US2617481A - Closure for open-top refrigerator cabinet - Google Patents

Description

A. V. FROHNAPEL CLOSURE FOR OPENfTOP REFRIGERAT'OR CABINET Nov. 11, 1952I 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 original. Filed Jun` 13, 1947 Nov. 11, 19.52

,A. v. FROHNAPEL CLOSURE FOR OPEN-TOP REFRIGERATOR CABINET 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 original Filed 'June 15. 1947 INVENroR. @5411 KFM/4PM Anm? Patented Nov. 11, 1952 cLosURE Foa OPEN-'rop REFRIGERATOR CABINET Alvah V. Frohnapel, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Original application June 13, 1947, Serial No.

754,376. Divided and this application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,187

` 2 Claims. i l

This invention relates generally to refrigeratlng apparatus and particularly to ice cream cabinet lids.

This application is a divisionof my co-pending be of any suitable type.. is preferably provided between theinner and outer lid pans 32, 34 to decrease heat leakage into the storage compartment .0f the cabinet.

The inner dish-like lidl (Cl. 1GO-232) member 32 is preferably made of a materialv of low heat conductivity, such as phenolic plastic whereas the outer lid pan 34 is a 'composite ystructure oi two, secured together metal sheets application, Serial No. 754,376, now Patent No. 35,36. O-f these metal sheets, the inner sheet '35 2,592,412, filed June 13, 1947. is preferably made of relatively thick sheet steel One of the objects of the present invention is to provide strength and rigidity to the lid and the t0 provide an improved pair of hinged-together other or cuter sheet 3S is made of a relatively lids for closure of ice cream cabinet openings. thin sheet of corrosive resistant material, such as Another object of the invention resides in the stainless steel. As shown, the stainless steel sheet sealing of the joint between opposed, hinged- 36 lies flat against and conforms to the outer together edges of a pair of ice cream cabinet lids. contour of the Vinner steel sheet 3S, the pan 34 Another object of the invention is to provide and itscomplementary rust'resisting cover sheet an improved arrangement of a pair of hinged- V36 preferably being slightly arched or curved together lids, hinge and seal to facilitate assemoutwardly to give added strength and rigidity bly of -the parts and provide efficient, convenient thereto. Preferably, the sheets of the outer pan to use closure lids. are welded together prior to assembly of the lid Further objects and advantages of the present parts. invention will be apparent from the following Preferably, the 1ids28 are of rectangular shape description, reference being had to the accomin cross section, the inner pan 32 thereof havpanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of ing a bottom 40, opposite sides 42 and opposite the present invention is clearly shown. ends 44 and 46. The pan sides.42, end 44 and In the drawings: bottom 40 are formed or molded integral and Fig. 1 is an end View of an ice creamvrefrigerare provided with an outwardly directed, marator cabinet embodying features of myv invenginal portion or flange 48 extending along the tOn; upper edges thereof. The other end 46 of the Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, plan view of the relid inner pan 32 is preferably a separately made frigerator cabinet including a pair of hingedpart which in addition to forming an end of the together cover lids; lid, supports the hinge 30. This end member 46 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the lids, 30 of the inner pan 32 is preferably of general chantaken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2; nel shape in cross section for strength and rigid- Fig. '4 is a sectional view of the lids at the ity having a web, upper and lower inwardly dihinges, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; rected marginal portions or flanges 5D, and oppo- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, isometric view of the site end flanges 5l. The hinge supporting end hinge; 35 46 of the lid may have its bottom flange 50 and Fig. 6 is an isometric view partly broken away end flanges 5I respectively cemented tc the botand in section of one of the lids; tom and sides 42 of the inner pan or these Fig. '7 is a sectional view of one of the lids, parts may be secured together in any other suittakenl along the line 1 1 of Figure 2; and able manner. The upper flange 5| of the lend Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross sec- 40 members 46 is substantially co-planar with the tional view of the lid hinge. outwardly directed marginal portion or flange 48 In the drawings, there is shown, a refrigeratof the lid inner pan. An inwardly offset,- outer ing apparatus cabinet 20 of a type suitable for marginal portion or flange 54 of the outer lid storage of ice cream, package goods, etc. The member 34 overlaps and seats on the flanges 48, cabinet 20 may be of general rectangular shape 45 50 of the lid inner pan 32. These overlapping, in cross section having side walls 22, end walls outer marginal portions of the lid together with v24 and a top wall 26. In the cabinet top wall alsealing gasket 56 are received and clamped 2E, a. number of openings 21 provide access to the together by a clamping strip 60 which also funcstoragecompartment of the cabinet, the opentions as a finish or trim strip. The gasket156 ings each being closed by a pair of covers or lids extends along the-lid sides 43 and end 44, against 28 connected together by a hinge 30. the underside of the lid ange 48 to seat on the Each of the cabinet lids 28 is of composite conupper surface of the cabinet top wall when the struction and comprises in general, an inner dishlid is closed, as shown. The clamping and finish like lid member QI' pan 32 and an. outer lid memstrip 60 is U-shaped in cross section to receive ber or pan 34. Heat insulation 38, which may the overlapping outer marginal portions of the lid pans 32, 34 and of the gasket 56. Also, the

Clamping and finish Strip is U-.shapedas seen in the plan view of the cabinet (Fig. 2),; the clamping strip extending along the side and one end edge of the lid or along all but the hinge end of the lid. With the lid parts held together, such as by a suitable jig (not shown) the U-shaped clamping strip B may be slid endwise over the lid pans and gasket marginal portions after which the sides of the U-section clamping strip are forced or pressed together under suitable pressure to hold the lid parts together. outer marginal portions of the inner and outer lid pans at the hinge end of the lid are secured together by the lid hinge 30.

