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BOTTLED BEVERAGE COOLER
Filed June 20, 1936 4. Sheets-Sheet

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 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 2,226,271

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,226,271

Walter F. Wose, Bloomington, Ill assignor of

sixty per cent to Peter Karons and B. B.
Karstens, both of Bloomington, Ill.
Application June 20, 1936, Serial No. 86,320
6 Claims. (C. 62-7) .
An object of my present invention is to pro other irregular formations on its wall, an evap
vide a cooler for bottled beverages and the like
orator coil of a mechanical refrigerator mecha
which is highly efficient, yet simple in its con nism being arranged outside the wall and in
struction and inexpensive from a manufacturing heat transferring relation thereto by means of
standpoint. ice formed to entirely encase the evaporator coil
A further object is to provide a cooler for and contacting with the wall of the tank.
articles which are suitable to be cooled by sub Still a further object is to provide modified
merging them in cold water, the cooler provid forms of ice making units which utilize evapora
ing a tank for the water and a cooling means for tor coils of refrigerating mechanisms to chill
O the water in the tank which forms ice in the water adjacent the unit and freeze it, prefer- 0
form of pencils or the like, and the refrigerat ably in the form of strips or chunks, mechanism
ing mechanism being so operated that these pen being provided for freeing the ice from the ice
cils of ice are formed on the Wall of the re making units after the ice is formed.
frigerator and then freed therefrom so that they A further object is to provide an ice making
5 can float to the Surface of the water, and in so unit supplied with refrigerant from a refrigerat- 15
doing induce a circulation in the Water which ing mechanism to form ice in pockets or the like
effectively operates to maintain a constant tem of the ice making unit, a control valve being
perature throughout the body of the water. arranged So that, upon the temperature affect
A further object is to provide a cooler in which ing it being reduced to a predetermined degree,
20 articles to be cooled are Submerged in cold W8 the control will operate to permit free flow of
ter and refrigerating mechanism is operable to the refrigerant by-passing an expansion valve
form ice in small portions or strips, whic Hare So as to warm up the ice making unit sufficiently
periodically freed from the wall of the cooler to free the ice from contact therewith, so that
and serve to prevent the bottles from freezing it can float to the surface of the water in which
25 to the sides of the tank containing the water. the unit is submerged to cool the water and in
Still a further object is to provide a cooler duce a circulation thereof.
having a dry compartment in which hanging ice Another object is to provide a cooler having
cube trays are arranged on the side walls there a tank compartment and a dry compartment, a
of for keeping a supply of ice cubes for use when single evaporator coil being utilized to chill both
30 desired. compartments, the compartments however be- 30
Still another object is to provide a "dual' type ing thermally isolated from each other.
of cooler in which a dry compartment and a Still a further object is to provide a cooler
wet compartment are provided, which are in cabinet So constructed that the use of expensive
thermal contact with each other instead of be dies is eliminated, this construction involving
35 ing insulated from each other, thus providing a the use of a top rail which can be cut in any
portion of the cooler having a temperature which length to thus accommodate different sizes of
is a differential between the temperatures in coolers and also vertical rails if desired, in com
the dry and Wet compartments, and enabling the bination with a corner cover member so formed
use of a single evaporating coil for the dry com and connected with the cooler frame that it
40 partment and the wet compartment and a con draws the top and vertical rails into intimate A0
trol for the refrigerating mechanism responsive contact with the frame and retains them neatly
to the portion of the coil extending from one against any possibility of any cracks or other
compartment to the other. unsightly joints in the exterior surface of the
A further object is to provide a Wet and a dry cooler cabinet.
45 compartment in a cooler structure So associated With these and other objects in view, my in
With a single temperature responsive device for vention consists in the construction, arrange
control thereof which operates to effectively con ment and combination of the various parts of
trol the refrigerating mechanism for both com the device, whereby the objects contemplated
partments without any danger of too much hold are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,
50 over in the wet compartment, and with aSSur pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the 50
ance that the refrigerating mechanism is com accompanying drawings, in which:
pletely under control for most efficient opera Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bottled
tion. beverage cooler embodying my invention.
