US2154299A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

April 11, 1939. H. H. BXLER 2,154,299

REFRIGERATOR Filed May 51, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l Iverwtor Harley rl. Bxler;

is ttofrey.

April 11, 1939 H. H. BlxLER 2,154,299

REFRIGERATOR Filed May 3l, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figs.

Irlvertor:

Harley Iixler,

His Attorney.

April ll, 1939.

H. H. BIXLER REFRIGERATOR Filed May 3l, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.

Inventor. Harley H EJixler';

l-Is Attorney.

Patented Apr. :11, 1939 2,154,299

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEFRIGEEATOR Harley H. Bixler, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 31, 1935, Serial No. 24,196

10 Claims. (Cl. 62-116) My invention relates to refrigerators. perishable articles which are particularly sensi- It is frequently desirable, especially in domestive to the effects of dehydration.

tic installations, to provide a single refrigerator Further objects and advantages of my invenhaving separate compartments in which various tion will become apparent as the following detypes of articles may be preserved under the parscription proceeds and the features of novelty 5 ticular conditions of temperature and humidity which characterize my invention will be pointed best suited thereto. A freezing compartment out with particularity in the claims annexed to should be provided in which ice cubes, or the and forming a part of this specification. like, may be frozen in suitable trays and in For a better understanding of my invention.

which meat, and the like, may be preserved at reference may be had to the accompanying draw- 10 a temperature below 32 F. At least one other ings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly compartment should be provided in which vegein section, of a refrigerator embodying my intables and other foods may be preserved at a vention, the top thereof being broken away; Fig. temperature above 32 F. and in air of sum- 2 is a detail sectional view of a control valve ciently high humidity to prevent excessive deincluded in the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1; 15 hydration thereof. Fig. 3 is an exploded View of the refrigerator Refrigerating machines of the prlmary-secshown in Fig. 1 the lower portion thereof being ondary type are particularly adapted for use in partly cut away; and Fig; 4 is an enlarged exrefrigerators of the type described. In refrigploded view, partly in section, of the arrangeerating machines of the primary-secondary type ment for transferring heat between the primary a primary refrigerant circuit is provided which and secondary refrigerant circuits included in includes a primary evaporator supplied with liqthe refrigerating machine shown in Figs. l and 3. uid refrigerant from a suitable source or re- Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 I have frigerant circulating device of any of the wellshown a. refrigerator embodying my invention known types. The secondary refrigerant circuit including a smooth walled rectangular cabinet 25 also includes an evaporator. The refrigerant made up of separable upper and lower sections passages of the two refrigerant circuitsvare not I0 and II respectively. The upper section I0 in communication with each other, but portions of the cabinet is provided with an outer sheet of the two refrigerant circuits are, however, armetal shell I2 and has a rectangular relatively ranged in heat exchange relationship, so that low temperature or freezing compartment I3 30 the primary evaporator abstracts heat from the formed therein by a rectangular sheet metal refrigerant contained in the secondary refrigliner I4. The side walls and top of the liner erant circuit. Because of the independence of Il are surrounded by heat insulation I5. A

the circulatory systems of the two refrigerant plate I 2a of insulating material provided with 5 circuits, it is possible to maintain the evaporaa cent l rectangular opening I2b forms the 35 tor contained in each circuit at a different tembottom, f the upper cabinet section l0. The

