US1993730A - Heat insulating container and material - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1935. w. E. CARPENTER 1,993,730

HEAT- INSULATING CONTAINER AND MATERIAL Filed Aug. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J02, J0 mad r w MS i 1 m 4m w mz m f (I k WSW March 12, 1935. w E, CARPENTER 1,993,730

HEAT INSULATING CONTAINER AND MATERIAL v Filed Aug. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Walk/'1 Car aemier BY a I I PAL-k2 14mm.)

ATTORNEYS and upon the .eflicient manner in which a solid Patented Mar. 12, 1935 HEAT INSULATING CONTAINER AND MATERIAL Walter E. Carpenter, Belm'ar, N. J., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to McCabe Maier Corporation, Newark, N. l., a. corporation of New Jersey Application August 18, 1931, Serial Nets-1,749 9 Claims. (01. 220-9) My present invention, considered from one aspect, is concerned with-the provision of a portable or stationary insulating container capable of retarding heat exchange between the outside air and the contents of the container.

The invention considered from another standpoint is concerned generally with the provision of a composite heat insulating material which may be used wherever heat is to be excluded from or retained within a chamber and in fact may be utilized in building constructions if desired.

The invention insofar as it relates to the container, is capable of embodiment. in many types of stationary or portable units, but finds one of its preferred embodiments in a containerof the character in which ice cream or other frozen comestibles are adapted to be temporarily stored and where the problem involved is complicated by the need for frequently opening the container and admitting air at atmospheric temperatures thereto as the individual packages of ice cream or frozen confections are removed and vended.

In providing a container for this particular purpose, I contemplate the use of certain special means for carrying a refrigerant in operative relationship to the material to be chilled. I further contemplate in the use of permanent installations, the provision of means whereby a circulation of a refrigerating medium maybe continuously maintained in intimate heat exchange relationship withthe inner wall ofthe container.

7 One object of the invention is to provide a container of the general character described above which will combinesimplicity of construction and economyof manufacture, with a high' insulating efllciency. In attaining this object, I rely both upon the construction ofthe container refrigerant is disposed or a liquid refrigerating medium circulated with respect to the material to be kept cool. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a small portable containerlfogedible merchandise of the characterwhich requires a substantially constant temperatui'a which container is sumciently light in weight for convenient transportation and which affords ready access to the contents of the container so that a vendor may quickly remove the goods therefrom. I

Another object is to provide a container of this character which will combine simplicity and ruggedness of construction with attractiveness in appearance and which will be 'of a highly sanitary nature, capable of convenient cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to provide .a heat insulating or heat excluding material in the form of a laminated sheet or board-like structure which 'will be extremely light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture and capable of being conveniently cut to size for use in small, odd, special shaped containers or manufactured in large sheets for use as wall boards or the like.

In accordance with a-preferred embodiment of the invention, the heat insulating ability of the container is attained in large measure by the use of a plurality of wall structures surrounding a central storage chamber, each of these wall structures having a highly polished surface facing outwardly and tending to reflect heat waves. In a typical embodiment of the invention for use as a portable container in which hawkers may carry their merchandise, I may employ a 20 pair of concentric shells, connected at their tops to define a hollow walled,,open-topped vessel, which is closed by a removable heat insulating cover. The cover preferably has a hinged section to provide access to the confections in the 25v container and may support a carrier for solidified carbon dioxide or other temperature regulating medium. The relation between the cover and the carrier is such that with the cover in plac, the heat regulating medium is automatically secured against slipping out of position and coming into direct contact with the frozen comestibles. The space between the two inner and outer shells both of which'have shiny surfaces maybe filled by any suitable number of sheets of my special heat insulating board.

