US2188839A - Milk cooler - Google Patents

Description

Jam... 30, 1940. R. MARKLEY, JR ET AL. 2,13,839

MILK COOLER Filed April 50, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l ET AL 2,188,839

Jan. 30, 1940.

R. MARKLEY, JR,

MILK COOLER Filed April 50, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 30; 1940.

R, MARKLEY, JR., ET AL MILK COOLER nnllllllll ,1?! I Ii Filed April 30, 1937 28 nmuuun! 26 I F Nllllllllllll 22 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 30, 1940 mu: coon-2n Richard Markley, Jn, Smyrna, in William m Cook, Wilmingto n, DeL, assignors to Wilson Cabinet Corporation, Smyrna DeL, a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1937, Serial No. 140,042

13 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to improvements in milk cooling apparatus, and the principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus of that class which by reason of novel 6' structural and functional features hereinafter described shall be more eificient and generally more desirable than the devices of the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a cooling tank or cabinet of the stated 10 class having improved and more eflicient provision for cooling the water or other circulated liquid-cooling medium.

To thisspecific end, the invention contemplates the provision of a cabinet having a separate compartment for cooling said liquid, together with means for continuously passing liquid in large volume flow through the compartment, said compartment containing cooling elements arranged to aflord a maximum cooling efliciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of the stated class comprising a plurality of main chambers for reception of the articles to be cooled, together with means for circulating the said liquid medium through said compartments,'and wherein the said liquid in passing from one of said main compartments to another shall be caused to flow through a separate chamher containing the cooling means for said liquid,

said separate chamber being so formed and the said cooling means being so arranged therein as to afford a highly efiicient cooling action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple compartment cabinet of the stated character wherein the liquid-cooling elements within the cabinet are entirely segregated, within a separate compartment, whereby the said main compartments, adapted for reception of the articles to be cooled, are left entirely unobstructed and free from the said cooling elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a cabinet of the character described a separate cooling compartment for the said circulated liquid through which the liquid is caused to pass in normal circulation and in large volume, and that shall be specially constructed and arranged to afford a maximum cooling efficiency.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple compartment tank containing a plurality of main chambers adapted for reception of the articles to be cooled, wherein irrespective of the number of said articles that at any time may occupy said tank, provision is made for maintaining a predetermined maximum level of the aforesaid liquid medium selectively in any of said main chambers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling tank of the class described containing a plurality of compartments and means for circulating a liquid cooling medium therethrough, wherein provision is made for maintaining se- 6 lectively in each of said compartments and irrespective of the number of articles which may at any time occupy said compartments a predetermined high liquid level.

A further object of the invention is to provide 10 a cooling apparatus of the class described that shall be substantially free from any tendency toward Stratification in the circulating liquid bath.

The invention further contemplates the provision of novel and highly improved means for circulating the said liquid medium through the tank, and to this latter end, a specific object of the invention is to provide an improved form of circulating means that shall be relatively quiet, eflicient and trouble-free. 20

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a cooling tank of the character described, wherein a plurality of main chambers shall be separated by an intervening liquid-cooling compartment; said compartment being open at the top for reception of the said circulating liquid by overflow from the respective chambers, and thereby determining the maximum high level of the liquid in said chambers; and wherein, further, provision is made for creating a large displacement of the liquid from one of said chambers to another, to thereby build up the level of the liquid in the one chamber at the expense of the liquid level in the other chamber, and to cause the overflow from the first of said chambers of the liquid into said cooling compartment and hence to the other chamber, and wherein further provision is made for reversing the circulation of said liquid to thereby permit the building up of the liquid in said chambers, selectively, to said maximum high level.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of the stated character wherein the cooling chamber for the said liquid medium is formed as a separate removable unit.

To this latter specific end, the invention further contemplates the provision of a tank construction having the aforesaid removable liquidcooling compartment, wherein the cooling mechanism is mounted as a whole upon a removable portion of the tank structure which includes the compartment forming members.-

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tank of the stated character wherein the means for circulating the liquid medium is 5 formed as a unitary part of the structure andis removable from the structure as such.

More broadly stated, the invention contemplates the provision of ,a highly efficient apparatus wherein a liquid heat exchange medium is caused to circulate between compartments of a tank or cabinet and through an interposed separate compartment containing means for controlling the temperature of said liquid medium, said latter compartment being constructed and arranged with respect to the others so that a maximum volume of the circulating liquid is brought into intimate heat exchange relation with said temperature controlling means.

