US986875A - Floral and display refrigerator. - Google Patents

Description

R. L. TILGHMAN.

FLORAL AND DISPLAY RBFRIGERATOR.

APPLIGATION PILED APB. 15, 1910. 986,875 Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

3 BEEETS-BHBET 1.

R. L. TILGHMAN.

FLORAL AND DISPLAY REFRIGBRATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED APE. 15, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

reference to a device of this character destand.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSWELL I. TILGHMAN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO TILGHMAN REFRIGERATOR COMPANY, OF IBIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION OF ALABAMA.

To all whom ti may co ncem:

Be it known that I, RoswELL L. TILGH- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the County of J efterson and State of Alabana, have invented new and useful Improvenents in F loral and Display Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators for floral and display purposesand has special signed to exhibit fiowers and the like while at the same time keeping them from fading by chilling the 'atmosphere surrounding them. 4 One object of the invention is to improve the general construction of devices of this character.

A second object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator of this character with an inproved form of revolving display A third object of the invention is to proi vide a refrigerator having a revolving display stand with a novel arrangement of air circulating means.

A fourth object is to provide the several flower stands with removable bottom sections and arrange the stands so that by removing the proper sections tall flowers, such as roses and also tall v'ases may rest on one stand and project up through the openings in the stands above provided by the renoval of the sections. This enables me to utilize all' the available display space within the refrigerator and at the same time display both lon and short stemned flowers.

WVith t e above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of a novel form of refrigerator equipped with glazed sides and an improved construction of revolving display stand.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the acconpanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like' parts in the several views, and Figure l is a vertical seci,

tion through a refrigerator constructed in i accordance wth this nventon. Fg. 2 s a horizontal section of such a refrgerator.

specifica tion of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1910.

Fig. 3 is :n enlarged detail section taken FLORAL AND DISPLAY -REFRIGERATOR.

Patented Mar. Ll, 1911.

Serial No. 555,665.

ner of securing the glass partitions to the central supporting hub. Fig. 5 is a view of the same detail as disclosed in I `ig. 4 but taken at right angles to the'latter. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken through one of the hubs of the flower supporting stands, the view showing the manner of securing the hub in place on the central shaft. Fig.` 7 is an enlarged detail vertical section showing the manner of seeuring the glass for the outer casing. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section of a portion of the floor of the ice chamber, the View being taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the bottom hearing for the central shaft of the device, the view being at right angles to Fig. 1.

In the construction of the refrigerator there is provided a base 10 preferably of octagonal form and from this base there extends' upward a series of T-bars ll, there being one of these bars at each ccrner of the base. These corner bars are connected at their tops by neans of angle irons 12 and other angle irons 13 connect the bars 11 at points above their lower ends. Still other an le irons 14 connect the corner bars at ponts adjacent to but spaced from their upper ends. Resting on the angle irons 19 is a plate 16 which forms the ceiling of the casing. a

Extending upward and inward from the upper ends of the bars 11 are root purlins 17 which are connected at their'upper ends by a cap ring 18 of angle irons Secured to a cap late 19. Covering the roof are plates 20 whel are suitably Secured to the menbers 17 and these plates are surmounted by a finial 21 of ornamental character.

The walls of this refrigerator are constructed of glass plates and in order to hold these plates in position a series of Z-bars 22 are Secured to the angle irons 12 on the outer sides thereof. On the outside of the bars 11 and substantially opposite the angles 13 are angle irons 93. Covering the oter 'l'acc of each of the bars 11 is a strip of elastic packing 24: which extends between the anglc ron 23 and the Z-bar 22 Secured to the respective bars 11. Resting against the packings 24 of adjacent bars 11 is a sheet of pinte glass llt) around the peripheral portion of the outer face of which extends a strip of elastic packing 26. Against this packing 26 `rests a sheet of glass 27, preferably clear double thick glass of the ordna ry kind. This sheet the trim molding is Secured by means of a set screw passing through the Z-bar and hearing against the molding as indicated at 32.* This Construction is carried entirely around the refrigerator with the exception' of those panels which are used to obtain ac cess to the interior of the display chamber and ice box and these panels are provided.

with suitable doors, the Construction of which is' similar to the 'panels of the casing and is not deemed necessary to be herein shown; It is to be observed frbm the foregoing that the walls of the device just described are so arrangedzas to afi'ord'double dead air spaces between the inner and outer sheets of platejglass in ,each panel, thereby preventing the glass sweating and becoming cloudy. Thetpanels can be readily removed making the refrigerator easy to clean.

