US2572508A

US2572508A - Ice maker and bottle cooler

Info

Publication number: US2572508A
Application number: US569132A
Authority: US
Inventors: Muffly Glenn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-03-18
Filing date: 1944-12-21
Publication date: 1951-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-23

Description

Oct. 23, 1951 G. MUFFLY 2,572,508

ICE MAKER AND BOTTLE COOLER Original Filed March 18, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet l lA'V/FNTO/i GLEN/Y MUFFL Y A TTORNE VS Oct. 23, 1951 MUFFLY ICE MAKER AND BOTTLE COOLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 18, 1940 Oct. 23, 1951 G. MUFFLY 2,572,508

ICE. MAKER AND BOTTLE COOLER Original Filed March 18, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VliN TOR 6. MVUFFLY ICE MAKER AND BOTTLE COOLER Oct. 23, 195 1.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 18,1940

Mn w M W m L 6 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE ICE MAKER AND BOTTLE COOLER Glenn Mufliy, Springfield, Ohio Original application March 18, 1940, Serial No.

324,466. Divided and this application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,132

6 Claims. 1

This application is a division of my co-pending, but now abandoned, application, Serial Number 324,466. filed March 18, 1940. The invention relates to refrigeration mechanism and particularly to the application of a refrigerating system to bottle coolers, milk coolers and in general to the type of apparatus used for cooling foods and drinks in containers.

The ice making principle and control methods covered in my issued Patents Nos. 2,145,773; 2,145,774; 2,145,775; 2,145,777 and 2,359,780 are employed herein and reference is made to these issued patents and to divisions thereof for more complete descriptions of certain ice making and control features mentioned in the present application. 3

An object of this invention is to provide a bottled beverage cooler with an emergency capacity beyond that of the refrigerating machine which cools it, such excess capacity being available for quickly cooling a large number of bottles which may be put into the cooler at one time.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for making the cooling effect of an accumulated supply of ice quickly available for handling the peak loads above mentioned.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for storin a large supply of ice in small pieces for the cooling of bottled beverages or other products without allowing such ice to interfere with the placing of bottles or other containers in the cabinet.

Still another object is to provide means for circulating water through the stored ice, then into heat exchange with the containers to be cooled and then back through the ice to provide rapid heat transfer from such containers to the ice.

A further object is to provide thermostatic control means for the water circulating means that provides this rapid heat transfer.

Another object is to provide means for anchoring the shelves which separate the ice from the objects to be cooled, thus preventing the shelves from being lifted by the buoyancy of the floating Still another object is to provide means for adjusting the shelves to accommodate bottles or other containers of various heights.

Another object is to provide means for straining foreign matter out of the water as it is circulated.

Another object is to cause water, air or other cooling medium to flow longitudinaly around 2 the containers instead of crosswise, thus insuring an ample area for such flow.

A further object is to provide means for maintaining the desired water level in the space designed for bottles or other containers.

An additional object is to provide a dry-compartment for storage of products to be cooled and at the same time to retain the holdover effect of the floating ice.

Another object is to provide air circulating means for increasing the rate of heat transfer between the stored ice and a dry food or drink storage compartment.

A further object is to provide a large number of individual dry storage compartments, each contacted externally by the floating ice and ice water to provide a relatively large cooling area in proportion to the cubic volume of each individual compartment.

A still further object is to provide a type of evaporator or cooling element for the automatic ice making part of the system so designed that the element may be immersed in water and yet cause ice to form on separate areas thereof, in accordance with the method of ice making disclosed in my previous patents and pending applications.

Still another object is to provide an ice starting area in each ice freezing area with a surface characteristic that is conducive to the formation of ice crystals.

With these and other objects in view, I describe my invention by referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an immersion type cooler, shown in use for cooling bottles and embodying some of the broader features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the movable shelf support means employed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the rigid support for the opposite side of the shelf.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a bottle cooler and its refrigerating system, illustrating another method of circulating the water through the ice and around the bottles and further providing means for maintenance of a constant water level around the bottles.

