US1327560A - Means for cooling liquids - Google Patents

Description

J. HUTCHINSON.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILED sEPT.16,191s.

1,327,560, Patented Jan. 6,1920.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET I.

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HIIHH Il fgvwewtoz JOB HUTCHINSON J. HUTCHINSON.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS. APPLICAHON FILED SEPT. 16. |918.

1,327,560. Patented Jan; 6,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. FIG 2 F 1G. 3.

Snom/1101 JOB HUTCHNON UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

J OB HUTCHINSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

Application filed September 16, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOB HUTCHINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Cooling Liquids, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to means for cooling liquids, such as drinking water, without the use of ice, and more particularly to means for employing the heat absorbing power of expanding gases for this purpose.

While the invention is well adapted for use in hotels, railway stations, and other public places, it has special utility when installed on railroad trains, where the exhaust from the brake cylinders is available as a cheap and convenient source of compressed air. f

Among the chief objects of the invention are to provide an eiiicient cooler having adjacent gas and liquid chambers with extended contact surfaces for the exchange of heat, and to arrange automatic means for intermittently delivering charges of compressed gases into the gas chamber and permitting them to expand therein. The invention also contemplates the provision of a plurality of gas chambers and means for automatically forcing the chilled expanded gases from one chamber into and through another chamber.

The invention further consists in the provision of improved automatic inlet and exhaust valves for accomplishing the above mentioned operations, in an interlock between the gas and liquid controlling valves, and in certain novel details of construction, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part yof the specification, and in which Figure 1 is a central `vertical section through my improved cooler complete, parts being broken away. f

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof on a somewhat reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on the same scale as Fig. 2.

Fig, 4l is a sectional view substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 but on the same scale .as .Fg- 3; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 254,300.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a filter which I may employ in connection with my cooler.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved cooler comprises a suitable base 1, preferably formed of cast metal. On this base is supported a cylindrical barrel 2 to the upper end of which is secured a top casting 3 to which in turn is attached a top cover plate 4f. Inside the Vcasting 3 and secured thereto by means of screws. 6 is a ring 5 serving to support other parts of the cooler hereinafter described.

I preferably surround the, cylindrical barrel 2 with a series of superposed flanged rings 7 between which arev secured annular plates 8. The barrel 2 and rings 7 form the inner wall of a hollow cylindrical liquid containing chamber, the outer wall of which is built up of a series of overlapping annular angular plates so shaped as to form when assembled a series of ribs 9 with alternating grooves or depressions 10 between them. It will thus be seen that the plates 8 which project from the inner wall of the liquid chamber extend out into the rib portions 9 so as to form a zigzag passageway extending axially of such chamber.

The liquid containing chamber just de.- scribed is surrounded by a cylindrical casing built up of inner and outer walls 11' and 12 filled with heat insulating material 13. This casing is spaced from the liquid chamber and carries a series of annular baille plates 11i which project into the grooves 10 of the liquid chamber as clearly shown in Fig. 1 thus forming a zigzag passageway 15 which surrounds the liquid chamber.

Water or other liquid to be cooled is supplied from any suitable source through a pipe 16 and its discharge is controlled by means ofa cock or faucet 18 having a connection 17 with the lower end ofy thev liquid containing chamber.

Compressed gas is supplied to the cooler from a suitable reservoir which may be charged in any desired way. In some installations, a special pump or compressor may be employed, butk when my improved cooler is used on railway trains, I propose to avail myself of the exhaust from the air brake cylinders as a cheap and convenient source of compressed air. The ybrake cylinders in this case would exhaust into the reservoir @N5 instead of into atmosphere as usual..

The icompressefl air er agas is delivered Patented J an. 6, 1920.

from the reservoir 65 through a pipe 19 which is secured by means of a bushing 20 to a valve casing 21. Mounted in this casing is a rotary 3-way valve 23 having a handle 26 and controlling a passageway 22 leading to the cooler. The valve 23 also controls a port communicating with a chamber 24 closed at one end by a plug 25. At the opposite end of this chamber is a valve 27 which controls communication between the chamber and the passage 22. The valve 27 is carried by a stem 28 which passes through a stuffing gland 29. On the stem 28 is secured a collar 31 and between this collar and the gland 29 is disposed a helical spring 30 which tends to normally seat the valve 27. The outer end of the stem 28 passes freely through a guide lug 1L carried by the casting 1 and is arranged to bear against a cam 32 mounted on the lower end of the cock 18. From this it will be apparent that when the coclr is open as shown in Fig. 1, the valve 27 isv also open and compressed air can pass to the cooler as hereinafter described, and that with the valve 23 in the position shown, air can only pass when the coclr 18 is open. Tf, however, it is desired to establish comiunication between the pipe 19 and passage 22 independent of the valve 27, the handle 26 is swung downwardly so as to open the by-pass around the valve 27 as will be evident.

