US1820045A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1931. H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,820,045

REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 51, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l S7121 um ammw Aug, 25, 1931. H. P. BRA EUTIGAM ET AL 1,820,045

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31 1928 I LLT E E I Y 7% 61mg ,Aug. 25, 1931. H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,820,045

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets+Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 51, 1928 gwwmhd WWW y 6mm,

Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A may 2. nmuorrom AND GmnviLLn s. DIOKZEY, or DAYTONQO IO, ABSIGNOBS r rmonmmn conrom'rxon, or DAYTON, 01110, A CORPORATION OF nmwmn BEI'BIGEBATING AIPABATUS Application filed August 31, 1928. Serial No. 803,202.

The present invention relates to im rovements in refrigerating apparatus an vided with freezing chambers and used in j, mechanically refrigerated cabinets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved refrigerating element having a freezing chamber arranged to receive either a single deep freezing container or a number of shallow containers.

The present invention contemplates an improvement in the arrangement shown in the application of Harry B. Hull, Serial No.

196,062, filed June 2, 1927, in WhlCll a re- 18 frigerating element is described having a large freezing chamber in which means are provided intermediate its top and bottom for supporting a removable shelf or partition-which divides the chamber into a plu- $0 rality of smaller compartments. In accordance with the present invention, it is an object to provide means for preventing the unlntentional or accidental removal of this partition when the trays containing congealed foodstuffs are withdrawn.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide means for preventing movement of the front of the shelf in a vertical direction and means preventing move- 80 ment of the back end of the shelf in a horizontal direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for covering the gap which occurs between containers inserted in the individual small compartments provided by the partition.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a refrigerator cabinet showing the improved refrigerating element, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the re- 5o frigerating element corresponding to Fig.

more particularly to refrigerating elements pro- 1 but provided with three freezing trays instead of two";

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, the freezing trays being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the trays being shown in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a pers tive view of one form of removable shel Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form of removable shelf;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of a refrigerating element showing shelflocking means.

In using a refri erating:v element of the kind referred to, suTistances to be congealed or frozen are placed in freezing trays or ice-making containers which are placed in freezing chambers within the refrigerating element where they are subjected to the low temperature produced by the apparatus. When using a freezing chamber adapted for holding either deep or shallow containers as shown in the Hull application referred to, it may occur that the shelf or partition used to adapt the chamber for a pair of shallow trays will freeze to the bottom of the upper tray. This may cause the shelf to be withdrawn unintentionally with the upper tray, and it frequently happens that in cases of such unsuspected withdrawal the ice bond breaks or melts, letting the shelf drop, and this may cause personal injury to the user. or damage to the shelf or other objects. .By providing means for reventing such accidental withdrawal of t e shelf these disadvantages are removed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 shows a refrigerator cabinet having insulating walls 10 and an internal partition 11 dividing the cabinet into a food storage compartment 12 and a cooling compartment 13, the latter containing a refrigerating element generally denoted by 15. The refrigerating element may include a header 16 adapted to contain a quantity of volatile liquid refrigerant maintained at a constant level therein by any suitable float mechanism, not shown. Liquid refrigerant is supplied to the header, and gaseous refrigerant is withdrawn from the header through suitable conduits 17 and 18 respectively, by any suitable refrigerating apparatus. Connected to the header and depending therefrom are duct loops 20 which define a freezing space within which is placed any suitable number of enclosures forming freezing chambers which are thermally connected to the ducts. As shown in the drawings two-freezing chambers, in the form of sheet metal enclosures or sleeves are provided, one being a relatively shallow sleeve 22 for the reception of a single ice-making container or freezing tray 23, and the other being a relatively deep chamber 24 adapted to receive a relatively -deep freezing container 25. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 one end of each freezin chamber is open to receive the trays and the other end is closed by a back wall 22a or 25a.

In order that the deep chamber 24 may be used to receive a pair of relatively shallow containers 23, instead of the deep container 25, the enclosure is provided between its top and bottom with a pair of oppositely disposed ledges 26 which are preferably formed by stamping U-shaped portions in the side walls of the enclosure 24. The ledges form supporting means for a removable shelf 28, which when it is in place, sub-divides the freezing chamber 24 into a pair of compartments 24b and 24a (Figs. 2 and 4) each adapted to receive a shallow freezing tray 23. The shelf forms a heat conducting member for transferring heat from the upper tray 23 to the walls of the freezing enclosure 24 and thus to the refrigerant within the ducts 20.

As shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, each of the shallow freezing trays includes a container proper 23 and a tray front 23a having an integrally formed handle 23b. The tray fronts act as closures for the open ends of the freezing chambers and are preferably made of material of high olishability, such as monel, for the sake of appearance. Each tray front is connected to and spaced from the tray proper by arms 23c and 23d. When the tray is pushed into the chamber as far as it will go, the tray front 23a places the front end of the container 23 behind the end of and well within the sleeve 22. This prevents any water which may condense around the front of the sleeve from dripping into the tray. The upper arm 230 is disposed below the level of the ed e of the container 23 so that any water ripping onto the arm cannot flow into the tray.

Likewise the deep tray includes a container proper 25 and a tray front 25a similarly spaced from the container by vertical arms 25 riveted to extensions 250 on the side walls of the container 25.

