US1404191A

US1404191A - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: US1404191A
Application number: US261969A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas J Clinton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1918-11-11
Filing date: 1918-11-11
Publication date: 1922-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1939-01-24

Description

T. J. CLINTON.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATloN FILED Nov.11,191a.

1,404, 1 91. Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REFBIGERATOR.

Specincation of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed November 11, 1918. Serial No. 261,969.

fo all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMASv J. CLINTON, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State ofv Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators, and de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerators and is a continuation of my application Serialv No. 162,424, filed April 6, 191'?, as to all common subjectmatter. The primary object of this` invention is to provide a refrigerator of a construction of such character that the carbon dioxide usually given off by food in a storage compartment is eliminated and replaced by fresh air of a temperature below that of atmospheric air, and furtherwto provide a construction in which the accumulation of lmoisture within the storage compartment is reduced to a minimum and produce a more rapid circulation of cooled air within the compartment. I Y

In practice I have found that the decay of the fruit and deterioration of meat and similar perishable products is caused largely by the presence of gas arising from the product (principally carbon dioxide) and moisture which forms a slime permeat-ing the product and hastening its ripening or decay. The principal object of this invention is construction by means of whichv Such gases and moisture may pass from the storage compartment andv fresh previously cooled air introduced into the circulating medium without increasingpthe temperature of the storage compartment to a detrimental degree. These and other objects and the several novel features of the .invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in preferred form in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a refrigerator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal` section taken .on line y-y of Fig. 1.

As will be readily understood, the general type of construction herein illustrated may be usedk with any type of refrigerator and the description of the storage co1npartment, while specific to the one shown in detail in the drawings will apply generally to the various type of refrigerators whether cooled by natural ice or by artificial systems and to either stationary or movable refrigerators. The refrigerator indicated is of an ordinary type having a storage compartment 1 and an ice compartment 2 formed at one side thereof which is in the nature of a bunker having an apertured bottom 3 and a drain pipe 4ta. This particular means for icing, however. is not material and is shown only to illustrate the principles of operation. In whatever type of refrigerator the invention is to be applied I provide what l have termed the tempering compartment 4 adjacent the ice compartment, being separated therefrom only by the wall 5 as indicated. This tempering vcompartment 4t is closed or sealed except as to an outlet G into the storage compartment at about the top of the ice compartment and an opening formed by the tube 7 through the exterior wall of the refrigerator to atmosphere. This latter tube 7 should be positioned out of alignment with the aperture 6 in the wall 5 and preferably above the aperture as is indicated in Fig. 1. A false ceiling 8 is also provided inthe refrigerator forming a flue 9 between. the false ceiling S and top of the refrigerator preferably extending entirely across. the refrigerator as will be understood from Fig. being supported b v longitudinal strips l0 in staggered relation as shown. This false ceiling 8 is provided with a slot 11 preferably extending entirely across the refrigerator near the end of the storage compartment and preferably opposite the ice chamber or remote from it. being preferably some little. distance from the opposite wall for reasons as will hereinafter appear. ln. the construction here shown, an outlet tube l2 for the flue 9 is provided directly over the ice chamber at the side of the refrigerator opposite the inlet slot 11, and the supporting members 10 of the false ceiling terminate short of the said outlet end in order that gas flowing into the slot 11 at any point may pass out through the tube 12 eliminating deadair spaces in the said flue.

By reason of contact'of the atmosphere of the storage compartment with the ice chamber wall and with the ice or refrigerating element, the atmosphere of the storage chamber will circulate substantially as indicated current would naturally strike the ceiling and provides a ready outlet for the gases that are forced to this point. The slot is located some little distance forward of the chamber wall and clear of thedead air space formed at the croner of the chamber.

Carbon dioxide, although being heavier than air, tends to fall toward the bottom the compartment but, due to the cooling effect of the ice chamber and the tendency of the atmosphere adjacent thereto to iiow downward, such gases are forced to circulate with. the warmer and lighter gases and thus are brought to a point where the may pass oil' through the iiue 9. This. disc large of gases and lighter constituents and' moist-ure .is accomplished as fresh. air may be drawn into the compartment through the aperture 6 and tube7 so there is no tendency to produce vdiminished pressure within the compartment. By arranging the tube 7 and Y aperture 6 in the manner heretofore stated,

atmospheric air may flow into the chamber 4 through ithe tube 7 contacting the inner wall 5 of the tempering chamber which is naturally cold by reason of its being contiguous to the cooling medium. The air is thus cooled as it enters the chamber 4 and tends to fall in the said chamber Vwhenever any diminished pressure occurs thereinv which would be by reason of air `flowing through the apertures 6 to replacethe gases* passing through the outlet l1. The air passing into the circulating medium in the storage compartment is thus previously cooled tending to condense the moisture therein and in passing across the top of the ice as shown is further cooled and thus enters the storage compartment proper practically dry and in condition to absorb mo-isture and heat from the stored product. The condensation passes out through the drain pipe 4. This warmer air ofcourse tends to rise and pass out through the flue and thus a natural circulation is induced far Imore rapid than in the closed type of refrigerator in which the atmosphere soon becomes dead by reason of its entire volume being nearly of the same temperature.

