US2555126A - Portable icebox - Google Patents

Description

H. L. GREVE PORTABLE ICEBOX May 29, 1951 Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2'

INVENTOR.

HERMAN L. GREVE ATTORNEY May 29, 1951 H. L. GREVE PORTABLE ICEBOX Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HERMAN L. GREVE ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a food storage device and more particularly to a portable ice box.

In carrying food on picnics, beach parties, fishing trips and outings in autos, buses, trains and other means of transportation, ice water and other cold beverages are usually carried in expensive vacuum containers which are often of inadequate capacity for the occasion. Such containers add considerably to the bulk of supplies to be transported, and are easily broken. When solid foods are brought along in a portable ice box, the ice serves no other purpose than to cool the food. In addition, care must be exercised to avoid spoilageof the food by water from the melting ice and the disposal of this water is a nuisance. Moreover, the food articles must be selected and arranged to meet the shape and size limitations of the food compartment of the ice box.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved portable ice box.

A second object of the invention is to provide an ice box in which the ice containers serve the dual functions of keeping solid and packaged foods cool While storing ice water and cold beverages.

A third object of the invention is to provide an ice box in which the total storage capacity may be flexibly apportioned both as to volume and shape between ice storage and food storage space according to the desires of the user.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide an ice box in which the ice containers may be selectively and securely positioned to accommodate varying shapes of articles or packages of food.

A fifth object of the invention is to provide an ice box which is inexpensive to manufacture and is adapted for replaceable ice containers of a type already available everywhere.

A sixth object of the invention is to provide an ice box with ice containers adapted to use as a cooling media the ice cubes produced in the freezing units of conventional household refrigerators.

A seventh object of the invention is to provide a portable ice box in which the ice storage space is sealed in such manner as to prevent water from the melting ice from draining or spilling into the food storage space even if the ice box is accidentally upset or inverted.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The present invention is concerned with an ice box having one or more liquid-tight, removable ice containers which also serve to store a cold beverage and are capable of being selectively and securely positioned by means comprising removable straps holding the ice containers and attached to an inner Wall of the box. The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

The annoyances and disadvantages mentioned hereinbefore in regard to the transportation and storage of food and drink are obviated by using small liquid-tight ice containers which retain the water from the melting ice as a supply of pure drinking water and which may be placed and held in various locations in a portable ice box to provide great flexibility as to the shape and volume of the ice and food storage spaces. Other beverages, such as iced tea, coffee, punch, fruit juices, cocktails, and the like, may be stored in the ice containers along with the ice and thus become chilled while maintaining the ice box at a low temperature. A variety of such beverages in varying quantities can be accommodated on a single occasion by merely inserting a sufficient number of ice containers in the box. Thus the storage space may be readily arranged to meet the requirements of the food and beverages to be stored rather than selecting and arranging the food and beverages to meet the limitations of the storage space. In addition to outdoor use, the ice box disclosed herein is a valuable auxiliary g to the home refrigerator when the latter is taxed beyond its capacity by parties, etc.

To avoid the high cost and difliculty of obtaining replacements for ice containers of a special design when lost or damaged, a greatly preferred feature of the present invention is the use of conventional glass preserve jars, since these are widely distributed in various sizes at low prices. The wide mouth glass bottles known as Mason jars are ideal for the purpose, as they are equipped with excellent liquid-tight rubber gaskets and either screw or clamp closures. Of these, the square jars are more desirable since their shape permits more efficient use of the limited storage volume in a portable ice box; however the round type may also be used as it is equally satisfactory in all other respects. Besides making the jars easier to wash, the wide mouth permits the entry of all common sizes of ice cubes and sizeable pieces of cracked ice thereby assuring adequate food storage periods especially since the cold water from the melting ice is retained in the jars as a useful cooling agent instead of being drained out of the cold space as happens in many ice boxes. Other wide-mouth liquid-tight containers constructed of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, china, plastics, etc., may be substituted to meet the desires of the user.

Since a portable ice box often receives rough handling in transport, it is important that glass bottles therein be securely fastened to avoid breakage. The fastening means constitutes a significant feature of the present invention and consists of a strap or clamp member holding or gripping each ice container and attached to an inner wall of the ice box in such manner as to prevent lateral movement while allowing either the container or the strap to be easily removed in a vertical direction by hand.

The ice box may be constructed of any suitable material such as aluminum, stainless or carbon steel, copper, Monel, and other metals in sheet form, wood, waterproof plywood and the like. Corrosion-resistant materials are especially desirable, because the box is primarily intended for outdoor use. Insulation is recommended to lengthen the food storage period, especially where the box is of metal construction, and the common insulating materials, such as cork, rock wool, and fiber glass or glass wool, are suitable for the purpose. To avoid settling or packing of the insulation, panels or bats are preferred over the loose or granular variety. For ease of handling and carrying the ice box, light weight structural and insulating materials are recommended.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the ice box;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view of a portion of one wall of the box immediately above a fastening strap and showing the strap both empty and holding an ice container;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the same plane as Fig. 2 of an alternative form of fastening means, and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show variations of the fastening straps in perspective.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rectangular ice box has sides i2, ends l4 and the bottom proportioned to accommodate the desired number of Mason jars l6 equipped with screw caps ll along each inner wall without excessive play or tolerances. Pivoted handles l8 on each end [4 permit easier handling of the box, and the lid 20 may be fastened by engaging hinged hasp 22 with pad eye 24 and locked with a padlock (not shown). A gasket 26 of sponge rubber is attached to the upper edge of the sides and ends to seal the box. Alternatively, the gasket may be attached in a complementary location on the under side of lid 20 near the periphery thereof.

