US2210725A

US2210725A - Drip pan and related construction

Info

Publication number: US2210725A
Application number: US263642A
Authority: US
Inventors: Malcolm D Macmaster
Original assignee: C V Hill & Co Inc
Current assignee: C V Hill & Co Inc; C V Hill & Company Inc
Priority date: 1939-03-23
Filing date: 1939-03-23
Publication date: 1940-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 1957-08-06

Description

g 6, 1940' M. D. MMMASTER 2.210.7

' DRIP PAN AND RELATED CQNSTRUCTION Filed larch 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \Q Q Q INYENTOR MALCOLM 0. MACMASTER.

ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1940.

M. D. Mach/{ASTER DRIP PAN AND RELATED CONSTRUCTION Filed March 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4.

INVENTOR MALCOLMQMACMASTER. BY Mfg- M ATTORNEY Patemed 6,

UNITED" STATES om PAN nam'rso cons'rnuc'rron Malcolm D. Maellaater, Yardley, mama;- to O. V. Hill &' Company, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey Application Mat 23, 1939, Serial No. 203,542

6 Claims. (01. 62-10:)

beneath the coils and fins to receive drops of moisture and any slivers or particles of ice that may fall from the coils and fins during the "off cycle of operation or when the coils 15 are being defrosted. In order to conserve space the drip pans are usually located as close to the coils as possible and are inclined at only a slight angle to cause water to flow toward the lower end thereof. This angle is usually so slight that I water does not run off rapidly but trickles along slowly toward the lower end of the pan allowing the liquid ample time to give off heat to the drip pan. Furthermore the upper surface of the pan is often so close to the cooling coils that I the circulation of air downward away from the coils is impeded and the air and drip pan are cooled to a temperature approaching that of the coils themselves. For this reason slivers or pieces of ice dripping onto the pan during the N off-cycle" do not melt readily and water collecting in the pan or flowing slowly along the same freezes during the on cycle building up an obstruction which may cause the pan to overflow when the next "off cycle takes place. This 86 is particularly true when the coils are maintained at a relatively low temperature.

Moreover, when the drip pans are formed of metal they not only tend to conduct heat rapidly away from the liquid causing it to freeze rapidly 40 but also tend to sweat on their lower surface especially when located near a door or otherwise positioned to cause moisture to condense thereon from warm humid air entering the refrigerated space. In order to overcome this dimculty double drip pafis are frequently employed or other complicated or expensive constructions used to prevent the formation of drops of moisture on the lower surface of the drip pans or to receive such drops when formed.

In accordance with my invention difficulties and objections to constructions of the prior art are overcome and means provided which prevent the freezing of liquids in the drip pan or 55 objectionable sweating of the lower surface thereof and also serve tovinsure relatively free circulation of airwithin the case. r

While constructions embodying my invention may take any of various'forms I prefer to form the drip pan'of material having relatively low 5 heat conductivity and to support the drip, pans for adjustment toward and away from the cooling coils. In this way the pans may be moved close to the coils when they are operated at relatively high temperatures and spaced from the coils when they are operated at low temperatures. The angle at which the drip pans are inclined also may be adjusted as required and the position of the pans regulated to prevent freezing of liquids on the drip pans and 1 insure melting of pieces or slivers of ice falling thereon. I also prefer to employ drip plans of a novel type and construction which are simple and durable in construction and are free from sweating under all conditions encounteredvin ordinary practice.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel type of drip pan for use with cooling coils in a refrigerated case or the like, which pans serve to prevent liquids from dripping onto objects beneath the same.

Another object of my invention is to provide a drip pan which will not sweat and yet is simple and durable in construction and economical to produce.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for supporting a drip pan and related elements for use with a cooling coil to insure the removal of liquids from the region adjacent the cooling coils and promote the circulation of air within the refrigerated space.

These and other objects and features of my invention will appear from the following description thereof in which reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawings wherein a typical embodiment of my invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a typical form of drip pan and supporting imeans therefor together with related elements of a refrigerated display case-embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the hanger illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an alternative construction embodying my invention. 7

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1', 2 and 3 a refrigerated display case having a top 2 and rear doors 4 is provided with cooling coils 8 having fins 8 thereon. The coils and fins are supported by means of bolts l0 which extend downward from the top of the case between the coils and fins and serve to draw the finsupward against an insulating plate II.

A front baille member i4 is secured to a hanger l6 anda rear baflie member 18 is similarly secured to the opposite end of hanger It. The hanger i8 is held in place by means of nuts 20 threaded on to the end of the bolts l0 and beneath the hanger so as to retain the cooling coils. the ilns and the baiile members in place.

The form and arrangement of the baiiie members may be of any suitable type but preferably are similar to those described and claimed in my copending application, now Patent No. 2,201,268, dated May 21, 1940. The doors 4 and related elements also may be of any suitable or preferred construction but as illustrated are of the type described and claimed in the patent to Cyrus F. Hoil'man, No. 2,198,435, dated April 23, 1940.

Beneath the cooling coils 6 and fins 8 are located

drip pans

22 and 24 which are formed of material having low relative heat conductivity and preferably are formed of a compressed fibrous composition having a heat conductivity in the neighborhood of 0.6 B. t. u.s or lower as measured in standard practice for determining heat conductivity. A typical material of this character is that manufactured and sold under the trade-mark Agasote and when specially formed and treated for use in refrigerator drip pans the material is sold under the name Permasote. This material is of a cellulosic nature and is subjected to pressure during manufacture and preferably is waterproofed and shaped prior to use. The drip pans are in the form of concave or dished strips having longitudinal edges projecting beyond the lower edges of the fins 8 so as to receive liquid or particles of ice falling from the fins during the off cycle of operation. The material of which the drip pans are formed is molded or otherwise shaped to provide the desired cross section and is reinforced along its longitudinal edges by means of metal strips indicated at 26.

