US2319600A - Refrigerator structure - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1943 n, E. HEATH A 2,319,600

REFRIGERATOR STRUCTURE' Filed May 16, 1940 MJ ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1943 A REFRIGERATOR STRUCTURE Dudley E. Heath', New York; N. Y., assignor to Servel, Inc., New, York, N. Y., a corporation of l Delaware Application May 16, 1940, serial No. 335,451

(c1. 2li- 16) 3 Claims.

T he present invention relates to door hinges, and more particularly to refrigerator door hinges of the concealed type.

In certain typesof refrigerator door constructions, as for instance those ofthe household type, limitations in the amount of room space usually available renders it desirable to reduce the extent to which the open door juts beyond the hinge side of the box.

With certain types of inset or splay door constructions, the hinge is designed so that only an outer door rim sect/ion of reduced thickness juts beyond the hinge side, o ft'ne box in open position of the door. However, with'a substantially full or flush fronty door construction (that is, a door which extends substantially flush across the full face of the frame bordering the doorway of the refrigerator box), this type of hinge may not always be practical or applicable. One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerator doorhinge construction.

Another object is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door hinge construction, in which the extent of projection of the open door beyond the hinge side of the box is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a new and improved concealed hinge for a refrigerator door of substantially full or flush frontv construction.

Another object is to provide a substantially full front refrigerator door, having ahinge designed to reduce to a minimum the extent of projection of said doorbeyond the hinge side of the cabinet, when said door is opened approximately 90. n

Another object is to provide a substantially full front refrigerator door, having a hinge constructed to limit the extent of projection of said door beyond the hinge side of the cabinet, when said door is openedapproximately 90, and having means for hermetically sealing the door yin closed position around the outside of the liner or panel openings through which the hinge parts v extend.' n

Among other` objects is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door hinge construction, which is simple in construction with a minimum number of parts,l which is lof extremlyy practical and rugged construction and not likely to get out of order, and which is well 'suited to meet the requirements of economicalmanufacture.

Various other objects 4of the invention will be apparent from the following -particular description, and from an inspection .of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation-0i a refrigerator of the household type, shown with the hinged door open at approximately 90,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through one of the Irefrigerator door' hinge units, embodying the present invention,

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, but showing the door'in closed position, and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The door hinge construction of the present inv vention is shown applied toa .refrigerator I0 of thejamb pieces of said box. The refrigerator box I0 has an inner liner I4 and an outer liner i .post 23 is made-of any \post 2-3. of the screw.

the household-type, comprising arefrigerator' storage box II having a doorway I2 and a door I3 of double wall construction, hinged to one of I5, separated by suitablelheat insulating material I6, and terminating at their front sides in inwardly extending flanges I1 and I8'1'espectively. Framed around the doorway l2, and extending across the gap between theflanges I'I and I8 is a breaker or trim strip 20, made of suitable heat insulatingmaterial such as plastic,

to heat insulate the inner liner I4 from the outel` one I5. For the purpose of firmly mounting they trim strip 20 in position, the rear side thereof has secured thereto by any suitable-means, as for instance adhesive, a block 2|, de sirably made of wood, and extending into `a corresponding groove 22 formed in a side post 23'.- This side suitable material such as wood, and is rigidly vretained between the inner and outer liners I4 and I5, and against the flanges I1 and I8 as shown.

For 'easy assembly of the trim stripr20, thc block 2 I has secured thereto a series of fastening members 24, each shown in the form of a double drive screw, with one section thereof firmlytembedded in said block, andthe other section projecting for Yfastening engagement` with the side The threads'of the projecting section 24v are steep pitched, so that the trim strip 20 can be secured in position by merely hammeringsaid strip, to drive said screw section intothe side post 23. i'

The front vvface of the refrigerator box Il around the doorway I2 is shown slightly splayed or slanted, although as far as certain aspects of square front construction. This slight splaying of the box front assists in the effective sealing of the door Ain closed position thereof as will be made apparent, and for .that purpose, the outer liner I5 extends forwardly beyond the inner liner I4, and the flange I8 slants inwardly to afford an inclined at gasket receiving surface in closed position of the door I3, as will be more fully described. The rimsection 26. of the flange I8 is shown offset and slightly inclined into co-planar position with respect to the slightly inclined iiange I1, so that the trim strip 2l) bearing against said flange section 26 and said ange I1 is also slightly inclined.