Figure 5 is a diagram of the refrigerating system and thermostatic controls adapted for use in connection with the other figures.

Figure 6 is a fractional view of Figure 4 taken on the line 65 thereof, showing one of the United States Patent Number 2,359,780.

- 3 shelves, the water overflow and the swingable shelf support seen in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through a bottle cooler of the dry type, showing the air circulating means by which the rate of cooling is augmented.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of one of the icemaking areas on the interior of the tank 90 of Figure 7, showing ice formation base.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified form of the forced air circulating means seen in Figure 7, with an air pipe immersed below the water level in the floating ice.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view through a bottle cooler provided with individual bottle compartments which are immersed in the ice and water, illustrating in addition a modified arrangement of the ice-making evaporator coils.

Figure 12 is a broken sectional plan view of the cooler seen in Figure 11, taken on the line l2-I2 of Figure 11, showing the walls in section.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the air tube I36 of Figure 10, showing the internal longitudinal fins I 40.

Referring to Figure 1, the cabinet 2 comprises insulated walls 3, inclosing the ice water tank 4, and is closed at the top by sliding lids 5 and 5'. Within the tank 4 is a body of water 1, from which a quantity of ice blocks or disks 8 have been frozen by means of the automatic ice-maker employed herewith.

Embracing the left end of the tank 4 is an expansion coil I and a similar coil II, of opposite hand, embraces the right end of the tank. Located at substantially regular intervals on the bottom and lower outside portion of the tank 4 are the contact buttons I2, which may be soldered to the tank itself and to the tubes II] and I I Which comprise the two evaporator sections of the automatic ice-maker employed herein.

High pressure refrigerant liquid passes from the tube I to the thermostatic expansion valve I6 and through the small diameter tube I! to expansion coil ID or to expansion coil II, according to the operative position of the valve mechanism 22 of the ice-maker. The valve mechanism is not described herein but is shown in general by the assembly 22, which is described in detail in This valve mechanism opens the outlet of tube ID or the outlet of tube I I to the suction tube I4 so that refrigerant isv always free to flow from one or the other of the evaporator tubes to the suction tube, but not from both at the same time. The suction tube I4 is connected with the intake side of the condensing unit which condenses the refrigerant and returns it in liquid form to the tube I5.

The expansion valve I6 is of the thermostatic type, preferably of the so-called vapor-charge variety, i. e., being charged with a volatile fluid of such mass that its liquid portion may be contained in one of the loops I8 or I8". The portion I8 of the tube I8 is bent into a loop and clamped against the tube I8 near its outlet end by means of a clamp I9 and another portion I8" of the tube I8 is similarly clamped on the outside of the tube II. The tube I8 and a space within the expansion valve I6 form a container for a small quantity of volatile fluid. A portion of the volatile charge of the expansion valve liquefies during operation of the refrigerating system in the one of the loops I8 or I8" which is clamped against the outlet of the evaporator which is active at the time, while the remainder of the tube I8 and the space with which it connects are filled with vapor at a pressure corresponding to the temperature of the liquid that is trapped in the loop I8 or l8, whichever is the cooler.

It will thus be seen that the expansion valve I6 is governed first by the temperature of the outlet end of expansion coil I0 and then by the temperature of the outlet end of coil II, and regulates the flow of refrigerant through the expansion valve in accordance with the outlet temperature of whichever coil is at the moment active. As will be understood from my patents and applications before mentioned this results in freezing a quantity of ice disks or blocks 8 within the tank 4 at its lower right-hand end while the coil II is actively refrigerated and these" ice disks are released during the following period of ice formation within the lower left portion of the tank, while the coil I8 is actively refrigerated to form additional ice disks.

