US2502630A - Valved connection for demountable structures - Google Patents

Description

April 3950 T w. L. MORRISON 2,502,630

VALVED CONNECTION FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURES Filed Jul) 20, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnv nz'o'rqizaz-dz L. Morn? srz/ 39510 w. L, MQRRISQN p fi VALVE!) CONNECTION FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURES Filed July-20, 194s sheets-sheet s [nvenlor i Z.%rriww Apzeifi Z5 w. L, MGRRESQN 2,

VALVED CONNECTION FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 20, 1946 Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVED CONNECTION FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURES 1 Claim.

My invention relates to an improvement in connecting means for refrigerator members.

One purpose is to provide an improved means for connecting evaporator sections of a demountable or demounted refrigerator.

Another purpose is to provide valves and connections for use on a refrigerating machine adapted to be assembled in the space or room where it is to be used.

Another purpose is to provide an efficient and inexpensive connecting valve.

Another purpose is to make a connecting valve which is so constructed that an amateur can assemble it with a minimum of instructions.

Another purpose is to make a form of valve which is inherently free from the possibility of leakage, either before or after the assembling of the component units.

Another purpose is to make a valve which can be reclosed for the disassembly, removal and reassembly of the parts to which the valves are attached.

The present application is an improvement on the structure of my copending application Serial No. 646,588 filed in the United States Patent Office on February 9, 1946.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specifications and claim.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is an axial section, illustrating the connector in closed position but with the two components of the connector assembled;

Figure 2 is a similar view, but illustrating the two components of the connection in disassembled condition;

Figure 3 is a section, illustrating two adjacent refrigerator or evaporator elements, but illustrating the assembled connection in plan view;

Figure 4 is a plan view, illustrating the individual components of the connection in the disassembled condition corresponding to that of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the parts as shown in Figure 3.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, it will be understood that my connection may be employed between the evaporator components of adjacent refrigerator or insulating housing sections of a demountable or assemblable refrigerator, such as is shown in greater detail in my copending application Serial No. 646,588. It will be underrounding the nipple l8.

stood that any suitable number of evaporator components may be employed, but in the present drawings I illustrate only two abutting compo nents and the connection between them.

Referring, for example, to Figure l, I illustrate a. connector including an element generally indicated at A, which may be associated with the refrigerator component C of Figure 3, and a second connector component B, which may be associated with the refrigerator component D of Figure 3. I illustrate, for example, headed piston valves l and la, each of which is shown as having an inclined seat engaging portion 2 or 2a. .The valves may be urged against their opposed seats in the surrounding valve housings 9 and 9a by locking screws 3, 3a, screw threaded into elements 6, 6a, which, in turn, are associated with outer housings 8 and 8a, and abut against thrust blocks '1, la, operating against flexible diaphragms 5, 511. As will be clear from Figure 1, when the screws 3 and 3a are in the locking position, the valves l and la are urged, against the compression of the springs 3, to, into locking position. This is the initial condition of the parts when they are in the separated position in which they are shown in Figures 2 and 4. Assuming that the user has secured together the adjacent refrigerator sections C and D, for example, by any suitable angle members ill. The component A is secured to the evaporator of the refrigerator component C by a flexible passage or duct l6, suitably secured to the outer valve housing 9, and in communication with the interior passage 2!). It may be surrounded by any suitable securing loop or bracket 26, secured to the angle IQ, for example, by the screws 2!. The opposite component B is shown as secured to the refrigerator component D by any suitable duct [ta which, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, extends to and is secured to the valve housing 9a, and communicates, by the passage Ella, with its interior. Initially, the component A is closed by the removable cap l8, screw threaded as at l5, and provided with any suitable washer ll, sur- Similarly the component B is closed by the screw M, with its head ll, the screw I4 meshing with the internal thread of the sleeve l3 which surrounds the valve housing 9a. The sleeve I3 is provided with an intermediate portion of increased internal diameter against which seats the locking ring l2. Any suitable washer Ha may be employed. The operator removes the closures l7 and I8. He may then thread the sleeve l3 about the exterior threads of the opposite valve housing 9. The

