat-controlled switch may be of any or the usual or ,well known type, such, for instance, as the lever toggle type operated by a bellows that is opposed by a spring, the compression of which is adjustable by themember 51 for adjusting the operation of the control 55 for Varying the temperatures in the compartments. By adjusting the set-screw Or adjusting' member 51 to change the spring compression, it changes the pressure required for Operating the switch, and Consequently varies the cycling period of the apparatus.

Since the specific details of this control constitute no part of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to illustrate or describe the same in detail. Any One of the various thermostat type Controls, preferably the. snap type for preventing arcing, may be employed for this purpose.

When the temperature in the Chamber l8 rises abovea predetermined amount the pressure developed by th expansion of the expanding fluid in the bulb 56 will become suflicient to Operate the switch 55, and this will in turn close the circuit through the motor 33. Likewise the lowering of the temperature within the hardening compartment, as a result of the operation of the compressor, will cause a contraction of the fiuid in the bulb 56, thus permitting the spring in the thermostatic control to open the switch 55 and stop the motor, as is well understood in i the art. Since the motor is not greater than one-half horse power, it is .not necessary to pro- Vide a relay starting mechanism for the motor, but the same is started directly by closing the switch 55.

In the construction shown all of the joints connecting the main line 30 and (ill to the various expansion coils and restrictor sections are brazed, and are all installed in the Cabinet, so that'the entire apparatus constitues a unitary hermetically sealed structure that may be sold as a single unit, thereby reatly reducing the cost of equipment and lnstallationl Since the various coils may be varied in both length and diameter, as well as the kind of material employed, it is not possible to give a definite set of dimensions that will fit all conditions. For instance, the volume capacity of a. given expansion coil may be increased by lengthening the coil, or by increasin its diameter. Shorter coils of larger diameter'require less space to house, for the same volume capacity, than coils of greater length. On the Other hand, coils of smaller dameter have a relatively greater heat'conducting surface than larger coils.

The following dimensions for a nine foot, forty gallon ountainette, having the compartments described above, and employing a charge of three pounds of Freon (F -12) as therefrigerant, was found to operate satisactorily, and is given as one example. A third or hal horse power motor was employed or Operating the compressor, the main line 30 up to the restrictor section 36 from thecondenser 36 is M outside diameter and about 1' long, the suction'or extension 30 from the coil 54 to the compressor is 8 feet long and is outside diameter; the rectrictor passage 36 is .037" inside diameter, 36" long; the tube of the coils 31 and 38 are a -half inch outside diameter, and together are about 55' long, and are about the same length the rectrictor tube Ei i .070" inside diameter and about 24" long; the

tube of the coil 52 ist ,outsidediameter and about 18' long; and the tubes of ,the expansion coils 53 and 56 are 7 outside diameter and together are about 87.' long,.and are substantially of the same length. The temperature of' the room within which the Cabinet was placed was about86".

The jar rail wasmaintained at an average .temperature of 41 F.: liquid in the syrup jars partmentS, and that no expansion or pressure Controlled valves are necessary. It will also be appreciated that the motor and compressor unit is hermetically sealed, and that the system' is the hermetic type, and, as a'result, the apparatus may be readily installed, and that it will only be necessary, in 'instaliing the device, to make the proper connection with the sweet water supply pipe and the carbcnated water supply pipe when the apparatus is purchased as a complete unitary structure.

If desired, suitable means may be provided V whereby the compressor and condenser may be removed from the system for repairs or replacement. :While the condenser is shown exterior of the power unit, it is understood that this is the preferred form only, and that the condensing unit may be located within the compressor" r housing and in the base of the machine in the Condenser is water cooled.

It is thought from the foregoing, taken in-connection with the accompanying drawings, that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that event changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing I claim as my invention: i

lfi In a refrigerating apparatus, a hermetically sealed reirigerating unit comprising a plurality of evaporating containers,'conduit means connecting said container-s, means for circulating a volatile refrigerant in a closed circuit through said containers and said :conduit means in' series, a plurality of restrictions within said conduits each having a permanently open passage therethrough and functioning'as expansion valves for maintaining said 'evaporating containers at difierent temperatures, a separate Cooling compartment for each evaporating container, a thermo-Sansi- 'tive deviceiwithin one' of said compartments for controlling the operation of said second-named means, one of said compartments having a pair of coils for carbonated and sweet water extending therethrough and a heat exchange liquid surrounding said'coils and in contact with the evaporating container within said one compartment for constituting a'heat exchange medium,-s'aid evaporating containers constitutihg the sole metallic heat exchange elements within said apparatus.--

2. In' a refrigerating apparatus, a'cabinet having a Chamber for housing the Operating mechanism, a Storage compartment, a liquid bath compartment', a jar rail compartment, an ice cream compartmentand a hardening compartment, a compressor and con'denser' within said Chamber,

coils for sweet and carbonated water, expansion coil extending through said liquid bath compartment, a liquid within said last-named compartment constituting 'a heat exchangemedium, an'

expansion coil in each of the remaining compartments. conduits connecting said compressor; condenser and expansion coilsin series in a closed circuit through said' compartments in the order first named, a restriction in said circuit anterior to the expansion coil within said Storage compartl tion of said refrigerant through said circuit, and

means for adjusting said last-named means.

3. In a refrigerating system, a plurality of compartments, a compre'ssor, a condenser, a conduit extending from the discharge of said compressor back to the suction intake of said compressor in series in a single circuit through all of saidcompartments, said conduit being formed into ex-- pension coils in said compartments, a refrigerant fluid within the conduit, a pair of conduits ment. arestriction in said circuit between the.

