US1522894A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Jan. '3, 1925; 1,522,894

' a c. w. M coY REFRIGERATOR Filed March 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.l3, 1925'.

C. W. M COY REFRIGERATOR Filed March 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet llllllnl 6 of lVashington,

Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

err EH CHARLES W. IMCCOY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. C. REFRIGERA- TOR 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

REFRIGERATOR.

Application filed March 25, 1918. Serial no. 224,413. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES XV. MOCOY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators and has for its object to provide a new and improved'device of this description. The invention has, among other objects, to provide a refrigerator for use in houses, stores, restaurantsand the like, wherein a liquid refrigerant is used for cooling purposes, and this refrigerant is circulated through the compartment to be cooled without the use of a pump or motor. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings where in- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator in part section embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation in part section of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the receptacles containing the re frigerant material;

Figure 4 is aview of one form of actuating device for moving the receptacles con taining the refrigerant.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged View showing the rocking connection between the receptacles containing the refrigerant and the support therefor.

Like numerals refer to out the several figures.

For purposes of illustration I have shown my invention as applied to an ordinary refrigerator or ice box. In this construction there is a stationary boX or casing 1 containing a compartment 2 in which is movably mounted a plurality of receptacles containing a refrigerant; In the construction shown there are four receptacles, 3, t, 5 and 6. These receptacles may be located in any desired manner, but as shown are adjacent to each other and are separated by walls 7, 8, 9 and 10. The receptacles are preferably arranged in two pairs, 3 and 6 forming one pair, and 4 and 5 another pair, The receplike parts throughtacles-3 and 6 are arranged so that the liquid refrigerant may pass in one direction from one to the other, but cannot return through the same opening. For this purpose I provide one or more valves 12 which may be of any form such as an ordinary check valve controlling one or more openings, the valves being arranged so that liquid can pass through the openings from receptacle 6 to receptacle 3 but cannot return. There are one or more communications between receptacles I and 5 which are controlled by similar valves 13 arranged to work in the opposite direction, that is, to permit liquid to pass from receptacle 4 to receptacle 5 but prevent such liquid from returning to receptacle 4. Receptacles 3 and 4 are connected by a pipe 1 1 and receptacles 5 and 6 are connected by a pipe 15. The receptacles are movably mounted in the casing or box so that they may be moved or rocked as herein shown. The receptacles are mounted upon pivots 16 carried by supports 1?. Either the pivots or supportsma-y be connected with the receptacle or the stationary compartment.

ment is provided with a suitable removable cover and the receptacles may also be provided with removable covers so that the refrigerant may be easily inserted or removed. The pipes 14 and 15 extend below the receptacles and into one or more compartments 18 and 19 to be cooled. The openings in the partition '21 are arranged to permit the necessary movement of the pipes when the re ceptacles are rocked. is placed in the receptacles and any desired refrigerant may be used such as, for example, cold brine. The device, for example, can be used cheaply and efliciently by put ting ice and brine in the receptacles or ice and salt to form brine. Some means is provided for moving the receptacles. As illustrated, I provide an actuating device con nected with the receptacles and means for applying power to said actuating device to rock the receptacles. One convenient construction is shown which consists of a shaft 22 provided with a crank 23. This crank is connected by aconnecting device at with the receptacles at any desired point, as,; for example, at about the middle of the end at 25.

The stationary compart- A suitable refrigerant This connecting device passes through an opening 24 in the casing or box. Power may be applied to shaft 22 and its connections in any desired manner. An efficient method is to place the shaft outside of the compartment and provide an arrangement so that when the-door is open the shaft will be rotated to rock the receptacles. I have shown one form for doing this. In this construction the doors 26 are provided with suitable hinges and each door has a curved rack 27. illustrated in detail in Figures 4 and 5. This rack is struck from the center about which the door moves. Thexrack 27 connects with a pinion 28 on the shaft 22. When there are several doors some means is provided so that when one door is opened the pinions associated with the racks of the other doors will not prevent the rotation of the shaft 22. This may be done, for example, by leaving the ends 29 of the .racks 27 free from teeth so that when the'doors are closed the pinions will not engage the racks. By omitting the teeth from the ends of the-racks the pinions are disengaged from the racks when the doors are shut. and. this permits the receptacles to adjust themselves and come to a levelcafter the doors have been opened. and closed. One construction for securing this result is illustrated in Figure 4 where the pinion 28 engages the stop 30 on the shaft 22. A spring 31' is compressed between the pinion andthe stop32 so as to secure a frictional engagement. IVhen the door is opened this frictional engagement is sufiicient to permit the engagement between the rack 27- and the pinion 28 to rock the shaft. If any pinion, however, is engaged by the'rack of a doorthat is not being moved, the pinion will be held still but the shaftwill rotate in the pinion. Any other means for applying power to the shaft 22 may be used. Similar racks 27 and pinions 28 and shafts 22 and associated parts may be used with the other doors 33 and 34,.