The invention further resides in the provision of certain novel and improved automatic control devices, and in the novel structural arrangements and details hereinafter described and illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational perspective view of a cabinet made in accordance with our invention,-a portion of the front wall of the cabinet being cut away to expose the interior;

Fig. 2 is a detached view in perspective of one of the separable units of the cabinet, including the liquid-cooling compartment and the circulator assembly;

Fig. 3 is a detached view in perspective of the sub-unit consisting of the circulator assembly;

Fig. 4 is a detached view in perspective of the liquid-cooling compartments showing the details of construction and the preferred arrangement of the cooling elements;

Fig. '5 is a side elevational view of one of the cooling units of the liquid-cooling compartment, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the liquidcooling compartment.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the cabinet therein shown as a preferred embodiment of our invention comprises the usual insulated side and bottom walls, designated generally by the reference numerals l and 2, and the cabinet is provided at the top and at each end with hinged covers, 3 and 4 respectively, giving access to main compartments 5 and 6 which are adapted to receive the cans i of milk or other articles to be cooled. The compartments 5 and 6 are separated by an intervening compartment 8, the outer walls 9, 9 of which extend continuously from the bottom 2 of the tank upwardly to a line below the tops of the side walls i of the cabinet, so that the maximum high level of the water or other circulating medium, which occupies the interior of the cabinet as illustrated, and in either of the compartments 5 and 6 is determined by the height of the said walls 9, 9 of the chamber 8. It will be apparent that when in either of the compartments 5 and 6 the level of the water rises to the top of the adjoining wall 9, the water will then overflow from the chamber into the compartment 8. As illustrated, the height of the walls 9 is slightly less than the effective height of the containers 1, so that when the water in either of the chambers 5 and 6 attains its maximum depth, the container or containers 7 occupying that compartment will be largely immersed.

As shown in Fig. l, the rear vertical edges of the walls 9, 9 of the compartment 8 abut the rear side wall of the cabinet, and the forward vertical edges of the walls 9 are spaced apart from the front wall of the cabinet. Secured to the front vertical edges of the walls 9 is a plate I! which forms the front wall of the chamber 8, and from one side edge of the plate It a flange i2 extends forwardly into abutment with the front wall of the cabinet. The plate ll extends completely to the bottom 2 of the cabinet, and above the tops of the walls 9, but the flange l3 terminates at its lower end short of the said bottom. A horizontal flange l3 projecting from the plate ll joins the bottom of the flange l2 at one end, and at the other end has a depending flange l4 which extends in assembly to the bottom wall 2 of the tank, the forward edges of the flanges l3 and H abutting the front side wall of the cabinet. It is apparent that the flanges l2, l3 and I4 constitute in effect a partition closing the space between the forward end of the chamber 8, and the front wall of the cabinet thereby completing the partitioning within the cabinet of the chambers 5 and 6. The flange I3 is provided with an opening l5 which establishes direct communication between the chambers 5 and 6 for a purpose hereinafter described.

For the present purpose of this description, it may be considered that the walls 9, 9 of the chamber 8, the plate H and flanges l2, l3 and I4 constitute a unitary structure extending continuously from the rear wall of the cabinet to the front wall and forming the partition between the compartments 5 and 6. The structure in the present instance is secured in depending position from the separate central portion 5 of the top or cover of the cabinet, the connection between the said structure and this top section l6 being made in the present instance through the medium of a plurality of threaded rods or bolts 17, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and also, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of straps l8 and 19 which depend from a forward separable portion Isa of the member l6 and are attached to the plate I l.

Mounted in the chamber 8 are cooling coils 2! and 22, and these coils are operatively connected with conventional refrigerating mechanism 23 mounted upon the cover member l6. Preferably, the coils 2| and 22 are formed as units in accordance with the principles set forth in U. S. Patent No. 2,056,862, dated October 6, 1936. Each of the coil units, best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, consists of the pair of side plates 24 and- 25 between which is closely confined the coil proper, this coil being formed in an overlapping series of narrow vertical convolutions. The plates 24 and 25 are reinforced externally by a series of transverse straps 26, and by vertical angle bars 27, and the plates 24 and 25 of each unit are secured together against the opposite sides of the associated coil by means of through bolts 28. As illustrated, the plates 24 and 25 terminate at points somewhat above and somewhat below the bottoms and tops of the coils. The coil units are mounted between the side walls 9, 9 of the com partment 8 in positions elevated above the bottom of the compartment and supported upon the lower extended ends of the reinforcing angles 21.