Still a further object is to provide a cooler Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional
55 structure in which a tank has COrrugations Or view thereof on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, a 55
 2 2,226,271
portion of the inner tank, back of the Water in tween the outer end and side walls 28 and 80 and
the cooler, being shown in elevation, and the the inner end and side Walls 2 and 4. This coil
refrigerating mechanism for the cooler being may be an extension of the coil 8, and has a
shown diagrammatically. return end connected with a refrigerant com
Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the pressor 40. The compressor 4 is driven by an
line 3-3 of Figure 1. electric motor 42 and the usual condenser coil,
Figure 4 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view liquid tank or receiver and expansion valve for
on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing how ice is the refrigerating mechanism are indicated at 43,
formed in the form of strips and the action of 44 and 52 respectively. The motor 42 is prefer
O the ice in being released and inducing a circula ably automatically controlled, as for instance, by 10
tion in the water. a switch 45 responsive to temperature through
Figure 5 is an enlarged, sectional view on the the medium of a capillary bulb 46 and a bellows
line 5-5 of Figure 4, showing how the inner Wall 48 in the usual manner. The capillary bulb 46
of the tank of the cooler may be formed, so as is preferably in thermal contact with the portion
s to prevent the formation of a solid sheet of ice of the evaporator coil tubing extending from the 5
on the inner wall of the tank and produce instead coil 8 to the coll 38.
strips or 'pencils' of ice. In Figures 6 and 7 I show a modified construc
Figure 6 is a diagrammatical view of a modified tion which may be termed an "ice forming unit'
form of cooling unit for forming chunks of ice and in which the evaporator coil is indicated at
20 in a cooler cabinet. 50, and the usual expansion valve at 52. The 20
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the ice forming coil 50, as shown in Figure 7, is arranged in a
unit shown in Figure 6 and looking in the direc ZigZag formation and is covered with a member
tion of the arrow thereon. A provided with pockets 5 to determine the
Figure 8 is a vertical, sectional view on the shape of the ice blocks 28 formed in the ice
line 8-8 of Figure 7. forming unit. The pockets 5 are tapered out 25
Figure 9 is a plan view of another modified Wardly to permit ready freeing of the ice as will
form of ice forming unit. hereinafter be disclosed. The cover member A is
Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the preferably provided with end members 56 which
same on the line fo-fo of Figure 9. seal off the spaces 58 from the surrounding water
30 Figure 11 is a diagrammatical view showing the 60, so that the spaces 58 constitute air spaces. 30
refrigerating System for the ice forming units of In Figures 9 and 10 I show another modified
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. construction in which a pair of castings 62 and
Figure 12 is a sectional view through a control 64, when associated together as illustrated, form
valve used in connection with the system shown an evaporator unit, the casting 64 having pockets
in Figure 1. 66 also tapered outwardly in which chunks of ice 35
Figure i3 is an enlarged sectional view through 28 are adapted to form.
the upper rail of the refrigerator as taken on the A tank TO is connected with the evaporator unit
line 3-3 of Figure 1. comprising the castings 62 and 64 and is adapted
Figure 14 is a detail, side elevation of an upper to contain water 30. I have not illustrated any
40 corner of the cooler. insulating wall for the cooler shown in Figure 10, 40
Figure 15 is a perspective view of the ends of but it is, of course, understood that such is pro
two of the top rails of the cooler and a corner vided to gain all the efficiency possible.
