US2020638A

US2020638A - Refrigerator drawer

Info

Publication number: US2020638A
Application number: US599671A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur J Feltault
Original assignee: EFESEM Inc
Current assignee: EFESEM Inc
Priority date: 1932-03-18
Filing date: 1932-03-18
Publication date: 1935-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1952-11-12

Description

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR DRAWER of New York Application March 1S, 1932, Serial No. 599,671

8 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to refrigeration and it has more particular reference to a, removable tray or drawer adapted-to be inserted in the ordinary frame or rack provided r5 in household and other mechanical refrigerators to receive and hold drawers or trays in which water is adapted to be frozen into cubes.

In the various mechanical refrigerators such as are operated electrically or by gas, to mel chanically extract the heat from the interior of the refrigerator, or in other words, in the type of refrigerator which is maintained in cold condition by self-operating mechanism associated with the refrigerator as distinguished from the l type which is kept cold by a supply of ice, there is usually a rack or frame built into the refrigerator to receive a series of trays or drawers Ieach of which may contain a quantity of water to be frozen into ice cubes for table yuse and other household purposes. This rack is usually disposed in the coldest portion of the refrigerator.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a drawer or tray which may be introduced into the refrigerator, preferably in the rack employed for holding the ice cube trays. My improved drawer or tray is intended to be used in the making of ice cream and various frozen desserts. The device consists primarily of a drawer for holding the material or liquid which is to be frozen, a cover being provided for the drawer or tray, and means are provided to agitate the fluid disposed in the tray, in order to bring about a gradual and uniform freezing action throughout the body of liquid. i

Heretofore it has not been possible to make ice cream and frozen desserts in refrigerator trays or drawers, of smooth, even texture, because there was no means provided for agitating the liquid from time to time in order to prevent it fro-m separating and in order to have the liquid freeze evenly throughout. It is the particular object of the present invention to provide a drawer or tray, preferably provided with a cover, for containing the liquid and to provide simple means accessibly exteriorly of the drawer, preferably at the front end thereof and which may be operated without removing the cover from the drawer or removing the drawer from the rack for the purpose of agitating the liquid contained in the drawer.`

The liquid of which the frozen dessert is to be made is placed in the tray or drawer and the cover is applied thereto. The covered drawer with its contents are placed in the refrigerator in the 5 5 coldest section thereof, such as in the rack usually employed for holding ice cube making trays, in order that the present drawer and its contents may be subjected to the coldest temperature within the refrigerator. From time to time the operator will open the refrigerator door, take hold 5 of the operating device at the front end of the drawer and operate it so that the agitator which is disposed within the drawer will be moved to agitate all portions of the body of liquid.

This agitating action causes the liquid which 10 is in Contact with the inner surface of the drawer, and therefore at the coldest positions in the drawer, to be moved away from the surfaces of the drawer, and new and warmer portions of the liquid to be brought into direct contact with the l5 drawer in order that heat in all portions of the liquid will be extracted rapidly and evenly to bring about the freezing of the liquid without separation.

It is one object of the invention to provide a 2O drawer of the character referred to wherein the interior of the drawer is entirely devoid of extraneous pieces and mechanisms other than the means for agitating the liquid which must neces- Y sarily extend into the liquid. 25

The agitator and the means for operating it may be quickly detached from the drawer for the purpose of cleaning both the drawer and the agii tating device. The present agitating device is simple and free of intricate mechanism, so that 30 there are no parts requiring oiling and there is nothing to introduce foreign matter into the liquid in the drawer. The agitator is adapted to be moved bodily along the drawer and to fully agitate all portions of the body of liquid. In this 35 way it is possible to prevent settling or separation of the liquid because there are no pockets in which the liquid may escape agitation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator drawer having an agitating device 40 which is simple to manufacture, inexpensive, easy to install and operate, and which may be very easily cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition. Other objects of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed description.

