US1999907A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

A ril 30, 1935.

G. LANGE' ET AL REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 aza nentons I r 1 Gflomegs.

April 30, 1935. G. LANGE ET AL REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q'Jia e, 1280;102:02 8

Z 3nventors Gttornegs,

April 30, 1935. G. LANGE ET AL REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ll 4 1 4 Il m'c 3nnentors.

A ril 30, 1935. G. LANGE ET AL REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ala m R. Jami/zen Zhwentots Patented Apr. 30,1935

UNITED STATE PATENT I-FICE REFRIGERATOR Application October 25,

Claims.

This invention relates to the art of refrigeration and while the improvements have been designed for use primarily in connection with refrigerators and show cases or counters of all sizes and styles, they are also adaptable for chilling and air conditioning the interiors of buildings, railway cars, and for like purposes. The term refrigerator used hereinafter is to be construed broadly as of sufiicient scope to apply to any and all of such structures.

It is an object of the invention to utilize ice as the refrigerant and to provide simple and efiicient means whereby it is possible not only to maintain a uniform low temperature in the enclosure but also to maintain a high percent of humidity.

Another object is to protect the ice from direct contact with a forced air current flowing through the chamber being cooled, whereby the wasteful melting action due to such contact is avoided and the efficiency of the ice is prolonged.

A still further object is to chill the circulating air solely by contact with a surface extending under and supporting the ice, said surface being maintained constantly at a substantially uniform temperature throughout its area due to the action of ice and ice chilled water contacting therewith.

A further object is to utilize the excess ice water for washing the circulating air, thereby to remove odors and impurities and maintain the proper degree of humidity necessary to prevent deterioration, loss of weight, and other undesirable results obtained through the use of mechanical refrigeration units.

Another and important object is to seal the ice in a compartment provided therefor and to utilize as an air cooling surface only that portion of the structure which extends under and supports the ice and ice water, thereby to insure complete coverage by the refrigerating means of the cooling surface and the maintenance of a desired temperature irrespective of the changing thickness of the ice due to meltage.

A still further and important object is to provide a novel means whereby the retained ice water is in constant contact with the supported ice so that its temperature will be maintained close to the freezing point and it will serve as an efficient supplemental cooling agent.

A further object is to employ a new and novel arrangement of deflectors whereby the transfer of heat -units between the circulating air and the cooling surface will be distributed evenly over said cooling surface thereby to effect uniform 1932, Serial No. 639,488

meltage over the entire bottom area of the ice and to maintain the ice at a uniform thickness.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being unde'rstoodthat changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a refrigerator equipped with the present improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through a portion of the grid, taken on the line 55, Figure 1.

. Figure 6 is a vertical section showing the invention embodied in a show case or counter refrigerator.

Those who are acquainted with the art of refrigeration are aware of the fact that mechanical refrigeration has many disadvantages which are particularly objectionable where large quantities of supplies are to be kept cold. For example the dehydration of food stuffs results in loss of weight and flavor and produces discoloration, all of which reduce the sales value of the materials to such an extent as to add greatly to the cost of maintenance. The motor, compressor, and other mechanism necessary to the operation of a mechanical refrigerator require an initial outlay which is beyond the means of many merchants and other potential users, while the cost of repairs and operation constitute another expense which cannot be avoided.

By the use of ice as a refrigerant, the loss of weight and flavor has been avoided to a large extent because of the humidity maintained in the food compartment, and furthermore there has been little waste due to discoloration. However ice has been objectionable because of the rapid meltage and consequent frequent icing required.

The present invention has been perfected for the purpose of overcoming the objectionable features present heretofore in both mechanical and ice refrigerators and to effect not only a considerable saving in the cost of installation, but

also, through the use of certainnovel structural features, to maintain an air conditioned storage compartment which will be kept constantly close to a predetermined temperature, the percent of humidity being such as to maintain the weight, flavor and appearance of the stored articles. The invention has also been devised to 'efiect a saving of ice by reducing the rate of meltage so that icing is required only after intervals heretofore impossible where a uniform temperature has been maintained.

