US3020112A - Cabinet assembly for water coolers - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1962 c. N. SNAPP, JR

CABINET ASSEMBLY FOR WATER COOLERS Filed June 22. 1959 1 M .RL/ m, E 1.

m5 w s k 1 m 6 J ZZZ United States Patent 3,020,112 CABINET ASSEMBLY FOR WATER COOLERS Charles N. Snapp, Jr., Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Temprite Products Corporation, Birmingham, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June-22, 1959, Ser. No. 821,887

- 2 Claims. (Cl. 312-280) This invention relates generally to. self-contained cabinet water dispensers such as water coolers and hot water dispensers andmore particularly to an improved cabinet assembly for water dispensers of this type. -Water dispensers of .the self-contained cabinet type usually include a cabinet having side walls and a top or cover. In the bubblertype cooler, which includes a nozzle unit for projecting a stream of cool water from which the user can drink, the cabinet top is a receptor basin into which waste water falls and which is connected to a drain conduit. In a bottle cooler, the top is a sup port for acontainer of water to be cooled, In both types, the cabinet is provided to support and house the refrigeration mechanism and the other parts of the cooler. in the case of a hot water dispenser or a combination hot and cold water dispenser, a water heater is supported within the cabinet. The particular water dispenser to which this invention relates consists of a wrap-around cabinet wall element which is mounted for sliding up and down movement on an upright supporting frame. The wall element is assembled with the frame by sliding it downwardly to a position on the frame in which it encloses the front and sides of the dispenser. The cabinet top member is mounted on the upper end of the wrap-around wall element and in the past has been secured to the wall element by means such as spot welding. However, since replacement of either the wraparound wall element or the top member may be required, without requiring replacement of both, an assembly in which the top member is separated from the wall element is desirable. The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved cabinet assembly for water dispensers which includes a wrap-around wall element that is removably assembled with the cabinet top and can be quickly detached from it.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cabinet assembly for water dispensers which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and which can be quickly assembled and taken apart.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a water cooler provided with the cabinet assembly of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the water cooler of this invention, showing the wrap-around wall element Ln a position to be assembled with the cabinet top mem- FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the wrap-around wall element and the top member in the cabinet assembly of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2 omitting the refrigerating apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view looking substantially along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

With reference to the drawing, the cabinet assembly of this invention, indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in FIG. 1 incorporated in a water cooler 12 of the selfcontained bubbler type. However, as pointed out above, this invention is applicable to water dispensers of other types and is shown in connection with a bubbler type 3,020,] 12 Patented Feb. 6, 1962 cooler only for purposes of illustration. The water cooler 12 includes an upright supporting frame 14 having a pair of rear legs 16 which extend the full height of the frame 14 and of an angle-shape as shown in FIG. 4. A conventional refrigeration mechanism 18 which includes a condenser 20 is supported on the frame 14.

The cabinet assembly 10 comprises a sheet metal wraparound wall element 22 which forms the cabinet front wall portions 22a and side wall portions 22b and 220. Each of the side wall portions 22b and 220 terminates along its rear edge in a return bent U-shape rim or bead 24 which provides a guideway 26 of a size and shape to slidably receive the rearwardly projecting flange 28 of a frame leg 16. The wrap-around wall element 22 is assembled with the frame 14 by initially positioning the wall element 22 above the frame 14 with the guideways 26 in vertical alignment with the leg flanges-28. The wrap-around wall element 22 is then moved downwardly so that the leg flanges 28 are slidably received inthe guideways 26.

The cabinet assembly 10 also includes a receptor member 30 which consists of a formed sheet metal body 32 having a depending skirt 34 of a shape to fit around the upper end of the wrap-around wall element 22. The receptor member 30 supports a bubbler unit 38 and is formed with a drain opening 36 which communicates with a drain tube (not shown) mounted on the frame 14 and communicating with a discharge line 47 adapted to be connected to a conventional plumbing drainage system.

