US2245024A - Refrigerator car construction - Google Patents

Description

June 10,1941". v E, WEST 2,245,024

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B m n 34 4G 52/ 21.

/ MVKY Inventor; VzczofE. West June 10, 1941.`

v. E. WEST REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jn. a; 1940 zsheets-'sheet 2 Invent@ Victorwes' Hzlony #if Patenied -inne 1G, 1941 REFBEGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Application January S, 1940, Serial No. 312,831

(Cl. (i2- 17) 9 Claims.

li/ly invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of va refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during Warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling means and a heating means to be used during warm and cold weather respectively. v

My invention applies particularly to cars i which the cooling means, preferably containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communicate between the cooling means and the space under the oor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. The path is from the cooling means downwardly through the aforementioned flues, through the space under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartrnent thereby cooling the lading, and finally to the cooling means from. where the cycle is repeated.

My invention is particularly applicable to refrigerator cars of the hereinabove described overhead bunker type, having refrigerant containers which are wholly or partially imperforate so as to retain a certain amount of liquid Within the container. The invention pertains particularly to valves adapted to drain the liquid from the containers either into the side wall ue or upon the drip pan, in which latter case the liquid drains iinally into the side wall flue.

An object of the invention is to provide an operating means for the above mentioned draining valves, which means is operable from within the lading compartment oi the car and may be operated without dismantling any part of the ear.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating means through which water can not fall upon the lading. Any apparatus involving moving parts, such as a handle for operating a valve, is necessarily subject to leakage around the moving parts. I prevent such leakage by disposing the moving parts above the level of the liquid upon the drip pan.

A further object is to provide means for operating the draining valve so as not to interfere with the flow of air within the car whether such air flow is for the purpose of refrigerating, ventilating or heating the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide draining valves and operating means therefor so that the valves may be operated while the ladin1T space of the car is lled. I provide such operating means Within the center duct so that a man may operate the valves upon climbing on top of the load within the car.

Other objects and advantages oi my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial transverse section of a re- 'frigerator car embodying my invention and showing the valve in a closed position.

Fig. 2 is a View of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 but showing the valve in open position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of the car shown in Fig. 1 indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to a portion of Fig. 1 showing a modified type of valve.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the valve shown in Fig. 4 with the bottom: of the refrigerant container omitted for clarication.

The general parts of the refrigerator car shown are insulated roof 2, side wall 3, iloor 4, hatch 5, refrigerant container 6, side wall flue l, forarninous floor rack 8 and space 9 between rack and noor A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directly below the roof 2 and vadjacent the side wall 3. A drip pan I2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition I4 is secured in an upstanding position at the edge of the drip pan I2. The drip pan I2 and partition it cooperate with the roof 2 and side wall 3 to form an enclosing structure II around the container an air inlet opening I5 being provided by spacing the partition Ill from the roof 2. An air discharge opening I'I which leads to the flue 'l is formed by spacing the drip pan I2 from the wall 3. Cars of this type commonly have a row of refrigerant containers 6 near each side wall 3 and spaced apart at the center of the car. The partitions I are also spaced apartto form a ruct IE which communicates bet-Ween the lading compartment IS and openings I5.

Air circulation is as follows: Air in the lading compartment I8 is warmed by contact with the lading and rises through the duct I6 to enter the enclosing structures II through the air inlet openings I5, some of said air flowing through the passage I9 between the container 6 and drip pan I2. The air is cooled by Contact With the refrigerant containers 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through the disch-arge openings i1 and flues 1 to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment I8.

In the modification shown in Figs. 1-3, the valve 25 comprises a spout 26 secured to the bottom 28 of the container 6 and facing away from the side wall flue 1. An aperture 36 in the' bottom 28 of the container 6 provides passage for the flow. of liquid from the container 6 through the spout 26 and upon the drip pan I2. The spout 26 is closed by a resilient plug 32, such as one made of soft rubber, arranged to move axially of the spout 26. The plug 32 is attached to the end of a rod 33, which rod is supported by the brackets 3d and arranged to slide axially therethrough. A bracket 3d is shown in Fig. 3, and preferably comprises a guide piece 36 and a strap 38. The strap 38 is spaced from the guide piece 36 to form an opening 33 in which the rod 33 may slide.' Cups I-M arranged axially of the rod and facing each other are secured, one 4I to the rod, and the other 42 to the bracket 34. A helicalr springl M is interposed therebetween to yieldingly hold the plug 32 in the spout 26. A cable 46 is secured to the opposite end 41 of the rod 33 and projects through an aperture 49 in the partition I4. A handle I may be secured to the cable 66 so that said cable may be pulled throughthe aperture 49 and the plug 32 thereby drawn from the spout 26, thus opening the valve 25. The valve 25 is held in the open position by means of a forked bracket 63 in which the cable 46 is inserted between the prongs' 5! of the fork and the handle 5I held by the fork away from the partition It. (See Fig. 2.)

