US267963A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sl1eet 2. G. ZIMMER.

(No Model.)

REFRIGERATOR;

Patented N0v.'21, 1-882.

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N. PETERS Pholoulhographcr. Washmglum D, c.

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. ZIMMER.

REFRIGERATOR.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 21 1882.

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N. PETERS. PhoXo-Lxlhogmpher. Washin ton, D. C.

. UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN ZIMMER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,963, dated November 21, 1882.

Application filed April 27, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN ZrMMEa, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

t as shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which- I Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, show respectively a transverse and a longitudinal vertical section of an ordinary family refrigerator G111- bodying my improvements. Figs. 1 and 2*", Sheet 2, are like views, illustrating the invention as applied to the larger class of refrigerators. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, illustrating the application of the invention to preserving-chambers or refrigerating-rooms. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a like view, showing the application of the invention to portable beer-coolers. Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet 3, show by a vertical. transverse section and alike horizontal section the application of the invention to the cooling of malt-liquors and forcing the same from the cooling-chamber to the counter or bar; and Fig. 9, Sheet 1, shows a'slight modification of construction thereof. Fig. 7, Sheet 3, is a perspective view of the ice-receptacle; and Fig. 8, Sheet 2, is a detail view of my improved ventilator-register.

Like letters of reference are employed to indicate likeparts wherever such may occur in the above-described figures of drawings.

In the above drawings, W indicates the inclosing case or box or walls, which are usually composed of double walls, with a filling between the twoof some suitable non-conductor of heat. t H

In family refrigerators I preferably line the boxes, as usual, with zinc; but in refrigerating-rooms, such as used for the preservation of large quantities of meat or other perishable substances, and in which comparatively large quantities of ice are usually stored, I find that it is not necessary to line the interior walls at all, for the reason that with the perfect ventilation, as hereinafter described, condensation resulting from the rapid. cooling of warm bodies will take place only upon the under side of the ice-receptacle itself, and this moisture is at once conducted from the cooling-chamber.

It is the ice-receptacle, preferably made entirely of zinc, and is composed of a box or receptacle, 1', that will be of such a shape as to fit the inclosing walls or box either entirely or partially, according to the capacity of the refrigcrating-chamber. As the shape of the inclosing-walls will in large stationary refrigerators depend upon that of the space where it is erected, or in family refrigerators upon the shape given to the inclosing-case, said icereceptacle will thereforevary in shape accordingly. The depth of the receptacle r will also vary with the capacity of the cooling-chamber, as will be readily understood, and said receptacle has a concave imperforate' bottom, 1", slightly inclined from one end of the receptacle .to the other, as shown. The ice-receptacle has one or more depending flues, It, extending from the ice-receptacle downward. Said flue or flues may be of such alength as to reach to the bottom to of the refrigerating-chamber O, as shown in Figs. 1 2", 5, and 6, or said flues may extend a certain distance only into the said refrigeratingchamber, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4., and 9. If the receptacle has'two such flues R, which will generally be found sufficient even for very large refrigeratingchambers, one of the lines may be extended to the bottom of said chamber and the other to about midway (more or less) of the said chamber, as shown in Fig. 3. n

At or near the bottomor lower end of the flue or fiues is a ventilating-aperture, V, provided with a register-slide, S, or other suitable device for regulating the admission of air. This ventilating-aperture communicates with a pipe, P, that serves to carry fresh air to the lower partof the refrigerating-chamber O. In family refrigerators the said pipe P may be conducted out of the refrigerator through one of the walls thereof and provided with a suitable register, as shown in Figs. 2 and 2,or. it may be conducted through the lids L L ofthe refrigerator and provided with a register, 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The air flue or flues It of the ice-receptacle are further provided with a series of cold-air .ports, a and a, the former located near the upper end of said air flue .or fiues It and the latter near their lower end. The admission of the cold air from the ice-receptacle through said ports a and a is regulated by means of suitable register-slides, s and s, respectively. These register-slides may be operated from within the refrigerating-chamber, or they may be connected to a rod that passes through the inclosing-walls, said rod being there provided with suitable indices to show the extent of closure of said ports by the slide,'as shown, Fig. l, where the full opening of the ports a ore is indicated when the stop I) on the operating-rod lies against the inner wall of the box, and the full closing is indicated when the stop 1) lies in contact with the outer wall of said box; and the space of the rod between the stops may have notches 11 that will indicate the extent of the partial closure of said ports.