' As shown in the drawings the walls I of the refrigerator are well insulated. In practice cork board I from three'to four inches thick has been used. If the refrigerator is a top icer as in Figure 1, it will be provided with an upper or ice chamher 2 and a loweror storage chamber 3. Each chamber will be provided with one or more doors 4 which, when closed,w ill seal the respective compartments. d

' Thetwo compartments are separated by a partition 5, which can be of wood mounted on cross members 6, and in the illustrated structure thispartition extends up to the side walls of the refrigerator but is spaced from the front and back walls so as to provide air passages l and 8. Deflecting strips 9 are located at the lower ends of the passages so that descending currents of air will be directed inwardly away from the adjacent 3o walls.

A pan IU of sheet-metal is supported by the partition and has a depending flange II which extends around the partition. The pan also has marginal upstanding flanges l2 constituting the front and back walls thereof while flanges I3 at the sides of the pan extend. upwardly to constitute the side walls and also to provide means for attachment to the walls of the refrigerator.

Mounted on the pan I0 is a sheet metal grid I4 -having deep longitudinal corrugations l5 provided with flat inclined walls merging at their tops into upper rounded crown portions l6 and at their bottoms into lower rounded portions I1. These portions l1 cooperate with the upwardly diverging walls of the corrugations to form deep gutters [8, while the upper rounded crown portions l6 cooperate with the walls of the corruga tions to form air flues or channels l9 beneath the grid. These gutters are closed at their-ends by plates 20 whichare soldered to the ends of the corrugated grid plate I and fit snugly against and are secured to supporting cleats 2l which overhang passages 1 and 8 as shown particularly in Figure 4. Thus the grid .is properly supported both by the cleats 2| and by the pan l0 and, in cooperation with the pan, practically closes one compartment from the other.

The plates 20 are provided with small overflow apertures 22' whereby water can be maintained at a desired depthin the gutters I8 while the overflow will fall into those ends of the pan l0 projecting beyond the plates 20. See Figure 4.

g The pan Ill-is slightly inclined downwardly toward a central slot 23 extending transversely bei Death the corrugated grid and this slot, which isof a length equalto the width of the grid,'opens into a flue 24 supported under the partition 5.

A blower indicated generally at 25 is adapted to' withdraw air from the compartment 3 and force it into flue 24 from which it will flow in along sheetthrough slot 23. The bottom of the flue is inclined toward a drain pipe 26 so that excess water passing into the flue from the pan l0 and slot flean'be carried ofl.

" A plate 21 formed with parallel inverted V shaped corrugations is interposed between the pan I0 and grid l4. These angular corrugations extend upwardly between the gutters l8, and the rounded bottoms ll of the gutters rest on plate 21 between corrugations 28. The corrugated plate 21 constitutes a baflle or deflector which bridges slot 23 and. extends throughout the length thereof. Thus air ascending through the slot will not come-directly into contact with the grid but will be deflected along the bottoms of the corrugations 28 and emerge at the ends thereof into the channels H where it will contact for the first time directly with the surface of grid l4.

Seatedin the channels l9 between the ends of deflector 21 and the ends of the grid corrugations are deflector or baflle strips 29 waved or corrugated as shown and tapered slightly toward the open ends of channels l9. These strips rest on the pan l0 but are attached to the wall ofthe grid corrugations. The-top edges of the strips diverge away from the rounded top portions l6 of the grid in the direction of the open ends of channels l9. Thus air flowing along channels l9 will be split by each strip 29 into two currents 1 which will be, deflected toward the flat walls ofthe channels and flow in gradually increasing volume over the strip into contact with the crown portion IS. The action of these air "currents will be apparent clearly by referring to the arrows in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

In practice the door of the ice compartment 2 is opened and after a supply of ice hasfbeen placed on the grid I 4 so as to cover it to a uniform depth, the door is closed and the compartment thus sealed.

