US3290866A

US3290866A - Evaporative cooler

Info

Publication number: US3290866A
Application number: US392335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schonrock Verlie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-08-26
Filing date: 1964-08-26
Publication date: 1966-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-13

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 E. A. SCHONROCK EVAPORATIVE COOLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1964 Edwin A. Schonroc/g Deceased By Ver/ie Schonroclr, Execufr/x INVIZN'I OK ,1! 1'! W Am,

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1964 Fig.9

Edwin A. Schonmc/r, Deceased Var/lie Schonmc/r, Execufrix INVENTOR.

WWEENQ Dec. 13, 1966 E. A. SCHONROCK 3,290,856

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed Aug. 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Edwin A. Schonrock, Deceased By Var/[e Sahanroc/r, Execufrix IN VEN'IOR.

Attorneys Dec. 13, 1966 E. A. SCHONROCK EVAPORATIVE CO OLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 26, 1964 A m U w Edwin A. Schonrqc/r, Deceaseq By fi/er/ie Snhanmck, Execufnx INVIZN'I'OR.

United States Patent 3,290,866 EVAPORATIVE COOLER Edwin A. Schonrock, deceased, late of San Angelo, Tex, by Verlie Schonrock, executrix, 2005 Christoval Road, San Angelo, Tex.

Filed Aug. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 392,335 Claims. (Cl. 55-229) This invention comprises a novel and useful evaporative cooler and more particularly pertains to an air cooling device of the automatic type particularly adapted for household use and the like and which shall be especially suitable for use and effective in relatively hot and arid regions.

It is generally well known that the overall efliciency of an evaporating type of cooler or air conditioner depends upon the humidity of the region in which it is employed. In those areas, therefore, where a relatively low humidity of the atmosphere and a relatively high temperature may be normally expected, the evaporative type of conditioner is extremely effective. The present invention deals with an air conditioner and cooler of this type.

However, the evaporative type of air conditioner or cooler has heretofore had a relatively low life expectancy during normal operation. Owing to the continuous contact of water with exposed surfaces of the air conditioner or cooler of this type, there is a resultant high rate of corrosion of such surfaces. Thus, while the initial cost of an evaporative type of refrigerator may be relatively low as compared to that of a mechanical type refrigerator, its life expectancy is very short necessitating replacement at relatively short intervals.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an evaporative type of cooler which will largely overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of prior evaporative coolers to the end that a life expectancy comparable with that of mechanical refrigerators may be expected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler which shall be of a relatively compact and yet attractive construction.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler having a greatly improved and highly efficient evaporating and cooling action.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler in which a quantity of water is recirculated throughout the system in order to effect the evaporating and cooling action with a minimum consumption of water.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler having an unusually wide range of adjustable cooling capacity for the device.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler in accordance with the foregoing objects which through the use of package units will greatly facilitate its assembly or disassembly, its servicing and repairing as may be necessary.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler which shall have an improved evaporating pad disposition and arrangement thereby facilitating regular replacement of or servicing of the evaporating pad as may be necessary.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler wherein the previously encountered tendency of certain prior evaporative coolers to discharge a spray of water particles by virtue of the operation of the air blowers thereof is completely eliminated.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler which will largely overcome the effects of corrosion through the use of economical, non-corrodible material such as fiber glass.

A further and more specific object of the invention in accordance with the immediately preceding object is to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects in which fiber glass housings are reinforced and strengthened to enable them to withstand the structural strains of supporting the power operated air blowers forming a part of the device.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the front of a domestic evaporative cooler or air conditioner embodying therein the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view from the rear of the cooler of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical transverse section taken upon an enlarged scale of the cooler of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and showing in particular the disposition1 of the two independently operable air blowers of the coo er;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 and showing the lower portion of the cabinet including the water containing sump thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a view in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the broken section line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the removable a-ir blower package unit of the cooler;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the water spray conduit system of the cooler;

FIGURE 9 is a group perspective view of a pair of the evaporator pads of the cooler;

FIGURE 10 is a detail view of the mounting of the louvers upon the cooling air outlet of the cooler;

FIGURE 11 is a detail view in perspective of a portion of a distributing pan for the evaporating unit of the device; and

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective of a modified construction in which the cooled air outlet is adapted for connection to an updraft or a downdraft air cooling system.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a household type of air conditioner constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this embodiment or apparatus but that many of the features of the invention are applicable to other devices and for other purposes.

