US2214467A - Air conditioning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

kAm CONDEMOMNG AxPARATUS Filed De@ 3l,

5 Q m Ar iii corrrlrrromne Robert El. Lambert, New York, Faul vemre and Matson il. Terry, New Rochelie, N. il., assignors, by meen@ assignments, to American Radiator Standard Sanitary Enumeration, New York, N. Y., a corporation or Lelaware Application December Si, i936, Serial No. iiel (Cl. @2n-lei?) Referring now in detail to the construction il lustrated, it will be observed that we have shown an air conditioning unit which is suitable for installation in a room space used either for living quarters, an orice, or the like, and which serves to provide a proper and comfortable condition of air within the room space in which it is installed.

The unit comprises an enclosing casing structure including a central or base section lil, wing sections l! and l2 located, respectively, at each end of the central section, and a skirt mem ber I3 resting on the floor ci the room and abutting the lower part of the front and sides of the enclosing casing structure.

In the top and at the rear oi the central or base section lil, is provided a longitudinally extending air inlet opening lll communicating with the room space; and the top and at the front of the section i6, is provided a longitudinally extending air outlet opening i5 also communicating with the room space and spaced from the inlet opening by means of a longitudinally eX- tending removable strip i6. The inlet and outlet openings ill and i5 are provided, respectively, with removable grille members il and i8. The upper and rear part of the central or base section l is provided with a second inlet opening i9 which communicates with one end of a horizontal duct 2B. The duct 2li extends rearwardly from the upper part oi the section l0 and through an opening dened by a partially raised window sash 2l and thereby provides communication between the interior of the section l0 and the outside atmosphere. The duct 2S may be lined with a suitable sound-absorbing material indicated at 20a, which serves to prevent street noises from entering the room through the duct. The inner end of the duct section 20 is removably secured to the central or base section i by screws 22 and 23.

5 Claims.

Our invention relates to air conditioning apparatus. and more particularly to apparatus of this type which is adapted to be installed in room spaces and which is operable to condition the air in the room spaces.

An object of our invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatus of the unit type which is of improved construction and arrangement of parts, and which operates in an emcient and effective manner.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned type which reduces, in an efcient manner. the dry bulb temperature and moisture content of the air in the room space with a minimum of re-evaporation of condensed moisture during oli-cycles of the cooling and dehumidifying elements.

A further object is to provide highly compact apparatus of the above type which is unusually quiet in operation, and which is capable oi handling a relatively large amount of air.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, we have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, in which drawings- Fig. l is a perspective view showing one preierred embodiment of our invention as installed in a room space;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, certain parts being broken away to illustrate more clearly the structural details;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing certain o the elements of the preferred embodiment as removed from the enclosing casing and showing the relative position these elements occupy when installed in the casing;

Fig. 5 is a detail assembly View illustrating the motor-blower unit and its mounting;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a slightly modied arrangement, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the detailed manner in which the motorblower unit is secured to the enclosing casing structure, the section being taken on the line 'l-l ci Fig. 2.

25 from the forward end of the duct 2D, extends longitudinally of the upper rear interior of the central section IB and may be moved manually about its pivotal axis to any desired position by means of a hand-operated slidable rod 26 connected to the damper by link means 2l. The damper 2li serves to close oi either the inlet opening iii or the inlet opening i9; or, when in a mid position, serves to proportion the amounts of room air and fresh air entering the unit. in the full-line position of the damper shown in Fig. 3, the inlet opening i9 communicating with the iresh air duct El] is shown as being closed. and the air entering the central section i@ oi 4 A damper 2li suitably pivoted as indicated at the unit iiowsthrough the inlet opening l@ from the room space. With the damper in the dottedline position shown in Fig. 3, approximately equal amounts of room air and fresh air will be drawn into the central section ll] through the inlet openings lll and I9.