The ice disks 8 which have been released to float in the water I will be stopped from rising to the surface of the water by the

perforated shelves

26, 2 and 28. These shelves are adjustable as to height and may be secured at the same or different heights within the tank 4 by means which will hereinafter be described. The shelf 26 is flat but shelf 21 is provided with an upturned side 21 and the shelf 28 has a similar upturned section 28'. shelves provide walls to prevent ice from floating upwardly between the shelves when they are staggered as to vertical position as shown in the Figures 1 and 4. They also provide walls dividing the shelves to prevent bottles from slipping off of a higher shelf to a lower one. The shelf 28 is also provided with a notch 29 to clear the vertical tube 35.

The tube 35 is attached to-the tank 4, extending from near the top of the water 1 to a level below the main body of the ice disks 8 and preferably above the level at which disks 'of ice 8 are formed. The upper end of the tube 35 is protected by a screen 36 to keep foreign matter from entering the tube and the lower end of the tube is protected by the screen 31 to prevent the ice disks 8 from floating up inside of the tube. Within the tube 35 is a water screw 48, carried on the shaft 4| which is driven by the motor 42. .The direction of rotation of. the shaft 4| is such that water is moved within the tube 35 in the direction indicated by the arrows. This takes water from near the top of the bottle storage compartment at a level approximately around the necks of the bottles and delivers this water to the lower part of tank 4 so that it must flow upwardly through the floating ice 8, through the perforated shelves 2B, 21 and 28, and around the bottles or other containers supported upon these shelves.

Since the usual containers to be cooled are bottles and they are generally of round cross section with reduced diameter near their tops, the water flowing upwardly through the perforated shelves thus passes vertically around the bottles and then horizontally around the necks of the bottles over to the intake of the tube 35. This provides an ideal circulation for the purpose of cooling the bottles, with ample area for fluid flow.

While reference is frequently made herein to bottles, it is to be understood that other forms of packages or containers are within the scope of These upturned sections of the this invention. For instance the containers being cooled might be ten gallon milk cans instead of half-pint bottles, the principle of operation being the same and the difference being only in the size of the apparatus.

The circuit of motor 42 is opened and closed by means of thermostatic switch 45 in response to changes in the temperature of the bulb 46. The thermostatic switch 45 maybe of any conventional type such as is ordinarily used in refrigeration practice. It is arranged to start the motor 42 in response to a rise of temperature of the bulb 46 and to stop the motor in response to a fall of temperature.

The working range is entirely above the freezing point of water and preferably below the maximum temperature that is desired for the bottled goods to be cooled. The control of the refrigerating machine which makes the ice is preferably independent of the control of the motor 42, as it is desirable to have production of ice proceed during the hours when no bottles are being removed from or placed in the cooler. Th method of controlling the starting and stopping of the condensing unit will be described in connection with Figures 4 and 5.

The tank 4 is provided with a drain tube 3| by means of which the water may be drained from the tank 4 upon opening of valve 32. This is done whenever the water becomes contaminated from the bottles or otherwise, the ice on hand being saved to assist in more rapidly cooling the fresh water that is then put into the tank.

Figure 2 shows the swingable shelf support 23 of Figure 1. The spring 24 holds this support against a stop formed integral with it and making contact with the tank wall, from which position the support 23 may be rotated against; the spring to allow removal or adjustment of the shelf. The support 23 and its spring 24 are also seen in Figure 6.

'Figure 3 shows the fixed shelf support 25, which is provided with vertically spaced notches to match those of 23 for holding the shelf at the height to which it is adjusted.

In Figure 4 we see a somewhat modified form of bottle cooler employing the shelves 2B, 21 and 28 in the same manner as shown in Figure 1 to support the bottles or containers to be cooled while holding the floating ice 8 from rising to the top of the main water body. The cabinet 48 and tank 54 are arranged to provide room for the condensing unit. I

This view shows the complete refrigerating system, which may be more easily traced in the diagrammatic Figure 5. The main difference between Figure 1 and Figure 4 is that the latter shows means for maintaining a constant level of the body of water, regardless of how many bottles may be removed or replaced, and water circulation is forced in an upward direction instead of downwardly.

The pump 5|, driven by the motor 52, draws water from the inner tank 55 and delivers it upwardly through the pipe 51 to the distributing pipe 59. The latter is provided with a number of outlet holes 80 so that water is discharged upwardly below the mass of floating ice disks 8, through which water flows to cool the

various bottles

62, 63 and 54.