perature from the other. The primary evaporalower sectIon II of the cabinet which supports tor may be conveniently utilized for cooling the the upper section I 0 is provided with an outer freezing compartment and the secondary evaprectangular relatively high temperature sheet orator may be utilized 'for cooling the cooling or metal shell I6 and has a rectangular cooling or 40 food storage compartment. food storage compartment I1 formed therein It is an object of my invention to provide a by a. rectangular sheet metal inner liner I8. The refrigerating machine of the primary-secondary 1side walls and bottom wall of the liner I8 are type having an improved arrangement for consurrounded by heat insulation I 9. The upper trolling the temperatures produced by each of edge of the shell I6 is provided with an inturned 45 the several evaporators included in the machine. peripheral flange 20 on which an adjacent in- It is a further object of my invention to proturned flange 2| formed on the shell I2 rests. vide a refrigerator of the type described in- .A recess 22 is formed in the flange 2I extending cluding a refrigerating machine of the primaryentirely about the same and a rectangular rub- 30 secondary type having an improved arrangement ber gasket 23 is mounted therein. 'I'he rubber 50 of the parts thereof which is efficient in operagasket is rmly retained on the upper Surface tion and which is economical to manufacture. of the flange 20 by the weight of the upper sec- Another object of my invention is to provide tion I 0 of the cabinet. An air-tight joint is a refrigerating machine having an improved arthus formed between the upper and lower secrangement for preserving vegetables and similar tions of the cabinet and in that way the ingress 55 oi air to the space between them is prevented. It isdeslrable thus to exclude moisture-laden air from the space between the walls of the cabinet containing insulation both to prevent the formation of frost therein and also to prevent the deposit of moisture in the insulation, because the insulation is usually made of some dry fibrous material the heat insulating properties of which are radically reduced when it absorbs a substantial amount of moisture. A pair of pins 2|a provided in the flange 2| engage complementary holes 29a formed in the flange 20 thus preventing lateral displacement of the upper .cabinet section Ill with respect to the lower section The cabinet, described above, is provided with a primary-secondary type refrigerating machine in which the primary evaporator is utilized for cooling the freezing compartment I3 and abstracting heat from the refrigerant in the secondary circuit while the secondary evaporator is utilized for cooling the cooling compartment I1. A refrigerant liquefying unit which supplies liquid refrigerant to the primary evaporator is also mounted on the separable top cabinet section I0.

'Ihe provision of a refrigerator including` a cabinet made up of separable upper and lower sections containing a freezing compartment and a cooling compartment, respectively, and also comprising a primary-secondary type refrigerating machine for cooling said compartments is not my invention, but is the invention of Christian Steenstrup and is described and claimed in his Patent No. 2,101,656, granted on December 7, 1937, and assigned to the General Electric Company, the assignee of my present invention. My present invention relates to an improved arrangement for controlling the temperature of the compartment cooled by the secondary evaporator, the ventilation of the refrigerator, and an improved heat exchange arrangement between the primary and secondary circuits.

In the refrigerating machine illustrated, gaseous refrigerant, such as sulphur dioxide, is compressed by a motor driven compressor contained in a hermetically sealed casing 24 and is supplied to an air cooled condenser 25 which surrounds the casing 24, the condenser and casing being cooled by natural draft. Liqueed refrigerant is discharged from the condenser 25 through a conduit 26 and passes through a flow controlling float valve 21 to a conduit 28 through which it is supplied to a primary evaporator 29, which is of the flooded type. The primary evaporator 29 includes a cylindrical horizontal header 30 and a series of depending refrigerantcirculatory conduits 3|, which communicate at their upper ends with the header 30 below the normal liquid level therein. The header 30 is maintained about half full of liquid refrigerant, the refrigerant circulatory passages 3| thus being maintained flooded with liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant circulatory passages 3| arev arranged in good thermal contact with the metallic inner liner I4 of the freezing compartment I3 and are distributed over the surface thereof, so that the entire surface of the inner liner I4 is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. The liquid refrigerant contained in the refrigerant circulatory passages 3| is vaporized by the abe sorption of heat from articles contained in the freezing compartment I3, and also by the absorption of heat transferred thereto from the secondary evaporator, as hereinafter described. The bubbles of vaporized refrigerant flow upwardly through the refrigerant circulatory passages 3| of the primary evaporator 29 to the header 30 thereof where they are collected above the Alevel of the liquid refrigerant therein. I'he vaporized refrigerant collected in the header 30 is returned to the refrigerant compressor in the casing 24 through a suction line 32, which is connected to the top of the header 30 and above the level of the liquid refrigerant therein.

