US2262578A

US2262578A - Refrigerating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2262578A
Application number: US359522A
Authority: US
Inventors: Don G Ellis
Original assignee: Nash Kelvinator Corp
Current assignee: American Motors Corp
Priority date: 1940-10-03
Filing date: 1940-10-03
Publication date: 1941-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 1958-11-11

Description

articles or food that nrganization, and its Patented Nov. 11, 1941 2,262,528 aermoean'rmc APPARATUS Don G. Ellis,

Detroit, Micln, assignor to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Maryland Application October a, 1940, Serial No. 359,522

8 Claims.

The present invention pertains to arefrigerating apparatus and more particularly to shelves used in refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of thepresent invention to provides. refrigerator cabinet with shelf supporting surface which may be increased or decreased, at will, in accordance with the size or shape of the is to be stored in the food storage compartment of the cabinet.

It is another object of the present invention shelf. To this end there is arranged a shelf 30 which may remain at all times within the food storage compartment having a portion of its supporting surface arranged to be moved into inoperative position to permit extra height for storage of tall articles on the shelf therebelow.

to provide a shelf having complementary swingable portions which may be swung into horizontal position to increase the shelf supporting surface, or swing into a vertical position to permit a greater vertical height for the storage of tall containers and the like on the shelf below. It is another object of the present invention to arrange the shelf on supporting lugs within the food storage compartment against vertical or horizontal movement and provide supporting means to prevent sagging of the shelf.

The invention itself, however, both as to its method-of operation together with additional objects andv advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet with parts broken away showing the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the cabinet in section;

vFig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional .view 4 taken alongline 6-6 of Fig.3; Fig. .7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a refrigerator cabinet 20 of the household type having insulated walls forming a food storage compartment 22. The storage compartment 22 is cooled by a suitable cooling unit (not shown). Access to the cabinet closed by a swingably mounted door 23.

The storage compartment 22 is divided into a plurality of storage sections by vertically spaced horizontally disposed shelves to provide a maximum shelf supporting surface. However the shelves are so spaced vertically that some provision must be made for storing and cooling articles and food that because of its sizeor shape cannot enter between the normally arranged The shelf 30 comprises a stationary supporting section 3|, and complementary

swingable sections

32 and 34. The stationary shelf section"3| comprises arectangular frame member 36 across which are secured parallel strands 31. The rear side 39 of frame member 36 extends beyond the side 4|] of the frame member and bent to form an arm supporting section4l in spaced parallel relation to side 40. A reinforcing rod member 42 extends between to extension arm 39.

Each of the

complementary shelf sections

32 and 34 includes a rectangular frame member 45 across which are secured parallel strands 46;

Hinges 49 hingedly support the shelf 32 to the side of the frame 36, and shelf 34 to the arm supporting section 4|. v of a strip having one end secured by weld or the like to frame '45 and its opposite end looped around the side 40 or arm 42. The looped portion of the hinge permits the shelves to be swung about its respective supporting arm 42 or side 4| as an axis, and also ,arranged to hinge to be axially movable thereon.

The

shelves

32 and 34 are 'supportingly held in horizontal position by stops 50 which are welded to frame member and project outwardly to engage over the reinforcing rod member 42. The stops are formed so as to engageably lock over the member 42 to prevent forward movement of the complementary shelves when in horizontal planular alignment with the shelf is through an opening 3|. Should it be desired that either shelf 32- or 34 be dropped to provide additional height clearance for storage of articles on shelf 10 is first swung upwardly then pulled forwardly along the axis of side 40 or arm 4| until the stop 50 clears the rod 42 permitting the shelf to swing downwardly, coming to rest in a depending vertical position, as shown in Fig. 8 and in dotted lines in Fig.3 The depending shelf is moved axially inwardly into the compartment to'allow closing of door 23.

The shelf 3|! is supported on pins 52 provided on the side walls of the storage compartment 20. The shelf 30 is locked to the pins 52 by means of hooks 53 secured to the underside of the frame member of the shelf. In placing the shelf within the compartment theshelf is inclined downengage beneath the pin 52 with the frame member resting on the pins. The forward section is dropped to rest on the pins 52 with the stud 54 carried by frame 35 engaging behind a respective pin 52 The forward hook 53' side 40 and arm 4| parallel The hinges 49 are formed allow the the shelf beneath arm 4| shelf where additional height is 1 pended claims.

area in its shelf positioned in said area, hinge members connecting said said fixedly ing and lwking said complementary shelf in sur- 1 face supporting ported section,

is locked beneath a respective pin 52 by flexing inwardly the arm II, with the shelf 34 dropped into a vertical position, until the hook is aligned to slide beneath the pin, on the pin 52. As the hooks 53 on arm H (see .Fig. 8) are oppositely positioned, the stationary shelf 3| is lockingly held against either lateral orvertical movement.

Attached to the side 40 is a downwardly extending brace 50 having a reduced end 6| receivable in a slot 63' formed in guide rail 64. The end 6| locking in the recess 83 permits the shoulder of the brace 84 and give vertical support to the shelf against saggin The rail 84 is secured to the rear wall of the compartment 22 and by its leg 05 to the bottom wall of the compartment. The rail 84 is positioned intermediatethe side walls of-the compartment and serves as a tractable guide and support with the'complementary rails 61 secured to a respective side wall, for pans 69 and the lmperforate shelves N3. The imperforate shelf '10 also by its close proximity to a respective pan 69 serves as a cover thereto as -well as retarding the air circulation therebelow to provide pan 69 and may be a high humidity compartment. The

shelf 10. beneath the shelves 32 and removed and stacked upon adjacent required.-

myself to the precise details as shown, but wish to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the ep- 1 claim: 1. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a fixedly supported section having an open supporting surface, a complementary complementary shelf to an edge of supported section, means foralignrelation with said f open area in said fixedly supported section.

2. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprisopen area in saidflxedly supported section.

j 3. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a stationary supporting section having 'a spaced parallel supporting arm joined thereto by 69 to rest on the back of rail disengaging said means permitting said shelves to be swung to a depending vertical position.

4. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet comprising a stationary supporting section having a spaced parallel supporting arm joined thereto by a transverse connecting member, a shelf posiv tioned in the area formed between said supporting am and said stationary section, hinge members for swingably mounting said shelf to said supporting arm, a means for maintaining said shelf in horizontal alignment with said stationary section, and said hinge members axially movable for disengaging said-means permitting said shelf to be tion.

5. A shelf for spaced parallel supporting arm joined thereto by transverse connecting members, a shelf positioned in the area formed between said stationary section and said arm, hinge members for swingably mounting said shelf to said arm, a means carried by shelf engaging a transverse connecting member for horizontally supporting with said hinge members theshelf in horizontal alignment with said stationary section, and said hinge members axially movable along said arm for disengaging said means permitting said shelf to be swung to a depending vertical position.

6. A shelf for a refrigerator cabinet compris- -ing a stationary supporting section having a spaced parallel supporting arm Joined thereto by transverse connecting members, a pair of shelves positioned between said stationary section and said arm, hinge members for'swingably mount ing one'shelf "to an edge of said stationary section and the other,t0 said am, means carried by each of said shelves for engaging a transverse swung to a depending vertical position 7. A shelf tionary section and a swingable section forming a. A shelf for a refrigerator including astationary section and swingable sections forming swinging of the respective complementary section, said hinge members longitudinally movable, along said edge permitting the clearance of thearm in swinging a complementary shelf section to a vertical depending position.

Doircammsu swung to a depending vertical posi-' a refrigerator cabinet comprising-a stationary supporting section having a for a refrigerator including a sta-'