The apparatus illustrated includes a. cabinet or casing 12 which constitutes a housing for various components of the air conditioner or cooler. In the interest of lightness, economy, durability and resistance to corrosion and dampness, the cabinet 12 is of a non-corro-dible material such as fiber glass or other plastic. It is of a molded or preformed character such as to provide a unitary shell having suitable openings therein and upper and

lower back closures

14 and 16 for purposes which will become apparent. The front of the cabinet at its upper portion is provided with a forwardly projecting cold air discharge duct 18 while the front wall below this outwardly projecting duct is provided with a pair of screened air inlet openings each indicated by the numeral 20. A similar pair of rearward screen openings at 22 are provided in the lower back closure 16 in alignment with the front openings 20 whereby air from both the front and back of the cabinet is admitted to the interior thereof.

port the member 42 thereon.

C binet It will be appreciated that the cabinet itself may be constructed in various manners in accordance with this invention. One very satisfactory mode of construction consists in forming a laminated shell by applying sheets of suitable material upon an appropriate inner mold form, spraying a suitable cementitious or binding agent upon the successively applied sheets which may be of fiber glass and repeat this operation until a laminated shell of appropriate thickness for the desired structural strength is formed. After the preformed laminated shell has set sufficiently, it is then stripped from the mold form and thus provides a unitary shell including, as shown best in FIGURES 3 and 5, a pair of

side walls

24 and 26, a bottom wall 28, a top wall 30 together with a front wall 32 and an open back closed by the upper and

lower closures

14 and 16. The previously mentioned cold air discharge duct 18 is integral with and projects forwardly from the upper portion of the front wall 32 above the screened openings 20.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 it will be observed that there is secured upon the

side walls

24 and 26 intermediate the top and

bottom walls

28 and 30*, a generally rectangular support frame consisting of pairs of support members each indicated by the numeral 34 and which may be in the form of angle members of a suitable rust resistant material. These side support members 34 of the support frame are suitably secured to the side walls in any desired manner in a horizontal parallel relation and serve as support rails or tracks upon which a blower unit indicated generally by the numeral 36 is supported for sliding movement into and out of the upper portion of the cabinet 12 when the upper closure 14 is removed therefrom. In this manner, the blower unit (FIGURE 7) which comprises the means for propelling the cooled air through the device may be easily introduced into or withdrawn from the cabinet as a package unit thereby facilitating assembling, dismantling or servicing of the air conditioner.

. The intermediately disposed support member frame thus divides the interior of the cabinet 12 and delineate an upper or blower compartment 38 and a lower or evaporator compartment 40, access to each of which can be had by removing the appropriate upper or lower

back closure members

14 and 16.

The outer or discharge end of the cold air discharge duct 18 is provided with a detachable flow controlling register. For this purpose, as will be seen in FIGURES 4, 6 and 10, there is provided a combined register and closure indicated generally by the numeral 42 and which preferably is in the form of a plate-like body having a flat plate-like element 44 provided with inwardly projecting struck'out tabs 46 providing inwardly projecting louvers or fins. The peripheral wall of the member 44 is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange 48 having setscrews 50 therein for mounting upon the duct 18.

An adapter and retainer member in the form of a rectangular frame 52 is channel-shaped in cross-section as shown in FIGURE and has its inner peripheral flange 54 received within the open end of the duct 18 with its outer peripheral fiange 56 being disposed outwardly therefrom. The setscrew 50 extends through aligned openings in the

flanges

48 and 56 engaging against the side of the duct 18 so as to securely anchor and sup- Suitable rivets or the like as at 58 may be provided to independently secure the adapter member 52 to the end of the duct 18.

It will be appreciated that any suitable shutter arrangement, not shown, may be utilized in conjunction with the louvered openings of the fins 56 to adjustably control the effective discharge area of the duct.

