US2134085A - Ice grid for refrigerators - Google Patents

Description

Oct 25, 1933.

J. B. HERDLEIN ICE GRID FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Nov. 19, 1955 2 Shgets-Sheet l Oct. 25, 1938. HERDLEM 2,134,085

' ICE GRID'FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Nov. 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ICE GRID FOR REFRIGERATORS Application November 19, 1935, Serial No. 50,600

19 Claims.

This invention relates to household and commercial ice refrigerators, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a novel ice grid which will increase the efficiency of the ice for refrigeration purposes, the grid exposing only the bottom surface of the ice block to the circulating air within the refrigerator casing by a unique arrangement of parallel metal plates disposededge wise to the ice block, which arrangementto side of the ice compartmenmvvith shorter' metal grid plates interposed between the pairs of longer plates, together with an interlocking member disposed transversely of the grid plates andserving to render the grid rigid, to divert meltage, and to control air circulation.

A further object is to provide a grid having plates increasing in depth from side to center, and provided with recesses at'their centers, the walls of which serve to divert the drip of ice meltage into aidrip pan disposed below the grid; said recesses also serving to provide an unobstructed passage for air currents in passing downwardly through an axially disposed slot in the drip pan into the food compartment.

I will explain the invention with reference'to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one,

practical embodiment thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adoptand use the same;

and. will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of with my novel ice grid, the section being taken upon the line l|, Fig. 2. v

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the rethe ice grid, the section being taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the'refrigerator cabinet and grid taken on line 3-3,' Fig. 1.

- frigerator cabinet showing the arrangement of;

In the drawings my novel ice grid is illustrated in connection with a refrigerator casing of the one door type having side walls A, top B, bottom C and a back D, and having a single door E at the front which when opened gives access to the ice compartment above the grid, and likewise access to the food compartment disposed below the grid. However my grid may be used in connection with other types of ice refrigerators having two or more doors, also with refrigerators having certain doors installed for icing. purposes only.

The ice compartment, in' the upper portion of the casing, is shown as provided at the sides A-A and back D with a rustless' lining l, the lower ends of which at the sides A'-A of the cabinet are deflected inwardly as at la to form a support or bracket for the ice grid, hereinafter described. While the bracket portions la are shown integral with the lining l the same may if desired be formed separately therefrom and secured to the Walls;A-A in any desired man.- ner. The lower ends-of the'bracket portions la are flanged inwardly as at lb towards the center of the casing and then bent reversely as at 1c to clamp therebetween the inner ends of' plates 1d extendingfrom the sidewalls A-Axof: the

casing, the-plates (d not only serving to stiffen the shelf supporting "flanges lb of the bracket portions 1a and to maintain same properly spaced from the side walls of the casing, but also.serv ing to deflecttthe upwardly rising warmer air currents at the sides A-A of the casing below the grid inwardly towards and along the gridplates, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 1. The ice grid-comprises a series of parallel relatively long plates 4' with shorter plates 3 interposed between theplatesl as shown in Fig. 2, the plates 3 and 4being disposed' edgewiseto' the bottomof 'a blockof ice, and rigidly connected together by means of the-interlocking barl, tie plates 5, and'deflector' plate Z'as hereinafter described. The ends of the longer plates 4 are notchedto provide shoulders 4a adapted to rest upon the flanges lb of the bracketportions'la. In order to connect the plates 4 together; tie

plates 5 extend over the tops of the plates 4 at edge of each plate 4 is a relatively large triangular recess 4b for the purpose of permitting condensation on the plate 4 to be carried to either side of the recess and fall upon a drip pan 6 below the grid, hereinafter described.

The shorter grid plates 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are only about half the length of the plates 4 and have their ends 3a (Fig. 1) cut on a bevel sloping upwardly towards the center of the casing. The plates 3 otherwise have the same shape and configuration as the corresponding portions of the plates 4, and are likewise provided with relatively large triangular recesses in their lower edges corresponding in size and shape with the recesses 41) in the longer grid plates 4.

Extending across the tops of the assembled plates 3 and 4 at the center of the grid and disposed at right angles to the plates is an inter-.

locking bar I serving threepurposes; first, to permit the block of ice to initially slide over the ice grid in placing the block in the'ice compartment; second, to resist any tendency of the ice block to shift laterally within the ice compartment in event the grid is not level; and third, to

tendto split the ice block into two parts which" will separate and slide laterally away from the deflector plate 2 hereinafter described. The interlocking bar I may be secured to the- plates 3 and 4 in any desired manner preferably by notching the lower edge of the same to receive the upper edges of the plates 3 and 4 which may then be welded thereto. Obviously the upper edges of the plates 3 and 4 could be notched instead of bar I, if desired.

