US2754662A - Refrigerating apparatus with moisture control means - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l July 17, 1956 L.. A. PHILIPP RETRIGERATING APPARATUS WITH MOISTURE CONTROLJ MEANS Filed March 24, 1954 A TTPNEY v July 17, 1956 A. PHILIPP 2,754,662

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS WITH MOISTURE CONTROL MEANS Filed March 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN1/EN TOR. 4MM/fa 7b4/L /PP United States Patent O REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS WITH MOISTURE CONTROL MEANS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application March 24, 1954, Serial No. 418,373

Claims. (Cl. 62-89) This invention relates generally to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to home freezers.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 342,911, filed March 17, 1953, for Refrigerating Apparatus, now abandoned,

It is an object of my invention to provide for a freezer an improved lid construction to effect diffusion of moisture therefrom to the end of preserving the effectiveness of the lid heat insulation.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a freezer, an improved lid construction including an electric light mounting and a moisture venting arrangement to induce moisture laden air to flow out of the lid at the light mounting to the cold interior surfaces of the freezer.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a freezer lid, an improved latch which is economical to manufacture and eicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of a latch and freezer lid for effectively and conveniently latching and unlatching the freezer lid.

Another object of the invention resides in the novel cooperative arrangement of a latch and lock therefor on a freezer lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a home freezer lid, an improved arrangement of a lid counter-balance operable to raise the lid, and a spring loaded lid latch of a character such that a person having both hands occupied, for example, carrying packages to the freezer, may bump the latch in such a way as to release the lid for raising by the counterbalance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved arrangement of a home freezer lid counterbalance on the cabinet such that the counterbalance will be efficient without being an obstruction to the user.

. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: l

Fig. l is a plan View of a home freezer, embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is afront view of the home freezer;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the home freezer lid, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. l; 4

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the lid having parts broken away and in section;

Fig. S is an enlarged fragmentary view of a detail of the lid construction;

p Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lid, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the home freezer showing the lid in open position;

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary vertical sectional views of the home freezer, taken respectively along lines 8 8 and 9--9 of Fig. 2;

Fig, l() is a vertical sectional view of the home freezer and lid counterbalance;

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary rear view of the home freezer and lid counterbalance; and

Figs. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views of the counterbalance, taken respectively along the lines 12-12 and 13-13 of Fig. l0.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 20 designates in general a freezer cabinet of the home, food freezer type having a front wall 22, rear wall 24, and end walls 26. An access opening in the top of the cabinet is closed by a lid 28 which is hinged to the cabinet rear wall 24 by spaced hinges 30. Each of the hinges 30 comprises an upper hinge butt 32 which is secured to the rear edge of the lid 28, and a lower hinge butt 34 which is secured to the cabinet rear wall 2.4.

The lid 28 includes an outer casing 36 and an inner panel 38 which together form a hollow lid structure of general rectangular shape. Heat insulation 40 is provided in the hollow lid 28 to decrease heat seepage into the cabinet. The casing 36 may be made of sheet material such as sheet steel, and the inner panel 38 is preferably made of a low heat conductive sheet plastic material. Around its periphery, the casing 36 has a flange 42 formed with a flange reinforcing portion and seat 44 for the inner panel 38. A seal 46 lits onto a margin of the inner panel 38, and the seal and panel 38 are attached to the casing reinforcing flange portion 44. Sheet metal screws (not shown) or any other suitable means, may be used to attach the panel 38 and seal 46 to the lid casing 36.

In order that access may be conveniently had to the interior of the cabinet 20, I provide a readily relcasable latch 50 for the lid and a lid counterbalance in the form of two thrust devices 52 which are adapted to raise the' lid to full open position upon release of the latch 50. The counterbalance thrust devices 52 are mounted in spaced relation on the cabinet rear wall and are arranged to act on the lid 28 respectively through the lid hinges 30. The latch 50 is mounted on the front edge of the lid 2S and in latched position cooperates with a keeper 54 which is secured to the cabinet front wall below the latch.