The openings formed on the front Wall 32 and openings 22 formed on the lower back closure 16 are preferably of identical construct-ion. As shown best in FIG- URE 6, the peripheries of these openings are provided by an inwardly projecting flange 60 which is also preferably projected outwardly of the openings to thus provide a frame-like rectangular rib about the periphery of both the inner and outer sides of the openings. Closure screens 62 are seated within these opening frames 60 and are retained in any suitable manner as for example by frictional engagement therewith. These screens serve to effectively filter and prevent the passage of dust into the evaporator compartment 40 of the cabinet, and may be readily removed for cleansing when necessary. It should be here noted that in certain arid regions where there is considerable dust present in the atmosphere, this dust tends to enter the evaporating chambers of evaporative coolers and in a short time not only clogs and provides an accumulation of dirt therein but also gives rise to unpleasant odors. The use of the screens of this invention serve to effectively abate this nuisance and insure the inlet of dustfree air into the cooler thereby greatly contributing to the comfort of the user.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1-11, the duct 18 is considered to extend horizontally from the front wall of the cabinet. This is a preferable location when the device is to function as a household air conditioner or room cooler. However, when the device is to be employed in conjunction with a building ventilating system, the duct 18 may be replaced by a specialized connector duct 64 as shown in FIGURE 12. This latter duct has its open discharge end 66 directed either vertically upwardly or downwardly or at some desired angle in order that it may be connected to an updraft or a downdraft ventilating system of a house or other building structure so as to directly connect the output of cold air from the device into such a system.

Evaporaiing mechanism Attention is now directed to the novel evaporating mechanism which cools the air by vaporizing water, whose vaporization in turn withdraws heat from the air. The evaporating mechanism of the invention is completely housed within the evaporator compartment 40 or in the lower portion of the cabinet.

The evaporating mechanism comprises as its components an assembly of evaporator pads and their mounting means for evaporating the water and cooling the air, a circulating water supply to the evaporator pads includ ing a pump together with a spring manifold assembly, distributing pans for {supplying an adequate flow of water continuously to the evaporating surfaces of the evaporator pads together with a baffle assembly which prevents the induction of unvaporized, solid particles of water from the evaporator mechanism into the air inlet of the blower unit.

A plurality of evaporator pads 68 each of which comprises a plate-like body are disposed in a generally parallel vertically extending relation, four such pads being shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. The pads preferably comprise a mass of relatively loosely nested aspen excelsior strands although other suitable fibrous or porous materials may be used and which are retained in a slab-like configuration as by means of a loose wire mesh envelope. A wire mesh of loosely woven character with relatively large spaces between the strands resembling chicken wire fencing is satisfactory for this purpose, the wire mesh being of a rustproof character. For this purpose, a sheet of wire mesh is utilized for each pad, being folded about the pad into a casing or housing whose ends are then joined as shown in FIGURE 9. The wire mesh serves to retain the relatively loose strands of the pads in their desired shape to facilitate their handling, and sufficiently retain their original configuration to enable them to present their maximum surfaces for water absorption and evaporation.

Each of the pads 68 preferably comprises two sections each indicated generally by the numerals 72 and disposed in side-by-side relation as shown in FIGURE 6-. The

arrangement is such that although the pads are of greater vertical height than that of the openings 2% or 22, the adajcent vertical edges of the transversely aligned pads can be disengaged from each other, the pads inclined and then withdrawn are inserted through the openings when changing of the pads is necessary.

As will be noted from FIGURES 3 and 6, the lower ends of each of the pads rest directly upon the bottom wall 28 of the cabinet while the upper ends terminate very slightly below the upper edge of the

openings

20 and 22 and just below the support members 34. The pads are disposed in pairs each pair embracing or being disposed upon and against the side walls of hte frames 6d of the associated

openings

20 and 22 in a manner which will be readily understood from a consideration of FIGURES 3 and 5. Thus, the pairs of pads enclose vertically and transversely extending

passages

74 and 76 between the

inlet openings

20 and 22.

It will be noted from FIGURE 5 that each pad 68 extends from a front wall 32 to a back wall defined by the lower closure 16, engaging both the front wall and the back wall and thus present porous wall surfaces forming the vertical

unobstructed air passages

74 and 76. The pads are retained in place by the frictional gripping fit of their edges with the bottom wall 28, the front wall 32 and the cooperating rear wall formed by the bottom closure 16 and by their abutting engagement with the two vertical sides of the

openings

20 and 22 disposed therebetween. In addition, the top edges of the pads of each pair are retained in position by the bridging engagement thereof by the water distributing pans '78 whose opposite ends rest upon and are supported by the top walls of the frame 60 of the

openings

20 and 22 as shown in FIGURE 3 so as to enclose the

air passages

74 and 76 forcing air to flow transversely through the porous pads.

