US2076835A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

G. H. YOUNG v 2,076,835 l REFRIGERATOR April 13, 1937.

5, 1954 2 sheets-snaai 1 Filed Dec i Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2 sheeis-sheet 2 Patented pr. 13, 1937l UNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,016,335 namasas'ron George H. Young, Oak Park, lill. v Applieeuen December s, 1934, serial No. 156,009

'l Claims.

This invention. relates to refrigerators and more particularly to doors'therefor.

i It has been the custom heretofore to hingedly connect the doors of a refrigerator thereto a t either the right or left hand side thereof to permit the doors to be swung to and from closed position in a direction whichwould afford easiest access to the storage compartments in each parhinged doors could not be used because there was not suiiicient room to permit the doors to be swung to and from closed position.

.Hence,v the primary object of my invention is to equip a refrigerator with doors that can be moved to and vfrom closed position 'within the coniines of the refrigerator lwhereby hinged mounting .of the doors at the right or left hand side of the refrigerator may be avoided and the refrigerator may be used in those, places whereat be swung to and from closed position.

Other objects of the invention are to lmove the doors of a refrigerator vertically. to and from closed positiom. to mount the doors for conjoint or individual movement; to counterbalance the doors to facilitate movement thereof; to rmly secure the doors in closed position and ,to secure one door by engagement of the sec/u//v/g parts with the refrigerator .and to secure/,he other door or doors one to the other; to seal)r he edges of the doors against leakage and tp prevent sweating thereabout; and to providea refrigerator door arrangement of simple and economical construction and expeditious and positive opera-- tion.

A selected embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention and wherein one of the doorsis in open' position disclosing vthe food compartment; "Flg.2 is a. front elevation and. in which cer-- tain` parts are broken away;

Fig. 3 is a. horizontalsectional detail view taken substantially on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig.l 4 is a top plan view in which certain parts 55 are broken away;

thereV is not sufficient room to enable a door to' ',The space between the type of refrigerator.

\ wardly ofthe fianges i3 and panels i Fig. 5 is a vertical section detail view taken substantially on the line 5-5 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line B-G on Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional detail view showing the latching mechanism and taken sub- 'stantially'on'the line 1-1 on Fig. 6; land Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical lsection detail view showing parts ofthe locking device illustrated at the right hand end of Fig. 7. l

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, 9 generally indicates the housing of-.my refrigerator, preferably made of metal and suitably nished on the outer -surface thereof, as by enameling or they like, to

enhance the appearance thereof. The refrlg erator also has a metallic lining I0 spaced from the housing 9 and suitably iinishedon the inner surface thereof to enhance the appearance thereof, expedite cleaning, and enable a sanitary condition to be maintained in the storage compartment of the refrigerator. the lining is spaced above the bottom of the refrigerator whereby a chamber is dened in the refrigerator below` the 'bottom of the lining., housing 9 and the sides, back and top of the lining l0 is preferably filled with suitable insulatihg material such as corkboard or the like. The space enclosed' by the lining Ill is open at the front and is preferably divided into refrigerating and food compartments, access to which is had through the open front, and my invention particularly relates to doors for closing the open front of the refrigerator. In the illustrated lform of the invention the-refrigerating compartment is positioned above the food compartment. It is to be under- The bottom wall of v thus far described is only illustrative, for my invention is not limited to use with this particular As best shown in Fig. 'l the side walls of the housing 9 include forwardly extending parts .i2 which terminate in flanges i3 that provide the front -wall of my refrigerator, a panel i4, unitary with the flanges la, being provided tetweenY the flanges on that part of the front wall below the bottom of the food compartment in the refrigerator. A panel il', unitary with anges I3, is s provided `between the upper parts of these flanges I3 above the top of the refrigerating compartment.

Y The insulation the housing '9 and the lining i0 terminates in- IU (Fig. '1)

.Il between the side walls of n :danses I3.

panels Ill' are thus spaced from the anges I3.