In the drawing forming part of this application,

Figure l is a plan View of my refrigerator drawer with the cover removed, 50

Figure 2 is a side .elevation thereof with a portion of the drawer broken away to show the agitator,

Figure V3 is a sectional View of a portion of the drawer and agitator illustrating how .the agitating members may flex when the agitator is reciprocated in one direction.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the same parts illustrating the bending action of parts of the agitator when the agitator is moved Vin the reverse direction to that illustrated in FigureV 3,

Figure 5 is'a perspective View of the parts of the agitator which act upon the fluid,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, sectional view showing my invention in a modiiied form, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the forward end of the drawer and cover, and relating to the form of the invention shown in Figure 6.

The drawer itself may partake of any desired shape but for convenience in manufacture, and in order to permit the drawer to be inserted in the ordinary tray rack of a mechanical refrigerator, I prefer to make the drawer in rectangular form. In the drawing I have illustrated, in the construction shown inFigures 1 to 5, a drawer which consists of a bottom wall l, opposite

parallel side walls

2, 3, a front wall 4, and a rear wall 5 the Vside and end walls being disposed in rectangular form and open at the top. A handle 6 may be provided on the front wall of the drawer to facilitate placing the drawer into and removing it from the ordinary tray rack by a sliding motion.

For covering the drawer to protect the conof the refrigerator tents from foreign matter and to prevent the contents from absorbing odors and flavors from foods within the refrigerator, I have provided a cover 'i having a depending flange 8 adapted to nt over the various side and end walls of the drawer in order to close the open top thereof. I have shown a stuing box or gland 9 which is ntted into a suitable aperture in the front wall l of the drawer and which I have shown disposed with its axis centrally of the compartment ID of the drawer.

Any gland or stuing box of ordinary or special construction may be used, and for this reason I have not shown the details of construction of the gland. Y

There is a shaft or rod il which is adapted to reciprocate through the central opening of the gland, so that one portion of this rod is disposed within the compartment il), while one portion extends through the gland and projects at the front end of the drawer where I have shown it provided with a handle l2 which may be grasped by the hand for the purpose of reciprocating the rod lengthwise through the gland, and therefore Vthrough the front wall of the drawer.

Within the drawer there is an agitating device connected with one end `of the rod ll and in thev preferred construction it consists of the following: There is a spider I3 provided with a central aperture to receive the threaded end I4 of the rod l l therethrough, and there are clamping nuts Ithreaded onto this threaded end'of the rod, which nuts are adapted to clamp against opposite faces of the central portion of the spider and around the aperture .I 6 for the purpose of securing the spiderimmovably upon the end of the rod whichremains within the compartment IVD. Each armY `Ii of the spider is provided with a strap of split formation comprising two arms I8, I9l arranged in opposed positions and extending around opposite sides, of the scraping members inV order to secure these scraping menibers individually to the several arms of the spider.

Ill-.the drawing IA have shown four scraping their outer faces 2l form substantially a continuous rectangular surface.

The arms of the spider on which the Scrapers are carried are preferably made of metal and more or less resilient so that the several Scrapers may rock as permitted by the flexing of the arms of the spider. In this regard the scraping members may rock not only crosswise but to a limited extent lengthwise, in order that the Scrapers may conform to the surfaces with which they engage, notwithstanding any inaccuracies or lack of parallelisrn in the several surfaces.

Operation The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 may be operated as follows: A quantity of liquid which is to be frozen will be placed in the compartment I@ of the drawer after which the cover will be placed on the drawer and the whole inserted into the proper rack or holder in the refrigerator. For this purpose, one or more of the ice cube trays may be removed from the rack and the present drawer placed in its position. The front 4 of the drawer, to wit, the part having the handle 6, will be in convenient position to be grasped by simply opening the refrigerator drawer (not shown). The present drawer with its contents will remain in the refrigerator lfor a period of time until the contents of the drawer become cool and are approaching the freezing point.