The secondary refrigerant circuit includes a condenser portion and an evaporator portion connected in closed series or orbital relation. In the refrigerating machine shown in the drawings, the evaporator portion of the secondary circuit is formed by a secondary evaporator 33 which is utilized to abstract heat from the cooling compartment I1. The secondary refrigerant evaporator 33 includes a horizontal U-shaped header 34 which is circular in cross-section and extends about at least three side walls of the cooling compartment I1. A plurality of depending U-shaped conduits 35 provide refrigerant circulatory passages communicating with the header 34 below the normal liquid level therein. The refrigerant circulatory conduits 35 are preferably soldered to the metallic liner I8 to provide good thermal contact with theI exterior surfaces of the side and rear walls of the liner I8 of the cooling compartment I1. 'I'he refrigerant circulatory conduitsv 35 are distributed over a sufficient portion of the side and rear walls of the liner I8 in order that the entire side and rear wall surfaces of the latter will be maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. 'I'he secondary refrigerant circulatory system also includes a secondary condenser 36, which is positioned adjacent a rectangular opening |9a formed in the top of the insulation I9. As best shown in Fig. 4, the secondary condenser 36 includes a smooth top plate 31 made of flexible sheet metal and a corrugated lower sheet 36. The corrugations in the lower sheet 38 cooperate with the smooth upper sheet 31 to 'define a refrigerant circulatory passage in the condenser 36. The sheets 31 and 38 aresecured together about their peripheral edges and along the contacting portions thereof between the corrugations formed in the lower sheet 38 by line welding, a series of closely spaced spot wclds, brazing, or in some similar manner. The secondary condenser 36 is supported on four helical compression springs 39 which are located adjacent the corners thereof and connected to the secondary evaporator 33 by iiexible conduits so that there will be no interference withA the movement of the secondary condenser 36 upon the helical compression springs 39. The lower endsof the compression springs 39 rest on horizontal supports 49 and 4I which are in turn secured at their opposite ends to the outer shell I6 of the' lower section of the cabinet.

A series of depending'I ribs 42 are provided on the lower side of the primary evaporator 29 extending through a rectangular opening I5a. formed in the insulation I5 and the opening I 2b in the plate I2a, in order to conduct heat from the secondary evaporator 36 to the refrigerant contained in the circulatory passages 3| of the primary evaporator 29. The depending ribs 42 are preferably made of cast iron, or some good heat conducting material, and in the refrigerator illustrated are cast on the lower portions of the refrigerant passages 3| of the primary evaporator 23. A good thermal contact between the ribs 42 and the refrigerant circulatory passages 3| is thus insured.

The lower surfaces of the ribs 42 are so positiofied-\that the springs 33 are partially compressed] when the upper section I of the cabinet is placed on top of the lower section II. As a consequence, the heat conducting ribs 42v are pressed into good thermal contact with the upper surface of the secondary condenser 38. Since the sheet 31 which forms the upper surface of the secondary condenser 36 is flexible, it will closely conform to any irregularities in the lower surfaces of the heat conducting ribs 42.

'Ihe secondary evaporator 33 is of the flooded type and the header 34 thereof is normally maintained about half full of liquid refrigerant, the circulatory passages 35 thereof being thus maintained iiooded. The liquid refrigerant contained in the refrigerant circulatory passages 35 is vaporized by the absorption of heat from the cooling compartment I1 and the bubbles of vaporized refrigerant pass upwardly through the circulatory passages 35 to the header 34 where the vaporized refrigerant is collected above the level of the liquid refrigerant contained therein. 'Ihe vaporized refrigerant collected in the header 34 passes through ,a flexible conduit 43. which is connected to the top of the header'34 above the normal liquid level therein, into the circulatQ-y passages of the secondary condenser 3B. The gaseous refrigerant thus passing to the secondary condenser 36 is liquefied therein by the transfer of heat therefrom through theribs 42 to the primary evaporator 29. 'I'he secondary condenser 36 is placed at an angle, as illustrated in the drawings, in order that the refrigerant liquefled therein will drain by gravity to the lower end thereof at which an outlet 44 is located. Liquid refrigerant passes from the outlet 44 through a flexible conduit 45 to control valve 46, described more in detail below, and then through a conduit 41 back to the header 34 of the secondary evaporator 33. The secondary evaporator 33 and secondary condenser 36 are thus connected in orbital, or closed series relation.