The inner side portion of the post 23 is desirably provided with a recess 21 to receive the iiange I1 therein between said post and the trim strip 20, and the outer side of said post may be similarly provided with a recess 28 for receiving the rim flange section 26 between said post and said trim strip.

The door I3, which is shown substantially of uniform thickness throughout, comprises an inner panel or liner and an outer panel 36, separated by suitable insulating material .3.1. The outer panel 36 is shown bent around the side edge of the door I3, and terminates in a rim section 38 on the front face of said door in the same plane with the rim section 40'of the inner panel 35. A trim or breaker strip 4I of suitable heat insulating material such` as plastic is framed over the gap between these panel rim'sections 38 and 40. This trim strip 4I is shown supported in position by means of clamping plates 42, fastened to said `trim strip by means of screws 43, and bearing -v against the inner -faces of the panel rim sections 38 and 40 by the clamping action of said screws.

These panel rim sections 38. and 4I) are only slightly inclined as shown to extend the trim strip 4I substantially parallel to the trim strip 28 in closed position of the door I3 as shown in Fig. 3, so that said door is substantially of full or square front construction.

.The door` hinge construction of the present invention comprises two or more spaced hinge units, each including a pintle 45, supported in a hollow`46y in the hinge side of the door I3 between the panels 35 and 36 thereof, and a hinge aiiixing the hinge leaf 41 with respect to the re frigerator box II, said leaf has a flat section 58,

extending. through an opening 5I in the iiange I1, and secured to a fiat side of the side post 23 by any suitable means asfor instance screws 52. The intermediate portion 53 of the hinge leaf 41 is arcuately curved concentrically with the axis of the pintle 45, and extends through an opening 54 in the inner door .panel 35. The hinge leaf section 56 concealed in the door hollow 46 is desirably fiat and extends radially of the pintle and of the arc leaf section 53.

For supporting the-pintle 45 in xed position with respect to the door I3, there is provided a bracket 6,6, shown with a pair of horizontal angular arms 6I, interconnected at their Aends with walluprights 62, aiilxed tospaced sections of the outer door panel 36 bytany suitable means as for instance by spot welding. The corner sec-V tions of the bracket arms 6I are apertured to receive the endsof the pintle 45, and the knuckle or pintle bearing 48 of the hinge leaf 41 is held for free rotation between said arms.

For hermeticallysealing the door I3 in closed position shown in Fig. 3, said door has affixed thereto a sealing strip or gasket 64, adapted to bea'r against the sealing surface 25 of the liner flange I8 in closed position 'of said door. This gasket 64 is shown provided with a tubular sec-A tion 65, seated on a flat oiset section of the door panel'36 adjoining the rim panel section 38, and has a web 61 clamped between the trim strip 4I and said rim section. I

Thepintle 45 is positioned tom0ve the side 10 of the door I3.inwardly as said door is swung open about said pintle, so that when said door reaches the right angle in open position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer face 1I thereof does not extend its full thickness beyond the outer side of the refrigerator box II. For that purpose, it is desirable to space the pintle 45 a substantial distance away from the corner 12 of the door. Ai; the same time, the pintle 45 should be positioned, so that the gasket section 65 is free to swing with'said door out of sealing position, and without interference from the trim strip 20. With the particular cabinetconstruction shown, it is found desirable to space the pintle 45 substantially equally distant from the three encircling panel walls of the door.

In closed position of the door I3, the side edge 10 therefore will be substantially flush with the corresponding outer side of the refrigerator box II as shown in Fig. 3. As the door I3 is opened, it swings about the fixed pintle 45 and causes the side 10 of said door to move inwardly until said door has been opened approximately 90 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In

this position, the elbow 13 of the hinge leaf 41 will stop further opening movement of thedoor I3, and the outer door face 1I will be substantially flush with the corresponding outer side of the refrigerator box I I, so that said door in open position will not occupy any more side room than it does in closed position. This advantageous result is effected without sliding link connections, or any movable parts which are apt to get out of order.

It should be noted that in closed position of the door I3, the gasket 64 extends on the outer side of the openings 5I and 54, communicating with the insulating space of the refrigerator box II and the door I3 respectively. With the gasket 64 in sealing position as shown, any breathing of the air in these insulating spaces in closed .position of the door will be between said spaces and the refrigerator storage compartment of the box, so that the undesirable condition of air circulation `between these spaces and the air outside of the box is avoided.

