US3178902A - Refrigerator construction - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY HN-ruoNY R-Cos'rnm'lfl HNTHQNY Di humans I W z n h l h l u m m a h n m m lmw,

April 20, 1965 A. R. COSTANTINI ETAL REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 2, 1964 April 1965 A. R. COSTANTINI ETAL 3,178,902

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 2, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 8 HH'TH oNY RCom-Pm'rlm April 1965 A. R. COSTANTINI ETAL 3,178,902

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 2, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/ 7 INVENTOR= fin'mouv RCosThflTlm BY ANTHONY Di HNGELUS ATTORNEY April 20, 1965 A. R. COSTANTINI ETAL 3,178,902

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 2, 1964 N 4 o a m 2 4 4 6 X4. 1 3 X y M 4 l 3 -O- Q I H a u a 0o 00 000000 3 M W. 902.00 .2 9 ooocco 3 I- 2 Q v 1/ 1 7 4 w z INVENTORE HHTHOHY R-CosThu-rlm BY H T HY Di HNQEWS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,178,902 REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Anthony R. Costantini, 806 Thomas Road, Lafayette Hill, Pa., and Anthony Di Angelus, 1735 W. Chester Pike, Manoa, Pa.

Filed Jan. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 335,119 Claims. (Cl. 62-237) This invention relates generally to refrigerator constructions, and more particularly, relates to a refrigerator construction which includes a refrigerator housing unit and an insulated roll around refrigerated compartment cabinet which is movable into and out of the housing unit at will. The instant application constitutes an improvement over the structure disclosed in our copending United States application Serial No. 278,579, filed May 7, 1963, and is filed as a continuation in part thereof.

The roll around refrigerated cabinet according to' the invention has an access door generally located in one of the sides so that access to the interior of the compartment may be had for the storage and removal of articles which it is desired to refrigerate. The cabinet is completely enclosed in order to retain the cooled atmosphere therewithin for an appreciable length of time so that the articles may be maintained in their refrigerated state, while the cabinet is rolled or otherwise transported to various locations remote from the refrigerating housing itself.

As contemplated, a plurality of such roll around cabinets may be provided for use with a single refrigerating housing so that as soon as one cabinet is removed from the housing a second cabinet may be immediately installed within the housing and interior thereof placed under refrigeration. In this way maximum utilization of the refrigerating apparatus is possible. Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel refrigerator construction which consists of two basic units, one of such units being a refrigerating housing structure intended for location generally at a fixed place, while the other unit is a roll around refrigerated cabinet structure adapted to be rolled directly into the refrigerator housing structure so that the interior thereof may be cooled, the cabinet being thereafter removable for movement to any desired location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel refrigerator construction as aforesaid and which the roll around cabinet structure is provided with selectively openable and closeable inlet and outlet vents by means of which cold air from the refrigerating housing structure is circulated through the cabinet to cool the interior thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel refrigerator apparatus which includes a movable gasket arrangement registrable with the inlet and outlet openings of the cabinet and with the cold air producing portion of the refrigerator housing structure to provide a closed circuit for the cold air forced through the cabinet structure by the refrigerating housing structure, thereby increasing the efiiciency of the refrigerating apparatus and decreasing the time required to cool the interior of the roll around cabinet.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel refrigerator apparatus including a weighted bellows type of gasket arrangement which automatically shuts down the refrigerating apparatus whenever the bottom of the gasket is raised out of contact with the upper surface of a roll around cabinet and which automatically turns on the refrigerating apparatus whenever the bottom of the gasket is lowered into seating engagement upon the upper surface of a roll around cabinet, the apparatus remaining off if the gasket is lowered but does not contact a cabinet.