compartment I1 are lprovidedwith openings 48 and 49 which are closed by heat insulated doors SUIand 5I, respectively. Articles to be preserved in the respective compartments may be inserted through these openings. A series of wire shelves l2 are supportedv within the cooling compartment I'I or inwardly projecting shoulders 53 formed in the side walls of the inner liner I8. Trays of water to be frozen, ingredients'for ice cream, or the like, may be placed in the freezing compartment I3, as well as meat and similar articles which are best preserved at temperatures below 32 F. 'Ihe primary evaporator 29 ordinarily maintains the freezing compartment I3 temperature below 32 F.usually within the range from 0 to 10 F. Bottles of milk, vegetables, or the like, may be preserved in the cooling compartment I'I at a temperature above 32 F. and below 50 F. I have found 40 F. to be a desirable average temperature for the air in the cooling compartment I1., It will be noted that the secondary evaporator 33 cools the side and rear walls of the rliner I3 to a substantially uniform temperature,

thus providing a cooling surface of relatively large cooling rcompartment I1.

through the insulation I9 toward the compartment I1. Thus, it is possible to cool the contents of the compartment I1 with a relatively small The freezing compartment I3 and the coolingk atav proper preservation since dehydration is one of y the principal causes of their wilting and taking on an unpalatable appearance. The problem of lmaintaining a small temperature differential between the evaporator and the air in the compartment is particularly important in an arrangement in which fresh air is continually admitted to the compartment as hereinafter described.

In the refrigerator shown in the drawings, the primary evaporator 29Y is also provided witha relatively large cooling area in proportion to the cubic contents of the freezing chamber I3 in,

orderto reduce the-frosting of the walls thereof. That is, if a xed rate of dehydration is assumed, the thickness of the layer of frost formed on the evaporator will be inversely proportional to its area; It is desirable that the thickness of the frost layer be minimized as the frost obstructs lthe passage of heat from the air in the compartment to the refrigerant contained in the evaporator.

The amount of liquid refrigerant contained in each of the evaporators may-be properly proportioned in order to aid in maintaining the desired differential in temperature between the freezing compartment I3 and the cooling compartment I'I, respectively. If sulphur dioxide, for example, is used'as the refrigerant in both evaporators the amount of liquid refrigerant in the secondary evaporator 33 may be proportioned with respect to its total volume in such manner that onlythe lower portions of the conduits 35 are filled with liquid refrigerant. Since theportion of the evaporator 33 containing liquid refrigerant performs the major part of the cooling and this portion of the evaporator is decreased as the amount of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator is decreased, the total amount of heat dissipated from the cooling compartment I1 is decreased and the average temperature prevailing in the cooling compartment is increased. Even when the quantity of refrigerant in the two evaporators are proportioned, as described above in order to maintain the desired differential in temperature between the freezing compartment I3 and the cooling .compartment Il, I have found that there is an undesirable interdependence between the temperatures prevailing in these two compartments. That is, when the primary evaporator 29 is subjected to a heavy load due to warm meat, or the like, being placed in the freezing compartment I3, the amount of heat abstracted from the refrigerant contained in the secondary refrigerant circuit is lowered and, as a conseqeunce, the temperature in the cooling compartment II rises.

' I have provided an arrangement for regulating the temperature of the contents of the cooling compartment I1 irrespective of the temperature prevailing in the freezing compartment I3. This arrangement includes the control valve 46 which regulates the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing to the flooded type secondary evaporator 33 from the secondary condenser in order to v the bellows 59.

