US2648272A

US2648272A - Evaporative air cooler

Info

Publication number: US2648272A
Application number: US176431A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norton Willie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-07-28
Filing date: 1950-07-28
Publication date: 1953-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 1970-08-11

Description

Aug- 11, 1953 w. NORTON EvAPoRATIvE AIR cooLER Filed July 28, 1950 B 3 7l A KM f FIG. 6

VIL IVI/f I'I: lil/L l Fl G. 3

l miv/A NILLLIE NORTON 1A VENTOR.

Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

rlhis invention relates generally to evaporative coolers, and more particularly to coolers of this type which are especially adapted for installation in both road vehicles and aircraft.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a cooler having relatively large cooling capacity, yet which is small enough that it can be mounted in normally unused space in a vehicle. In an automobile, for instance, a cooler unit embodying my invention can be installed beneath the front fender aft of the road wheel and forward of the front door hinges. In a small airplane it can be easily installed immediately aft of the passenger compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cooler through which outside air can be forced, either by ram pressure created by forward motion of the vehicle, or by a power driven blower fan, thus providing exibility of operation.

Another object is to provide a cooler` having a relatively large evaporative surface area, yet having relatively small overall dimensions.

Still another object is to provide a cooler in which the evaporative surface area is in the form of a large mesh highly absorbent fabric material which presents very little resistance to the flow of air therethrough, and in which the entire surface area of the fabric is maintained moist regardless of the rate of flow of air through the unit. and regardless of the rate of evaporation of the water from the fabric. This is accomplished by providing a continuous and ample pressure spray of water at spaced points along the evaporative surface of the fabric.

The invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be more clearly understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

l is a side elevation of a cooler embodying my invention, with parts in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tubular frame which constitutes a part of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a perforated baille plate;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a preferred type of mesh fabric used with my cooler;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the tubular frame of Fig. 2 with the mesh fabric installed thereon; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cooler installed on an automobile, the latter being shown in phantom.

Referring to the drawing it will be seen that a cooler embodying my invention includes an upright housing I0, substantially square in cross section. It has a removable bottom section II, normally held in position by a plurality of suitable fasteners I2, and this bottom serves as water reservoir, as well as a mounting platform for a small water pump I3, which is rigidly but removably secured thereto, for servicing.

The housing It is provided near its lower end with an air inlet duct I4, which is connected to receive air from an electric motor driven blower fan I 5, or by ram effect from an air collector I6 located at the forward end of the duct. At some point in the duct I4, preferably aft of the blower I5, a conventional damper II is mounted to control air ilow into the housing.

The housing IE) is provided exteriorly with suitably positioned anchoring brackets I8, the position of which varies with the particular vehicle in which the unit is to be installed.

A removable top I9 for the housing includes a short outlet duct 20, an air flow control damper 2l, and a water filling inlet 22, normally closed by a cap 23. A perforated baffle plate 24, of the same cross sectional shape as the housing, is affixed to the nether surface of the top I9 by means of a plurality of brackets 25. This plate is thus removable with the top, and serves to prevent water droplets from being carried by the air through the outlet duct 2,0 and into the space being cooled. Water which accumulates on this baffle plate naturally drains back into the reser- Voir.

The part of the unit which causes fast evaporation of water and results in cooling of the air is a self-supporting tubular framework in zig-zag form, designated as a whole by the numeral 26, and clearly shown in Fig. 2. This framework serves two purposes. Its horizontal cross tubes 2'I-28 serve to support an elongated strip of relatively large mesh fabric netting 2S, which is woven of highly absorbent relatively large diameter cord, as clearly shown in the full scale fragmentary view of Fig. 4. One end of the netting is lapped over the uppermost cross tube 28 of the tubular frame, and sewed or otherwise secured. The remainder of the netting strip is threaded over and around the outside of each succeeding lower cross tube, from side to side of the framework. The lower end of the strip is then secured to the lowermost cross tube 21, as by sewing. A plurality of angularly disposed air maze sections are thus formed, through which air must pass in traveling from one end of the housing to the other.