result is to draw the parts together, as shown in Figure 1, against and about the washer II. Preferably the washer Ila is also left in place and the result is the effectively greater washer shown in Figure 1 at II. When the two components have thus been connected, the operator can then release the socket screws 3 and 3a. As he does so, the springs 4 and 4a will move the valve plungers' I and: la from the closed position in which'they-are shown in Figure 1 to a suitable open position. The volatile refrigerant can then flow through the passages I6, 25, Isa and 20a, and through the space/about the valve pistons. Preferably the valve seats opposed to the valve pistons I and Ia are of softer material than the valves themselves, permitting an efiective locking action. When the socket screws 3 and 3c are released, the diaphragms 5 and 5a are flexed as far as the screws will permit them to go, or until the blocks 7 and la contact the outer wall of the diaphragm housing. "The washers Ii and Ha may be ofsany suitable resilient ordeformable material. The'ring I2 ,is'preferably acresilient split ring. It will;be"understood'that the parts :may be changed, with-the connecting mem- .The socket screws 31and- 311 preferably are Sllfilciently tightened to: provide a firm contact between thevalves IandIa-and the opposed, softer valve seat. be necessaryboth to loosen the, members it and In order'towcause'any loss it would IT, and the socket screws 3 or 3a.

The details ofzsecuring the components of the connecting means togetherrcan be widely variant.

However, I find itconveriientto employ the ar rangement as shown in Figure. 3. In Figures 3, 4 and 5 I show-the :connectionattached to the two adjacent refrigeratorcomponents. The component'A of the valve is shown as connected by a bentduct portion I6 to the refrigerator com- ,ponent C, to which .the'angle-IQ is secured. The duct I6 may beheld loosely by the bracket 26.

The B component of the-connection may be secured to the weirigeratorcomponent D, for ex- When the refrigerator components C and D are;sec.ured together by one ample by nuts22 and 23.

or more of the--angles.'I9,-then the connector components A andiiB canreadily be :iitted. together. :bracket 26, which: renders it: easy to remove the Preferably thereiis a loose fit with the closure members I'I:and I8 and to screw the securing sleeve or nut I 3 into the'position in which it is shownrin 'Figure 1, with adequate compression of the washer- I I.

It will be realized that-whereas I have described and :shown a practical and operative device,

nevertheless many changes in size, shape,'numher and disposition 'ofn-parts may be made without departing from the spirit'and contentof my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings'to be taken .as in-a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my specific showing herein.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

This invention may be considered in conjunction with my copending application Serial No. 646,588.

Since it is the intent of that application to disclose a type of structure that can be assembled by one unskilled in the refrigeration art, it is evident that the means of making the refrigeration connections between the various members must be of such a design and construction that the uninitiated can follow a few simple directions and effect the connections without dan- 1geryof making them imperfectly so that they will leak, or of performing the operations incompletely so as'to cause restrictions in the flow of the refrigerants.

When the members of the refrigeration apparatus assembly are to be placed together the instructions will be to make sure that the screws 3 and 3a are firmly tightened before temporary sealing members I! and I8 are removed. The parts are then assembled in such a manner that the tubular member 5!! bearing the sealing washer II will enter into the tubular member iilaand the internal threads l of the nut IS willengage easily with externalthreads I5 of body member 9. Because of the complete enclosure ofsealing washer l I a relatively light engagement of these threaded parts M and I5 will effectively prevent any leakage past the sealing member I I. The screws 3 and 3:: can be completely removed and the pressure of springs 4 and 5a will open the valves and thereby connect the refrigeration cavities 20 and 29a of the parts together.

I claim:

In combination, a pair of sleeves each closed at one end, open at the other, each having a valveseat adjacent its open end, a plug valve in each sleeve longitudinally movable between the closed end and the valve seat, yielding means tending to unseat the valve, a gas-tight dia phragm associated with the opposed end of the valve and forming a portion of the closure of the valve sleeve, adjustable means outside the diaphragm for overcoming the yielding means to seat the valve, pipes extending laterally one from each sleeve, each threaded for connection to a gas line, a coupling enclosing the opposed open ends of both sleeves, packing means between the sleeves, the coupling being rotatably mounted on one sleeve and threaded on the other whereby the coupling may compress the packing and hold the two sleeves in alignment.

WILLARD L. MORRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 170,305 Sampson Nov, 23, 1875 1,747,359 Gibson Feb. 18, 1930 2,125,554 Franck Aug. 2, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 774,961 France Dec. 17, 1934

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