&418315 4. In a. refrigerating apparatus; a plurality of Cooling compartments. an expansion' coil in each compartment, compressor and condenser mech- 'anism for supplying a refrigerant to said coils,

valveless passages connecting said coils in series with said mechanism, said passages having at least two sections in which the internal diameters thereof are* restricted to function as expansion valves, each restriction being anterior to at least two expansion'coils in the direction of flow of the refrigerant, the lengths and internal diameters r of the coils being such that the second compart- 5. In a refrigerating apparatus having a cabinet defining a plurality of refrigerating compartments separated from each other, a refrigerating system for Cooling said compartments including a refrigerant liquefying unit and a conduit defining a passage open throughout its length and connected at its ends to said unit, said conduit including a separate coil in' each of said compartments and a restrictor ferming part of said conduitllocated ahead of two of said coils, said two coils being in unrestricted communication with each other' and so correlated with each other as to constitute means for refrlgerating and maintaining one ofsaid two compartments at a 'lower temperature than the other, and thermo therethrough to' expand it, means for llquefying within one of said compartments for conducting water andcarbonated water therethrough, a liquid bath for the expansion coil in said last-named compartment, a. restrictionwithin said circuit immediately anterior to said last-named compartment, a restriction within said conduit immediately posterior in the direction of flow of the re- 1rigcrant to the expansion coil in said water bath compartment, and means Controlled by the temperature within another ofsaid comp'artments for controlling the circulation of the refrigerant.

through said circuit, said restrictions each comprising a length of pipe having a permanently l open passage therethrough and of materially' reduced'cross-sectional area overthat of said expension coils and unctioning as an expansion valve.

said refrigerant-an'd for circulating said refrigerant through' said passage, said system being so constructed that said coils maintain the compartments at different temperatures, and thermo sensitive means disposed in one of the compartments for controlling the operation of said liquefying means.

7. In arefrigerating. apparatus having a cabinet defining separate Cooling, freezing and hardening compartments, the combination of a refrigerant expansion coil in' each compartment constituting heat absorbing elements for said compartments, means for liquefying refrigerant,

and another posterior to'the first of said coils and functioning as expansion devices without varying the cross-sectional area of any part of A said passage under any condition, said connecting t means also including a suction passage conducting the exp'anded refrigerant to said liquefying means, l and thermal means for automatically controlling the Operation of said liquefying means in relationship to the temperature present in one of said compartments, said apparatus being constructed for maintaining said compartments at different temperatures.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus having a cabinet provided with a plurality of separate compartments, the combination of means for'liquefying refrigerant, means for Cooling thecontents of one of the compartments including a coil and a Secondary body of liquid in which refrigeration is stored by the Cooling action of said coil, a coil'.. in each of the other compartments, means for' connecting the coils in series with each"othe'r and with the liquefying means including a re,-

sistor located anterior to' two of said coils incommunication With each other without any restriction interposed between them, andthermo-" for mainta mng'certaint,of 'said compartme'nts at par'tmerits rn' including 'said compressor' being her ea d 'aid restrictionsand p'res's soleEi'estrictiOn to 'the re'e'lm.

sensitive means located in one of the compart-..

ments for controliing the operation of said lique-t fying means, said apparatus being constructed* for maintaining the contents of 'said compartments at different temperatures.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a refrigerating unit comprising a plurality of evaporating eiements of different heat absorbingareas in unrestrioted communication with each other and in series with said compressor and condenser to form a refrigerant circuit, said elements being disposed in separate refrigerating compartments and consaid'circuit'.

. containin g"""a lura v n ifithe remaining comeach for contain'in als'to be cooled, an open conduitgfor 'con exchange i with vsaid' compartment's, said .1 conduit being ormed' in :partot' exp ansio'n coils two of which are :connected-.in series and: in' communi- F, cation .withzneach-father without any; r'estriction interposed between' them; ;one 'of 'which 'coils is 1 in each :of said ccmpartmentagsaid&coils .having stituting the heat absorbing metallic elements in said apparatus, a restriction between said' condenser and the elements functioningas a refrigerant expansion device without varying the cross-sectional area of any part of said circuit at any time, said apparatus being constructed for maintaining said Compartments at different temperatures and means for automatically controlling the operation of said compressor in relationship to the temperature of the lower temperature compartment.

10. A dry system refrigerating apparatus comprising at least three separate compartments providlng Spaces for receiving and segregating different materials to be cOo1ed,' means for circulating a refrigerant in heat exchange relationship with said compartments in series including an evaporating element for each compartment, and means including permanently open restricted passages for controllingthe fiow of said refrigerant through said elements, said elements being so constructed and arranged ,withrespect to each other as to maintain the compartments at different temperatures and constituting the sole heat exchangers for said compartmcnts, and one of said restricted passages being followed by two elements for two compartments connected difierent 'heat exchange are'as ia 'restricted passage in' ,position ahead ofsaid, two coils, for restricting the now of 'refrigerant into 'said two coils to expand the refrigerant, means or liquefying said refrigerant and for circulating said refrigerant through said conduit to develop a differential in the pressures of the refrigerant together without any interposed restricting means between them.

11. In a dry system refrigerating apparatus a plurality of separate comparaments, a compressor, a condenser, a plurality of expansion coils one in each compartment constituting the soleupon opposite sides of said restricted passage, said system being' so' constructed and arranged that predetermined temperatures may be maintained in the several compartments, and means including a *thermo-sensitive device disposed in one of 'said compartments for controlling operation of said liquefying means.

- v HERMAN K. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED v The .following references are of record in the fil'e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kucher Apr. 1, 1941 ref igerant around .bn art s g a' -refrigerantv in heat' v

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