, This board'may be simply constructed, of an ordinary corrugated straw board having its faces covered with foil or the like, which in turn is covered with cellophane or equivalent material, 40 to prevent tarnishing; of the foil. The insulating value of the board is thus enhanced by the shiny .coating on the faces thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention which is particularly useful in connection with stationary containers for use on a counter, may employ a plurality of concentrically spaced can members af- "fording. a hollow series of concentric chambers about the inner can, which'constitutes the chamber for the goods, the temperature of which is to be regulated. A special feature is the utilization of spacer rings of any suitable material, preferably insulating material, between the inwardly turned mouths of the cans. A flanged collar passing through all of the can mouths has a threaded inner end engageable by a nut to clamp all of the can mouths firmly between the rings and hermetically seal them as well-as rigidly spacing the cans the desired distance apart. In this case, the space between the two innermost cans or shells may have brine or other liquid or gaseous temperature regulating medium continuously circulated through it and with either form of container described, the inter-spaces between the inner and outer shells may be filled with an inert gas, such as for instance as CO: to enhance the heat insulating effect. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through one form of container embodying the invention, showing the cover of the container lifted out of the container mouth;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged and. exaggerated view in section through one of the shells to indicate the manner in which the surfaces of the shell are polished;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating an alternative form of container;

Fig. 4 is a reduced perspective view of the cover shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a disassembled view of the laminated heat insulating sheet or board structure used in the container of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I have shown a device which is of special utility as a counter display and container for food stuffs, the temperature of which is to be maintained substantially uniform. This container is built up of a plurality of concentrically arranged can or shell members 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. The shells may be of any suitable cross sectional shape but are preferably squarein order to afford maximum storage capacity. From the inner shell 10 to'the outer shell 10b, the shells are of progressively increasing area in cross section and of correspondingly progressively increasing length.

Each shell is provided with a closed bottom 11 and at its upper endwith a central opening 12. The openings in the various shells are of uniform size and preferably circular. A plurality of spacer rings 13 preferably of insulating material are interposed between the shells at their mouth portions or openings 12, the interior .cross sectional shape of the rings conforming to the cross sectional shape of the openings. These rings serve to space the shells apart vertically to the desired extent and with the use of special clamping mechanism which I shall now describe, to maintain the shells against lateral slippage which might vary their relative horizontal spacing.

The clamping means includes a collar 14 having a flanged outer end 15 to overlie the outermost shell 10d. The collar fits snugly within the spacer rings 13 and within the openings 12 0! the shells and its inner end is threaded as at 16 for the reception of an internally threaded nut 1'1.

When screwed home, nut 17 abuts the inner face of the top of the innermost shell 10 and draws all of the rings 13 tightly together and into snug clamping engagement with the shell mouths. As the nut 17 is tightened, the successive series of shell mouths and rings 13are jammed tightly together against the reactance piece afforded by the flange 15 of the collar 14. There is thus formed, a substantialhv hermetically sealed hollow walled chamber, the hermetic sealing being asmedium to the inner 'faces of the rings at their lines of contact with the shell mouths.

Fitting within the collar 14 is a hollow metal cover 18 provided with an integral handle 19 and formed at its top with a laterally extending flange 20 which rests upon the collar 14, when the cover is dropped into position. This cover flange preferably rests upon a sponge rubber sealing ring With this type of construction, the frozen confections or pieces of ice cream to be stored and vended, may be placed in the container and a suitable amount of solid carbon dioxide or other refrigerating medium dropped into the container on top of the goods to be chilled. The heavier than air gas evolved upon sublimation of the refrigerant will displace the air in the container and serve in well known fashion, to preserve as well as refrigerate the frozen comestibles. The cover 18 fits the collar 14 with reasonable snugness but does not act as a tight stopper which would create or hold any material gas pressures within the container. At times when the cover is removed to permit the withdrawal of one or more of the frozen comestibles, the air which enters the container will be quickly expelled upon further sublimation of the refrigerant.

{is an alternative to the use of a solid refrigerating medium, I may circulate brine or other cooling fluid through the innermost chamber defined by the concentric shells 10 and 10a. For this purpose, I have shown a brine inlet pipe ,21, leading into the top of such chamber and a the article is inverted and the bottoms 11 sol- I dered, welded or otherwise bonded in place. Just before each shellbottom is applied, a small piece of solid carbon dioxide may be deposited on the previously soldered shell bottom, and the CO2 gas evolving therefrom will serve to fill the various concentric compartments with an inert gas of recognized heat insulating value. Other methods, of course, maybe used'for filling the chambers with gas and it is possible to make the can sides and bottoms in one piece and to solder or otherwise bond them to the top sections.