An optional feature is the pad 28 of sponge rubber or other resilient material attached to the underside of the lid; this extends into the box when the lid is closed and exerts a firm pressure on the caps I! to prevent vertical movement of jars Hi. This pad is especially desirable where the ice box will be subjected to extremely rough use. It is also contemplated that the pad 23 may be extended to the edges of lid 20 and function not only as a cushion but also as a sealing member replacing gasket 26 and as insulation for the lid. In addition the walls and bottom of box I!) may be lined with sponge rubber pads which serve as both cushions and as insulation, provided that suitable openings or other provisions are made for attaching the strap members to the walls of the box.

Jars l6 are held in place in the box by resilient straps 30, preferably of metal construction, which grip the jars firmly and slideably engage the track members 32. These tracks are vertically positioned on all of the inner walls 34 of the box, thereby permitting the jars and the straps to be lifted out. It will be noted that track members 32 are appropriately spaced around the walls according to the number of ice containers which the box will hold and the type of fastening strap, as will later be apparent. The tracks may extend the full depth of the inner walls as at 32 or may optionally terminate well above the bottom as at 32A or consist of short sections denoted by 32B. The longer tracks allow substantially full range adjustment of the straps or clamps to the optimum positions for engaging jars of various heights as well as the use of two or more straps on a single jar for greater security where unusually rough handling is anticipated. With any of these track members provision may be made to prevent the strap 33 from descending below a certain point by crimping or deforming the track or by adding a stopping device.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the side 12 of the box consists of inner sheet metal wall 34, a layer of insulation 36 and an outer sheet metal wall 38. The C-section track 32 is attached to the wall 34 by spot welding, riveting or any other suitable manner. Strap 30, as shown in full lines when not engaging a Mason jar, is constructed from a strip of untempered metal by having one end folded or formed in any conventional way into a T-section with a bead or head 42 sized to slide freely in track 32. It will be noted that the tail of the T is not perpendicular to the head 42 and that strap 30 is shaped with a slightly acute angle bend 44. After the strap is formed or shaped in this manner, it is tempered or heat-treated to the resilience of a moderately strong spring. The purpose of the acute angles at bend 44 and head 42 is to insure that strap 30 will grip an ice container firmly and that the head 42 will bear against the interior of the track 32 with sufficient force to provide a frictional engagement which will prevent it from slipping downward in the track. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 show the position of the same strap 36 when engaging a square ice jar I6.

In Fig. 3, a different fastening device is illustrated. It consists of a flexible plastic strap 46 adapted to fit snugly around an ice container of any shape and riveted to a C-shaped metal slide 48, which rides on a track 50 of the type used on small sailboats. This track member is fastened to a sheet metal channel which in turn is attached to wall 34 around a slot in the wall in such manner as to form a recess for track 50. Recesses to accommodate either style of track members disclosed can also be formed integrally with wall 34 by a simple stamping operation. When fiexible straps 46 are employed, the track members will be located centrally behind each ice container rather than at the edge of the container as shown in Fig; l.

If desired, tracks 32 and 50 can be formed in tegrally in sheet metal wall 34 either recessed or not.

Fig. 4 shows another spring strap 54 which coacts with inner wall 34 to engage all four sides of a square ice container. This strap is similar in construction to strap except for an additional acute angle bend 56.

In Fig. 5, U-shaped strap 58 is provided with two beads 60 welded onto the strap. This strap may be made from metal, rigid or flexible plastics, etc., as desired. Either round or square jar may be mounted within it. If a rigid material is employed, it should be L-shaped when used for holding square jars in the corners of the box and all corners or bends should be acute angles to provide a better grip on the container.

Fig. 6 shows a version of the strap member which is adapted to fasten a round or cylindrical jar in place. The curvature of strap 52 constantly increases and is also more pronounced than the curve of the ice container in order to assure firm engagement therewith.

In general, the most efficient and uniform cooling consistent with providing plenty of food storage space is obtained with the ice containers located in the four corners of the box, which is the preferred arrangement shown in Fig. 1. However, the number and positions of the jars may be quickly shifted to meet the needs of the occasion. Thus, if it is desirable to keep some articles of food cooler than others, all of the jars may be fastened along one side or end wall and the aforementioned food placed in contact with the row of ice containers.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf

1. An article of manufacture which comprises a portable ice box provided with a closure, 2. removable wide-mouth liquid-tight ice container having a liquid-tight closure, and means for selectively positioning and fastening said container in said box, said means comprising a strap engaging said container and slidably attached to a track member fixed in substantially perpendicular alignment with the bottom of said box for vertical sliding engagement of said strap with a wall of said box.

2. An article of manufacture which comprises a food storage box of substantially rectangular horizontal cross-section and provided with a closure, a removable wide-mouth liquid-tight container of substantially rectangular horizontal cross-section provided with a liquid-tight closure and adapted to contain both ice and a beverage, a means for selectively positioning and fastening said container in said box, said means comprising a removable strap engaging said container and connected in vertical sliding engagement toa wall of said box.

3. An article of manufacture which comprises a food storage box, a removable liquid-tight container having a liquid-tight closure, means for selectively positioning and fastening said container in said box, said means comprising a removable strap engaging said container and connected in vertical sliding engagement to a wall of said box, and a closure for said box provided with an inner face of deformable resilient material which, in the closed position, engages and exerts substantial pressure on the top of said container.

HERMAN L. GREVE.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 303,815 Cramer Aug. 19, 1884 1,546,254 Rotzell July 14, 1925 2,437,885 Merstick Mar. 16, 1948 2,454,303 Brodheim Nov. 23, 1948

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