US1037152A - Refrigerator-car. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. KNEPPER.

. REFRIGERATOR GAR.

APPLICATION FILED 1:20.15, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

L T E E H c n on T B E H s no [N VEN T OR WITNESSES M ml E Q E z 0 E GW g omen STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

GEORGE. E. KNEPPER, or ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

REFRIGERATORFCARQ Specification of Letters Patent a Application filed December 15, 1911. Serial No. 665,916. I

' To all whom it may-concern:

Be it .known that I, Gnonon E. KNEPPER,

- The primary object of this invention is to provide improved means whereby refrigeration is uniformly maintained throughout the car at a much less costthan present refrigeration facilities can offer.

2 With this end in view the inventioncontemplates a refrigerating device, consisting essentially of the novel arrangement of combined ice and brine tanks used in piped relation with a system of absorption coils or radiators.

Another object of the deviceis to provide improved means for retaining the brine in the brine tanks, and absorption coils or radiators, thus obviating the necessity of providing additional tanks for the collection and storage of salt water drippings to be drawn oil at terminal or other points.

Another object of this device is to provide means whereby the full cooling value of the ice placed in the ice tanks can readily be obtained, since the gradual melting of the ice, forming a freezing mixture with the brine circulates through the absorption coils, thus absorbing the heat from the car asthe 40 circulation continues, due .to a difference in temperatures of the top and the bottom of the ice tanks. Another object of this device is to provide means for regulatin the flow of brine through the absorption coils, thus providing in a very practical way, means whereby various degrees of temperature can readily be obtained. 1 4

A further object of this device is to pro- 9 vid'e means whereby the .car can readily be heated by forcing hot water, or steam,

through the coils or radiators, thus provid' ing for the safe trans ortation of perishable commodities during t e winter months.

. With these and many other objects in view, which will be more readily apparent,

as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel 'construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully illustrated, pointed out and claimed. I It Wlll be readily understood that this invention is naturally susceptible to a wide range of structural modification, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, but a preferred and thoroughly practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

F1 ure 1, isa cross-sectional view of a car s owingthe present invention installed -therein. ,F1g.'2, is a;"sect-ional view of the car taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, we sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi 4,'is a sectional view of the valve used or drawing off and cleaning out .the brine, or ice tank, wlfen such act-ion is necessary. Fig. 5, is .a front elevational view of the valve shown in Fig. 4.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention no material change in the car is contemplated, but instead of the usual means employed for refrigeration there is preferably provided a plurality of ice receptacles, or tanks, designatedby'the numeral 10. These tanks are preferably rectangular at the base 11, with diverging sides'which terminate at the top 12 of the carfas clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. To provide for the introduction of ice, into the ice tank, there is placed an opening 13 adapted to be closed by a hatch-way 14. In order to fill .the tank 10, the cover or hatch-way 14, is removed and ice is thrown in on the inclined'surface 15 of the tank, from whence it readily slides down first filling the rectangul'ar bottom portion 11. 'At this time a non-freezing liquid called brine is introduced and the ice tank filled with ice.

preferably introduced, in order to facilitate refrigeration. I prefer to provide the insid-a wall 16, of the tank 10, with a plurality of screen covered 'ngs, the lower one 17 of which communicates, through pipe conmotions, with the bottom portion of a rldiator, designated in its entirety by the numeral 19 while the u per'openmg communicates through a. similar pipe connection When filling the tanks the first time, brine in sufiicient quantity to fill the radiators is 20, with the top. .of the radiator.

top of the car,

Y tions 21, and,

by preference, radiator which of pipe 23, which isprovided with acut-out valve 24, adapted to be controlled from thethrough the-medium 'of the handle 25, when the valve 24 is'closed {and the tanks filled with i e and brine, as in tended, the brine rises through pipes to the top 26 of an emergency over-flow'pipe 27, through which it can escape to the bot tom of the car C and down the spout c to the tra 28, as shown in Fig. 3 of the draw: -I

ings, without the egress of air. If the valve 24 is open, the brine will rise to the top 29 of the absorption coils, or radiators, and pass out through pipes 30, to the trap 28; The'tank compartments 31, are preferably provided with-a strong lattice protection 32,- while the openings 33 therein are filled with current deflecting shields 34, which serve to deflect rising. currents of 'arm' air, downward along. the ice tank,

