US2787131A - Water cooling refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

April 2,1957 c. H. WURTZ WATER coouuc REFRIGERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1954 INVENTOR. Clifford H Wurfz His Attorney.

April 2, 1957 c. H. WURTZ WATER COOLING REFRIGERATOR Filed April 15, 1954 INVENTOR. Clifford H. Wurfz His Attorney.

United States Patent WATER COOLING REFRIGERATOR Clifford H. Wnrtz, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 15, 1954, Serial No. 423,350

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-103) This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to the arrangement of a closed water cooling receptacle within a refrigerator cabinet construction.

I am aware of the fact that others have mounted water cooling receptacles at various localities within a household refrigerator cabinet for cooling water prior to being dispensed from a faucet or the like on or within the cabinet. Such receptacles ordinarily take up valuable food storage space in a household refrigerator and I desired to conserve such space while at the same time effectively cooling water to be dispensed from a receptacle associated with the refrigerator cabinet. My invention is particularly adapted for use in a specific type of household refrigerator construction which has recently been placed on the market and wherein it is required to provide a partitioning means between an open top liner, forming an unfrozen food storage compartment in the refrigerator, and a liner above the open top liner, forming a frozen food storage compartment therein. Such a household refrigerator is disclosed in the Patent No. 2,739,456, entitled Two Temperature Refrigerator, issued March 27, 1956, assigned to the assignee of the present application, and therefore this invention represents an improvement thereover.

An object of my invention is to provide a partitioning means between separately insulated and different temperature compartments in a household refrigerator cabinet which serves several purposes therein.

Another object of my invention is to provide a household refrigerator having an open top liner therein forming an unfrozen food storage compartment and another liner above and supported from the upper edges of the open top liner forming an unfrozen food storage compartment in which refrigerator a double walled partition between the liners in addition to directing condensate water from exterior. wall surfaces of the frozenfood compartment and from an evaporator surrounding the same forms the ceiling of the lower unfrozen food compartment and also forms a closed receptacle for receiving and cooling water to be dispensed from a faucet associated with the refrigerator.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is another and more specific object of my invention to effectively insulate a closed Water receptacle forming a part of a partitioning wall between a freezing or frozen food storage compartment and an unfrozen food storage compartment in a household refrigerator cabinet from the freezing compartment evaporator and to provide for the flow of some of the air cooled and caused to be circulated within the nu. frozen food compartment by an evaporator therein over and in heat exchange relation with portions of the water receptacle for cooling water therein before it is discharged therefrom.

Further objects and advantages ofthe present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

Inthe drawings: p i

t --Figure 1 is a front view of a multiple compartment refrigerator cabinet having my invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View of the refrigerator shown in Figure l and is taken on the line 22 thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the top ofa closed water receptacle incorporated in the partitioning wall structure between the. multiple compartments of the refrigerator;