Between the two coil units is a bafiie plate 29 which, like the side plates 26 and 25 of the units, extends continuously from one end wall of the compartment to the other. The lower edge of the baiiie 29, in the present instance, is somewhat elevated above the 'lower edges of the plates 24 and 25, and the upper end of the baflie 29 extends to a substantial extent above the upper edges of the said plates. The outwardly projecting flanges of the vertically reinforcing angle bars 21 engage the inner faces of the walls 9, 9 of the compartment, and also the opposite sides of the bafiie 29, and thereby space the side plates 24 and 25 of the units from the said walls a and the ballle 2s. The baflle 2a is suitably secured to the coil units and by reference to Figure 4, it will be noted that the lower ends of the outer reinforcing angles 21 bear upon inturned flanges 3l at the lower ends of the walls 9, 9 whereby the entire coil structure is supported on the walls and is removable with the walls from the tank as a unit.

Mounted upon the top of the separable section l6a of the cover member I6 is an electric motor 32 together with suitable motor control elements. The shaft of the motor extends vertically and is connected by suitable coupling means (not shown) with a vertical shaft 33 which extends downwardly through the cover and is journalled at its lower end in a rubber or other bearing 34, this bearing being supported upon a bracket 35 attached to the underside of the flange l3 of the plate ll. Secured to the shaft 33 and occupying a position within the opening l5 of the flange I3 is a propeller 36. The motor 32 is reversible so that the shaft 33 and the propeller 36 may be operated in either direction as required.

In the operation of the cooling apparatus, in so far as described above, the cabinet I is provided with a predetermined volume of water or other suitable cooling medium, this liquid being sufflcient, preferably, to fill one of the compartments 5 or 6 to the level of the top of thewalls 9, 9, and also the compartment 8, while still leaving sumcient water in the other of the main compartments to cover the propeller 36. The water may be initially cooled by operating the propeller in one direction or the other, thereby building up the water level in one of the compartments 5 and 6 to the point where the water from that compartment overflows into the chamber 8 and from the chamber 8 into the other of the main compartments. Water may thus be circulated continuously between the main compartments 5 and 6 and through the cooling compartment 8. The propeller 36 is capable of displacing a large volume of water from one of the main compartments to the other and thereby creates a large volume flow through the chamber 8. The construction of this chamber 8 and the arrangement therein of the cooling coils is such that this large volume of water passing from one of the main compartments to the other is caused to pass in intimate contact with the surface of the coils proper, and with the extended refrigerating surfaces provided by the side plates 24 and 25 of the coil units. The water in passing through the chamber 8 moves downwardly at one side of the partition 29 and upwardly at the other side, thereby causing a down-flow and an up-fiow of the water over the respective coils. By reason of the spacing of the side plates 24 and 25 from the walls 9, 9 of the compartment and from the partition 29, the water is permitted to pass freely over both the inner and outer surfaces of said side plates, as well as between the plates of the respective units, and since the said units fill the greater portion of the interior space of the chamber 3, substantially all the water passing through this chamber is brought into intimate heat exchange relation with the cooling elements. In this way the water circulating in the tank as described is rapidly and efiiciently cooled.

The advantage of the independent cooling chamber for the circulating liquid, arranged as described so that substantially all the water passing'from one of the main compartments 5 and 6 must pass through this compartment, will be apparent. It provides a separate cooling zone within the tank, through which all of the water passing from one of the main chambers to the other main chamber must pass in the normal circulation, and makes possible a construction and form of this cooling zone, and an arrangement therein of cooling elements, which is calculated to function with the highest eificiency in reducing the temperature of the circulatin liquid. It will be apparent that the effective high water level in the main chambers 5 and 6 is determined by the height of the walls 9, 9,

of the chamber 8 and that the arrangement provides for the building up within either one of the main chambers, selectively, of the water to this maximum high level by operation of the propeller 36 in one direction or the other. There are also material advantages in the use of the propeller 36 in lieu of the centrifugal or gear pumps conventionally used for setting up the circulation of the liquid. Not only is the propeller capable of displacing the water from the one main chamber to the other at a considerably more rapid rate than can the conventional pump, but the operation is relatively noiseless and the propeller apparatus is so relatively simple as compared with the conventional pump construction that the ordinary operating difficulties experienced with pumps is avoided The propeller device is also relatively inexpensive and is substantially free from wear.