This causes the water level to rise and water flows through the removable screens 55 (Figure 6) into the tubes 61, which lead back into the tank 55 and provide it with air vents. The effect of placing more bottles in the cooler is to cause more water to overflow and to return to the tank 55, whereas the removal or bottles will, only in the event that the pump 5| is idle, lower the level of the body of water 1. As soon as the pump 5| is restarted, as it does automatically when the temperature of the water bath rises,

the water is again raised to the level at which it overflows into the tubes 51.

While the regulation of water level relative to shelf level is here shown as obtained by adjusting the shelves, it is to be understood that the water overflow level might be adjusted instead. This can be accomplished with a swivel-jointed inlet for the overflow tube or tubes, or by making these tubes flexible and bending them to the desired height at their inlet ends as may be assumed in the construction shown in Fig. 4.

In order that water may not leak back through the pump 5| into the tank 55 during the idle periods of the pump a check valve 58 is placed in the pipe 51. Located in the pipe 51 below the check valve is a three-way valve 10, which is normally turned as shown to provide a straightthrough passage for water, but may be turned a quarter turn to the left so as to direct water out the side outlet IL This valve is not used except for the purpose of pumping out the

tanks

54 and 55. This is accomplished by removing the righthand end of the hose 12 from the elbow l3 and allowing the end of the hose to rest on the bottom of the tank 54, as indicated in dotted lines. With the valve 10 turned so that flow to pipe 59 is stopped and the pump discharges through the side outlet II, to which a separate section of hose is attached for delivery of the water to any desired point, it is obvious that the

tanks

54 and 55 will be completely emptied except for the ice disks 8 which it is desirable to retain. In designing the apparatus the valve 10 and the hose 12 are preferably made easily accessible. If desired a three-way valve similar to 10 may be used in place of the elbow 13 and the stems of both valves connected to handles above the water level or to one handle which operates the two valves simultaneously. This obviates the necessity for removing one end of the hose, the added threeway valve being adjustable from a position where the pump draws water from tank 55 only to one in which it also draws water from the bottom of tank 54.

The motor-compressor unit 16 draws vaporized refrigerant from the tube [4 and delivers compressed vapor through the tube 11 to the condenser |8, from which the liquefied refrigerant passes through the capillary tube and the second capillary tube 8|, the latter being preferably embedded in the insulation and leading to the coils I0 and II in the same manner seen in Figure 5 and as the tube leads to the two evaporator tubes in Figure 1, or to a single coil as in Figure 10.

The fan 83 and its driving motor 84 are provided for cooling the condenser 18. A bulb 46 is located as in Figure l or in 4 for the purpose of controlling the circulation of water and it is connected to a thermostatic switch 45 (seen in Figures 1 and 5) to control the operation of the both Figures 1 and 4 will be understood by referring to Figure 5.

The bulb 86, which is seen in Figures 1, 4 and 5, is connected with a thermostatic switch 81 (Figure 5) to control the operation of the motorcompressor unit 16 and the fan motor 84, the former being shown with a starting circuit breaker 88. Both the bulb 46 and the bulb 86 are located in the water bath, but at different points to control different motors for different purposes.

. The bulb 46 and its switch 45 initiate water circulation whenever it is required to lower the temperature of that portion of the water which surrounds the bottles in the upper part of the cabinet. The bulb 8B and its switch 81 control the starting and stopping of the refrigerating system, starting the system when the supply of floating ice diminishes so that it does not contact the bulb 86. The compressor then runs continuously while the evaporators I and II are alternatel refri erate r-a in' and releasing ice until there has been accumulated an amount of floating ice such that the lower pieces of floating ice contact and partially surround the bulb 86 to cool it down to the cut-out point of the switch 81.