Where the -inlet and outlet pipes 21 and 22 for conveying brine to the innerchamber are utilized, it will be apparent that these pipes serve an additional function in bracing and properly dium rather than a cooling medium may be circulated around the-chamber.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated ina greatly exagg'erated fashion the fact that both surfaces of the shells are highly polished and shiny, the polished areas being designated at 23, and serving as eilicient. heat reflecting surfaces.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have illustrated a device which is primarily intended as a portable container to be carried by street hawkers or peddlers for selling frozen confections. With this form of the invention I provide an inner shell 25 and an outer shell 26 concentric with each other and spaced apart to afford a double walled, open topped container. The tops of the cans 25 and 26 are connected by a circular plate 27 soldered or otherwise applied to provide a substantially hermetically sealed, hollow walled can. The mouth of the can is closed by a suitable cover indicated generally at C and which will be later described in detail.

The shells 25 and 26 like the shells of Fig. 1,

'are highly polished on both surfaces in order that they may efliciently reflect heat and in the space between the shells, I provide any suitable,

- which will tend to reflect heat waves.

In order to safeguard this foil against tarnishing and losing its efliciency, its outer surface is covered with cellophane 33 or is otherwise treated with some tarnish preventing medium. Inasmuch as the material possessesthe ordinary characteristics of a corrugated paper board, it may be readily cut to any size desired.

In the present instance, I have shown a double thickness of this board arranged in the space between the shells 26 and. 25. The two thicknesses of the composite insulating board are arranged in abutment and spaced from the inner and outer shells by the use of corner spacers 34 and 35 encircling the lower corner of the shell 25 and lying within the lower corner of the shell I The spacing is further maintained by the 26. use of spacer members 36 and 37 arranged between the upper edges of the composite insulating sheets 28 and the upper ends of the shells 25 and 26. If desired, the spaces between the shells and the insulating sheets 28 as well as the hollow central portions of the insulating sheets referred, comprises a pair of hollow metallic sec-' tions 38 and 39 presenting flat abutment surfaces 40 and having their top edges hingedly connected as at 41 along the line of abutment. The two cover sections 38 and 39 cooperatively define a square hollow cover and the sections are provided with laterally extending flanges 42 to rest upon the upper edge of the container and limit the extent of projection of the hollow cover into the container. 1

Preferably the smaller cover section 38 carries on its under face, an open ended trough 43 adapted to be filled with the solid refrigerant indicated 'at 44, this refrigerant being customarily wrapped in paper 45 or otherwise encased in order to retard its rate of sublimation. I The weight of the refrigerant aids in preventing the entire cover from being bodily lifted off the container whengthe hinged closure section C is lifted up by its handle 46 to expose the contents of the container. 1

The container may be readily charged by simply lifting up the cover section 39 but for purposes of cleaning or recharging with refrigerant, the entire cover is removed.

The trough 43 extends substantially from one side to the other of the cover section 38. When a suitable amount of solid carbon dioxide is introduced into this trough through one end thereof and the cover replaced on the container, the side walls of the cover automatically act to block sliding movement of the solid 00: out of the trough, regardless of how the container may be tilted.

The use of the holder for the solid refrigerant is particularly advantageous in that it prevents the refrigerant in its solid form from coming into direct contact with the frozen comestibles and thereby prevents the ice cream or other material from becoming too hard.

It will be obvious that the number of sheets of heat insulating material used with the form of invention shown in Fig. 3 or the number of concentric cans or shells used with the form of in-' vention shown in Fig. 1, may be varied to suit the requirements of'the trade or the particular temperature regulating problems involved.

It. will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several features of thisinvention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

I. In a portable container of the class described, a plurality of connected concentric spaced metallic shells defining a hollow-walled chamber having an opening'in its top, a closure for said opening, each of said shells defining with its neighbor a space hermetically sealed fromthe' remainder of the hollow wall, means for introducing and drawing off a heat regulating fluid from the innermost of said spaces only, including passage defining members for the fluid bracing the shells and spacing them apart, having their ends terminating respectively at the outer wall of the innermost spaceand the outer wall of the outermost space.

