US2274409A

US2274409A - Liquid dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2274409A
Application number: US378396A
Authority: US
Inventors: George C Harbison
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1941-02-11
Filing date: 1941-02-11
Publication date: 1942-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 1959-02-24

Description

Pcia. 24, 1,942.l 4ca. c.,HARBlsoN LIQUID DISPENSING vAPPARATUS Inventor VGeovlce C. Harbson,

b9 Wwf/ His Attorney.

Patented Feb. 2.4, 1942 Gem-ge c. Harmsen,- Eriera., assigner to Generar Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 11,1941, seriaiNo. l378,396

My invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus which is particularly applicable to liquid It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved liquid cooling and dispensing apparatus `so constructed that the danger of spilling liquid therefrom during the act of placing the liquid holding device in the dispensing position is minimized. I v Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following Idescription' proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed .out with particulafrity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part oi.' this speciflcatiom 'Fora better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to' the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a partial view in perSPect ve of a refrigerator provided with liquid dispe ing means embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2

' -is aside view,'partially in section, of the re.

frigerator door4shown in Fig. l illustrating the details of my invention; and Fig. a is e view similar to Fig.2 showing the liquid containing device removed from the dispensing position. Y In the drawing I have shown a refrigerator 2 Claims. (Cl. (i2-,141)

structed and arranged that the receptacle may be secured to the beine with ure ieu-.er in its upright'.

position. Thereafter, when the bottle is upended, no liquid will be spilled.

Describing my invention in greater detail, I have shown a refrigerator door comprising inner land outer liners 22 andjl23, respectively. A re- V cessed pan -24 is suitably secured, as by means of threaded members extending into suitably threaded bosses, in an opening in the inner liner Y 22 thereby providing a recess for the bottle-or container Il. With this arrangement, the liquid container occupies a "of food storage volume.- The space between the inner and outer liners is lled with' a Suitable thermal insulating material 25.

The upwardly opening cup-shaped member or fitting I6 is suitably secured to the pan 24 in the lower portionthereof, as inthe bottomwall, in

any suitable manner. The conduit I9 extends 4from the tting through the door and terminates in a faucet 26 exteriorly of the door. VThese parts may be integral, as shown, or separable, if decabinet I0 of the domestic type having a food storage compartment II therein, the food com'- partment being closed by a door I2. A recess Il is arranged in the inner wall of the door to r'eceive a water bottle or liquid container I4. The container supported in the inverted position on acup or receptacle I5 which in turn is sup-4 The Vreceptacle I5vis generally-cup. shaped and is providedv at one end thereof wim' a laterally and then upwardly extending flange 2l for enlcirclement of the neck 28 of the container Il.

p The neck of the container rests on-the laterally outlet i8is bored or otherwise formed in a boss'l ported on a cup-shaped fitting or recessed member IS'secured in the lower portion of 1the recess I3, the memberl I5 serving as a closure for the .opening in the container. Cooled liquid, aswater for example, from the bottle Il and receptacle or cup .I5 is disposed through an outlet passage or opening I in the receptacle I5 and a conduit I9 extending portion of theflange or shoulder 2 1 and` I have provided al gasket `29 iI'msealinE,r the space between the bottle and the shoulder. The

extending downwardly from the bottom portion of'the cupl and communicates with the interior' oft the receptacle I5. In order to maintain the extending threugn the door from meaning Is.

I have found that when a liquid containerA such as disclosed in the drawing is upended into a' receptacle without a closure member covering the liquid discharge opening thereof, frequently wa-A receptale in sealing engagement with the con- Y tainer I4. I have provided abail 30 on the'con tainer Il arranged'to engagea groove 3| sintably formed in the edge'of the web V3l disposed on the bottom wall of the cup. The above described -arrangement for maintaining the container and receptacle in assembled relationship is ter is spilled out of the opening therein 'and often the inertia; ofthe water or other liquid causes 1the liquid to rush into tn'e cup, filling it too r'apidly and running over. Inorder to overcome this difllculty, I have provided a valve2l for normally closing the outlet I and a valve operating mecherable from the'exterior of the cabinet, the operating means being separatewfrom the receptacle.

illustrative .onlyl and any other suitable means may be employed.

