US1973881A - Refrigerating unit - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1934. v w. MOODY REFRIGERATING UNIT Filed May 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 18, 1934. v w MOODY 1,973,881

REFRIGERATING UNIT Filed May 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Vw QA. 66

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 REFmGEaAmG UNIT Virginius W. Moody, Long Branch, N. J., assignor to Reynolds Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application .May 13, 1932, Serial No. 611,094

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerating unit and has to do particularly with a device which employs a solidified gas as a cooling agent.

A gas such as carbon dioxide which has been solidified by compression is at a temperature approximating minus one hundred fourteen degrees Fahrenheit or at a lower temperature. To place an article to be cooled in unobstructed proximity to so frigid a material would cause too great an amount of heat to be absorbed from that article. Ordinary refrigerated articles would, in such case, be cooled to 'a temperature lower than necessary, and in some instances to a temperature sufficiently low to cause irreparable damage to the destruction of the cooled article.

Unless preventive measures are taken when cooling goods by a solidified gaseous substance, such as carbon dioxide, the gas will be used in wasteful exuberance resulting in possible injury to those goods. 1

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a device adapted to conserve a refrigerating material by a unique method of insulating and permitting of heat contact therewith only from a chamber refrigerated thereby by indirect means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a'. storage compartment in combination with a. refrigerating chamber containing a refrigerant material, and a partition between 'the two with means for apportioning the effect of the refrigerant to the storage compartment.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a member of heat insulating material between a refrigerating chamber and a storage chamber, there being metallic pieces transgressing the insulating material between the two chambers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerant chamber inclosing a refrigerant material for cooling ay storagecompartment, the arrangement between the chamber and the compartment being such that gas may escape from the refrigerant chamber without passing through the storage compartment.

With the above objects and other desirable objects in View, the invention is hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings hereby made a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the lower part of the refrigerant chamber (Cl. (i2-91.5)

shown in Figure 1 to illustrate details of construction; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a compartment wall illustrating a different form of the invention.

Like reference characters indicate similar parts 69 throughout the following description and in the drawings.

In Figure 1 is a compartment 10 comprising an inner receptacle 11 with an introverted wall 12 and an outer protective casing 13. Sheet metal or a strong fibrous material may comprise the body of casing 13. The receptacle 11 rests upon the bottom of the casing 13, the upper edge of' the casing being doubled in any suitable fashion to hold the receptacle within a selected seated position. A transverse section of the compartment may be circular or rectangular or of any other desired shape. Usually the walls 12 of the receptacle will be made of glass and the space between the walls will be evacuated.

Resting upon the top o f the receptacle 11 about the opening 13a is a cooling element 14, the inner part of the element 14 comprising a refrigerant chamber 15 with introverted walls 16. Walls 16 are preferably of glass, but may be of any other dense heat insulating material. Enclosed between the walls'16 is a space 17 devoid of air. Encircling the refrigerant chamber at a short distance from its lower edge is a girdle member 18 which is formed of an insulating material. The lateral edges of the internal periphery of the member 18 are turned or otherwise cut to configure angular faces 19. The outer periphery of the member 18 configures a shoulder 20 adjacent to a notch 21- for seating a gasket 22. Beneath the notch 21, the Walls of the member 18 converge slightly inwardly and downwardly. The shoulder 20 and gasket 22 are of the same shape as the top of the walls 12.

There are annular gaskets 23 resting upon the 95 angular faces 19 to be pressed tightly against the wall of the chamber l5 by the coaction of annular strips 24 being drawn adjacent to the opposed faces of the member 18 and the faces 19 by the screws 25. The aperture within the member 18 100 is slightly larger than the transverse section of the chamber 15 disposed therein so that proper positioning of the gaskets 23 provides an air space 26 between the aperture walls of the member and the outer wall 16 of the refrigerant chamber. 105 'Ihis space is sealed at either end by one of gaskets 23.

Projecting from the lower edge of the girdle member 18 and there held by screws 27 is a at flexible gasket 28 to press against the inner wall ug of the receptacle 11. Thus an air space 29 is provided between the gaskets 28 and 22.