The deflector plate 2 extends transversely of w the grid and serves three purposes; first, to divert the meltage water to either side of the flue opening 6d; second, to serve as the upper part of the air flue; and third, to support and locate the shorter plates 3 of the grid; and as the deflector plate is secured to all of the plates 3 and 4 a very substantial construction is provided. The de:

'flector plate 2 is slightly angular in cross-section (Fig. 1) with the'apex of the angle disposed in a vertical plane passing throughthe center of each of the plates 3 and 4, and the. side edges of the deflector 2 terminate at points substantially above the widest portions of the recesses 4b in thelower edges of the plates 3 and 4. Preferably the deflector plateZ passes through correspondingly shaped openings or slots in the assembled plates 3 and 4 and is secured thereto by welding; and if desired the deflector :2 may be secured by welding to the interlocking bar I.

height of the ice grid, the plate having its upper edge flanged obliquely downwardly as at 9:; to wards the ice grid to assist in maintaining the block of ice centered on the grid. The. lower end of the plate 9 is flanged inwardly as at 9b. Below the lower edge of the flanged portion 9a is a plate 90 which forms a continuation of the flange 9a and slopes downwardly and rearward7 ly, and has its lower edgeflanged downwardly as.

the lower half of the air flue and also as the drip pan.. The lower pan 6b merely serves to protect the insulation 60 and to present a clean metal surface at the top of the food compartment. The drip pan 6 is spaced away from the side walls A-A of the refrigerator casing and is provided with a slot 6d at its center which slot extends the full length of the grid; and has a flange 6e around its edges retaining the meltage water. To assist the flow of air along the plates 3 and 4 and also to assist in carrying off drainage water the sections of the drip pan at opposite sides of slot 6d slope downwardly towards the center of the casing. The front end of the drip pan 6 is supported upon'the flange 9b of the center rail 9, while the rear end is supported by angle clips secured to the rear wall D of the refrigerator casing, the drip pan 6 sloping generally downwardly toward the rear of the casing shown in Fig. 3) so that the meltage water will in Fig. 1, the warmer air passing upwardly along the side walls AA of the food compartment, and inwardly towards the center of the casing in the air flue formed between the bottom of the block of ice and the drip pan 6, the air then passing along the grid plates 3 and 4, the major parts of the surfaces of which plates are exposed to the Warm air. The chilled air is then passed downwardly through the slot Ed in the drippan and is thus returned to the food compartment at its center.

The recesses 41) in plates 3 and 4 at their centers permit any condensation collecting on said plates tp be carried to either side of the 'refine the block of ice to the space directly over the At the rear end of the grid is a plate 43: (Fig. 3), 3

grid inasmuch as the ice chamber itself is somawhat larger than the blocks of ice. Obviously these inclined surfaces will tend to force the ice block directly over the grid, as will also the downwardly and rearwardly plates 9a, of the 7 center rail 9 which form continuations, of the bracket portions la.

The ice grid is illustrated herein in connection with a so-called one door refrigerator, although 1 it is obviously applicable for use in refrigerators of two or more doors, and also to refrigerators having certain doors installed for icing purposes only.

I claim: g V ,1. An ice grid for refrigerators comprising a plurality of parallel vertically disposed grid plates adapted to be disposed'edgewise to a block of ice supported thereon; intermediate grid plates of shorter length substantially conforming in size and shape with the corresponding portions of the first mentioned plates; and .a horizontally'disf posed plate on thetransverse axis of the grid connected with all the grid plates intermediate their upper and lower edges, and extending atwards their-centers and having recesses in their loweredge s below and of substantially the same width as the horizontal plate.

3. In combination with a grid as set forth in claim 1, a bar disposed axially of the grid and extending above the upper edges of the grid plates, said bar being connected with the plates and arranged to be disposed edgewise to the block of ice.

4. An ice grid for refrigerators comprising a plurality of parallel vertically disposed grid plates arranged to be disposed edgewise to a block of ice supported thereon; said plates increasing in depth from their ends towards their centers and having in their central lower edge portions V- shaped recesses defining spaced depending drainage points; and means for connecting the plates together. i

5. An ice grid for refrigerators comprising a plurality of parallel vertically disposed grid plates adapted to be disposed edgewise to a block of ice supported thereon; intermediate grid plates of shorter length substantially conforming in size and shape with the corresponding portions of the first mentioned plates; said grid plates increasing in depth from their ends towards their centers; and means for connecting the plates together.