Each of the pans 78 is made of a non'rusting material and may be of metal or a suitable plastic material as desired. Each pan consists of a main flat planar central portion 8t) as shown in FIGURE 11 whose opposite longitudinal edges are provided with longitudinally extending V-shaped troughs 82 the outer ends of which are provided with downt-urned flanges 84. As shown in FIGURE 3 the arrangement is such that the V-shaped troughs rest upon and depress the upper edges of the pad 68 to firmly engage the latter with the downturned flanges 84 overlying and embracing the outer edges of the pads whereby the latter are securely locked together against the opening frame 6b.

In addition, the troughs 82 serve to distribute water from the supply tube 94 as set forth hereinafter, longitudinally along the length of the troughs and to thus distribute the water uniformly to the top edges of each of the pads through water discharge openings or vent-s 86 in the troughs. It will be noted from FIGURE 11 that these vents or openings 86 are of upwardly increasing width to thus provide rib-shaped slots. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent clogging of these openings by the possible accumulation of lint or fibers thereinto since the flow of water accumulating to a greater depth within the trough 82 would tend to wash away any obstructions which tend to clog these openings 86.

It will be noted that there are provided two such water distributing pans, one for each pair of the pads and thus one overlying each of the

air passages

74 and 76. When water is supplied to the troughs upon the top of the distribution pans 78, it will be seen that it will be discharged through these vents 86 vertically downwardly through the pads 68 thereby soaking the entire pad and maintaining a supply of water at each of the inner and outer surfaces of each of the pads. Consequently, air entering the

air passages

74 and 76 through the opposite openings 2t and 22 of each passage will first contact the two vertical surfaces on the insides of the two associated pads, picking up and absorbing moisture therefrom; will pass through the material of the pads picking up further moisture; and then will emerge from the outer surface of each of the associated pair of pads still further vaporizing and absorbing moisture. Thus the air will be effectively moistened, thereby vaporizing the maximum quantity of water and produce the maximum cooling eifect upon the air. The air discharging from the opposite sides of each of the pair of pads is thus effectively cooled, and rising from the evaporator chamber will enter the blower compartment for discharge through the cool air outlet duct 18 as set forth hereinafter.

In addition to the evaporator pads and the water distribution pans, the evaporator compartment includes a water supply and water circulating system. This likewise is preferably of a unitary assembly or a package unit which may be applied, installed or removed as a unitary assembly.

The construction of the circulating system or assembly is shown in FIGURE 8 and is indicated .in its installed position in FIGURE 3. The water circulating system includes any conventional type of water pump 88 powered from any suitable source as by an electric motor indicated at 90 through any suitable wiring system (not shown). The pump rests upon a base 92 which may be stationarily secured in place upon the bottom wall 28 in any desired manner or may be movably rested thereon. The pump 88 has its outlet connected to a flexible plastic conduit 94 which through a T fitting 96 supplies water to each of a pair of branch conduits 93. The ends of the latter terminate in T connectors ltltl from which. extend oppositely directed pipes 1G2 terminating in discharge nozzles 104. The arrangement is such that the pipes 102, as shown in FIGURE 3, may rest upon or overlie a distributing pan 73 with the nozzle 11% being directed into the troughs 82 of the distributing pan 78 so as to directly supply a stream of water to the latter from whence the water discharges through the vents 86 downwardly through the pads 68.

It will thus be appreciated that the water circulating system may be readily applied to or removed from the evaporator compartment of the device thereby greatly facilitating installation or dismantling from the apparatus.

In some instances, a constant supply of water may be supplied to and maintained at a desired level within the cabinet. In other instances, however, when water is at a premium, the automatic water supply may be omitted and the device supplied with additional water from time to time as may be necessary. Thus, the bottom portion of the evaporative compartment 40 constitutes a water sump in which the pump 88 is immersed.

When it is desired to connect the apparatus to a proper source of water supply, a suitable source of water, not shown, may be connected to a water inlet valve assembly as at 106 provided with a float control valve 108 carrying a float 116. These units may be disposed in one of the air passages such as the passage 76 with the valve assembly 106 resting upon the bottom wall 28.