The foregoing and other objects of this invention will become clear from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with an examination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates in perspective a refrigerating apparatus constructed according to the invention showing in solid line the roll around cabinet rolled into position within the refrigerating housing for carrying out refrigeration of the compartment within the cabinet, and a phantom line showing of the cabinet moved out of the housing;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of the structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a part of the sealing gasket raising and lowering mechanism which is illustrated in operation in the showings of FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through a portion of the slide linkage mechanism of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upper end of the refrigerator housing and cabinet shown in FIGURE 1 as would be seen when viewed along the plane designated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 excepting that it shows the sealing gasket in elevated position out of contact with the roll around cabinet therebeneath;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view similar to that of FIGURE 5 but taken at the opposite side of the cabinet as would be seen when viewed along the plane designated by the line 77 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the gasket arrangement engaged with the roll around cabinet as would be seen when viewed along the line 88 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view through the upper end of the structure of FIGURE 2 as would be seen when viewed along the line 9--9 of FIGURE 2 to disclose more clearly the air circulating system and gasket ing structure for sealing the inlet and outlet ports of the cabinet structure with the latter in position within the refrigerating housing;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view taken through the structure of FIGURE 2 at right angles to the view of FIGURE 9 as would be seen when viewed along the line 10-40 of FIGURE 9; FIGURE 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the structure of FIGURE 10 as would be seen when viewed along the line 1111 thereof looking upward at the underside of the gasketing arrangement used to seal the inlet and outlet ports of the roll around cabinet when carrying out refrigeration of the cabinet contents; and

FIGURE 12 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the structure of FIGURE 10 looking downward as would be seen when viewed along the line 1212, illustrating the roll around cabinet in position within the refrigerating housing.

In the several figures, like elements are denoted by like reference characters.

Turning now to an examination of the figures, there will be seen in FIGURE 1 the refrigerating apparatus according to the invention including the refrigerating housing having an upper section 20 and lower section 21, and the roll around refrigerated cabinet designated generally as 22. The refrigerator housing is supported on the underlying floor by means of the legs 24. The cabinet 22 is provided with casters 25 by means of which it may be rolled about and into the interior of the housing lower section 21 within which it just fits, as may be most clearly seen in FIGURE 1. FIGURES 5 to 10 illustrate the cabinet 22 disposed between the housing lower section sidewalls 26 and against the housing rear wall 27, whereas a pass through type of refrigerating housing may be constructed without any such rear wall 27. Apart from the a'top wall 31 and bottom wall which is not specifically seen but which is nevertheless present. The cabinet top wall 31 is provided with cold air inlet ports 32 and an outlet port 33, the ports being supplied respectively with closure panels 34 and 35, as best seen in FIGURE 12, for sealing olf the port openings when the cabinet 22 has been removed from the refrigerating housing in order to prevent admission of'the warmer outside air to the interior of the cabinet.

Spaced downward beneath the cabinet top wall 31 and extending fully across the cabinet is an interior horizontal wall 37 which is the top liner of the cabinet refrigerated compartment. The space between the cabinet top wall 31 and top liner 36 is separated into a rear air inletchamber 37 and front air outlet chamber 38 by the vertically extending partition 39. Cold air injected through the inletlports 32 passes through the rear inlet chamber 37 and down into the cabinet interior at the rear corners through vents 40 in the top liner 36. The return air is drawn upward out of the cabinet through the outlet chamber 38 at thefront corners through vents 41. The interior of the cabinet 22 may be provided with shelves of open bar construction so that the refrigerated air blown downward into the interior of the cabinet 22 through the inlet ports 32 may pass around the articles stored within the cabinet and the circular opening 44 is the housing upper section air return vent by means of which the air from the cabinet is withdrawn out of the cabinet outlet port 33 and upward for circulation through the refrigerating apparatus.

As best seen in. the showing of FIGURE 9, mounted upon the bottom plate 42 immediately above the air return vent 44 is a circulator fan 45 which extracts air from the a cabinet through port 33 and vent 44, blows it through a cooling coil unit 46 positioned above the housing cold air outlet vent 43 and downward through these outlet vents. The cooling coil unit and circulator fan are enclosed within a compartment 47 formed by insulated top Walls 48a. and 48b, and insulated side walls 48c, 48d, 43:? and 48]. Seated upon the compartment top wall 48b area compressor 49 and condenser 50, air being drawn inward from the outside across the condenser 50 through the housing louvres 51' by means of a fan 52.

