US2080885A - Cold storage cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Fi led Oct. 29, 1934 s Shee ts-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 7 a/raf/fi'oms ATTORN EY Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] I com) STORAGE CABINET George Cocks, Upper Montclair, N. J. Application October 29,1934, Serial No. 750,561 2 Claims. (Ci. 62-89) This invention relates to'refrigerated cabinets for the storage of foods, etc., and has for its object to provide increased capacity,conveniencc and accessibility in cabinets of this type and to permit various refrigerating means to be used interchangeably therein without altering the con struction of the cabinet itself.

My improved'cabinet comprises an insulated cold storage area which is arranged into upper and lower tiers. The upper tier consists of movable receptacles or carriers suspended on roller bearings which ride on tracks running the full length of the cabinet. The number of receptacles is deterrninedby dividing the interior length of the cabinet into any desired number of sections and providing receptacles for all but one section. This leaves a blank space in the upper tier which allows access to any desired portion of the lower area or tier simply by moving the carrier immediately above such portion toward the blank space. According to a feature of the invention, one or more of the receptacles in the upper tier are used for carrying. a refrigerant and the remaining receptacles are for storing food products, soft drinks, ice cream, etc., the refrigerant carrier or carriers preferably being so located as to insure maximum uniform cooling of the entire contents of the cabinet.

The bottom storage area of the cabinet may comprise a single large section, or it may be divided by partitions spaced to provide compartments of any desired dimensions for the purpose of segregating the contents into different flavors, sizes, etc., .or product carriers or racks of any suitabletype may be employed. Various means of refrigeration may be used interchangeably in a cabinet constructed in this manner, suchforexample, as ice, ice and salt, dry ice, cold cans, or

mechanical refrigeration. In any case the refrigerant carrier is movably mounted in a row with the product receptacles, and I preferabl arrange a refrigerant carrier between adjacent product carriers to insure maximum uniform cooling of the contents. These different means of refrigeration allow for the selection of the one which costs the least in any particular locality or at any particular time, or the one that meets'the temperature requirements for a particular product. In all cases the substitution is made by 'sim ply lifting out one refrigerant carrier and substituting another, without requiring any change in the construction of the cabinet itself.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

3, separated by bottles l3 as in Fig. 1.-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cold storage cabinet embodying the invention witli parts broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a transversesection thereof; r Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionon a reduced scale;

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 3, showing a slight modification of the invention; Fig. 5 is a broken perspective view of a modified refrigerant carrier; I

Fig. 6 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 2,

. In the drawings/l represents the cabinet or box composed of interior and exterior plates 2.

Figs. 1 to 3. The top of the cabinet is open and is provided with hingedcovers 5 whichare also provided with heat insulation similarto the bottom and-side walls. Opposite longitudinal rails. 6 are mounted at the sides of the cabinet above the bottom 'thereof,these rails, in the form illustrated,

being mounted slightly below the top of p, the cabinet and forming a track for the. roller bearings 1 of a plurality 'of carriers which are thereby adapted to move lengthwise ofthe cabinet- In thefrom shown ii: Figs. 1 to3, movable receptacles 8 comprise wire baskets adapted for, storing food products, etc., such asv milk and cream bottles 9 and soft drink bottles ill. Be-

heat insulation 4 as shown in showing another modification of the invention;