Inasmuch as the water for evaporation is delivered at the upper portion of the evaporator chamber immediately below the blower compartment, there is considerable danger that the suction from the blower fans of the blower compartment would produce an upward travel of particles of water and discharge them in the form of water drops or spray from the cold air discharge duct 18. Obviously, this condition is highly undesirable. To eliminate this possibility, there is provided a baflle means inter posed between the inlet to the blower fans of the blower compartment and the upper portion of the evaporator compartment above the water distribution pans. These bafiles, each indicated by the numeral 112 comprises a pair of plates, (see FIGURES 3, 4 and 6) which are im terp-osed between the pipes 102 and the lower ends of the blower elements. These plates are mounted in any suitable manner, as upon the lower side of the blower unit, upon the walls of the interior of the cabinet or are supported by and disposed above the top of the distribution pan 78. The actual mdunting of these baffles is not critical for the purpose of this invention and therefore further 7 illustration is deemed to be unnecessary. As a result of these bafiies direct upward passage of water particles from the nozzles 104 of the water distribution pan 78 into the lower-inlet end of the blowers is precluded.

Blower unit In order to obviate erosion, the blower unit 36 consists of a housing or casing 114 of either a rustproof metal but preferably of a molded fiber glass or plastic housing. The nonmetallic housing is preferred not only because of its lower cost but also because of its lighter weight and the cushioning and sound deadening effect which it has upon the sounds and vibrations which would arise from the operation of the blowers. The housing is constructed in the form of two cylindrical bodies integrally joined together and includes two semi-circular walls 116 each of which partially encloses a blower chamber 118. The forward ends of the walls join each other and provide sideby-side discharge openings 120 from the housing which are in direct alignment with the discharge duct 13 as shown in FIGURE 4. It will be appreciated that the housing 114 may be formed in any suitable manner, preferably by molding or the like. Received in each housing is a blower which preferably is of the squirrel-cage type as indicated by the numeral 122 consisting of a central vertically disposed axle 124 upon the mid-portion of which is disposed a disk or spider 126 carrying the squirrel-cage fan blades 127. The blower shafts 124 are provided with

suitable bearing assemblies

128 and 130 at its upper and lower ends and pass through the top and

bottom walls

132 and 134 respectively of the blower housing 114. The upper ends of each blower shaft is provided with a driven pulley 136 which is connected as by a drive belt 138 to the driving pulley 140 of a source of power such as an electric motor 142. It will be observed that each blower thus has its own source of power connected thereto. Each electric motor in turn is provided with electric current by any suitable circuitry, not shown, and each motor is of a variable speed type as for example a two speed motor with suitable control means, not shown, of a conventional character, being provided therefor. Each motor is controlled independently so as to afford the use of each motor either alone or in conjunction with the other motor and blower thereby enabling the obtaining of five different volumes of airflow. The volumetric capacity of the apparatus is therefore readily and widely variable.

By actual experiment it has been found that although a fiber glass housing affords the desired sound deadening effect and resilient cushioning action for the blower elements and their drive means, it lacks the requisite strength to provide a sufiiciently long life. In order to correct this defect there has been provided a reinforcing cage assembly for the blower housing as more clearly shown in FIG- URE 7.

This reinforcement assembly consists of longitudinally extending angle members 144 having perpendicularly extending leg members 146 likewise of angle member construction. The longitudinally extending strap 148 joins the intermediate portion of the uppermost of the hori- .zontal legs members 146, all as shown in FIGURE 7, while a corresponding lower member 150, see FIGURE 6, joins .the two lower horizontal legs 146. Vertical connecting members 152 together with the plates 154 rigidly connect the adjacent ends of the horizontal members 144 and the leg members 146 into a rigid assembly. The two top and bottom transverse brace straps 148 and 150 mount the

bearings

128 and 130 and are preferably channel members with a filler strip of hardwood therein which acts as a noise absorbing support for the blower shaft bearings. It will be noted that the motors 142 are each mounted upon one of the plates 154 which constitutes a base or support means therefor so that the motors are directly supported by the reinforcing cage rather than by the fiber glass material of the blower housing 114.

As will be noted best from FIGURES 3 and 6, the bottom wall 134 of the blower housing is provided with a pair of inlet openings 156 which are disposed beneath the main central portion of the blower fans and whose peripheries have upturned flanges as at 158. These flanges serve as guide lips to direct the air cooled by the evaporated liquid which rises from the top of the evaporator compartment 40, passes around the bafiles 112 and enters axially into the squirrel cage rotor chambers of the blowers, being discharged therefrom through the outlets into the discharge duct 18.

It will be observed that appropriate electrical connections are provided for the two motors 142 which may be readily disengaged in order that the entire motor unit 34 may be moved into or removed from the blower unit compartment 38 when the back upper closure 14 is removed.

