US3006708A - Refrigerator cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, 1961 o. v. SAUNDERS EI'AL REFRIGERATOR CABINET 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aprll 21, 1960 INVENTORS '0/25'022 1 Saunders Richard C Brown 5 THEM ATTORA/[Y Oct. 31, 1961 3,006,708

0. V. SAUN DERS El" AL REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Aprll 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm. A

INVENTORS Orson 1/. Saunders 8y Ric/20rd 45x);

THEIR ATTOKMEY Oct. 31, 1961 o. v. SAUNDERS ElAL REFRIGERATOR CABINET 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aprll 21, 1960 3 Y a W I M a w m A a 0 R I w. T n r m 9 W I m w B r 7 W MS a M a a I 0 7 M... m I W m r z 00 ,8. z 0 0 on 7 m W 1. .3 0 7/ w j 6 fl I .1 o M y 4% 7 m M United States Patent 3,006,708 REFRIGERATOR CABINET Orson V. Saunders, Dayton, and Richard C. Brown,

Vandalia, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 23,813 14 Claims. (Cl. 312--214) This invention relates to the construction of a refrigerator cabinet and particularly to the structural arrangement in the vicinity of the front thereof.

It is well known that a resilient rubber-like gasket is usually employed either on -a refrigerator cabinet or on the door thereof to be compressed therebetween for closing and air sealing an access opening of a food storage chamber provided in the cabinet. Such a gasket is ordinarily exposed about the peripheral edges of the door or sides of a refrigerator cabinet and soon becomes unsightly in appearance and objectionable to the user of the refrigerator. Recently, manufacturers of refrigerator cabinets have fastened polished metal trim or decorative strips of various shapes in cross-sectional contour to the front of a refrigerator adjacent the cabinet door, which strips appear as continuations of certain walls of the refrigerator cabinet extending over the gasket on the door thereof to conceal the gasket about sides of the door when same is closed against the cabinet. In order to fasten such trim strips to the cabinet, a plurality of spaced-apart metal mounting brackets have been secured to the front surface of the cabinet for attachment of the trim strips thereto. The provision of trim strip mounting brackets on a refrigerator cabinet and complications of securing them to the cabinet as well as aligning trim strips with the spaced-apart brackets and attaching them thereto has created problems, is expensive, and involves considerable time in mass production of refrigerator cabinets. We, therefore, contemplate the construction of a refrigerator cabinet in which the gasket for sealing an access opening of a chamber in the cabinet is concealed about sides of the door by a multifarious formation or arrangement integrally formed on an edge portion of a one-piece sheet metal outer shell or wall of the cabinet whereby to eliminate the expense and troublesome task of fastening a plurality of separate trim strip receiving mounting brackets to the cabinet. We also contemplate the construction of a refrigerator cabinet provided with a multiformed outer sheet metal shell edge formation which lends a portion thereof for mounting thereon, if desired, highly finished or polished metal trim strips so as to decorate and enhance the appearance, particularly of the front of a deluxe or more expensive refrig erator cabinet model.

An object of our invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet which is of improved construction, of pleasing appearance and sturdy in structural strength.

Another object of our invention is to fabricate a onepiece sheet of metal to provide a she1l-1ike outer top and side walls of a cabinet construction and to form an integral multifarious edge formation across the top wall of the cabinet and downwardly along at least a portion of its side walls, which edge formation, in addition to increasing the structural strength of the cabinet and simplifying manufacture and assembly of parts of the construction, also has other utility particularly in the refrigerator cabinet art.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved refrigerator cabinet construction having an insulated main body portion about a chamber therein and having a multifarious formation integrally formed on an edge of an outer metal shell of the cabinet to furnish the cabinet with an uninsulated front portion or wall extension complementary to the main body portion thereof 3,006,708 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 ice which conceals the juncture of the cabinet door with a door jamb recessed inwardly of or inset in the cabinet front face and which forms a barrier against room air circulation into the vicinity of a gasket interposed between the door and cabinet for sealing the chamber access opening.