The valve casting 21 is preferably screwed into a plate 33, which is secured to the base 1. This port is bored out at its center to form a pocket 34, the upper edges of which constitute a' valve seat as hereinafter described. Also secured to the plate 33 is an inverted cup-shaped casting 35. Located inside of this casing or chamber and preferably screwed into the top thereof is a guide sleeve or bushing 36 having a central bore and radial ports 37. In this central bore works freely a hollow valve stem 39 having a set of ports 38 adapted to register with the ports 37 and carrying at its upper end a comparatively large valve 40. This valve 40 is adapted to close against a iiXed` annular seat 41. The lower end of the valve stem 39 carries a conical valve 42 adapted to seat against the edges of the pocket 34 as above described.

Arranged to slide freely in the cylindrical barrel 2 above the valve 40 is a weighted piston 43 having the usual leather 44 at its lower end. This is secured in position by means of a washer 46 and screw 45.

Between the top of the chamber 35 and valve seat 4l is formed a passageway which forms a continuation of a passageway 47 establishing communication with the zigzag passage 15.' At the top of such zigzag passage a number of openings 48 are formed through the casting 3 and each of these openings is controlled by a gravity check valve 49 having a stem 50 passing freely through the top plate 4. Between the top plate and the casting 3 is formed a space 51 and this space communicates with the outside atmos phere through an opening 52 controlled by a gravity valve 53 having a stein 54 working freely through a removable plate 55. The valve 53 operates in a cage formed by an upstanding flange 55a having ports 56 formed therein. An adjustable ring 57 hav ing corresponding ports 59 surrounds the flange 55a and may be secured in adjusted position by means of a set-screw 58 (see Fig. 3). By this means the ports 56 and 59 can be brought more or less into registry and the gas permitted to escape with greater or less freedom as desired.

At the bottom of the passageway or gas chamber 15 I preferably provide a drain cock 60 for taking care of any condensation that may occur.

Water may be supplied from any suitable source direct to the cooler through the pipe 16 or if desired a filter such as shown in Fig. 5 may be interposed. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the filter comprises a casing 61 formed in halves inclosn ing and spaced from a filter stone 62. vWater enters the filter through a pipe 63 and is drawn oli1 from a central pocket 64 by means of the pipe 16. Any other suitable type of filter may of course be employed.

The operation of my improved cooler will now be described. Gas under pressure such, for instance, as compressed air at say 25 lbs. to the square inch is charged into the reservoir 65 from the air brake cylinders or other suitable source. The valve 23, being properly set, or the valve 27 being open as shown, compressed gas passes up through the passage 22 into the chamber 35. The weight of the piston 43 resting upon the valve 40 will force this valve down until the ports 38 are brought into registry with the ports 37 and at the same time the valve 42 is brought firmly down upon its seat. Thus, a charge of compressed air of a given volume as determined by the capacity of the chamber 35 is delivered through the ports 37 and 38 into the space immediately below the piston. The pressure thus formed above the valve 40 serves to hold this valve firmly to its seat. Such pressure at the same time operates to raise the piston 43 against gravity and the piston continues to rise until the charge of gas has expanded to such an eX- tent that the pressure against the under side of the valve 42 is greater than the pressure on the upper side of valve 40. l/Vhen this point is reached, the valves 42 and 40. will be forced upward into the position shown in Fig. 1 thus establishing communication under the valve 40 between the central gas cylinder and the passage 47. The piston thereupon descends by its own weight forcl fl 0 ing the chilled and expanded charge of gas out past the valve 40 and through the passageway 47 into the zigzag chamber l5. It will be understood that this discharge of the expanded gas takes place automatically when the pressure has fallen in the cylinder to a predetermined value. Thus, for example, if the piston 43 weighs fourteen pounds and has an area of seven square inches, it will require a minimum pressure of two pounds to the square inch to support the piston. The size of the valve 40 is selected with proper relation to the pressure in the reservoir 65 and the weight of the piston so that it will be unseated as described when the piston has risen to the proper extent and the desired reduction in pressure has taken place.

The charge of chilled and expanded gas under say two pounds pressure is therefore forced by the falling of the piston into and through the zigzag chamber or passageway l5 from the top of which it escapes through the openings 48 into the space 5l and in fact follows the piston down into the upper part of the cylinder 2 as indicated by the arrows. When the piston again rises, this entrapped and expanded gas is then forced through the opening 52 and discharged to atmosphere.

It will be seen that as long as the gas supply is uninterrupted the operation of the piston and valves 40 and 42 will be continuous, the mechanism serving to automatically and intermittently deliver charges of compressed gas from the chamber 35 into the inner chamber or cylinder 2, expand such charges in this inner chamber, and then after expansion, expel theml into and through the outer chamber l5.`

It will be noted that the liquid Hows downwardly through the liquid chamber and the gas flows upwardly through the outer gas chamber thus bringing the coldest gas into contact first with the coldest liquid.

