US1761629A - Combination drip pan and baffle member for refrigerating cases - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930.: H. M. HUNT 1,761,629

COMBINATION DRP PAN AND BAFFLE MEMBER' FOR REFRIGERATING CASES i Filed July 11, 1928 f6/. d; m4(

p PatentedV June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE HOWARD HUNT, F HUNTINGTON PARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSI(':rI\`I0R T0 SHOOT-HOL- V MAN CO., 0F INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA COMBINATION DRIP PAN AND BAFFLE MEMBER FOR REFRIGERATING CASES application mea July 11,

My invention relates -to combination drip pan and baffle member for refrigerating cases, and it has for its primary object to provide an ellicient drip pan and baille mem ber to be suspended or supported under the coils in a refrigerating case, whereby to catch the drippings from saidcoils and also to control and stimulate circulation of the air within said `case. A

In order to fully explain my invention, I have shown' in 'the accompanying sheet of drawings a cross sectional view through a refrigerating case with refrigerating c oils and my combination drip pan and baHie member, which I will now describe. v Figure 1 is a cross vertical sectionl through a refrigerating case, with Amyv invention shown in connection therewithj Figure 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of a portion of the invention; and f A Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified arrangement. p It -will be understood that my invention can be applied or used in any case or cabinet Where refrigerating coils are used and where it is desired to catch'the drippings from the coils and to. direct or control the circulation of the air within said case.

In the ldrawings, 3 designates a'refrigeration case, with the glass front 4, and the 'rear slide doors 5, which can be of anyu'sual or desired construction. e 4 In the upper part of the case are supported the refrigerating coils 6, supported or suspended from the top of the case by means of straps 7. y number of coils and any 'arrangement and means of support can be used as maybe most'convenient for the particular design of caseor cabinet. i y My invention consists of a combination drip pan and baille member, designated 8, with the low wall 9 along one side and with the high wall or baille member 10, extending along,the opposite side,' said pan extending lengthwise of the case or cabinet `in which it is placed. It-will be noticed that the high wall or baille member-10, extends to a position near the inclined frontwall of said case, so as to leave a relatively narrow throat or 5o opening betweenl the upper edge of said wall .14, then fill in a ing at its lower side and at one end, or otherwise, as may be deslred. A draln 'outlet is' 1922s. serial' 110.291,732.

and the front wall of the case. It is known Vthaty cold air settles or moves downwardly and that the warmer air rises, and if the opposite sides of the pan 8 were low and of the same height, then the cold air from around the coils 6 would simply move 'downwardly. to the pan and then out over theop# posite sides thereof in opposite directions.v But by providingl one wall of said pan higher and carrying it to near the top of the case, the cold air from the coils moves downward- 1y and outwardly over 'the lower side of said pan and away from the higher wall or baille member 10, and this movement of the cold c air causes the warmerair to flow upwardly 65 and inwardly through the throat at 11,'.as indicated by the arrows, and thisstimulates or directs the circulation of the air within the refrigerating case. The throat vor restricted opening between the top edge of the member 10 andthe front of the case front 4, thus operates to cause an' accelerated movement of the warmer air to lill in around the coils as the: colder air therefrom moves downwardly and outwardly vover the lower Wallg9 of said-pan.

In order to properly I coat it with a layer of tar protect the drip pan, tar or asphalt-,'12, then apply paper 13, further coated as at pressed cork filler 15, with another coat of tar 16, another layer of tar paper 17, and a top covering of karnack, or burlap treated with asphalt or other water proong matter 18, with a final coat-of tar 19.- This makes said drip panwater-proof and prevents any possibility of rust or vdamage thereto on account of the condition Within'said case. The outsideof said pan and baflle meiner are preferably of baked enamel. Itl will be understood, ofcourse, that any suitable structure can be used for said pan and baille member, and that any suitable means" for covering and protecting it can be used. It is also provided witha drain openindicated at 20.

In Fig.l

with two 21', with 't 3 I have shown an arrangement I groups of refrigerating coils, 21,V

e opposite outer sides provided l ing air outside of with baiie structures or louvers 22,22, for directing and regulating the circulation of the air within the case. When the machine is operating and the circulation is stimulated, the cold air passes downwardly in the middle and some of it will possibly pass out through the lower of the openings, designated 28, 23, but when the machine is not being operated, then the warmer air passes upwardly along `the outer sides of said structures and inwardly through said openings 23, 23, and down through the center, after passing over the ipes. This warmer air will also operate to defrost the lower pipes and pans and prevent u accumulation of the frost products or ice on` said lower pipes and pans beyond what is intended, the defrosting being accomplished periodically in a relatively short length of time during the idle time of the refrigerating machine by the warm air from the food compartment passing through the louvers of the bailes and between the coils. The drip pans are designated 24, 24 in this form of the invention.

I do not limit my invention to the exact details here shown for descriptive and explanatory purposes, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims, realizing that changes in details of construction and arrangement can be mad'e within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. In combination with a rerigerating case having a restricted and tapering top portion and refrigerating coils therein, of bafle means along one side of said coils for directsaid coils upwardly over the top of said coils and downwardly there- -through in direct contact therewith, said baiile means having openings therethrough at diferent levels opposite said coils, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a refrigerating case and refrigerating coils therein, of drip pans under said coils and spaced apart horizontally to provide a down passage therebetween, vertical walls outside of said coils with openings therethrough for directing air currents from the outer opposite sides of said coils inwardly through said walls, in direct contact with saidcoils and downwardly through said down passage between said pans.

3. A refrigerating case having a narrower top lengthwise thereof and tapering downwardly and outwardly therefrom, a bank of cooling coils lengthwise in 4said top portion, a drip pan thereunder tocatch drippings and condensations from said coils, a vertical wall along one side of said coils only and terminating'near the top along the upper edge of said wall and said top to cause warmer air to 'passipwardly around the outside of said wall and coils and through said throat and downwardly among said-coils .air outwardly through said to form a restricted throatA and out and downwardly at the opposite side of said coils and around the opposite side of said drip pan, the contact of said warmer air with said cooling coils operating to cool the air and to cause defrosting of said coils when the machine is periodically idle.

4. A refrigerating case having its top of tapering form to provide the inside top of restricted form with tapering wall, a bank of cooling pipes in said restricted top of said case, a drip pan supported under said pipes, a vertical member from one side of said drip pan upwardly along side of said pipes and termin ating near the top to form a restricted throat along the upper edge of said wall and said top to cause warmer air to pass upwardly around the outside of said wall and coils and through said throat to said coils, said vertical wall being provided with a series of longitudinally extended louvers to `permit passing of warmer air inwardly and of cold vertical wall along one side of said cooling pipes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with a refrigerating case and a bank of refrigerating lcoils therein, of means at one side of said coils for dividing the up-current of air and directing it at different levels over and down among said coils indirect contact therewith, whereby to create vdefinite circulation upwardly and inwardly of the warmer air :and directing it down through the refrigerating coils, the opposite side being open for the free passage of air downwardly.

Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, this 25 day of June, 1928.

HOWARD M. HUNT.

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