The peculiar construction shown therefore is productive of more Vrapid circulation, eliminates the Warmer? gases which become laden withv moisture within the. compartment, and the air flowing into the compartment has the moisture partially at least discharged therefrom prior to entering the storage compartment which is maintained practically free from moisture, and the gases are discharged therefrom practically as rapidly as produced by the stored product. By eliminating the moisture and the gases as stated,

thetendency off deterioration is reduced to a minimum and as circulation is maintained at amaximum every part of the compartf ment is subjected to fresh cold air, and a refrigerator more highly efiicient than the usual type is secured.

It is to be understood that the openings 6,

7 and l2 are not of very great capacity. The`

apertures

6 and 7 are about three-eighthsV of an inch in diameter for an ordinary. household refrigerator and the discharge tubelQ 1s somewhat larger in diameter, but

these diameters may be varied somewhat and naturally must be increased for Yrefrigerators of much great capacity. The apertures are therefore insufficient to cause any rapid discharge of gas, the purpose being only to cause a suflicient discharge to take care of accumulation of the gases in the compari;- ment. The aperture tube 12 is made larger than the inlet so that the gases may have a free exit.

In refrigerators in use I have found that meat for instance will become thoroughly dry after a period without becoming contaminated in any way, and that raspberries for instance, which in an ordinary refrigerator become covered with a mold, may remain for months in my improved refrigerator. withoutjany mold appearing, the only effeet being ay shrinkage in size. Also salt maintained for several weeks in this refrigerator remains perfectly dry eventhough adjacent the icejcompartment indicating that the atmosphere of the compartment is practicaly free frommoisture and the lfact that meatand other articles do not decay or becomeputrid even after a long period of time indicates that the gases arising from the:A

product arevcompletely discharged. Circulation of a substantially pure cold airis .therefore accomplished bythe construction described.

VllVith other arrangementsiof ice comlpar-tment thanA is here shown, slightly different 1. Ina refrigerator, in combination, a

casing forming a storage compartment, an ice chamber therewithm at one side of the lstorage compartment, an inlet to atmosphere opening into the storage compartment `over,

the top of the ice chamber, aiue for gases extending across the top of the storage compartment and open to the compartmentat a distance from the ice chamber and through the top of the refrigerator at a point remote from its inlet to the storage compartment.

2. In a refrigerator in combination, a casing forming a storage compartment, an ice compartment therewithin at one side of the storage compartment, said ice compartment being open to the storage compartment at the top, a tempering chamber the inner wall of which forms a Wall ot' the ice compartment, said tempering chamber having an opening into the storage compartment just above the ice compartment and also having an opening' to atmosphere, a flue eX- tending across the top of the refrigerator above the ice compartment and having an opening into the storage chamberI at a point remote from the ice compartment, said flue discharging to atmosphere at a point remote from the inlet.

3. In a refrigerator, a storage compartment, a cooling chamber at one end spaced from the Wall of the storage compartment providing an air chamber between the cooling chamber and Wall of the storage compartment7 said air chamber having an opening to atmosphere through the Wall of the storage compartment and having an opening leading into the storage Vchamber out of alignment with the said opening to atmosphere, and a flue provided in the ceiling of the compartment having an opening into the storage compartment at a point remote from the ice compartment and also provided With an opening discharging to atmosphere.

4. In a refrigerator, astorage compartment. a cooling medium compartment there- Within open to the storage compartment at the top, said cooling medium compartment being spaced from the Wall of the storage compartment providing a tempering chamber, said tempering chamber having an opening in communication with atmos pliere and an opening leading into the storage compartment, a shield extending across the upper side of the compartment open to atmosphere through the top of the refrigerator at one end and opening into the storage compartment near the opposite end.

5. In a refrigerator, a storage compartment, an ice chamber at one end spaced from the Wall of the storage compartment and providing an air space closed t the storage compartment at the bottom and provided with an opening in the upper end over the ice compartment, a passageway in the outer casing out of alignment with the first named opening and providing an inlet to the said air space and an outlet passage- Way in the upper side of the storage compartment opening thereinto above the inlet.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

THOMAS J. CLINTON.