US2467427A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 19, 1949. B. GREEN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1945 INVENTOR. Les 5. GEEEN BY 7PM zm a/zn flrroelvsxs April 1949. L. B. GREEN 2,467,427

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jui 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LEE 5. Gees/v BY 1M; w/fida'm H r Toe/vs 7-5 Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,467,427 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Lee B. Green, Lakewood, Ohio Application July 27, 1945, Serial No. 607,299

9 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and as one of its objects aims to provide an improved construction for refrigerating apparatus of the type having a freezing section and a storage section and wherein a more efficient and satisfactory cooling of the storage section is obtained by utilizing for this purpose a portion of the cooling effect produced in the freezing section.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved refrigerating apparatus having sections or chambers which are operated at different temperatures and one of which is operated at a relatively low or below-freezing temperature, and wherein a single refrigerating unit serves the low temperature section and the cooling of the storage section is obtained from the low temperature section by a circulation of a thermal transfer fluid therebetween.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved dual chamber and dual temperature refrigerator of the character mentioned, in which air is circulated around the low temperature chamber and around or through the other chamber for transferring to the latter a portion of the cooling effect of the low temperature chamber.

A further object is to provide improved refrigerating apparatus of the character mentioned, in which automatically operating means is employed for producing and controlling the circulation of the thermal transfer fluid between the dual temperature sections or chambers.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing refrigerating apparatus embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing certain valve means embodied in the refrigerating apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. 4 is another partial vertical sectional view further illustrating this valve means.

As one embodiment of the present invention, the accompanying drawings show a refrigerator III comprising a housing or cabinet II containing a plurality of refrigerating sections. In this instance the housing I I contains two such sections of which the section I Ia is a so-called freezing section ccntaining a chamber or compart- 2 ment I2 and the section IIb is a storage section containing a chamber or compartment I3.

The chamber I2 is a combined freezing and storage chamber in which produce, such as articles of food, can be subjected to a freezing operation or treatment on the order of the socallcd quick-freezing or deep-freezing treatments, and in which such treated produce or foods can be stored in their frozen condition for an indefinite period. The chamber I3 is a storage chamber as distinguished from a freezing chamber and is intended for use in storing articles of food and the like in a place where access thereto can be readily had and at a temperature which will maintain the articles in a fresh and wholesome condition. The storage section III) and the chamber I3 thereof are intended to serve a purpose corresponding with that of a domestic refrigerator to which frequent access is had as a food storage box for containing foods and the like intended for daily consumption.

The housing I I is of a suitable type of construction having thermally insulated outer walls and can be of any desired size or shape. In the particular form of housing here shown the freezing section IIa is of a relatively low height and the storage section III) is relatively tall. The housing may also be provided with a base I4 which is engag'eable with a floor or other surface upon which the refrigerator is to stand. The section Ila has a top opening which is closed by a hinged or removable cover I5 and the section I ID has a front opening which is closed by a hinged door I6. The section Ila is preferably of a height such that the top or cover I5 of this section can be used as a table and the section II b is preferably spaced above the base I4 at a height which is convenient for inserting or removing articles from the storage chamber I3 and also to provide a space or compartment I'I therebelow in which a refrigerating unit I8 is housed.

The freezing section II a has thermally insulated outer side and bottom walls I9 and 20 and is provided with an inner container C in which the freezing chamber I2 is located and whose side and bottom walls 2| and 22 are spaced from the outer walls by an intervening air space 23. The freezing chamber I2 is cooled by heatexchange means H embodied in the wall or walls of the inner container and to which a cooling medium is supplied from the refrigerating unit I8. In this instance the heat-exchange means is formed by the side walls 2| of the inner container and corrugated walls 25 attached thereto so as to define a space 26 extending around some or all of the sides of the inner container and to which the cooling medium can be supplied. From the construction just described above it will be understood that the air space 23 is located outside of the freezing chamber i2 so as to extend across the bottom and around one or more sides thereof, and that the heat-exchange means forms a partition between this air space and the freezing chamber.

If desired, the inner container of the freezing section lia can be constructed so as to provide an additional small compartment 28 in the freezing chamber 12 for the reception of trays or the like for freezing ice cubes, desserts, and similar concoctions.

