Walk-in cooler construction

• US 4,109,984 A
• Filed: 12/27/1976
• Issued: 08/29/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nemesio N. Gandara
• Original Assignee: Nemesio N. Gandara
• Inventors: Gandara, Nemesio N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US05/754,882
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 312/116, 312/236, 312/214, 312/250, 312/60, 312/61, 312/72, 211/49 D, 52/246, 62/266
• US Class Current: 312/236
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 13/00 Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/00 Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled

Abstract

A walk-in cooler construction designed to be built into a corner of a room which is complete in and of itself together with hydroplaster walls, fiberglass and urethane insulation throughout, and at least one insulated entrance door. The cooler is complete with refrigeration unit of sufficient cooling capacity to keep the entire inside thereof at a desired low operating temperature. Provision is made to have a plurality of beverage can-supporting racks mounted adjacent multiple access doors for permitting a large number of cans of beer and the like to be kept at sufficiently cool temperture ready for immediate dispension and drinking thereof. A structure is also provided for supporting a plurality of draft beer kegs together with appropriate dispensing means therefor. Lighting structure, shelf and drain structure also are provided. Several modifications of the dispensing rack structure are also included.

Claims

1. In a walk-in refrigerator having insulated walls, at least one of the walls having entry door therein for entry into the interior of the refrigerator, the improvement comprising:

at least one access door provided in a wall of the refrigerator, the access door being operable from exteriorly of the refrigerator; and

,

dispensing means for storing and sequentially dispensing cans maintained within the refrigerator, the cans being dispensed through the access door on opening of said access door, the dispensing means comprising a plurality of at least partially enclosed guide members having curved surfaces on which the cans are adapted to roll, support members to which the ends of the guide members are mounted, and direction-reversing means for guiding the cans from an upper guide member onto a lower guide member at adjacent ends of said guide members, said guide members comprising adjusting means at the respective ends of said guide members for adjusting the flow of cans therethrough, the direction-reversing means being mounted to the adjacent ends of said guide members and to one of the support members, the dispensing means having an exit end formed of the lowermost end of the lowermost guide member, the exit end being located adjacent the opening in the wall of the refrigerator covered by the access door whereby cans are dispensed through said access door.

2. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support members comprise spaced interconnected rail members detachably mountable within the refrigerator to at least portions of the walls thereof, the rail members mounting the guide members and being movable within or from the refrigerator.

3. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises support means for holding in storage kegs of fluent material and service means for holding at least one keg within the refrigerator and having a dispenser extending through a wall of the refrigerator for dispensing the fluent material from the keg on actuation thereof from a location externally of the refrigerator.

4. In the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the direction-reversing means comprise:

a plate member attached to spaced adjacent ends of the guide members, and to the support member adjacent said adjacent ends of said guide members;

an arcuate member mounted between the adjacent ends of the guide members and defining a curved surface on which the cans roll from the uppermost guide member of said guide members to the lowermost guide member of said guide member to form a path along which said cans travel, the direction of travel of the cans being substantially reversed at said adjacent ends; and

,

means for mounting the arcuate member to the plate member.