This method of controlling the quantity of ice formed in a tank is explained in my United States Patent Number 2,359,780 above mentioned. The bulb 86 may be cooled down to the temperature of 32 F. by the floating ice when there is ice at and below its level, but when the ice supply is not suflicient to reach downwardly to this bulb level, the temperature of the bulb will be higher than 32 F.

During idle periods of the motor 42 in Figure 1 or the motor 52 in Figure 4v there will be a slow thermostatic circulation of water in the upper part of the tank due to the fact of water having a reverse coefiicient of expansion between its freezing point and its maximum density tem perature of 39.2 F. Water at any temperature between 32 F. and 46.4" F. is heavier than 32' water of the same purity. The water surrounding the bottles in the upper part of the tank may be at 40 F. while the water immediately below the sh lves and between the disks of ice must necessarily be at 32 F. since 32 water is lighter than 40 water there will be an upward circulation of the cold water from the body of ice. This will be more pronounced in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 because of the fact that the tube 35 provides a more ready path for the warmer water to return to the lower part of the tank.

Figure 6 illustrates the location of screen 66 in the overflow to tube 61 and one design of perforated shelf 26. It also shows how the shelves are cut away at their supports and spaced from side walls of the tank so that they will clear the supports 23 when they are swung against the tank wall.

Figure 7 illustrates a bottle cooler embodying the same principle of holdover, employing floating ice, but using air as by heat transfer fluid instead of water. The cabinet I is fitted with an inner tank 89 in addition to the ice-water tank or liner 90. The tank 89 is water-tight for the purpose of excluding water therefrom while water is poured into the outer tank 90 through the opening closed by the filler cap 9| until water comes up to a suitable level, such as 92.

Ice is frozen within the bottom of tank 90 by the method previously described, except that this view shows an evaporator coil I I0 on the tank bottom and a coil III on the tank sides. They are connected in parallel and cycled the same as coils I0 and II of the previous views.

As the ice disks float upwardly when released from the bottom or sides of the tank they are stopped by the bottom of the tank 89 while some of them float on up around the sides of tank 89. Th displacement of ice which floats to the top of the water has no effect upon water level, but there will be some rise of water level due to the expansion of those pieces of ice which are held submerged by the bottom of the tank 90. When there is a considerable quantity of ice below the bottom of tank 89, the water level may rise to overflow through the hole 93 leading into the air duct 95, from which the water so overflowing will drain through the tube 91 to a waste or to a device for evaporating it as shown in my Patent No. 2,145,776. This drain also carries away any moisture that may be condensed from the atmosphere inside of the tank 89, as the bottom of the tank is provided with gutters 98, leading into a crossgutter 99 and thence into the lower end of the air duct 95 through the opening 96 in the wall of tank 89.

The centrifugal fan IN is driven by a motor I02 and draws air in through the port I04 in the wall of tank 89. Air drawn in is discharged downwardly through duct 95 and through opening into a transverse passage formed by the L -shaped cover I06. From the passage formed by I06 the air flows horizontally through the several gutters 98 in the tank bottom and escapes upwardly between the bottles to return again to the port I04. This movement of air increases heat transfer to the ice-cooled side walls and bottom of tank 89 from the air and heat transfer to the air from the bottles, thus cooling the bottles more quickly than would be the case in the same ice-jacketed tank without the air circulation.

Circulation of air is controlled by stopping and starting the motor I02 with the control 45 (Figure 5) in the same way as motor 42 or 50 of the preceding figures is controlled, but the bulb H4. located in the air duct formed by I06, replaces the bulb 46. The condensing unit is controlled by bulb 86 and control 87 as previously described.

Figure 8 also shows the bulb H4 and an additional view of the air duct arrangement of Figure 7 on the line 8-8 thereoff. The gutters 98, leading horizontally from the air duct header formed by gutter 99 and cover I06, are seen to be tapered in depth and ended short of the far side of tank 89. These gutters provide for more uniform distribution of air around the

bottles

62 and 64 stored in the tank 89.