What I claim is:

1. A liquid cooler comprising adjacent liquid and gas chambers, automatic means for intermittently delivering successive charges of compressed gases to and expanding them in said gas chamber, and means for expelling each such expanded charge before the delivery of the succeeding charge.

2. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid chamber, a pair of gas chambers adjacent thereto, and automatic means for intermittently delivering charges of compressed gases into one chamber, permitting them to expand, and then forcing the expanded charges into the other chamber.

3. A liquid cooler comprising inner and outer gas chambers, a liquid chamber disposed between said gas chambers, and means for delivering compressed gas into one of said gas chambers, expanding it, and then and then discharging it into and through the other gas chamber.

6. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid chamber, three gas chambers adjacent thereto, means for delivering compressed gas to the first chamber to form charges of constant volume, means for successively discharging such charges into the second gas chamber and reducing their pressure, and automatic means operating, when the pressure has fallen to a predetermined value, to discharge such gas into the third chamber.

7. liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having a cylindrical barrel extending therethrough, a piston freely movable vertically in said barrel, a valve at the lower end of said barrel partially controlled by said piston, and means for supplying compressed gases to said valve below said piston.

S. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having a vertically disposed cylindrical barrel extending therethrough, a piston freely slidable in said barrel, means for admitting compressed gas to the bottom of said barrel beneath said piston to raise the same, and automatic means for discharging such gas when its pressure has fallen to a predetermined value, and thus permit said piston to drop.

9. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having a vertically disposed cylindrical barrel extending therethrough, of a weighted piston freely lslidable in said barrel, means for supplying compressed gas to said barrel beneath the piston, and means controlled jointly bv the gas pressure and the weight of the piston for intermittently admitting charges of gas into the barrel and discharging the same therefrom.

10. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having a cylindrical barrel extending vertically therethrough, a

lweighted piston freely slidable in said/barrel, a combined inlet and discharge valve at the bottom of said barrel below the said piston. means for supplying compressed gas to the inlet opening controlled by said valve, and means governed jointly by said piston and the difference in gas pressure existing 0 on opposite sides of said valve tor intermittently operating said valve to admit gas to and discharge it from said barrel.

ll. A liquid cooler comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical liquid containing chamber and an inner and outer gas cham ber, the latter surrounding the liquid chainber, a valve controlling communication between the lower ends oi: the inner and outer gas chambers and a second valve controlling communication between the upper ends et said gas chambers, and an exhaust valve con-- trolling connnunication between said inner chamber and atmosphere.

l2. A liquid cooler comprising a. vertically disposed liquid containing )hamber having a cylindrical gas chamber extending centrally therethrough, a second gas chamber surrounding said liquid chamber, a source of compressed gas, means for delivering charges of such gas to the lower part of said cylindrical gas chamber, a piston in said chamber serving at predetermined times to discharge such gas from said inner chamber into and through said outer gas chamber and means :for discharging the gas from the outer gas chamber into the upper end of the cylindrical gas chamber above said piston.

13. A liquid cooler comprising two gas chambers with a liquid chamber between them, automatic means for intermittently delivering charges of compressed gases to and expanding them in one gas chamber, and means acting both by compression and suction for forcing such expanded charges into and through the other gas chamber, and into part of the irst chamber again.

14C. A liquid cooler comprising adaccnt liquid and gas chambers, means for supply ing compressed gas to the gas chamber, means for supplying` liquid to the liquid chamber, a cock for controlling the discharge of liquid from said liquid chamber,

and means operated by said cock for govern'- ing the flow of gas to said gas chamber.

l5. A liquid cooler having` walls dividing it into a central gas chamber and a water chamber surrounding the same, and a series of heat conducting plates secured to said walls and projecting radially into said water chamber.

16. A liquid cooler comprising a hollow cylindrical body having inner and outer walls, said outer wall being shaped to torni alternate annular ribs and grooves, and plates projecting from said inner wall and extending into said rib portions, thus forming a zigzag passageway axially of said body.

17. A liquid cooler comprising a cylindrical body the outer wall of which is shaped to form alternate annular ribs and grooves, a cylindrical casing surrounding said body and spaced therefrom, and annular plates secured to said casing and projecting into said grooves, thus 'forming a zigzag passageway axially of and surrounding said body.

1S. A liquid cooler comprising a hollow cylindrical body having` inner and outer walls, said outer wall being shaped to form alternate annular ribs and grooves, plates projecting from said inner wall and extending into the rib portions of said body, thus forming a zigzag passageway' axially through said body, a cylindrical casing sur* rounding said body and spaced therefrom, annular plates secured to said casing, and projecting into said grooves thus forming a passageway axially of and surround ing said body, and means for causing the liquid to be cooled and a cooling medium to flew respectively through said first and second named zigzag passages.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

J OB l-IUTCHINSON.

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