The cooling effect in the freezing section lid is obtained by the operation of the refrigerating unit l8 which can be of any suitable type or construction. In this instance this unit is shown as being of the mechanical type comprising a compressor. 36 driven by an electric motor 3i and a condenser 32, which is located between and connected with the compressor and a refrigerant receiver 33. The receiver 33 is suitably connected with the space 26 of the heatexchange means by a conduit 34 containing an expansion valve or device 35. The operation of the refrigerating unit I8 is controlled automatically by means of a thermostat 36 located at a suitable point in the freezing section lla such as in the air space 23 at the bottom of the freezing chamber l2. The thermostat includes an electric switch 31 operably associated therewith and embodied in the control circuit for the electric motor 3|.

As shown in the drawing, the storage section lib has thermally insulated top, bottom and side walls 38,. 38 and 46 which define the storage chamber i3. The bottom wall 39 also forms the top of the machinery compartment H. The lower portion of one of the side walls 40 also forms the upper portion of one of the side walls of the freezing section lid and this common wall portion, designated 42 in the drawings, extends between the freezing chamber l2 and the storage chamber i3 from the front to the back of these chambers.

As already indicated in'a general way above, the cooling of the storage chamber i3 is obtained by utilizing a portion of the cooling effect produced in the freezing section lid and this is accomplished by circulating a thermal transfer fluid, preferably air, between the freezing and storage sections. To this end the housing II is constructed for the circulation of such exchange fluid or air around the freezing chamber l2 and around or through the storage chamber l3. The flow of such air through the freezing section Ila is accommodated by the above described air space 23.

To provide for this flow of air around or through the storage chamber l3, the storage section lib is constructed with an inner bottom wall 44 spaced from the outer bottom wall 39 and an upright inner wall 45 spaced from the upright outer wall 46 so as to provide between these spaced inner and outer walls a transverse air passage 46 and an upright air passage 41. If desired, a similar transverse air passage can be provided at the top of the storage chamber I3 and similar upright air passages can be provided at the rear and other side wall. The upright inner wall or walls 46 preferably extend close to but stop short of the top wall 36 of the storage chamber l3 so as to leave or define at this point an air discharge slot 48 which opens into the upper end of the storage chamber.

The air space or spaces 23 of the freezing section i la and the passages 46 and 41 of the storage section i lb constitute portions of an air circulating path by which air is circulated as a transfer fluid between the freezing section Ila and the storage section lib as mentioned above. This air circulating path also includes a lower delivery or connecting passage 60 and an upper or return connecting passage Stand which supply and return passages are formed in the common wall portion 42 which extends from the front to the back of the housing between the freezing and storage chambers i2 and i3. The lower passage 50 connects the lower end of the storage chamber l3 with the freezing section lie at a relatively low point of the latter and the upper passage 5i connects a relatively higher point of the storage chamber with the freezing section at a point adjacent the upper end of the latter. The connection of the lower passage 56 with the storage chamber i3 is through the air circulating passage thereof which includes the transverse air passage 46 and 9. depending small chamber or extension 62 to which further reference will presently be made. When the air circulating passage of the storage chamber i3 extends more completely around this chamber, the return connecting passage ii is connected with the circulating passage at an appropriate point. It should also be mentioned that the connecting passages 60 and ii are of slot-like form being elongated in the front to back direction of the common wall portion 42.

In utilizing this air circulating passage for a transfer of cooling effect from the freezing section Ila to the storage section lib air enters the upper portion of the freezing section through the connecting passage 6i and flows downwardly around the freezing chamber l2 through the air space 23. During this downward movement, the air is cooled by the heat-exchange means and then flows through the connecting passage 66 into the air passages 46 and 41 of the storage section lib. The cold air flowing through the passages 46 and 41 cools the storage chamber l3 and after flowing through the passage 41 is discharged through the slot 43 into the storage chamber so as to flow downwardly across the latter to further cool the same before being discharged through the return passage 6i.