I have described in detail a particular construction embodying the invention, but it is of course evident that the parts may be varied in many particulars without depart- The liquid refrigerant of whatever nature used, passes into the pipes 14' and l5 which extend throughthe chamber or compartment tobe cooled. I

The liquid refrigerant is circulated through'these pipes without the use of a mg from the spirit of the invention hereto attached and I therefore do not limit myself receptacle 4 to receptacle 5 but cannot'flow from receptacle 3 to receptacle 6. This will cause the liquid toriseat a higher level in I receptacle 5 than in receptacle 6 and. the

liquid will then flow through pipe 15 from receptacle 5 to receptacle 6. If,.now., the

receptacles are rocked in the oppositedirection, the level ofthe liquid inreceptacles 5 and 6 will be. higher. liquid in receptacles 3 flow from receptacle 6 to receptacle?) but will not flow fromreceptacle 5 to receptacle than the level of the and 4 andliquid win 4. This raises the level of the liquid in the receptacle 3 above that in receptacle 4 and hence the liquid flows by gravity through pipe 14from receptacle -3 to receptacle 4. As the receptacles are rocked it will beseen that this operation is repeated and that the receptacles and pipes provide a complete cir culatory system. lVhen power is applied to the shaft 22 by the'doors,

this rocking and,

circulation will occur every time the door is opened and closed. Inview of the fact that the pipes 14 andyloextend below the rece tacles and ;into the compartment to cooled, it will be seen that while the door are closed there will stillbe a circulation,

because as the refrigerant material absorbs v heat from the compartment to be cooled, a

portion thereof willrise in the upwardly extending portions of pipesv 14 and 15 and the heavier cooler liquid will fall, thus pro ducing a circulation which keeps the compartment at the proper temperature. I

lated as herein shown, this circulation becomes exceedingly effective because this-ina sulation' prevents the heat fr0m"being pipes absorbs heatfrom the compartment to be cooled the heavier materialsinks intothemand the lighter heated material goes back to the receptacles and is recooled.

i By'having the receptacles 3, 4, 5,"a'nd"5 containing the refrigerant material msu These downwardly extending pipes exten'df through the compartment to be cooled -so to affect the temperature therein.

It will be noted that the receptacles or tanks for the temperature varying material have substantially horizontal and substan tially vertical'wal ls and that the pipes14' each has a substantiallyhorizontal portion in "a different horizontal plane from the tanks and two substantially vertical end portions which communicate with the tanks through the substantially horizontal walls, the substantially horizontal portions of the pipes passing through the receptacle or chamber to be cooled',and that these pipes have a siphonic action in transferring the liquid from one tank to another when the levels of the liquid in the tanks are different so as to tend to equalize said levels. It will further be noted that there is means for positively delivering the temperature varying liquid from one tank to another, this being accomplished by the movement of the tank by the motive power which drives the shaft 22 as for example when the door is opened or closed. This positive delivery or movement of the liquid from one tank to another raises the level of the liquid in one tank and lowers it in the other and the pipes 14 act as siphons to return the liquid by siphonic action to the tank having the lower level so as to tend to reestablish a common level in both tanks.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator comprising a compartment, a plurality of receptacles movably mounted in said compartment and containing refrigerant material, means for connecting said receptacles, said receptacles and said means for connecting them forming a complete circulatory apparatus containing the refrigerant to be circulated, an actuating device connected with said receptacles, and means for applying power to said actuating device to rock said receptacles.

2. A refrigerator comprising a compartment, a plurality of receptacles movably mounted in said compartment and containing refrigerant material, means for connecting said receptacles, said receptacles and said means for connecting them forming a complete circulatory apparatus containing the refrigerant to be circulated, an actuating device connected with said receptacles, and means outside of said stationary compartment for applying power to said actuating device to rock said receptacles.

3. A refrigerator comprising a compartment, a plurality of receptacles movably mounted in said compartment and containing refrigerant material, means for connecting said receptacles, said receptacles and said means for connecting them forming a complete circulatory apparatus containing the refrigerant to be circulated, an actuating device connected with said receptacles, and a door for said stationary compartment by means of which access is secured thereto, and a connection between said door and said actuating device whereby when the door is open power is applied to said actuating device to rock said rece'ptacles.

4-."A refrigerator comprising a compartment, four receptacles in said compartment adapted-to receive refrigerant material, said receptacles movably mounted therein, the receptacles forming two pairs, valves for controlling the communication between the receptacles of each of said pairs, said valves permitting the refrigerant to flow in one direction but stop its flow in the other direction, and pipes connecting the receptacles of one of said pairs with the receptacles of the other pair, an actuating device connected with said receptacles and means for applying power to said actuating device to rock said receptacles.

5. A refrigerator comprising a compartment, four receptacles in said compartment adapted to receive refrigerant material, said receptacles movably mounted therein, the receptacles forming two pairs, valves for controlling the communication between the receptacles of each of said pairs. said valves permitting the refrigerant to flow in one direction but stop its flow in the other direction, and pipes connecting the receptacles of one of said pairs with the receptacles of the other pair, an actuating device connected with said receptacles, and a door for said compartment by means of which access is secured thereto, and a connection between said door and said actuating device whereby power is applied to the actuating device to rock said receptacles when the door is moved.

6. A refrigerator comprising a compartment, four receptacles in said compartment all of said receptacles being substantially in the same horizontal plane adapted to receive refrigerant material. a compartment to be cooled, said receptacles having two pairs of valves for controlling the communication between the receptacles of each of said pairs, said valves permitting the refrigerant to flow in one direction but stop its flow in the other direction, a compartment to be cooled, pipes connecting the receptacles of one of said pairs with the receptacles of the other pair, said pipes extending downwardly through the compartment to be cooled and back up to the receptacles.

7 A temperature varying apparatus comprising a compartment, a door for said compartment, receptacles adapted to contain temperature varying liquid in said compartment, a connection between said receptacles and means actuated by the door of the compartment for causing liquid to be transferred from one receptacle to the other.

8. A temperature varying device comprising two receptacles adapted to contain temperature varying material, means for positively delivering temperature varying 1naterial-int0 one of said receptacles and a In testimonvwhereof; I aflixfny signa-.

return pipe communicating With the inteture in the presence of two Witnesses this 10 rior of both receptacles below'the liquid nineteenth day of March 1918.

level therein, said return pipe having a portion thereof in a different plane horizontally CHARLES WV. MCCOY.

' from said receptacles whereby said material lVitnesses:

is moved from the first mentioned receptacle MINNIE M. LINDENAU, to the other by sipho'nic action. CHRISTINA DEAYS.

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