A further object of our invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet having an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming outer walls thereof with an integral multiformed front edge structure furnishing the cabinet with an uninsulated wall extension projecting continuously in an unbroken manner forward of its top and side walls to reinforce or increase the structural strength of the cabinet and to form a door jamb inwardly of its front surface adapted to be abutted by the cabinet door whereby the wall extension protects a portion of peripheral edges of the door as well as concealing a gasket thereon.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is still a further and more specific object of our invention to bend a single sheet of metal to form a flat outer top wall and side walls of a refrigerator cabinet connected to one another by substantially right-angled or square, horizontally extending corners and to fabricate an edge of the metal sheet into a multifarious formation at the front of these walls, parts of which formation cooperate and are so shaped in cross section as to provide the cabinet with hollow front posts in a frame-like door bounding structure for increasing, without use of additional reinforcing members or elements therein, the strength of the cabinet construction thereat and which edge formation is not insulated and forms a forwardly projecting extension integral on the cabinet walls complementary with an insulated main body or chamber portion of the cabinet.

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

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet constructed in accordance with our invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged broken fragmentary sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing a multifarious formation on the front edge of the refrigerator cabinet outer metal shell or wall;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIGURE 1 of a front corner portion of the refrigerator cabinet showing a hinge means for the cabinet door;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 showing the 'hinge mounting;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing a tie means between the front portion of legs of the refrigerator cabinet outer shell and a tie means betwen the shell and the cabinet liner;

FIGURE 6 is a front perspective view of a modified-inappearance form a refrigerator cabinet constructed in accordance with our invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of an upper corner of the refrigerator cabinet shown in FIG- URE 6 with a decorative molding or trim strip arrangement applied to the cabinet;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 7 showing a cap over a trim strip both having side portions cut away to clear the cabinet door hinge;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 7 showing side portions of a cap and trim strip overlapping an edge of the cabinet outer shell; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view 7 3 taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 6 showing the frictional attachment of a trim strip to the front edge formation of the cabinet outer shell.

Referring to the drawings, wherein our invention is illustrated, reference numeral 10 in FIGURE 1 thereof designates in general a household refrigerator cabinet having insulated walls defining a food storage chamber 11 therein (see FIGURE 2). Chamber 11 is open at its front and this access opening is normally closed by an insulated door structure 12 pivotally mounted on the refrigerator cabinet construction for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto by hinge means to be hereinafter described. Door 12 carries a resilient rubber-like gasket 13 having a permanent strip magnet 14 located in a bulbar portion of the gasket (see FIGURE 2), which strip is attracted to a metal portion of the cabinet to hold the door closed. The magnetic strip 14 extends around sides of door 12 opposite the hinge side thereof which hinge side is preferably devoid of such strip. A handle 15 is mounted on door 12 and serves to break the magnetic attraction between mag net strip 14 and the metallic portion of cabinet 10 upon .-pu1lingthe door open. Chamber 11 is adapted to be cooled by "a cooling unit or refrigerant evaporator of a refrigerating system associated with the refrigerator 10 for preserving food products stored in the chamber as is conventional in the art. A machine compartment, closed at its, front by a closure member or panel 16, is located in cabinet 10 below chamber 11 for housing the refrigerant translating unit or motor-compressor-condensor portion of the refrigerating system associated with the cabinet. Panel 16 may include an inner layer of sound absorbing material suitably secured thereto and a bayonet type fastener 17 (see FIGURE press fitted or detachably interlocked to a spring member (not shown) on cabinet for removably mounting the panel on the cabinet. As best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, cabinet construction 10 includes a single or one-piece metal sheet bent or fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming the outer cabinet top wall 18 and its outer side walls 19. i