'I'he valve 20 has beenv provided for selectively opening orclosing the outlet I8 to the flowzo'i' liq uid in the receptacle I5; A side wall of therecepanism including a valve operating member 2| o'p'- The receptacle I6 with-thev valve 2l is so contacle is constructed lto provide a valve seat 33 for the valve`2l, the latter being suitably secured to a valve stem 34' in any suitable manner. The valve stem extends loutwardly through a suitable opening in the wall of the receptacle and tenninates in a generally cupshaped member 35 constructed and arranged for sliding engagement with-a latbe seen that normally the valve 23 `will he in its -be' limited to the particularconstruction shown to its closed position I have provided a spring 38 6 disposed between the inner surface of the member 35 and the packing material 31. 5' In order to provide a steady ow of liquid' through the vfaucet 26 when thevalve is in its open position, I provide an air vent 33 as shown l0 in'Fi'g. 2.

In order to maintain the container I4 in the inverted or liquid dispensing position, I have provided a retainer in the form of a bail 46 which may be pivotally secured to the pan 24 by any l5 suitable means as indicated by the numeral 4l.`

n Wh'en it is desired to remove vthe container, the

bail is rotated upwardly until the container may be moved outwardly out of engagement with the bail. .A stop 42 is suitably secured to the pan 2d '20 for assisting in maintaining the container in the' vertical position and to prevent rattling thereof. -I have provided a suitable gasket 50 ior preventing leakage between the end of outlet Iii and ttlng I6'. If desired, positive means forholding 25 the outlet within this tting may-be employed.

In order to cause the valve 20 to be movedto a position which will permit the withdrawal of liquid through the faucet 2S, I have provided a valve operator- Zl arranged to engage'the mem- 30 ber 35. The operator 2| may be suitably secured to a stem or push rod 43 extending through the door and terminating in an operating knob or push button M.' In order to guide the push rod suitably secured to the outer liner 23 by means of a nut 43. In order to prevent the passage of air and moisture through the door, I have provided a suitable sealing washer 41. In order'to bias the'push button 44 and thereforethe oper- 40 outward movement of the operator or push rod,

I have provided a pin 49 extendlngthrough'the push rod 43 for engagement with the fitting 4t. With the above described arrangement, it will closed position and` no now of nqula win be had but, if the push button 44 is pressed inwardly, the movement of the operator 2| against the member 35 will cause the valve to open. As 55 soon as the'forceagainst the button 45 is released, the operator will be withdrawn and the valve 20 will return to its normally closed position, cutting oli the flow of liquid.. `With vthis arrangement, the' container may be readily inserted o r removed from the dispensing position with- 1. outlossof1iquid.

While I have shown `a particular embodimentl of `my invention, I- do not desire my invention to and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a refrigerator-,cabinet having inner and outer walls defining a food storage compartment,

a member having an. upwardly opening recess, said recessed member being supported in said compartment on said inner wall, an inverted liquid container supported in said recessed member, said container having an opening for the passage of liquid therefrom, a cup-shaped closure member carried by said container for closing said container opening, the bottom wall of said closure member having a portion extending into and supported by said recessed member, said portion having an opening for the passage of liquid from said closure member to said recessed member,

Avalve means for normally closing said opening in said closure member, valve operating means extending through a side wall of said closure member Afor operating said valve, additional means extending through a wall of the cabinet and hav' j .from said recessed member to the exterior of said 43 and knob 44, Il have provided a fitting 65 35 cabinet.

' 2. In a refrigerator cabinet having walls dening a food storage compartment, one of said walls having a recess on the inner side thereof, a recessed member /supportedin the lower portion of said recess, an inverted liquid container in said recess, said vcontainer having an opening for the passage of liquid therefrom, an intermediate member disposed between said opening inI said container and said recessed member, said intermediate member having a passage for conducting liquid from said container to said recessed member, ow controlling means associated with said intermediatemember for normally preventingthe flow of liquid through said pas-- passage, additional means extending through a wall of said refrigerator and having a portion for engagement with said now controlling means when actuated from outside the cabinet, said extending means and said additional means being separate but constructed and arranged so that in the assembled position of said container, the now controlling means is moved to the liquid vflow permitting position only when said additional means isactuated, and means for conducting liquid from said recessed member to the exterior of said cabinet.

GEQRGE C. HARRISON.