The cakes of ice I will rest on the crown portions I6 of the grid and because of the conduction of heat therethrough the ice will first melt along these portions and settle down into the upper portions of the gutters I8 where it will be in contact with the downwardly converging flat walls of the gutters. The water W produced by the melted ice will accumulate in the gutters up to the level of the openings 22 and the depending ribs R formed on the bottoms of the lower ice cakes will extend at all times below the level of the water W. Thus the temperature of the water will be maintained close to freezing and all surfaces contacted by the water and ice will be maintained constantly at the same temperature irrespective of the thickness of the ice within the chamber 2. In other words re-icing of there.- frigerator can be deferred until the ice has been reduced to a very thin cake and yet there will be no reduction in the temperature of the grid thereunder. a

The blower 25 creates a forced circulation of air in'the chamber 3, drawing the air from the passages I and 8 and directing it into the flue 24. As before stated, air; will escape from this flue-in a long thin sheet through slot 23. As it enters the space beneath grid I it will not come into direct contact with the grid but will come against and be deflected .by the corrugated baflle. plate 21. The air'will then travel along the under side'of the corrugated baffle plate and emerge at the ends thereof where it will contact directly for the first time with the walls of the channels l9. Thereafter the air in each end of each channel 19 will be split into two currents passing along opposite sides of the strip 29 in the channel and then be deflected so as to be spread to a graduallyincreasing extent into intimate contact with the sides and top of the channel. This is due to the corrugations of the strip 29 and also to the fact that the strip is ta- 7 z pered away from the top of the channel H! toward the outlet thereby allowing air in gradually increasing volume to flow over the strip and sweep along the under surface of the crown IS.

The baflie plate 21 and the strip 29 are so located and proportioned that the heat exchange will be distributed evenly over the bottom of the grid l4 so that meltage of the ice likewise will be distributed evenly over the bottom surface. the air does not circulate in the ice chamber 2 and acts to melt only the bottom surface of the ice because only the bottom is affected by conduction of heat, it will be apparent that the ice will melt very slowly in maintaining the desired temperature of grid I4. As the melting action is carried out uniformly along the bottom of the ice the uniform thickness of the ice will be maintained and fewer icings will be required during a given period than have been possible with refrigerators of any other types.

As the temperature of the grid is practically unchanged at all times the circulation of the air thereunder will result in the maintenance of a uniform low temperature in the chamber 3. In practice it has been ascertained that with proper insulation, a temperature of 40 to 42 can be maintained continuously.

Aside from the advantages of this structure as a means for maintaining a low uniform temperature, it is advantageous because it will condition the air and hold it at a humidity of 90%. This results from the following action:

As the ice water overflows through the openings 22 it is discharged into the projecting portion of pan l0 thereunder. It then flows along the pan beneath the grid toward slot 23 and thence along flue 24 to the pipe 26. The direction of flow is opposite to that of the circulating air. Consequently the water acts to wash the air, remove all odors and impurities and maintain the desired high percent of humidity so essential to the preservation of food stuffs and other articles without discoloration, taint and loss of weight.

As has already been stated, the present improvements are adaptable to various types of refrigerators and while the structure thus far described is of the type known as a top icer, the same advantageous results can be obtained with a side icer, a display case, or any'other design. For example, and as shown in Figure 6, a display case 30, suitably insulated, can be formed with an upper display compartment 3 l, a lower storage compartment 32 and a lower ice compartment 33. The bottom of the ice compartment forms a pan 34 supporting a grid 35 corrugated to form air chan nels separated by gutters, as heretofore described. The'air channels 36 under the grid deliver air at one end into a flue 31 leading to a blower 38 located above one end of the ice chamber and discharging into an air space 39 at one end of chamber 3|. Outlets 40 are provided for the escape of air from this space into the chamber 3 I.

An air flue 4| is located at the other end of chamber 3| and communicates therewith through openings 42. This flue leads downwardly to the storage chamber 32 which, in turn, opens into the upper end of a flue 43 opening under one end of grid 35. As the air is warmest where entering beneath the grid 35 it is received at that point by a corrugated baflie plate 44 similar to bafiie plate 21 and flows along the under side thereof as indicated by arrows. Thereafter the air enters the unobstructed portions of the channels 36 and then comes into contact with and is split and deflected by the baffle strips 45 which are like the ame-4...

strips 29 and are provided for the same purpose. Consequently as the air flows under the supported ice there will be an even transfer-of heat to insure even meltage of the bottom of the ice. Water in the gutters in the grid will drain therefrom at those ends nearest the flue 31 and flow along the bottom or pan 34 in a direction opposite to the flow of air. Finally the water will enter the drain pipe 46. Obviously in this structure the air will be maintained constantly at a low temperature for the reasons heretofore explained and as the overflow of ice water is into and along the path of the air currents, the desired high percent of humidity will be maintained in both the display compartment and the storage compartment. All walls and the top of the ice compartment are sufficiently insulated to prevent heat exchange therethrough so that when the ice compartment is closed practically no meltage will occur except at the bottom surface of the ice.