The panels I6' are unitary with the lining I0 I and at the juncture of the lining and these panels, the lining is folded upon itself to provide tracks I5 that extend toward each .other at opposite sides oi' the open front of the space,Y

confined by the lining Ill. 'Ihese tracks ex- 10 vtend vertically throughout the height of the lining I and tracks I5' on the frame of the refrigerator are aligned with the tracks I5 and extend to the bottom of the. refrigerator. 'I'he tracks I and I5' guide the doors to which my l5 invention appertains in` their movement to and from closed position. i Posts I6 are provided in the space between the panels I8 andth anges I3 and are located at the corners define between the parts I2 and the These posts, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, are of a` length equal to the height of the lining I0 and provide jambs for the door. The sides I I of the posts I6, which face toward each other, are tapered outwardly and downwardly so that they are spaced apart the greatest amount at the lower ends thereof. A

'I'he doors I8 and I9 are mounted between the jambs afforded by the tapered faces I'I of the posts I6 and are adapted to move vertically to and from closing position. The door I8 closes the refrigerating compartment while the door I9 closes the food compartment. Each of these doors includes afront wall 20 that is similar to the housing 9 in nish and material. The doors also include side walls -2I (Fig. 3). which are tapered complementary to the faces II and which are of a. depth equal to the depth of the posts I 8. Right angularly extending anges 22 and 23 (Fig. 3) interconnect the side walls 2| with the linings24 40 of the doors which linings correspond in finish and material to the lining I0. The flanges 23, as best shown in Fig. 3, extend inwardly of the tracks I5 but are spaced therefrom.y Insulation 25v is provided between the front wall 20, the lin- 45 ing 24, the fianges 22 and 23, and the side walls 2| of each of the doors and this insulation is similar to the insulation I I.

Wheels 26 are provided near each corner of each. door and these wheels are peripherally 50 grooved to receive and ride on the tracks I5 and I5'. 'I'he insulation 25 is cut away in eachoi the doors at the places whereat the wheels 26 are to be mounted and lugs formed on the flanges 23 provide bearings to receive the axles of the 55 wheels 2,6 as is illustrated in Fig. 7.

Strip gaskets 28 of cork, rubber or the like are mounted on the faces II and when the doors are in closing position the side walls 2I thereof engage these gaskets to prevent leakage past 60 the doors and also to prevent sweating and other undesirable conditions. A similar gasket 28' is provided between the top wall of the door I8 and the face of the door jamb at the top of the door as illustrated in' Fig. 6. Likewise a gasket 28" is 65 provided between the bottom oi the door I8 and the top of the door I9 for these parts of the doorsengage when the doors are in closing position shown in Fig. 2.

As best shown in Fig. 5 the door I9 extends 70 rslightly below the bottom wall 29 of the food compartment. The top of this bottom wall is provided by the lining I Il and th bottom thereof is provided by a plate 30, insulation 3| being provided between the lining I8 and the plate 30. The

75 front wail 32 of the bottom wall 29 is spaced from the lining 24 of the door I9. A lip 33 is provided at the juncture of the lining 24 of the door I9 with the bottom`wall34 of this door and this lip extends below the lower wall 29. A gasket 35 is provided at the front end of the plate 30 and when the door I9 `is in closing position the lip 33 engages this gasket and seals the lower edge of the door I9.

Since the doors I8 and I9 move vertically to and from closing position it is advantageous to counterbalance these doors and while such counterbalancing may be effected in a number .of ways, I have found the use of counterbalancing weights to be desirable, and such weights may be conveniently mounted at the back of the refrigerator. A weight chamber 36 (Fig. 6) is provided at the back of the refrigerator and 'is defined between the rear wall of the refrigerator and a plate 31 which has an inwardly extending flange at the upper end thereof that is suitably secured to the refrigerator.