' We are, by virtue of the presently disclosed construction, enabled to utilize a very thin sheet of metal for the cabinet shell which is, for example, approximately .032 inch in thickness. The top wall 18 of cabinet 10 is flat and is joined or connected to side walls 19 by slightly curved portions of the shell which has the appearance of substantiallyright-angle or square horizontally extending corners. The cabinet outer shell has at the rear edge thereof a flange 21 welded or otherwise suitably secured to a metal cabinet outer back plate 22. The front edge of cabinet outer metal shell is provided with an integral multifarious formation to be hereinafter more specifically described. Walls of chamber 11 are formed by a metal liner 24 having a front flange 26 attached by a nonmetallic breaker strip 27 to a part of the edge formation on the shell. Liner 24 is spaced from the cabinet outer shell and any suitable or desirable insulating material 28 is disposed in this space to provide cabinet 10 with an insulated main body portion. The multifarious front edge formation on'the cabinet outer metal shell includes a first 'part31 extending from and being flushed with the outer relative thereto against the first part 31 in spaced relation to the forward terminating point thereof. The bent or rolled parts 31, 32 and 33 of the shell edge formation cooperate to provide a plurality of walls or a hollow triangularly'shaped corner post or hollow rim at the front of cabinet 10 which reinforces the cabinet construction thereat. Part 33 lying against the first part 31 of the shell edge formation extends rearwardly of the cabinet in cabinet walls 18 and 19 (see FIGURES l, 2 and 4). This part 31 of the shell edge formation is terminated at-a desired point forwardly of the insulated main body portion of cabinet 10 and the formation includes a second part 32 bent or rolled laterally from the terminating point of part 31 inwardly toward the access opening of chamber 11 at a right angle with respect to the cabinet outer walls 18 and 19. Part 32 of the shell edge formation forms a frame-like front surface for the cabinet spaced forwardly of the main insulated body portion thereof. A third part 33 of the integral edge formation is rolled or bent rearwardly of cabinet 10, thence back upon the inner' double-wall fashion, as at 36, and a fourth part 37 of the edge formation is bent or rolled inwardly at substantially a right angle to the cabinet walls 1 8 and 19 for providing a door jamb at the front of the insulated body portion of cabinet 10, which door jamb is recessed inwardly of or inset relative to the front frame-like surface 32 of the cabinet construction. The door jamb forming fourth part 37 of the shell is adapted to be abutted by the cabinet door 12 with the magnetic strip 14 in gasket 13 engaging and attracted thereto for holding the door closed. This multiformed or multifarious front edge shell formation extends across the front of top wall 18 and downwardly along the front of side walls 19 of cabinet 10, forwardly of the insulated main body portion thereof providing the cabinet construction with an uninsulated front projection integral with the shell and complementary to the body portion. The shelledge formation also includes additional integral parts such as a fifth part 41 bent or rolled back over door jamb part 37, a sixth part 42 bent or rolled away from part 37 and a seventh part 43 bent or'rolled to parallel part 41. These additional parts further strengthen the cabinet construction and provide a mounting therein for interlockingly receiving a portion of the nonmetallic breaker strip 27 interposed between liner 24 and the front edge formation of the cabinet shell. The integral forwardly projecting shell edge formation overlaps the top and side peripheral edges of doorstructure12 and conceals the juncture of door 12 with door jamb 37 and consequently conceals gasket 13 while the door is closed and when the cabinet 10 is viewed from a side thereof. The outer cabinet walls and the exposed surfaces of the multifarious edge formation thereon may be covered with any suitable paint or the like to provide the desired color or finish on refrigerators.

. In FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings we show one of the hinge means mounting door 12 on cabinet 10 for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto. The double wall thickness at 36 of the shell edge formation along the top wall 18 of the cabinet construction is punched out and countersunk at two spaced-apart points (see FIGURE 3), as indicated by the numeral 46 (see FIGURE 4), to provide two holes therein. A flathead screw 47 passes through each of the punched-out holes in wall 18 and through a spacer block 48 and is threaded into a tapped hole provided for the screws in a hinge wing 49 to mount this wing on cabinet 10. Another hinge wing 51 secured to an edge of door 12 by suitablescrews 52 has. its outwardly extending part shaped to conform to the shape of outer part of wing 49 and a hinge bolt or, pin 53 extends through wing '49 and is threaded into a hole in hinge wing 51 to pivotally connect these wings to one another. Hinge wings 49 and 51' together with similar wings suitably mounted adjacent the lower edge of door 12 pivotally anchor the door upon cabinet 10. The mounting surfaces of the hinge wings may be serrated as is common in' the art to permit adjustment of door structure 12 with respect to cabinet 10 so as to properly align them with one another.