Theice-receptaelein small refrigerators,when provided with two downwardly-projectingcoldair flues R, needs no further support, as these flues then serve as legs upon which the receptacle is supported, and when but one flue is employed then the end of the ice-receptacle opposite said flue will rest upon any suitable support within the inclosing-case. In large refrigerators, when the weight of the ice would be too great for the strength afl'orded by the cold-air flues It, or in such cases where said flues do not extend to the bottom of the re frigerating-chamber, I form a cradle, I, by means of iron straps t, in which the ice-receptacle R is suspended, said straps being'secured to theinclosing-walls.

As above stated, it is not essential to the good operationof the ice-receptacle that it should occupy the entire upper space of the inclosing-box. As shown in Fig. 1, it extends only partially over the upper partof the box, and between one ofits walls andthe inclosingcaseis formed an additional refri geratin g-space, 0 said wall being provided with air-ports a provided with register-slides 8 to establish an interior circulation of air, as will be described hereinafter.

Below the concave bottom of the ice-receptacle Bis suspended a concave drip-pan, D, for collecting the vapors that condense upon the bottom of the ice-receptacle, this being the only place, as practically demonstrated by experience, where such condensation takes place, and for this reason I do not line large refrigerators with zinc, as usual.

The bottom of the ice-receptacle could be made fiat, if desired. This construction, however, has two serious disadvantages, in that it requires a drip-pan of the same width as the ice-receptacle, and, secondly, in that both the water resulting from the condensation of vapors as well as the water resulting from the melting of the ice would run into the air-flue along its entire width, which is not desirable.

The bottom 1" of the ice-receptacle as well as the drip-pan are respectively provided with a discharge-spout, r d, that conduct the water into one of the cold-air passages or fiues It, from whence it is discharged in the usual manner, by a pipe, P, arranged to prevent the access of air to the cold-air flue, either by a water luting, as shown in Figs. 2? and 3, or by an adjustable siphon-discharge, as shown in dotted lines in the latter figure, or by providing the discharge-pipewith a stop cock. In the latter case, where but one cold-air flue R is used, the air-ports V and a must be located sufficiently far from the bottom of the flue to allow a certain volume of water to collect therein without flowing into the refrigeratingchamber and be drawn off from time to time.

T is a pipe that places the ice-receptacle in communication with the preserving-chamber, and'T' is a like pipe that places said receptacle in communication with the outer atmosphere. Each of said pipes has a register, t and t, respectively.

In all cases I prefer to construct the inclosing-case and ice-receptacle in such manner as to admit of the latter being lifted out of the inclosing box or walls, which is especially de-- sirable in family refrigerators for the purpose of cleansing. In this case the operating-rods for the cold-air registers are screwed into sleeves formed on said registers, and the inner stop, I), is screwed upon said rod, and the waste-water discharge and air pipe must also be arranged so as to be readily disconnected from the ice-receptacle or removed from the inclosing-case with it, as shown in Fig. 1', where the pipe P is extended through the lids L L.

To prevent the ice from falling into the coldair flue or flues, I form a grating, F, across the opening.

The refrigerating-chamber has ports 0, provided with registers E, immediately below the bottom of the ice-receptacle, that communicate with pipes a, leading to the outside of the refrigerator, as shown in Figs. 2", 3, and 6.