Peripherally grooved rollers 38 are provided at the top of the compartment 36. Passages 39 are provided through the insulation I I at the top and at each side of the refrigerator. Rollers 40 are provided in a recess in the insulation at the top of the space between the panels I0 and the flanges I3. Cords 4I have corresponding ends thereof connected to lugs such as 42 (Fig. 3) on the flanges 22 of the door I8 and these cords pass about the rollers 40, through the passages 39 and about the rollers 38 and the opposite ends thereof are secured to a counterbalancing weight 43 in the compartment '36,

Rollers 44 similar to the rollers 38 are mounted in the chamber 36 slightly above the plane of the bottom of the door I8 when it is in closing po-r are secured to a counterbalancing weight 48 in the compartment 36. l

The weight 43 is sized to counterbalance the door I8 and the weight 48 is sized to counterbalance the door I9 and therefor these doors will freely move to and from closing position or they may be retained in positions intermediate the open and closed positions thereof because of the counterbalancing thereof.

It has been explained that the door I8 closes the refrigerating compartment and that the door I9 closes the food compartment and also that these doors move vertically. When both of these doors are in their uppermost positions in the vertical movement thereof, they are in compartment closing position. Hence when it is desired to have access to the food compartment the door I9 is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1. However, when it is desired to have access, to the refrigerating compartment, it is necessary to move both of the doors and when this is done the door I9 moves into position shown in Fig. 1 and the door I8 moves into a position such that it closes the food compartment. sIn order to yattain such movement of the doors it is necessary that the door I9 be capable of movement independently of rollers controlled by the handle 58 latch into thev door I8. Thus, when the door I8 is unlatchedl capable of conjoint movement. I thereforelatch the door I9 tothe door I8 and I latch the door I8 to the refrigerator. 'Ihen when the door I9 'is unlatched from the door I8 it is capable of its required independent movement, but when the door I9 is latched to the door I8vand2the door I8 is unlatched from 'the refrigerator; the doors are capable of the conjoint movement described. v

One form of latching means suitable for 'such 10 operation is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and while this latching means attains a desired end it is to be understood thatvother forms maybe used without departing from 'the purview of my invention. rIfhe operating parts I of the latchv mechanisms provided in both of the doors I8 and I9 in the illustrated forms are similar. The latch mechanism in the door I8 is controlled by a yhandle 49` while the latch mechanism for the door I9 is controlled by a handle 58.

These latch mechanisms are Aoperated by pressing Ythese handles inwardly as by moving the handle 4,9 from the full line position in Fig. 7 into the dotted line position thereof.

` The operating mechanisms for the latch prou vided in the door ,I8 are shown in Fig. 7. The

insulation in the door I8 is cut away near the lower end thereof to provide a chamber 5I. Bearings 52 and 53 are provided in this chamber at opposite ends thereof and plungers 54 -and 55 are respectively mounted in these bearings for reciprocall movement.Y A spring 58 is provided about the plunger 54 Vand normally urges this plunger outwardly to seat the roller 51 at the free end of the plunger in the pocket 58 (Fig. 2)'

formed in the post I8 at the left hand side of the refrigerator as viewed in Fig. 2. A spring 59 acts on' the plunger 55 to force it outwardly to'seat the roller 88 at the free end of this plunger in the pocket 6I in the post I8 at the right hand 40 side of the refrigerator as viewed in Fig. 2. The handle 49 includes a plunger 82 mounted for reciprocal movement in the front wall of the door I8. An arm 83 is fast on the plunger 82 in the chamber 5I. A link 8l is pivotally connected to the arm 88 and the inner end of the plunger 5l. A link 88` is pivotally connected to the arm 88 andl 4the'inner end of the plunger 55. The springs 58 and 59 normally act to urge rollers 5 1 and 88 int'o the pockets 58 and 8| respectively to 50 thereby latch the door I8 in its uppermost and compartment closing position and in so doing these springs eiIect substantial aiignmentoi' the links 84 and 85 with the arm 88. However, when, the handle 49 is forced inwardly the links. 8l and 85 move into angular relation with the arm 88,

as shown in Fig. '1, and retract the plungers .54 and 55 so that the rollers 51 and 88 are retracted from thepockets 58 and 8I whereupon the door 4I8 `may moverelative to the lamb 60, therefor.