Below the glass Construction just described the bars 11 are connected by angle 2 irons 33, between ,which and the angle irons 23 are metal plates 34. The outside of the base portion of the'refrigeratoris covered with other metallic plates 35' which lie in spaced relation' to the plates 34 so that the base is provided with an air space between its inner and outer walls.

Resting on the angle irons 14 is a plate 36 which is provided with a central opening 37 surrounded by openings 38 spaced from the central opening` and each' snrrounded by an upstan'ding fiange 39 On this plate is Secured a series of channel bars 40 with their flanges turned downward, the bars thus -constituting spaced ribs The space between the plates 16 and 36 constitutes the ice box or chamber and this chamber is drained by 'means of suitable pipes 41 extending downward behind certain of the bars 11. V V

Resting on the angle irons 13 is a plate'42 provided with a central opening 43 and a multiplicity 'of small draft p erforations 44.

Through the opening 37 passes a top bearing 45 provided with a 'fiange 46, the upper a side of which bears against the under side of the plate 36 and this fiange is suitably Secured to the plate. Upon the base 10 is fixed a foot-step hearing 47 which is pro- Vided with an air passage extending through its base portion as indicated at 48. Carried' .in the bearings'45 and 47 is a' hollow or tubular shaft 49 which has its upper end i terminatngclose to the top of the ice chamber and its lower end in communication with the passage 48. Carried on this shaft just below the upper'bearing is a collar 50 which is fixed upon the shaft by anysuitable means as by the set screw 51. Between the collar 50 and upper bearing ,there is provided a set of balls as indicated at 52. On the lower end of thejshaft just above the foot-step hearing is a collar 53 fixed to the shaft by a set screw 54 and between this collar and the foot-step hearing is a second series of central hub 60 provided at its lower end with I an outw'ardly extending flange 61. This hub fits slidably on the hollow shaft and in order to hold it from movement around the' sha'ft after it has'been adjusted to the'desired place on the shaft the hub has a key-.

way cut therein for the reception of a key 62 which can be i forced inward to grip' tightly against the shaft by means of the set screws 63. In order to prevent thekey from slipping longitudinally out of the keyway the ends of said key are provided with ligs 64 fitting in suitable rcesses formed in the hub. Extending out w ard from the hub are vertical wings 65, these wiigs being oflset at the bottom to receive the webs of ribs 66 preferably constructedof T-bars so fitted to the wings 'that the Webs of the respectiverib will be fihsh with &he

which it is attache To the fiush faces of the ribs and wings are bolted partitions of.

plate glass as indicated at 67.` The outer ends of the ribs are connected together by means of an annular an' gle iron rim 68 so arranged that one flange of the angle iron extends, under the 'ribs while the other extends vertic'ally upward. The ribs, hub and rim thus provide a series of segmental spaces 4 and in eah of these spaces a shelf 69 is fitted face of the Wing to' in such manner that it is loosely held on'the .flanges of 'the adjacent ribs so that it can readily be lifted out. The purpose ofthis afrangement is to permit the exhibition of tall Vases of flowers as shown in Fig'l where one of the shelves of the upper stand is shown as having`been removed for this pur-` pose. Each of the shelf sectionsis provided .with -a multiplicity of air openings' 70 for the purpose of pernitting free circulation of air about the flowers held on the difl'erent stands. In operation the heated air rises up from the chamber in the base through the central shaft to the ice chamber. There the air is cooled and passes down through the openings 38 where it circulates around the flowers, passing both around the edges of the plates or shelves and also through the openings 70. From the flower chamber it passes into the base through the openings 44 and thence upward as before.

There has thus been provided a simple and eflcient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that many ninor changes may be made in the form and proportions of this invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope of the appended clains.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a refrigerator of the class described,

an ice chamber having a floor provided with a centrally disposed opening and a plurality of openings surrounding the central opening, a. display chamber below the ice chamber, a hollow shaft passing through said central opening and forming a vertical air circulation conduit connecting top and` bottom of the refrigerator, and one or more perforated display shelves carried by said shaft.