The second purpose of this tubular framework 26 is to conduct water from the pump I3, and to discharge the water laterally of the housing and onto each of the fabric netting air maze sections. To this end each cross tube 2I-28 is provided with a plurality of orifices 30 (Fig. 5) spaced along the tubes, and located to direct the water spray slightly upward and along each angularly disposed section of the fabric netting. The lower ends of the two zig-zag side members of the framework 26 are connected together by a- T-fitting 3I, one branch of which is connected to receive Water under pressure from the discharge of pump I3.

An electric motor 32 is suitably mounted, as by bolts 33, on the inside of housing I0. It drives a vertical shaft 34, which is journalled near its lower end in a bearing bracket 35. A universal joint 36 connects the lower end of shaft 34 to the upper end of a second vertical shaft 3I, which in turn has its lower end operably connected to the drive shaft of the pump I3.

Installation and operation As previously mentioned, the unit described may be installed in an upright position in the aft portion of an automobile fender, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, with the filler 22 accessible when the hood of the car is raised. The funnel-shaped air collector IB is located toward the front of the car adjacent the cooling air intake. duct 20 is connected to an air delivery duct 38, which is arranged to discharge cooled air into the interior of the car at a desired point. The motor of the blower fan and the pump motor 32 are connected electrically into the electrical system of the car, each being controlled by a conventional switch (not shown) on the dash of the car. Suitable conventional push-pull linkage (not shown) is connected to the damper Il, and is operable from the drivers position.

Water is introduced into the reservoir II through filler 22. Motor 32 is started and pump I3 forces water through the tubular framework 26', and out through orifices 30 in the cross tubes 21-28, and onto each individual section of the fabric netting 29. When the vehicle is traveling at normal cross country road speed ram pressure forces air through duct I4, upward through the open meshes of each section of the saturated fabric netting 29, and out through ducts 20 and i 38, and into the car. During the travel of the air through the netting a considerable amount of evaporation is caused. This cools and conditions the air before it enters the interior of the car.

In case air delivery is not adequate it is only necessary for the driver to close the switch which The controls operation of the blower fan motor. Fan I5 will then force an adequate supply of outside air through the housing and into the car.

Having described the invention with sufficient clarity to enable those familiar with this art to construct and use it, I claim:

1. An evaporative type air conditioner for automobiles comprising: a base pan adapted to hold a quantity of water; an elongated upright housing mounted on and extending above the pan and secured beneath a fender of the automobile; an air inlet conduit communicating with the lower end of the housing and extending forward therefrom to the forward end of the vehicle; a ram air scoop on the forward end of said conduit open to the atmosphere through which the vehicle passes; an upright zig-zag self supporting frame of substantially the same cross sectional size and shape as the interior of the housing, seat in said base pan and extending to the upper end of the housing, said frame being made up of hollow intercommunicating upright and horizontal members; a strip of highly absorbent large mesh fabric strung back and forth between opposite horizontal members of said frame in zig-zag arrangement forming a series of spaced air maze panels through all of which air must pass as it travels through the housing; an outlet air conduit communicating with the upper end of the housing and with the interior of the automobile; a motor driven pump mounted interiorly of the housing with its inlet open to the interior of said pan immediately adjacent the bottom thereof; a conduit connecting the outlet of said pump with the interior of said frame near the lower end thereof; and spaced outlet apertures in the horizontal frame members on which said fabric is strung, directed to deliver water directly onto said fabric at various levels within said housing.

2. The air conditioner described in claim 1 and a motor driven blower fan disposed in the air inlet conduit to boost the travel of air therethrough.

WILLIE NORTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEI) STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 522,989 King July 17, 1894 1,286,550 Davis Dec. 3, 1918 1,436,483 Cox Nov. 21, 1922 1,784,907 Patrick Dec. 16, 1930 1,815,864 Patrick July 2l, 1931 2,160,549 Kurth May 30, 1939 2,435,798 Rice et al Feb. l0, 1948