Suitable electrical controls are provided for regulating the operation of the blower motors 142 and of the circulating pump motor 90. This electric circuit may include a control cable such as that shown at 160 and which is connected to any suitable source of electrical current with a control means which may be mounted upon or provided within the duct louvered closure and plate 42 and operated by means of suitable control buttons as at 162, diagrammatically indicated in FIGURE 1. Alternatively, the control means may be removed from the device if desired, the actual location and character of the control means being itself no part of the present invention.

Through actual testing of this invention operation in a highly successful manner in climates of high temperature and a relatively low humidity has been achieved as aforementioned with units that are compact, extremely quiet in operation and because of the use of fiber glass or plastic material in the cabinet and in the blower housings, the units are substantially vibrationless and highly corrosion resistant.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An evaporative cooler comprising, a cabinet having separate upper and lower compartments, inlet and outlet openings formed in said cabinet respectively communicating with the lower and upper compartments, flow inducing means mounted within said upper compartment for establishing a flow of air through the lower compartment discharged through the outlet opening, spaced absorption means mounted within said lower compartment presenting stationary porous walls forming an unobstructed flow passage terminated at opposite ends by said inlet openings for said flow of air through the lower compartment in spaced relation to the upper compartment, flow blocking means within the lower compartment for directing said air transversely from said flow passage through the porous walls of the absorption means, distributing conduit means supplying water to the absorption means for moisturizing the air passing through the porous walls thereof, and imperforate baffle means mounted inside of the cabinet spaced above the flow blocking means and adjacent to the flow inducing means in the path of said air flow for pre venting discharge of moisture particles with the air from the outlet opening, said flow blocking means comprising a member bridging the porous walls of the absorption means and having trough portions aligned with said walls, said trough portions having apertures therein through which water from the distributing conduit means enters the absorption means, said flow inducing means including at least one bladed rotor, rigid frame means removably mounted within the upper compartment for rotatably mounting the rotor about a vertical axis extending downwardly into said flow passage, a casing mounted by the frame means in enclosing relation to said rotor and forming a partition between the upper and lower compartments, said casing having an axial intake portion in close spaced relation to the baflie means and a tangential discharge portion aligned with the outlet opening, and a drive motor fixedly mounted by the frame means Within the upper compartment and drivingly connected to the rotor.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cabinet includes a housing having front, side, top and bottom wall portions enclosing the upper and lower compartments, upper and lower rear wall sections removably mounted by the housing respectively closing the upper and lower compartments, said inlet openings being formed in the lower rear wall section and front wall portion and said outlet opening being formed in the front wall portion of the housing.

3. An evaporative cooler comprising, a cabinet having separate upper and lower compartments, inlet and outlet openings formed in said cabinet respectively communicating with the lower and upper compartments, flow inducing means mounted within said upper compartment for establishing a flow of air through the lower compartment discharged through the outlet opening, spaced absorption means mounted within said lower compartment presenting stationary porousiwalls forming an unobstructed flow passage terminated at opposite ends by said inlet openings for said flow of air through the lower compartment in spaced relation to the upper compartment, flow blocking means within the lower compartment for directing said air transversely from said flow passage through the porous walls of the absorption means, and distributing conduit means supplying water to the absorption means for moisturizing the air passing through the porous walls thereof, said flow inducing means including at least one bladed rotor, rigid frame means removably mounted within the upper compartment for rotatably mounting the rotor about a vertical aXis extending downwardly into said flow passage, a casing mounted by the frame means in enclosing relation to said rotor and forming a partition between the upper and lower compartments, said casing having an axial intake portion and a tangential discharge portion aligned with the outlet opening, and a drive motor fixedly mounted by the frame means within the upper compartment and drivingly connected to the rotor, and imperforate bafiie means disposed below the intake portion of the rotor casing and above the flow blocking means for preventing direct inflow into the intake portion and discharge of moisture particles with the air from the outlet opening.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said cabinet includes a housing having front, side, top and bottom wall portions enclosing the upper and lower compartments, upper and lower rear wall sections removably mounted by the housing respectively closing the upper and lower compartments, said inlet openings being formed in the lower rear wall section and the front wall portion and said outlet opening being formed in the front wall portion of the housing.

