US2807939A - Chill chamber-cooling compartment - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 1, 1957 COLE 2,807,939

CHILL CHAMBER-COOLING COMPARTMENT Filed Nov. 19, 1956 f5 5 7 f EVE c045 Zf/v Wmw- Q INVENTOR.

United States Patent CHILL CHAMBER-COOLING COMPARTMENT Geneve Cole, Rye, N. Y.

Application November 19, 1956, Serial N 0. 622,905

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-2) This invention relates to refrigerators and, more particularly, to cooling compartments for storing hot foods therewithin.

Ordinarily, food that is left over must ordinarily be cooled to room temperature before it may be stored within a refrigerator. While standing, this food is not only subjected to contamination, but also is an attraction to pets and various insects. An object of this invention, is to provide a cooling compartment for refrigerators, in which food may be stored at higher than room temperatures and gradually cooled to the temperature of the refrigerator without automatically becoming exposed to the cold air in the refrigerator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooling compartment for chilling food gradually from a higher than room temperature to a lower refrigerator temperature that is simple in construction, etficient in operation, and which will automatically regulate the speed or rapidity at which the food is cooled.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerator having a cooling compartment made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified arrangement;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cooling compartment made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the compartment shown in Figure 3; and

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged cross-sectional views of certain of the operating elements.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, a refrigerator 10 is shown having a central storage compartment 12 and a hinged door 13. The compartment is divided into a freezer section 14 and storage shelves 15. A cooling compartment 20, made in accordance with the present invention, is shown in Figure l horizontally disposed along the bottom of the refrigerator and, in Figure 2, shown vertically positioned therewithin.

As is more clearly shown in Figure 3, the cooling compartment includes an outer container defined by spaced side walls 21, a bottom 22, and end walls 23. A handle 25 is secured to one of the end walls to facilitate the removal and use of the compartment. The upper edge of the outer compartment has a peripheral flange 26 that sealingly engages with a similar flange 31 that depends from a removable cover member 30. A pair of inner trays 27 are disposed within the outer container and each is provided with an outwardly extending flange 28 that maintains the containers in predetermined spaced relationship. If desired, a single inner container may be used in place of the illustrated pair 27.

i 2,807,939: Patented Oct. l, 1957 more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 6. These valves 37 Each of the side walls 21 of the outer container is proare arranged to be moved between a closed position 37 and an open position 37a by the action of a bimetallic strip 38. This strip 38 is rigidly secured to the midportion of the rod 34 at one end, and is secured at its other end to a rigid base member 40 that is aflEixed to the side wall 21 of the container, as shown in Figure 5.

The bimetallic strip 38 is so arranged that it will effect the rotation of the valves 37 to a fully open position 37a in response to a drop in temperature within the compartment 20 to that of normal refrigerator temperature. The placing of warm food within the inner containers 27 is effective to cause the bimetallic strip 38 to rotate the valves 37 into a closed position which, in cooperation with the sealed cover 30, prevents the passage of air between the interior of the refrigerator and the interior of the compartment 20. As the food is slowly cooled to the temperature within the refrigerator, the strip 38 slowly rotates the valves to the opened position 37a thereby permitting the passage of air through the outer compartment and into cooling contact with the inner containers 27. Of course, these compartments may be arranged horizontally as shown in Figure 1, or vertically, as shown in Figure 2, depending upon the type of refrigerator in which it is used. Similarly, the valves 37 may be placed along various side walls and end walls as the situation may require.

Therefore, while this invention has been described with particular reference to the specific form shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

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

1. A cooling compartment for food comprising, in combination, an outer compartment having spaced side walls and a removable closure therefor, at least one inner food receiving compartment having side walls spaced laterally from said outer compartments side walls and extending below the upper level thereof, a circumferential flange on said inner compartment engaged with said side walls defining a closed air space between the side walls of said inner and outer compartments, a plurality of openings in said outer compartment side walls, a valve operatively supported in each of said openings, and temperature responsive means secured to said compartment and connected to all of said valves for moving said valves simultaneously between an open and a closed position.

2. A cooling compartment as set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer compartment has a downwardly extending peripheral flange, and said closure has a downwardly depending flange adapted to sealingly engage said peripheral flange.

3. A cooling compartment as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a longitudinally extending rod rotatably carried by said side walls, and said valves and temperature responsive means rigidly secured to said rod for simultaneous rotation therewith.

Tobey May 20, 1941 Carbary Sept. 9, 1941

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