In order to move, the refrigerated cabinet 22 readily into and out of the, housing lower section 21 it will be appreciated that a certain degree of clearance is required between the top of the cabinet and the under side of the housing upper section, and therefore air leakage paths would normally exist which would reduce the efficiency of the cabinet cooling operation. This difficult-y is overcome by means of a vertically shiftable sealing gasket device supported from the underside of the refrigerating section bottom plate 42 and by means of which the cabinet inlet and outlet ports- 32 and 33 are respectively coupled to the refrigerating unit cold air outlet vents 43 and cabinet air return vent 44, and are isolated from communication with the ambient atmosphere. The sealing gasket structure is best seen in the showings of FIGURES 5 through 11, and FIGURES 8 and 11 in particular, to which reference should be now made. a

The gasket 53 as seen in plan view in the showing of FIGURE 11 is of generally square annular shape sufficiently large to encompass therewithin the vents 43 and 44. The gasket is made of rubber 'or other resilient material, and as best seen in the vertical cross sectional. showing of FIGURE 8 is of bellows form in its central region 54 for the purpose of vertical extension and contraction. Spaced closely above the upper end of the central region 54 and connected thereto about the outer periphery of the gasket by a web 55 is a square annular flange portion 56 which is generally congruent in plan view with the gasket bellows. The upper surface of the flange is seated flatwise against the under surface of the bottom plate 42 and is securely clamped thereto by means of the metal clamping rails 57 and screws 58, the rails 57 having fiat portions which extend into and completely fill the narrow space between the flange and the closely below lying bellows upper end.

Spaced closely below the central bellows 54 of the gasket 53 and connected thereto about the inner periphery of the gasket by a web 59 is a square annular compressible foot section 66 having a ridgedunder surface adapted for seating disposition upon the rectangular frame 61 secured by screws 62 upon the top wall 35 of the refrigerated cabinet 22, as is best seen in FIGURE 8. Integrally formed with and extending peripherally laterally outward from the compressible foot section and turned upward at its outer edge is a retainer flange 63. Disposed closely within the confines of the retainer flange 63 is an annular rectangular frame 64 having a vertical leg 65 and a flat horizontal leg 66, the horizontal leg 66 extending into the narrow space between the lower end of the bellows element, 54 and the upper end of-the foot section 69. The weight ofthe frame 64 is sufficient to normally fully extend the gasket bellows and cause the gasket foot section to descend. As best seen in FIGURES 9 and 11, a dividing rib 67'is secured to and extends downward from the bottom plate 42 transversely between a pair of opposite clamping rails 57 to provide a barrier between the cold air outlet vents 43 and air return vent 44 to prevent short circuiting of the desired air flow path through the cabinet 22.

A comparison of FIGURES 5 and 6 shows that in FIGURE 6 the bellows section 54 is compressed so that the gasket 53 is raised and the compressible foot section 60 of the gasket is lifted out of contact with the top Wall frame 61 of the refrigerated cabinet 22. FIGURE 5, however, discloses the condition previously noted in FIGURES 9 and 10 wherein the bellows 54 is extended to allow thegasket 53 to drop downward and press the gasket foot section 60 against the top wall frame 61 of the cabinet 2'2. The lower position of the gasket 53 shown in FIGURES 6 through 10 results from the downward pull on the bellows section 54 of the gasket exerted by the weight of the frame 64. This weight effectively causes the sealing to take place. In order, however, to move the refrigerated cabinet 22' into and out of the housing lower section. 21 it is necessary that the gasket 54 be moved into its raised position as shown in FIGURE 6. For this purpose a: linkage. system coupled to frame 64 and drivable by a spring-return electrically energizable stall motor is utilized, this system being most clearly seen in the showings of. FIGURES 2 to 7 to which reference should be now made.

Extending vertically upward from a pivotal securement to the vertical leg 64 of the sides of frame 64 proximate the front and rear thereof are short suspension arms 68 at the left hand side of the unit and long suspension arms 69 at the right hand side of the unit, these arms passing upward through slots 70 in the bottom plate 42 and the immediately overlying deck 71. The short suspension arms 68 are each pivotally connected at their upper ends to one corner of a triangular plate 72 with these plates a being'pivotally secured at another corner to fixed position brackets 73 secured to the deck 71. The upper ends of the long suspension arms 69 are similarly pivotally connected to triangular plates 74 which are themselves pivotally connected at another corner to the housing upper section outer side wall 75. e