maintain the contents of the cooling compartment I1 at a relatively constant temperature. As best shown in Fig. 2l the control' valve 46 includes a cylindrical valve casing 54 having a cylindrical valve seating member 55 rigidly secured in one end thereof. The valve 46 is` mounted on the support 4| by a bracket 54a. A valve seat 56 is formed in the Valve seat member 55 which cooperates with a cylindrical valve element 51 to control the amount of liquid refrigerant ilowing from the conduit 45 through the recess 58 formed in the valve seat member 55 to the conduit 41. vThe butt end of the valve element 51 is rigidly secured to a closed outer end of a flexible metallic bellows 59C The opposite end of the bellows 59 is hermetically sealed to th'e valve seat body 55. The valve element 51 is loosely mounted in a guide bushing 60 which-is rigidly secured in a bore formed in the valve seat member 55 communicating with the recess 58 therein. Liquid or gaseous refrigerant entering the recess 58 from the conduit 45 passes along the groove 51a in the side of the valve element 51 into the interior of the bellows 59. The exterior of the bellows 59 is exposed to atmospheric pressure and when the pressure of the refrigerant contained within the bellows reaches a predetermined value, the bellows is expanded and the valve element 51 retracted from the seat 56, so that liquid refrigerant is permitted to flow past the seat 56 from the conduit 45 into the conduit 41. The pressure of the gaseous refrigerant in the secondary evaporator 33 is transmitted to the liquid refrigerant contained in the secondary condenser 36 since they are in open communication through the conduit 43 and this pressure is in turn communicated through the refrigerant in the conduit 45 and valve 46 to the interior of In consequence, the valve element 51 is caused to move from a closed to an open position when the pressure and hence the temperature of the secondary evaporator 33 reaches a predetermined value, thus admitting additional liquid refrigerant thereto. .When the secondary evaporator 33 reaches a predetermined low value, the pressure therein drops to a corresponding value and the valve element 51 again closes thus shutting off the flow of liquid refrigerant to the secondary evaporator 33. When the valve element 51 is closed liquid refrigerant is accumulated in the secondary condenser 36 and as the condenser fills with liquid, the amount of heat 'transferred therefrom to the primary evapy orator 29 decreases. 'Ihe accumulation of liquid refrigerant in the secondary condenser 36 decreases the heat transfer to the primary evaporator 29 which raises the vapor pressure in the secondary refrigerant circuit thus minimizing the evaporation of refrigerant in the the secondary evaporator 33 and consequently raising the temperature thereof. When the pressure in the secondary refrigerant circuit reaches a predetermined high value the valve element 51 again moves to the open position, as described above,

admitting liquid refrigerant to the secondary evaporator 33.

The temperature at which the bellows 59 will cause the valve element 51 to open and close the valve may be regulated from the exterior of the cabinet by a rotatable operating button 6|, which is rigidly connected to a rod 62 by a coupling 63. The inner end of the rod 62 is connected to a threaded plug 64 by a screw 65. The plug 64 is threaded in a bushing 66 which is rigidly secured in the end of the valve casing 54. 'I'he inner end of the plug 64 is provided with a bore 61 in which a helical compression spring' 68 is mounted. The compression spring 68 bears against a disk '69 rigidly secured to the end of the bellows 59. The position of the, plug 64 in the bushing 66 and hence the biasing force exerted by the spring 68 on the bellows 59 may be varied by rotating the operating button 6I. As a consequence, the pressure at which the valve element 51 operates may be adjusted in this manner, to obtain the desired temperature in the compartment I1.

It is often desirable to preserve butter or similar articles at a temperature above 40 F. but somewhat below room temperature. It is desirable to preserve butter at this higher temperature in order that it will not become too hard for spreading. I have provided a butter compartment 10 within the cooling compartment I1 which includes a cup-shaped shell 1I having spaced sheet metal walls separated by heat insulation 12. The outer wall of the sheet metal shell 1| is welded, or otherwise rigidly secured, to the liner I8 of the cooling compartment I1, the open front side of the butter compartment 10 being closely adjacent the rear side of the door 5|. A fresh air inlet 13 is provided in the side of the butter compartment 10 which communicates with the exterior of the lower cabinet section Fresh air may thus enter the butter compartment 19 through the air inlet 13 and after passing therethrough flows through the openfront of the butter compartment into the cooling compartment I1. An air outlet is provided in the lower, rear wall of the compartment I1 by a conduit 14 which is provided with a bushing 15 at its inner'l and below the ambient temperature of the sur-4 rounding air. The warm airiowing from the butter compartment 10 into-,the cooling-compartment I1 is cooled thereinand the cold air inthe cooling .compartment 1I1,' settlesl toA they bottom thereof from which it passes outwardly through the outlet conduit14..` Freshair is thus continually supplied to the :interior ofthe cooling compartment |1, which aids in Ain aintainingthe relative humidity of the air containedthereinfat a relatively high value, that is, about I% andgdehydration of the .contents is minimized. Such ventilation of the coolingcompartment also .pre-k vents the same frombecoming odoriferousin that the-gases given off by articles being preserved are carried out of the compartment.r The removal of such gases also inhibits the decomposition process. Since the circulation of the fresh air through the cooling compartment |1 is carried on through a rather tortuous circuit, rst through the butter compartment 1D and then through the cooling compartment I1. and only under the influence of convection, the heat loss from the cold air passing through the outletl conduit 14 is not very great.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connection with a compression type refrigerating machine, Ido not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend, in the appended claims, to cover allmodiflcations within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator forcooling said freezing compartment, said primary evaporator extending adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section,