6. A refrigerator, comprising a casing having an ice compartment and a food compartment; an ice supporting grid between the compartments including a series of vertical substantially parallel grid plates disposed for edgewise engagement with ice at the bottom of the ice compartment and extending from side to side thereof; means for supporting the grid plates; means for directing upwardly rising air currents at the sides of the food compartment inwardly along the grid plates below the ice block towards the transverse axis of the grid; a drip pan below the grid arranged to form with the bottom of the ice block an air fiue and having a slot underlying the central part of the grid for the passage therethrough of cold air into the food compartment; and means for diverting the drippings of ice meltage above the slot into the drip pan.

'7. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, each of the grid plates increasing in depth from end to center, and having a recess at the center of its lower edge spanning the slot for diverting the drippings of ice meltage into the drip pan.

8. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, said grid supporting means having portions adapted to center a block of ice upon the grid.

9. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, means on the grid for supporting a block of ice to initially slide thereover in filling the ice compartment.

10. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, a center rail extending from side to side of the casing across the front end thereof; said rail having a portion adapted to center .a block of ice upon the grid.

11. A refrigerator comprising a casing having an ice compartment and a food compartment; an ice supporting grid between the compartments including a series of parallel grid plates disposed for edgewise engagement with ice at the bottom i'th 9 cq nar enten e tendi f m s to side thereof; intermediate grid plates of shorter length interposed between the first men tioned plates; means at the sides of the casing for supporting the first mentioned grid plates and for directing the upwardly-; rising air currents at the sides of the food compartment inwardlyalong the grid plates below the ice block towards the axis of ,the grid; a drip pan below the grid arranged to form with the bottom of the ice block an air flue having an axially disposed slot for the passage therethrough of cold air into the food compartment; and a deflector-plate of greater width than the slot connected with all the grid plates above the slot, and diverting the drippings of ice meltage above the slot into the drip pan.

12. In a refrigfierator as set forth in claim 11, each of the grid plates increasing in depth from end to center, and having a recess at the center of its lower edge spanning the slot for diverting the drippings of ice meltage into the drip pan.

13. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 11, said grid supporting means having inwardly and downwardly inclined portions adapted to confine a block of ice to the space directly over the grid.

14. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 11, means on the grid extending thereabove for permitting a block of ice to initially slide thereover in filling the ice compartment; said means tending to subsequently split the block above the slot.

15. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 11, a center rail extending from side to side of the casing across the front end thereof, said rail having an inwardly and downwardly inclined portion adapted to confine the block of ice to the space directly over the grid; and said rail supporting the front end of the drip pan.

16. A refrigerator comprising a casing having an ice compartment and a food compartment; an ice grid between the compartment including a series of parallel grid plates disposed edgewise to the bottom of the ice compartment and extending from side to side thereof; intermediate grid plates of shorter length interposed between and conforming in shape with the corresponding portions of the first mentioned plates; means at the sides of the casing for supporting the first mentioned grid plates and for directing the upwardly rising air currents at the sides of the food compartment inwardly-along the grid plates below the top edges of the grid plates towards the axis of the grid, said supporting means having inwardly and downwardly inclined portions adapted to confine a block of ice to the space directly over the grid; a drip pan below the grid arranged to form with the bottom of the ice block an air flue having an axially disposed slot for the passage therethrough of cold air into the food compartment; and a deflector plate of greater width than the slot connected with all the grid plates above the slot, and diverting the drippings of ice meltage above the slot into the drip pan.

17. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 16, each of the grid plates increasing in depth from end to center, and having a recess at the center of its lower edge spanning the slot for diverting the drippings of ice meltage into the drip pan, said recesses providing unobstructed passage for air circulation through the slot.

18. An ice grid for refrigerators comprising a plurality of parallel vertically disposed grid plates arranged to be disposed edgewise to a block of ice supported thereon; and a horizontally disposed angular plate connected with the grid plates and passing therethro'u'gh above their lower edges at right angles to the plates, said grid plates increasing in depth from their ends toward their centers defining downwardly converging lower edgeportions on each grid plateand having recesses in their lower edges at their central portions.

19. In combination with a grid as set forth in claim 18, a bar disposed transversely of the grid at right angles to the plates thereof and extend! ing above the upper edges of the grid plates, said bar being connected with theplates and disposed edgewise to a block of ice. l 1

JOHN BOBE HERDLEIN.

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