The drip pans are supported by brackets shown in Fig. 3 each of which is formed with a central boss 28 and oppositely-extending arms 30 having downward turned hook shaped extremity 32 for receiving the reinforcing strips 26 extending along the longitudinal edges of drip pans. The adjacent edges of the drip pans bear against the surfaces 34 of the bracket and are held in place by means of'a strap 36 secured to a lug 38 on the central boss 28 by means of screw 40.

The bracket by which the drip pans are carried is vertically adjustable by means of a threadedbolt 42 which passes through central boss 44 on the hanger IS. The head 46 of the bolt is shaped or formed with a slot so that it may be readily rotated to raise or lower the drip pans and adjust them with respect to the hanger and the cooling coils and fins. In this way the distance between the cooling coils and the drip pans may be adjusted either for the purpose of altering the inclination of the drip pans or improving the circulation of air about the cooling coils and fins and over the surface of the drip pans. Preferably a cotter pin 48 is inserted through an opening in the bolt 42 directly above the boss 28 of the bracket so as to prevent the bracket from being displaced with respect to the blolt during shipment or when the construction is use.

When the construction is used in a refrigerated display case wherein the rear edge of the drip pan 24 is located near the doors 4 or is otherwise positioned so that moist warm air comes into contact therewith frequently, the hook shape extremity 32 of the arm 30 of the bracket is provided with a cover 50 formed of rubber or other material of low heat conductivity so that moisture will not be deposited on the extremity of the hanger and fall downward therefrom onto articles within the case. The portions of the hanger I6 located over the drip pans are also formed with depressions 50 which serve to cause moisture depositing on the hanger to flow downward toward the depressions so as to fall into the drip pans.

In most instances when using drip pans formed of material of low heat conductivity no other drip pans than those shown in Fig. l are required. However in some instances and particularly when the coils are operated at very low temperatures and the drip pans frequently exposed to moist air supplemental drip pans may be used.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 4 I have shown a construction similar to that of Figs. 1 to 3 except that upper metallic drip pans 52 are employed and are spaced from drip pans 54 formed of material of low heat conductivity. The arms 56 of the brackets are displaced centrally so as to extend beneath the upper drip pan 52 and above the lower drip pan 58. The outer extremities 58 of the brackets used in this construction are provided with inwardly projecting hooks 60 which engage the outer edges of the drip pan 52 whereas the inner or adjacent edges of the drip pans are held in place by means of a strap 62 secured to a lug I4 on the central position 66 of the bracket.

When using either form of my invention the inclination of the drip pans can be adjusted readily to insure flow of any liquid condensing thereon lengthwise of the case at a rate which will serve to prevent freezing of the liquid during the on cycle of operation. However when using a material of low heat conductivity in forming the drip pans there is a very little tendency for the liquid to give up its heat to the drip pan so that the temperature of the liquid is not greatly reduced by contact therewith and ice does not form readily on the surface of the drip pan even though the water does not flow rapidly over the surface thereof.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred forms of my invention as applied to refrigerated display cases it will be evident that the invention may be embodied in other types and styles of display cases and that numerous changes and modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the elements of the combination. In view thereof it should be understood that the forms of my invention shown in the drawings and herein particularly described are intended to be illustrative of my invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerated case having cooling coils the combination of drip pans located beneath the cooling coils and formed of compressed fibrous material of low heat conductivity, reinforcing strips extending longitudinally along the marginal edges of the drip pans, hangers for holding the cooling coils in place and means. carried by .the hangers and engaging said reinforcing strips for securing the drip pans in place.

2. In a refrigerated case having cooling coils the combination of drip pans located beneath the cooling coils and formed of compressed fibrous material of low heat conductivity, reinforcing strips extending along the marginal edges of the drip pans, hangers for holding the cooling coils in place, brackets engaging the reinforcing strips on the drip pans to support the drip pans and means extending between the hangers and drip pans for securing the drip pans in place.

3. In a refrigerated case having cooling coils the combination of drip pans located beneath the cooling coils and formed of compressed fiberous material of low heat conductivity, reinforcing strips extending along the marginal edges of the drip pans, hangers for holding the cooling coils in place, brackets engaging the reinforcing strips on the drip pans to support the drip pans and bolts passing through the brackets and. having threaded engagement with the hangers for adjusting the position of the drip pans and brackets with respect to the cooling coils.

4 A drip pan for use beneath a cooling coil in a refrigerated case comprising a molded concave strip of compressed fibrous material having low heat conductivity and provided with reinforcing means extending longitudinally thereof.

5. A drip pan for use beneath a cooling coil in a refrigerated case comprising a molded concave strip of compressed fibrous material having low heat conductivity and provided with reinforcing means extending along the marginal edges thereof to prevent warping or sagging of the drip pan.

6. In a refrigerated case having cooling coils I therein located near the top of the case and doors providing access to the case, the combination of drip pans located beneath the cooling coils and formed of compressed fibrous material, a metallic reinforcing strip extending lengthwise of the drip pan along that edge thereof adjacent said doors and a cover for the reinforcing strip formed of material of low heat conductivity.

MALCOLM D. MACMASTER.