another of said cabinet sections having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said cooling compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, and means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in said last mentioned cabinet section in heat exchange relaytionship with the-portion -of said primary evaporator adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section.

2. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said freezing compartment, said primary evaporator extending adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said cooling compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in orbital relationship with -said secondary evaporator, and means including a plurality of compression springs bearing against the one side of said secondary condenser for resiliently supporting the same adjacent said opening in said last mentioned cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with the portion of said primary evaporator adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section.

3. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing .compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling` said freezing ccmpartment, said primary evaporator extending adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section,

4. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of sep-`` arable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent Walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said freezing compartment, said primary evaporator being provided with a series of heat conducting ribs extending through said opening lin said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said cooling compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, said secondary condenser having a flat upper surface of resilient sheet metal, and means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in said last mentioned cabinet section in a position in which said upper surface of said secondary condenser is in thermal contact with said ribs on said primary evaporator.

5. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said freezing compartment, said primary evaporator being provided with heat conducting ribs extending through said opening in said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said cooling compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, and means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in the last mentioned cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with said ribs on said primary evaporator.

6. A refrigerator comprising a heat insulated cabinet section having afreezing compartmentA therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said freezing compartment, a second heat insulated cabinet section having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said cooling compartment, said first mentioned cabinet section being mounted on top of said second cabinet section, each of said cabinet sections having an opening in one wall communicating with an opening in the adjacent wall of the other section, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship to said secondary evaporator, and means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in said second cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with a portion of said primary evaporator adjacent said opening in said iirst mentioned cabinet section.

7. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable superimposed heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a freezing compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said freezing compartment, said primary evaporator extending adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a cooling compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator including a header extending about at least three walls of said cooling compartment and depending refrigerant circulatory passages communicating therewith for cooling said cooling compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, said secondary condenser being located adjacent said opening in said 'second cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with the portion of said primary evapy ter cooling compartment to said iirst mentioned cooling compartmentand means including an air inlet in a wall of said butter cooling comparte ment and an air outlet in a wall of said first mentioned compartment for Ventilating both of said cooling compartments.

9. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in heir adjacent walls, one of said cabinet sections having a relatively low temperature compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said relatively low temperature compartment, said primary evaporator extending adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a relatively high temperature compartment therein, means including a. secondary evaporator for cooling said relatively high temperature compartment, a secondary condenser, means for'connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, and means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in said last-mentioned cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with the portion of said primary evaporator adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section.

10. A refrigerator comprising a plurality of separable heat insulated cabinet sections provided with communicating openings in their adjacent Walls, one of said cabinet sections having a relatively low temperature compartment therein, means including a primary evaporator for cooling said relatively low temperature compartment, said primary evaporator extending. adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section, another of said cabinet sections having a relatively high temperature compartment therein, means including a secondary evaporator for cooling said relatively high temperature compartment, a secondary condenser, means for connecting said secondary condenser in closed series relationship with said secondary evaporator, means for resiliently supporting said secondary condenser adjacent said opening in said last-mentioned cabinet section in heat exchange relationship with the portion of said primary evaporator adjacent said opening in said one cabinet section, and means including an automatic valve responsive to the pressure in said secondary evaporator for controlling the flow of refrigerant from said secondary condenser to said secondary evaporator.

HARLEY H. Burma.

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