In Figure 2 there is shown encircling the bottom edge of the refrigerant chamber 15 an adjustable collar 30. Between the collar 30 and the outer wall of the chamber 15 is a packing strip 31 to cushion the effect of the collar 30 as it tightened about the bottom of the chamber by means of the screw 32. Incidental to another purpose of the collar 30,-and to be later disclosed, the said collar reinforces the bottom of the receptacle so that it may withstand any undue stress caused by the insertion of a plug 33 into the bottom of the receptacle. y

The plug 33 is made of an insulating material, and has any desired number of apertures 34 extending between the inner and outer faces 35 and 36 respectively thereof. Transgressing the apertures 34 are metallic rods 37 to the extremities of which are attached heat conductive plates 38 and 39. Usually the plates 38 and 39 will be formed of metal. A composite sheet constructed of laminated insulating sheets 40 may be placed upon the top of the inner plate 38 in any desired quantity. The laminations 40 may be entirely omitted. 'I'he purpose of the laminations 40, if

used, is to insulate the eiect of a refrigerant such as a block of solidified carbon dioxide 41 in the receptacle 15.

When the cooling unit 14 is supported in a vertical position as shown in Figure 1, the Weight of the refrigerant 41 may be too great for the plug 33 to support by frictional contact with the walls of the chamber 15. In such an instance, hooks or clamps (not shown) may be attached to the collar 30 for engaging the bottom of the plug 33.

Covering the top and otherwise exposed portion of the receptacle 15 is a strong casing 42 which rests upon the member 18, preferably made of sheet metal. The lower portion of the casing 42 is enlarged and articulated to form a transverse shoulder 43 for setting upon the top of the member 18 adjacent to its edge, and a downwardly projecting flange 44 for engaging the side of the member 18. An air space is provided between the casing 42 and the chamber 15.

Casings 13 and 42 entirely cover the device to lend the appearance of a metal cabinet. The casings may be of the same material or they may be of a different character to lend contrast in construction.

To insert food or other articles Within the receptacle of the compartment 10, the entire cooling unit 14 is removed by lifting it from its seated position upon the gasket 22 at the top of the compartment. While the unit 14 is removed from the compartment, the stopper 33 may be removed and a block of refrigerant material placed upon the stopper or block 33. At this time, if the sheets of insulating material 40 are used, they will be placed intermediate the plate 38 and the refrigerant material. This being done, the chamber 15 is carried over the refrigerant material and seated about the stopper. When hooks are attached to the collar 30 they will at this time be connected to thestopper. The unit is then reseated in assembled position with the compartment.

As the heat from the articles within the compartment to be cooled is conducted by the plate 36 and the rods 37 to the interior of the refrigerating unit, the refrigerant is heated to emit some gas by volatization. It is necessary that this gas escape, and escape is had by forcing its way intermediate the stopper or plug 33 and its seat within the end of the receptacle 15. Having escaped into the receptacle, the increased pressure in the latter named part flexes the gasket 28 slightly permitting the gas to escape slowly between the edge of that gasket and the inner wall 12 of the receptacle into the air space 29, and thence outward of the receptacle by passing between the gasket 22 and the edge of the opening 13a. 'I'his circuitous path for` the escape of the gas generated within the refrigerant chamber makes it possible for'an appreciable pressure to be maintained within the receptacle l5.

The movement of gas is always outwardly of the chamber 15 and into the receptacle 1l so that there can be no conduction of heat from the receptacle into the chamber by way of the gas. Therefore, the only way that heat is conducted to the refrigerant is by way of the heat conducting members'within the stopper 33. By changing the size or number of the members 37 the rate of heat flow is readily controlled.

Heat is absorbed uniformly from within the receptacle 12by the plate 36 which covers a goodly area within the receptacle. There is very little loss of cold air from within the receptacle 11 on the account of the flow of air past the gaskets 28 and 22, because the volume of egressed air is very slight. The chamber l5 is inserted into the compartment as far as it is practical with respect to space within the compartment in order t'o obtain a greater length of the outer wall 16 between the upper gasket 19 and the place of contact at the opening of the chamber of the stopper 33. Inner wall 16 of the chamber is very cold since it is exposed directly to the effect of the refrigerant material. The outer wall within the storage compartment and enclosed by the member 18 is not exposed to so cold an atmosphere. Therefore some heat will be conducted by way of the wall material from the outer part of the wall to the inner wall even though the material be of an insulating character. A temperature gradient will be established from the lowerpart of the inner wall to increase in value as the distance up the outer of the two walls is increased. It is desired to make the distance from the bottom of the outer wall 16 to the upper gasket 19 sufficient that the temperature of the wall at said gasket will be very near that of the atmosphere circumuent to the device. If this condition be reached there will be no transfer of heat from the exterior atmosphere to the wall to be conducted into either the storage compartment or the refrigerating chamber.

