US2582031A

US2582031A - Drain mounting and sealing arrangement

Info

Publication number: US2582031A
Application number: US722662A
Authority: US
Inventors: George C Harbison
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1947-01-17
Filing date: 1947-01-17
Publication date: 1952-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1969-01-08

Description

J n. 8, 1952 c. HARBISON DRAIN MOUNTING AND SEALING ARRANGEMENT Filed Jan. 17, 1947 n o l b A; T vC we IQ P 0 e 6 His Attovney.

' Patented Jan. 8, 1952 DRAINIMOUNTITIG A ND'SEALING ARRANGEMENT George C. Hal-bison, Erie, Pa., assignor to General :ElectricCompa'ny, a corporation of New York Application January 11, issnseriai Nanassz 4 Claims. (01. 182-8) invention relates to drains and more particularly to an improved arrangement for mounting and sealing liquid drains. l It is anobject of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for conducting liquid from the interior to the exterior of a cabinet.

-Itis another object of this invention to provide an improved drain for conducting liquid from a cabinet and including a .linerfor the drain adapted to be assembled from the exterior of the cabinet. i It is a further object-of this invention to provide a cabinet of the type having spaced inner and-outer walls and including an improved arrangement for incorporating a drain in the cabinet and for sealing the drain to the inner and the outer walls.

It is still another object of-myinvention to provide a drain for a cabinet including a drain tube which can be easilyassembled in the cabinet in sealing engagement therewith and -which can be --easilydisassembled therefrom by fastening devices-readily accessible from the exterior of the-cabinet and from an interior compartment of the cabinet. i

In some cabinets liquid, such as moisture condensedhirom the air in a refrigerator, collects drom timeto time and it is desirable to dispose of; thial ql ld insome manner. This can be accomplished satisfactorily .by providing a drain for conducting the liquid from the interior of the cabinetto the exterior thereof. The problenrof disposal of liquid is particularly important inthe case-of some refrigerator cabinets wherein I afood storage compartment-is maintained at a relatively high humidity. Undersuch conditions substantial quantities of condensed moisture mayduring; the operation of the refrigerator. problem-oi. disposing-of thi water issomewhat complicated by the fact that thespace between the inner. and outer .wallsof a refrigerator cabinet isusually filled with heat-insulating material,.and any .drainpassage from the interior of the refrigerator. cabinet to theexterior must extend through the intermediate heat-insulating material. -;I Inless adequate-provision is made, moisture. may leak into the heat-insulatingma terialthe, area-of, the drainpassage. The leakage .of such moisture is -,disadvantageous be.-

it tendsto reduce the insulating effect of the-heat-insulating. material and because, more- .over, it may result indeterioration of the-heatinsulating material. Accordingly, it is another object-of myinvention to provide a. drain for a refrigerator cabinet; including i an hnproved ar rangement'by which the amount ofmoisture leaking into the heat-insulating material in. the vicinityof the drain will be minimized.

It is still another object ofv my invention, to provide adrain for a refrigerator cabinet including a seal for'minimizing the leakage of moisture into the heat insulating material wherein a por- -tion of the seal is incorporated in a trap for preventing the free circulation of air through the drain.

Further objects and advantagesof my invention will appear as this description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of drain.

' this depressed portion and a passage l3 ex Referring now to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a refrigeratorcabinet I includingan inner wall or liner 2 and an outer wall 3. The space between the inner and outer walls is filled with any suitable heat-insulating material 4. The refrigerator cabinet includes a food storage space 5 and a machinery compartment 6.- A door 1 is provided for closing the food storage compartmentand a cover 8 is provided for covering the front opening of the machinery compartment. The space between the innerwall 2 and the outer wall 3 at the front of the food storage compartment is closed by a heat-insulatingbreaker strip 9.

