US1496593A - Refrigerator-car ice bunker - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1 Z4- 1,496,593

K. F. NYs'rRbM REFRIGERATOR CAR ICE BUNKER Filed June 2. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 13min);

M I mm June 3, 1924. 1,496,593

K. F. NYSTROM REFRIGERATQR CAR ICE BUNK1JR Filed June 2, 1923' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rnferi r? Patented June 3, 19,24.

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REFRIGERATOR-CAR ICE BUNKER.

Application filed June 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL F. NYsTRoM, a subject of Great Britain, andaresident of Chicago, in the-county of Cook "and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Car Ice Bunkers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates to the ice holding chambers or bunkers of a. railroad refrigerator car and has for its object the provision of a construction whereby a greater radiation is provided and at the same time a more uniform low temperature in the car proper is maintained.

My invention, more specifically stated,

' contemplates a particular t pe of ice holding container or basket a aptable to the ice holding chamber or bunker, whereby a graduated radiating surface is provided which will normally present a greater radi' ating surface than has heretofore been the case and whereby increased air circulation will be obtained as the ice in the bunker thaws or becomes reduced.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bunker provided with metallic walls or partitions and wherein metallic elements are employed, which will maintain proper spaced relation between the ice holding container or basket and the inner side and end walls of the car and the bulkhead.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction whereby the tonnage or quantity of ice for initial charging will be materially reduced while at the same time obtaining the desired temperature, because of the increased or larger radiating surface provided; with the result that a great saving in refrigerating cost is not only secured but a considerable reduction in the quantity of ice necessary is also obtained.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional elevation taken from within the bunker or ice chamber of a refrigerator car, with the left hand side showing the hatch-way and ice holding container or basket in section; the latter being 1923. Serial No. 648,023.

broken away at the right hand side and showing a portion of the bulkhead.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. y

In the. particular exemplification of the invention, the ice holdin chamber or bunker of a refrigerator car is s own, with the walls of the car formed in the usual manner, consisting of the inner and outer sheathing 5 and 6, respectively, with suitable insulating material 7 therebetween; a bulkhead 8 of suitable material being arranged transversely of the car at a suitable distance removed from the end wall of the car. The bulkhead 8 is formed to provide air circulating openings 9 and lO at top and bottom, respectively, as more clearly shown in Figure 3, to permit of'proper air circulation and therefore to enable the desired chilling or refrigeration of the main portion of the car interior and the merchandise therein.

The bunkers or icing chambers are provided with suitable hatchways as at 11 which are closed with cover members and plugs as at 12. The bunker comprises a suitable ice holding container or basket, the.

side and end walls whereof are preferably composed of foraminated material or suitable wire mesh as at 13 which is provided at suitable intervals with metallic members or bars 14, shown in the nature of Z-bars, see Figure 2, disposed from top to bottom at suitable distances apart; the wire mesh or foraminated material 13 being shown secured to the Z-bars or posts 14 by means of the metallic clamping strips 15, disposed on the inside of the basket, which are bolted or riveted to the Z-bars.

The bottom of the bunker or basket comprises a number of metallic beams or channels 16, suitably spaced apart and disposed transversely. These beams 16 are adapted to support suitable racks 17 which constitute the ice holding bottom of the container or basket. The end beams or channels 16 are secured to and supported by suitable shoes or castings 18 which are adapted to maintain a spaced relation between thebottom of the compartment or'drip pan of the bunker and the ice-holding racks 17 of the basket. The shoes 18,- at opposite ends of the basket, namely at the corners thereof, are preferably each formed with a ledge or shoulder as at 19 on which the end beam or channel 16 rests and also with an upstanding flange or lip 20 adapted to extend flush with the outer side of the channel to which it is preferably secured by bolts, rivets, or otherwise. The beams or channels 16, intermediate of the ends of the basket, rest on and are secured to the metallic blocks or shoes 21 which are provided with an upstanding portion 22 adapted to extend between the parallelly arranged adjacently placed beams or channels 16 and to be secured thereto in any suitable manner, as for example by bolts 23 disposed transversely through the adjacent'channels 16 and the. upstanding portion 22 of the shoes.

The shoes 18 and 21 are adapted to rest in the drip pan, shown at 24, adjacent to the sides thereof and may be secured to the pan; the shoes being also formed to provide means whereby a rigid connection with the posts of the bulkhead is obtained.

