US1835847A

US1835847A - Door shifted tray support for cabinets

Info

Publication number: US1835847A
Application number: US393180A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest A Chandler; John H Mccann
Original assignee: ARCH G CHANDLER
Current assignee: ARCH G CHANDLER
Priority date: 1929-09-17
Filing date: 1929-09-17
Publication date: 1931-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1948-12-08

Description

De- 8, 1931- E. A. CHANDLER ET AL 1,835,847

DOOR SHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT FOR CABINETS Filed Sept. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-'Sheet l l r l amg DeC- 8, 1931. E. A. CHANDLER ETAL 1,835,847

DOOR SHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT OR CABINETS Filed sept. 17, 1929 z'sneets-sheet 2 @WMM ...Patented Dec. v8, 1931 CII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST A. CHANDLER AND JOHN H. MCCANN, F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T0 ARCH v'Gn CHANDLER, 0F BESSEMER, ALABAMA DOGR SHIFTED TRAY SUPPORT FOR GABINETE This invention relates to improvements in cabinet structures wherein article supporting trays are employed and relates more par- Y ticularly to improvements in refrigerator construction.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide, in a refrigerator, a. slidably mounted frame adapted to support the trays of the refrigerator with means associated therewith and coupling the frame with the door of the refrigerator whereby the frame and all of the trays supported thereby will be withdrawn from the refrigerator as the door thereof is swung open and returned to position in the refrigerator when the door is swung to closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in association with a structure of the character above set forth, a wall or partition forming a part of the tray frame which acts to close the chamber in which the frame normally positions after it has been drawn therefrom to prevent escape of the cold air from the refrigerator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reciprocating tray structure for a refrigerator in which all of the trays or racks are shifted coincidently with the door and in I which means is provided whereby the forward portion of the structure supporting the trays or racks is given additional support when in extended position so that sagging thereof is prevented.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as a description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a refrigerator showing the structure embodying the present invention in position in the food chamber thereof.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substan` tially upon the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken transversely of the refrigerator upon a horizontal lane and above the top wall of the food cham er showing the position of the shelf supporting structure when the refrigerator door is opened.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally a cabinet body which, in the present instance will be referred to as a refrigerator. This refrigerator is shown as having the spaced inner and

outer walls

2 and 3 respec- -tively between which may be placed a suitable insulating material, and a door opening 4 is formed through one wall which 1s normally closed by the door 5 mounted upon the hinges 6 which are of a construction which will swing the door to a position a substantial distance away from the body of the cabinet when the door is opened. In the upper portion of the chamber 7 which may be referred to as the food chamber, a partition wall 8 is arranged through the central portion of which an elongated central opening 9 is formed, through which cold air may pass downwardly into the food chamber from a cooling means of any desired character, such for example as the freezing coil of an automatic refrigerator unit, which coil may be placed in the chamber 10 formed above the food chamber. The forward wall 11 of the chamber 10 is formed to receive an ice cube drawer 12 and the opening in this wall through which the tray 12 is extended is normally closed by a, hanging hinged door 13.

While we have particularly shown and described a refrigerator structure in association with which an automatic refrigerator unit may be employed, it is, of course, to be understood that the application of the present invention is not to be restricted to use in a refrigerator of this type but may be used in frame 14, the upper and lower side rails and 16 respectively, which form the side frame of the skeleton which side rails connect at their inner or rear ends with an upright panel 17 which forms a rear wall for the skeleton. This rear wall or panel 17 is of slightly less height and width than the chamber 7 and has secured about the edges thereof the resilient tongue or fiange 18 which snugly engages the chamber walls for the purpose hereinafter more clearly set forth.