What is claimed is:

1. In a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a storage chamber, a pan under the ice chamber having anoutlet, a corrugated ice supporting grid providing non-communicating gutters along the top thereof and air conducting channels along the bottom thereof, said channels being closed at the bottom by the pan, there being out lets for the gutters whereby a predetermined level of water is maintained in each gutter and excess water delivered into the pan for movement within and longitudinally of the air channels toward the outlet of the pan.

2. In a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a storage chamber, a pan under theice chamber having an outlet, a corrugated ice'supporting grid providing non-communicating gutters along the top thereof and air conducting channels along the bottom thereof, said channels being closed at the bottom by the pan, there being outlets for the gutters wherebyv a predetermined level of water is maintained in each gutter and excess water delivered into the pan for movement within and longitudinally of the air channels toward the outlet of the pan, means for directing air into all of the air channels fromthe storage chamber for movement longitudinally of the channels and over the pan, said air channels having outlets for delivering air therefrom back into the storage chamber.

3. In a refrigerator including an ice chamber and a storage chamber, a pan under the ice chamher having an outlet, a grid having ice supporting corrugations providing non-communicating gutters therebetween below the supported ice for receiving ice water, and air conducting channels along the bottoms of the corrugations and be-' tween the gutters, said channels being closed at the bottom by the pan and being cooled at the top by the ice and at the lower sides by. the water in the gutters, tl.ere being" outlets for the gutof the air channels from the storage chamber for movement longitudinally of the channels and over the pan, said air channelshaving outlets for delivering air therefrom back into the storage chamber, and means in each air channel for increasing the volume of air flowing along the upper ice cooled portions of the air channels in proportion to the reduction in temperature of the air in the channels.

4. A refrigerator including an ice chamber and a storage chamber, means for preventing the flow,

of air from one chamber to the other, said means including an ice supporting grid constituting the bottom of said chamber having gutters for receiving and retaining water produced by the meltage of ice in said chamber, and means for maintaining the surface of the water in the gutters at a level sufficient to contact constantly with the ice supported upon the grid.

5. A refrigerator including an ice chamber and a a storage chamber, means for preventing the flow of air from one chamber to the other, said means including an ice supporting grid having gutters extending below the bottom surface of the supported ice for receiving and trapping ice water,

there being air passages between the gutters and.

porting grid constituting the, bottom of said chamber and having non-communicating gutters for receiving ice water and trapping it at and below the level of the supported ice, there being air passages formed by the grid between the gutters, and a second chamber in communication with said air passages, said water-level-maintaining means constituting means for directing surplus water into the air of said second chamber.

'7. A refrigerator including a corrugated grid andmeans contacting and cooperating with the bottom of the grid to provide air passages beneath the grid between its corrugations, the top portions of the corrugations constituting means for direct engagement with supported ice and the gutters between the corrugations constituting means for retaining water below the tops of the corrugations but in contact with portions of the supported ice, the top surfaces of the air passages being maintained by the ice at a temperature lower than but closely approximating the water cooled lower surfaces of the walls of the air passages.

8. A refrigerator having separate compartments normally'sealed against the flow of air from one compartment to the other, said refrigerator including a corrugated ice supporting grid constituting the bottom of one of the compartments and providing gutters thereon for the reception of water and providing air passages thereunder and between the gutters, and means for maintaining the water in the gutters at a uniform depth and with its level below the tops of the corrugations, said air passages being extended upwardly to a level higher than the level of the water in the gutters.