Figure 4 is anenlarged sectional view through the closed water receptacle taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the closed water receptacle taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The refrigerator cabinet, generally represented by the reference numeral 10 shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, is of the household type as disclosed in the patent hereinbefore referred to and has a metal shell or housing 11 forming the outer top and side walls thereof and a back wall 12 (see Fig. 2) welded or suitably secured to the shell 11 to provide a chamber in the cabinet having a forwardly facing access opening. An insulated door structure 13 hingcdly mounted upon the cabinet shell 11 normally closes the access-opening of the chamber within the cabinet. Unpackaged or unbagged substantially loose insulating material 4; is placed within the chamber against the inner surface of the back and side walls of the cabinet outer shell of housing ii. Thereafter an open top metal liner 16 is inserted into the lower portion of the chamber of the cabinet housing and this liner forms at least four and preferably the bottom, back and upright side walls of an unfrozen food storage compartment 17. Means for cooling the interior of compartment 17 is pro vided and this means is in the form of a plate-like evaporator 18 located within the compartment and mounted in any suitable or desirable manner upon and in spaced relation to the back wall of liner 16. This plate evaporator 18 may be formed of superimposed and bonded together embossed metal sheets or it may be a single metal plate having a refrigerant evaporating conduit coil brazed to the rear side thereof. Evaporator 18 is a frosting and defrosting evaporator which cools and causes circulation of air in compartment 17 and maintains the temperature therein above 32 F. Any suitable or conventional method of or apparatus for causing periodic defrosting of the plate evaporator 13 may be employed. The open top liner 16 is disposed a substantial distance: below the top wall of the cabinet outer shell 11 so as to permit the formation of a freezing or frozen food storage compartment in the upper portion of the chamber provided by the cabinet shell or housing 11. A second metal liner in the form of a can-like member 19 forms the top, bottom, back and side walls of the frozen food compartment 21 in the upper part of cabinet it). The can-like member 19 has an open front, is located wholly above the open top liner 16 and has its top, sides and back spaced inwardly of the outer top and side walls 11 and back wall 12 of cabinet Ill. Liner or can-like member 19 is supported in the upper portion of cabinet it) in a manner to be hereinafter described. A low temperature or freezing evaporator in the form of a conduit 22 provides refrigerant evaporating passages around the frozen food compartment 21 since this conduit is wrapped or coiled around the can-like member 19 and is secured in intimate thermal contact therewith. Evaporator 22 is adapted to maintain the interior of compartment 21 well below 32 F. at all times. The evaporators 18 and 22 are preferably, although not necessarily, connected in series with one another and in closed circuit relation with a refrigerant translating device of a refrigerating system (not shown) usually mounted 3 in a machine compartment in the bottom of cabinet 10. Such an arrangement is now common and well-known to those skilled in the art and for this reason no further exemplification of the type of the refrigerating system employed to cool the multiple temperature compartment cabinet is necessary.

The frozen food compartment forming can-like member 19 and the refrigerant evaporator 22 around the same are surrounded by a layer of insulating material in bagged or packaged form. This bagged insulating material oomprises glass or mineral wool 23 hermetically sealed within flexible casings or packages such as the bags 24 of some suitable plastic material. These bags can be made of polyethylene or polyvinylidcne chloride which prevents'breathing of air into or out of the insulation disposed therein. Any other ordinary or conventional insulating material, as indicated at 26, is placed between the bagged insulation about the can member 19 and the outer cabinet walls. Thus the space between walls of frozen food compartment 21 and the cabinet outer walls or shell 31 and cabinet back Wall is substantially titled with insulating material. The surface of bags 24 containing the insulation 23 are pressed closely against the evaporator conduits 22 and against the back wall of can member 19. It is, of course, desirable to block access of moisture to freezing evaporator 22 as much as possible and to prevent any moisture from entering the bagged insulation. It will be appreciated, however, that it is a production impossibility, without involving great expense, to prevent the infiltration of some air and moisture to the cold surface of evaporator 22 and to the outer surface of walls of the can-like member 19.

