US2157754A

US2157754A - Refrigerating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2157754A
Application number: US47437A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard E Gould
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1935-10-30
Filing date: 1935-10-30
Publication date: 1939-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1956-05-09

Description

May 9, 1939. R. E. GOULD 2,157,754

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n n n n n o n n n n n n 25 l 1% [Purl/4R0 5'- G III A TTOR KEYS Patented May 9, 1939 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Richard E. Gould, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Gen eral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application October 30, 1935, Serial No. 47,437

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and particularly to a refrigerator cabinet having a refrigerating system installed therein.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerating. apparatus of the type having an insulated food storage compartment extending continuously and substantially from the top to the bottom of a cabinet of predetermined height and to provide for the mounting of certain elements of a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet within the cabinet walls andin a portion of the horizontal'plane occupied by the food storage compartment.

In carrying out the foregoing object, it is another object of the invention to construct the insulated wall structure surrounding the food storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet of a different horizontal cross-sectional contour than the enclosure of the walls of the cabinet, so as to provide a space between the cabinet walls and the insulated wall structure for the reception of certain elements of a refrigerating system,. while at the same time providing straight unobstructed vertically extending wall surfaces for the food storage compartment.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accom- 30 panying drawings wherein a preferred form of v the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet constructed according to the present invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the shelf arrangement in the food compartment shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet taken on the line 33 of Fig;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on the line 4-4 5 of Fig. 3 and showing the mounting of a certain element of a refrigerating system associated with the refrigerator cabinet; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3 and showing the shelf arrangement in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, for purposes of illustrating the invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof a refrigerator cabinet generally represented by the reference character ID. Cabinet III has outer finished vertically extending side walls ll formed by a substantially tubular metallic member l2 of rectangular form in horizontal cross section (see Fig. 3). An opening provided in one of the vertical'side walls of cabinet ID is surrounded by a wood frame l3 which is attached to the member l2 in any suitable or desirable manner. Tubular member l2 has its upper and lower open ends closed by sheet metal pan members 14 and I5 respectively. Within the walls of cabinet in and secured to frame l3, there is an insulated wall structure comprising an inner metal member I l which forms the wall surfaces of a food storage compartment I8 and an outer metallic member H! which surrounds and encloses any suitable insulating material 2|. 15 A metal shell 22 is corrugated as at 23 and is secured by being welded to the metal inner member I! so that the corrugated portions 23 form closed refrigerant passages around the food storage compartment lining. These refrigerant passages are, in the present disclosure, formed into a single serpentine passage or conduit. It will be noted that the upright portions of the insulated wall structure extend continuously in a vertical plane substantially from the top to thebottom of cabinet l0, and that the horizontal cross-sectional contour of the insulated wall structure is of a different form than the enclosure of walls II to provide a space between the insulated wall structure and the cabinet outer walls. The horizontal cross-sectional contour of the insulated wall structure is, in the present disclosure, of a semi-cylindrical form, thus providing a space or spaces 25 between the insulated wall structure and ;the outer vertical walls I] of cabinet II] at each corner of the cabinet. This space 25 is provided for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. The food storage compartment I8 is divided into a plurality of compartments by a shelf arrangement which comprises a plurality of shelves 2! stationarily secured to a rotatable upright member 28 mounted in any suitable or desirable manner centrally within compartment l8. The food compartment 'access opening, surrounded by frame I3, is adapted to beL-closed by a door 29. It will be noted that shelves 2'! are substantially semi-cylindrical in planular form and that the straight edge portions thereof must be rotated into a position in alignment with and adjacent to the food compartment access opening in order to permit door 29.to close the opening. The revolving shelf arrangement facilitates access to food products supported on the shelves and positioned at the rear portion of the compartment I8.

A .closed refrigerating system is associated with and carried by cabinet II. This refrigerating system includes a cooling elementor evaporator comprising the refrigerant flow or expansion passages 28 formed in the double metal wall of food compartment ii. The system also includes a refrigerant circulating unit generally represented by the numeral 3|. Unit 3| is mounted in any suitable and well known manner in the space 2! provided between the insulating wall structure of food compartment l3 and the cabinetwall II at one rear corner of the cabinet. It will be noted that the mounting of -unit 3! within a portion of the horizontal plane occupied by compartment II permits the food compartment to be extended throughout substantially the entire height of cabinet l0. Refrigerant circulating units of the type disclosed ordinarily comprise an electric motor directly connected to a compressor and enclosed in a single housing. Operation of the motor of unit 3| may be controlled in any desirable or conventional manner (not shown) to cause operation of the compressor of the unit: Operation of the compressor by the motor of, unit 3| causes the compressor to draw evaporated or gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerant passage 23 of the cooling element. 4 through pipeor conduit 33.