Each of the counterbalance thrust devices 52 comprises in general an abutment or nut 56, a thrust member or coil spring 58, and a force transmitting member or strap 60. The nut 56 is connected to the cabinet 20; the strap 60 is connected to the lid 28; and the spring 58 is under compression between the nut and strap, acting to raise the lid 28. The nut 56 is held to the cabinet by a vertical rod 62 onto the upper end of whichl the nut is screwthreaded, and by a bracket 64 which in the present construction is integral with and extends downwardly from the hinge leaf 34.` At its lower end, the bracket 64 has an outturned leg 66 which is provided with a clearance aperture to receive the rod, and the rod has a head 68 that engages the underside of the leg 66 to limit upward movement of the rod by the spring 58. The strap 60 has a horizontal base or web 70 which is apertured to receive the rod 62 and against which the spring thrust is directed. Upper and lower spring retainers 72 and 74 respectively are preferably provided for the ends of spring 58, the upper retainer 72 preferably being secured such as by welding to the nut 56. Extending upwardly from the strap base 70 are oppositely disposed strap members 75 which are pivotally connected at their upper ends by a pin 76 to spaced rearwardly extending lever arms 78 that are integral with the lid hinge butt 32. As shown, the strap members 75 are channel-shape to give added rigidity to the straps, and the spring retainers 72 and 74 are also channel-shape to fit complementary to the straps so as to prevent turning of the retainers 72 and 74. A sheet metal cover 80 is preferably provided to cover the spring 58 and strap. It will be understood that by turning rod 62, the vertical position of the spring abutment or nut 56 may be changed, thus to change the thrust of the spring 58'.

The latch 50 has a latch member 82 which is mounted on the front edge of the lid 28 by a bracket 84. As shown in Fig'. 8, the bracket 84 may be a casting, shaped to conform to the rounded front edge of the lid and may be securely held to the' lid by screws 86. In the present construction, the bracket S4 is formed with rearwardly extending bosses 8S which project into the lid Casing 36 and are held by the screws 86 to sheet metal brackets 910' that may be welded or be otherwise secured to the lid casing'. The bracket 84 is recessed in its front face o`r has horizontal spaced bosses 92 between which the latch member 82 is positioned and to which the latch member is pivotally connected by'a horizontal pivot pin 94. As shown in Fig. 9', the latch member 82 carries a catch 96 at its lower end, and a coil spring 98 acts against the upper lever arrn of the latch member 82 to urge the catch 96 into holding relation with the underside of the keeper 54. A slanted cam surface 100 on the front of the keeper 54 is engaged by the catch 96 on closing of the lid, andv to reduce friction between the parts, a roller type of catch is preferably used. Proper position of the latch member 82 to engage the cam s'urface 190 on closing the lid is assured by providing a stop 102 on the latch bracket to engage and limit movement of the upper end of the latch member 82 by the spring 9S Carried by and adjacent the top of the lid is a key operated lock `having the usual lock barrel 104 and rotatable lock bolt 106. The lock barrel 104 is secured in and to the front edge of the lid and the bolt 106 is arranged so that when in locked position it engages the upper end of the latch member 82 to prevent release of the latch member from the keeper 54. A key receiving aperture 108 is provided in the latch member 82 in alignment with the key slot of the lock barrel 104. Surrounding the aperture 108 is one end of the spring 98 arranged to abut the latch member 82, and the other end of the spring 98 surrounds the lock barrel 104 and seats against the lock bolt 106. As shown in Fig. 9, the latch member 84 is pivoted substantially midway of its ends to provide suitable leverage in the upper arm such that a user may readily release the latch by bumping against the upper lever arm.

When the latch 84 is released, the potential compression force of the counterbalance springs 58 is released and acts through the hinges 30 to raise the lid 28. The springs exert their maximum force in starting the lifting motion of the lid, but as the springs expend their force and the angularity f the lid changes the motion of the lid decreases correspondingly as the lid approaches fully open position. Adjustment of deceleration of the lid may be made by the spring adjusting rod 62 so that the lid comes to rest with an easy gradual action. Fully open position of the lid is established by the under edges of the lever arms 78 engaging the lower hinge butts 34 as stops.

Within the lid 28 I provide an electric lamp 110, and arrange the lamp to light the interior of the cabinet when the lid is raised. A mercury tilt switch 112 controls the circuit of the lamp 110 and is mounted on a bracket 114 which is secured to the lid panel 33. In the lid panel 38 is'an opening which receives a bracket and light reflector 1 16 that carries a socket 113 for the lamp 110, and attached to the panel 38 over the opening therein is a grille 120. A space 122 free of insulation in the lid is provided to accommodate the reflector 116 and the mercur'y switch 112, and between the lamp and the casing top, a panel of low heat conducting insulation 124 is provided to compensate for the lack of insulation in the vicinity of the lamp.