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the spout 66 faces toward the side wall flue 1. A resilient plug 62'is supported by a cross member 6a near the central part thereof and guide rods 66 are secured to the cross member 6d. The opposite ends 61 of theguide rods 66 are spanned by a connecting member 68. 'Ihe spout 66 is preferably a part of an integrally formed member 16, such as a casting, which Aalso comprises depending guide pieces 12 disposed on either side of the spout 66 and which is secured to the bottom 28 of the container 6. The guide rods 66 are adapted to slide axially through the guide pieces 12, thereby restricting the resilient plug 62 to axial movement into and out of the spout 6I). Helical springs 14 are interposed between the connecting member 63 and the guide pieces 12 to yieldingly hold the plugV 62 in the spout 66. An operating rod 15 is secured to the connecting member 68 and extends through an aperture 16 in the partition Ill. The rod may be guided by a bracket 16 similar to the bracket 34 described in reference to Fig. 3. A handle 8i! is pivoted (8i from the partition I4 and ts through a slot 82 in the rod 15 so that swinging movement of the handle 86 toward the partition M disengages the plug 62 from the spout 66. Apertures 813 may be provided in the handle 86, rod 15 and supporting bracket 35, which apertures align when the valve is open and may be held in such alignment by the insertion of a pm.

It is pointed out that the cable 46 in Fig. 1 extends through the aperture 69 in partition I4 and the rod 15 in Fig. 4 extends through the aperture 16, which apertures are both disposed a substantial distance above the upper surface of the drip pan I2. The drip pan i2 has a substantial slope toward the flue 1 so that liquid which overflows from the refrigerant container 6, or

condenses thereon and falls upon the drip pan I2, will flow into the side wall flue 1, and not through the apertures 49, 16. It is also pointed out that the rods 33 in Fig. 1 and 16 in Fig. 4 are disposed substantially parallel with the direction of air flow through the passage I3 between the container 6 and drip pan I2. The valve 25 and the operating rod (33 or 15), therefore, present but a small obstacle to the flow of refrigerating air. This condition is clearly shown in Fig. 3 wherein the valve and rod 33 encroach on only a relatively small part of the passage I9.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

The method of supporting the refrigerant containers disclosed herein is claimed in co-pending application by Charles D. Bonsall, filed July 24, 1939, Serial No. 286,138.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue and means forming a duct for upward ow of warm air ad- `iacent said container, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a spout depending from said container, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engage- I' ment therewith and means within said duct to impart axial movement to said plug whereby said Valve may be operated from said duct.

2. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical Wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said container, means for draining liquid from said container intov said passage comprising a spout dependingA from said container and d irected in a substantially horizontal plane, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engage'- ment therewith, a spring arranged to yieldingly hold said plug engaged with said spout and means within said duct to impart axial movement to said plug whereby said valve may be operated from said duct.

3. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprisinga spout depending from said container and directed in a substantially horizontal plane, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engagement therewith, a cable extending through said partition so that the outer end thereof is disposed in said duct and means to secure the inner end of said cable to said plug whereby said valve may be operated from said duct.

4. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container toform a passage which conducts air to said flue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a spout depending from said container and directed in a substantially horizontal plane, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engagement therewith, a guide piece secured to said container, a rod associated with said plug and adapted to slide in said guide piece, a cable extending through said partition so that the outer end thereof is disposed in said duct and means to secure the inner end of said cable to Said rod, whereby said valve may be operated from said duct.

5. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a Vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a spout depending from said container and directed in a substantially horizontal plane, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engagement therewith, a guide piece secured to said container, a rod associated with said plug and adapted to slide in said guide piece and means within said duct to impart axial movement to said rod whereby said valve may be operated from said duct.

6. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said iiue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward iiow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a spout depending from said container and directed in a substantially horizontal plane, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engagement therewith, a guide piece secured to said container, a rod associated with said plug and adapted to slide in said guide piece, a spring interposed between said plug and said guide piece to yieldingly hold said plug engaged with said spout, means within said duct to impart axial movement to said plug and means to hold said plug disengaged from said. spout.

7. In combination with a wall and roof of a refrigerator car, a refrigerant container below the roof near the wall, an enclosure for said container, a duct adjacent said enclosure for directing warm air into the upper part of the enclosure, a Valve associated with the lower part of the container for draining liquid therefrom, said valve arranged to be opened and closed upon a substantially linear movement of a plug, and means operable from said duct for imparting such movement to said plug.

8'. In combination with a wall and roof of a refrigerator car, a refrigerant container below the roof near the wall, an enclosure for said container, a duct adjacent said enclosure for directing warm air into the up-per part of the enclosure, a Valve associated with the lower part of the container for draining liquid therefrom, said Valve comprising a spout associated with the lower part of said container, and a plug adapted to move substantially linearly into and out of engagement with said spout, and means operable from said duct for moving said plug.

9. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to saidv iiue and means forming a, duct for upward iiow of warm air adjacent said container, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a spout associated with said container for draining liquid therefrom, a plug adapted to move axially of said spout into engagement therewith, and means operable from said duct for engaging and disengaging said plug from said spout.

VICTOR E. WEST.

Images