Figure 9 illustrates the location of a crystal formation base which may be located in the iceforming areas to assist in starting the formation of ice crystals without undue sub-cooling of the water. The small areas II6 at ice-forming areas are made with a grating effect or crystalline form to correspond somewhat to the form of ice crystals. This can be accomplished by imposing mineral crystals upon the surface, by plating the surface or by impressing the desired grating form in the metal of the tank wall. In case of adding a crystalline material to the surface the selection of material is made from those substances which more nearly approach water ice in the form of their crystals, such as silicate of beryllium and aluminum, bismuthinite, etc. When the form is cut or pressed into the metal the angles of water crystals are approached as nearly as is practicable.

Figure 10 shows a further modification of the merely accumulate and retain a covering of ice, which will do no harm.

air circulating type of cooler seen in Figure I. The cabinet I25 is provided with a single tank I21 in which there is a perforated or wire mesh shelf All of the evaporator coils I52 may be con- I33 for si'pporting articles to be cooled, such as nected together to be refrigerated at one time or bottles 04, above the water level I40. may be arranged to be refrigerated alternately Air is circulated by means of a centrifugal fan or in rotation as previously described. Addi- I-II which is driven by the motor I02 and has its tional ice making areas may be located on the inlet port as in Figure 7 at I04. Air discharged by bottom or side walls of the tank I43, with addithe fan IOI goes downwardly in the tube I35 and tional expansion coils embedded in the insulation circulates through the coil I35, which is located 10 3 as, seen in Figure 10 and preceding views, if it below the water level and preferably above the is desired to have a larger number of ice disk lower level of the floating pieces of ice 0. The freezing spots than can be accommodated on the coil or other form of heat exchanger I35 is prefplates alone or on the tank walls alone.

erably provided with internal fins I40 (see Fig- In Figure 11 it will be seen that the water level ure 13) so that the heat transfer capacity from 5 I55 is well up around the cans or cells I45, which air to the walls of the tubular structure is more are soldered or otherwise joined together to form nearly equal to the external capacity for heat the assembly I45 This assembly is secured to transfertothe water and the floating ice. the tank I43 by means of lugs or brackets I41 After the air has been cooled in the heat exwhich hold the assembly I45 at its proper height changer I35 it passes into one or more distributregardless of the weight of materials placed in ing tubes or passages I31, from which the air is the cells I45 and of the buoyancy resulting from allowed to discharge upwardly through the small the water surroundin h cellsholes I38. The cold air thus discharged passes up Between the cells there will be water in which through the shelf I33 and around the bottles or the ice pieces 8 are free to float upwardly as other materials resting thereon, returning through shown. an below h Water-tight bottoms. of the port I04 to the fan IOI. cells I46 there will be an additional quantity of I e is formed in the botto of t k 1 in t ice pieces 8 stored in flotation. manner previously described, refrigeration being Figure 12 15 a P View taken on the line supplied by means of an evaporator coil I30. This of Figure 11 and theremre explained coil may be completely refrigerated during each abo running period of the refrigerating system, allowing the pieces of ice 3 to melt free while the is idle, or the evaporator I30 may be dividn we or more sections so that ice on one set shelves to a different vertical position, and a pera: 33335 35 323 3? 3 253355 ice pendicularly L sect on of one of said shelves The Shelf |33 may be in one piece at level adapted to substantially close the gap between instead f m the separately adjustable sections adjacent sides of the horizontal portions of said shown in Figures 1 and 4 smce the homes there shelves when one of them is located at a higher on are not immersed in water and bottles or ar- 40 level than the other ticles of various heights may rest upon the same shelf without any of them having their tops covercd by water.

A further modification of the dry storage type of bottle cooler is seen in Figure 11. The cabinet I42 is provided with a tank or liner I43, but in ,tion of the air, means for storing ice in thermal relationship with said duct externally thereof for the purpose of collecting moisture condensed from the air cooled therein, means for making 2. In a cooling device, a duct for the circula-.

for the purpose of cooling said air, condensate j collecting means associated with said air duct this case I have shown the pieces of ice 8 being formed on the outside of plates I5I instead of on the walls of the tank itself. These plates are preferably made of sheet metal and refrigerated internally at separate spots by means of the expansion coil I52 and the buttons or contact disks I2.