The gaseous refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and caused to flow through conduit 34 to a condenser 35 which is mounted on the back wall of cabinet- III. The compressed-refrigerant is cooled and liquefied in condenser 35 and is circulated through pipe 36 to a suitable pressure reducing valve or expansion device 31. The valve or device 31 may be enclosed in a box and surrounded by a packing of suitable loose insulating material to prevent moisture from collecting thereon and dripping therefrom. Liquid refrigerant; upon flowing through valve 81 passes through a pipe 38 into the refrigerant passage 23 of the cooling element wherein it expands upon absorbing heat fromthe food compartment l8 to cool same.

The expanded or vaporized refrigerant is againwithdrawn from the cooling element by the compressor of unit 3| and recirculated through the ystem as described.

The motor-compressor unit- 3| is cooled by air which flows upwardly through an opening 42 provided in the lower pan member II of cabinet l and outwardly of the cabinet through openings provided by louvers 43 in one wall ll of the cabinet. In orderqto insure circulation of air over the unit 3|, and to prevent pocketing of the air in the space or spaces 25 within the confines of the cabinet walls, a sheet metal bailie member 44 is interposed between pan member l and the side wall II of cabinet.-,||l. This bame 44 forms a compartment for unit 3| and the heat generated by the unit 3| creates a thermal syphon circulation of air through the compartment.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided an improved refrigerating ap paratus. The improved refrigerating apparatus is particularly useful for installation in places where only a low rectangular shaped space is available. In such places, conventional refrigerator cabinets having a machine compartment located either above or below a vertically extended food storage compartment cannot be installed because the overall height of the cabinet is too great. The improved refrigerating apparatus not only fulfills the requirement just described, but also provides ample food storage ing walls of the food storage compartment of -the improved refrigerating apparatus provides wall surfaces'which maybe readily and easily cleaned.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood'that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

- 1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet formed of pairs of confronting flat walls, a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a cooling element, and an insulated wall structure forming a cooling compartment within said cabinet and extending substantially from one .wall of one of said pairs of walls to its confronting wall, said wall structure having a partly cylindrical portion which cooperates with the cabinet walls to provide a space between said portion and the adjacent parts of the cabinet, said refrigerant circulating unit being housed in said space, and said cooling elementbeing. connected to said refrigerant circulating-unit and forming an interior liner for said wall structure.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet which has a door and is substantially rectangular in horizontal section, a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a cooling element, and an insulated wall structure secured within said cabinet and extending substantially from the top to the bottomthereof, said wall structure having a partly-cylindrical portion cooperating. with the cabinet .walls to provide a space between said portion and the adjacent parts of the cabinet, said refrigerant circulating unit being housed in said space, and said cooling element being connected to said circulating unit and arranged to provide a liner adapted to cooperate with said door to enclose a cooling space.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having bottom and top members and flat walls extending between said members, a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit, and an insulated wall structure which is generally circular in cross section and which extends from the top'member to the bottom member of said cabinet, said wall structure cooperating with the cabinet walls to form a space, said circulating unit being arranged within said space, and said wall structure including. a liner which'encloses a cooling space and an embossed sheet which is secured to and cooperates with said liner to provide an evaporator forming part of said refrigerating system. I

'4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet which is substantially rectangular in horizontal section, a refrigerating system associated ment being within the cabinet and in the form of an upright cylinder generally circular in horizontal section, whereby a space is provided between the compartment and adjoining walls of the cabinet, and a baiiie member extending across said spaceand between said adjoining walls and said compartment to form a housing therewith, said refrigerant circulating unit being mounted in said housing, and said cooling element being disposed in heat exchange relation with the insulated compartment.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cab-' inet having top and bottom members and walls extending between said members, one of said walls having a door opening, a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a cooling element, an insulated compartment extending substantially from the top member to the bottom member of the cabinet and having an access opening which registers with said doorv opening, said compartment being within the cabinet and including a partly-cylindrical casing cooperating with said walls to provide a space between the compartment and adjoining walls of the cabinet, said refrlgerantcirculating unit being housed in said space, and said cooling element being disposed in heat exchange relation with the insulated compartment,- a shelf in the partly-cylindrical 341 casing, and a door for said door and access openings, the shelf conforming in horizontal section to the interior of the partly-cylindrical casing and being so mounted for rotation about a vertical axis that when the shelf is rotated while the door is open the shelf will extend into the door opening.

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having walls one of which is formed with a door opening, the cabinet being substantially rectangular in horizontal section, a refrigerating system associated with the cabinet and including a refrigerant circulating unit and a cooling element, an insulated compartment defined by a wall generally circular in horizontal section and extending substantially from the top to the bottom of the cabinet, said compartment being within the cabinet and having a vertical axis, whereby spaces are provided between the compartment and adjoining walls of the cabinet, said refrigerant circulating unit being housed in one of said spaces, and said cooling element being disposed in heat exchange relation with the insulated compartment, a shelf structure mounted in the insulated compartment for rotation about said axis and having a plurality of shelves, the insulated compartment being in horizontal section more than a semi-circle but less than a circle and being formed with an access opening which registers with said door opening, and a door for said door and access openings, said shelves conforming in horizontal section to the interior of the insulated compartment, whereby when the shelf structure is rotated while the door is open the shelves will extend into the door opening.

RICHARD E. GOULD.