The edges of liner or can member 19 at the open front thereof are mounted by screws or the like 23 (see Figures 2 and 3) to a flange 29 formed integrally on a non-metallic and preferably molded plastic breaker strip or collar 31 which has its sides and top attached to the cabinet outer Walls or shell 11 in any suitable and now conventional manner. A closure member or door 32, within the chamber of cabinet 19, is hingedly mounted upon breaker strip collar 31 in any suitable manner and normally closes the open front or access opening of the frozen food compartment .21. The lower horizontal part of non-metallic strip or collar 31 is provided with an integral inwardly directed flange 33 for a purpose to bc presently described. The outer part of collar or strip 31, opposite the flanges 2% and 33, is provided with a recessed channel which extends entirely around the front of the frozen food compartment 21 and contains a foam rubber or the like sealing gasket or cushion 36 against which the closure member 32 abuts to seal the access opening of compartment 21. This gasket or cushion 36 may be clamped or cemented in channel 34 in any suitable or desirable manner. The lower horizontal part of strip or collar'31 is provided with an integral lip projecting downwardly and forwardly away from the can member 19 or compartment 21. This lip includes an angular portion, provided with a plurality of elongated openings 37 (see Figure 2), a flat portion 38 and a downturned front portion. Flat portion 38 of the lip is inclined from the horizontal downwardly toward the openings 37 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A ceiling or partition, generally represented by the .reference character 41, upon which the insulating bag beneath member 19 rests, is spaced from the bottom wall of can member'19 of compartment 21 and has its front edge secured to and supported upon the flange 33 on breaker strip collar 31. The insulating material substantiallyfills the space between the bottom wall or liner member 19 and the dividing partition 41. A pan-like element 42 substantially coextensive with the partition 41 and spaced therebelow is supported within the upper portion of unfrozenfood compartment 17 and forms the top wall thereof. Pan element 42 form-s the bottom wall of a iorizontal flue, indicated at43, beneath partition41 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. It will be noted that the front edge of pan element 42'is spaced rearwardly of the downwardly projecting portion 39 of the lip formed on strip or collar 31 and provides an inlet air opening for the flue 43. The rear edge of pan element 42 is spaced from liner 16 and overlaps a vertical baffle 44 mounted in any suitable manner in front of evaporator 18 along the back of compartment 17 to provide an air outlet opening for 'flue 43. An inclined trough 46, secured to liner 16,:below evaporator 18 and baffle44,.at the back of compartment 17, extends along the back wall of compartment 17. A common means such as is fully described in the copending application hereinbefore re ferred to is provided'for receiving thefrozen food compartment forming canmember or liner 19, partition or ceiling 41 and the pan element 42 and for supporting these elements from the upper edge portion of the open top-liner 16. It is to be understood that partition 41 and the rail structure for supporting the same are inclined in a direction from the front of the refrigerator cabinet downwardly toward the rear thereof. The partition, generally represented by the reference character 41, is in the present disclosure in the form of a closed substantially flat wide water receiving receptacle comprising two preformed members of suitable sheet metal material 51"and 52 (see Figures 3, 4 and 5). The sheet metal members 51 and 52 have their edges sealed to one another by roll welding or brazing the same and also have contacting portions of ridges or depressions 53 formed therein secured to either. Portions of the sheet metal members 51 and 52 intermediate their edges'and the ridges 53 are spaced apart, as at 54, to provide the water receiving receptacle 41 with passageways. The receptacle 41 is provided with a water inlet, at one rear corner thereof, to which a water pipe or conduit 56 is secured in any suitable or desirable manner. Partitioning receptacle 41 is also provided, at the other rear corner thereof, with a water outlet to which a water discharge pipe or conduit 57 is secured. The spaced apart portions of members 51 and '52 form a seriesflow water passageway through receptacle 41 intermediate the inlet and outlet pipes or conduits 56 and 57. Water received in receptacle 41, by way of pipe 56, need not be under high pressure since it may be admitted thereto from a city water main under the control of a suitable electric solenoid valve preferably located in the lower portion of the refrigerator cabinet which protects the closed receptacle frompressures in the water main. The water flowing out of the partitioning means or water receptacle 41 throughpipe 57, under the control of a suitable faucet or discharge valve 58 (see Figure 3) associated with and located in any desired position in or on the refrigerator cabinet 10, may be used for drinking purposes and/or used for 'diluting concentrated juices to dispense mixed drinks through a suitable or conventional mixing valve (not shown). The inlet and outlet conduits 56 and 57 leading to and from receptacle' ll respectively may be extended through the insulated cabinet walls at any desired point or points therealong.

In the normal operation of the refrigerating apparatus disclosed evaporator 22, of the refrigerating system associating with cabinet 10, is maintained at a temperature far below 32 F. for the freezing of food products or the storage of frozen foods in compartment 21. The evaporator ,18 inthe unfrozen food compartment 17 may be maintained at a much higher temperature, say, for example, from 5 areas" F. whereby it will be periodically defrosted. The condensate water drips from evaporator 18 during defrosting thereof onto trough 46 from where itflows down the back wall of compartment 17 to a drain opening (not shown) whereby it is conducted out of compartment 17 and may be evaporated into the atmosphere exteriorly of the refrigerator cabinet 10. The refrigerating efiect produced -by evaporator 18 cools and-causes circulation of airinrthe unfrozen :food