The ends of the bottom beams or channels 16 are preferably made to extend slightly beyond the sides of the basket so as to extend flush with the; sides of the studding or vertical posts 25 of the end wall of the car 'and with the posts 26 of the bulkhead as more clearly shown in Figure 2.

It is apparent that the arrangement of the elements as just described provides a rigid and firm connection and with the reenforcing Z-bars or posts 14 and the upstanding flanges or lips 20 of the end shoes 18, maintain a spaced relation between the basket and the walls of the bunker whereby proper circulation of air may be obtained.

My improved basket is provided with a suitable number of transverse partitions or metallic walls which are arranged to constitute air passages or flues preferably of graduated height. For example, the basket as illustrated in the drawings is shown provided With three air passages or flues 27, 28 and 29 arranged at suitabledistances apart intermediate of the ends of the basket. These fines are composed of the end walls 30, 30 shown preferably of metallic channels disposed inwardly and an intermediate reenforcing channel 31, while the side walls of the fines are preferably composed of suitable mesh or foraminated metal 32, which will prevent the refrigerant or ice from getting into the air passages or fiues.

The flues 27 and 29, at opposite ends, are preferably of similar height and arranged to terminate a distance below the top of the basket; while the intermediate flue 28 is preferably arranged to extend to the top of the basket as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

All of the fines are made to lead down bene ates tween the adjacently arranged beams or channels 16 and open at the bottom so as to communicate with the air space 33 beneath the bottom of the .basket.

The tops of the flues are preferably closed by means of the gabled sheet metal caps 34 which extend from'end to end of the fines; the caps 34 being-preferably formed as shown to shed the ice and prevent its becoming lodged thereon when it thaws and recedes from the top-of the basket. The end walls or channels 30 of the fiues are disposed within the basket,,thus enabling the Wire mesh side walls 13 of the basket to be continuous throughout the length of the basket if desired. The foraminated sides 32 of the fines are suitably secured to the end walls or channels 30 and the intermediate channels 31, by means of the metallic strips 35 which are preferably bolted to the sides or flanges of the channels as shown in Figures 2 an 3.

,The flues 27 28 and 29 provide a plurality of air chambers whereby an additional radiating surface is obtained which materially increases the refrigerating efliciency over constructions as heretofore employed; while the varying height of flues provides a graduated radiating or chilling surface as the tops and side walls of the respective fines become uncovered through the thawing of the'ice.

As the quantity of ice becomes reduced below the maximum supply of the basket, the upper ends of the different fines are uncovered, allowing the air at the top of the bunker to pass downwardly through the flues; in other words, as the quantity of refrigerant diminishes the radiating surface gradually increases and as a result a more uniform circulation of air is, produced.

As a result of my improved construction, the refrigerating efficiency is materially increased; the number of replenishings and therefore the quantity of ice materially reduced, and agreater uniformity of low temperature i the car obtained than has heretofore been t e case, because of the graduated radiating surface and the practically constant air circulation as the ice supply diminishes. i

The upper end of. the foraminated side walls of the basket disposed toward thebulkhead 8, coincident with the opening or air passage 9, is preferably provided with a covering of finer mesh wire or screen, as at 36, extending throughout the width of the opening 9, for the purpose of preventing the splashing of ice into the car proper through opening 9 while the containers are being charged and at the same time preventing in sects or fiies entering the car proper when the hatch cover and plug are raised or removed from the hatch opening.

The racks 17 of the basket are of size sufficient to fit, respectively, between the end walls of the basket and the adjacent fines 27 mes es and 28 and between the fines 27 and 29 and between the flue 29 and the intermediate flue 28, the ends of the racks resting on the transverse beams of the basket and being held in place by any suitable means, as for example by the hook-bolts 37 which pass through suitable apertures in the flanges or sides of the respective channel beams 16 as shown in Figure 3.

My invention, which has for one of its objects the provision of a receptacle provided with air flues or ducts, has been illustrated in the form of a receptacle or basket having wire mesh walls and with flues having wire mesh walls; but it is apparent that the main walls of the receptacle, as well as those of the flues, may be formed of other material and the number of flues or'ducts may be varied without; departing from the spirit of my invention, which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation.

