US1728364A - Iceless refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1929. A. RIVARD 1,728,364

ICELESS REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. .20, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l illlllll-l //v VEN 70 A/be/"f 1 ym 0 'varc/ Af/onvey Sept. 17, 1929. A. RIVARD 1,728,364.

ICELESS REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. 20, 1927 25 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a as ,J

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A/forney Sept. 17, 1929. A. RIVARD ICELESS REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. 20, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT RIVARD, or orrnwa-onranro, cAmmA, AssIGNoR orrnmrr-snvrm omrrmrr rnn CENT r GASTON nrvlmn AND TWENTY-FIVE ran 0mm "10 ROMAIN 'LANTI-IIER, BOTH 0F OTTAWA, CANADA ICELESS REFRIGERATOR Application filed September This present invention relates to improvements in an iceless refrigerator andappertains particularly to one adapted for domestic use and employing chemical agentsas refrigerants.

An object is to provide a refrigerator that is complete in itself and dependent for operation on no extraneous connections.

A further object is to provide a refrigerator that can be cheaply manufactured and whose maintenance is reasonable.

A still further object isthe provision of a device of this nature characterized by structural simplicity, durability and efficiency and thereby rendered commercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and re lated objects, as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and ointed out in the claims hereunto appended? I The'invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forminga part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of my improved refrigerator with the doors and top and one ofthe side curtains removed therefrom; v

Figure 2 is a vertical sectionthereof;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section as taken on theline 33 of Figure 2 and I Figure "4 is a detail section of one of the container cover closures.

The refrigerator is here shown astassuming the outward form of the conventional ice boxhaving a containerbodyfi supported off the ground bythe corner post legs 'T. The side walls 8 and back 9 of thebody 6, aswell asthat part ofthe front of thevbody not occupied by the doors 10, areuniquein that they are formedof multiple layers of material; from fthe outside in 1 there is; first a double'layer of wood 11 and 12 spaced from each other by a packing of caulking 13, then 20, 1927. Seria1.No.J220,760. v. i

a sheeting of tin, galvanized ironor enamel ware 14, an .air. space 15 and an inner lining of sheet metal material 16. I Thetop 17 and bottom 18 ofthe body or cabinet are similarly formed, the former ,being hinged to 1) andhavesmallpockets 25 attheir bases'from, which the drain pi es .26 extend that con-- tinue downwardly rom the base .25 of the top container 24=to the central container,

from the base thereofto the lowermost coni tainer andfrom the. bottom thereof to empty, into a .removably drip pan-'27 immediately above which the pipe26 is .terminally prd vided .with a trap 28. Immediately below thetop two containers 24 an easilyaccessible stop-cock 29 is tapped in the drain pipe '26 that is positioned centrally close up against the back of the body 6.

Each container 24 has a perforated hinged .falsecover 30 with a second cover 31 immediately underlying that hinges in a supporting. cradle housing 32 ,perforateda round its depending edges. tLow su'nk hinges anda pocketed handle 34 inutheztop of the surface covers .30 enable the lower two containers .tobe used as supporting shelves in the refrigerator unimpairedin their usefulness by the presence'of the covers. I I i The top.-17 and the front door closures 1O are-constructed similar to the "sides of the cabinet with .a double layer of wood with caulking therebetween, '*a tin sheeting, an air space and an interior finishing of tin with theperipheral edges provided with three steps as at 35 to match and close tightly on Thesetraysor containers 24 slope toward theaback centre sides of the openings to effectively seal the same. WVhen the top 17 is open access is afforded to the air spaces 15 in the sides and back to allow of the removal of the curtains 20 so that they may be soaked in water at convenient intervals. Communication between the air spaces or pockets 15 in which the saturated curtains are pendent and the refrigerator cabinet interior is through a multiplicity'of small'perforations 36 in the sides or back while like' open ing' 37 through thein; ner wall 16 into the bottom container 2&' provides for drainage from this curtain housing encircling air space or pocket.

The several containers'2t are each filled with a mixture 38 of sodium nitrate (NaNO commonly calledChilean salt'petre, fine gravel and water; the solids being always preventedfrom running out the drain pipes 26 by fine wire screens 39 in the pipe open ings While the water or saturated solution can be tapped off whenever desired. This mixture is the refrigerant for as the salt dissolves,

the solution lowersin temperature and theair in the cabinet compartments becomes chilled, having contact with the solution in the containers through the perforations in the false covers'30 and cradle'housing 32 though this construction of covers prevents foreign matter falling into the solution.