5. An evaporative cooler comprising a housing having front, side, top and bottom wall portions, power operated blower means having a bladed rotor enclosed by a rotor casing, means partitioning the housing into an upper and lower compartment, means for removably mounting the blower means within the upper compartment, at least two evaporator pads removably mounted within the lower compartment in engagement with the front and bottom walls of the housing, a pan member bridging said pads to form an enclosed flow passage therebetween and having side trough portions in engagement with the pads, a lower rear Wall section removably mounted by the housing closing the lower compartment and having an inlet opening aligned with said flow passage and engaging said pads, an upper rear wall section removably mounted by the housing closing the upper compartment, the front wall portion of the housing having an outlet duct aligned with the upper compartment through which cooled air is discharged by the blower means, water supply means mounted on the bottom wall forming a sump within the housing, water distributing means connected to the water supply means for conducting water to the trough portions of the pan member, said trough portions having apertures through which the water enters the pads to. moisturize air passing transversely therethrough from the flow passage, said rotor casing having an intake portion spaced from the flow passage for receiving said air passing through the pads and a discharge portion aligned with an outlet duct, and an imperforate baflle member disposed between the intake portion and the pan member blocking movement of water particles carried by the flow of air induced by rotation of the bladed rotor, said rotor casing being disposed above the flow passage closer to the front wall portion than the upper rear wall section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,976,401 10/1934 Ilg -353 2,430,861 11/ 1947 Carpenter et a1 5590 X 2,628,083 2/1953 Rense 55279 X 2,939,687 6/1960 Goettl 261-26 2,961,226 11/1960 Goettl 261--97 X 3,046,718 7/1962 Ide et a1. 55-470 X FOREIGN PATENTS 675,413 12/1963 Canada.

ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner.

DANIEL K. DENENBERG, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER COMPRISING, A CABINET HAVING SEPARATE UPPER AND LOWER COMPARTMENTS, INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS FORMED IN SAID CABINET RESPECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER AND UPPER COMPARMENT, FLOW INDUCING MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN THE SAID UPPER COMPARTMENT FOR ESTABLISHING A FLOW OF AIR THROUGH THE LOWER COMPARTMENT DISCHARGED THROUGH THE OUTLET OPENING, SPACED ABSORPTION MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID LOWER COMPRATMENT PRESENTING STATIONARY POROUS WALLS FORMING AN UNOBSTRUCTED FLOW PASSAGE TERMINATED AT OPPOSITE END BY SAID INLET OPENINGS FOR SAID FLOW OF AIR THROUGH THE LOWER COMPARTMENT IN SPACED RELATION TO THE UPPER COMPARTMENT, FLOW BLOCKING MEANS WITHIN THE LOWER COMPARTMENT FOR DIRECTING SAID AIR TRANSVERSELY FROM SAID FLOW PASSAGE THROUGH THE POROUS WALLS OF THE ABSORPTION MEANS, DISTRIBUTING CONDUIT MEANS SUPPLYING WATER TO THE ABSORPTION MEANS THE AIR PASSING THROUGH THE POROUS WALLS THEREOF, AND IMPERFORATED BAFFLE MEANS MOUNTED INSIDE OF THE CABINET SPACED ABOVE THE FLOW BLOCKING MEANS AND ADJACENT TO THE FLOW INDUCING MEANS IN THE PATH OF SAID AIR FLOW FOR PREVENTING DISCHARGE OF MOISTURE PARTICLES WITH THE AIR FROM THE OUTLET OPENING, SAID FLOW BLOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A MEMBER BRIDGING THE POROUS WALLS OF THE ABSORPTION MEANS AND HAVING TROUGH PORTIONS ALIGNED WITH SAID WALLS, SAID TROUGH PORTIONS HAVING APERTURES THEREIN THROUGH WHICH WATER FROM THE DISTRIBUTING CONDUIT MEANS REMOVABLY THE ABSORPTION MEANS, SAID FLOW INDUCING MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE BLADED ROTOR, RIGID FRAME MEANS REMOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE UPPER COMPARTMENT FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING THE ROTOR ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID FLOW PASSAGE, A CASING MOUNTED BY THE FRAME MEANS IN ENCLOSING RELATION TO SAID ROTOR AND FORMING A PARTITION BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER COMPARTMENTS, SAID CASING HAVING AN AXIAL INTAKE PORTION IN CLOSE SPACED RELATION TO THE BAFFLE MEANS AND A TANGENTIAL DISCHARGE PORTION ALIGNED WITH THE OUTLET OPENING, AND A DRIVE MOTOR FIXEDLY MOUNTED BY THE FRAME MEANS WITHIN THE UPPER COMPARTMENT AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO THE ROTOR.