'Ihe hinge 30 comprises, a pair of elongated hinge or butt members 62 and a pliable or flexible connecting member 64. As shown in Fig. 2, the hinge butts 62 are laterally positioned in spaced, parallel relation and are connected together by the pliable connecting member 64, the hinge extending along substantially the entire length of the lid hinge ends. The hinge butt connecting member 64 may comprise a strip of suitably pliable material preferably a durable and somewhat flexible material, such as, rubberized fabric. In order to provide an inexpensive, lightweight hinge, I make the hinge butts 62 of thin sheet metal, formed, as will later be seen, to be secured to the connecting member 64 without need of exposed fastening means. The hinge members 62 are each of angle shape in cross section having a pair of legs 56 and 68. The legs 65 of the hinge 3l] are respectively secured flat against opposed surfaces of the lid hinge ends 4S, preferably by countersunk screws 10. The hinge butt legs E8 are reversely bent back in spaced relation thereto forming channels 12 in which opposite marginal side edge portions -of the rubberized connecting member t4 are received and held. In the legs 68 of each hinge butt, a plurality of longitudinally spaced weld projections or bosses 'I4 is provided which extend respectively through a plurality of apertures 15 provided in the rubberized connecting member 64, the projections 'I4 extending to the underside of the reversely bent leg portions of the channels '12. versely bent leg portions of the channels 'I2 are forced inwardly against the rubberized connecting member 64 which is then somewhat displaced or is under pressure and the sides of the channels `I4 are then Welded together, thus securing the hinge butts to their connecting member 64 without need of exposed fasteners. Preferably the opposed edges of the channels 'i2 are bent downwardly, as at Il, to embed in the rubberized connecting member 64 to aid in attaching the parts together and further to avoid having rough, exposed edges of the hinge on which the hands may be scratched or out. The upper leg of the hinge butt 62 overlaps and seats fiat against the outer marginal portion of the lid outer pan 34 holding the outer lid pan to the hinge end wall 46 without need of screws or other and similar fasteners. To aid in holding the outer and inner lid pans 32, 34 together at the hinge end of the lid, I form the angle hinge butts with an acute angle so that the legs S8 are forced apart to conform to the upper, exterior right angle of the lid end 46 when the screws are drawn down, thus tensioning the legs so that a downward force is exerted by the hinge leg 63 on the marginal portion of the outer pan 34, clamping the pan along this margin to the upper flange 50 of the lid or hinge supporting end 45. At opposite ends of each of the hinge butts, extended, down- Wardly offset end portions I6 engage respectively 'in the U-section clamping and finish strip sides The,

4 48 Where a single screw and nut is provided adjacent each end of the clamping strip, securing the inner and outer lid pans 32, 34, gasket 56 and hinges together.

In the opposed outer surfaces of the lid hinge ends 4B, I provide oppositely disposed, elongated a resilient seal 82, preferably a tubular shaped member of rubber or rubberized material which,

, when the lids are closed engages in the recess In assembling the hingethe rey of the adjacent lid sealing the joint therebetween.

From theforegoing description, it will be noted that I have provided an improved ice cream cabinet lid of inexpensive light weight construction, yet one which is 'strong and durable. Also, I have provided a composite lid construction which may be readily assembled due to the interconnecting relationship of the parts which eliminates largely the need for exposed fasteners to connect the parts together. In this connection, I have provided a pair of hinged together lids in which the hinge serves to hold the lid parts together. In addition I have provided a pair of hinged together lids having provisions for sealing the joint therebetween when the lids are closed.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A refrigerator cabinet closure member comprising, a pair of lid members having in closed position opposed end walls and coplanar top flanges, a pair of rigid hinge butts secured solely to said end walls respectively and overlying said flanges, top panels having marginal portions respectively overlying and clamped to said anges by said hinge butts, and a flexible hinge member having opposite edges received and secured in said hinge butts.

2. A refrigerator cabinet closure member comprising, a pair of lid members having when in closed position opposed end walls and coplanar top fianges forming a pair of external upper corners, a pair of angle hinge butts fitting complementary to said corners and secured solely to said end walls, a pair of opposed retainer cha-nnels respectively carried by said hinge butts above said top flanges, separate top panels having marginal portions clamped by said angle hinge butts respectively to said Vcoplanar top flanges, and a flexible hinge member having opposite marginal portions clamped in and to said retainer channe s.

ALVAH V. FROHNAPEL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,990,871 Kloek@ Feb. 12, 1935 2,210,652 Dennett Aug. 6, 1940 2,331,512 Siedsclag Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Y Number Country Date 29,305 Great Britain A. D. 1906

Images