Either before or after the water in the tank has been subjected as described to a preliminary cooling, the cans of milk, say night's milk, may be placed in the high level compartment which, in Figure 1 is the compartment 5, it being noted that the cans are deeply immersed in the water in this compartment. Circulation of the water now continues, directly from the chamber 6 to the chamber 5, and thence to the chamber 6 through the cooling compartment 8. As previously set forth, the circulation of water occurs at a rapid rate and the manner in which this circulation is achieved, together with the large volume of water passing over the cooling coils in the chamber 8 results in a rapid reduction of the temperature of the milk in the cans, and positively precludes anything in the nature of stratification of the water bath, so that the cooling of the milk from top to bottom of the cans occurs with'substantial uniformity. When the temperature of the milk has been reduced to the desired degree, and the temperature of the entire body of water within the tank has been reduced to a predetermined minimum, the operation of the apparatus may be discontinued and the milk will then remain in storage at a substantially constant desired low temperature. When the morning's milk is ready for cooling, the cans containing that milk may be placed in the compartment 6, and the propeller operated in the reverse direction to build up the water in that compartment to the maximum level and to set up a circulation, passing from the compartment 6 through the compartment 8 to the compartment 5 and thence by way of the propeller back to the high level compartment. By this reverse circulation the mornings milk is rapidly cooled to the required extent in the manner described above. It will be noted that by reason of the arrangement which makes possible the increasing of the water level in either of the compartments 5 and 6 as required, it is not necessary, as in the prior conven-.

partment in order to permit the insertion in that compartment for rapid cooling of morning's milk, so that considerable labor is avoided. In a tank made in accordance with our invention, both of the main compartments are in effect high level compartments, or may as required be made to function in that respect.' It will also be ap parent that as the number of milk cans in the two compartments increases, the normal level of the water in the tank will be correspondingly elevated, so that the cooling of the milk in both compartments is carried on at a relatively rapid rate.

As previously set forth, the cooling chamber structure including the walls 9, 9, the end plate H, and its flanges l2, l3 and M are formed in effect as a unit, and this structure is secured to the cover member I6, which also constitutes a support for the operating mechanisms, both for the cooling coils and the circulating propeller. The cover member I6 is detachable from the cabinet so that this entire portion of the apparatus may be removed from the cabinet as a unit. The walls 9, 9 and flanges l2, l3 and M are so formed that they fit snugly between the front and rear walls of the cabinet so as to form an effective seal between the cooling chamber structure and the said walls. The entire structure, however, is free to be withdrawn if required, and it is apparent that this arrangement not only facilitates removal of these parts for repair, adjustments, or cleaning, but also materially facilitates the assembling and installation of the apparatus. It is to be noted further, as shown in Figure 3, that the separable part 16a of the cover member l6 which supports the plate i I, the flanges l2 and I3 and the propeller operating mechanism, constitutes a sub-unit, being separable from the walls 9, 9 of the compartment 8, to which it is secured normally by means of bolts passing through the plate H and through flanges at the ends of the said walls.

As a matter of automatic control of the operation of the device, we prefer to provide an automatic time switch for discontinuing, or for periodically actuating the motor 32, and the propeller 36. We prefer, also, to employ a separate thermostatically actuated control for the refrigerating mechanism, this latter mechanism being operated by the thermostat to maintain the temperature of the water in the tank below a predetermined maximum temperature, regardless of the circulation. In normal operation, the length of time for maintaining a circulation in order to reduce the temperature of a given quantity of milk, may be readily determined, and the operation of the circulating mechanism is then automatically discontinued by the time switch after a predetermined adequate period of operation. After discontinuance of the circulation, the operation of the refrigerating unit will continue until the temperature of the entire body of water within the tank has been reduced to the predetermined minimum. It has been found that this system of control affords a most economical method of operation and it has the additional advantage of relative simplicity and. freedom from complication.

It will be apparent that the device as illustrated in the attached drawings is capable of considerable modification in details of structure and arrangement, without departure from the invention. It will be apparent also that without departure from the principle involved, or, in fact, from the structure herein described, the invention may be employed for heating as well as refrigerating, and there are to be no implied limitations in this respect. By passing steam or other heating fluid through the coils 2i and 22, for example, or by replacing these coils by other suitable heating elements, the liquid heat transfer medium in the tank may be caused to carry heat to articles or containers placed in the tank compartments.

We claim:

1. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having main compartments for the articles to be cooled and an intervening cooling compartment for said liquid, said intervening compartment being open at the top to provide for transfer of the liquid from one to another of said main compartments by over-flow through the intervening compartment, cooling means in said intervening compartment, and means for building up the liquid level in one of said main compartments at the expense of the level in the other and to an extent causing over-flow into and through said intervening compartment to thereby set up a circulation of the liquid in the tank in a path extending progressively through said compartments, and means for reversing the direction of said circulation,

2. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication by overflow with said main compartments, cooling means in the said separate compartment for said liquid, and means for transferring the liquid from one main compartment to another for subsequent return to the first of said compartments by overflow through the said separate compartment.

3. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication by over-flow with said main compartments, said separate compartment being relatively deep and narrow and having therein cooling means for the said liquid extending over the major portion of the depth of the compartment, means for setting up an inter-compartmental circulation of said liquid byway of said separate compartment, and means for directing the flow of the liquid through the said separate compartment downwardly to the bottom of the latter.

4. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication by overflow with said main compartments, said separate compartment being relatively deep and narrow and having therein a plurality of laterally spaced and vertically arranged cooling coils, means for setting up an inter-compartmental circulation of said liquid by way of said separate compartment, and vertical bafile means within-said separate compartment for directing the flow of said liquid downwardly to the bottom over one of said coils and upwardly over another of said coils.

5. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having a plu rality of main compartments, and a separate compartment having communication by overflow with said main compartments, cooling means in the separate compartment for said liquid and means for transferring the liquid from one main compartment to another for subsequent return to the first of said compartments by overflow through the said separate compartment, said transfer means comprising a by-pass bea propeller operatively associated with said bypass, and power mechanism for actuating said propeller.

6. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of main compartments, and a separate compartment having communication by over-flow with said main compartments, cooling means in the said separate compartment for said liquid and means for transferring the liquid from one main compartment to another for subsequent return to the first of said compartments by overflow through the said separate compartment,

said transfer means comprising a by-pass between the bottoms of said main compartments, a propeller operatively associated with said by-pass, and power mechanism for actuating said propeller, said mechanism being reversible to afford a transfer of said liquid selectively in either direction.

7. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, a unitary structure inserted in the tank and dividing the interior of the latter into a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication by over-flow with said main compartments, means for setting up an inter-compartmental circulation of said liquid by way of said separate compartment, and cooling mechanism forming a part of said unitary structure and including a cooling coil located in said separate compartment.

8. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid cooling medium, a unitary structure inserted in the tank and dividing the interior of the latter into a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication -by over fiow with said main compartments, cooling means in said separate compartment for said liquid, and means for setting up an inter-compartmental circulation of said liquid by way of said separate compartment, said cooling and circulating means constituting parts of said unitary structure.

9. Cooling apparatus comprising a cabinet constituting a tank for a liquid cooling medium, a unitary structure inserted in the cabinet and dividing the interior of the latter into a plurality .of main compartments and a separate compartment, a cooling coil in said separate compartmentv and mounted therein as a part of said unitary structure means for setting up an intercompartmental circulation of said liquid by way of said separate compartment, said circulating means also being formed as a part of said unitary structure, a cover for said cabinet comprising displaceable lids aifording access to the main compartments and a separate detachable section overlying the separate compartment, said separate section being attached to the said unitary structure, and refrigerating apparatus and a motor mounted on said separate cover sectionand connected respectively to said coil and circulating means.

10. Cooling apparatus comprising a cabinet constituting a tank for a liquid cooling medium, a unitary structure inserted in the cabinet and dividing the interior of the latter into a plurality of main compartments and a separate compartment having communication by over-flow with the said main compartments, a cooling coil in said separate compartment and mounted therein as a part of said'unitary structure, means for setting up an inter-compartmental circulation of said liquid by way of said separate com partment, said circulating means also being formed as a part of said unitary structure, a,

cover for said cabinet comprising displaceable lids affording access to the main compartments 7 and a separate detachable section overlying the ll. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid-cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of compartments for the articles to be cooled, means providing for transfer of said liquid by over-flow between said compartments, and means for transferring the liquid from one compartment to another to thereby set up a progressive circulation by said over-flow through said compartments, said last-named means being reversible for reversing the direction of said circulation.

l2. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid-cooling medium, said tank having a plurality of compartments for the articles to be cooled, means providing for transfer of said liquid by over-flow between said compartments, means for transferring the liquid from one compartment to another to thereby set up a progressive circulation by said over-flow through said compartments, said last-named means being reversible for reversing the direction of said circulation, and cooling means for said liquid located in the tank within the area affected by said circulation.

13'. Cooling apparatus comprising a tank for a liquid-cooling medium, said tank containing cooling means for said liquid and having a plurality of compartments for the articles to be cooled, means for raising the liquid to a predetermined maximum level in one of said compartments at the expense of the liquid level in another compartment, said means being reversible to provide for obtaining said maximum level .selectively in either of the compartments, and means including said means for raising the liquid for setting up a forced circulation of the liquid with respect to said cooling means.

RICHARD MARKLEY, Jn. WILLIAM A. COOK.

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