In family refrigerators I employ preferably two lids--an outer lid, L, covering the entire refrigerator, (which is provided with a second lid, L Fig. 2, when such refrigerators are of a size to make the outer lid too heavy,) an inner lid, L, covering the ice-receptacle, which is also provided with a second lid, L and I leave sufficient space between the two lids to form a chamber, 0, into which the foul air is discharged. The lids L L are made to fit tight one upon the other and upon the ice-receptacle, and the lid L is not fitted tightly so that the foul air can'escape when the lid is not opened for some time. The lids L L serve to introduce the ice into the receptacle and the lids L and Lto withdraw the receptacle from the box. InFigs. 5 and 6 I have shown the receptacle applied to a retail liquor-store.

The counter M, having the faucets from which the malt-liquors are drawn is in communication with the refrigerator, and preferably in such manneras to permit the conducting-pipes m for the liquor to be carried down the cold-air fl ue R, and not through the ice-re-' ceptacle, and through thatcold-air flue (where two are employed) into whichthe waste water is not discharged, as-shown in Fig. 6.

The refrigerator being, as shown, located in i the cellar or basement below the store, the foul air may be discharged directly into a chimney, N, and the fresh air taken through pipe 1? from any convenient point inside oroutside the store or building, the refrigerating-chamher being fitted not only for the storing and cooling of one or more casks, but also for storing and cooling perishable articles, and has shelves Q, as shown in Fig. 6. The counter M is here made to serve as an additional refrigerator, and may be providedwith shelves ortrays for the cooling of liquids in bottles,

- and also for maintaining the malt-liquors ascending through-pipes'm at the desired tem-{ perature.

In Fig. 9 I have shown aslight modification of the above-described construction. The pipes m, that convey themalt or other liquor to the faucets, are inclosed within the cold-air flue R of the ice-receptacleof'the upper refrigerator,

and are connected to pipes P arranged in the fioor or in the wall of the lower refrigerator,

and surrounded by any suitable non-conductin g material, 11 said pipes being also contained in a pipe, P, that; passes through the ice-re- V ceptacle of the lower refrigerator.

To the lower end of pipes p one extremity of one. or more flexible pipes, at, is connected,-

' the other end being connected with a cask or casks. The water resulting from the melting of the'ice or from condensation of vapors is discharged from the upper refrigerator into the flue R of the lower refrigerator, that receives the water from itsown ice-receptacle and drip-pan through pipe 1?, as shown.

ing in through pipe T is cooled on pass- 'in g over the ice and enters the refrigeratingchamber through flue or flues R and the ports a and a, while the air comingin through pipe 1? is cooled on its passage through said flues It and enters the refrigerating-chamber. It will be seen that cold air is thus supplied to the refrigerating-chamber at different elevations, and the warm air displaced thereby passes through pipe T into the ice-receptacle and returns to the chamber 0 in a cooled con.- dition.- It will thus be seen that an interior circulation of air is established thatrapidlylowers the temperature of the refrigerator. When the temperature within the chamber 0 has been lowered sufficiently the register t upon pipe T is closed. This register, admitting air directly to the ice, causes it to melt rapidly; hence isclosed as soon as the chamber 0 is sufficiently cooled. The register E is then opened and the foul air conducted away from the chamber 0 through pipe 0, fresh air being admitted through pipe P, as before, and as the pipe 6 does not communicate with the ice-receptacle or its flues, but is located in the re frigerator-walls, the melting of the icepracticallyi ceases, and the temperature is gradually lowered within the'chamber and flues, thus correspondingly lowering the incoming air as it passes down the pipe P, which itself passes through the ice-receptacle and down one of the lines It. When the substances stored are thoroughly cooled the slides S, s, s, and E are partially closed, or may for a time be entirely closed.

Any suitable construction of register may be employed either upon the pipes inside or outside of the refrigerator or upon the cold-air ports a and a. The ends of the pipes leading to the outside of the refrigerator should, however, he provided with registers that will cxclude insects therefrom. For this purposeI preferably employ the register H, (shown in Fig. 8,) which is composed of a head, h, to which is attached a cylinder, h, of woven-wire fabric.