In. the central section l5, there is arranged a removable filter 28, a cooling coil 29, a motordriven blower 3l), a sound-deadening discharge duct 3l, and a heating coil 32. In the wing section ll there is located a water supply means 33, here shown to be in the form of a water bottle supported in inverted position by a cup 3d. In the wing section l2 there is arranged a humidifying mechanism 35 of the motor-driven atomizing type` The mechanism includes a water-receiving receptacle 36 connected to the cup member 3B by means of a pipe 3l. The discharge from the humidifying mechanism 35 is connected to an upwardly extending duct 38 which is in turn connected at its upper end to a nozzle member 39 extending through the top wall of the wing section l2 and arranged to direct a stream of air with atomized water or mist in suspension therein, over the outlet opening I5 of the central section l0.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the central or base section comprises a rear Wall lil, end walls d! and 62, and a bottom wall 63, all rigidly secured together by any suitable means, such, for example, as spot-welding. The front of the central section is closed by means of a wall section d detachably secured to the bottom and end walls, respectively, by means of suitable screws 45 and 46. The wing sections l l and I2 each comprise a bottom wall 4l, a front wall 68, an outer end wall G9 and a rear wall 50; the end walls dl and 42 of the central section lll serving, respectively, also as the inner end walls for the wing sections ll and l2. Doors 5l are provided in the front of the wing sections to permit ready access to the water supply bottle 33 and humidifying mechanism 35. Vertieally adiustable jack screws 52 extending through the bottom walls 4l of the wing sections Il and l2, serve as a means for adjustably levelling the unit with respect to the window sill and for supporting the entire unit from the floor. The skirt member I3 surrounds the lower part of the unit and conceals the jack screws 52 and other unsightly parts of the unit. The skirt member merely rests on the floor and abuts the front and ends of the unit so that it can be readily removed when desired.

It will be observed from an examination of Fig. 3, that we have provided in the central or main section I0, an upright U-shapcd passage 55 which comprises a downcoming or incoming leg 5B, an upgoing or outgoing leg 51. and a lateral portion or return-bend leg 58. The upper end of the downcoming leg 56 communicates with the inlet openings i4 and I9, as shown. The upper end of the upgoing leg 5l communicates with the outlet opening I5, and the lower ends of the downcoming and upgoing legs are connected by means of the lateral portion 58.

Arranged across the upper part of the downcoming leg 5G and beneath the removable grille Il, is the removable filter 28 supported at its lower and rear edge by a horizontally' extending angle member 59 which may be removably secured to the end walls il and 42 of the central section by any suitable means (not shown). The lter is supported at its ends in its inclined position by means of inclined brackets 6B suitably spot-welded to the end walls lll and 42 of the casing. Thus, by removing the grille l'l, the filter 28 may be readily removed and replaced.

Arranged below the filter 28 is a duct section 6I formed of any suitable corrosive-resisting metal, such, for example, as copper. The duct section lli is open at its upper end and forms the lower part of the downcorning leg 593 and the beginning of the lateral portion 58 of the U shaped passage, The duet section may be formed in any suitable manner. 1n the drawings we have shown the duct as being unitary in construction and as including a pair of spaced end walls 92, a rear wall 63 joining the end walls and having a lower extension @Li inclined forwardly and downwardly, and a horizontal bottom wall portion 65 joining the lower edge of the inclined extension 64. rEhe duct section also comprises a front wall B5 joining the end walls E52 and including a vertical portion 57, a down-- wardly and rearwardly extending diagonal portion 58 at the lower end of the vertical portion, and a second vertical portion S9 at the lower end of the diagonal portion and terminating above the forward edge of the bottom wall 65 to provide a laterally and forwardly directed discharge opening l0. The diagonal portion EB overlies the motor-driven blower 30; and, in conjunction with the diagonal portion 6d and the remaining dening wall portions, provides for a complete change in direction of flow of the air before leaving the outlet l0.

Immediately below the lter 28 and in the upper part of the duct section Si, is arranged a cooling and dehumidifying means, here shown to be in the form of the refrigerant evaporator coil 29, which consists of a plurality of horizontally extending pipes 'll connected at their ends by return bends 72 to provide a continuous iow of refrigerant through the coil, and provided on their exterior surfaces with vertically arranged ns 73 serving to promote the rate of heat absorption by the coil. Any suitable type of refrigerant may be supplied to the interior of the coil; Freon The coil 29 is connected at one end to an inlet pipe 'i4 and at the other end to a discharge pipe 75. It will be appreciated that. in operation, the inlet pipe 'lli will be connected to the discharge side of a conventional type of motor-compressorcondenser unit (not shown) which operates te supply liquid refrigerant to the pipe ld, and that the discharge pipe l5 will be connected to the suction side ef such a motor-compressor-Con l denser unit. It is' believed unnecessary for an understanding ol" the present invention to illustrate in this application a. motorecomprcssorcondenser unit, for the construction and operation of this type of unit is well known to those skilled in the art. 'Ihe motor-compressor-condenser unit may be located at any suitable place: for example, in a separate cabinet in the room space in which the air conditioning unit is lccated; or it may be located at some desirable point outside of the room space. In either case, pipes of suiiicient length will be provided to connect the inlet and discharge pipes 'M and l5 ol the evaporator coil 29 with the discharge and suction side, respectively, of the compressor unit.