In Figure 11 one of the plates I5I is shown in section to illustrate its interior arrangement. The buttons I2 are preferably soldered to or integral with the coil I52 and are arranged in staggered relationship, with the buttons on one side of the tube located lengthwise on the tube at points between the buttons which are located on the opposite side of the tube. The buttons may be soldered or welded to the inside of the outerwall of the plate I5I, but this is not necessary if thecoil and button assembly is made a snug fit inside of the sheet metal shell of the plate ISI. This sliellis soldered or welded in fluid-tight manner so tlfatwater cannot leak into the inside, of the plate. Opposite ends of the coil I52 are brought out of the plate T5Ias indicated at the left in Figure 11 and the projecting ends of the tube I52 are preferably insulated as indicated by I53, which may be sealed sponge rubber or some other kind of water-tight insulating tube.

and releasing ice, a refrigerating system for operating said ice making means, a high side section of said refrigerator system, and means for moving said condensate into heat exchange relationship with said high side.

3. A refrigerator designed for cooling bottled goods, a support for said bottled goods on which 55 bottles may be set in upright position, means for circulating a cooling fluid around said bottles in a path which includes horizontal flow through spaces between the necks of the bottles and vertical flow through spaces between the vertical o0 sides of the bottles and means for cooling said fluid by circulation in heat exchange with a supply of relatively small pieces of ice before it is recirculated through said spaces, and means responsive to reduction of the stored supply of said ice to cause more ice to be frozen and released.

4. In a refrigerating system, ice making means cooled by said system and comprising a plurality of ice forming surfaces and means associated with said surfaces simulating the form of ice crystals to form starting points for ice formation. 5. In a refrigerator comprising an insulated I cabinet including a space for storing articles and an opening for access to said space, a door for If the tube is left bare outside of plate I5I it will said "oneninz, a liquid-tight tank within said 1! l2 cabinet and an article-supporting shelf within forming surface, said surface being at least in said tank, said tank being adapted to contain a part formed by means simulating the form of freezable liquid, the level of which is normally ice crystals to provide a starting area for ice maintained at or above that necessary to hold formation.

floating frozen portions ofthe liquid in engage- 5 GL NN M F ment with said supporting shelf comprising refrigerant-conveying means provided with a pas- I REFERENCES CITED sageway for the flow of evaporating refrigerant, said last-named means being outside of said tank 3 ifl ffmi f are of record in the and isolated from direct contact with said freezable liquid, a plurality of spaced heat-exchange UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS members arranged in heat-exchange relation Number Name t with said refrigerant-conveying means and with 1,824,309 Storer Sept. 22, 1931 a wall of said tank, at least some of the nner 3, 71 Smith Apr. 3, 1934 surface portions of said wall in contact with said 1,982,570 Cann Nov. 27, 1934 li id adjacent said heat exchange being of a 2, 63,646 Whitesel Dec. 8, 1936 ont u simulating the form of the frozen 2,072,347 Strebler Mar. 2, 1937 crystals of said liquid whereby the liquid will be 2,145,775 Muiily Jan. 3, 1939 induced to start freezing at said surface portions, 2,188,839 Markley et a1 -'Jan. 30, 1940 and means arranged to cycle the flow of said re- 2,220,001 Potter Oct. 29, 1940 frigerant whereby the extraction of heat from 2,226,271 Vose Dec. 24, 1940 said liquid will be lessened to permit said frozen ,230,862 Carroll Feb. 4, 1941 portions to melt sufliciently to free themselves 2,250,271 Tull July 29, 1941 from their respective said surface portions 2,250,612 Tanner July 29, 1941 whereby they will float upwardly into contact 2,273,189 Guyton Feb. 17, 1942 with said shelf. 2,29 ,879 Smellie Sept. 29, 1942 6, In a refrigerating system. ice making means 2,303 000 Ribble Nov. 24, 1942 cooled by said system and comprising an ice-