US2009142A - Refrigerating display case - Google Patents

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My 239 w35. J. E. MARSH, .mi

REFRIGERATING DISPLAY CASE Filed March l5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l S No: nca ,6r

J. E. MARSH, JR

REFRIGERATING DISPLAY CASE Filed March 15, 1955 2 SheetsSheelt E FWG..

(blauw Patented July 23, 1935 i UNITED STATES PATENTK OFFICE l REFRIGERATING DISPLAY CASE Julius Everett Marsh, Jr., High Point, N. C.

Application March 15, 1935, Serial No. 11,363 s claims. (ci. .2o-565) This invention relates to improvements in refrigerating display cases such as are commonly used fo;` the display and storage of meat or any other food products in grocery or similar stores.

More particularly this invention relates to means for preventing condensation or frost from forming on the windows oi' display cases.

Prior to this invention numerous window constructions have been designed which were intended to accomplish this purpose. These windows usually consist of a plurality of glass panes which are spaced apart and are sealed in window frames to form airtight compartments between the individual glasses. It has also been suggested to replace the moist air in these compartments by articially dried air through valves in the walls of the compartments and to close the valves by means of screw-threaded plugs.

Various constructions are also known for mounting the individual glass panes in window frames consisting of a variety of materials, such as rubber stripping in combination with wood molding, various putties and cements.

IThe primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure which is animprovement of the usual manner and means of mounting and sealing a plurality of glass panes with respect to each other and against the outer atmosphere so as to obtain a plurality of airtight compartments. Another object is to remove the air from airtight compartments between glass panes, to replace the same by carbon dioxide gas and to seal the compartments after the replacement. Another object is to provide adjustable means for subjecting the sealing means of such airtight compartments to pressure to insure a perfect and permanent closure. Another object is to obtain a unitary structure of multiglazed windows which is complete in itself and which can be easily manufactured and assembled. 'Ihis unit can be safely and easily transported and installed in displayr cases or any other places where such windows are desired.

Another object of the present invention is toy prevent the destruction of the mounting and sealing means from shocks, vibration or pounding.

" It has been found by long experience that the p known means for mounting and sealing the individual glass panes are unsatisfactory in various respects. After continued use for some length of time, air and moisture would seep into and deteriorate the sealing means, and `consequently air and moisture would enter the compartments between the glass panes. To overcome or neutralize any seepage of moist air into the compartments,

the prior art provides various means, for instance, continued or repeated circulation oi' dry air in the compartments, repeated evacuation of the compartments, or the inclusion of materials in the spaces between the glasses which are able to 5 absorb moisture from the atmosphere in these spaces.

The present invention is designed to overcome all these and other disadvantages of the prior art constructions. A compartment once properly 1o sealed will remain that way, the sealing means are not aiected by any vibration or pounding and the gaseous filling which does not condense under changes of temperature remains undiluted by moisture and air. y 15 Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following disclosure and claims forming a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section showing parts of 20 the glass enclosed compartments and the various sealing means.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the exterior pressure strip.

Fig. 3 is a section on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2. 25

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the Hinterior pressure strip. f

Fig. 5 is a section. on lines 5-5 of Fig. 4, While Fig. 6 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 1 and showing a modification of my inven- 30 tion.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in- Figs. 1 to 5, 2 designates the front wall of a display case of the usual construction having outer and inner liners 4 and 6 of insulat- 35 ing material such as fiber board, pressed wood or the like and a liner 8 of galvanizediron or similar material secured to the face of the inner liner 0.

An exterior rectangular frame member l Il made of steel or similar material comprises a channel 4o portion l2 formed by an outer flange l and an inner flange l 6. Flange lll is of rectangular crosssection and is bent upon itself so as to form a' layer of double thickness. Holes I8 are provided.

in this flange for the insertion of screws 20. A 45` v the wall 2 of the display case proper.

Fig. '1.

.l the frame IIJ thereto. An endless molded rubber stripping 36 containing channels 38 rests against the liner 34 and is surrounded at one side by the protruding portion 28 of the frame I8 against which it abuts. Glass panels 40 are inserted in the channels 38 which tightly but resiliently grip the same, forming airtight compartments 42 between adjacent glasses. Two exteriorly threaded valve tubes 44 are located in each compartment, one at the to-p near one side thereof and the other at the bottom near the opposite side. These valve tubes extend from the interior of the compartments 42 through apertures in the` molded rubber stripping 36 and similar apertures in the liner 34 into a recess 46 which may be provided in the liner 34 or in The valve tubes 44 are suitably tightened to the stripping 36 and the liner 34 by means of resilient wash-' ers 48 and nuts 50. Valve 'caps 52 carrying resilient washers 54 are screwed over the end of the valve shaft for providing an airtight closure for the same after the complete window structure has been assembled.

An interior rectangular channel-like frame 56 of steel or similar material of a shape similar to frame I0 is provided with an exterior flange 58 and an interior protruding flange 60. Screws 62 pass through holes 64 in the frame 56 for adjust-ably securing the frame to the liner I2 and compressing the stripping 36. It is obvious that by this compressing action the stripping is pressed against the individual glass panes 4l) insuring an absolutely tight and permanent closure of the compartment 42.