The remaining upper corner ofeach of the triangular plates 72 have pivotally secured thereto an adjustable length connecting rod 76 which latter have their opposite ends pivotally connected to spaced apart points along the length of a straight crank arm 77, the crank arm being fixed upon a shaft 78 journalled in a bearing carried by a bracket 79 secured upon the deck 71. The connection of the crank arm 77 upon the shaft 78 is at a point disposed between the points of pivotal connection of the connecting rods to the crank arm so that the clockwise rotation of the crank arm 77, as viewed in FIGURE 5, moves the connecting rods 76 to pivot the triangular plates 72 in such direction as to raise the short suspension arms 68 and hence the frame 64 and gasket 53. Rotation of the crank arm 77 in the counter-clockwise direction produces the reverse effect, namely pivoting the triangular plates 72 in the opposite directions to lower the short suspension arms 68 and allow the frame and gasket to descend. These same motions are produced at the opposite side of the frame 64 through the long suspension arms 69 by virtue of the fact that the triangular plates 74 are similarly connected to a crank arm 80 by means of a pair of adjustable length connecting rods 81, the

crank arm 86 being secured upon the same shaft, 78 as the crank arm 77 for simultaneous rotational motion.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, a spring-return electrically energizable stall type motor 82 is secured to the deck 71 and is selectively energizable by means of a manual switch 83, shown in FIGURE 1, from an appropriate power source via conductors 84. This motor is of two-position, integral spring return type such as is employed in applications which require the motor to return to an initial normal position upon interruption of electrical current supplied thereto. As employed in the mechanism of the present invention the motor is so designed that its output shaft 85 is rotatable from a predetermined fixed position to a stop position through an angle of approximately 180, the shaft 85 remaining at the stop position so long as the motor remains energized. Deenergization of the motor 82 permits a built in torque spring rotation therewith is an elongated centrally slotted crank arm 86 which has adjustably fixedly secured Within the slot a swivel fitting 87. Passing through the swivel fitting 87 and fixed thereto by a set screw 88 is a connecting rod 89 which extends loosely through a swivel fitting 90 secured to the crank arm 77 by machine screw 91. The end of connecting rod 89 which is not secured to the swivelfitting 87 is threaded as at 92 and a bracket 93 is affixed thereon by means of nuts 94. Carried by the bracket 93 is a switch 95 having a switch actuating arm 96 engageable with the crank arm 77 as shown in FIG- URE 6, and disengageable from the crank arm 77 as shown in FIGURE 5. The switch contacts are so arranged that the switch arm 96 opens the contacts when engaged with the crank arm 77 and closes the contacts of the switch when disengaged from the crank arm 77. Thus, in the showing of FIGURE 5 the switch contacts would be closed, whereas in the showing of FIGURE 6 the switch contacts would be open. I

As previously described, the manual switch 83 controls only the energization of the motor 82. The remainder of the electrically energizable equipment is all controlled through the switch 95, this controlled equipment including the circulator fan 45, compressor 49 and condenser fan 52. Consequently, when switch 95 is open the refrigeration apparatus is deactivated, and when the switch 95 is closed the refrigeration apparatus is activated, these two situations corresponding respectively to the raised position of the gasket 53 and to the lowered position of the gasket 53 when the latter is seated downward upon the top of a cabinet 22 disposed within the housing. It should be noted at this point, however, that the refrigeration apparatus is not activated when the gasket 53 is lowered if there is no cabinet 22 within the refrigeration housing, as will become clear hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 it is observed that the gasket 53 is seated downward upon the top of the cabinet 22, and that in this position the connecting rod 89 has been shifted sutficiently far to the right to disengage the switch arm 96 from the crank arm 77 so that the switch 95 is closed and the refrigeration apparatus is in operation. The crank arm 77 is observed to be in a substantially vertical position and the gasket 53 while seated downward upon the top of the roll around cabinet 22 is not in its most downwardly extended position, further descent being prevented by the presence of the cabinet 22.

In the event that the cabinet 22 were not disposed within the housing, the additional extension of the gasket 53 would pull down the suspension arms 68 and 69 to there by rotate their associated triangular plates and cause the connecting rods to rotate the crank arm 77 in a counterclockwise direction until full vertical extension of the gasket had occurred. Under such conditions, and with the motor 82 in its deenergized state as shown in FIG- URE 5 the length of connecting rod 89 may be adjusted by means of the set screw 88 in the swivel fitting 87 so that the switch arm 96 engages the crank arm 77 to maintain the contacts of switch 95 in their open position and thus prevent the refrigeration apparatus from operating.