2. In a refrigerator of the class described, an ice chamber having a floor provided with a centrally disposed opening 'and a plurality of openings surrounding the central opening, a display chamber below the ice chamber and provided with a perforated floor having a centrally disposed opening alined with the central opening in the floor of the ice chamber, a hollow shaft passing through said central openings, the upper end of the shaft terminating adjacent the* top of the ice chamber and the bottom end of the shaft being 'open near the bottom of the refrigerator, and a display rack mounted on said shaft.

In a refrige'ator of the class described, an ice chamber having a floor provided with a centrally disposed opening and a pluralitv of openings surrounding the central opening, a display chamber below the ice chanber and provided with a perforated floor having'a centrally disposed opening alined with the opening in the center of the ice chanber floor, a hollow shaft open at both ends which passes through said central openings, the upper end of the shaft terminating adjacent the top of the ice chamber, and a display rack mounted on said shaft and having a floor provided with a multiplicity of spaced perforations, said rack floor extendan ice chamber having a floor provided with V a centrally disposed opening and a plurality of openings surrounding the central opening, a display chamber below the ice chamber, a hollow shaft, open at both ends to form an air circulation conduit, which passes through said central opening with its upper end terminating adjacent the top of the ice chamber, a display rack mounted on said shaft, and means to rotate the shatt.

In a refrigerator of the class described, an ice chamber having a floor provided with a centrally disposed opening and a pluralitv of openings surrounding the central opening, a display chamber below the ice chanber and provided with a perforated floor having a centrally disposed opening alined with the central opening in the floor of the ice chamber, hollow shaft passing through said central opening. the upper end of the shaft terminating adjacentthe top of the ice chamber, a display rack mounted on said shaft, and means below the floor of the display chamber to rotate the shaft.

6. In a refrigerator of the class described, an ice chamber having a floor provided with a centrally disposed opening and a .plurality ing, upturned flanges surrounding said latter openings, a display chamber below the ice chamber, a hollow shaft passing through -said central opening and forming a vertical air circulation passage connecting top and bottom of the refrigerator, the upper end o'f the shaft terminating adjacent the top of the ice chamber, a display rack mounted on said shaft and having a floor provided with a multiplicity of spaced perforations, said rack floor extending beneath the openings in the floor of the ice chamber, bearings for the shaft, means to rotate said shaft and cause the rack floor to pass beneath the sucv cessive openings in the floor of the ice chamber, and means to draw off the water from the ice chamber.

7. In a display refri erator having transparent walls, a vertica shaft which is hollow and open at top and bottom to form an air circulation conduit, a number of display racks mounted one above another on said shaft, each rack having 'enovable floor sections, and means to hold said racks against rotative movement relative to one another about said shalt, substantially as described. c p 8. In a display refrigerator having transparent walls, an ice chamber-at the top, atvertical shaft in the refrigerator, a series of superposed perforated shelves connected i to said shaft and bottom for the ice chamber having air circulation openings therein, and means to provide a return air crculation passage from the bottom of the 'efrigerator to said ice chamber through said shaft. n

9. A display refrigerator comprsng transparent side walls, means to provide a circulation of chilled air lengthwise therethrough; a vertical hollow shaft disposed centrally theein 'and serving as an air circulation conduit between the top and bottom of the refrigerator, means to rotte said shaft, a series of superposed shelves mounted on and rotatable with said shaft and having sectional iperforated bottoms which are freeiy removable, the bottom sections of said shelves being alike in size' and disposed in 'Vertical alinement, and means to hold said shelves against relative movement to dis'- ahne their bottom sections, substantially as described. 4 Y

10.111 a refrigerator for the display of flowers and like articles, the combination with a refrigerating compartment, an ice compartment and means to induce a, circulation of chilled air through said refrigerat- I ing compa'tment, of display means therein comprsng a. rotatable shaft, a seres of shelves fixed to said shaft and revoluble therewith and 'each of which" comprises a rack. and a series of similar detachable floor sections which have perforations for'the circulation of air, said floors ections of the several shelves being arranged in rows in vertical alinement about said shaft, and means,

to dta'chably support said bottom sections in said shelves, the periphery of the shelves leaving an unobstructed View of the articles thereon and saidwhole rotatable sheh" arrangement being disposed opposite transparent sections in the refrigerator casng,

substantially as and for the purposes described. V u

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- ROSWELL L. TILGHMAN. witnesses: i

c NoMmWnLsH,

ANNI!? L. PEAGE.

Images