9. vA refrigerator having separate compartments normally sealed against the flow of air from one compartment to the other, said refrigerator in-. cluding a corrugated grid for supporting cake ice, said grid constituting the bottom of one of the compartments and providing spaced gutters for receiving ice water, and means for maintaining the water in the gutters at a uniform depth and with its level below the tops of the corrugations, said grid providing air passages thereunder and between the gutters and extending upwardly to a level higher than the level of the water in the gutter, whereby the top walls of the passages will be chilled by direct contact with the supported ice and the lower side walls of the gutters will be chilled by the water in the gutters.

10. The hereindescribed method of interchanging heat between an air current and a chilling medium which includes the step of directing the air along cooling surfaces to gradually reduce the temperature of the air, and thence along surfaces, chilled by a colder medium, in a volume increasing gradually in proportion to the lowering of the temperature of the air,

11. In a refrigerator an ice chamber, a grid constituting the bottom of said chamber having corrugations forming non-communicating gutters, there being air passages formed by the grid between the gutters, each of said passages having an air inlet and outlet, a second chamber in communication with the inlets and outlets, the tops of the corrugations constituting means for supporting a cake of ice and said gutters constituting means for receiving ice water from the supported ice and trapping it at and below the level of the ice, whereby the tops of the air passages will be maintained at a lower temperature by the supported ice than the water cooled sides of the passages, and sinuous means within each passage between its inlet and outlet for deflecting air in gradually increasing volume against the top of the passage as the air approaches the outlet.

12. In a refrigerator an ice chamber, a grid constituting the bottom of said chamber having corrugations forming non-communicating gutters, there being air passages formed by the grid between the gutters, each of said passages having an air inlet and outlet, a second chamber in communication with .the inlets and outlets, the tops of the corrugations constituting means for supporting a cake of ice and said gutters constituting means for receiving ice water from the supported ice and trapping it at and below the level of the ice, whereby the topsof the air passages will be maintained at a lower temperature by the supported ice than the water cooled sides of the passages, and means within each air passage between the inlet and outlet for subjecting air in said passage first to the chilling action of the water cooled sides and thereafter in gradually increasing volume to the chilling action of the ice cooled top as the air flows toward the outlet.

13. In a refrigerator an ice chamber, a grid constituting the bottom of said chamber having corrugations forming non-communicating gutters, there being air passages formed by the grid between the gutters, each of said passages having an air inlet and outlet, a second chamber in communication with the inlets and outlets, the tops of the corrugations constituting means for supporting a. cake of ice and said gutters constituting means for receiving ice water from the supported ice and trapping it at and below the level of the ice, whereby the tops of the air passages will be maintained at a lower temperature by the supported ice than the water cooled sides of the passages, sinuous means within each passage between its inlet andoutlet for deflecting air in gradually increasing volume against the top of the passage as the air approaches the outlet, and meanstfor maintaining the level of the trapped water in contact with the ice, said level maintaining means constituting means for delivering surplus water into the air below the grid.

14. In a refrigerator an ice chamber, a grid constituting the bottom of said chamber having corrugations forming non-communicating gutters, there being an passages formed by the grid between the gutters, each of said passages having an air inlet and outlet, a second chamber in communication with the inlets and outlets, the tops of the corrugations constituting means for supporting a cake of ice and said gutters constituting means for receiving ice Water from the supported ice and trapping it at and below the level of the ice, whereby the tops of the air passages will be maintained at a lower temperature by the supported ice than the water cooled sides of the passages, means within each air passage between the inlet and outlet for subjecting air in said passage first to the chilling action of the water cooled sides and thereafter in gradually increasing volume to the chilling action of the ice cooled top as .the air flows toward the outlet,

and means for maintaining the level of the trapped water in contact with the ice, said level maintaining means constituting means for delivering surplus water into the air below the grid. 15. A refrigerator including an ice chamber and a storage chamber, means for preventing the flow of air from one chamber to the other, said means including gutters in the bottom 'of the ice chamber for receiving and retaining water produced by the meltage of ice in said chamber, said gutters providing air passages thereunder and therebetween, and means for maintaining the water in the gutters at a level below the tops of the gutters and below the level of the tops of the air passages.

GEORGE LANGE.

RUDOLPH SOMMERS.

MACKAY C. SAYLOR.

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