In the second form of the invention shown in.

Figure 3, the interior 50 of a compartment is enclosed by walls 51. Walls 51 are of a material adverse to the flow of heat therethrough.

Within a. Wall 51 of this form of the invention is a recess 52 having side walls 53 and a bottom 54. Lining the inside of the walls 51 to any desired extent, as well as the surface of the walls 53 and the bottom 54 of the recess 52 and exposed to the interior 50 of the receptacle, is a heat conductive ,layer 55. Layer or sheet 55 is preferably made of metal.

Connecting the sheet 55 to the inner side of the compartment bottom 54 are a plurality of heat conducting members 56, which may be of metal. The center portion of the recess bottom 54 exposed to the interior of the recess is slightly raised to form a channel 57 around the edge thereof. Laid within the channel 57 is a gasket 58 of an insulating material. The top of the gasket 58 is provided with a shallow groove 59. Beneath the gasket 58 and to the inner side thereof are respectively a flange 59 and the side walls of a guard wall 60. A second gasket 61 rests upon the top of the gasket 58. A bell 62 of introverted walls 63 is inverted into the recess 52 to rest upon the gasket 61. The walls 63 of the bell 62 may be of any dense tenacious insulating material but is preferably made of glass. The space between the walls 63 has the air removed therefrom to create a vacuum. A narrow space 64 is provided between the bell 62 and the guard member to provide for easy removal and replacement of the bell from its position upon the gasket 61.

Enclosing the bell 62 is a protective metal casing or jacket 65. The jacket 65 telescopes over the bell 62 and into the recess 52 to present an inwardly directed flange 66 into the groove 59 of the gasket 58. Groove 59 provides for a permanent seating of the casing. The casing 65 is of such a dimension that an air space 67 is provided between the walls thereof and the outer Wall 63 of the bell 62, and that a second air space 68 is provided to the exterior of the side wall of the casing 65 and between said wall and the innerside wa`ls of the recess 52. Extending inwardly at the upper edge of the recess 52 is a flexible gasket 69 to engage the side of the casing 65 thereby sealing the air space 68. A shallow intrenchment 70 encircles the opening of the recess 52 for accommodating the basket 69, thus operating in conjunction with a fiat ring 7l and screws 72 for retaining the gasket in place.

A cooling unit of this type enclosed by the Walls 53 and 54 makes it possible to gain entrance to the food storage compartment without removing the cooling unit. A door (not shown) is had for access to the compartment.

When i t is desired to place a refrigerant within the receptacle therefor, the metal casing 65 is engaged in any suitable manner and lifted vertically from the recess 52. The gasket 61 which rests upon the inturned flanges 66 carries the bell 62 outwardly along with the casing. The refrigerant may then be placed within the receptacle and Within the guard wall 60, the latter providing that small pieces of the refrigerant may remain within the recess While the bell is removed and to prevent such pieces from tumbling into the channel 57 or upon the gasket 58 to prevent a proper seating of the parts when reassembled.

A metal plate 73 is placed in the bottom of the recess and closely engages the ends of the members 56. It is optional whether insulating layers 74 be placed intermediate the refrigerant and the plate 73. After the refrigerant` has been placed within the part of the receptacle therefor, which is formed in a fabricated manner with the wall of the compartment, the casing and bell are returned to the seating position upon the gasket 58.

As heat is conducted by the members 56 from the compartment into the refrigerant compartment, the gas generated by the refrigerant 75 escapes by way of the space 64, thence between the gaskets 6l and 58, and then between the flange 66 and the gasket 58 into the space 68 and past the gasket 69.

