US1887313A

US1887313A - Refrigerated show case

Info

Publication number: US1887313A
Application number: US518535A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lester U Larkin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-02-26
Filing date: 1931-02-26
Publication date: 1932-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1949-11-08

Description

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LESTER U. LARKIN, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

REFRIGERATED SHOW CASE Application filed February 26,1931. Serial No. 513,585.

This invention relates to refrigerated showcase, and has for its object the provision of means for catching the drip from the moisture'condensing on the refrigerating coil so as to prevent its falling upon the refrigshowcase, in a focal position in said showcase, a convection circulation is set up and maintained, so efliclent that the refrigeratmg coil can be run at a temperature so slightly below the showcase temperature that no conthe showcase.

densati'on will occur on the fins or tubes of the coil.

In those installations in which the coil extends from one end to the other of the showcase along the top of the refrigerated chamber the convection circulation is somewhat interfered with b the longitudinally distributed down dri t of cold air from the coil, so that it becomes necessary to run the coil at a lower temperature in order to realize the same degree of refrigeratin temperature in The range etween the coil temperature and the temperature of the surrounding air within the refrigerated chamber is then so wide as to produce condensation on the fins or tubes of the coil in the form of,

dew. The drip of the condensate would without suitable preventive provision fall upon the products on the shelves below, in 'the refrigerated chamber. To prevent this the' use of a drip pan is indicated, but the presence of a drip pan of ordinarily imperforate construction would so thwart the convection circulation as to make it necessary to run the coil at such a low temperature that it would be covered with frost.

The present invention has for its more specific object the provision of a drip pan extending beneath the coil and being of trap formation whereby the drip from the condenser is caught and drainedaway while the maximum degree of space is provided for permitting free convective circulation.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing in which the same characters of reference are used throughout the several figures to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a cross section through the top wall of a refrigeratedshowcase showing the suspended coiland the drip pan;

Figure2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken- Figures 4 and '5 are perspective views of along the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

the respectiveend supports for the drip pan at opposite ends of the showcase.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 represents the top wall of the showcase from which the coil 2 is suspended by suitable means such as the screw eyes 3 fixed to the top wall 1 and supporting a rod 4 which passes beneath a bank of tubes 5 and by means of which the coil is suspended. The coil is preferably of that type known as cross fin comprising vertical fins 6 through which pass the horizontal refrigerant tubes 7. The fins of the coil are preferably, although not necessarily, made of aluminum.

Figure'*3 shows'that the coil 2 is designed to extend substantially throughout the length of the showcase along the top of the refrigerated chamber. It will be understoodthat the air between adjacent fins becoming chllled,

will descend,replacing warmer air in the lower part of the refrigerated chamber, which warmer air will ascend to take the place of the cold air, a circulation of air within the refrigerated chamber. being thus set up and maintained. Where the entire coil is placed for instance, on one side of the refrigerated chamber, the convection circulation thus set up becomes extremely eflicient as has been explained in reference to the objects of the invention. By having the coil extend along the entire top of the "refrigerated chamber, it is obvious that the cold air will descend in the center as well as the sides, thus interfering to some extent with the integrity of the convecwhen the latter are installed in s'aid su tion circulation sothat it is not so efiicient as to permit the coil to be run at a temperature at which moisture condensation will not occur on the fin or top surface of the coil. Consequently, I have-provided a drip pan 8 p0- sitioned beneath the coil protecting the refrigerated products from the drip of the condenser. is drip pan is preferably constituted by individual members or bafiles 9 having web portions 10 only slightly inclined -to the vertical, with the lower edges 11 turned up to form a shallow trough and the upper edges 12 angularly bent down in an opposite direction so as just to overhang the troughs of adjacent members.

a The drip-from the coil falling upon the apex 13 of a baflle member must flow either down the inclined web 10 or down the inclined upper edge, in either event droppin into the trou h formed between'the web an lower edge 0% each, baflle member.

Figure 3 shows that the baflle members 9 incline toward one end of the showcase so that the /moisture flows down the several troughs into a drain channel 14 from which it iscarried ofi throu h the vent 19.

