US1847109A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1932. w, c, HQLBRQOK 1,847,109

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM C. my, S wmfl- -rTz/LA March 1, 1932. w c, HQLBROQK 1,847,109

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwumdoz 351 3710mm H'Mwm i- Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAI C. HOLBBOOK, OI DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO IBIGIDAIBE OOBPORATION, 7

OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE BEEBTGRATING APPARATUS Application filed March 28, 1929. Serial no. 350,676.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and especially to means or preventin condensation of moisture on the outside a cabinet housing said refrigerating ap aratus.

object of the invention is to provide ventilating means in the framework of refrig'erating cabinets.

Another object of the invention is to provide an opening thru a portion of the refri erator cabinet.

urther 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 invention 18 clearly shown.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a cross section thru a refri erator cabinet to which the invention is app ied.

Fig. 2 is a cross section thru the central post of the refrigerator cabinet of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator cabinet of Fig. 1.

It has been found that in very humid atmospheres and where a very eflicient coohng coil has been placed within the refrigerator cabinet th t certain portions of the exterior of the ca inet are apt to have condensed thereon moisture from the surrounding air.

This moisture is apt to collect when the refrigerant supply apparatus has been set for the production of an intense cold in the food compartment for the freezing of ice desserts for example. The extreme cold is apt to chill certain portions ofthe wall of the food compartment especially about the opening of the door and it is an object of this invention to provide ventilating means whereby this condensation can be eliminated.

In Fig. 3 is disclosed a refrigerator cabinet havin a front panel 11,- front doors 12 with the inge means 13, latch means 14 and also the lower door 15. This outside panel 11 may be put on in sections and is preferably of steel construction covered with pyroxylme,

' paint or porcelain. Between the two doors a frame work and certain members of it are disclosed in the drawings in addition to the center post already mentioned namely the top front cross piece 18, cross piece 19 below the center post 17 and rear cross piece 20 and 21. In the upper portion of the cabinet is the food compartment 22 having an inner lining 23 substantially surrounded by insulation 24 preferably slabs of rock cork sealed with a bituminous cement such as hydrolene. A fiber or pulp board 25 adds to the insulation above the food compartment and a downwardly flanged top panel 26 extends across the upper part of the cabinet. Also disclosed in Fig. 1 is the rear panel 27 and the base 28. In the lower part of the cabinet just above the base 28 is a machine compartment for the refrigerant supply apparatus. This apparatus preferably consists of the compressor 29, condenser 30 and receiver 31, run by the motor 34 thru the belt 35 connected to the compressor pulley and fan 36. A valve and snap switch 37 governs the runnin of the motor. Conduits 32 and 33 exten upwardly thru a sleeve 58 preferably sealed with kapok into the food compartment to the header 38 with its depending ducts or loops 39 enclosing the freezing trays 40.

As more particularly disclosed in Fig. 2 the two doors of the food compartment preferably have an outer panel 41 covering the frame work 42, insulation 44, preferably slabs of rock cork, and the inner panel 43. Attached to the inner side of the door is a sealin means 45. The inner central post behind the panel 16 is preferably constructed as disclosed in Fig. 2. Immediately back of the panel is preferably an insulation 46 such as paper felt. Frame work members 47, 48 and 49 and 50 preferably surrounding a ventilating shaft 51; The inner panel 52 covers the side of the post facing the food compartment and a door molding 53 preferably extends from the outer panel 16 to the inner panel 52 of the central post or j amb. As disclosed in Fi 1 the shaft thru the central post extends ownwardly thru the frame member 19 to the compartment containing the refrigerant supply apparatus. As so disclosed the air passage has been slanted slight- 1y to avoid the catch means 57 for the lower door. The air passage also extends upwardly thru the frame member 18 past a cut-away portion 55 of the insulating fiber or pulp board 26 and then curves with the top panel about the flange 56 to the outer air. Accordingly as disclosed the frame work at this point has the ventilatin shaft from the machine compartment up t ru one of the frame members beside the food compartment to the top of the cabinet where it has egress to the outer air.

The outside surface of the central post of two door food compartment refrigerator cabinets is more susceptible to the collection of condensation thereon than other parts of the cabinet. An examination of Fig. 2 will disclose how thoroughly a cold atmosphere will surround the three sides of such a post. Accordingly heat leaking through such a post from the outside is very rapidly absorbed. In fact the rate of absorption is much greater than the rate of supply of heat. The consequence is that the surface 16 of the post is cold and, if below the dew point, condensation will deposit on the surface 16. In localities near large bodies of water the humidity is often very high even with high temperatures. Accordingly even a slight drop in the temperature of any object will cause condensation thereon in these localities due to the high humidity. The surface of the central post is cold because it absorbs heat from the air at its surface very rapidly and much more rapidly than this surface air received heat from the other air in the room. Accordingly, moisture is often condensed upon the surface of 16 due to its temperature being below the dew point. The air space 51 however slows up the absorption of heat between the space 51 and the outer surface of 16 and restricts the rapid absorption area to the space between the air space 51 and the inner lining of the cabinet. As the heat is not thus so rapidly absorbed at the surface of the post, the surface temperature will not be so much below the temperature of the outside air that condensation will result if the humidity is high. Accordingly, the post of the door will remain in the same dry state as the rest of the outer covering of the refrigerator.

The location and size of the air space is of course subject to change without departing from the spirit of the invention. It might for instance be located much nearer to the outer panel and may even be located directly behind the outer panel. In such a case however, provision should be made for adequate support of the latch means attached to the central post. This air space has been illustrated as applied to the central door post of two door food compartment cabinets as it is thought that such central post is more susceptible to condensation. It is obvious however, that the invention could be applied to other portions or sections of cabinets of this type or other types where it is thought desira e. Another such type is where the food co1npartment has a plurality of horizontally spaced doors with a post, or sill or rail separating them. The invention also contemlates preventing condensation on the surace of such sill or rail altho in this case the air shaft or space would probably have to extend horizontally instead of vertically as disclosed in the drawings. The use of the word post in the claims is intended to cover such sill or rail or other supporting means. In fact the air spaces may be scattered in various places in the framework and may also be joined together as a ventilating system throughout the framework. Furthermore the use of the word framework is not intended to be limited to the wooden framework disclosed butto cover supporting members of other materials as well, such as steel with a surface of paint or porcelain.

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 ofthe claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows.

1. A refrigerating cabinet having a food compartment in the upper portion thereof, a machine compartment in the lower portion thereof, a plurality of doors opening to said food compartment, a central post acting as a jamb for said doors and a ventilating shaft having air inlet and outlet openings, and extending from said machine compartment through said central post.

2. A refrigerating cabinet having a food chamber, a door opening to said food chamber, a portion of said cabinet acting as a jamb for said door, said portion having a clear ventilating passage therethrough, said passage having air inlet and outlet openings connected to the outer atmosphere.

3. A refrigerating cabinet having a food compartment in the upper portion thereof, a covering for the top of said cabinet, means forming an opening between said cabinet and said covering, said opening leading to the outer atmosphere, a machine compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, a door opening to said food compartment, a post acting as a jamb for said door, said postforming a ventilating passage extending from said machine compartment to said opening between the cabinet and said covering.

4. A refrigerating cabinet having a food compartment in the upper portion thereof, a covering for the top of said cabinet, means forming an opening between said cabinet and said covering, said opening leading to the outer atmosphere, a machine compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, a plurality of doors opening to said food compartment, a central post acting as a jamb for said doors,

\VILLIAM G. HOLBROOK.

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