US2408704A - Liquid cooler for refrigerators - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 1, 1946. G. R. T A Y LOR LIQUID COOLER FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed May 4, 1944 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1v w f. mm w 1 q 1 m b g F M. M x6 3.

Oct. 1, 1946. G. R. TAYLOR 1 04 I LIQUID COOLER FOR REFRIGERATORS F'ild May 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Y fr;

Beur' a R TaqInr r I1 iflnothersalie pro'videa refrigeratoi having anemia cooler built thereing -whi'ch 'will' have no projecting p ge to collect dirt and dust and in which all parts are I normally inclosed. andconcealed from view.

Patented Oct. 1, 1 946 I V f f'2,408,704 H I, 1 Lloom COOLERFOR'REFRIGERATORS Q i George Taylor, Kenosha, Wis.

Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,172

1 Claim. (01. 62-89) This invention appertains to liquid coolers for refrigerators and more particularly, to a novel means for' incorporating. a liquid dispensingdevice in a wall of a common domestic refrigerator.

.As is well known, thecommon practice for housewives is to place milk, fruit juices, water,

and the like in bottles or jars andposition the same inside of the refrigerator for cooling purposes.

'This necessitates the continuous opening and closing of the door of the refrigerator to gain access to said bottles or jars; with the consequent and additional work is placed upon the refrigerating unit. Likewise, the bottles and jars have to be frequently handled and the dangerofbreakage is always a hazard, particularly where there are children in the household.

Some attempts have been made to build a liquid cooler in a refrigeratorand all such attempts, with which'I am. familiar, are open to serious objection. Either, they are expensive or complicated to; manufacture and incorporatein a .refrigeratonior there are parts projecting from the refrigerator which catch in'the garments of the housewife, 0r;-th'e effective insulating of there- 'fr geratori interfered with tortoogreat an extent.v ,Also-inmany instances,: the flow of the liquid. through long conduits or pipes is, a necess1t y,; which is liable to contaminate thefllquid,

t objective a: my invention is to fA"furtlier importantobject of my invention is v to provide a refrigerator wall or door embodying the usual inner and outer shells with theinsulation therebetween, the inner shell (according to my invention) having an instruck pocket or cavity for dispensing jars and the outer shell having a similarinstruck pocket or cavity below the in-' ner pocket for beverage glasses, the pockets having communicating openings for the necks of the jars, whereby said necks can extend into the lowadmittance of warm, air into therefrigerator and theexit of cold air from the refrigerator. This, naturally lessens, the efliciency of the refrigerator operative position, will form 2 er pocket for the dispensing of the contents of the jars into the glasses.

A further salient object of my invention is to provide a quick removable dispensing valve or tap for the neck of each jar extending into the lower cavity, sothat the same can be easily and quickly manipulated by the operator, the ar.- rangement of valv and jar necks being such, that the travel of the liquid from'the jar to the drinking glasses will be reduced to a minimum and so that the collection of liquid in the valves will be prevented. r

' A still further important object of my invention is to provide a closure for the outer pocket or recess, which will be substantially-flush with the outer face of the refrigerator wall or door when such closure is initszclosed position for preventing the entrance of dust and dirt in said outer pocket or recess and which, when in its open a serving shelf for the drinking glasses. With these and other objects in view, the in- ;vention consistsin the novel construction, ar-

rangement and formation-of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, in which drawings: r a

- Figure 1 is a front, elevation view showing my novel liquid cooler and dispensing device incorporated with the door of a refrigerator.

Figure 2'is a vertical, centraLjsectionalyiew through the door taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

"Figure 2a is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view taken on theline Zoe-2a of Figure 1 looking in the'direction of the arrows. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, detail, sectional view 'illustratingthe connection of the dispensing valve with one of the dispensing jars.

Figure-4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail,

sectional view'illustrating the use of an adapter for permitting the dispensing of milk andthe like .from their original'bottles.' l 'Referring' to the drawings indetail, wherein similar reference characters designate corre- 3 shell and the outer metal or like shell 6 and these shells 5 and 6 are firmly united, and confined between the same is any preferred type of insulation 1.