cover member therefor. For Operating the ice forming units shown in
Figure 16 is a similar view showing the parts Figures 6 and 10 I provide the refrigerating sys
45 of Figure 15 assembled together. ten shown in Figure 11, parts of which are sim 45
Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 16 show ilar to the one shown in Figure 2, and therefore
ing a modified construction. provided with the same reference numerals. The
Figure 18 is a sectional view on the line f8-8 evaporator coil however is indicated at 50. The
of Figure 14, showing how the corner cover mem refrigerant chamber 63 of Figure 10 is the equiva
50 ber cooperates with the top rails during assem lent of the coil 50. 50
bly of the cooler; and A control valve B is illustrated which by-passes
Figure 19 is a Sectional view on the line f8-8 the expansion valve 52 and is a normally closed
of Figure 17, showing the corner cover member valve which opens due to a predetermined reduc
drawn into place. tion in temperature. For illustrative purposes a
55 On the accompanying drawings I have shown bellows 76 is connected with a capillary bulb 78 55
in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 a cooler having a dry at the return end of the coil 50 (see Fig. 11). The
compartment to and a bottled beverage compart operation of this valve will hereinafter appear
ment 2. The compartment 0 is formed by a under the heading of practical operation.
60
bottom wall 4 and side walls 6, the side walls In connection with the construction of my
6 being surrounded by a refrigerant coil 8. cooler System certain problems were encountered, 60
Outside the refrigerant coil 8 side walls 2G are especially in connection with making the outer
provided, which are suitably insulated against shell in an economical manner without the ex
heat transfer by means of insulation 22. The pense of building large expensive dies for forming
65 bottom
terial 2.
4 is likewise insulated by insulating ma the Outer shell. As shown in Figure 13 there is .
an Outer sheet metal cover 80 surrounding the 65
The bottled beverage compartment 2 com insulation 22, this cover being put on in the form
prises a tank having a bottom 26, end walls 28 of flat sheets, as illustrated in Figure 3, having
and side walls 30. Spaced inwardly from the rounded corner strips 82 and top rails 84. The
walls 28 and 30 are corrugated end walls 32 and cross sectional details are all shown in Figures 13, 70
70 corrugated side walls 34. The walls 32 and 34 18 and 19 but omitted from Figures 2 and 3
may be termed false walls. The corrugations of wherein the scale of the drawing is too small to
these Walls, indicated at 36, extend only partially permit such details to show clearly.
throughout the height of the Wall as shown at Neatly joining the ends of the top rails 84 and
the left side of Figure 2. the vertical rails 82 cannot be economically done
75 A second refrigerant coil 38 is positioned be with welding, brazing or the like, and I have pro s
 2,226,271 3
vided a corner cover member C which covers the the bottles of beverage 22 shown in Figure 2.
joints and yet holds the rails 2 and 4 all firmly The bottles are preferably placed in crates 24
in contact with the frame of the cooler with the which are sufficiently large to hold a dozen bottles
use of but a single screw it. and are provided with handles 2 for lifting them
5 The corner cover member C has a downwardly Out of the Water. 20. s
extending flange 88 and a pair of laterally extend In loosening from the Walls and rising to the
ing flanges 9. These, as shown in Figures 18 and surface of the water 12, the pencils of ice 4
19 are initially formed to extend at a slight angle induce a circulation in the Water (see arrows a
inwardly so that their edges contact with the in Figure 4) which tends to keep the entire body
10 rails 82 and 84, and when the screw 8 is tight of water at substantially the same temperature 10
ened, as in Figure 13, they effectively bind against without the necessity of providing any other
the rails to permanently retain them in position means for this purpose.
without possibility of any open spaces between By making the walls 32 and 34 of corrugated
the edges of the COver C and the rails 82 and 84. shape, the pencils 4 are isolated from each
ls With this construction it is possible to form the other by the peaks of the corrugations, although 1
rails in any length on One pair of dies or rollers, it is obvious that other shapes and different shapes
and the cover member C on another pair of dies, of corrugations than those illustrated can be used
which need not be large, yet by cutting the rails for accomplishing the same purpose.
to the desired lengths, the construction is adapt With the use of the coils is and 38, which are
20 able to all sizes of cooler cabinet constructions. actually a single coil arranged as illustrated, I 20
A further feature enhancing the appearance an able to effectively cool the compartment to
of the construction is in the use of flanges 92 on and form ice in the compartment f2. The coil
the top rails 84, and small flanges 4 on the cor fe being the colder coil provides the necessary
ner cover member C which hook Over the flanges drop in temperature to efficiently cool the com
2 92 to position the parts 84 and C relative to each partment fo, while the relatively warmer portion
other. If desired, the rail 82 and the corner of the evaporator coil indicated as 38 is still sufi
cover member C can be combined in a single piece ciently cold to form ice as desired. .