compartment 17. The air cooled by evaporator 18 flows downwardly in the rear portion of compartment 17 and thence forwardly and upwardly in the front portion thereof. Some or most of this air enters the fine 43, between ceiling or partition 41 and pan element 42, through the air inlet opening at the front thereof and passes toward the rear of cabinet through this flue and is discharged therefrom by way of the flue outlet opening downwardly in back of baffle 44 and over evaporator 18 to be rechilled and recirculated thereby. The cool air within compartment 16 enters flue 43 and flows across and in contact with the bottom member of closed water receptacle partitioning means 41. Since this water-receptacle partitioning means 41 is in heat exchangerelationship with the temperature of compartment 17 or with air circulating therein water in the receptacle is effectively cooled, while being properly insulated from the freezing compartment 22, to a temperature suitable for drinking purposes. Any moisture removed from the circulated air deposited on the under side of partition 41 will drip therefrom into pan element 42 and will be conducted over its rear edge into compartment 17. Any moisture deposited on the outer surfaces of closure member 32 and dripping therefrom will fall upon the inclined fiat portion 38 of the lip on breaker strip or collar 31 and will be drained therefrom, through the elongated openings 37, onto pan element 42.

Moisture in air which may infiltrate the insulating spaces between the liners 16 and 19 and the cabinet outer walls will find its way into crevices or the like, at the point where the bags 24 abut one another and walls of can member 19, to surfaces of the freezing evaporator 22 and walls of liner 19. This moisture will condense and freeze on such cold metal surfaces of evaporator 22 and liner 19. Although evaporator 22 is intended to at all times be maintained below 32 F. and never defrosted, there are times, such for example, as when the electric circuit leading to the refrigerator is accidentally disconnected or when the circuit is opened or broken by summer storms, when the refrigerating system associated with cabinet 10 will be rendered inoperative. The present refrigerator is constructed in such a manner that melting of frost or ice in the insulation space about evaporator 22 will do no harm since the defrost water is drained therefrom and caused to flow to the exterior of cabinet 10. In this respect my closed water receptacle partitioning means 41 and elements associated therewith serve the same purpose as the partitioning means in the copending application hereinbefore referred to which is that of catching the defrost water and conducting it into the unfrozen food storage compartment 17.

In view of the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided an improved partitioning means for a multiple compartment household refrigerator cabinet which serves a three-fold purpose. My closed water receptacle partitioning means forms a permanent part of the cabinet construction, is concealed from view and does not occupy valuable food storage space in a food com partment. The water cooling receptacle herein disclosed is effectively insulated from the low temperature of an evaporator employed to cool the frozen food storage compartment and is so positioned and arranged as to form the ceiling or a fifth wall of an unfrozen food storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet and to be efiiciently cooled by being in heat exchange relationship with the temperature of the latter compartment. The bottom wall of my closed water receptacle forms the top wall of an air flue in the frozen food compartment and air is positively flowed thereover and in contact therewith in its passage through the fine to provide for rapid cooling of water admitted to the receptacle. The location of a closed water cooling receptacle in the specific type of household refrigerator cabinet disclosed prevents the storage of food products within the unfrozen food storage compartment at positions that would block or cause cool air circulating within this compartment to be by-passedaround the receptacle.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a household refrigerator, a cabinet having outer walls forming a chamber therein, an ope-n top liner disposed in said chamber with its top located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming an unfrozen food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, a second liner dispose-d in said chamber above the. open top liner and forming a frozen food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, partitioning means extending continuously across said unfrozen food compartment and supported from the upper edges of said open top liner including a closed water receiving receptacle, means for refrigerating said frozen food compartment, means within said unfrozen food compartment for. cooling and causing circulation of air therein, insulating material between said partitioning means and said frozen food compartment, the bottom of said partitioning means forming the ceiling of said unfrozen food compartment, an element substantially coextensive with and located in spaced relation below said partitioning means, said element cooperating with said partitioning means to form a flue therebetween, said flue being provided with an air inlet and an air outlet spaced therefrom, and some of the air circulating in said unfrozen food compartment flowing into said flue along and in contact with said partitioning means to cool water entering said closed receptacle thereof.

