US2561592A - Evaporative cooler - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1951` o. c. PALMER 2,561,592

EVAPORATIVE COOLER Filed July 5, 1947 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 If-5a I 64 (a /7 /7 8 f6 l l 5 A"/.'f f I 32 iNIIIIIfUUN 2 24 nlllllllllm I f4 l. 32

@ACM .Wal/nep,

JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

O. C. PALMER EVAPORATIVE COOLER July 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed' July 5, 1947 @ma (j anef, 4 INVENTOR.

BY M M ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED S TATES PATENT y OFFICE EVAPORATIVE COOLER Oscar` Charles Palmer, Phoenix, Ariz. Application `July 5, 1947, Serial No. 759,156-

4 Claims.

Thisxinvention.. relates to an air conditioning` apparatus.andLisparticularly concerned with im'- provernentst in evaporative coolers.

semidesert` locations and generally in` any location having.` relatively high atmospheric temperature andlrelatively low humidity.

Thezprincipal object of this` invention `is to provide:k ain-evaporative cooler of greater efficiency andrcooling ability than conventional types in use. A11 particular objecti is to provide an evaporative coolen utilizing a power-driven fan within a oasingland'providingia recessed shroud encircling the i fanvtowpromotgefcient air flow through a central orifice in the shroud.

Another object isto: provide a device of this type inwhichthe shroud is recessed back of the front` wall` of the casingand a plurality of louvers are providedA flush with thexfront wall downstream from "thev orice.

Another Object is to provide a vibration-free four-pointsuspension for the fan motor for holding the motor invplace within the casing and for automatically centering the fan Within the orice in t the shroud. i

A related object is to provide an improved means,` forrholding the evaporator pads relative to the casing to prevent sag of the pads after a period of use.

A further object is to provide an improved form of.v flow controlvalve for regulating the flow of uid to the evaporator pads.

Other objects and advantages will appearhereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an` evaporative cooler. showing a` preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure-2` is` a. longitudinal sectional elevation taken substantially on line 2,--2 as. shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3`is` a sectional plan View taken substantially onl line 3 3 asshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 as shown in Figure 2.

Figure` 5i'sl a fragmentary sectional view showing details Aof construction ofa preferred form of ilowcontrol valve;

Figuref'4 isa sectional View taken substantiallyon the line Ii---f` asv shown inxFigure `5.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken substantially on the line 'I--1 as shown in Figure.2Q

Figure 8A is a perspective View partly broken away showing` a pad-,holding prong strip` employed'. in connection with myy invention.

Devices of thisrtype arewcommonly employed in desert and` In;thefclrawings, the casing generally designatedI Daincludes a topi Il a bottom I2, sidelwalls= I3and ldg-wan'dfront andxrear walls ltand I6.,` respectively.` IZmay` beforrned ofasingle integral metalstampings. Another stamping` 5 forms thev marginal edges ofthe4 frontwall Iland theforward por,-

tionsoffthe'side walls I3y and I4. This stampingV formsthencurvedl fronti corners 6 and is provided with `rearwardly. extending parallel walls T `whichi support the; noncircular shroud 20;. Curved anges Iland Ixon the topand bottom Walls also form-a portion ofthefront wall I5.` Securedtof these curved flanges I 'I and lxare: curved? strips 8` Whichcooperate with the walls 'I to define a non.- circular recesseadn the front wall of the casing; I 0; Thegrill I9 f isicomposedi of al plurality oi indi- Vidual louvers 2 I fastened top and bottom `tothe strips.. The-louvers on one-side of the device may be tilted'to-deflect` air in one direction while louvers on the other side are tilted at another angle to ydeilect` airinanother direction.`

The shroud 2il-isnprov^ided with a curvedlip` 91defining a central` circular orifice 22,- Mounted;

within the orice 22 and `concentrically therewith is afan 2.3.carriedon the shaft of an electric molV tor 2L Meansare provided for supportingthe` motor 24 Within the` casing Hl,V and as best shown in Figure 4 of the drawings; `this means includesVv a pair` of double bracketsh 25Y having `footportions 26` attachednear the outer extremities of thetop fan 23 with the orifice22. The brackets extend" diagonally fromtheir curved portions 28to theii` feet 2'5, andthe effect of this diagonal `portion 3 I is to provide` a substantially. X-type support for rigidly holding the motor in substantially. vibration-free-mounting.

Aplurality` of evaporator pads 32, 33, 34 are positioned along the side walls I3 and INI and` back walls I6 of the casingIU. Means are provided' for supportingthe. evaporator pads in position. and lfor preventing their gradual sag or collapse, and thismeans includes a plurality of padholding prong strips 35which extend vertically between the top II and 'bottom I2and may be attachedtheretoby any convenientmeanssuch as,

If desired, the top II and` bottomf place and providing for example, by welding. As clearly shown in Figure 8 each of these strips 35 may be formed of an angle section having a short side 36 and a long side 31. At spaced intervals along the long side 31 triangular wedges or prongs 38 are cut from the long side and bent along the uncut portion so that pointed ends 39 are directed outwardly transverse to the length of the strip 35. As shown in Figure 2 these pronged points 39 impale the evaporator pads at vertically spaced intervals'thereby forming a simple yet effective initial vsupport for the pad within the casing while also acting to prevent sag of the pad at any point after a period of use. A screen 40 may be provided which extends around the sides I3, I6 and I4 and acts as a protection to prevent damage to the evaporator pads 32, 33 and 34.