83 shown in Figure 17. i. The ice forming units A and S2-4 of Figures 6
The frame of the cooler includes a water tank and 10 respectively form ice in the pockets be 30
30 sill 96 (see Figure 13) and a top rail sill 98. The tween the corrugations of the member A in Fig
sil 98 is suitably stepped for the edges of the ure 6 and in the pockets B of Figure 10, as indi
sliding lids loo, O2 and O4, which lids are pref cated at f 28. After the chunks of ice 28 are
erably formed of insulating material. Metal formed, it is obvious that a warmer liquid flow
liners fos are provided for the edges of the lids ing through the coil 5 and the space 63 respec
35 Outer
to slideedges.
on, and these have flanges 108 at their tively will soon melt the chunks of ice loose so
These flanges, as well as the fanges that they rise, as indicated at 128a, and finally
float on the surface of the water 30, as indicated
92 of the top rails 84, are located in grooves to at
of the sill 98. Interposed between the flanges 92 28.
and 08 are strips 2 of rubber or the like serving It is also obvious that freeing of the chunks
40 the purpose of insulating breaker strips to pre or cakes of ice can be accomplished quickly with
vent transmission of heat from the top rails 84 very little rise in temperature of the coil 50
through the sheet metal liners 06 to the interior and the space 63. This is accomplished by the
of the cooler. control valve B in Figures 11 and 12, which, upon
Practical operation the coil 50 becoming excessively low in tempera
ture adjacent the bulb 78 due to the ice 28 hav- 45
In the operation of the cooler shown in Figures ing formed, is opened so that the refrigerant is
1 to 5, the switch 45 is so set that the refrigerant pumped directly from the receiver 44 through the
Compressor 49 will continue to operate until pen coll 50 without expanding through the valve
cils of ice f4 are formed, as in Figures 4 and 5. 52. The refrigerant will therefore be relatively
50. At first Small bumps of ice, indicated by dotted warmer, and in flowing through the coil 50 will 50
lines at . f6, are formed and these gradually
thicken until the pencils 4 are the result. Be warm it so that the cakes of ice f 28 are loosened
and will accordingly float to the surface of the
fore the pencils 4 form, however, the water sur Water. This operation may take anywhere from .
rounding the evaporator coil 38 will freeze, first 5 to 10 minutes. i
55 as indicated at 7 and then as indicated at if 8, As soon as the warm refrigerant affects the
which serves as a solid medium between the coil bulb. 8, however, the valve B will be closed, so
38 and the corrugated portions 36 of the walls 32 that thereafter normal refrigeration takes place
and 34 to increase the efficiency to the maximum. with the refrigerant passing through the expan
The water in the space surrounding the coil 38 sion valve 52.
60 will be at substantially the same level. as the The motor 42 in Figure 11 can be controlled 60
water within the cooler and indicated at 20, since by a control switch such as the one indicated
the walls 32 and 34 are not sealed along their at 45 in Figure 2 to prevent excessive operation
lower edges to the bottom Wall 26 but merely rest of the refrigerating mechanism when not need
thereon. ed, the valve B operating independently to free
65. After the pencils of ice are formed, as indicated the cakes of ice (28 whenever they have formed 65
at 4, the switch 45, due to its setting, de-ener in sufficient size to be practical for use.
gizes the motor 42, whereupon heat transferred As the cakes 28 float up through the water,
from the water 20 to the walls 32 and 4 melts they, of course, induce a circulation which, as
the pencils f 4 loose so that they rise as indicated heretofore explained, is desirable. The pockets
70 by dotted lines 4a in Figure 4, and finally rest 64, of course, may be of any shape desired. I 70
in a position floating on the surface of the water have shown them as being square, but it is ob
as indicated at 4b. This operation may take vious that they can be round, star shape, or any
anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. As these pen shape which might suit the fancy of the de
cils melt, they break up into individual pieces in signer.