2. In a household refrigerator, a cabinet having outer walls forming a chamber therein, an open top liner disposed in said chamber with its top located a substantial distance below the top wall of said cabinet and forming an unfrozen food storage compartment in the lower portion of said cabinet, a second liner disposed in said chamber above the open top liner and forming a frozen food storage compartment in the upper portion of said cabinet, partitioning means extending continuously across said unfrozen food compartment and supported from the upper edges of said open top liner including a closed water receiving receptacle, means for refrigerating said frozen food compartment, means within said unfrozen food compartment for cooling and causing circulation of air therein, insulating material between said partitioning means and said frozen food compartment, said closed receptacle being provided with an inlet and an outlet and including sheet metal members separate from said liners having portions thereof secured together and other portions spaced apart to provide a series flow passageway therebetween intermediate said inlet and said outlet, the bottom member of said receptacle forming the ceiling of said unfrozen food compartment, an element substantially coextensive with and located in spaced relation below said partitioning means, said element cooperating with the bottom member of said receptacle to form a horizontal flue between said element and said partitioning means, said flue being provided with an air inlet at the front of said unfrozen food compartment and an air outlet at the rear thereof, and some of the air circulating in said unfrozen food storage compartment flowing into said flue along and in contact with said lower member of said closed water receptacle to cool water entering said receptac e.

3. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having outer walls, an open top liner in said cabinet forming the bottom, upright back and side walls of a food storage compartment having a front access opening, insulation between said liner and said cabinet outer walls, a door on said cabinet normally closing said compartment access opening, a closed water receiving receptacle at the top of said compartment and directly exposed to the interior thereof, said receptacle being supported :from the upper redges 'o'f -said liner and closing the open top thereof to-fform the ceiling of said compartment, a substantially flatvertically (lisposed evaporator of a refrigerating system spaced from and extending along said compartment back wall for cooling and causingcirculationof air in the compartment, an element substantially 'co-extensive with and disposed below said receptacle forming a horizontal flue therebetween, said fluebeing provided with an air inlet at the front of said compartment and an air outlet -adjacent the back wall of said compartment above said evaporator, some of the air circulating in said foodcornpartment flowing upwardly therein along said'door into said flue and rearwardly therethrough in contact with the bottom of said receptacle to cool water received therein, and said flue outlet directing air egressing from :saiddlue downwardly over said evaporator.

4. .In a refrigerator, a cabinet having outer walls, an open top liner in said cabinet forming thebottom, upright back and side walls of a food storage compartment having a frontaccess opening, insulation between said liner and said cabinet outer walls, a door on said cabinet normally closing said compartment access opening, a closed water receiving receptacle-at the top ofsai'd compartment. and directly exposedto theinterior thereof, said receptacle being supported from the upper-edges of said linerand closing the open topthereof to form the-ceiling posed evaporator of a refrigerating "system spaced from and extending :along said compartment back wall for cooling and causingcirculation of air in the compartment a-n'eIement substantially coextensive with and disposed below :said receptacle forming a horizontal flue therebetween, said flue being provided with an air inlet at the front ofsaid compartment and an air outlet adjacent the back wall of said compartment above said evaporator, zvbafilc spaced forwardly ofsaid evaporator cooperating with said element and with 'said compartment back wall to provide said flue with a vertical portion in whichthe evaporator is located, some of the air circulating in said food compartment flowing upwardly therein along said door into said flue and rearwardly therethrough incontact Withthe bottom of said receptacle to cool water receivedtherein, and saidflue outlet directing air-egressing from said horizontal flue. downwardly through said vertical portion thereof over both sides of said evaporator.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS $2,282,276 White May 5, 1942 2,400,135 Quinn May 14, 946 2,425,021 Anderson Aug. 5, ,1947 2,477,210 Skinner July 26, 1949

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