Abstract: An indoor unit for an electric heat pump is provided in modular form including a refrigeration module 10, an air mover module 12, and a resistance heat package module 14, the refrigeration module including all of the indoor refrigerant circuit components including the compressor 36 in a space adjacent the heat exchanger 28, the modules being adapted to be connected to air flow communication in several different ways as shown in FIGS. 4-7 to accommodate placement of the unit in various orientations.

Abstract: A honeycomb assembly 32 located in the air discharge nozzle portion 30 of a transport refrigeration unit is movable from one position as shown in FIG. 2 in which the assembly functions as an airflow straightener and air throw increaser, to another position as shown in FIG. 4 in which the honeycomb assembly blocks airflow through the discharge nozzle and functions as a defrost damper.

Abstract: An arrangement for sensing temperature in an interstage cavity 24 comprises an extractable temperature probe 44 having a radially inner end sensing portion 46 disposed in a bore 40 in a seal housing 22, the bore 40 receiving bypassing fluid flow which enters the bypassing passage 34 from a location intermediate the axial extent of a sealed leakage path 32 between the upstream and downstream regions 24a and 24b, respectively, of the interstage cavity. These components collectively form the self-aspirating disc cavity seal temperature measuring system.

Abstract: A container refrigeration unit is provided with a forwardly open condenser pocket 40 in which is located a condenser coil 50 near the upper portion of the pocket and in a generally centered location, the coil being mounted in an inverted disposition and provided with a bottom plate 52 and a front plate 54 with a fan ring opening 56 so that air is drawn into the condenser coil from the top and sides, the remaining U-shaped space in the pocket to the sides and bottom of the condenser being available to accommodate the electric motor compressor 60, the control box 62, an operations recorder 64, and if required a power transformer 66.

Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit powered by a two speed prime mover and having the capability of providing at least four modes of operation is controlled by an arrangement as shown in FIG. 2 which provides for operation in either a continuous cycle in which the prime mover runs continuously to provide the modes shown in FIG. 3 or, alternatively, operates in a start-stop cycle to provide the modes of operation shown in FIG. 4. The control in both of the cycles of operation provide for delays in the change of speed from low to high upon certain departures in temperature from one temperature band to another band which would normally call for high speed operation.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan wheel is provided with blades 10 which may have their pitch changed through circumferential movement of a ring 30 tied to an outer tube 28 encompassing a drive shaft 24 and capable of having its rotative position relative thereto changed, through the axial movement of a control rod 38 to which is attached a pin 44 extending into the control rod through a diagonal slot 42 in the outer tube and an axial slot 40 in the drive shaft. In a further embodiment an inlet vane 50 has its angle changed through its pivotal relation that one edge of the vane with a slot 60 in the outer tube, so that both blade 10 pitch and vane 50 angle are concurrently changeable.

Abstract: For a container refrigeration unit of the type having an inverted U-shaped coil 50, a coil and fan mounting arrangement is provided in which a plate 68 is secured at its opposite ends to the ends of the legs of the coil, and a fan motor 54 mounting bracket 78 has its opposite ends secured to the plate 68 and carries the motor 54 with the fan 56, all of the components forming a unitary assembly adapted to be secured through the fasteners 94 to the back wall 49 of the condenser section pocket of the refrigeration unit. The plate 68 also functions to block the flow of air from below into the central passage 52.

Abstract: An automatic robot structure includes a fixed location support 10 which carries three locational arms 12, 14, 16, being hingedly connected to each other at their location of convergence to support a workhead 20, the driving motors 12a, 14a, and 16a each being independently operable to drive its respective arm in an axial direction, each of the arms being rigid in the sense that no part of the arm is hingedly connected to another part, so that the forces derived from a payload weight subject the arms primarily only to compression and or tension.

Abstract: A container refrigeration unit provided with an upper evaporator section 24 has centrifugal fans 48 supported on an open work frame 54 and adapted to be in one position or rotated 90.degree. therefrom to another position, for obtaining either a top discharge operation with draw-through of air through the evaporator 50 or, alternatively, a bottom discharge operation with blow through of air through the evaporator. Air flow blocking plate means is in the form of plate 98 or rear access panel.