This circulation'of air between the freezing and storage sections lia and lib is produced in part by convection since the air being cooled in the freezing section Ila tends-to descend toward the delivery passage 66 and the air which cools the storage chamber l3 tends to rise in the air passage 41. In addition to such a convection effect, the desired circulation of the air is obtained by use of a mechanical air impelling means which, in this instance, comprises a fan 34 located in the extension 32 of the storage chamber i3 and driven by an electric motor 63 located in the machinery compartment II. The fan 64 is preferably operated intermittently in accordance with the temperature requirements of the storage chamber l3 and. to this end, the motor II is automatically controlled by a suitable thermostatic switch device 63 located in the storage chamber.

The circulation of air between the freezing section Ho and the storage section lib is preferably also controlled by the use of valve means i located in one or both of the connecting air passages 66 and II. The valve means for this purpose is here shown as comprising pairs of spaced elongated movable dampers 58, one such pair of dampers being located in each of the connecting passages 50 and Although a single damper could be used in each passage it is desirable to use a pair of spaced dampers because when the dampers are closed, an air pocket is formed between the dampers and serves as an insulating medium for preventing the transfer or leakage of heat or cold between the freezing and storage chambers.

The valves or dampers 58 are preferably shifted to open and closed positions automatically in accordance with the cooling requirements of the storage chamber [3 and, for this purpose, the storage chamber is provided with a thermally responsive valve actuating unit 59. The unit 59 may be of any appropriate type or construction and, as here shown, may comprise a bellows or the like 60 which expands in response to an increase in the temperature of the storage chamber l3 and a pivoted lever 6| which is swung upwardly by such expansion of the bellows. A compression spring 62 is arranged to swing the lever 6| in the opposite direction upon contraction of the bellows 60. The actuating lever Si is connected with the pairs of dampers 58 by a suitable actuating rod 63, levers 54a and 64b and links 65 so that upon an increase in the temperature of the storage chamber l3 the dampers 58 will be automatically opened or partially opened and upon a predetermined decrease in the temperature of the storage chamber I3 the dampers will be automatically closed or partially closed.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will now be understood that this invention provides improved refrigerating apparatus of the dual temperature type in which the cooling effect of a low temperature section or freezing chamber is transmitted to a storage section or chamber by a circulation of a transfer fluid therebetween. It will also be seen that in this improved refrigerating apparatus only a single refrigerating unit is required and that this unit serves the freezing chamber directly and the storage chamber indirectly since the cooling effect in the storage chamber is obtained from the cooling action of the freezing chamber. Additionally it will be seen that automatically operating means is provided for circulating, and controlling the circulation of, the transfer fluid so that the desired temperature and cooling effect will be maintained in the storage chamber under all conditions of use.

Although the improved refrigerating apparatus of this invention has been illustrated and described herein in considerable detail, it will be understood of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In refrigerating apparatus, a housing having thermally insulated outside walls and containing a storage chamber and a freezing chamber, said housing also containing air circulating passages extending through said storage compartment and around the outside of said freezing compartment but inwardly of said outside walls, mechanical means operable to cause a circulation of air through said passages, said housing also having a thermally insulated common wall portion located between said storage chamber and said freezing chamber and said common wall portion having certain of said passages therein, valve means controlling the passages of said common wall portion comprising a pair of spaced valves for each of the last mentioned passages and the valves of each pair being connected for substantially simultaneous movement so as to define a thermal insulating air pocket therebetween when the valves are in their closed position and thermally responsive means for actuating said valve means.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, housing structure containing a plurality of chambers one being a freezing chamber and another being a storage chamber, refrigerating means operable to cool said freezing chamber to a below freezing temperature, means defining air passages in said housing providing for a continuous circulating air flow in heat-exchange relation to said freezing and storage chambers so as to utilize a portion of the cooling eflect of said freezing chamber for cooling said storage chamber, mechanical air impelling means operable to cause said circulating air flow, valve means in one of said passages for controlling the same and comprising a pair of spaced valves connected for substantially simultaneous movement so as to define a thermal insulating air pocket therebetween when the valves are in their closed position and actuating means for said valve means and being responsive to a predetermined change in the temperature of said storage compartment.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a thermally insulated housing having a freezing chamber section and a storage chamber section therein in contiguous relation with a common wall extending therebetween, said common wall having air passages therein for conducting air from said freezing chamber section to said storage chamber section and return, and thermally responsive.