"' Duringthe operation of the refrigerator, mois.-;

ture may condense from time to time on surfaces within the food storage compartment 5. In order to provide for removal of this liquid, the bot-:

tom surface of the food-storage compartment is arranged toslope toward a depressed portion is located preferably near the. rear ofthe food stor-. age compartment. An opening II is provided-in tends from this. opening through the heat-insulating material to the machinery compartment 6, passing through an opening provided in a bottom portion iii of the outer wall 3. The passage it, therefore, provides a path for the. flow: of

- condensed moisture from the food storage compartment-to the machinery compartment of..the refrigerator.- Within .the machinery-comparing ment, a receptacle l I is provided beneath the bot-- partment.

Referring now to the details of the drain as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it. can be seen that the drain passes directly through the heat-insulating material 4 from the inner wall on one side of the heat-insulating material to the outer wall on the other side oi! the heat-insulating material. Because of the substantially continuous existence of moisture in the area oi thedrain, there is a tendency for the moisture to leak into the heatinsulating material. In order to minimize leakage oi moisture into the heat-insulating material, an arrangement is provided for sealing the drain to the inner wall 2 and to the bottom portion iii -of the outer wall 3. Within the passage i2, a liner or tube I8 01 heat-insulating. moisture-impervious material, such as rubber, is provided. The tube l6 includes near its lower end an outwardly-extending portion or flange I! which. is adapted to be brought into sealing engagement with the outer wall. In order to hold this flange H in sealing engagement with the outer wall, a ring 18 or member is provided. The ring I8 is pressed against the flange llto hold the-latter firmly against the outer wall by screws or elements l9, which engage threaded openings in a ring or element 29, which is secured to the outer wall in any suitable manner, as by welding. If desired the screws l9 may engage threaded openings in the outer wall itself. but

it is usually more satisfactory to provide an'additional part or parts, as the ring. 20, on the' interior of the wall to provide more durable threaded openings for cooperation with the screws iii. In the construction shown, the flange l1 acts as a gasket to prevent leakage oi moisture into the heat-insulating material, along the outer wall. Since the flange I1 is integral with the tube I6, this arrangement also effectively prevents the leakage of moisture into the heat-insulating material along the exterior of the tube Hi. In order to direct liquid from the passage I2 downwardly upon the sloping sides of a raised portion 2| of the. receptacle H,

the lower end or the tube It is tapered as III-- The sloping sides of the raised.,.'

the tube 16 includes an inwardly extending pori tion or flange 25 which fits over, the top of the" nut In order ,to hold the portion 25 of the tube insealing engagement with the depressed portion Ill of the inner wall 2, a second coupling.

element or threaded collar 26 is provided. The collar 28 is arranged to extend through the opening ii in the depressed portion ID of the inner wall and is provided with a flange 21 which overlies the inner wall 2. The collar 26 is threaded exteriorly in order to engage the internally threaded nut 24. As the collar 26 engages the nut 24, the portion 25 of the tube is pressed into sealing engagement with the inner wall 2, and leakage of moisture into the heatinsulating material in the area oi the upper end of the tube It is minimized. In order to provide an additional seal and to prevent marring or the surface of the inner wall, a washer 28 is included between the flange 21 and the inner wall.

As can be seen clearly from Fig. 2, the flange 21 of the collar extends a substantial distance above the surface of the depressed portion ID of the inner wall. The flange 21 supports a cap 29 in such a manner as to iorm therewith a trap to prevent the free circulation of air between the iood storage compartment and the exterior oi the refrigerator. This cap 29 includes a central depending guide portion 20 which fits within the collar 26. The cap also includes radial ribs 2i which rest on the top 01' the collar 26 in order to provide space between the lower suriace 32 or the cap and. the collar for the passage or liquid draining from the compartment. The cap is provided with a downwardly extending portion 33 along its outer edge, which extends belowthe top surface of the collar 26 but is held somewhat above. the surface of the depressed portion I0 'oi'the inner wall. By'this arrangement a pool oi! liquidex tending to the level of the top of ,the collar 26" is held within the depressed portion I0 ofthe" inner wall and the depending edges or the'cap extend into this pool of. water to prevent free circulation of air between the food storage coin-.- partment and the exterior of the retrigeraton' By the arrangement described 'above the drain tube It can readily be inserted after the re-' irigerator cabinet has been assembled. The'tube is inserted through the outer wall upwardly. into plet'ed cabinet.

