US3216775A - Beverage cabinets - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 9, 1965 N. N. BRENNER BEVERAGE CABINETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1964 INVENTOR.

h. A. Brenner did,

Nov. 9, 1965 N. N. BRENNER BEVERAGE CABINETS Filed July 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jajmlljll 1111:}; u I L: w: z": 5:: Til L :E 1 :5 E: a: w I n I rtlll lli FIILEIIIIFL; 7) fi II I 5 KAI I IJWI 5 o L "fi m W 2 W I 7 fi H Aw FL United States Patent 3,216,775 BEVERAGE CABINETS Norman N. Brenner, 447 Wendell Ave., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,246 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-236) The present invention relates to improvements in cooling enclosures for beverages, foods and the like, and particularly for alcoholic beverages, specifically beer and ale, an object of the invention being to provide, in such a cabinet, of any size and number of rotary units (as hereinafter described) wherein each rotary unit comprises a vertically disposed, rotatable rod upon which a plurality of encircling, circular shelves are mounted in variable superposed relationship such that the shelves may be rotated independently of the rod they encircle for convenient access, and in which the rods, with the shelves thereon may be slowly rotated due to the fact that each shelf is supported on a collar having an upper bearing surface interfacing the underside of the associated shelf whereby the co-efiicient of friction between the two surfaces is suflicient to rotate the shelves When the rod is .being slowly rotated by a source of power, usually in the orderof 10 r.p.m.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet as aforesaid below which the source of power for rotating the rod or a plurality of spaced rods (and shelves) is positioned, a cooling compartment also being provided below the cabinet, said cooling compartment either being one and the same as that which contains the source of power (herein called the power compartment) or separate therefrom, together with a duct extending upwardly from the cooling compartment against one wall of said enclosure, the duct being intended to convey a current of cool air into the enclosure and having a variably openable vent at the upper end thereof, as well as a plurality of preferably variable openable vents upon the length thereof whereby cool air may be admitted into the cooling enclosure between the various shelves therein.

A further object of the present invention is to provide circular shelves of the character herewithin described Which are individually multi-apertured so that cold air may be circulated downwardly therethrough upon its return to a cooling compartment below the enclosure.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such others as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the present invention consists in the following arrangement and construction of parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partly fragmented and with the doors open, of the present invention as embodying two rotary units.

FIGURE 2 is a plan View of FIGURE 1 illustrating the manner in which the cooling enclosure of the present invention may occupy a position within an opening in a room or compartment dividing wall, and illustrating the manner in which the enclosure may be replenished from a store (behind a barroom for example) and extracted from, within the bar.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the invention according to FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan elevation of one of the circular shelves.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional representation of one of the circular shelves.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of an alternative modification of the present invention showing the pump in a modification showing the cooling coil and pump on a single 3 216,775 Patented Nov, :9, .1965

level below .the beverage containing or cooling enclosure, it being understood that in this embodiment the'source of power or drive for the shelf-supporting rods will be to one side of the cooling coil as also indicated.

In the drawings, like characters of reference designate similar parts in the several figures.

The present invention may be summarized conceptually as the combination with a cooling enclosure collectively designated 1 comprising walls 2, floor 3, roof 4 and a door or doors 5, of a vertical, shelf-carrying rod or rods 6 and 7 (although it is to be understood there may well be more than two such rods) surrounding which are circular shelves 7 Such rods and shelves may conveniently be referred to herein as rotary units.

The shelves 7' are preferably apertured as at '8 to permit the passage of air, mainly downwardly, though not necessarily, therethrough. Also surrounding the rods 6 and 7 and securable thereto at selected positions thereon, are cylindrical collars 9, said collars having upper, annular, bearing surfaces 10 at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the aforesaid rods. They may be secured at any desired position upon the length of the rods, as aforesaid, by means such as the set-screws 11.

The shelves 7' are free of rods 6 and 7 and hence are free to rotate independently of the rods. However, when the rods are slowly rotated by a source of power presently to be described, the shelves will rotate with them due to the coelficient of friction between said shelves and said bearing surfaces. In this connection it will be noted that the shelves 7' are preferably provided with downwardly projecting annular bosses 12 having bearing surfaces of similar diameter to the bearing surfaces 10 of the collars 9.

Rails 13 are preferably provided within the compartment 1 slightly above the levels generally occupied by the shelves 7 to lessen the possibilities of the bottles or cans being knocked off. In plan view (by reference to the accompanying FIGURE 2) it will be observed that the enclosure 1 is of generally rectangular conformation and will frequently, if not usually, be recessed so that it projects upon either side of a dividing wall 13 separating a bar for example (in the area 14) from a store room (in the area 15). The enclosure 1 is so designed that wares may be withdrawn through the door or doors 5 for sale, and replenished by the storekeeper via the door or doors 16. The floor 3 is apertured as at 17, and below the enclosure 1 a power compartment 18 is located. In the embodiment of FIGURE 1 a cooling compartment 19 is positioned between compartment 18 and enclosure 1, but by modifications of design it will be apparent that under some circumstances it may be desirable to combine compartments 18 and 19 into one.

Rod 7 (which is an idler rod as will presently become apparent) may be sunk into and supported upon the endthrust bearing 20. The driving rod 6 is socketed in the end-thrust bearing 21 in compartment 18. Keyed to the shaft slightly above the bearing 21 is a large diameter pulley 22 to which is connected a belt 23 passing around a smaller pulley 24. Pulley 24 is driven by a reduction gearing assembly of conventional design connected to motor 25 secured to platform 26.