If desired, a solenoid valve T8 may be provided in the inlet pipe lli for controlling the ow of rcfrigerant to the cooling coil in response to rco-m temperature conditions. Also, an expansion valve 79 may be located in the inlet pipe 'M and for example, diehlorodifiuoromethane or' and inwardly and upwardly inclined end walls |66 at the inside. Front and rear walls Ill and M8 of the legs IM and |62 are arranged vertical and parallel to one another and are notched-out to provide an inverted V-shaped opening M9 at their point of juncture with the inside end Walls it. The outside end walls M5 are set inwardly from the ends of the section |130 and from the end walls ll and d2 to provide openings or passages |50. Transverse splitter varies Isl are arranged within each of the legs itl and M2. The width of the legs lili and M2 progressively increases from the blower to their point of juncture with the main section M; and, as the splitter vanes |5| are arranged across the legs lill and |62, the air flowing through the outlets 62 of the blower casings 99 and |00 is caused to ow in straight lines and is distributed evenly across the bottom of the heater coil 32. The interior surface of the legs Il and |42 and the splitter vanes |5| are preferably formed by slabs made of suitable sound absorbing material, as indicated at |52.

The point of juncture of the inside end walls |66 and the main section M0 is above the upper horizontal edge of the front wall 61 of the cooling duct section 6|. Also, the end walls 62 of the duct 6| are spaced from the end walls il and 42. The openings U59 and |50 provide restricted communication between the downcoming leg 56 and the inlets ||l| of the blower. These openings |139 and lll therefore provide a bypass around the cooling coil 29, and a part of the air entering the central section I0 through the openings lli and i9 flows directly to the inlets |0| of the blower without passing through the cooling coil. This construction is advantageous where the principal object is to reduce the moisture content of the air in the room rather than to attain such a low dry bulb temperature. In other words, for a given design of cooling coil and a given total amount of air flowing through a unit, the rate of latent heat removal can be increased by bypassing a part of the air around the coil. The reason for this is that the velocity of the air flowing through the coil will be lowered and the temperature of such air passing through the coil will be correspondingly lowered and more moisture extracted. If desired, the ratio of latent heat removal to sensible heat removal may be reduced by restricting or entirely closing the by-pass opening so that more or all of the air will pass through the cooling coil. To this end, I have shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings an alternative arrangement, wherein a vertical plate |55 extends longitudinally of the central section I0 and at the rear of the legs IQ! and |l2 and serves to close entirely the openings |69 and |50. Obviously, if desired, the plate |55 may be so constructed as to only partially close the openings |439 and |50.

'Ihe heating coil 32 comprises a plurality of parallel straight pipes |60 connected at their ends and having vertically disposed heat-radiating fins ISI on their exterior surface. Any suitable heating fiuid, for example steam or hot water, may be supplied to the coil by a pipe |62, a valve |63 serving to connect and disconnect the coil and the supply of heating fluid.

From the above, it will be apparent that we have provideda highly compact air conditioning unit which is of improved construction and arrangement of parts, and one in which the parts are so arranged that any and all of the various air conditioning functions are effectively and efciently performed. The unit provides for the aangaat recirculation of room air, the introduction into the room space of fresh air, or for the introduction into the room of any desired proportion of recirculated and fresh air. All air passing through the unit is cleaned by the removable filter 2B. The unit is so designed as to properly condition the air of room spaces during all seasons of the year.