valve means in said passages for controlling the flow of air therethrough, said valve means comprising a pair of spaced valve members in each of said passages and the valve members of each pair defining a thermal insulating air pocket therebetween when the valve members are in their closed position. 4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a thermally insulated housing having inner and outer walls defining a freezing chamber with an air space between the walls and extending at least part way around the outside of the freezing chamber, said housing also containing a storage chamber and air passages for a circulation of air between said air space and said storage chamber. said inner wall embodying a heat-exchange means for cooling said freezing chamber and the air being circulated through said air space, mechanical means operable to cause said circulation of air, said passages comprising a lower passage connecting one portion of said storage chamber with the lower portion of the air space of said freezing chamber for supplying cold air from the latter to the storage chamber and an upper passage for returning air from said storage chamber to the upper portion of said air space, valve means controlling said upper and lower passages and comprising a pair of spaced valve members in each of said passages and the valve members of each pair being connected for substantially simultaneous movement so as to define a thermal insulating air pocket therebetween when the valves are in their closed position, and means for actuating said valve means in response to temperature changes in said storage chamber.

5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a housing having thermally insulated outer walls defining a freezing chamber and a storage chamber in contiguous relation to the freezing chamber, said freezing chamber having inner walls spaced from certain of said outer walls so as to define therebetween an air space which extends at least part way around the freezing chamber, said inner walls embodying a heat-exchange means for cooling both said freezing chamber and the air in said air space, inner walls in said storage chamber and spaced from certain of said outer walls so as to define therebetween an air circulating passage extending across the bottom and upwardly along the side of said storage chamber and having its upper end in open communiction with the upper portion of the storage chamber, said housing also having connecting passages therein one of which connects the lower portion of said storage chamber with the upper portion of said air space and another of which connects the lower end of said air circulating passage with the lower portion of said air space, and mechanical air impelling means operable to cause a flow of air through said air space and through said circulating and connecting passages.

6. Refrigerating apparatus as defined in claim in which thermostatic means responsive to temperature changes in said storage chamber controls the operation of said air impelling means.

'1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a housing having thermally insulated outer walls defining a freezing chamber and a storage chamber in contiguous relation to the freezing chamber, said freezing chamber having inner walls spaced from certain of said outer walls 'so as to define therebetween an air space which extends at least part way around the freezing chamber,; said inner walls embodying a heat-exchange means for cooling both said freezing chamber and the air in said air space, inner walls in said storage chamber and spaced from certain of said outer walls so as to define therebetween an air circulating passage extending across the bottom andupwardly along the side of said storage chamber and having its upper end in open communication with the upper portion of the storage chamber, said housing also having connecting passages therein one of which connects the lower portion of said storage chamber with the upper portion of said air space and another of which connects the lower end of said air circulating passage with the lower portion of said air space, mechanical air impelling means operable to cause a flow of air through said air space and through said circulating and connecting passages, valve means controlling said connecting passages, and means responsive to temperature changes in said storage chamber and adapted to cause automatic opening and closing of said valve means.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a housing having thermally insulated outer walls defining freezing and storage chambers in contiguous relation to each other and including a common wall portion between said chambers, said freezing chamber having inner walls spaced from certain of said outer walls so as to define therebetween an air space which extends at least part way around the freezing chamber, said inner walls embodying a heat-exchange means for cooling said freezing chamber and the air in said air space, said storage chamber having an extension recess in its bottom wall at a point adjacent said common wall portion, inner walls in said storage chamber and spaced from said bottom wall and a side wall thereof so as to define therebetween an air circulating passage extending from said recess across the bottom and upwardly along the side of said storage chamber and having its upper end in open communication with the upper portion of the storage chamber, said common wall having connecting passages therein one of which connects the lower portion of said storage chamber with the upper portion of said air space and another of which connects said recess with the lower portion of said air space, and mechanical air impelling means adapted to .cause a flow of air through said air space and through said circulating and connecting passages and including a fan operable in said recess.

9. Refrigerating apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which said fan is driven by an electric motor located outside of said storage chamber.

LEE B. GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED 4 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,952,670 Heitman Mar. 2'7, 1934 1,979,638 Philipp Nov. 6, 1934 2,180,974 Atchison Nov. 21, 1939 2,188,526 Burden Jan. 30, 1940 2,346,287 Borgerd Apr. 11, 1944

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