Said cylinder may be fitted upon the outside of the pipe, or it may be arranged to slide into the said pipe. In either case the head h is or may be provided with a handle, k and the outer or inner periphery of. the pipes with a spiralgroovap", into which fits a lug or lugs, h connected with the re-enforcing band h of the woven-wire cylinder, so that on. revolving said cylinder it may be raised to anydesired extent and held in that position. The cylinder may have two or more such re-enforcing bands, which may be connected together and to the head by means of stay-rods, to give said cylinder greater rigidity.

Having described my invention,what1 claim 1s- 1. In a refrigerator, the combination, with an inclosing-case, of an ice-receptacle having one or more cold-air flues formed integral therewith, depending from the door thereof, and extendingacross its entire width, means, substantiallysuch as described, to prevent the ice from entering said flues, means for conduct ing the cold air from the flues into the refrigerating chamber at or near the lowest point, means for admitting air from the outside of the refrigerator through said flues into the coolcontact with the cold air in such fines, and means for conducting the warm or foul air away from the chamber through the walls of the refrigerator, all arranged for cooperation substantially as described and shown.

2.'In a refrigerator, an ice-receptacle provided with one or more diving-fines, closed at bottom and opening into the ice-receptacle at top, said fiue' or fines being provided with registers to conduct the cold air from the icereceptacle to the cooling-chamber, and serving as a receptacle for the waste water, as described.

3. A sheet-metal ice-receptacle for refrigerators, consisting of the vessel R and one or more diving-fines, 1t, closed at bottom and serving as supports for said ice-receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

A. An ice-receptacle for refrigerators, having a concave bottom and one or more divingfines, serving as cold-air passages and as'a receptacle for the Waste water resulting from the melting of the ice, said fines being provided with cold-air ports and a port for the discharge of the waste water, as described.

- 5. An ice-receptaclefor refrigerators, consisting of the vessel R and one or more divingfiues, R, adapted to serve as supports for said.

receptacle and as condnit's for the cold air, in combination with an inclosing-case, in which said receptacle is removably fitted, and by. which said case is divided into an ice-receptacle and cooling-chamber, as described.

6. In a refrigerator, the combination of an inclosing-case, an ice-receptacle provided with one or more diving-fines, closed at bottom and opening into said receptacle at top, said fine or fines being provided with registers to conduct the cold air from the receptacle into the cooling-chamber, and an air-pipe contained in said fine or fines opening into the atmosphere at oneend and the coolin g-chamber at the other,

whereby the atmospheric air conducted to the cooling-chamber is first cooled by and Without bringing it in direct contact with the cold air passing through the fines, as described.

7. In a refrigerator, thecombination, with the inclosing-case provided with a cradle, of an ice-receptacle removably suspended from said cradle, as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a refrigerator, the combination, with the inclosing-case provided with a cradle, of an ice-receptacle and a drip-pan for collecting the water condensed upon the outside of said receptacle, both suspended from said cradle, as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a refrigerator, the combination, with the inclosing-case, of the ice-receptacle R, provided with a diving fine or fines, R, having adjustable ports a, a, and V, of the air pipe or pipes P contained by said fines, and opening into the atmosphere at one end and into the cooling-chamber through said adjustable port V at the other, all arranged for co-operation as described.

10. The combination, with the ventilatingpipes, of the register H, adjnstably fitted npon or within said pipes, as described, and composed of a cylinder of woven-wire fabric and a solid head, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. The combination, with the ventilatingpipes having a spiral groove, p of the register H composed of a cylinder of Woven-wire fabric, provided with a solid head and a lug adapted to fit into said groove, substantially as for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN ZIMMER.

Witnesses:

L. I HILL, JOHN P. WORD.

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