Means are provided for distributing water or other evaporative fluid to the pads 32, 33 and 34 and, as shown in the drawings, this means includes a drip tube 4I which extends around the casing near the top I I above the evaporator pads and which is provided with small drilled holes 42 vat intervals along its length. One end of this drip tube 4l is closed at 43 at a point above the pad 34 and adjacent the filler strip 44. The other end of the drip tube 4I connects with the outlet 45 of the shell 46 of the iiow control Valve generally designated 41. The shell 46 is cylindrical in form and has a blind side 48. The other side is anged at 49. A cup 59, which is also cylindrical, is received within the shell 46 and mounted for relative rotational movement with respect thereto. The cup 50 is provided'with a central aperture I through which extends a bolt element 52 in a direction along the axis of rotation of the cup 50.

The bolt 52 also extends through a central opening 53 in the cover 54 which forms an enclosure for the shell 46. The cover is preferably welded to the shell by any convenient means such as Spoty welding or stitch welding after the cup 50 and bolt element 52 are in place. A nut 55 may be threaded onto the bolt to engage a mounting bracket 56. The bolt 52 extends outwardly through a hole 51 provided in the front wall I5 and a manually operable knob 58 may be secured to the extending portion of the bolt.

A supply pipe for water or other evaporative fluid is provided at 59, and any convenient means, such as the tube 69 leading to a fluid source, may be connected to the pipe 59. Ports 6I and 62 are provided in the cylindrical skirt of the cup 50, and these ports may be turned to alignment with the drip tube 4I and supply pipe 59, respectively. l.

From the above description, it will be under# stood that manual rotation of the knob 58 serves to turn the cup 59 within the shell 46 and thus bring the ports 62 into any degree of registry desired with the supply pipe and drip tube in order to control the flow of iluid into the drip tube 4I. The fit between the cup 50 and shell 46 is such that a very restricted annular clearance 63 is present between the exterior of the cylindrical cup 59 and the cylindrical bore in the shell 46. This simple construction has been found to give very sensitive control of the amount of the iluid admitted to the drip tube 4I.

Inoperation, the casing Ill may be placed in a window` of a room of a building so that the front wall I5 is within the room and the rear wall I6 is outside thereof. Filler strips 44l and 44a extend outwardly from the side walls I3 and I4 at the location of the center of the wall (not shown), and extension elements 64 and 65 may off the motor.

be mounted on the iiller strips to provide an effective barrier in windows of different widths. Slots 66 in the extensions 64 and 65 cooperate with threaded elements 61 to secure the extensions in the desired position, as will be readily understood.

Water or other evaporative fluid is admitted throughthe tube 69 into the flow control valve 41, and the knob 58 is adjusted to produce the desired rate of flow into the drip tube 4I. Fluid passes through the drilled holes 42 in the drip tube to saturate the evaporator pads 32, 33 and 34. The switch 68 on the front wall I5 is then actuated to energize the motor 24 and thus rotate the fan 23. The interior of the casing is subjected to a partial vacuum by the action of the fan 23, and atmospheric pressure outside the room forces air inwardly through the screen 4I) and through the evaporative pads into the interior of the casing. The air is humidied and cooled by this action and a temperature drop of 10 between the interior and the exterior of ythe casing is not uncommon. The air thus cooled s then blown by the fan 23 outwardly through the orice 22 and into the room. The air is not delivered as a solid blast of limited area, however, but is spread and diffused laterally by means of the louvers 2l comprising the grill I9. Fan eiiiciency is increased by the provision of the shroud 29 and the curved portion or lip 9 further vcontributes toward efficient air ilow through the oriiice 22, This arrangement provides maximum outlet with minimum efiiciency loss by recirculation.

It will be observed that the grill I9 is flush with the front wall I5, and this freedom from projectionsis both pleasing from a design standpoint and has functional utility in avoiding sharp corners and projections which might catch on yclothing of anyone passing nearby Within the room.

The device may be operated continuously or may be shut down when desired. `In order to avoid water loss, the knob 58 is turned to closed position when the switch 68 is actuated to shut A drain plug 59 is provided in the bottom I2 to drain any excess fluid which falls from the evaporator pads.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing; a povver driven fan in the casing, the casing having one of the Walls thereof provided with parallel reentrant portions defining a noncircular recess; a noncircular shroud carried on said reentrant portions and positioned Within the casing, the shroud having a central circular discharge oriee in axial alignment with the fan; and a plurality of louvers positioned within the noncircular recess and extending flush With the exterior surface of said Wall.

2. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing having evaporative pads carried on certain of the walls thereof; a power driven fan in the casing adapted to draw air into the casing through the evaporative pads, one of the Walls of the casing having parallel reentrant portions dening a noncircular recess; a noncircular shroud carried on said reentrant portions and positioned within the casing, the shroud having a central circular discharge oriiice in axial alignment with the fan; and a plurality of louvers positioned Within the noncircular recess and extending flush with the exterior surface of said wall.

3. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of a casing having evaporative pads carriedon certain of the walls thereof; a power driven fan in the casing adapted to draw air into the casing through the evaporative pads, one of the Walls of the casing having parallel reentrant portions dening a noncircular recess; a noncircular shroud carried on said reentrant portions and positioned within the casing, the shroud having a. central circular discharge orifice defined within a curved lip, the orince being in axial alignment with the fan; and a plurality of louvers positioned within the noncircular recess and extending ilush with the exterior surface of said Wall.

4. In an evaporative cooler, the combination of the casing and cooperating with the reentrant Aportions to denne a noncircular recess; a, non- REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,006 Dibble Nov. 28, 1892 2,021,437 Walsh i Nov. 19, 1935 2,048,911 Zimmerman July 28, 1936 2,160,003 Slayter et al May 30, 1939 2,253,418 Crandall et a1 Aug. 19, 1941 2,289,825 Burton et a1 July 14, 1942

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