US2182003A

US2182003A - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: US2182003A
Application number: US201343A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry H Roark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-04-11
Filing date: 1938-04-11
Publication date: 1939-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1939.

Filed April 11, 1938 H. H. ROARK REFRIGERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

H- EDHRK Dec. 5, 1939. H ROARK 2,182,3

REFRIGERATOR Filed April 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENT OR.

H. HRUHE K I l' I ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 5,. 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR Henry H. Roark, Sac City, Iowa Application April 11, 1938, Serial No. 201,343

1 Claim.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator construction that is handy and durable in use, economical in manufacture and refined in appearance.

More specifically the object of this invention is to provide a cylindrical refrigerator having holding and supporting trays that are rotatable and that are vertically adjustable.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of my refrigerator with sections cut away to more fully illustrate its construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the rotatable trays.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of one of the trays and its associate mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view of the means for adjustably and rotatably supporting a tray. 1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the vertical adjustable bearing element.

Fig 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the release mechanism taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Although refrigerators are universally used, they are not handy in use. The reason for this is that they are generally of rectangular construction and when the door is opened the supporting shelves or trays are positioned wholly inside the storage compartment. Also it is most diilicult to obtain articles that are located on the shelves at the extreme inside back of the storage compartment. I have overcome such objections as will hereinafter be appreciated.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the numeral ill to designate the housing of my refrigerator. This housing may be of any suitable material and construction. If desired this housthreaded one as shown in Fig. 4. Threaded onto this shaft I2 is a plurality of bearing elements l3.

In the drawings I show two of these bearing elements, but any number may be used according to the number of supporting trays desired. Obviously by rotating these bearing elements l3 to the right or left, they will be accordingly lowered or raised in their relative positions on the shafts l2. The numeral l4 designates a vertical longitudinal groove at the side of the shaft post I2. 10 The numeral I 5 designates a lug integrally formed on the side of each of the bearing elements 13. The numeral i6 designates a well extending into each of the portions l5 and I3 as shown in Fig. 4. The numeral i I designates a rod slid- 15 ably mounted extending through each of the bearing elements i3, and one of the wells l6. Embracing each of these shafts I! is a cup l8 threaded onto the outer end of the projection l5 through which the rod l7 rotatably and slidably 20 operates. The numeral I 9 designates projections on each of the cup cap members l8 and extending into a well IS. The numeral 20 desighates a washer rigidly secured on each of the rods l1 and inside the well in which the rod 25 operates. The numeral 2| designates a coil spring embracing each of the rods I! having its forward end engaging the washer 20 and its rear end engaging the projection l9 as shown in Fig. 4. By this construction the coil spring 39 will yieldingly hold the forward end of the rod l1 and the channel groove H of the shaft l2. Obviously when the rod I! of the bearing member l3 so engages the channel groove H, the bearing member I3 will be prevented from rela- 5 tive rotation on the shaft i2. The numeral 22 designates a bayonet slot in the outer end of each of the lug projections l5. Each of these bayonet slots extends first rearwardly and then downwardly as shown in Fig. 3 and communicates with w the rod I! by virtue of a cut away portion on the projection 19. After the rod l1 and cap I 8 have been assembled a pin 23 is inserted in the bayonet slot and driven into a receiving hole in the rod I! as shown in Fig. 4. The numeral 45 24 designates a knurled kfnob handle rigidly secured on the outer end of each of the rods l1. Obviously when it is desired to rotate a bearing member I 3 for a vertical adjustment purpose, the knob 24 is pulled outwardly and rotated to bring the pin 23 into the lowered position of the bayonet slot 22. This section brings the forward end of the rod I! out of engagement with the groove in the shaft l2 and holds the rod I! in such inoperative position. With the rod 50 not threaded on the shaft in this position, the bearingmember- I! may be rotated to the left or to the right tochange its vertical position on the shaft It. When the bearing member i3 reaches the desired location,

5 the knob 24 is rotated to the right to bring the pin 23 out of engagement with the vertical portion of the bayonet slot 22 and into the -horizontal slot portion of the bayonet slot. When the pin 23 is in such a position the coil spring 2| by exerting pressure on the washer will move the rod i'i forwardly to engage the channel groove H. The channel groove i4 is positioned on the forward side of the shaft I! as shown in Fig. 1 in order that the knurled knobs 1e 24 may be directly in front of the user when the refrigerator door is opened. The numeral 25 designates a bearing sleeve rotatably and slidably mounted on the shaft I2 and above each of the bearing elements it. These sleeves 25 are ii. The numeral 26 designates a circular tray plate or shelf rigidly secured to each of the sleeve bearings 25. The numeral 21 designates an upwardly extending flange on the periphery of each of the members 25 26. Obviously as each of the members 25 rotatabiy rests on the top of the bearing member ii, the tray plates 26 may be easily manually rotated on the shafts i2. Their height position within the refrigerator housing may be lowered or raised so by adjusting the positions of the members i3 as herebefore explained. To facilitate the manual rotation of the shelves 26, the ball race 28 may be placed between each of the bearing members 03 and collars 25 as shown in Fig. 4.

35 From the foregoing it will readily be seen that I have provided a refrigerator construction that is very handy in use. When it is desired. to

obtain some object in the inside rear of the refrigerator. it is merely necessary to rotate the shelf or tray 26 to bring the desired object to the front portion of the refrigerator. By making the housing of the refrigerator cylindrical, it will be noted that when the door is opened the circular shelf tray 2' will extend outwardly and beyond the plane of the opening of the refrigerator.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved refrigerator without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, a housing. a vertical threaded shaft inside said housing, a bearing member threaded on said shaft, a longitudinal groove in said threaded shaft, a rod slidably mounted in said bearing member capable of engaging said channel groove at times, a means for yieldingly holding said rod towards said shaft for preventing the rotation of said bearing element relative to said threaded shaft at times, a projection on said bearing element surrounding said rod and having a bayonet slot cut therein, a pin on said rod capable of engaging said bayonet slot in said projection when said rod is manually pulled rearwardly out of engagement with said groove in said threaded shaft, and a supporting tray element rotatabiy mounted on said shaft and operatively supported by said bearing member.