However, with the cabinet 22 in position as shown in FIG- URE 5 the gasket 53 cannot fully extend and the crank arm 77 is disengaged from the switch arm96 so that the refrigeration apparatus is in fact brought into operation.

When sufficient refrigeration has been carried out, the manual switch 83 is thrown to energize motor 82 and rotate crank arm 86 into the position shown in FIGURE '6. The initial rotation of the crank arm 86 initially has no effect upon the gasketposition since the connecting rod 89 slides to the left through the swivel fitting 99 on the .crank arm 77 and moves the switch 95 toward the crank arm until the latter is engaged by the switch arm 96, which immediately shuts off the refrigeration system.

Continuedmotion of the connecting arm 89 brings the forward one of the nuts 94 thereon into engagement with the swivel fitting 98 so that the crank arm 77 is thereafter rotated clockwise to raise the gasket 53 as shown in FIG- URE 6. When the crank arm reaches its stop position the motor 82 stalls although remaining energized. The cabinet 22 may now be rolled out of the housing and a new cabinet may be rolled in.

The switch 83 may now be thrown to ofi condition which deenergizesthe motor 82 and allows the return spring assisted by the weight of the gasket frame 64 to counter-rotate the crank arm 86 so that the gasket 53 begins to descend. As the gasket descends the crank arm 77 and connecting rod 89 move together in a counterclockwise sense until the vertical position of the crank arm 77 shown in FIGURE 5 occurs. At this point the gasket has seated upon the upper frame 61 of the cabinet 22 and the crank arm 77 is prevented from further rotation. However, the connecting rod 89 is not so restrained and continues to move to the right sliding through the swivel fitting on the crank arm 77 and moving switch arm 96 out of engagement with the crank arm so that the switch contacts close and the refrigerating apparatus is all activated.

As previously described, in the event that it was not desired to refrigerate a second roll around cabinet 22 sat 8,902

after having removed the first such cabinet from the housing, then actuation of the manual switch 83 to its off coni .dition would have deenergized the motor 82 and allowed the gasket 53 to descend to its maximum extent without disengagement of the crank arm 77 from the switch arm 96 and thus prevent operation of the refrigerating apparatus. In order to prevent over refrigeration, a thermostat controlled switch 97 is provided, as seen in FIG- -URE 5, to shut down the refrigeration unit when the cabinet air temperature reaches the desired level.

It, of course, should be understood that prior to moving a cabinet 22 into the housing lower section 21, the port closure panels 34- and 35 would be opened, and conversely, after the removal of a cabinet from the refrigerating housing the port closure panels would be moved into their closed position to retain the refrigerated conditions within the cabinet. If desired, other means for operating the gasket 53 may be utilized, which means-may be electrically or mechanically actuated. Additionally, the gasketing structure might suitably take other forms.

Having. now described our invention in connection with a particularly illustrated embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the same may now occur from time to time to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing from the a essential scope or spirit of our invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly. as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed to be new and useful is:

1. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating housing unit, and a mobile refrigerated cabinet unit adapted to be moved into and out of said housing unit for refrigeration of the cabinet interior when within the housing and for movement to locations remote from the housing after withdrawal therefrom, said cabinet unit including an inlet port and outlet port for respectively permitting the injection of cold air into the cabinet and withdrawal of the injected air from the cabinet after circulation therethrough, said refrigerating housing unit including a refrigerating unit for cooling and circulating air and having a cooled air outlet and a return air inlet located to align respectively with the inlet port and outlet port of said cabinet unit when the cabinet unit is moved into the housing unit, selectively actuatable sealing means effective whenactuated for coupling the said refrigerating unit cooled air outlet and return air inlet respectively to the said cabinet inlet and outlet ports to substantially restrict the fiow of cooled air from the refrigerating unit to that injected into the cabinet inlet port and substantially restrict the flow of air into the refrigerator unit return air inlet to that issuing from the cabi- 1 a net outlet port and selectively operable means for actuating and deactuating said sealing means including control means automatically responsive to coupling of said sealing means between said refrigerating unit and mobile cabinet to turn on said refrigerating unit and being automatically operative to turn off said refrigerating unit whenever said selectively operable means is operated to deactuaite said sealing means.

2. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating housing unit, and a mobile refrigerated cabinet unit adapted to be moved into and out of said housing unit for refrigeration of the cabinet interior when within the housing and for movement to locations remote from the housing after withdrawal therefrom, said cabinet unit including an inlet port and outlet port for respectively permitting the injection of cold air into the cabinet and withdrawal of the injected air from the cabinet after circulation therethrough, said refrigerating housing unit including a refrigerating unit for cooling and circulating air and having a cooled air outlet and a return air inlet, selectively actuatable sealing means effective when actuated for coupling the said refrigerating unit cooled air outlet and return air inlet respectively to the said cabinet inlet and outlet ports to substantially restrict the flow of cooled air from the refrigerating unit to that injected into the cabinet inlet port and substantially restrict the flow of air into the refrigerator unit return air inlet to that issuing from the cabinet outlet port and selectively operable means for actuating and deactuating said sealing means including control means automatically responsive to coupling of said sealing means between said refrigerating unit and mobile cabinet to turn on said refrigerating unit and being automatically operative to turn off said refrigerating unit whenever said selectively operable means is operated to deactuate said sealing means.

3. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating housing unit, and a mobile refrigerated cabinet unit adapted to be moved into and out of said housing unit for refrigeration of the cabinet interior when within the housing and for movement to locations remote from the housing after withdrawal therefrom, said cabinet unit including an inlet port and outlet port for respectively permitting the injection of cold air into the cabinet and withdrawal of the injected air from the cabinet after circulation therethrough, said refrigerating housing unit including a refrigerating unit for cooling and circulating air and having a cooled air outlet and a return air inlet, selectively actuatable sealing meanscarried by one of said housing units .and cabinets effective when actuated for coupling the said refrigerating unit cooled air outlet and return air inlet respectively to the said cabinet inlet and outlet ports to substantially restrict the flow of cooled air from the refrigerating unit to that injected into the cabinet inlet port and substantially restrict the flow of air into the refrigerator unit return air inlet to that issuing from the cabinet outlet port and selectively operable means for actuating and deactuating said sealing means including control means automaticallyresponsive to coupling of said sealing means between said refrigerating unit and mobile cabinet to turn on said refrigerating unit and being automatically operative to turnoff said refrigerating unit whenever said selectively operable means is operated to deactuate said sealing means.

4. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating housing unit, and a mobile refrigerated cabinet unit adapted to be moved into and out of said housing unit for refrigeration of the cabinet interior when within the housing and for movement to locations 7 remote from the housing after withdrawal therefrom, said respectively permitting the injection of cold air into the cabinet and withdrawal of the injected air from the cabinet after circulation therethrough, said refrigerating housing unit including a refrigerating unit for cooling and circulating air and having a cooled air outlet and a return air inlet, selectively actuatable sealing means effectivewhen actuated for coupling the said refrigerating unit cooled air outlet and return air inlet respectively to the said cabinet inlet and outlet ports to substantially restict the flow of cooled air from the refrigerating unit to that injected into the cabinet inlet port and substantially restrict the flow of air into the refrigerator unit return air inlet to that issuing from the cabinet outlet port and selectively operable means for actuating and deactuating said sealing means including control means automatically responsive to coupling of said sealing means between said refrigerating unit and mobile cabinet to turn on said refrigerating unit vand being automatically operative to turn off said refrigerating unit whenever said selectively operable means is operated to dcactuate said sealing means, said selectively operable means including lockout means effective to prevent said control means from turning on said refrigerating unit when said sealing means is actuated and no cabinet is disposed within saidrefrigerating housing.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sealing means includes a resilient annular gasket expandable axiaily perpendicularly to the annular plane of the gasket when said sealing means is actuated and carried by one of said housing unit and cabinet, said gasket peripherally enclosing the areas of said cabinet ports and housing air outlet and return inlet when said selectively operable means actuates said sealing means, said sealing means, said selectively operable means including gasket contracting means effective to deactuate said sealing means and physically decouple said cabinet ports from said housing air outlet and return inlet, said gasket contracting means including as part thereof the said lockout means associated with said control means.

6. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating housing unit, and a mobile refrigerated cabinet unit adapted to be moved into and out of said housing unit for refrigeration of the cabinet interior when within the housing and for movement to locations remote from the housing after withdrawal therefrom, said cabinet unit including an inlet port and outlet port for respectively permitting the injection of cold air into the cabinet and withdrawal of the injected air from the cabinet after circulation therethrough, said refrigerating housing unit including a refrigerating unit for cooling and circulating air and having a cooled air outlet and a return air inlet a resilient annular gasket structure expandable axially perpendicularly to the annular plane of the gasket effective when expanded to a predetermined extent less than full expansion for physically coupling the said refrigerating unit cooled air outlet and return air inlet respectively to the inlet and outlet ports of a cabinet disposed within said housing to establish a closed air circulation path through the cabinet and refrigerating unit, selectively operable means coupled to said gasket structure for axially contracting said gasket effective to physically decouple said cabinet ports from said housing air outlet and return inlet, for normally maintaining said gasket in fully expanded condition when a cabinet is not disposed within said housing, and refrigerating unit energizing and deenergizing control means actuatable by said selectively operable means, said control means being automatically actuated bysaid selectively operable means responsive to the physical coupling of said cabinet and housing by said gasket to energize said refrigerating unit and being automatically deactuated by said selectively operable means to denergize said refrigerating unit whenever said selectively operable means is operated to contract said gasket, and said selectively operable means preventing actuation of said control means whenever said gasket expands beyond the aforesaid predetermined extent to its full expansion.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gasket structure is fixedly secured to and carried by said housing and includes a peripherally extending rigid frame shiftable to axially expand and contract the resilient gasket, said selectively operable means including (1) an electrically energizable motor having an output shaft movable from a first to a second predetermined shaft position when said motor is energized and movable in return motion back to said first shaft position when said motor is deenergized, and

(2) a drive linkage coupling said motor output shaft to said gasket structure rigid frame, said motor being effective through said drive linkage and rigid frame to axially contract said gasket when energized and permit expansion of said gasket when deenergized.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gasket structure is fixedly secured to and carried by said housing and includes a peripherally extending rigid frame shiftable to axially expand and contract the resilient gasket, said selectively operable means including (1) an electrically energizable motor having an output shaft movable from a first to a second predetermined shaft position when said motor is energized and movable in return motion back to said first shaft position when said motor is deenergized, and

l6 (2) a drive linkage coupling said motor output shaft to said gasket structure rigid frame, said motor being effective through said drive linkage and rigid frame to axially contract said gasket when energized and permit expansion of said gasket when deenergized, said drive linkage including a lost motion mechanism operative to effect a positive contracting drive on said gasket when said motor is energized operative to decouple the driving return motion of the motor shaft from the gasket rigid frame when said gasket axially expands.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gasket structure is fixedly secured to and carried by said housing and includes a peripherally extending rigid frame shiftable to axially expand and contract the resilient gasket, said selectively operable means including (1) an electrically energizable motor having an output shaft movable from a first to a second predetermined shaft position when said motor is energized and movable in return motion back to said first shaft position when said motor is deenergized, and

(2) a drive linkage coupling said motor output shaft to said gasket structure rigid frame, said motor being effective through said drive linkage and rigid frame to axially contract said gasket when energized and permit expansion of said gasket when deenergized, said drive linkage including a lost motion mechanism operative to effect a positive contracting drive on said gasket when said motor is energized operative to decouple the driving return motion of the motor shaft from the gasket rigid frame when said gasket axially expands, said refrigerating unit energizing and deenergizing control'means including a mechanically actuatable electrical switch carried by said drive linkage lost motion mechanism, said switch being opened to deenergize said refrigerating unit by engagement with a portion of said drive linkage when said motor is energized to contract said gasket and said switch being closed to energize said i refrigerating unit whenever disengagement from said drive linkage occurs during axial expansion of said gasket.

10. A refrigerator apparatus comprising in combination, a refrigerating unit and a physically independent thermally insulated mobile refrigerated cabinet unit, said cabinet being produced with inlet and outlet airports located in the top wall of the cabinet for respectively permitting the injection of cold air into and withdrawal of air out of the cabinet interior, said refrigerating unit including (a) means for cooling and circulating air including a cooled air outlet vent and a return air inlet vent respectively so located that said cabinet inlet and outlet ports can be respectively disposed immediately therebeneath in vertical registration therewith.