2. An insulating container including a plurality of concentric metallic shells of progressively increasing cross sectional area and length, the tops 3. An insulating container including a plurality of concentric metallic shells of progressively in-' creasing cross sectional area and length, the .tops

.of all of said shells having openings therein of substantially similar size, spacer rings encircling said openings and spacing the shells apart, a flanged collar passed through all of said openings and ring means coacting with the collar to draw the spacer rings and shells closely together and hermetically seal the various compartments defined by the shells, and a cover fitting within the collar.

4. An insulating container including a plurality of concentric metallic shells of progressively increasing cross sectional area and length, the tops of all of said shells having openings therein of substantially similar size, spacer rings encircling said openings and spacing the shells apart, a flanged collar passed through all of said openings and ring means coacting with the collar to draw the spacer rings and shells closely together and hermetically seal the various compartments defined by the shells, and means for conducting a temperature regulating fluid to and from the innermost compartment cooperatively defined by the shells and spacers.

5. An insulating container including a plurality of concentric metallic shells of progressively increasing cross sectional area and length, the tops of all of said shells having openings therein of substantially similar size, spacer rings encircling said openings and spacing the shells apart, a flanged collar passed through all or said openings andring means coact ing with the collar to draw the spacer rings and shells closely together and hermetically seal the various compartments defined by the shells, and a cover fitting within the collar, all of said shells having heat reflecting surfaces to inhibit heat transfer adjacent compartments.

6. An insulating container having all of the insulating walls thereof defined by spaced concentrically arranged metallic shells, said container including a plurality of concentric cylindrical cans of progressively increasing diameter and length spaced apart so that a series of annular chambers of progressively increasing height are formed around the cylinder and a series of circular chambers of progressively increasing diameter are formed below the bottom or the cylinder, the uppermost edges of said cans being of progressively increasing height and each can including an annular lip extending inwardly at its top, said lip being of progressively increasingwidth to define a series of aligned openings in the top of the container, means to close said openings.

7. An insulating container having all of the insulating walls thereof defined by spaced concentrically arranged metallic shells, said con-' tainer including a plurality of concentric cylindrical cans of progressively increasing diameter and length spaced apart so that a series of annular chambers of progressively increasing height are formed around the cylinder and a series oi! circular chambers of progressively increasing diameter are formed below the bottom of the cylinder, the uppermost edges of said cans being of progressively increasing height and each can including an annular lip extending inwardly at its top, said lip being of progressively increasing width to define a series of aligned openings in the top of the container, means to close said openings comprising a plurality of rings interposed between adjacent shells and encircling the openings and means for clamping all of the rings together.

8. An insulating container having all of the insulating walls thereof defined by spaced concentrically arranged metallic shells, said container including a plurality of concentric cylindrical cans of progressively increasing diameter and length spaced apart so that a series of annular chambers of progressively increasing height are formed around the cylinder and a series of circular chambers of progressively increasing diameter are formed below the bottom of the cylinder, the uppermost edges of said cans being of progressively increasing height and each can including an annular lip extending inwardly at its top, said lips being of progressively increasing width to define a series of aligned openings in the top of the container, means to close said openings comprising a plurality of rings interposed between adjacent shells and encircling the openings and means for clamping all of the rings together, said last mentioned means including a collar flange at one passing through the rings and threaded at its other end and a nut screwed onto the threaded end of the collar.

9. An insulating container having all of the insulating walls thereof defined by spaced concentrically arranged metallic shells, said container including a plurality of concentric cylindrical cans of progressively increasing diameter and length spaced apart so that a series of annularchambers of progressively increasing height are formed around the cylinder and a series oi circular chambers of progressively increasing diameter are formed below the bottom of the cylinder, the uppermost edges of said cans being of progressively increasing height and each can including an annular lip extending inwardly at its top, said lip being of progressively increasing width to define a series of aligned openings in the top of the container, means to close said openings comprising a plurality of rings interposed between adjacent shells and encircling the openings and means for clamping all of the rings together, said last mentioned means including a collar flange at one end passing through the rings and threaded at its other end and a nut' screwed onto the threaded end 01' the collar and a closure member fitting within the collar.

WALTER E. CARPENTER.

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