A similar operating arrangement under the control of the handle 58 is provided at the top of the door I9'but, as shown in Fig. 8, the plunger 55 thereof includes an upwardly extending part 88 which projects through aligned'openings '81 and 88/respectively provided in the top of the door I9 and the bottom of the door I8. The roller ,89 is mounted at the top of part 88 and is engageable with a block 18,- at the bottom of the copartment 5I.` The arrangement just described is provided in the door I9 at the -rightside of the refrigerator as viewed in Fig. 2 and a similar arrangementjs provided at the left hand side of this door. It will thus be seen that the latching in the manner previously described, the door I9 will remain latched thereto unless the handle 5I! is manipulated tounlatch the door I9 from the door I8 for the springs which act on the roller carrying plungers normally hold the rollers in latching position. 0f course, if the-door I8 is not unlatched, the door I8 may nevertheless be unlatched therefromso that it can be lowered into its open position shown in Fig. 1.

If the lining I8 was divided into three or more compartments an additional door or doors could be provided below the door I9 and the first additional door would latch 'to the door I9 as the door I9 latches to the door I8, for each door, except the top door, latches to the one above it and the top door latches to the refrigerator. Thus access can be had to any compartment merely by releasing the latch which retains the door for that compartment in position.

In the movement of the doors to and from closed position, the wheels 28 travel on the tracks I5 and I5' and prevent undesirable side sway of the doors. Furthermore, as soon as one of the doors moves. from its closed position, lthe 'side walls 2l thereof disengage the gaskets 'on the faces I1 and the space between these side walls and the faces increases as the doors move further away from their closed positions. For this reasonit is essential that the doors be latched when in closed position for such latching tightly engages the side walls of the doors with the gaskets on the faces I'I and prevents leakage, such latching also tightly engaging the horizonal parts on the doors with the gaskets therefor to prevent leakage. v

As explained, when the doors I8 and I9 move together, the door I8 tends to move into the position occupiedby the door I9 when this door is in closing position. And since the doors are mounted inwardly of the flanges I3, the door I9 moves behind the panel I4 when it moves from closed position as is shown in Fig. 1.

, From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a refrigerator wherein the doors. move vertically to .and from closing position and therefore a dealer need not carry a 'double inventory such as is required when re- 'frigerators are equipped with swinging doors mounted at the right or left hand sides'of the refrigerator. Moreover, since the doors move to and from closing position within the confines of the refrigerator, it is possible to use this refrigerator at thoseplaces whereat it ,is not possible to swing a hinged door. Furthermore, the f doors are` effectively latched in closing position and by providing tapered side walls on the doors adapted to cooperate with tapered jambs, I attain tight seating of the doors and I thereby prevent leakage, sweating and the like.

In the foregoing description I have described a selected embodiment'of my invention but it is to said jambs\each adapted when in closing position to close the open side of one of said compartments, tracks on said jambs, means on said.doors engageable in said tracks to guide said doors in the vertical movement thereof, said jambs including tapered portions, ami tapered portions on said doors adapted to engage the tapered portions on said jambs when the doors are in closing position to eifectively seal the open sides of said compartments against leakage.

2. In a refrigerator having refrigerating and food compartments therein, one above the other, each of said compartments having an open side, jambs along the side edges of the open sides of said compartments, vertically moveable doors and said jambs each adapted when in closing position to close the open side of one of said compartments, tracks on said jambs, means on said doors engageable in said tracks to guide said doors in the vertical movement thereof, said jambs including tapered portions, tapered portions on said doors adapted to engage the tapered portions on said jambs when the doors are in closing position to effectively seal the open sides of said compartments against leakage, and releaseable means for latching said doors in closing position to retain the tapered portions on said doors in engagementI with the tapered portions on said jambs.