tween these receptacles is arranged a refrigerant carrier I 2- having a suitable cover and provided with corrugated metal or fin-type surfaces to give more. rapid heat transfer. especially suited for the of ice and salt, the use of salt providing a greater coolingcapacity and lower temperature. In this 'I he receptacle i2 is useof ice or a mixturez manner th'e'cabinet is divided into an upper tier comprising the movable receptacles for thefoodf V e refrigerant, and a lower. cooling area which extends from the bottomoi products, etc., and th the cabinet to the upper tier, the lower cooling area beingadapted for the storage ofany number of different products such as milk an'dsoda The total. space occupied by the-receptacles- 8 and I2 is less than the length of the. cabinet, the number ofsuch receptacles preferably being determined by dividing the interior length of the cabinet into a given number of sections and providing receptacles fora'll but one section, thus leavinga blank space in the upper tier which or more product carriers 8, 1 preferably provideaddltional refrigerant carriers l2 arranged between adjacent carriers 2 as shown in Fig. 4, such arrangement insuring maximum. efllciency and uniform cooling of the entire contents of the cabinet. In all cases receptacles 8 and I2 may easily be lifted off the tracks 6 and removed from the cabinet for cleaning, replacement, etc. In this manner the receptacle or receptacles l2; contain- -ing the ice or ice and salt mixture, may be withdrawn and replacedby other refrigeration means such as cold cans or a suitable dry ice receptacle. Fig. 5 shows a carrier for dry ice comprising a box having insulated bottom and side walls and an insulated removable cover IS. The longitudinal side walls are double, providing a space l1 containing a suitable liquidchemical which is adaptedto freeze at a lower temperature than ice. The dry ice is placed in the box I! and freezes the liquid chemical. This construction provides a storage of latent heat which continues to cool the cabinet after the dry ice has disappeared. It also prevents excessively low temperatimes within the cabinet which would occur if the dry ice were used without the liquid chemical interception. I I

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate ajmodification of th invention employing a refrigerant carrier I8 con taining suitable refrigerating coils l9 which are connected by means of flexible tubes .20 with an.

exterior source of mechanical refrigeration, permitting the carrier [8 to be moved back and'forth on the tracks 6 without interfering with the flow I of refrigerant through the tubes 20.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the refrigerant carrier 2| is similarto the carrier l8 except that it is of reduced size in a transverse direction, providing a space between the carrier and the adjacent inner wall 2 of the cabinet to accommodate the flexible connecting tubes 22 which 'pass through the vertical wall of the carrier. The flexible tubes" and 22 of Figs. 6 to 9 may be disconnected from the side of the cabinet, permitting the refrigerant care rlers l8 and 2| to be removed as in the other forms of the invention.

Heretofore, food products, beverages, milk,

. beer, etc., have been largely stored in association refrigeration also provides a dry, sanitary storage,

with ice alone in ice boxes, subject to temperatures higher than desirable. In the case of bottled nates all of these objections and provides many important advantages including that of accessibility, since none of the contents need ever be re-' moved to obtain access to any article in any part of the storage space. My improved means of area within the cabinet. The inner lining, slds Another advantage of my cabinet is that either iceor a plurality of refrigerated water baths may be provided in'the movable receptacles or in the lower portion of the box, or both, where desired; or refrigerated water baths may be provided in the upper tier while the lower area may be kept dryandrefrigerated from above as previously described. In any such case access may be had to thecontents in either the upper or lower level by the same selective movement described above.

The invention 'is capable of various modifications and adaptations not specifically described but included within the scope of the appended claims. .1

I The invention claimed is:..

1. A coldstorage cabinet comprising an insulated box having an open top and closed sides and bottom forming an insulated space for articles to be cooled, a plurality of horizontally movable receptacles mounted above the bottom of said box to leave a lower storage space in said box heneath said receptacles, said receptacles being movable, substantially, parallel tothe bottom of said box, the aggregate length-of said receptacles being less than the length of the top of said box to permit selective horizontal movement of said receptacles to expose any desired portion of the lower storage space ofsaid box, at least one of said receptacles comprising a, refrigerant carrier containing refrigerating. coils, flexible tubes connected to said refrigerating coils and means for connecting-said tubes to asource of refrigera ticles to be cooled, a plurality of horizontally movable receptacles mounted above thebottom of horizontally movable-refrigerant receptacles each tacles being mounted to leave a lower storage .space insaid box beneath said receptacles, said receptacles being movable substantially parallel to the bottom of said box, flexible tubes connected to said refrigerating coils and means for connecting' said tubes to'a source of refrigeration out- .said box for carrying food products and the like, i

side said box, the aggregate length of said receptacles being less than the length of the top of said box to permit selective horizontalmovement of said receptacles to expose anydesired portion of the lower storage space of said box, and top covering means providing access to said box.

GEORGE w. COCKS.

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