With particular reference to Figs. and 6, it will be seen that the lamp reflector 116 has an outturned seating ange 126 which rests on the lid panel 38 around the lamp opening, and in the ange 126 is a plurality of outlets 128 for emission of moisture by diffusion from the lid. Moisture entrained in room air enters the lid because of manufacturing tolerances principally at the latch and hinge mountings and, as is well known, decreases the effectiveness of the insulation. Flow of moisture by diffusion from the lid through outlets 128 is effected by the differential of moisture pressure between the interior of the lid and the cold surfaces of the interior of the storage space. As shown in Fig. 6 a passageway 130 extends transverse to the openings 128 for communication therewith and is formed by folding a strip of pervious material 131 and cementing its edges to the top and bottom surfaces of the lid panel 38. The pervious material is preferably formed of fabric, such as muslin or the like, however a ne metallic or plastic screening may be used that will allow passage of moisture laden air and retain the insulation from passage therethrough. Inorder to insure moisture flow from remote points in the lid to the outlets 128, I provide passage forming members 132 in the lid, leading from the front corners of the lid to points adjacent the passageways extended to overlie and intersect a respective passage forming member 132. Preferably screening formed in triangular cross-section is used to form the passages so that moisture may enter the passages at any point along the lengths thereof to pass into passageway 130, thence through openings 128 and through grille 120 for disposal in the storage space of the freezer. In addition, a pair of breather holes 134 is preferably provided in the lid panel 38 to further aid in relieving the interior of the lid of moisture laden air for disposal on the cold liner surfaces of the freezer.

From the foregoing description, it will now be understood that I have provided an improved freezer lid constructed to effect diffusion of moisture therefrom to maintain the eiciency of the lid insulation and that I have arranged for emission of the moisture at a grille for a lamp which is arranged on the underside of the lid to light the interior of the cabinet upon raising of the lid. Also, it will be understood that I have provided for convenient access to the cabinet by arranging for the cabinet lid to be automatically raised upon release of its latch which may be effected by bumping one of its lower arms.

Further, I have provided an improved latch which is efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, I have provided an improved counterbalance for the lid of a character adapted to raise the lid from closed to open position with decreasing speed of movement of the lid as the lid approaches fully open position.

Any suitable refrigerating system may be employed to provide refrigeration' for the freezer cabinet. Preferably a coiled refrigerant conduit (not shown) is used to surround the food compartment of the cabinet to freeze the contents of the compartment. This provides for cold wall surfaces in the food compartment immediately below the cabinet lid.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigerating apparatus cabinet having a cooling element, an outer rectangular casing, an inner rectangular panel closing said casing to form a lid, heat insulation between said casing and inner panel, an outlet for emission of water vapor by diffusion from the relatively warm interior of the lid to the relatively cold cooling element, and pervious duct means extending from corners of the lid to said opening to conduct water vapor thereto.

2. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigerator cabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing having a hinge edge and an opposite edge, a rectangular inner panel closing said casing and forming a hollow lid therewith, heat insulation within said lid, an outlet in said inner panel for emission of water vapor from the interior of the relatively warm lid to flow by diffusion toward the relatively cold cooling element, said outlet being located closer to said hinge edge than to the opposite edge of the lid, an-d duct means extending from the lid corners adjacent said opposite edge to said outlet to conduct water vapor thereto.

3. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigerator cabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing, an inner rectangular panel closing said casing to form a hollow lid therewith, heat insulation within the lid, an opening in said panel, a receptacle positioned in said opening displacing insulation in the lid and having an outturned flange overlapping a margin of the panel around said opening, a plurality of outlets in said flange in communication with the interior of the lid, and a duct leading from remote areas of the lid interior to said outlets to conduct moisture by diusion to said outlets.

4. In a closure member for closing an access opening of a refrigerator cabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular outer casing, an inner rectangular panel closing said casing to form a hollow lid therewith, heat insulation within the lid, an opening in said panel, a receptacle positioned in sai-d opening displacing insulation in the lid and having an outturned flange overlapping a margin of the panel around said opening, a plurality of outlets in said flange in communication with the interior of the lid, and moisture impervious material interposed between said outlets and said insulation.

5. In a closure member for closing an access opening in the top of a refrigerator cabinet having a cooling element, a rectangular panel cooperating with said casing to form a hollow lid, heat insulation within said lid, an opening in said panel for emission of water vapor by diffusion from the relatively warm interior of the lid to the relatively cold interior of the cabinet, and ducts of screening of triangular cross section leading from corners of said lid to sai-d opening to conduct the Water vapor thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,086 Keith May 3, 1932 2,044,600 Williams June 16, 1936 2,368,837 Hubacker Feb, 6, 1945 2,451,286 Heritage Oct. 12, 1948

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