3. In a refrigerator including a lining having an open side at one side of the refrigerator and enclosing an area adapted to be refrigerated and wherein the bottom of the lining is spaced above the bottom ofthe refrigerator: to provide a compartment in the refrigerator below the bottom of the lining, a pair of vertically moveable doors for closing the open side of said lining, vertically extending tracks in said refrigerator, means on said' doors and engageable with said' tracks to guide said doors in their vertical movement, said refrigerator having a panel on the side thereof whereat the open side of said lining is disposed for closing said compartment, said panel being` spaced forwardly of the front 'of said lining in an amount sufficient to permit the lowermost of said doors to move `therebehind when the lowermost door is lowered to aiford access into said refrigerated area, and means for latching said doors in position to close the operi side of said lining to thereby close olf access to said refrigerated area. j

4. In a refrigerator having refrigerating and food compartments therein, one above the other,

each of said compartments having an open side,

jambs along the side edges* of the open sides of said compartments, vertically moveable doors and said jambs each adapted when in closing position to close the open side of one of said com` partments, tracks on said jambs, means on said doors engageable in said tracks to guide said doors in the vertical movement thereof, said jambs including tapered portions, tapered portions on said doors adapted to engage the tapered portions on said jambs when the doors are in closing position to effectively seal the open sides of said compartments against leakage,

means for releasably latching one of said doors to the refrigerator when said door is in closing position, and means for latching the other of said doors to said one door when said other door is in closing position, said llatching means releasably retaining the tapered portions on said A doors in engagement with the tapered portions on said jambs, the release of the latching means for said one door without release of the latching means for said otherdoor permitting conjoint movement of said doors, the release of the latching means for said other door without release of the latching means for said one door permitting said other door to be moved relative to said one door.

5. In a refrigerator including a lining having 'an open side at one sideof said refrigerator and enclosing an area adapted to be refrigerated, jambs on the side of said .refrigerator into which said lining opens and positioned outwardly of said lining at opposite sides of the open side of said lining, a pair of vertically moveable doors mounted between said jambsand adapted to close the open side of said lining, said doors having tapered sides, said jambs being tapered complementary to said tapered sides whereby the tapered sides of said 'doors may engage therewith when the doors are in closedposition, vertical tracks in'said refrigerator, and means on said doors engaged with said tracks and adapted to move therealong to vguide said doors in the movement thereof to'and from closed position.

6. In a refrigerator including a lining having an open side at one side of said refrigerator and enclosing an Jarea adapted to be refrigerated, `lambs on the side of said refrigerator into which said lining opens and positioned outwardlyl of said lining at opposite sides of the open side of said lining, a pair of vertically moveable doors mounted between said jambs and adapted to close the open side of said lining, said doors havlng tapered sides, said jambs being tapered complementary to said tapered sides whereby the tapered sides of said doors may engage therewith when the doors are in closed position, said lining having vertically extending tracks formed thereon, tracks in said refrigerator in vertical alignment with the tracks on said lining, and v rollers on said doors engaged with said tracks and moveable therealong to guide said doors in the vertical movement thereof to and from closec` position. l

7. In a refrigerator having refrigerating and food compartments therein arranged one above the other and opening through one wall of said refrigerator, doors for closing the open sides of said compartments and having tapered side Walls, jambs at the side of said doors and having the faees thereof tapered complementary to the sides of said doorswhereby said doors tightly engage said jambs when in compartment closing position to prevent leakage thereby, means providing vertical tracks, and rollers on said doors and engaged with said tracks to guide said doors to and from compartment closing position.

' GEORGE H. YOUNG.

Images