75 dicated at ific, which can freely circulate among In connection with the dry compartment O 5
 4. 2,226,271.
as shown in Figures 2 and 3, if it is desirable to having a first portion for cooling said dry con
form ice cubes, an ice tray 30 can be hung partment and a second portion for cooling said
along one or more sides of the compartment in a Wet compartment and a controller for said re
vertical position, flatwise against the wall there frigerating mechanism having a temperature re
5 of. These trays, as illustrated in cross section sponsive element responsive to the temperature 5
in Figure 2, are relatively flat horizontally and of the evaporator coll between said portions
tapered so that after they are formed full of thereof.
ice, the ice can be readily removed by running 4. In a cooler of the character disclosed, a tank,
enough water over the tray to loosen the ice. water therein and an ice forming unit submerged
10 For supporting the trays 30 any suitable in the water, said ice forming unit comprising a 10
i means may be provided, such for instance as member having pockets, tapered outwardly, an
hooks 32 adapted to hook in slots 34 of the evaporator passageway within said unit for re
side wall. This arrangement provides a conven frigerant, refrigerating mechanism for pumping
ient means for making slabs of ice without ap refrigerant through said passageway, said re
15 propriating a prohibitive amount of the space frigerating mechanism including an expansion is
within the compartment D. After the slabs of valve and a control mechanism comprising a tem
ice are removed from the trays D, they can be perature responsive valve responsive to a rela
broken into cubes with an ice pick or the like. tively low temperature of said ice forming unit to
Some changes may be made in the construc open and permit refrigerant to by-pass said ex
20 tion and arrangement of the parts of my device pansion valve and to a relatively high tempera- 20
without departing from the real spirit and pur ture of said ice forming unit to close and there
pose of my invention, and it is my intention to by permit the refrigerant to flow only through
cover by my claims any modified forms of struc the expansion valve.
ture or use of mechanical equivalents which may 5. In a bottled beverage cooler, a container,
25 be reasonably included within their scope. water therein, a false wall within the container 25
I claim as my invention: in contact with the water and spaced from the
1. In a bottled beverage cooler, a container, wall of the container, refrigerating mechanism
water therein, an inner wall within said con having an evaporator coil between said false
tainer, refrigerating mechanism having an evap wall and the wall of the container and means for
30 orator coil surrounding said inner wall and controlling said refrigerating mechanism to 30
means for controlling said refrigerating mecha cyclically form ice on said false wall at spaced
nism to cyclically form ice on said inner wall points only and then melt such ice free thereof
and then melt such ice free of the inner wall whereupon it floats in the water and induces
whereupon it floats to the surface of Said water. a circulation in the Water.
3. 2. In a bottled beverage cooler, a container, a
false wall therein and spaced therefrom, said false ice6.forming
In a cooler of the character disclosed, an 35
unit comprising a member having a
wall having pocket-like depressions, Water in Said wall against which ice may be formed, an evap
container on both sides of said false wall, refrig
erating mechanism having an evaporator coil in Orator passageway in thermal contact with said
ty contact with said pockets, ice bridging the space wall, refrigerating mechanism for pumping re
frigerant through said passageway, said refrig - 40
between said evaporator coil and pockets and erating mechanism including an expansion valve
means for controlling said refrigerating mecha
nism to cyclically form ice on the opposite side and a control mechanism comprising a temper
ature responsive valve responsive to a relatively
of said false wall and in said pockets and then low temperature of said ice forming unit to open
45 melt such ice free of such pockets whereupon it and permit refrigerant to by-pass said expan- 45
floats on the surface of the water. sion valve and to a relatively high temperature
3. In a cooler, a dry compartment, a wet com of said ice forming unit to close and thereby,
partment, a portion of one compartment being in permit the refrigerant to flow only through the
thermal contact with a portion of the other com expansion valve.
50 partment, water in Said wet Compartment, refrig WALTER F. WOSE. So
erating mechanism including an evaporator coil