It is desired to extend the recess 52 into the storage compartment as far as feasible in order that there will be a greater distance from the bottom of the bell 62 and along the outer wall 63 thereof to some point 76 opposite the exterior cf the compartment. This is because the walls 63 of the bell, although practically impervious to the flow of heat. do conduct some heat. The temperature of the wall 63 just inside of the place of contact with the gasket 61 is at a very low temperature, approximating a minus one hundred fourteen degrees of the refrigerant if it be carbon dioxide solidified.' There is a gradual temperature gradient from the inner wall 63 at the lower edge of the bell upwardly along the outer wall 63 to the point 76, the temperature becoming higher as the point 76 is approached. The greater the distance from the point of contact of the outer wall 63 with the gasket 61 to the point 76 the greater will be the difference in temperature between those two points and consequently the higher will be the temperature at the point 76. With the temperature at 76 approximating that of the air ambient to the compartment, the energy loss of the cooling unit will be greatly reduced.

The air space 68 adds to the insulating effect from the interior 50 of the storage compartment of the recess walls 53, while the air space 67 has its insulating effect concatenated with that of the bell Walls 63. In this form of the device, as in the previously described form, the number of heat conducting elements 56 may be changed in order to change the rate of cooling the interior of the compartment.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment provided with Walls impervious to the passage of heat and an opening to said compartment, in combination with a refrigerant chamber having walls resistant to the passage of heat and an opening to said chamber, a cover of heat insulating material for said chamber opening, and heat conductive members connecting the inner and outer surfaces of said cover, said refrigerant chamber being adapted to seat within said compartment opening exposing said chamber cover to the interior of said compartment, the heat conducting members being adapted to conduct heat from the interior of said compartment.

2. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment with heat resistant walls having an opening therein leading to the interior of said compartment, in combination with a refrigerant 1 chamber containing a refrigerant material disposed to generate a gas, there being walls impervious to heat enclosing said chamber and having an opening therein, a cover of heat insulating material for said chamber opening, heat con- 1 cover to the interior of said compartment and f in a manner providing for a limited escape of gas from said compartment, the cover of said chamber tting to said chamber opening in a manner allowing the escape of said generated gas into said compartment, said heat conducting members 143 serving as the media for conducting heat from said compartment into said chamber.

3. In combination with a compartment having an opening communicating to the interior thereof, a cooling unit comprising an inner chamber 14,3

abridged and enclosed by said girdle member, 15C:

said shoulder being adapted to seat against the edge of said compartment opening for presenting said chamber opening to the interior of said compartment.

4. In combination with a compartment having an opening to the interior thereof, a cooling unit comprising a chamber having a wall with elements thereof in parallelism and an opening transversely of said wall elements, a girdle member having a shoulder and encircling said wall at a 'distance from said opening, there being an enclosed air space encircling said chamber opening and being formed intermediate said wall and said girdle member, said shoulder being adapted to seat adjacentthe edge of said compartment opening to present said chamber opening to the interior of said compartment.

5. In combination with a compartment having an opening to the interior thereof, a cooling unit comprising a chamber formed of a hollow wall with elements thereof in parallelism andA of a heat insulating material and having a rean opening transversing said wall elements, a member of heat-insulating material having a shoulder and encircling said opening at a distance therefrom, there being an enclosed air. space circumscribing said opening intermediate said encircling member and said chamber wall,

said shoulder being adapted for seating upon the edge of said compartment opening to present.

the chamber opening to the interior of said compartment.

6. In combination, a storage compartment comprising walls retarding Athe passage of .heat

and configuring a recess therein, heat conducting members reaching from the interior of said compartment through a section of said walls into the bottom of said recess, and a bell having walls resistant to the passage. of heat and adapted to seat invertedly within said recess and coforming with the bottom of said recess a chamber suited for enclosing a refrigerant.

7; In combination, a storage compartment having walls impervious to heat and a recess in said walls, heat conducting elements connecting said recess to the interior of said chamber, a bell having hollow walls of heat insulating material and adapted to telescope into said recess and`a chamber for the accommodation of a refrigerating material coformed by the bottom of said recess and said bell, said heat conducting elements providing for the conduction ofv heat from said compartment into said refrigerant chamber.