.- thus cooling the same ina very efiicient and practical hinged door 35, which 35 manner. At' the top of the lattice protection there is preferably located a may be swung open, if desired, after filling the ice. receptacles; and also used as a means of ventilation when noice is,used. p g Thebottom of the tank 36 is provided with anoutlet valve 37, which is adapted to e screwed into a flanged threaded collar 38, attached tothe side 39 of the tank. The said valve 37 is' pro vided on its head por tion with ajrectangular projecting stud 40 that may be used in connection with a key, wrench, or other similar tool for reciprocating the stem of the valve withimthe threaded collar 38. The stem of the valve 37, is provided with an oblong. opening 41,

' through which the brine in the tankis afforded means of escape when the stem is' reciprocated by int HIS above mentioned. The slot, or opening, 41, affords a very eflicient means of protecting the workman, or operator, from the direct discharge of brine, as the case would be if the slot, or opening, was not provided. 1

:Inoperating this refrigerating device may be described as follows: Ice anu brine are placed in the tank, as previously "described, and the hatch-ways closed. The warm air from the interior of the car comes in dlrect contact with the absorption coils, the'cold brine in the radiators, or coils, absorbing the heat in the car, Further, as the ice melts, thus providing in a very pratti a I said V communication cal -way,-more' brihe for theabsorption coils, or radiators, radiators, 'and will'so continue until the radiators are full, at which time the temperature in the top .of the radiators is higher than that'in the-bottom of the radiators, due

to the warm air of .thevinterior of the car coming in contact with the cold radiators, or absorption coilsi From this itrvill be obvious that a circulation oflbrine will be maintained between the top and the,bottom of the same gradually rises in the I the radiators, through the tank, due-to a difi'erence in temperatures. It will also be obviousthat the moisture -in th'ecar will be collected on the radiators, thus 'maintaining dry air throughout the interior of the car. Having thus described my invention, and believing that the same can readily be understood without further elaboration, what claim as new-and desire to secure by Let- .ters Patent is:

1. A refrigerating device for cars comprising a tank provided with inlet openmgs, and having two oppositely disposed compartments, said compartments forming a housing therebetween, radiating coils in communication with said compartments and. located in the housing formed thereby, and a valve 1device for emptying the contents of tan 2. A refrigerating device for cars com-' prising a tank provided with inlet openings and having two oppositely disposed com:

partments, said compartments forming ahousing therebetween, radiating coils in with said compartments and housing formed thereby, an overflow device in communication with the radiating coils, and a valve device for emptying the contents of said tank.

3. A refrigerating device for cars comprising a tank provided with inlet openings located in the.

and having two oppositely disposed com partments, said compartments forming a housing therebetween, radiating coils in communication with said compartments and located in the housing formed thereby, said radiating coils having upper and lower can nections with each.

compartment, means shielding thopening of each connection to prevent clogging thereof, an over-flow de Vice in communication with the radiating coil, means for lowering the level of the brine in the tank, and a valve for empt the entire contents of the tank and coils.

4. A refrigerating device for cars .comprovided with inlet openings prising a tank and having two oppositely disposed compartments said compartments forming a housing therebetween, radiating coils in communication with said compartments and lbc'ated in the housing formed thereby, a

casing surrounding said tank and coils provided with openings: rents to the refrigerated surfaces,.:an overfor admitting air cur.

flow pipe in communication with, the coils, brine circulating connections in communisaid pipe extending downwardly and discation with the interior of the tank. charging on the floor of the car, a draw-ofi' r 6. In a refrigerator car, the combination connectionalso in communication with the with the'car body, of a brine tank, a houscoi1s,'said connection serving to reduce the ing arranged ithin the brine tank, and a level of brine below the point where the radiator arranged within the housing and overflow pipe connects with the coils, a having top and bottom brine circulating valve located in the draw-off connection, a connections with the opposite walls of the trap atthe end of said draw-off connection housing and in communication with the inand a valve for emptying the contents of teri'or of the tank.

the tank. In testimony whereof I atfix my signature 5. In 'a refrigerator car, the comblnation in presence of two witnesses.

with the car body, of a' brine tank, a hous- GEORGE E. KNEPPER.

ing arranged inside of the tank, and a ra- Witnesses: diator arranged inside of the housing, said ADAM LEAKE,

radiator having separate top and bottom GEO. O. DANIELS- Copies 0! this patient may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the flommission r of Zatenti,

Washington, I. 0.

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