As lmany changes could be made in the above claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a door mounting; a refrigerator door of a type having spaced apart wall members and extending substantially to the exterior lateral side walls of a body of a refrigerator so as to overlie the front thereof when the door is in its closed position, the inner wall member having .an opening, a hinge comprising a stationary strap extending through the opening in said inner wal1 member and having one end thereof attached to the body of the refrigerator .t a region adjacent to one of the exterior lateral side walls, a supporting frame carried by said' door in the space between said wall members, said supporting frame being pivotally mounted upon said strap at a region of the latter in front of and spaced from the body of the refrigerator,

the region of said strap at which said supporting frame is pivotally mounted thereon constituting the axis about which said door rotates with respect to the body of the refrigerator, said stationary strap, having a curved intermediate part concentric about the axis of rotation of said door, a sealing strip cooperating between the inner side of said door and the body of the refrigerator to'formr a seal when said door is in its closed position, said sealing strip being so the refrigerator body when said door is moved from closed to open position, the part of said stationary strap projecting from and in front of the body of the refrigerator determining the extent of movement of 'said door when moved from closed to open position, and the distance of said axis of rotation from said spaced apart wall members and the peripheral edge portion of said door at said one exterior lateral side wall being suchv that, vwhen said door is rotated through approximately a right angle from closed erator to forml a seal when said door is in its closed position, the portion of said door between able through approximately a right angle toward the front of the refrigerator body when said door is moved from closed to open position, the portion of said sealing strip in the vicinity of said hinge also being movable. from the region at which it cooperates with the body of the refrigerator toward the part of said stationary strap projecting from and in front of thebody of the refrigerator when said door is moved from closed to open position, so that said door may be moved to its full open position to permit access to the interior of the refrigerator, and the distance between the extreme vertical edge of said door adjacent to said one exterior lateral side wall and the axis of to open position, the overall width of the space I taken up by the body of the refrigerator and` type having spaced apart wall members and ex tending substantially to the exterior lateral side walls of a body of a refrigerator so, as to overlie the front thereof when the door is in its closed position, the inner wall member having an opening, a hinge comprising astationary strap extending through the opening in said inner wall member and having one end thereof attached to the body of the refrigerator at a region adjacent to one o f the exterior lateral side walls, a supporting frame lcarried by said door in the space between said wall members, said supporting frame being pivotally mounted upon said strap at a regin of the latter in front of and spaced from the body o f the-refrigerator, the region of said strap at which said supporting frame is pivotally mounted thereon constituting the axis about which said door rotates with respect to the body of the refrigeratonia sealing strip at the inner sideof said door, said sealing strip being so disposed that, when the refrigerator is viewed from the front, the portion of said sealing strip in the vicinity of said hinge lies between said one exterior lateral side wall of the reirigeratorand the opening in said inner wall member, said sealing strip including the portionin the vicinity of said hinge cooperating with thebody of the refrigrotation of said door being such that, when said door is moved from closed to open position through approximately a right angle, the overall width'of the space taken up by the body of the refrigerator and said door is substantially no greater than the distance between the exterior lateral side walls of the refrigerator body.

3. In a door mounting, a refrigerator door of a type having spaced apart wall members and extending substantially to the exterior lateral side walls of a bodyl of a refrigerator so as to overlie the front thereof when the door is in its closed position, a hinge comprising a stationary strap having-one end thereof attached to the body of the refrigerator at a region adjacent to one of the exterior lateral side walls, a supporting frame wall members, said supporting frame being pivotally mounted upon said strap at a region of the latter in front of and spaced from the body of the refrigerator, the region of said strap at which said supporting frame is pivotally mounted there-.-

carried by sa'id door in the space between said on constituting the axis about which said door rotates with respect to the body of the refrigerator, a sealing strip at the inner side of said door, said sealing strip beingso disposed that, when the refrigerator is viewed from the front, the

portion' of said sealing strip in the vicinity of said cluding the portion in the vicinity of said hinge cooperating with the body of the refrigerator to form a seal when said door is in its closed position, the portion of said door between said one exterior lateral side wall and the axis about which said door rotates being freely movable through approximately a right angle toward the front of the refrigerator body when said door is moved from closed to open position, the portion of said sealing strip in the vicinity of said hinge also being freely movable from the region `at which it cooperates with the body of the refrigerator'l toward the part of said stationary Astrap projecting from and in front of the vbody of the refrigerator when said door is moved from closed to open position, so

' that said door may be moved to its full open posierator.

* DUDLEY E. HEATH.

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