During the stamping out of the inner shell 5 a transversely extending instruck cavity, pocket, or recess 8 is formed, the purpose of which will be later described. The outer shell 5 has formed therein during the stamping out thereof, an instruck pocket, cavity or recess 9, the purpose of which will also be later set forth. It is to be noted, however, that the pocket 9 can be of a less height than the pocket 8 and that the pocket 9 The outer pocket 9 is normally sealed by a closure 24, which in the present instance is connected to the refrigerator by hinges 25. These hinges are of the knuckle type so that when the closure is in its open position, the same will be maintained in a horizontal plane to act as a serving shelf for drinking glasses. The closure can be provided with a marginal flange 26 for engaging the shoulders I9 around. the cavity or pocket 9 and when the door is closed, the same is substantially flush with the outer face of the I refrigerator.

can be provided with a marginal flange or shoulder As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the pocket 9 is arranged directly below the pocket 8 and that the pocket 8 opens into the interior of the refrigerator, while the pocket 9 opens out through the outer face of the refrigerator.

The pocket 8 is adapted to receive a plurality of liquid dispensing jars H and these jars can be formed from any desired material, such as, glass or plastic. Each jar includes a depending neck I2 and a filling spout normally closed by a removable cap l3.

The pockets 8 and 9 are connected by spaced openings l4 and the necks of the bottles are insertable in said openings and preferably extend into the lower pocket 9. Sealing gaskets I5 can be utilized for fitting partly in said openings i l and around the necks of the bottles to reduce breakage when the jars are initially placed in position and to prevent the flow of air between the pockets 8 and 9. The necks can be provided with outwardly extending, diametrically disposed pins I5.

A simple type of valve I! is provided for each bottle neck and each valve can include a casing I8 having a vertical passageway I9 therethrough for the flow of liquid. One end of the casing is provided with a sleeve 29 for receiving a jar neck and this sleeve can have formed therein a bayonet slot 2| for receiving the pins I6. This provides a quick releasable connection between each valve and its neck. A rotatable valve plug 22 controls the flow of liquid through the valve casing and a handle 23 can be provided for rotating the plug.

Obviously, the flow of liquid is directly from the jar to the valve and there is no chance for liquid being trapped in the valve. 7 v

The jars I I can be filled with the desired liquid by removing the caps I3 and one jar can be utilized for water, another jar for fruit juice, and so on.

As the cavity or pocket 8 opens into the interior of the refrigerator, the contents of the jars will be cooled by the air in the refrigerator and consequently by manipulating the valves, cool liquid can be readily had without the necessity of opening the refrigerator door. As the valves are arranged'within the cavity 9 the same can be easily and conveniently manipulated from the exterior of the refrigerator.

Where it is desired to dispense milk directly from the milk bottles, an adapter 28 can be employed (see Figure 4). This adapter includes a resilient body or gasket 29 having a seat 30 for receiving the head on the milk bottle neck and the body carries a cylindrical sleeve 3| which can'be utilized for receiving the dispensing valve.

The jars I I are somewhat firmly held in their operative position by the valves H, but in order to insure theaccidental displacement thereof by the slamming of the door, I can provide a'holding rod 32 therefor. This holding rod 32 can extend across the jars and can be held in place by hooks 33 carried by the inner face of the door or wall of the refrigerator.

A sprin 22' can be utilized for keeping the valve plug 22 snug and tight on its seat at all times. I V

The valve to be attached to the milk bottle adapter 28 is made small enough to go through its opening or port I 4 fromthe inside of the door.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided sin-exceptionally simpleand novel means for incorporating a liquid dispensing and cooling device with a refrigerator, which will eliminate the continuous opening and closing of a refrigerator door and one in which all parts are concealed and protected from dust and dirt. Obviously my device will save from /2 to 1 cubic foot of space in the refrigerator for other foods, which would ordinarily be occupied by bottles, etc.

. Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is: ,5

A refrigerator wall or door having an upper inwardly directed pocket formed in its inner face and a lower inwardly directed pocket formed in its outer face, said pockets being connected at spaced points by openings, removable liquid dispensing jars fitted in said upper pocket having necks extending into said openings, sealing gaskets fitted intsaid openings and surrounding said necks, detachable valves disposed in the lower pocket connected with said necks, a closure for completely sealing the lower pocket and hiding said valves from view, when said closure is-in its closed position, and means for holding. the closure .at rightangles to the outer face of saiddoor when in its fully open position to provide a serving tray. I 1

GEORGE R. TAYLOR.

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