As shown in FIG. 3, the depending skirt 34 is provided on its front wall 41 with a pair of horizontally spaced pins 40 which are secured by welding or the like tothe skirt 34 and project inwardly. A similar pin 42 is secured to each side wall 43 of the skirt 34 adjacent the rear wall 45 thereof. These pins 40 and 42 are located so that they can be positioned in horizontal alignment with corresponding openings or slots 44 and 46, respectively, in the front wall 22a and the side walls 22b and 22a of the wrap-around wall element 22. The pins 42 extend inwardly toward each other a distance such that the side walls 22b and 22s cannot fit between the inner ends of the pins 42 unless the walls 22b and 220 are bent inwardly toward each other as shown in FIG. 2.

In the assembly of the receptor member 30 with the wrap-around wall element 22, the wall element 22 is first manipulated on the frame 14 so that about one-fourth or more of the wall element extends above the top end of the frame 14 as shown in FIG. 2. This arrangement permits the free or beaded ends or edges of the side walls 22b and 220 to be bent or flexed inwardly toward each other a distance necessary to move the slots 46 to positions between the pins 42. The receptor is positioned above the wall element 22 and the pins 40 are extended through the openings 44. The free edges of the side walls 2% and 220 are then moved inwardly toward each other as illustrated in FIG. 2 to position the openings46 inwardly of and in horizontal alignment with the pins 42.

On release of the rims 24, the side walls 22b and22c move outwardly against the sides of the skirt 34 on the receptor 30 and the pins 42 extend through the slots 46. The assembled wall element 22 and receptor member 30 can then be moved downwardly on the frame 14, with the leg flanges 28 sliding in the guideways 26, to a position in which the cabinet assembly 10 fully encloses the working parts of the water cooler 12. In this position, the drain opening 36 communicates with the drain tube in the cooler 12.

In the event the cooler 12 requires service, the cabinet assembly 10 can be readily manipulated so that only the receptor 30 is removed. This is accomplished by sliding the wrap-around wall element 22 upwardly on the frame 14 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, followed by springing or flexing the rear portions of the side walls 22b and 220 inwardly to position the openings 46 inwardly of the pins 42 so that the back side of the receptor can be moved upwardly to lift the pins 42 above the wall element 22. The receptor is then readily removed by moving it forwardly to move the pins 40 'out of the openings 44. Furthermore, if the receptor 30 should become damaged so that it requires replacement or repair, it can be removed without removing the entire cabinet from the frame 14 and replacement of either the wrap-around wall element 12 or the receptor 30 can be accomplished without having to replace the other.

It will be understood that the specific construction of the improved cabinet assembly for water coolers which substantially the same height as said frame when fully assembled therewith; a rigid top member adapted to be assembled upon the upper end of said frame and having 2. depending skirt adapted to overlie a portion of at least two of said three sides of said wall element; and means for removably securing said top member to said frame including first inwardly directed fixed pin means on the portion of said skirt overlying one of said sides, second similar inwardly directed fixed pin means on the portion of said skirt overlying another of said sides, and means in said wall element defining openings in the upper end thereof adapted to receive said pin means to lock said top member on said frame, whereby assembly may be effected by positioning said wall element in sliding engagement with said frame so that the top thereof is higher than the top of said frame, bending inwardly the upper portion of at least one of the sides of said wall element having said openings therein, placing said top member on the top of said wall element and then allowing the deflected side to return to its normal position with said pin means positioned in said opening, and sliding said wall element with said top member locked thereto down said frame into a fully assembled position therewith wherein said top member is positioned at the top of said frame.

2. A self-contained cabinet water dispenser, comprising: an upright rigid frame; an outer resiliently bendable wrap-around wall element covering the front and at least two sides of said frame and slidably supported thereon for up and down movement only thereon, said wall element being substantially the same height as said frame when fully assembled therewith; a rigid top member adapted to be assembled upon the upper end of said frame and having a depending skirt adapted to overlie a portion of said front and two sides of said wall element; and means for removably securing said top member to said frame including similar inwardly directed fixed pin means on the portion of said skirt overlying said front and each portion overlying one of said two sides, and means in said wall element defining openings in the upper end thereof adapted to receive said pin means to lock said top member on said frame, the length of the pin means receivable in said openings in said sides being such that the top of said wall element must be raised above the top of said rigid frame and the upper side portions thereof deflected inwardly before said pin means can be positioned in said openings, locking being effected by allowing said deflected sides to return to their normal position and then sliding said wall element downwardly into a fully assembled position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,698,252 Ashe Jan. 8, 1929 2,897,035 Dorsey July 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 558,312 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943

Images