the drain passage from .the. machinery .compartment and the lower end is then sealed to the outer wall by the screws i9, which are readily accessible. The upper portionof thejdrain tube is clamped in sealing engagement with the inner wall by means of the co11ar 26, -which'-is readily accessible from within the food storage compartment. Similarly, should it be desired to remove the drain tube for any reason, as for replacement, the disassembly can be accomplished easily through the aboverd'escribed" fastening devices" which are accessible even in .-the'- com- While I have described my invention in connection with a particular form ofi'household refrigerator, it "will .be apparent to those skilledlin the art that'it' can be applied to any.

apparatus wherein it is desired to prevent.leak-.- age of moisture into the areav between'spac'ed walls. I' intend, therefore, by the appended.

and scope of my invention.

claimsto cover all modifications within'ithe spirit What -I claim as new and desire to secured)! Letters Patent of the Unitedstates is:

'1. In combination, an inner wall forming a compartment and having an opening therein, an

outer wall spaced from said inner wall and having an opening therein, means including a tube having a flange portion adjacent said outer wall for conducting liquid from said col'npartment,

means including cooperating elements disposed. on both, sides of said outer wall for -maintaining;

said flange portion sealing engagement, with said outer .wall,'saidtube including a second flange portion adjacent said inner wall, and means readily accessible from withinsaid compartment and including cooperating elements disposed on both sides of said inner wall for maintaining said second flange portion in sealing engagement with said inner wall.

2. In combination, an inner wall forming a compartment and having an opening therein, an outer wall spaced from said inner wall and having an opening therein, means for conducting liquid from said compartment, said means including a tube having a first flange portion, means accessible from the exterior of saidouter wall and including cooperatin elements disposed on both sides of said outer wall for maintaining said flange portion in sealing engagement with said outer wall, said tube including a second flange portion, a coupling element within said tube adjacent said second flange portion, and a second coupling element accessible from within said compartment for engagin said first coupling element to maintain said second flange portion in sealing engagement with said inner wall.

3. In combination, an inner wall forming a compartment and having an opening therein, an outer wall spaced from said inner wall and having an opening therein, means including a tube having an inwardly extending portion adjacent said inner wall for conducting liquid from said compartment, means readily accessible from within said compartment and including cooperating elements disposed on both sides of said inner wall for maintaining said inwardly extending portion in sealing engagement with said inner wall, said tube including an outwardly extending portion adjacent said outer wall, and means including cooperating elements disposed on both sides of said outer wall for maintaining said outwardly extending portion in sealing engagement with said outer wall.

4. In combination, an inner wall forming a compartment having an opening therein, an

outer wall spaced from said inner wall and having an opening therein, means including a tube receivable through said opening in said outer wall for conducting liquid from said compartment, said tube being of smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of said opening in said outer wall, said tube having an inwardly extending flange portion adjacent said inner wall, a coupling element within said tube adjacent said inwardly extending flange portion, a second coupling element accessible from within said compartment for engaging said first coupling element to maintain said inwardly extending flange portion in sealing engagement with said inner wall, said tube includin an outwardly extending flange portion adjacent said outer wall, said outwardly extending flange portion extending beyond the edge of said opening in said outer wall, a member engaging said outwardly extending flange portion, and means engaging said member and said outer wall for pressing said outwardly extending flange portion into sealing engagement with said outer wall.

GEORGE C. HARCBISON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 848,147 Willms Mar. 26, 1907 989,559 Bohn Apr. 18, 1911 1,253,406 McNeil Jan. 15, 1918 1,566,052 Van Dabrowski Dec. 15, 1925 1,684,502 Nilson Sept. 18, 1928 2,087,705 Seitz July 20, 1937 2,089,231 Uline Aug. 10, 1937 2,110,927 Zane Mar. 15, 1938 2,488,232 Peeler Nov. 15, 1949