US1809893A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

J. F LYN N REFRIGERATORl June 16, 1931.

Filed June 26, 1929 "Patented June 16, 1931'- ETED oFFic-n Y.TERE.'LVlIlLEt FLYNN, OF ST. `LOUIS, MISSOURI, .SSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO FRANK TIRRELL ANDy ONEP'FOURTHTO JEROME FLYNN, BOTH OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI Y "nnrmennafron,

' Application filed :une 2c,

This invention relates to refrigerators.

An object of the invention is to provideV` means for embodiment in refrigerators for opening and closing Vcommunication between the compartments of the refrigerators automaticallyand as an incident to the operation of the doors of the different compartments. Fort-his'purpose I provide slides controlling communicationbetween the respective com-L partinents and levers for movingthe slides to opened and closed positions so as to openV and close communication between said comH partments, and means operated? by doors to the respective compartments for operating V said levers so as `to operate saidl slides to open vcommunication between lthe compartments automatically andas an incident `to the closing of the 'doors and to permit said slides to be moved to closed position automatically and as an incident to theopening of the doors. Y* V Another object ofthe invention is to provide units adapted for convenient insertion and withdrawal ina refrigerator for. con`- trollingcommunication between the respective compartments. v p Y Other objects willappear from the fol-Y lowing description, reference being made to the anneXed,V drawings in which- Fig. l is a front velevation of a refrigerator having m37/invention embodiedtherein. I Fig., 2 is a vertical sectional'viewrapproximatelyon theline l2--2 of Fig. 1.-

'Fig 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional yview approximately 0n the, line fr3---3` of Fig. 4 is a sectional `viewjof one of the walls and the cooperating. unit showing-the' registering ,openings through 'the wallfand 40- the unit and the closure for said openings.

It will be apparent from the following description that kthepresent,inventionis` de,V

signed and adapted Yto be embodied in vany refrigerator having separate `compartments e and doors for opening and closing the re-v spective compartments. This invention will control v communication e between the respec-v tive compartmentsof the refrigeratorin suchV a way as toopencommunication between the v5@ compartments when all of "thedoorsof'the 1929;'i seriaifnq. ajenas.y

` refrigerator lare closed, andto close commnnijcationafrom the other compartments toY any'compartment the door of which is open.

` rlhe refrigerator shown will be recognized as of conventional type comprising a bottomr wall 1,`a topy wall 2, a .vertical side wall 3, an oppositevertical side wall 4, and a rear wall 5. There is a vertical partition 6 eX- tending from the bottom wall 1 to the top wall 2 and joinedto the side wall 3 by a horizontal partition 7. *Thusthe partitions and 7 divide the interior of the refrigerator into a number of compartments consisting, as

shown, 'of a compartment 8 above thepartition 7,for-the ice, a compartment 9 below the partition 7', and a compartment `1() between the side walll 4 and the vertical *parti-y tion 6. The'compartments 9 and 10 are designed and adaptedto contain articles of foodl and kbeverages and other substances which are top be subjected to thecooling or refrigerating ei'ectof'the ice `contained in the compartment 8;y n Y A. door 11 for opening and closing the compartment Sis hinged to the side wall 3' of the refrigerator, and a door '12 vforfope'ning andV closing the compartment`9 is hinged tothe side wall 3; These doors may be opened and closed independently ofeach other. A door 13'`for the compartment 10 is hinged toy the side wall tk of the refrigerator and may be opened and 'closed independentlyV of yeither To obtainfmaximum cooling and refriger-y ating effect from thei'ce that is contained in the"l compartment 8,r open,V communication from compartment 8-to the compartments 9 and 10 and alsofopen4 communication between? the'` ycinnpartments 92 and 10 is maintained when 'all'of thefd'oors of the refrigerator are closed. 'Howev'en when the door 111 is opened,

communication from the'compartment 8 to partments 8 and 9 is closed. This prevents warm air from passing from either of the compartments, the door of which is opened, into either of the other compartments, and thus obtains maximum benefit from the supply of ice and keeps the contents of the refrigerator in better condition than would be the case if the contents were subjected to the effects of warm air when any of the doors of the refrigerator are opened.

The units for controlling communication between the compartments 8 and 10 and the units for controlling communication between the compartments 9 and 10 are alike so that a description of one such unit will afford an understanding of all.

The partition 6 has therethrough an opening 14 near its upper portion to aiiord communication between the compartments 8 and 10, and has an opening 15 therethrough near its lower end to afford communication between the compartments 9 and 10. I provide a separate unit for controlling each of the openings 14 and 15 by the door 13; a similar unit for controlling the opening 14 by the door 11, and a similar unit for controlling the opening 15 by the door 12. These units are alike and are independently operated and controlled by the respective doors. Each of said units includes a box-like structure comprising two parallel walls 16 having holes therethrough.