During the hot months of the year, a suitable refrigerant is supplied to the cooling coll 2g and the air flowing thereover is cooled and dehumidifled. As the air flows downwardly over the coil 29, condensed particles of moisture are readillr disengaged from the surfaces of the coil by gravity aided by the downward direction of flow of the air stream, and these particles are separated out of the air stream at the bottom of the U-shaped passage by gravity and by centrifugal action as the direction of flow of the stream is changed from downward to upward, due to the construction of the lower end of the duct section. 6| and the location of the inlets |0| of the blower casings with respect to the opening 10. The moisture separated out of the air stream is deposited on the upper inclined surface 9| and flows down the surface and through the opening 92 into the receptacle, where it is out of contact with the main air stream.

This arrangement of the cooling coil in the downcoming leg of the air passage, the construction of the lower end of the duct section 6|, the arrangement of the blower inlets illl with respect to the duct 6I and the opening 10, and the ccnstruction and arrangement of the condensate collection receptacle 85, all contribute to the beneficial result of quickly ridding the air stream of the condensed particles of moisture before the stream enters the blower, thereby reducing to a minimum the re-evapcraticn in the airstreaxn of the condensed moisture during off-cycles of the cooling coil.

The inlets ll of the blower are shown in the accompanying drawings as being arranged above the outlet "lll, and as a result all of the air entering the blower flows upwardly into the inlets. This arrangement serves admirably in preventing condensate from being carried into the blower. It is to be noted, however, that our invention is not to be considered as limited in all of its aspects to this specific construction and arrangement, for other arrangements may be used without departing from the spirit thereof; for example, the wall t9 could terminate at a higher level, or it may even be omitted, and the outside of the air stream, which carries most of the moisture due to centrifugal action, would still ilow upwardly into the inlets lill. Or, if desired, the same construction of duct 6| could be used asis shown, and the blower lowered where the inlets would be partially below the top of the opening l0, and the condensate would still be effectively eliminated from the air stream before the air enters the inlets lill.

During the wintertime, the refrigerant is, of course, not supplied to the cooling coil 29, and any suitable heating medium may be supplied to the heating coil 32. The air flowing through the air conditioning unit will then be eflciently and i effectively heated and introduced into the room.

Humidiflcation is effected by the humidifier 35; and, as the nozzle 39 is arranged so that it directs the stream of air with moisture entrained therein over the outlet I5, the warm air owing through the latter quickly evaporates such moisure.

During the months of the year when the outside atmosphere is comfortable, both the heating and the cooling coil may be turned ofi and the unit used to admit into the room space large quantities of clean, fresh air .from the outside.

During all seasons or the year, large volumes of air flow through the unit with a ininhnlnn of friction loss due to eddy currents. This is made possible by the location oi the biower on the downstream side of the cooling coil so that the air will be drawn in straight lines through the coil 22, and by the spacing of the outlets it@ of the blower housing from the heating coil by the relatively long legs Mi and lli@ of the duct section d i, which legs merge gradually into the main section tl@ before the air engages the heating coil and which' legs are provided with splitter vanes itl which effect a straight-line now of the air and distribute the air evenly across the lower part of the coil 32 so that the air may pass through such coil with a minimum of friction loss due to eddying.

During all seasons or the year, air at the proper temperature and humidity is supplied to the room space by a unit which is unusually quiet in operation. The sound-deadening lining 52 of the duct section 3l practically eliminates noise due to motor operation and flow of air. As fresh air is supplied with the window sash closed through a sound deadened duct 2t, only the outside noises which would normally be transmitted through a closed window are heard in the room. The improved form of mounting for the motor-blower unit and the rubber gasket connection between the unit and the duct section, eliminate transmission of motor and fan vibrations to the enclosing casing structure.

It is also to be noted that a further feature oi? our invention is that, due to our improved construction and arrangement of parts, it is not necessary for a customer to buy all of the several features of air conditioning at first; for, if he desires, he may select the features which he feels he needs at the moment, and may purchase the remaining features and have them readily installed at some later date, without affecting the enclosing casing structure or its installation in the room space. This is made possible by the fact that the inlet and outlet openings iii and l5 extend for the full length of the central section, the grilles il and i8 are removable, and the duct section 6i can be readily removed. The supporting angle 53 of the lter is also removable. Thus, by simply removing the grille iii, lter 2&3 and supporting angle 59, the cooling coil 29 and the duct section ti can be readily inserted and removed through the top and quickly connected. Also, by removing the grille lo and strip iii, the heating coil can be readily inserted through the top and connected.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

i. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of wall means defining an enclosing casing structure having spaced inlet and outlet openings in the upper part thereof; means defining an upright U-shaped passage in said casing structure including a downcoming leg communicating at its upper end with the inlet opening, an upgoing leg communicating at its upper end with the outlet, and a lateral portion connecting the lower ends or" the downcoming and upgoing legs; blower means in the lower part of said upgoing leg and having an inlet communicating with the downcoming leg and an outlet arranged to discharge air upwardly through the upgoing leg; said end of the Erst-named wail and having a lower section inclined downwardly' and toward the side of the casing which houses the blower so as to eiiect a change in direction of flow of the air stream from a downward direction to a laterai direction and then to an upward direction before the air enters the inlet of the blower; a cooling coil within the upper portion of said duct section; and a condensate receptacle below the laterai portion and beneath the blower inlet for catchini7 the condensate as it is separated out oi the air stream by gravity and by the change in direction of ow thereof.

2. In an air conditioning unit. the combination of wall means deiining an enclosing casing structure having spaced inlet and outlet openings in the upper part thereof; means deiining an upright U-shaped passage in said casing structure including a downcoming leg communicating at its upper end with the inlet opening, an upgoing leg communicating at its upper end with the outlet, and a lateral portion connecting the lower ends of the downcoming and upgoing iegs; said passage-deiining means including a removable duct section structuraily separate from said enclosing casing structure and being formed o cor` rosion-resisting material and providing the lower part of the downcoming leg and the beginning of the lateral portion and having an outlet arranged to direct the flow of air laterally across the lower part of the passage toward the blower; blower means in the lower part of said upgolng leg having an outlet arranged to discharge air upwardly through the upgoing leg and having an inlet so arranged with respect to said duct and the outlet of the duct that at least a major part of the air entering the inlet flows upwardly thereinto; a cooling coil removably supported within the upper part of said removable duct section; and. a condensate receptacle below the lateral portion and beneath the blower inlet for catching the condensate as it s separated out of the air stream by gravity and by the change in direction of flow thereof.

3. Air conditioning apparatus comprising means defining an upright U-shaped passage for 'Ti directing the ow of air therethrough; a cooling coil arranged across the U-shaped passage in the leg thereof first to receive the air, and operable to lower the temperature of the air flowing through the passage and thereby condense moisture out of the air; and condensate-collecting means arranged below the bend in the U-shaped passage and comprising a receptacle including upright opposed side walls, a bottom wall, and a top wall covering said receptacle and iitting tightly against one of the opposed side walls and being inclined downwardly toward the opposite side wall and having at least a part thereof ter-I minating short of the latter wall to define there-- with an opening through which moisture may the upper part thereof; means defining an upright U-shaped passage in said casing structure including a downcoming leg communicating at its upper end with the inlet opening, an upgoing leg communicating at its upper end with the outlet opening, and a lateral portion connecting the lower ends of the downcorning and upgoing legs; a cooling coil arranged across the downcoming leg of the passage; blower means providing for the ow of air from said inlet opening through said U-shaped passage and out of said outlet opening; and condensate-collecting means arranged below the lateral portion of the passage '.or receiving the condensate as it is separated out cluding a bottom wall, upright side walls, and a top wall covering said receptacle and having an upper surface inclined downwardly toward one side Wall of the receptacle,l and the receptacle "having an opening at the lower part of said inclined `upper surface through which condensed 'moisture may gravitate.

5. Air conditioning apparatus comprising wall means dening an enclosing casing structure and having spaced air inlet and outlet openings in the agradar upper part thereof and being provided with an upright Ualiaped air passage including a downcoming leg connected at its upper end with the air inlet opening, an upgoing leg connected at its upper end with the air outlet opening and a lateral portion connecting the lower ends of the downcoming and upgoing legs; a cooling coil extending across said downcoming leg; a blower in said upgoing leg and so arranged that at least a major portion of the air flows upwardly into the '10 inlet thereof; a condensate collecting receptacle arranged below said lateral portion of the passage and directly below said blower; and a cover, extending over the top of said receptacle and having its upper surface exposed to the air flowing 15 *which condensate drains into said receptacle.

ROBERT D. LAMBERT. PAUL KOMROFF. B/LATSON C. TERRY.

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