US2625806A - Merchandise display cabinet - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 KENNEDY 2,625,806

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY CABINET Filed March 29, 1950 IN VEN TOR. G. C. KENNEDY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY 'CABINET Garland 0. Kennedy, .Petersbu i Va., assignor of vone-half to Elbert .L. PughandJulianA. Pugh, doing business as lPughs Super Markeit,..Petersburg, Va.

ApplicationsMarch:29, 1950, *S.erial:No.;152,;7-;06 :1 .Qla'im. '(01. 62-89;5)

This invention relates to merchandizing ,and moreparticularly to -.a cabinet fordisplayi-ng and preserving produce, particularly vegetables.

Heretofore, numerous devices of this nature have been proposed in which various means has been incorporated for preserving the produce, among these refrigeration and water sprays, but these prior art devices have presented numerous difficulties, :such as Llacko'f control for accommodating different types of vegetables and vegetables in various degrees of preservation.

7 It is, therefore, .an object .of this invention :to provide a display cabinet in which there .are ,provided troughs .or .bins .for supporting the produce for sale, there 'being also-provided means for subjecting the produce to an exceedingly fine satomized spray of refrigerated :water.

:Itis'a further object .of the invention to provide-adisplay cabinet for producetin whichmeans is provided for regulating the cycle of operation of a water spraying system whereby the produce willibe subjected to such .spray for predetermined periods of time at predetermined intervals.

"It is a further object .of :the invention to pro.- vide a display cabinet for produce in which :ad jacent :portions of the produce may be subjected to a water spray of varying intensity.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a display cabinet for produce in which a refrigerated water spray system is incorporated, the refrigeration for this system being obtained from the normal refrigeration system incorporated in the cabinet and in which the spraying cycle may be either automatically or manually controlled.-

It is a further object of the invention to provide a refrigerated water spray system for use with a display cabinet the refrigeration for this system being obtained from the normal refrigeration system incorporated in the cabinet.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a display cabinet constructed in accordance with this invention and showing the internal arrangement whereby the water supply for the spray system is refrigerated;

Fig. 2, a schematic diagram of the water spray system showing an automatic timer for controlling the spraying cycle connected thereto; and

Fig. 3, a fragmentary detail view showing the manner of incorporating a manual timer or control for the spray system.

With continued reference to the drawing there isshown in Fig. 1 a conventional-produce display cabinet L0 having ;a lower closed body portion .11

provided with access doors l2 which permit ac-.

cess to a refrigerated storage compartment [3 located in the base of thecabinet. This I.compartment is maintained at .a relatively .low temperature by refrigerated coils 14 disposed .therein, the refrigerant for thesecoils being supplied by :a conventional refrigeration apparatus ,not shown.

The cabinet to is provided with an upstanding back wall 15 and an .overhangin' shelf 1.6 which usually serves to conceal a light source for illuminatingthe storage'bi-ns or trays ,Ifl formed .by the upper surface-of vthe .base 11.0.. Traysor bins I! are separated by partitions .18 which normally may be disposed at any desiredlocation in order to accommodate the particular uantity of any specific product to be displayed. The upstanding back :wall J5 is provided with a front panel 19 which may-comprise a mirror or which mayserve to receive advertising material and :this panel also serves .to conceal refrigerating coils v 20, -re1,a--

tively Warm air being supplied to these coils through louvres 2| adjacent the top .of the back wall and beneath the shelf l6, the air cooled by coils 20 flowing outwardly through louvres 22 adjacent the rear of the trays or bins I! to cool the produce disposed therein.

It has been found in practice that produce is maintained in a fresh and palatable condition for an appreciably greater time by providing a spray of refrigerated water which is projected over the top of the produce in the form of a relatively fine mist which settles thereon and which materially contributes to the appearance and condition of the produce. It has also been found that the quantity of Water utilized and the duration of the spray period is directly affected by the type of produce and by the condition thereof and consequently in order to provide an apparatus which takes advantage of this situation, there is disposed adjacent each tray or bin I! a spray nozzle or head 23 through which refrigerated water is projected in the form of a relatively fine atomized spray or mist.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the spray system comprises a manifold or header 24 to which is attached a plurality of pipes 25 each leading to a spray nozzle or head 23. Also incorporated in each pipe 25 adjacent the nozzle 23 is a valve 26 provided with a finger engaging lever 21 which permits convenient individual adjustment of the output of each nozzle 23.

The manifold or header 24 is connected by a 3 conduit 28 to a coil 29 disposed within the base ID of the refrigerated cabinet which serves to control water flowing therethrough. The coil 29 is connected by a conduit 3|] to a solenoid operated control valve 3| which in turn is connected through astrainer 32 to a main shut ofi valve 33 and a water supply conduit 34. The solenoid operated control valve 3| is connected by a suitable cable 35 to an automatic timer 36 which may be set by means of control knobs 31 to open the valve 3| at predetermined intervals and for a predetermined period of time, thus permitting water to flow from the supply conduit 34 through the cooling coil 29 and be expelled'from the spray nozzles 23. At the completion of the'spraying interval, the timer 36 closes the valve 3| and flow of water ceases. The timer 36 is connected by a suitable cable 38 with a conventional electrical outlet 39.

Where automatic operation of the spraying system is undesirable or unnecessary, a manual switch control, shown at 40 in Fig. 3, may be connected from the outlet 39 through cables 38 and 35 with the solenoid operated valve 3|, manual operation of the control buttons 4| serving to control the operation of the valve 3| and the flow of water through the system.

It will thus be seen that by the above-described invention there has been provided a completely automatic means for depositing a fine mist or spray of water on produce displayed for sale in a refrigerated display cabinet and in which the spray for any particular type of produce may be conveniently regulated. It will also be seen that installation of such a device in a conventional display cabinet is relatively simple and takes advantage of the refrigerating features'thereof to cool the water for the spray system.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this invention without departing either from the spirit or scope thereof and, therefore, this invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings'or by that which is described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A merchandise display cabinet comprising a hollow base having a back wall and a sloping top wall for supporting produce thereon, the back wall of said base projecting beyond said top wall, a front panel positioned forwardly of said back wall and projecting upwardly from said top wall to provide a passage between said front panel and said back wall and communicating with said hollow base, said front panel having openings at the upper and lower edge portions thereof providing for the passage of air therethrough, cooling means located between said back wall and said front panel for cooling the warm air admitted through the openings at the upper edge portion of the front panel and discharging through the openings at the lower edge portion, additional cooling means positioned in said hollow base, a plurality of spray nozzles mounted on said base adjacent to said front panel and projecting forwardly thereof, a water coil disposed in said hollow base in heat exchange relation with said additional cooling means and connected to said spray nozzles, and means for supplying Water to said water coil, whereby said additional cooling means precools said water before its discharge through said spray nozzles and cools the top wall which supports the produce.

GARLAND G. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Tully June 21,

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