We show in FIGURE 5 of the drawings the connection of a metal piece or means extending across the front of cabinet 10, spaced from its top wall and'located below chamber 11, with legs of the inverted substantially U- shaped outer cabinet shell for rigidly tying these legs to one. another at the front portion of the cabinet. FIG- URE 5 is taken below liner 24 anddepicts a supporting means for legs of the cabinet shell includes a double thickness rigid metal plate 58 having its ends welded or suitably secured to the parts 41 and 42 of the cabinet shell edge formation at each side of cabinet 10. Plate 58 is flanged inwardly as at 59 and a rigid nonmetallic corner gusset 61 which abuts and is interlocked with flange 57 on member 56, by suitable screws 62, is rigidly fastened to reinforcing tie means 58 by bolts or the like 63. The gusset 61 is substantially duplicated at each front corner of the cabinet construction and in this manner liner 24 is rigidly held or supported in place within the main in sulated body portion of the refrigerator cabinet.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 of the drawings, we show a refrigerator cabinet A of the general construction as cabinet 10 and of a more expensive exterior finish such as porcelain enamel which retains a glossy or lustrous appearance over a long period of time. It is, of course, desirable to enhance the appearance of these more expensive or deluxe refrigerator cabinet models and the multifarious cabinet shell edge formation herein disclosed lends itself to such decorating without necessity of securing a plurality of special trim strip mounting brackets upon the cabinet as has heretofore been required. We, therefore, provide a highly polished trim strip arrangement at least about the front portion of cabinet 10A which includes long strips of thin spring metal 71 and 72 extending along opposite sides of door 12' and along the top thereof respectively. The parts of the trim strips or decorative molding on cabinet 10A are approximately .020 inch in thickness. Elbow-like or right-angle trim strip caps 73 overlap ends of the strips 71 and 72 at the top corners of cabinet 10A to provide a continuous trim molding therearound. Each strip 71 and 72 and caps 73 are somewhat of a substantially U-shape in crosssectional contour and include a short leg 74 and a longer leg 76 (see FIGURE 10). The edge of the metal of legs 74 and 76 of strips 71 and 72 is rolled over as at 77 so that the trim molding will not present any sharp edges in the vicinity of access to chamber 11 within cabinet 10A. Legs 74 and 76 on the vertical side strips 71 extend throughout the full length thereof while a portion of leg 76 on horizontal strip 72 and an edge portion of the corner cap 73, at the hinged side of door 12, is cut away to clear the hinge wing 49. For example, leg 76 on strip 72 and an edge portion on cap 73 is sheered off as at 78 and 79 respectively (see FIGURES 7 and 8). Corner caps 73 are formed of spring metal and are provided with flanged edges 81 (see FIGURES 8 and 9) which extend around and fit over the back of rolled edge 77 on long strips 71 and 72 to interlock the caps thereto. Legs 76 of the spring metal trim strips 71 and 72 are provided with a bent or preformed shoulder portion 82 (see FIG- URE 10) which fits over and engages the inner surface of part 33 or shoulder 34' of the cabinet shell edge formation. Strips 71 and 72, together with corner caps 73, complete a trim or decorative molding about three sides of door 12 on the front surface of cabinet 10A, formed by part 32 of the multifarious edge formation of the cabinet outer shell.

In order to assemble the spring-like trim strips or decorative sections of the molding upon cabinet 10A, the strips 71 and 72 are placed in a predetermined position with respect to parts 32 and 33 of the cabinet shell edge formation whereby they can be rotated, pressed and sprung into place thereon, as shown in the drawings. Shoulder 82 on strips 71 and 72' snaps over the double wall thickness shoulder 34 with the rolled-over edges 77 of legs 74 and 76 of the strips bearing against the parts 31 and double walls 36. This interlocks the trim strips 71 and 72 to the cabinet and thereafter corner caps 73 are assembled thereto. The corner caps 73 are sprung open for spacing opposed flange edges 81 thereon a suflicient distance apart to clear leg 74 and shoulder 82 on strips 71 and 72 whereupon the caps are released and snap into the position thereof shown in the drawings. A portion of the ends of caps 73 overlap an end portion of strips 71 and 72 and by virtue of their flanges 81 being snapped over leg 74 and shoulder 82 of the long strips these caps are frictionally interlocked thereto and secured on the cabinet. Trim caps 73, in addition to completing a continuous decorative molding on the cabinet and about sides of door 12, also aid in preventing loosening of strips 71 and 72 from cabinet 10A, particularly at the upper ends thereof.

