US2038218A

US2038218A - Refrigerated receptacle

Info

Publication number: US2038218A
Application number: US563985A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norris B Holt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-09-21
Filing date: 1931-09-21
Publication date: 1936-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 1953-04-21

Description

N. B. H`oLT REFRIGERMED RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 21, 1951 April 21, 193s.

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 Norris B. Holt, St. Louis, Mo.' Application September 21, 1931, Serial No. 563,985

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to refrigerated receptacles, and more specifically to relatively small refrigerated -receptacles which may be employed for various purposes, such, for instance, as butter boxes on dairy vehicles, containers for perishable foodstuffs taken o-n picnics and excursions, refrigerated Vreceptacles adapted to be mounted on running boards of motor vehicles,

`and portable containers for ice' cream and other frozen dainties, the predominant object of the' invention being to provide a simple structure of this type which will serve its function in a very eflicient manner.

Prior to this invention dairy vehicles which are employed in the delivery of milk, butter, and other dairy productsto homes of users of said dairy products were provided with butter boxes in which stocks of butter were contained, these butter boxes being refrigerated by pieces of ice which were placed in said boxes. The butter boxes referred to did not function with the desired eiciency, inasmuch as melting of` the ice resulted in, the boxes being in a wet, messy condition most of the time, and said ice did not properly refrigerate lthe boxes, dueto the fact that the ice ordinarily was placed in the bottom portions ofthe boxes, which caused the butter to be located in the upper, warmer portions of said boxes.

The refrigerated receptacle disclosed herein is ,of such improved construction and arrangement that; the disadvantages encountered in the use of the butter boxes formerly used will not be present. The elimination of these disadvantages results largely from the fact that my improved receptacle is designed for the use of so-called dry ice, or solid carbon dioxide (CO2) hence the wet, messy condition referred to above is not present. Also, the refrigerant of my improved box is located above the goods located within the box which permits cold air to follow its natural course and move downwardly to refrigerate properly the goods disposedin the lower portion of the box.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of my improved refrigerated receptacle. I

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the refrigerated receptacle illustrated in Fig'. 1.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for theepurpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates my improved refrigerated receptacle generally, said receptacle comprising a body portion B which is adapted to receive the goods to be refrigerated, and a lid C displaceably secured to the body portion B by suitable hinges D The bodyv portion B of the re- (Cl. B20- 23) ceptacle A is provided by suitably insulated walls, and the lid Cy is likewise of appropriate insulated construction, as shown in Fig.. 2, the top edges of the upstanding walls of the body portion` and the' outer edge portion of the lid being provided with beveled faces, as indicated by the reference character l at the point where the lid contacts with the body portion when said lid is in a closed f position. 'Ihe lid C is provided with a suitable handle 2 to facilitate opening and closing said lid. l l

Secured to the lid C of the receptacle at the lowermost face thereof, andv preferably toward the rear portion of said lid, is a receiver 3 for the refrigerant by which the interior ofthe receptacle A is chilled. Asv already stated herein, this refrigerant is preferably in the form of solid carbon dioxide and said refrigerant will be introduced into the receiver of the improved receptacle in the form of one or more blocks. The 4refrigerant receiver 3 comprises oppositely disposed end walls 3a, a rear wall 3b, and a bottom wall 3c which, when the lid C is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, is inclined rearwardly and downwardly from theforward end of the receiver. As shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the refrigerant receiver 3 is open at its front end, as indicated at,4.

The lid C of the receptacle A is provided with an opening 5 formedA therethrough, which serves as a means of access to the interior of the receptacle without the necessity offraising the lid C; The opening is closed by a closure element 6, which preferablyls secured to the lid C by suituable hinges. 1. The closure element isof insulated construction just as is the lid C, and preferably the marginal edge of the closure element and the edge of the opening 5 are provided with beveled faces which contact with each other when the closure element is closed, as shown in Fig. 2. Also, the closure element is provided with a suitable handle 8, which facilitates opening and closing said closure element.M

In the use of my Aimproved refrigerated receptacle, solid carbon dioxide in-the form of one or moreblocks is introduced into the refrigerant receiver 3, said solid carbon dioxide being dropped into the open end 4 of the receiver when the lid C of the receptacle is in an elevated position, and because of the inclined arrangement of the bottom wall 3 of the refrigerant receiver/3 said solid carbon dioxide will not fall out of the receiver 3 when the lid C is moved'to a closed position. When the goods have been .arranged within. the body portion of the receptacle and the refrigerant has been introduced into the refrigerant receiver 3 as described, the lid C of thereceptacle is moved to its closed position, and thereafter when Iit is desired to remove goods from the receptacle, such removal is accomplished by displacing the closure element 6 and removing the goods through the opening 5.

By locating the. refrigerant at the upper portion of the receptacle the air which is chilled by said refrigerant is permitted to follow its natural course and fall to the lower portion of the receptacle, thereby displacing slightly warmer air within the receptacle which is moved upwardly to the upper portion of the receptacle, where said warmer air is likewise chilled by the refrigerant. Thus a circulation of air is created within the receptacle which will subject the goods within the receptacle to the proper refrigerating action, whereby said goods will be maintained in a rm and fresh condition at all times. Also, because solid .carbon dioxide is employed as the refrigerant, the undesirable.

Wet and messy condition formerly encountered when ice was used in butter boxes is eliminated.

. I claim:

1. A refrigerated receptacle comprising a body portion, a displaceable lid, a receiverfor a refrigerant secured to said lid and movable therewith, said lid being provided with an opening formed therethrough, and a displaceable closure element for said opening, said receiver comprising a hollow element having an open end and provided with an inclined bottom wall.

2. A refrigerated receptacle comprising a body portion providing amain refrigerating compartment, said body portion being produced by as.- sembled insulated walls, a. displaceable lid of insulated construction for said body "portion, a

`receiver for a refrigerant located within the upper portion of the refrigerating compartment and open thereto, said lid being provided with an opening formed therethrough which communicates directly with the entire compartment provided by the body portion including the portion of the compartment below the refrigerant receiver so that access may be had thereto without. hindrance from the refrigerant receiver when said refrigerant receiver is in its normal position within the upper portionof the receptacle, and a displaceable closure element of insulated construction for said opening.

3. A refrigerated receptacle comprising a body portion providing a main refrigerating compartment, said body portion being produced by assembled insulated walls, a displaceable lid for said body portion of insulated construction, a receiver for a refrigerant fixed to said displaceable lid and open to said main refrigerating compartment, said lid being provided with an opening formed therethrough which communicates directly Withthe entirecompartment provided by the body portion including the portion of the compartment below the refrigerant receiver so that access may be had thereto without hindrance from the refrigerantjreceiver when said refrigerant receiver is inits normal position within the upper portion of the receptacle, and a displaceable closure element of insulated construction for said opening.

4. A .refrigerated receptacle comprising a. body portion, a service lid covering a part only of the top of said body portion, a second lid covering the remaining part of said body portion, and a receiver for a refrigerant positioned Wholly below said second lid in the upper part of said body portion and open to the interior thereof, whereby access to the receptacle without hindrance from the receiver is provided through said service lid and ready access to the receiver is provided when the second lid is opened.

NORRIS B. HOLT.