It will be noted in igure 1 that the space between adjacent bafile members ermits an from the surfaces of the coil.

Any suitable meansfor installing the drip pan are within the broad concept of the invention, but a specific and practical means is herein shown

comprisin end supports

15 and 16 ada ted to be secure across t e end walls of the s owcase within the refri erated chain ber. These supports are of -sha ed cross section as show and the inner'wa l of each support is provi ed with

slots

17 and 18 corba e membersexcept that the slots 18 a their lower ortion are enlarged as indicate at l9vprovid ing space for the flow of water through the troughs of the bafilemembers orts. The baflieimembers are in length s fghtl shorter thin the distance between the en walls of the refrigerator so that in aputting them in plac they are first inserte in the slots '18, while in the inclined position indicated in broken lines in Figure 8. The are then pushed as far as possible towar .the left as viewed in Figure 3. permitting the right-hand ends to clear the su port 15 and to be brought into alinement wit .theslots 17.

e members are then shifted toward The bafli the right through the slots 17 until theyabut firmly against the outer wall of the support 15. The support 16 which constitutes the drain channel 14 is wider in cross section than the support 15, so that when the baflle members 9 have'been shifted as far as ossible to the -ri ht, they are still engaged by the slots 18 o the support 16.

A suitable latch maybe provided to preonding to the cross sectional shape of the vent inadvertent displacement of the bafiie members which in the present instance comprises a bar 21 having an angular lug 22, by

means of which it is pivotally connected to a suitably fixed portion of the showcase. The bar 21 is preferably of angle construction as indicated at 23 in Figure 3, so that when raised it is out of engagement with the bafiie members so that they can be shifted leftward for removal if desired. When the bar 21 is in of a drip pan adapted to be associated with the refrigerating coil, andso constructed that while it catches all the water dripping from the edgesof the fins or from the tubes, yet at the same time, it provides louvers affording a maximum passage for the free circulation of the descendmg convection currents from.

the coil. It is to be understood that the specific construction of the baffle-members and the specific means for supporting them in the showcase are not essential to the realization of the invention its broadest aspect,

but are merely appurtenant toa specific emalmost perpendicular descent of t e coldair bodiment of the invention. What I claim is: Q

1. In a refrigerated showcase, a refrigerclined downward y to a point intersecting a vertical plane passing through the trough of said adjacent member whereby condensate dripping upon the inclined upperedgesof sai members is shedwinto the,troughs at the bottom edges of said members.

2. Refrigerated showcase as claimed claim 1,. including supports at the ends of the refrigerating chamber,

said supports being of U-shaped cross section defining inner walls and one of said supportsbeing o walls for loosel receiving said members, the slotsin o'ne wa 1 being at a lower level than the slots in the other wall whereby said members areinclined toward one supportand communicating therewith throu h its inner wall,

said support acting as a drain for said mem- -bers,-sa1 when shifted to the extent of their range of efining sube of each member being inwider cross I section than the other, slots in said innermembers being of'such length that, I

longitudinal movement toward the su port of narrower cross section the will sti main supported at both en s while when shifted to the limit of their range of movement toward the support of wider cross section, they will fall s in the opposite wall, thereby permitting their ort of reaching the slots 1 Y iao I than the siots in the other wall whereby said introduction into said supports one end at a time.

r 3. Refrigerated showcase as claimedin claim 1, including supports at the ends of the refrigerating chamber, said supports being of U-shaped cross section defining inner walls and one of said supports being'of wider cross section than the other, slots in said innet walls for loosely receiving said members, the slots in one wall being at a lower level members are inclined toward one support and communicating therewith through its inner wall, said support'acting as a dram for said members, said members being of such length that when shifted to the extent of their range of longitudinal movement toward the support of narrower cross section they will still remain supported at both ends while when shifted to the limit of their range of movement toward the support of wider cross section they will fall short of reaching the slots in the opposite wall, thereby permitting their introduction into .said supports one end at .a time, and a latch engageable with said members for retaining them against displacement when in supforted position.

In testimony whereo I afiix my signature.

LESTER U.LARKIN.