It should, from the foregoing, be apparent that We have provided an improved refrigerator cabinet, the structure of which consists of reinforced thin sheet metal that renders it capable of fabrication at low manufacturing costs, particularly in mass production, and yet the cabinet is strong, sturdy and neat in appearance. The integral multifarious edge formation of the one-piece cabinet outer shell provides an inset door jamb on the cabinet and also an integral forward projection thereon, which projection, in addition to forming a guard about the cabinet door to prevent circulation of room air into the region of the juncture of the door with the main body portion of the cabinet, also extends over peripheral edges of the door and conceals a sealing gasket between the door and cabinet while the door is closed and when the cabinet is viewed from its sides. This feature may not constitute new matter, but We achieve the advantages thereof in a ditferent and novel manner with the disclosed construction. The cabinet shell edge formation is such that it renders the cabinet suitable to receive a decorative molding in the form of metal strips frictionally interlocked directly thereto for eliminating the necessity of securing a plurality of spaced-apart separate trim strips or molding mounting brackets to the front portion of the cabinet. Our decorative trim strip arrangement is applicable to parts of the cabinet already present in its construction and therefore such arrangement is novel in that it provides a selective or optional feature for enhancing the appearance of various cabinet models or sizes without creating a multiplicity of additional manufacturing steps in the production of these cabinets.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming the outer top and side Walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet adapted to abut same and close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly along its side walls projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first part extending from and being flush with said cabinet outer walls, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls forming a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rcarwardly of the cabinet from said second part at an acute angle relative thereto against said first part spaced with respect to said forward terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of walls of a hollow substantially triangular-shaped corner post reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front, of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by said door, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation concealing the juncture of said door with said door jamb while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from its sides.

A cabinet construction as defined by claim 1 wherein a spring metal trim strip is clamped to parts of the forwardly projecting shell edge formation and covers at least the cabinet front surface forming part thereof.

' 3. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming the outer top and side walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet adapted to abut same and close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly along its side walls projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first part extending from and being flush with said cabinet outer walls, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls forming a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent back over the inner portion of said second part to provide a double wall thickness therealong having a rounded shoulder thereon in the path of access to said chamber, said third part having a continuation thereof bent rearwardly of the cabinet at an acute angle relative to said second part against said first part spaced with respect to said forwardly terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of Walls of a hollow substantially triangular-shaped corner post reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by said door, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation concealing the juncture of' said door with said door jamb while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from its sides.

4. A cabinet construction as defined by claim 3 where in a spring metal trim strip is clampedto parts of the forwardly projecting shell edge formation and covers at least the cabinet front surface forming part thereof.

5. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide a shell having a flat top and sides forming outer walls of said cabinet connected by substantially square corners, a liner within and spaced from said shell. defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet 7 and carrying thereon a resilient gasket adapted to abut the cabinet and sealingly close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal cabinet outer wall forming shell having a multifarious edge formation projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifairous shell edge formation including a first continuity part of said cabinet outer walls extending therefrom, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls, providing a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part and thence back into engagement with said first part forming therewith and with said second part walls of a closed hollow rim' and a fourth part bent from saidtthird part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing without the aid of additional means a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset, relative to said front cabinet surface. for abutment by said gasket on said door, at least the walls of said closed hollow rim extending continuously in unbroken fashion across said cabinet top wall around said corners and downwardly along the cabinet side walls, said engaging portions of said first andsaid third parts of the shell edge formation providing a doublewall thickness thereon intermediate said closed walled hollow rim and said main insulated body portion of said cabinet for reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation overlapping a. portion of peripheral edges of said door and concealing said. gasket while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from sides thereof.