From time to time the refrigerator door may be opened and the operator will grasp the handle l2 and reciprocate the rod I I without necessarily removing the drawer from its position in the rack. The rod is reciprocated rst in the direction indicated in Figure 3 and then after the agitator has moved the full length of the drawer, the rod is reversed and is moved back in the direction indicated in Figure 4. Y

While the agitator is moving as shown in Figure 3 the scraping members 2U are more or less tilted so that ene of slides against' a surface of the drawer or cover and operates somewhat inV the mannerV of a squeegee to scrape the liquid from the surface of the several walls of the drawer and also-from the inside ofL the surface of the cover.

The portion of the liquid dislodged from the surfaces of the drawer and cover is, by the movement of the scraper along the drawer, directed their longitudinal edges 22 V inwardly by the'several Scrapers toward'the axis of the drawer. in direct contact As this liquid, which has been with the surfaces of the drawer and its cover, are dislodged from the surfaces andV i 'i the bring one of the triangular edges 22 against the corresponding wall surface. If there is any irregularity or imperfection in the wall Surface with which any particular scraper engages, the scraper may rock slightly as permitted by the nexing of the arms of the sp-ider, in order that the several scrapers may individually conform'to the surfaces of the walls of the drawer. V

Upon the rod ii being reversed and moved in the opposite direction, as shown in Figure 4, the several Scrapers will be caused to tilt and assume the position shown in this figure, so that the opposite edges 22 of the scrapers will be pressed against the surfaces of the walls of the drawer. As the agitator moves to the right in Figure 4, the scraping members again rub against the walls of the drawer, dislodging the portions of the liquid which are in contact with these walls and urging it toward the axis of the drawer.

The handle i2 may be moved back and forth several times in order to completely agitate the liquid. This operation takes but a few seconds, after which the door of the refrigerator may be closed, and the drawer with its contents may remain in place in the refrigerator while the cooling action proceeds. From time to time the above operations are repeated so that as the liquid is progressively cooled, and proceeds through the freezing operation, it will be agitated in order to prevent the solids from separating and in order that the whole body of liquid may be uniformly frozen. By employing the present apparatus it is possible to make ice cream of fine texture and equally as smooth as ice cream made in the regular freezer.

The gland Q permits the rod ii to be reciprocated through the front wall of the drawer without any liquid escaping around the rod. The several Scrapers 2Q each engage separate Walls of the drawer and the top one may engage the inside of the cover. Usually, the liquid in the drawer will not reach the cover except by splashing, but it is deemed advisable to employ an agitating member which will engage the cover in order that all portions of the liquid may be agitated. l

The agitators 2li are shaped as Shown in the drawing both for the purpose of having them engage the walls in the manner described, that is, soi that'the agitators tilt as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and have a squeegee action against the surfaces of the walls. In addition, the agitators have a tendency to direct the portions of the liquid dislodged from the wall surfaces inwardly or away from the walls in order that fresh portions of the liquid will replace the portions dislodged.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein it is not necessary to use a gland for the reciprocating rod. In this form the front wall 23 of the drawer is provided with a notch 2d near its upper edge; and the flange 25 of the cover'Zt is provided with a notch 2l corresponding with the notch 2li of the drawer so that when the cover is in place these notches will register and provide an opening through the front of the drawer in which the horizontal rod 23 may reciprocate, the rod being provided on the exterior of the drawer with a suitable handle 29. This rod extends along the upper portion of the drawer' or near the cover, the greater portion of its length, in order that it may be reciprocated through the notched front of the drawer substantially its full length. Within the drawer the rod is bent downwardly, as shown at 30 and again horizontally at 3|, preferably in line with the axis of the drawer. On this latter portion of the rod the agitator 32 is mounted. The agitator may be constructed in all respects like the one above described. rlhis device may be operated in the same manner as the one described above; that is, the handle Z9 may be grasped from the exterior of the drawer and it may be moved horizontally back and forth to reciprocate the rod 28. lIhis will move the agitator 32 lengthwise of the drawer so that the latter will operate to dislodge the liquid from the surfaces of the drawer and to agitate the liquid in the same manner as in the previous construction. The sole object of the modified form is to eliminate the necessity of using a gland.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer having a compartment to hold a liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted to be inserted into a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion accessible exteriorly of and near one end wall of said drawer to permit said rod to be reciprocated, an agitator composed of separate members each adapted to slidingly co-act with the inner surface of one of the walls of said drawer, and flexible means for mounting said agitators on said rod within the drawer, said agitators being adapted to individually coi-act with the inner surfaces of the several walls of said drawer and adapted to move the contents of the drawer away from said surfaces when said rod is reciprocated.

2. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer having a compartment to hold a liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted to be inserted into a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion accessible exteriorly of and near one end wall of said drawer to permit said rod to be reciprocated, agitators of substantially triangular cross section, each cooperating with the inner surface of a wall of said drawer, and flexible means for independently connecting said agitators with said rod whereby the agitators may independently flex laterally and lengthwise in relation to the rod, said agitators being adapted to move the contents of the drawer away from said surfaces when said rod is reciprocated.

3. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer having a compartment to hold liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted to be inserted into a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion accessible exteriorly of and near one end wall of said drawer to permit said rod to be reciprocated, and an agitator carried. by said rod within said drawer and composed of a plurality of agitating members substantially triangular in cross section with one side of each of said agitators co-operating with an inner surface of a wall of said drawer, a spider attached to said rod and having arms each carrying one of said agitators, said arms being flexible whereby when said rod is reciprocated said agitators will slidingly engage the inner surfaces of the walls of said drawer and yield whereby the edges of said agitators will press against said surfaces.

4. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer having a compartment to hold liquid to be frozen, a cover for said drawer, a reciprocating rod having a portion projecting near one of the walls of said drawer whereby the rod is accessible from the exterior of the drawer for the purpose of reciprocating said rod, and an agii5 tator carried by said rod within said drawer, said agitator including members adapted to co-act with the inner surfaces of the several walls of said drawer and with the under side of the cover of said drawer and adapted to move the contents of the drawer away from said surfaces when said rod is reciprocated, whereby different portions of the material will be brought into Contact with said surfaces.

5. A device of the class described, including'a tray or drawer having a compartment to hold liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted to be inserted into the cooling coil of a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion thereof accessible outside of and near an end wall of said drawer for the purpose of permitting said rod to be reciprocated, and an agitator carried by said rod within said drawer and adapted to-Areciprocate with said rod and to cooperate with the inner surfaces of said drawer to move the contents of the drawer away from said surfaces when said rod is reciprocated, whereby different portions of the liquid will be brought into Contact with said surfaces.

6. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer adapted to be inserted in the cooling coil of a mechanical refrigerator and having an elongated compartment adapted to hold a liquid to be frozen, said compartment being dened partly by a flat bottom and side walls, a reciprocating rod having a por-tion thereof accessible `exteriorly of and near one end wall'of said drawer for the purpose of permitting said rod to be reciprocated, and an agitator carried i by said rod within said drawer and adapted to have a sliding engagement with the inner surfaces of said drawer and adapted to move Vthe 7. A device of the class described, including a '5 tray or drawer having a compartment to hold a. liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted to be inserted into the cooling coil of a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion thereof accessible outside of and near 10 an end wall of said drawer for the purpose of permitting said rod to be reciprocated, an agitator and means for mounting the same on said rod within said drawer, said means being flexible to permit said agitator to yield, said agitator bel`5` ing adapted to co-operate with the inner surfaces of said drawer and to move the contents of the drawer awat7 from said surfaces when said rod is reciprocated, whereby different portions of the material will be brought into contact with said 20 surfaces and the material in the drawer will be agitated.

8. A device of the class described, including a tray or drawer having a compartment to' hold liquid to be frozen, said tray or drawer adapted 251 to be inserted into a mechanical refrigerator, a reciprocating rod having a portion accessible exteriorly of and near one end of said drawer whereby the rod may be reciprocated, and an agitator carried'by said rod within said drawer and 30 composed of independent members individually movable in relation to each other each coact ing with one of the inner surfaces of the walls of said drawer and adapted to move the contents of the drawer away from said surfaces when said 35A:

rod is reciprocated.

ARTHUR J. FELTAULT.