What I claim is 2- 1. A refrigerator car ice bunker, comprising an ice-holding foraminated container provided with bottom members or beams arranged transversely, with the. members or beams intermediate of the ends of the container being arranged in pairs, at predetermined distances apart, and partitions arranged transversely of the container at points coincident with the diflerent pairs of ottom members or beams, each partition being composed of spaced walls to provide an air flue terminating at the bottom of said members or beams and having openings in and in spaced relation, the transversely disthe side walls thereof.

2. A refrigerator car ice bunker, comprising a metallic container provided with spacing blocks or shoes secured to the container bottom whereby the container is supported abovethe car-floor and in spaced relation with the walls of the car, the container being provided with transversely disposed walls secured to the side walls intermediate of the ends of the container and arranged in pairs posed walls extending beneath the inner iceholding bottom of the container to provide vertically disposed air ducts or flues having their lower ends open to the space beneath the container bottom.

3. In a refrigerator car ice bunker, comprising an ice-holding container having foraminated walls and intermediate transversely disposed foraminated walls arranged in pairs and spaced relation to provide vertically disposed air ducts or flues, the side walls of the container intermediate of the transverse walls of each pair being imperforate, while the transverse walls are extended beneath the ice-holding bottom of the container.

4. A refrigerator car ice bunker, comprising an ice-holding container provided with foraminated walls and transversely extending metallic walls arranged in pairs and secured to the side walls to provide vertical air flues open at the bottom, the wallsof the different pairs extending to different heights in the container, and imperforate spacing members between the walls of each pair arranged at the sides of the container.

5. In a refrigerator car ice bunker, a metallic ice-holdingcontainer provided with rack supporting beams disposed transversely, with the beams intermediate of the ends of the container arranged in spaced pairs, supporting shoes secured to said beams whereby the container is held in spaced relation with the car-floor and in spaced relation with the walls of the car, the shoes secured to the intermediate beams being adapted to maintain spaced relation between the beams of each pair, partitions extending from side to side of the container at points coincident" with the beams arranged in pairs to constitute air flues or ducts open at the bottom of the container, and means at opposite ends of the partitions of each pair whereby spaced relation of said partitions is maintained and closures for the fines at the sides of the container provided.

6. In a refrigerator car ice bunker, an ice-holding wire basket, the bottom whereof is provided with transversely arranged beams in predetermined spaced relation, iceholding' racks removably secured on said beams, supporting shoes secured to said beams for supporting the basket in spaced relation with the car-floor, a plurality of perforated partitions extending transversely of the basket and secured to the side walls thereof, said partitions being arranged in pairs, with the partitions of each pair spaced apart and extending from the beams at the bottom of the basket, the one pair of partitions extending to a height diflerentfrom that of the other, imperforate spacing means at. the ends of the partitions of each pair and at the sides of .the basket whereby air flues within the basket are provided open at the sides and bottoms, and a closure for the tops of said flues.

- 7. In a refrigerator car ice bunker, a foraminated ice-holding basket provided with bottom beams disposed transversely beyond the sides of the basket and adapted to engage with the studding of the side walls of the bunker, supporting shoes secured to said beams to maintain the basket in spaced relation with the car-floor, a plurality of foraminated metallic partitions disposed transversely of and secured to the side walls of the basket, arranged in pairs and extending beneath the inner bottom of the basket, the partitions of one pair extending to a diflerent height from that of the other pair, spacing members secured between the partitions of each pair whereby air passage between the partitions at the sides of the basket is prevented, and a closure member secured to the upper ends of the respective partitions of each pair.

- 8. In a refrigerator car ice-bunker, an iceholdin wire basket, metallic angle members Secure to the outer sides of the basket for maintaining the basket in s aced relation with the Walls of-the bunker, earns secured to the bottom of the basket extending beyond the sides to en age with opposite sides of the posts or stud ing of the car and bulkhead, supporting shoes secured to the beams to maintain the"basket in spaced relation with the car-floor and adapted to support the vertical posts or studding of the bulkhead, the basket being provided with transversely disposed partitions arranged in pairs and extending vertically from the bottom, with the partitions of different pairs extending to different heights, spacing members secured between the partitions of each pair at opposite sides of the basket for pre-,

venting passage of air betweenfthe pair of partitions at the sides of the basket, and a closure member at the top of each pair 0 partitions.

4 KARL F. NYSTROM. Witnesses G. HEIDMAN, F. A. FLORELL.

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