This cooling of the air adjacent the containers sets up 'a circulation or draught that appears to rise in the space where the curtains hang in the walls, enteringby the openings near the bottom of the compartments and returning through the openings near the top. This circulation causes some evaporation of moisture from the curtains and this tends to cool the rising current of air'even before itenters the compartments at the top.

- and the loss of moisture is easily replenished by removal of the'canvas curtains that are immersed in water'and replaced through the open top. The moist gravel whose purpose is to hold the sodium salt open and exposed to the moisture, aids in maintaining an even temperature.

lVire screen trays 40 are adjustably supported on angle brackets 41 and as is quite obvious the'number and arrangement of doors may vary and a tellatale thermometer be provided. I f

As theconstruction of the device has thus been described in detail, brief reference is now had to its useand mode of 'operation: This iceless refrigerator 'wh'ich is of simple construction may beein'ployed for various surfaces to which such a device .is adapted and it is apparent that when the containers 2% are filled with the mixture of sodium nitrate commonly called Chilean saltpetre, fine gravel and water, the containers will be kept cool and thus cause a lowering of temperature within the refrigerator cas ing. The curtains 20 maybe soaked in water at continued intervals to keep the same moist and as the air circulating through the air spaces 15 within which the curtains 20 are suspended and into the interior of the refrigerator body above and below the central container 24, it is chilled and thus lowered in temperature to preserve food and the like resting on the wire screen trays 40, through which the chilled air also may circulate freely. T he central and lower containers 2 1 may also have their upper faces employed as shelves upon which to rest articles to be kept in the refrigerator.

With the necessary alterations this system of refrigeration maybe successfully employed in connection with meat packing establishments, stores, hotels and the like so that I do not expect to confine myself to the preciseembodiment of the invention hereinbefore set forth.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that an iceless refrigerator is provided that will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention constructed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V 1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating walls, spaced covered trays superimposing one another, drain pipes connecting said trays, amixture of sodium nitrate (NaNO and gravel in said trays, moisture diffusing means provided in said cabinet and means for permitting ingress of said moisture to the interior of said trays.

2. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating walls, spaced covered trays superimposing one another, perforated hinge covers in the tops thereof, drain pipes connectingSaid trays, a mixture of sodium nitrate (NaNO and gravel in said trays and wet curtains hung about said cabinet so that the moisture therefrom may be deposited on said sodium nitrate.

3. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating walls, spaced covered trays superimposing one another, drain pipes connecting said trays, fine wire screens protecting the entrances to said drain pipes, stop-cocks in said drain pipes, a mixture of Chile saltpetre (NaNO and fine gravel in said covered trays, and means for moistening said mixture to cause the chilling thereof.

4. A refrigerator comprising a chamber, a tray supported therein adapted to contain a chemical refrigerant, a ventilated top hinged thereon, a stop-cock controlled drain pipe from said tray and a screen in the upper end of said pipe.

5. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating sides, spaced covered trays superimposing one another, drain pipes connecting said trays, a mixture of salt and gravel in said trays, moisture diffusing means provided in said cabinet and means for permitting ingress of said moisture to the interior of said trays, and circulation of air in said cabinet.

6. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating sides, spaced covered trays superimposing one another, perforated hinge covers in the tops thereof, drain pipes connecting said trays, a refrigerant mixture of salt and gravel in said trays and wet curtains hung about said cabinet so that the moisture therefrom may be evaporated by the circulation of air set up by the lowered temperature.

7. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating sides, spaced covered trays adapted to receive a chemical refrigerant superimposing one another, drain pipes connecting said trays, fine wire screens protecting the entrances to said drain pipes, stopcocks in said drain pipes, said trays having openings therethrough forming communication with the interior of said cabinet.

8. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet with heat insulating sides, spaced curved trays superimposing one another, said trays having fiat tops and serving as horizontal partitions in the top, bottom and intermediate portions of said cabinet, said trays draining toward the centre and back, drain pipes connecting said superimposed trays and disposed against the back wall of the cabinet, wire screens protecting the entrance to said drain pipes, stop-cocks controlling the flow therethrough, overlying covers providing aocess to said trays, the upper cover being perforated and spaced above the inner and solid cover whose cradle suspending means is perforated to permit circulation of air into the interior of said trays, a solution of Chile saltpetre (NaNO gravel and water, in said ventilated trays and wet curtains hung in said cabinet so that the circulation of air set up by the lower temperature about said trays may cause evaporation of the moisture therefrom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ALBERT RIVARD.

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