US1372135A - Water-cooler - Google Patents

Description

C. K. GREEN, WATER COOLER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-25, 1919.

1,3721 85, Patented M31222, 1921.

[l ven/*0)" Char/ca A. Green C. K. GREEN.

WATER COOLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG .25. 1919.

1,372,135. PamntedMar. 22,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

firm/0r Char/e3 A. Green CHARLES K. GREEN, F GAIDSDEN, ALABAMA.

WATER-COOLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1.921.

Application filed August 25, 1919. Serial No. 319,618.

To adieu/10m it; may cancer a Be it known that I, CnAnLaas li. (menu, a citizen of the United States residing at (.ladsdi-zn, in the county of liltowah and State of Alabama. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Coolers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a sanitary water cooler in which a maximum supply of cold drinking water will. be fun nished with a given quantity of: ice. The invention seeks to provide a water cooler for public or private buildings which will. pro vide a constant supply of cold. water Without attention other than re iilenishing the ice, and which may be readily cleaned and freed from the sediment deposited by melting ice. The invention also seeks to provide a device for the stated purpose in which the drinking water will not come in actual contact with theice but will be exposed to the cooling influence of the ice from below the same and all around it.

i T he'invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- l igure 1 is a vertical section of a water cooler embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Figs. 3, a, and 6 are similar views taken respectively on the lines 3-3, l--4;. 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 1.

in carrying out the invention, I employ a main container 1. which may be of any preferred dimensions and form and is illtended to be locatedat any desired point within a building. This container will be fixed in place and from its lower end an outlet pipe 52 will extend to the outside of the building or to any otherplace of discharge, being ordinarily connected with a sewer. The upper end otthe container is normally closed by a cover 3 which will fit closely thereon so that the ice placed within the container will be effectually shut Off from contact with the air. In the bottom of the container 1. I place a supplemental container 4. which will be of a shape corresponding to the shape of the main container 1 and will be supported uponthe bottom of the same by spacing blocks 5 which may be of-a-ny convenient material and will be disposed at such intervals as may be deemed desirable. These blocks will support the inner container or tank out oi contact with the bottom of the main container so that the waste water from the melting ice may cir- 'culate below the supplemental container and pass to the outlet pipe 2. The supplemental container will be of slightly less diameter than the main container lso that a space will be provided between the two containers to permit the circulation of the cooled air and of the water from the melting ice. The supplemental container 4: is closed throughout the extent of all its walls except at diametrically opposite points in its top wall 6 where it will be provided with openings 7 to respectively receive the lower ends oi a nipple or coupling 8 and an outlet pipe 9. Within the said inner tank or supplemental container, I provide a series oi? baflles or partitions 10 which extend in opposite directions from the perimeter of the tank and terminate in spaced relation to the said perlmeter or vertical wall of the tank. As shown most clearly in Flg. 5, these part1- tions or battles are disposed with their free ends arranged alternately at opposite sides of the center-of the tank or the diameter passing between the openings 7. the result being that the water within this tank will be forced to circulate through the same in a tortuous path and its escape will, consequently, be retarded and it will. be held within the tank and exposed to the cooling influence of the ice for a maximum period. The nipple 8 forms a connection between the tank 4i and the lower end of an upper tank 11 which is disposed within the main con tainer 1 and arranged closely to but spaced from the vertical wall of themain coi'itainer, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The nipple 8 furnishes the only. communication between the upper and the lower tank and also aids in supporting the upper tank, additional supports being provided by spacing blocks 12 which are disposedat intervals between the top of the lower tank and the bottom of theupper tank, shown and as will be readily understood. The upper tank terminatesbelow the top of the main container andthe outlet pipe 9 extends up through the inner, ice chamber provided by the upper tank and then extends over the top of the upper tank and out from the side of the main container as. shownat 13:. The outwardly extending branch of the pipe 9. may be equipped with any preferred means for permitting use of the water immediately adjacent the container or may be carried to any desired point where the cool drinking water .9, I provide an inlet nipple 14 which is connected by an elbow 15, containing a cutoii valve, with the pipe 16 leading from the I water main or other point of supply. Midway the height of the upper tank, I provide a horizontal partition 17 therein which has an opening; 18 at a point diametrically opposite the inlet nipple 14;, as shown clearly in the drawings.

It is thought the operation of my water cooler will be readily understood. The ice, indicated 19, is placed within the chamber provided by the lower tank .4 and the inner vertical wall of the upper tank 11 through the top of the main container 1 as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 1. The flow of water into the cooler may be regulated by the valve in the elbow so that, even with the outlet wide open, there will be no excessive flow. and waste of the cold water. The .water flowing through the nipple 14 cannot pass directly to the bottom of the upper tank but will be forced to flow around the same over the partition 17 to the opening 18 through which it will pass to the lower portion of the upper tank. It will through which it will rise.

then be torced-to flow around the lower portion of the upper tank to the nipple 8 through which itwill escape into the lower tank and by reason of the interposition ot the alternating baffles 10 within the lower tank it will be caused to flow in a tortuous path before escaping into the outlet pipe 9 It will be readily noted that the water at no time comes into direct contact with the ice nor is it exposed to the hands of any user'or to anyone who may be placing ice within the cooler or cleaning the cooler after the ice has been. consumed. The ice is in direct contact with the walls of the tanks, however, and the water from the melting ice will surround the lower tank-so that the cooling influence of the ice will be exerted upon the water from the time it enters the cooler until it is drawn therefrom. It is to be especially noted that the tanks are comparatively shallow or narrow so that the entire body of the water will be subjected to the cooling influence of the ice and the chilled walls of the tanks, and the outlet pipe 9 passes upwardlyithrough the body of ice so that all the heat of the water will be extracted The device is exceedingly simple in construction and arrangement and willbe found very durable inasmuch as'there are no moving parts and consequently there is nothing to become disarranged or inoperative; The ice may be very easilyplaeed within the cooler be disposed close to the inlet 16 and the fiowcontrolling cut-off valve arranged in the inlet pipe outside the tank. It the outlet be equipped with a constantly open bubbler, the tanks t and 11 will be relieved of all pressure.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new is:

1. A cooler for liquids comprising a main container, a tank supported on the bottom of the container and spaced from said bot tom, an outletleading from the bottom of the container, an upper annular tank supported by the lower tank and spaced therefrom and in communication therewith. said upper tank defining a chamber to receive a cooling medium means for supplying liquid to be cooled to the upper tank through the top or" the same. means for with drawing the liquid from the lower tank through the chamber defined by the upper tank. and means for eflecting a tortuous circulation of the liquid through the two tanks.

2. A. cooler for liquids comprising a main container having an outlet in its bottom, a tank supported upon the bottom oi": the container in spaced relation thereto and spaced from the vertical wall of the container, a plurality of bafiles within the said tank. said bailles being disposed with free ends of the alternate baflies at opposite sides of the tank, an outlet pipe rising from the top of the tank at one side of the same, an inlet nipple at the opposite side oi. the tank, an upper annular tank connected to and communicating with the lower tank by the said nipple and supported upon the lower tank in spaced relation thereto, said upper tank defining an inner chamber adapted to receive a cooling medium and through which the outlet'pipe from the lower tank passes, means for supplying liquid to be cooled to the upper tank at the top of the same. and a partition intermediate the top and bottom of the upper tank and having an opening therethrough out of alinement with the nipple and with the means for supplying liquid to the tank.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

CHARLES K, GREEN. [11.5.]

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