6. A, cabinet construction as defined by claim. 5 wherein a spring metal trim strip is clamped to parts of the forwardly projecting shell edge formation. and covers at least the cabinet front surface forming second part thereof.

7. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal. fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming outer top and side walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced fromsaid shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion, about said chamber, a. door hingedly mounted on said cabinet adapted to abut same and close the open front of said chamber, said one piece sheet metal cabinet outer wall forming shell having a multifarious edge formation projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said; forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first con tinuity parttof said cabinet outer walls extending there-- from, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward saidchamher opening at a right angle with. respect to said cabinet outer walls. providing. a front surface. for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly'of the cabinet from said second part and thence back into engagement with said first part forming therewith and with said second part walls of'a" closed hollow corner post and a fourthpart, bent from said third part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing without the aid: of additional means a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front cabinet surface for abutment by said door, at least the walls of said closed hollowcorner post extending continuously in unbroken fashion across said cabinet top wall downwardly along its side walls and around the juncture corners therebetween, said engaging portions of said first and said: third parts of the; shell edge formation providing a double wall thickness thereon 'cooperating with said closed walled post for reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat; and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation eonccaling the juncture of said door with said door jamb while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from its sides.

8. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming outer top and side walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet adapted to abut same and close the open front of said chamber, said onepiece sheet metal cabinet outer wall forming shell having a multifarious edge formation projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first continuity part of said cabinet outer Walls extending therefrom, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls providing a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part and thence back into engagement with said first part forming therewith and with said second part walls of a closed hollow corner post and a fourth part bent from said third part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing without the aid of additional means a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front cabinet surface for abutment by said door, at least the walls of said closed hollow corner post extending continuously in unbroken fashion across said cabinet top wall downwardly along its side walls and around the juncture corners therebetwcen, said engaging portions of said first and said third parts of the shell edge formation providing a double wall thickness thereon cooperating with said closed walled post for reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat, a rigid member spaced above the bottom of said cabinet and extending thereacross, the ends of said rigid member being secured directly to one part of said shell edge formation and acting solely therethrough to tie each of said side Walls together for further reinforcing the cabinet construction in the vicinity of said insulated main body portion thereof, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation concealing the juncture of said door with said door jamb while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from its sides- 9. A cabinet construction as defined by claim 7 wherein a spring metal trim strip is clamped to parts of the forwardly projecting shell edge formation and covers at least the cabinet front surface forming part thereof.

10. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming the outer top and side walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet and carrying thereon a resilient gasket adapted to abut the cabinet and close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly along its side walls projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first part extending from and being flush with said cabinet outer walls, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls forming a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part at an acute angle relative thereto against said first part spaced with respect to said forward terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of walls of a hollow substantially triangular-shaped corner post reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at susbtantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by said gasket on said door, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation overlapping a portion of peripheral edges of said door and concealing said gasket while the door is closed upon viewing said cabinet from its sides.

11. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped shell forming the outer top and side walls of said cabinet, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet adapted to abut same and close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly along its side walls projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first part extending from and being flush with said cabinet outer walls, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls forming a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent back over the inner portion of said second part to provide a double wall thickness therealong having a rounded shoulder thereon in the path of access to said chamber, said third part having a continuation thereof bent rearwardly of the cabinet at an acute angle relative to said second part against said first part spaced with respect to said forwardly terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of walls of a hollow substantially triangularshaped corner post reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by' said gasket on said door, and said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation overlapping a portion of peripheral edges of said door and concealing said gasket while the door is closed upon viewing said cabinet from its sides.

12. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide a shell having a flat top and sides forming outer walls of said cabinet connected by substantially square corners, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at its front, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly along its side walls projecting for- 1 1' wardly of said main body portion, said forwardly project ing edge formation-providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first part extending from and being flush with said cabinet outer walls, a second part bent laterally from the forward terminating point of said first part inwardly toward said chamber opening .at a right angle with respect to said cabinet outer walls forming a front surface for the cabinet spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part at an acute angle relative thereto against said first part spaced with respect to said forward terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of wallsofa hollow rim reinforcing the cabinet 7 7 construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by said door, at least said first, said second and said third parts of the multifarious edge formation extending continuously in unbroken fashion around said-corners of the cabinet shell to provide the hollow rim along saidrcabinet top wall and along both of its sidewalls, said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation concealing the juncture of said door With said door jamb while the door is closed and when viewing the cabinet from its sides, a rigid means spaced from the top wall of said cabinet secured to each of its side Walls and extending continu ously across the front portion of the cabinet tying the side walls thereof to one another near the bottom of said cabinet, a flanged plate secured to and depending from.

said liner in the vicinity ofsaid tie means, and arigid nonmetallic gusset fastened to said means and to said plate supporting the liner within said cabinet at a point thereon adjacent said shell edge, formation.

top and sides forming outer walls of said cabinet connected by substantially square corners, a liner within and spaced from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet open at'its front, insulatingmaterial disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet construction with an insulated main body portion about saidchamber, a door hingedly mounted on said cabinet and carrying thereon a resilient gasket adapted to abut the cabinet and close the open front of said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal shell having a multifarious edge formation across said cabinet top wall and downwardly alongits side walls projecting forwardly of said main body portion, said forwardly projecting edge formation providing said cabinet construction with an uninsulated front portion integral with said shell and complementary to said insulated main body portion, said cabinet outer wallssformingafront surface for the cabi net spaced from said main body portion thereof, a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part at an acute angle relative thereto against said first part spaced with respect to said forward terminating point thereof forming therewith and with said second part a plurality of walls of a hollow reinforcing the cabinet construction thereat and a fourth part bent from that portion of said third part lying against said first part at substantially a right angle to said outer cabinet walls providing a door jamb at the front of said main body portion inset relative to said front surface of the cabinet construction for engagement by said gasket on said door,

13. A cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to provide a shell having a flat 7 said forwardly projecting integral complementary shell edge formation overlapping a portion of peripheral edges of said door and concealing said gasket while the door is closed and when said cabinet is viewed from sides thereof, a rigid means spaced from the top wall of said cabinet secured to each of its side Walls and extending continuously across the front portion of the cabinet tying the side walls thereof to one another near the bottom of said cabinet, a flanged plate secured to and depending from said liner in the vicinity of said tie means, and a rigid nonmetallic gusset fastenedto said means and to said plate supporting the liner Within said cabinet at a point thereon adjacent said shell edge formation.

14. A frameless cabinet construction comprising, a one-piece sheet of metal fabricated to form an inverted U-shaped shell providingsaid cabinet with a flat outer top wall and depending outer side Walls connected by substantially square corners, a liner within and spaced. from said shell defining a storage chamber in the cabinet having an access opening, insulating material disposed in the space between said shell and said liner providing said cabinet with an insulated main body portion about said chamber, said one-piece sheet metal cabinet outer wall forming shell having a multifarious edge formation projecting forwardly of said insulated main body portion of the cabinet, said forwardly projecting shell edge formation providing said cabinet with an uninsulated front portion integral with the shell adjacent and complement-ary to said insulated body portion thereof, said multifarious shell edge formation including a first continuity part of said cabinet outer walls extending therefrom, a second part bent inwardly from said cabinet outer walls toward the opening in said chamber providing 'a front surface for the cabinet on said uninsulated portion thereof, and a third part bent rearwardly of the cabinet from said second part and thence back into abutment with said first part in spaced relation to said second part forming therewith and with said'first part bounding walls of a closed hollow rim reinforcing the uninsulated forwardly projecting portion of said cabinet, all of the bounding walls of said closed hollow rim extending continuously in unbroken fashion across the cabinet top wall around said corners andd ownwardly'along the cabinet side walls, and thebounding walls of said closed hollow rim increasing without the aid of additional means the structural strength of said frameless cabinet construction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ball Apr. 12, 1938. Saunders Iuly 2 9, 1958'

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