After assembling the complete window unit, carbon dioxide gas is passedthrough one of the valves 44 of each compartment 42 for removing the atmosphere from the compartment through the corresponding valve in the other side of the compartment. After completely removing the atmosphere and substituting the same'by carbon dioxide gas the two valves 44 of each compartment are closed by means of the valve cap 52. The complete window assembly is now ready for its insertion into the display case to which it is secured by means of the screws 26 in the exterior frame I 0.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, a U-shaped liner 34' of steel or similar material is used in place of the liner 34 of insulating material of the preferred form of the invention shown in An exterior frame member I 0 has an outer vshort flange I4 and an inner protruding flange I 6. A rectangular extension 22' on the outer flange I4' fits into a cut-out portion or groove 23vof the liner 4 and issecured to the wall 2 ofthe display case by screws 26, while the inner side of the flange I6 bears against the molded rubber stripping 36. Due to the U shape of the liner 34' a space 46 is obtained for the location of the valve 44 and its securing and sealing members 48, 50,52 and 54.

It will readily be seen that by my new invention any seepage of air or moisture into the compartments or of carbon dioxide gas from the compartments is completely and permanently avoided. It will also be seen that by the invention a unitary window structure is formed which is complete in itself. This complete structure can be built independently of the body of the display case, the display window can be transported separately from the display case, breakage of glass panes can therefore be better avoided, and the complete unit can be installed without difficulty in the display case at the place where the case is intended to be used. By my new invention itis likewise possible to replace broken display windows of display cases or the like easily at their place in the store without sending the complete case to the manufacturer or repair shop.v

The form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is preferred to the form shown in Fig. 6 because the insulating liner 34 prevents the conduction of heat or cold through the window frame. Otherwise a frosting of the edges of the outer pane of glass might take place.

The molded rubber stripping is used not only for the sealing of the compartments but also to lessen shocks or Vibration to which the display case or the window frame might be subjected.

I claim: v

1. A self-contained windo'w unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, said frames having flanges thereon, an endless molded rubber stripping between said frames, said flanges closely surrounding and gripping 'said stripping, said stripping having endless grooves therein, a plurality of glass plas resting along their edges in said grooves and being-snugly surrounded by the walls of said grooves, adjustable means on said interior frame for adjusting the distance between said frames and for compressing said rubber stripping, and means on said exterior frame for securing said complete unit in a window opening.

2. A self-contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, a plurality of glass plates in spaced relation between said frames, resilient means between said frames, said glass plates resting along their edges in said means and being snugly surrounded thereby, so`as to form airtight compartments between adjacent glass plates, means for replacing the atmosphere in said compartments by carbon dioxide gas, said means comprising valves extending through said resilient means and into said compartments, means for sealing said valves, adjustable means on said interior frame for compressing said resilient means, and means on said exterior frame for securing said complete unit in a window opening.

3. A self-contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, said frames having flanges thereon, an endless molded rubber stripping between said frames, said flanges closely surrounding and gripping said stripping, said stripping having endless grooves therein, a plurality of glass plates resting along their edges in said grooves and being snugly 4surrounded by the Walls of said grooves so as to form airtight compartments between adjacent glass plates, valves extending through said stripping and into said compartments, means for sealing said valves, adjustable means on said interior frame for adjusting the distance between said frame and for compressing said rubber stripping, and means on said exterior framev for securing said complete unit in a window opening. Y f

4. 'A window comprising an exterior and an interior frame, heat insulating means between said frames, means on said frames for securing said frames to said heat insulating means, a plurality of glass plates in spaced relation between said frames, resilient means between said frames, said glass plates resting along their edges aooamz Y 3% in said resilient means and being snugly surrounded thereby and adjustable means on said interior frame for compressing said resilient means.

5. A self-contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, heat insulating means between said frames, means on said exterior frame for securing said frame to said heat insulating means, a plurality of glass plates in spaced relation between said frames, resilient means between said-frames, said glass plates resting along their edges in said resilient means and being snugly surrounded thereby, means on said interior frame for adjusting said frame with respect t said heat insulating means and for compressing said resilient means.

6. A self-contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, heat insulating means between said frames, means on said exterior frame for securing said frame to said heat insulating means, a plurality of glass plates in spaced relation between said frames, resilient means between said frames, said glass plates resting along their edges in said resilient means and being snugly surrounded thereby, means 0n said interior frame for adjusting said frame with respect to said heat insulating means and for compressing said resilient means, said interior frame being secured to said heat insulating means, and means on said exterior frame for securing the complete unit in a window opening.

7. A self-.contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, heat insulating means between said frames, means on said exterior frame for securing said frame -to said heat insulating means, a plurality of glass plates in spaced relation between said frames,

resilient means between said frames, said glass plates resting along their edges in said resilient means and being snugly surrounded thereby, means on said interior frame for adjusting said frame with respect to said heat insulating means and for compressing said resilient means, means on said interior frame for guiding the same with respect to said heat insulating means, said interior frame being secured to said heat insulating means, and means on said exterior frame for securing the complete unit in a window opening.

8. A self-contained window unit comprising an exterior and an interior metallic frame, said frames having flanges thereon, heat insulating means between said frames, means on said exterior frame fof securing said frame to said heat insulating means, an endless molded rubber stripping between said frames and resting on said heat insulating means, said iianges closely surrounding and gripping said stripping, said stripping having endless grooves therein, a plurality of glass plates resting along their edges in said grooves and being snugly surrounded by the walls of said grooves so as to form airtight compartments between adjacent glass plates, said heat insulating means having apertures therein, valves secured in said apertures and extending through said stripping and into said compartments, means on said interior frame for adjusting said frame with respect to said heat insulating means and for adjustably compressing said rubber stripping,l means onV said interior frame for guiding the same with respect to said heat insulatingmeans, said interior frame being secured to said heat insulating means, and means on said exterior frame for securing the complete unit in a window opening.

JULIUS EVERETI MARSH, JR.

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