The front of the cooling compartment 13 is provided by a vertical wall 30 having an opening 31 somewhat larger than the ends of the freezing chambers. A shield 32 in the general form of a frustum of a pyramid and having a lip 33 surrounding and closing the opening 31 is attached at its smaller end to the freezing chambers 22 and 24. As shown best in Figs. 3 and 4 the upper side of the smaller end of the shield is provided with a lip 35 which fits against the top of the freezing chamber 22 and the lower side of the smaller end of the shield has a corresponding lip 36 which fits against the bottom wall of the freezing chamber 24. The sides of the shield adjacent the freezing chambers are provided with extensions 37, which are secured to the side walls of the freezing chambers 22 and 24 by means of screws 38. The screws 38 also support buffers 39 against which the tray fronts 23a and 25a abut when the drawers are placed in the freezin chambers. The bufl'ers space the tray routs a short distance from the shield 32 in order to prevent freezing of the tray fronts to the latter. However, the opening between the tray fronts and the shield is small enou h to prevent any appreciable circulation 0 air into the freezing chambers. The tray fronts thus substantially close the open ends of the chambers. with a U-shaped bar 40 extending across the opening 31 and between the chambers 22 and 24 in order to cover any gap between the two sleeves 22 and 24.

When two shallow trays 23 are used in the compartment 24 there is necessarily a gap 45 between the tray fronts 23a due to the space occupied b the ledges 26. This gap is unsightly an may permit relatively warm air from the cabinet to circulate into the freezing chamber and thus tend to melt the ice in periods during which the refrigerating apparatus is not operating. In order to cover this gap I provide a lip on the front end of the removable shelf. This lip may be made integral the shelf as by soldering it to the shelf or by bending down the front end of the shelf. The former method of construction is indicated in Fi 5 wherein 28 indicates the shelf, to the firont end of which is soldered a U-shaped member having a vertical lip 60, a ledge 61 to facilitate attachment to the shelf, and a horizontal flange or lip 62 which projects under the front ends of the ledges 26 to lock the front end of the shelf against vertical movement. The ends of the 'U-shaped member roject beyond the sides of the shelf, and the projecting por- Ytions of the flanges 61 and 62 are turned back as at 63 for the sake of appearance and to permit the flange 62 to hook under the ledges 26. Preferably the member is formed of material of high polishability, for example monel,.which is desirable from the stand- The shield 32 also is provided point of appearance to match the tray fronts. .lt is undesirable to make the entire shelf of the monel both because of the high cost of that metal and also because the latter is a poor conductor of heat, the shelf usually being made of a metal of high thermal conductivity such as copper.

In Fig. 6 another form of shelf 28a is shown in which the lip 60a and the fiange (32a are made by simply bending the front end of the shelf.

'In order to prevent accidental Withdrawal of the shelf the ledges 26 terminate short of the back of the freezing chamber 24, as shown in Fig. 7, and provide a shoulder which is adapted to engage a shoulder 71 formed by bending down the back end of the shelf 28. \Vhen the shelf is in place the shoulders cooperate to prevent horizontal withdrawal of the shelf; Consequently if a tray freezes to a shelf, as often happens, the tray may be withdrawn, breaking the ice bond and leaving the shelf held in place by the shoulders. The shoulders are placed at the back end ofthe shelf in order that the front end of the shelf may be locked against vertical movement, while the back end may be raised independently of the front end to disengage the shoulders and permit withdrawal of the shelf in ahorizontal direction.

l/Vhen a user finds a tray frozen to the shelf, the normal tendency is to lift up on the handle to separate the front end .of the tray from the shelf in order to break the ice bond between the shelf and the tray.

Since the front end of the shelf is locked against vertical movement, the shelf will be held in place and permit the ice bond to be broken by this method. And since the back end of the shelf is locked against horizontal movement, the shelf cannot slide out when the tra is withdrawn. Thus the shelf is firmly loc ed in the chamber against accidental removal, but may be readily removed when desired simply by tipping the back end up until the shoulders become disengaged, and then drawing the shelf out horizontally.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a shelf for separatingthe enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, a lip on the shelf for covering the gap between the fronts of the containers placed in the compartments, and means projecting from the lip and engaging. the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

2. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a shelf for separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, an integral lip on the shelf for covering the gap between the fronts of the containers placed in the compartments, and means projecting from the lip and engaging the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

3. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a shelf for separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, and a lip on the shelf for covering the gap between the fronts of the containers placed in the compartments, said lip being formed of material adapted to take a high polish, and means projecting from the lip and engaging the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

4. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a shelf for separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, and a lip on the shelf for covering the gap between the fronts of the containers placed in the compartments, said lip being formed of material different from that of the shelf, and means projecting from the lip and engaging the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

5. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, said enclosure having an a open end and a closed end, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a removable shelf for separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, the end of the shelf at the open end of the enclosure being bent to form both an integral vertical lip for covering the gap between the fronts of the containers in the compartments, and a horizontal lip projecting from the vertical lip and engaging the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

6. Refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure open at the front and adapted to receive ice-making containers, a ledge in said enclosure for supporting a shelf, a removable shelf on the ledge separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, said shelf being removable through the open front while the ledge is maintained in osition and an integral hook on said shel engaging the ledge to prevent vertical movement of the front end of the shelf when said shelf is in position.

7. Refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure adapted to receive icemaking containers, shelf supporting means in the enclosure, a shelf on said supporting means for separating the enclosure into a pair of compartments each adapted to receive a container, a vertical lip projecting from the shelf for covering the gap between containers placed in the compartments and means projecting from said 11p and engaging the enclosure to prevent vertical movement of the shelf.

8. A refrigerating element for refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a freezing enclosure ada ted to receive icemaking containers, she f supporting means in the enclosure, a removable shelf adapted to separate the enclosure into a plurality of compartments each adapted to receive a container, cooperatin and enclosure a apted to prevent withdrawal of the shelf in a horizontal direction, a vertical lip on one end of the shelf for closing the space between the fronts of the contalners .in the compartments, and means on the lip engaging the shelf supporting means to prevent vertical movement of that end of the shelf.

In testimony whereof we hereto affix our signatures.

HENRY P. BRAEUTIGAM. GRANVILLE S. DIGKEY.

shoulders on said shelf a

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