8. In combination, a storage compartment having walls for impeding the transfer of heat, similar walls projecting normally to one of said compartment walls to form a recess, heat conducting elements connecting the bottom of said recess to the interior of said compartment, and a bell having walls non-conductive of heat and adapted to telescope into said recess in a manner coacting with the bottom of said recess to form a chamber for a refrigerant in a manner providing for the escape of gas from said refrigerant intermediate the edge of said bell and the bottom of said recess.

9. A storage compartment comprising walls, a second group of walls projecting normally to one of the first named walls to form a recess, and heat conducting elements connecting the inner bottom of said recess to the interior of said cornpartment, in combination with a bell having heat resistant walls inverted against the bottom of said recess to coform a refrigerant chamber therewith, and a metal jacket adapted to seat against the bottom of said recess in a manner with a recess therqen and heat-conductive elements connecting the bottom of said recess to the interior of said cabinet, in combination with a bell comprising introverted walls of heat-insulating material and a vacuum intermediate said walls, a metallic jacket, a gasket, and a refrigerant chamber, said bell being seated with the openend foremost into said recess coforming with the bottom of said' recess said refrigerant chamber, said metallic jacket being seated against the bottom of said recess enclosing said bell with a space between said bell and said jacket, there being a void between said jacket and the wall of said recess and being sealed by said gasket.

11. A storage compartment comprising walls cess within one of said walls, the walls of said recess extending into the interior of said compartment, and heat conducting elements connecting the bottom of said recess to the interior of said compartment, in combination with a bell of insulating material having walls with a vacuum therebetween, a refrigerant chamber, a protective jacket, and a gasket, said bell being invertedly telescoped into said recess to coform with the bottom of said recess said refrigerant chamber, said jacket being placed over said bell with a space therebetween and against the bottom of said recess enclosing said space, and there being a space between the walls of said recess and said jacket and sealed by said gasket.

12. A refrigerating unit comprising a storage compartment having insulated walls provided with an aperture, in combination with a refrigerant chamber having a Wall of insulating material insertable within and seatable upon thel walls of said storage compartment about said aperture, there being heat conductive members extending from the interior to the exterior of the wall of said chamber, and a heat conductive plate of selected area within said storage compartment and in contact with said heat conducting members at the exterior of said wall.

13. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to be refrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a base depending into said open top, a protective shell extending above said base, and a bell-like. refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below the underside of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base, comprising rings of insulatory material at opposite sides of said base and surrounding said vessel, said rings frictionally engaging the outer wall of said vessel.

14. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to be refrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a base depending into said open top, a protective shell' extending above-said base, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below the under side of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprising rings of compressible insulating material at each side of said base and surrounding the outer wall of said vessel, and means upon said base for compressing said rings against said vessel.

15. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to be refrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a base depending into said open top, aprotective shell extending above said base, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced. relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below the under side of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprising rings of compressible insulating material surrounding said vessel above and below said base, a seat at the top side and bottom side of said base for said rings, and means upon said base for compress' g said rings into said seatsand against said v e1.

16. In a device having an open topped com-A partment for articles to be refrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a base depending into said open top, aA protective shell extending above said base, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below the underside of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprising rings of compressible insulating material above and below said base, a tapered seat for one of said rings at the top and inner edge of said base, a similar seat at the bottom of said base, an annular member on the top of said base and a second annular member at the bottom of said -base for engaging said rings for forcing them into said seats and against the wall of said vessel, and means for adjusting the position of said annular members relative to said base and said rings.

17. In a device having an open topped compartment for articles to be refrigerated, a closure member for said open top comprising a base depending intosaid open top, a protective shell extending above said base, and a bell-like refrigerant vessel having walls in spaced relation to said base and shell and depending at its open end below the under side of said base, means for holding said vessel in said base comprising rings of compressible insulating material above and below said base, a tapered seat for one of said rings lat the top and inner edge of said base, a similar seat at the bottom ofsaid base, an annular member on the top of said base and a second annular member at the bottom of said base for engaging said rings for forcing them into said seats and against the wall of said vessel, and means for adjusting the position of said annular members relative to said base and said rings, said adjusting means comprising means for securing said annular members upon said base.

VIRGINIUS W. MOODY.

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