The units for controlling communication between the compartments 8 and 10 each comprise a pair of spaced walls 16 having openings therethrough in registration with the opening 14, the edges of said walls 16 being connected and said walls 16 held in spaced relationship by side walls 17 so that a boxlike structure is obtained. These box-like structures are readily insel-table in and withdrawable from the refrigerator, being mounted at their lower edges on supporting' brackets 18 and retained against the partition G at their upper edges by brackets 19. A. vertical rod 20 is within each unit between the walls 16 and constitutes a guide for a slide plate 21, having thereon a sleeve 22 mounted on the rod 20. A lever, comprising an arm 23 and another arm 24, is mounted on a pivot 25 between the side walls 16. The arm 23 has a pin and slot connection 26 with the sleeve 22, and the arm 24 has pin and slot connection 27 with a plunger 28. This plunger 28 is of such length that when the cooperating dooris closed, said plunger 28 is engaged by the inner side of said door and pushed inwardly so as to operatethe lever 23-24 and thereby move downwardly the slide 21 away from the opening 14, A spring 29 between the walls 16 acts against the lever arm 23 with suiiicient force and in a manner to move said arm 23 in a direction and to an extent to move the slide 21 to position to close the opening 14.

As stated, one of these units is mounted in the compartment 8 for control by the door 11 and another of such units is mounted in the upper end of the compartment 10 for control by the door 13. Similarly one of such units is mounted in the compartment 9 for control by the door 12 to open and close the opening 15, and a similar unit is mounted in the compartment 10 for control by the door 13 to open and to close communication between the compartments 9 and 10. The only difference between the location and mounting of the units for controlling communication between the compartments 9 and 10, as compared with the units for controlling communication between the compartments 8 and 10, is that the units for controlling communication between the compartments 9 and 10 are inverted Wi th respect to the unit-s rfor controlling communication between the compartments 8 and 10. Otherwise these units are alike, the parts of the units for controlling communication between the compartments 9 and 10 being designated by the reference characters 16a, etc.

The partition 7 that separates the compartments 8 and 9 has therethrough an opening 30. For controlling this opening I provide duplicate units, one of which is in compartment 8 and is under control of the door 11, and the other of which is in the compartment 9 and under control of the door 12. Each of said units comprises a box-like struct-ure including an upper wall 31, a lower wall 32 and side walls 33 joining the edges of the walls 31 and 32 and holding said walls in spaced relationship. The walls 31 and 32 have therethrough openings in registration with the opening 30 through the partition 7. A rod 34 is connected with the side walls 33 and extends transversely across the inside of the box-like unit. Two slides 35 have sleeves 36 mounted for sliding movements on the rod 4 and are movable to positions to open and to close the opening 30. Bellcrank levers 37 are mounted on pivots 38 within each unit and bellcrank levershave pin and slot connections 39 with the respective vcollars 36 and are operative to move said collars to and from position to close the opening 30. The bellcrank levers 37 are connected by a spring 40 which is effective to operate the bellcrank levers in a direction and extent to move the slides 35 to closed positions. Theopposite arms of the bellcrank levers 37 have operativeconnections 41 with the plunger 42, which projects forwardly in position to be engaged by the door 11 or12, as the case may be, when said door is closed. Thus when both doors 11 and 12 are closed the slides 35 of both units are held open. And when either door 11 or 12 is opened the slides 35 of the corresponding unit are closed by the spring 40, thereby closing the opening 30 constituting the communication between the compartments 8 and 9.

The unit in the compartment 8 is held in position bybrackets 43, and the unit inthe i compartment 9 is supportedl by brackets 44. Thus the units are easily removable and replaceable and, indeed, may be applied toy most refrigerators as an accessory or addition.

From the foregoing the high degree of utility, and the construction and operation of the invention mustbe apparent. The construction and arrangement of parts maybe 'varied within equivalent-limits without desaid openings to openand close communica-v tion between said compartments, a rod eX- tending across each of said openings, a sleever in connection witheach of saidslides mounted for sliding movements along the corresponding rod, a bell crank lever corresponding to each of said slides, a pivotal connection between one arm of each bell crank lever and the correspondingslide, av plunger engaging the other -arm of each bell crank lever, and doors for therespective compartments for engaging said plungers and holding said bell crank levers in position to hold said slides in open positions when said doors are closed. Y

2. A refrigerator, partitions dividing the inside of said refrigerator into separate compartments and having openings therethrough forming communications between said compartments, doors for the respective compartments, a box-like device having spaced walls provided with openings for registration with said openings through said partitions mounted in each of said compartments, means for removably supporting said box-like devices in the respective compartments in positions in which said openings through said devices reg'- ister with said openings through said par-l lions, and valves mountedbetween said walls of said box-like devices for openingr and closing said openings through said walls. 3. A re rigerator, partitions dividing the inside of said refrigerator intofseparate compartments and having openings therethrough forming communications between said compartments, doors for the respective compartments, a box-like device having spaced walls provided withl openings for registration with' *of said box-like devices for opening and closing said Yopenings through said walls, and actuating vdevices for said valves supported by said box-like devices and operated by-said doors when said doors are closed to open said valves. s

4f. A refrigerator, partitions dividing the inside of said refrigerator into separate compartments and having openings therethrough Y forming communications between said cornpartments, spaced walls forming a box-like device havin@- o eninOs therethrou h means l b b g 7 removably supporting one of said box-like devices ineach kof said compartments in posltion'in which the openings through said boxlikel devices register with the: openings through said partitions, doors for the respective compartments, valves mounted in said box-like devices forjopening and closing said openings, and means for koperating' said valves by said doors to open said valves when said doors are closed.k n

JEREMIAH FLYNN.

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