(b) vertically downwardly expandable and upwardly contractible sealing gasket means peripherally en closing the area of said vents, said gasket means including a vertically expandable and contractable bellows section and a rigid frame weight secured therein normally effective to cause said bellows section to be in its downwardly expanded condition,

(0) selectively operable means coupled to said gasket rigid frame through a linkage system including a lost motion device, said selectively operable means being actuatable to drive said linkage system to vertically contract said gasket bellows section and thereby raise the gasket means by overcoming the effect of said frame weight, said selectively operable means being deactuatable to allow the bellows to partially expand vertically downward under the influence of said frame weight to thereby seat the gasket firmly upon the cabinet top wall and peripherally enclose the area of said ports to couple the cabinet inlet and outlet ports respectively to the refrigerating unit cooled air outlet vent and return air inlet vent while isolating the vents and ports from the ambient atmosphere, full downward '5 V i ii. a r 22 expansion of said bellows being prevented by the tion of said control means when said gasket is presence of the cabinet therebeneath, and driven to its full downward expansion. (d) control means carried by and automatically actuatable and deactuatable by said linkage system ef- References shied y the Examlllel fective to' turn on said air cooling and circulating 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS means when actuated and effective to turn 'ofi said a air cooling and'circulating means when dcactuated, S2 E53"? said control means being automatically actuated by V 2778206 1/57 Wilson "'"f 62:237 said lost motion device when said gasket seats upon 2872792 2/59 Corhanidis the cabinet top wall and being automatically de- 10 actuated by said linkage system when said linkage 2915884 12/59 Haushalter 62 237 system is rendered operative to upwardly contract ROBERT OLEARY Primary Examiner. said gasket, said linkage system preventing actua-

Claims (1)

1. A REFRIGERATOR APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A REFRIGERATING HOUSING UNIT, AND A MOBILE REFRIGERATED CABINET UNIT ADAPTED TO BE MOVED INTO AND OUT OF SAID HOUSING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATION OF THE CABINET INTERIOR WHEN WITHIN THE HOUSING AND FOR MOVEMENT TO LOCATIONS REMOTE FROM THE HOUSING AFTER WITHDRAWAL THEREFROM, SAID CABINET UNIT INCLUDING AN INLET PORT AND OUTLET PORT FOR RESPECTIVELY PERMITTING THE INJECTION OF COLD AIR INTO THE CABINET AND WITHDRAWAL OF THE INJECTED AIR FROM THE CABINET AFTER CIRCULATION THERETHROUGH, SAID REFRIGERATING HOUSING UNIT INCLUDING A REFRIGERATING UNIT FOR COOLING AND CIRCULATING AIR AND HAVING A COOLED AIR OUTLET AND A RETURN AIR INLET LOCATED TO ALIGN RESPECTIVELY WITH THE INLET PORT AND OUTLET PORT OF SAID CABINET UNIT WHEN THE CABINET UNIT IS MOVED INTO THE HOUSING UNIT, SELECTIVELY ACTUATABLE SEALING MEANS EFFECTIVE WHEN ACTUATED FOR COUPLING THE SAID REFRIGERATING UNIT COOLED AIR OUTLET AND RETURN AIR INLET RESPECTIVELY TO THE SAID CABINET INLET AND OUTLET PORTS TO SUBSTANTIALLY RESTRICT THE FLOW OF COOLED AIR FROM THE REFRIGERATING UNIT TO THAT INJECTED INTO THE CABINET INLET PORT AND SUBSTANTIALLY RESTRICT THE FLOW OF AIR INTO THE REFRIGERATOR UNIT RETURN AIR INLET TO THAT ISSUING FROM THE CABINET OUTLET PORT AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR ACTUATING AND DEACTUATING SAID SEALING MEANS INCLUDING CONTROL MEANS AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIVE TO COUPLING OF SAID SEALING MEANS BETWEEN SAID REFRIGERATING UNIT AND MOBILE CABINET TO TURN ON SAID REFRIGERATING UNIT AND BEING AUTOMATICALLY OPERATIVE TO TURN OFF SAID REFRIGERATING UNIT WHENEVER SAID SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS IS OPERATED TO DEACTUATE SAID SEALING MEANS.

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