US2453530A - Food preserving apparatus - Google Patents

Description

FOOD PRESERVING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 50, 1944 Patented Nov. 9, i948 UNITED, STATE FOODI R ESERVING APPARATUS Homer L.-Moore, Chamblee, Ga. Alpplication August 30, 1944; Serial No. 551,976

2 Claims. (01. 9 51) This; invention relates to apparatus primarily designed for preserving food, and aims to accomplish such end by the use of air and water alone, as found. in nature, although when desired the action maybe supplemented by the use of ice, or any mechanical refrigerating unit.

I aim to provide a structure wherein the foods or materials may be preserved without the use of ice or electric refrigeration or the equivalent for many months in each year, but at the same time with retention of the nutritive values of the foods and without exchange or interchange of food flavors.

In addition I aim to attain the end stated by disposing in the food compartment at the base thereof a water reservoir, and by having a draft pipe and a vent pipe in communication with the food compartment, the draft pipe being located between the water supply or reservoir and the vent pipe, and with novel closure or control means to open or close said draft pipe and vent pipe.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, partly broken away, and with the door to the food compartment removed, of the food preserving apparatus according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken primarily on the line 2-2 of Figure, 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, throu hout the different views I provide a suitable box or cabinet as at In whose walls are of any suitable construction, being of metal, wood, plastic, or the like and which may have suitable insulation. Cabinet preferably is elevated from the floor or other supporting structure as by legs at I2. Also the cabinet is open at the front to enable access to the food compartment generally designated I3, which opening is closed by a suitable door [4.

The door l4 may be hinged to the cabinet as at l6, and any suitable latching, locking, or equivalent device may be provided therefor, although not shown.

Adjacent the base of the food compartment I3 I provide a perforated or foraminous shelf l1.

Below the perforated shelf IT the cabinet is closed at the front as well as at the other sides thereby to provide a reservoir l9 adapted to be maintained full of water as at '20. The watermay be supplied in any suitable manner, for instance poured into the reservoir through the perforated shelf I1, but preferably be supplied througha pipe 2i from. any suitabl'e source by manual or auto-- matic zcontrot as preferred. suitable valve controlled drain pipe 22 may lead from the base of the reservoir, and near the top of the latter I also provide an overflow pipe 23.

Connected to a wall of the cabinet I!) and communicating with the interior of the food compartment l3 adjacent the base thereof is a draft pipe or duct 24 of any suitable diameter. Such draft pipe is adapted to open to the exterior of the building or room where the apparatus is located, in order that it will communicate with outside air.

Also fastened in a wall of the apparatus at the food compartment l3, adjacent the top thereof, is a vent pipe or duct 26, which likewise is adapted to discharge into the outside atmosphere, as into a chimney, stove pipe, or even independently thereof.

Around the pipes or ducts 24 and 26, within the casing or cabinet I0, I provide suitable frames 21 and '28, respectively, in which valves or plates 29 and 30 are slidably mounted, respectively, so as entirely to cut off the communication between. the food compartment l3 and said pipes or ducts or partly cut off the same.

With such a food preserving structure or system, food or the like may be preserved many months in each year without ice, electric, gas, or other mechanical refrigeration, or the equivalent. I simply utilize the free flow of cold air from. the atmosphere for cooling compartment l3 and the water 20 which coacts therewith in preserving the nutritive value of foods by humidifying the air so that dry cold is avoided, and which is well known to extract the nutritive value of foods. I also find that in the instanced structure there is no exchanging of food flavors one with another.

Closures 29 and 30 may be closed when the weather is subzero, and they may be thermostatically operable if preferred.

Any number of suitable foraminous shelves l3a may be employed in the food compartment [3.

The cabinet Ill has an upper compartment 3| that they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Preserving apparatus of the class described comprising a cabinet, said cabinet having a food compartment, a water reservoir in the bottom of the cabinet open to the food compartment, a draft pipe, a vent pipe above the draft pipe, said draft pipe and vent pipe communicating with the interior of the food compartment and the outside air, said draft pipe being disposed above and adjacent the reservoir, and refrigerating means 10 within the cabinet above the food compartment to produce a lower temperature within the food compartment than that of said water reservoir.

2. A preserving apparatus comprising an insulated cabinet having a food compartment, a water reservoir in the cabinet beneath the food compartment and communicating therewith,

maintaining a controlled flow of water to the reservoir, an overflow pipe leading from the reservoir to maintain and limit the water level therein, said reservoir having a drainage pipe, 9, draft pipe opening into the food compartment above and adjacent the reservoir, a vent pipe leading from the upper part of the food compartment, said draft and vent pipes communicating with the conduit I means connected to a source of water supply for 4 atmosphere, and a refrigerating unit in the upper part of the cabinet above the food. compartment for maintaining the food compartment at the desired temperature.

HOMER L. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Australia -1 June 16, 1939

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