Extending from the front to the rear of the food chamber along each side wall and at the top and bottom thereof is a trackway 19 formed in any suitable manner and of any suitable materials. Each of these trackways is in the same plane as the adjacent side rail of the skeleton and each of the side rails is extended laterally suficiently to slidably envgage in the adjacent track, or if preferred each of the side rails may have secured thereto a. laterally extending iiange member for j 0 ent portlon or ange 18 of the panel 17 wlth the walls of the chamber 7 the door 5 of the engagement in the adjacent track, the projecting portion of the side railor its equivalent, such as the attached ange, being indicated by the numeral 20.

The refrigerator rack or tray su porting skeleton has attached to the uprig t members of the front frame 14 and to the panel 17 adjacent the vertical edges thereof, suitable supporting elements 21 for maintaining the racks or trays 22 in horizontal position in the skeleton.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 each of these racks has a surrounding upstanding guard 23 and at its central portion an elongated recess 24 corresponding to the recess 9 in the top wall of the food chamber about which a similar upstanding guard 25 is formed.

These guards prevent bodies from being packed too closely upon the racks and from being arranged so that they extend over the sides of the rack and engage the walls of the food cabinet and prevent the free circulation of cold air through the chamber.

To the central portion of thetop and bottom edge of the back wall or panel of the rack carrying skeleton structure there is pivotally secured one end of a link 26, the other end of which is pivotally attached, as at 27, to one end of an arm 28 which is rigidly secured as at 29 to the central portion of the door 5, in the manner shown, this arm being arranged at an acute angle to the face of the door to which it is secured so that as the door is swung from opened to closed position, or

vice versa, the arms will act through the links 26 to move the rack supportin skeleton frame inwardly or outwardly o the food chamber.

In order to insure movement of the rack supporting structure always in the same plane and without sagging, a series of links 30 are provided at each side of the structure, which are arranged in end to end relation and pivotally connected, as at 31, one end of each series being secured, as at 32, at a suitable point adjacent the lower part of the skeleton supporting structure at the front thereof, while the other end of the series is pivotally attached, as at 33, to the adjacent side wall of the food chamber adjacent the top thereof and in the front of the chamber.

From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that when the refrigerator door 5 is swung from closed to open position, the arm 28 will draw the rack supporting structure and all the racks thereon out of the chamber 7 to a position where easy access may be had to any of the articles supported upon the various racks 22.

At the same time the linked brackets or arm 30 are swung outwardly to form a support for the forward part of the rack supporting structure so that sagging thereof cannot occur.

Due to the snug engagement of the resilithereto for it will be seen that as the rack supporting structure moves outwardly, the panel moves tothe front of the chamber 7 and keeps the same closed.

In order to prevent the creation of suction or a vacuum behind the panel 17 as the rack carrying structure moves outwardly and to permit the smooth return of the panel to the back of the cabinet chamber when the door is swung to, there is formed therethrough an opening 34 which isnormally covered by a swinging flap valve 35. This Hap valve does not seat tightly over the opening 34 so that sulicient air may pass from the front to the rear of the panel when the same is moved outwardly to prevent creation of a vacuum which would retard the opening of the door and movement of the structure, until the edge of the vpanel moves over the opening 9, after which air may pass freely through this opening from the upper chamber 10, to the rear of the panel. It will be readily understood that when the panel is moved back to position in the chamber the valve will swing away from its seat to permit free passage of air trapped between the rear wall of the chamber or panel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with a refrigerator provided with a structure of the` character herein described, material therein on the supporting racks may be readily obtained upon opening the door and also reduction of the efficiency of the refrigerator will be prevented as a result of the provision of the shiftable wall or panel 17 which prevents entrance of warm air into the chamber or escape of cold air therefrom while the door is open.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a cabinet structure having a chamber and a swinging door closing an opening through one wall thereof, a skeleton frame structure designed to fit in the chamber, racks carried in said frame structure, means for `slidably supporting the structure in the chamber for movement relative to the door opening, linked arms connecting the door with the structure at the rear of the same, means for supporting the forward part of the structure when the same is moved to position exteriorly of the chamber, and a wall forming the rear of said structure and movable therewith to the front of the chamber upon extension of the structure, said wall having contact at all times throughout its edges with the adjacent chamber walls to close the chamber against entrance of air thereto or escape of air therefrom.

2. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a dooropening and-a door pivotally mounted thereover, and further having an ice vchamber in communication with the first chamber throughy al central opening in an intervening wall;` an open structure conforming in design to the design of said chamber and adapted to fit therein, said structure including a back wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, racks carried by the structure, a linked arm connecting the structure with the door to shift the same in the chamber relative to the door opening when the door is swung to open or closed position, and a valve member controlling an opening in said panel. said opening preventing the trapping of air in the chamber when the panel is shifted inwardly, said panel moving across said wall opening in its in and out movement with the structure, and said valve passing sufficient air to permit the outward movement of the panel, until said opening is reached thereby.

3. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and a door pivotally mounted thereover, an open structure conforming in design to the design of said cham ber and adapted to fit therein, said structure including a back wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, racks carried by the structure, a linked arm connecting the structure with the door to shift the same in the chamber relative to the door opening when the door is swung to open or closed position, and linked arms connecting the forward lower art of the structure wit the upper part of t e chamber walls and acting to prevent sagging of the structure when the same is extended from the chamber.

4. In a refrigerator structure, a `chamber having a door opening and a door pivotally mounted thereover, and further having an icc chamber in communication with the first chamber through a central opening in an intervening wall; an open structure conforming in design to the design of said chamber and adapted to fit therein, said structure including a back wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, racks carried by the structure, a linked arm connecting the structure with the door to shift the same in the chamber relative to the door opening when the door is swung to open or closed position, a valve member controlling an aperture in said panel, said aperture preventing the trapping of air in the chamber when the panel is shifted inwardly, said panel moving across said wall opening in its in and out movement with the structure, and said valve passing sufficient air to permit the outward movement of the panel, until said opening is reached thereby, and linked arms' connecting the forward part of the structure with the chamber walls and acting to prevent sagging of the structure when the same is extended from the chamber.

5. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and a door pivotally mounted thereover and further having an ice chamber in communication with the first chamber through a central opening in an intervening wall; an article supporting structure conforming in design to the design of the chamber and fitted therein, said structure including a back wall panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said panel and engaging the walls of the chamber, said structure being designed to be slidably moved into and out of the chamber through the door opening, and a valve member controlling an opening in said panel, said opening operating to prevent trapping of air in the chamber when the panel is shifted, said valve being formed to pass sufiicient air through the opening when the panel is moving outwardly, to permit such movement until the panel reaches said wall opening.

6. In a, refrigerator structure` a chamber having a door opening and a door pivotally mounted thereover, an open article supporting structure within the chamber and conforming in design to the design of the chamber, a linked arm connecting the door with the back portion of the structure to effect. substantially complete removal of the structure from the chamber when the door is swung to open position and to effect replacement of the structure when the door is closed, and linked arms connecting the forward lower part of the structure with the upper part of the chamber side Walls and acting to prevent sagging of the structure whenlthe same is extended from the chamber.

7. In a refrigerator structure, a chamber having a door opening and a door pivotally mounted thercover and further.v having an ice chamber in communication with the first chamber through a central opening in an intervening Wall; a frame structure conforming in design to the interior design chamber and of a size to snugly t therein, said frame structure including aback panel, a resilient flange surrounding the edge of said panel and engaging the Walls of the chamber, said panel having an opening therethrough, and a flap valve mounted upon the inner face of the panel to cover said opening, said frame being designed to be shifted into and out of the chamber through said door opening and said valve opening upon the shifting of the frame inwardly to prevent the trapping of air behind the frame, said valve being formed to pass sufficient air through the opening When the panel is moving outwardly, to permit such movement until the panel reaches said wall opening.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures.

ERNEST A. CHANDLER. JOHN H. MCCANN.

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