A false roof 27 is provided above roof 4, and through the latter roof rod 6 extends to terminate in the area 28 in a pulley 29 around which passes a belt 30. Upon rod 7 is a similar pulley 31. Around this belt 30 also passes from which it will be obvious that rod 7 is rotated by rod 6.

Within compartment 19 is a conventional cooling coil 32 through which return air from the floor apertures 17 passes, to be drawn into the impeller or pump 33 (see FIGURE 3). The outlet orifice 34 of this pump is in communication with or contiguous to the lower end of a vertical duct collectively designated 35. In the embodiment of the accompanying FIGURE 1, it will be most convenient to locate this duct centrally against wall 36 (that is to say against the strip separating the two doors 16). However, in a cooling enclosure comprising only one rotary unit (as already defined) there may preferably be two ducts of the conformation indicated by phantom lines 37 in the accompanying FIGURE 2 from which it will be seen that they are located against the side walls 38 and the aforesaid rear wall 36, it being again understood of course that sufficient rear will be provided for this purpose on either side of the opening for the (single rotary unit) enclosure. It is not too important that the impeller orifice 34 be in direct communication with the intakes of the duct 35 or ducts 37 (which of course communicate with compartment 19) since the whole compartment may be said to be more or less pressurized by the presence of the operating pump 33.

In any event, the duct 35 or the ducts 37 should be provided with vents. The principal vent in the case of the duct 35 is designated 39. By best reference to the accompanying FIGURE 1 it will be seen to incline forwardly and downwardly. It may be fully open but is preferably variably openable by means of such as conventional butterfly or other valves 40.

The side walls 41 of the duct 35 are also vented, and here too preferably provided with variably openable valves 42 of conventional design. As a result it will be apparent that very eflective cold air circulation may be effected within the enclosure 1.

Finally, in the accompanying FIGURE 6 there is illustrated a compartment 43 which is intended to C0111- bine the power and cooling compartments 18 and 19 of the accompanying FIGURE 1. In this embodiment the cooling unit is designated 44. To the rear of same is the impeller 45 in communication with duct 35. It will readily be appreciated that the source of power comprising parts 22 through 25 supra are located on the far side of the coil 44 as suggested by the depicted location of rod 6.

Since various modifications can be made to the novel subject matter herein, without departing from'the inventive concept which the same embodies, it is not intended that protection of this invention by letters patent should be interpreted as restricted to the particular modification or modifications thereof particularly described and exemplified.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a cabinet for beverages, feeds and the like, comprising an enclosure for said beverages, foods and the like,

a floor, a roof, and a door, in combination, a cooling compartment below said enclosure, a power compartment also below said enclosure, a duct against one wall of said enclosure extending vertically from said cooling compartment substantially to the top of said cooling enclosure, an air-discharge vent in said duct, a vertical, shelf-carrying rod, said rod extending through said compartments, said rod being supported in a thrustbearing in the lower of said compartments, an impeller within said power compartment, a plurality of circular shelves surrounding said rod, a plurality of cylindrical collars also surrounding said rod, said collars having upper annular bearing surfaces at right angles to said rod, means for securing said collars at selected positions on the length of said rod, said shelves being supported on said collars, and being rotatable thereon independently of said rod, and a source of power within said power compartment for slowly rotating said rod and said shelves due to the co-efiicient of friction between said shelves and said bearing surfaces.

2. The duct according to claim 1 in which said vent is at the upper end of said duct and inclines forwardly and downwardly toward the interior of said enclosure.

3. The duct according to claim 1 which has a discharge aperture therein within said cooling enclosure and in which said vent is at the upper end of said duct, the same inclining forwardly and downwardly toward the interior of said cooling enclosure, said duct having a front wall and a pair of side walls which incline rearwardly from said front wall toward the wall of said enclosure against which said duct is positioned, and a plurality of variably openable vents in said side walls, the said vent in the upper end of said duct being also variably openable.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,143,279 6/15 Johnson l0820 2,346,914 4/44 Drucker 312- X 2,428,717 10/47 Moores 62414 X 2,633,003 3/53 Jordan 62408 X 2,822,672 2/58 Dickson 62418 X 2,826,046 3/58 Tobiasz 62414 X 3,056,506 10/62 Fuller 211l.5

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner

Claims (1)

1. IN A CABINET FOR BEVARAGES, FEEDS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE FOR SAID BEVERAGES, FOODS AND THE LIKE, A FLOOR, A ROOF, AND A DOOR, IN COMBINATION, A COOLING COMPARTMENT BELOW SAID ENCLOSURE, A POWER COMPARTMENT ALSO BELOW SAID ENCLOSURE, A DUCT AGAINST ONE WALL OF SAID ENCLOSURE EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM SAID COOLING COMPARTMENT SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE TOP OF SAID COOLING ENCLOSURE, AN AIR-DISCHARGE VENT IN SAID DUCT, A VERTICAL, SHELF-CARRYING ROD, SAID ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID COMPARTMENTS, SAID ROD BEING SUPPORTED IN A THRUST-BEARING IN THE LOWER OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, AN IMPELLER WITHIN SAID POWER COMPARTMENT, A PLURALITY OF CIRCULAR SHELVES SURROUNDING SAID ROD, A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL COLLARS ALSO SURROUNDING SAID ROD, SAID COLLARS HAVING UPPER ANNULAR BEAING SURFACES AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID ROD, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID COLLARS AT SELECTED POSITIONS ON THE LENGTH OF SAID ROD, SAID SHELVES BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID COLLARS, AND BEING ROTAT-

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