Abstract: A pick and place robot is provided in which support 10 carries a rotatable turret 12, which in turn has one end of the pick and place arm 14 pivotally carried therefrom, the arm carrying a working tool 16 at its other end supported in rotatable relation and connected to constant orientation means 62, 64, 66 which maintains the working tool in a given disposition throughout the extent of the swing of the arm from a pick to a place location, both the turret and the arm being driven independently by its own drive.

Abstract: In a transport refrigeration system of the type adapted to provide either heating or cooling, loss of refrigerant is detected by first and second sensors 58 and 60 located upstream and downstream, respectively, of the expansion device 34, and with the downstream sensor 60 also being downstream of the location at which hot gas is injected from line 56 to pass to the refrigerant coil 40 in a heating mode of operation. The arrangement includes means for both determining the mode of system operation, either heating or cooling, and comparing the differential temperatures sensed for determining the departures from ranges of temperatures normally expected with an adequate charge of refrigerant.

Abstract: A transport refrigeration unit for mounting on the front face of a trailer 1 or the like is provided with an exterior section 2 construction and arrangement in which a relatively low center of gravity is obtained by providing a frame means 25 in the lower portion of the exterior section mounting an internal combustion engine 26 at a relatively low level with a refrigerant compressor 27 at a somewhat higher level, and an electric motor 28 below the compressor when such a motor constitutes a part of the power pack, these elements being arranged so that the driving belts and pulleys in the lower part of the section are in the center portion of the section to promote their accessibility, and a significant open area is provided above the power pack to promote access to those parts in the upper portion of the exterior section behind the condenser 9.

Abstract: A robotic manipulator structure including a base supporting first and second independently operable drive motors 16 and 18, a first swinging arm rotatably supported by the base and driven from the first drive, a second swinging arm 42 supported for rotation at the end of the first arm for rotation through a plane translationally displaced from the plane through which the first arm rotates, and a mechanism for coupling the rotation of the second drive motor 18 through the hollow shaft 50 concentrically located and rotatable within the hollow shaft 38, and through a sprocket and chain arrangement in the hollow 58 of the first arm to independently effect the rotation of the second arm 42.

Abstract: A multiple connector plug removal device includes two U-shaped levers having opposite arm portions 14 and 16 located on opposite sides of a frame 20 encompassing the plug and having the levers secured and fulcrumed to the frame 20 at points 28 and 30 so that as the levers are moved together by swinging the handle portions 18 thereof together the outer distal ends of the levers force pusher members 56 in a direction to separate the plugs. The arms on each side of the plug are secured together at 46 to compel the concurrent movement of the levers.

Abstract: A transport refrigeration system of the type which can provide either cooling or heating includes a pressure regulating valve 42 controlling hot gas to the evaporator during a heating cycle and operable to prevent an excessive suction pressure, and a pressure regulating valve 74 between the two outlet sides of a three-way valve and operable to pass refrigerant from the hot gas line 34 to the condenser 30 when the hot gas pressure is excessive, the arrangement limiting the values of both the evaporator suction pressure and the hot gas discharge pressure to prevent overloading in heating and defrost operations.

Abstract: An engine speed and loss of oil pressure control arrangement for an engine such as is used in transport refrigeration and is operative at a low speed and a high speed, the arrangement including two axially aligned pistons 12 and 36 into adjacent cylinders 10 and 34, respectively, the first piston 12 moving from an engine off position to a low speed position upon closure of the valve 22 when engine operation is initiated, this forcing the second piston 36 to a low speed position which effects said low speed through leakage 40 to the engine speed control means, the second piston 36 moving further to the right to an engine high speed position upon opening of valve 28 in a conduit leading from the first cylinder to the second cylinder.

Abstract: A hot gas pressure switch 29 is provided to be responsive to pressure in a hot gas line 22 which will have a significant pressure value only during a heat or defrost mode, to unload cylinders of a transport refrigeration compressor to avoid overload, so that the compressor can operate with a substantially greater discharge pressure in a cooling mode without penalty.

Abstract: A transport refrigeration system having the capability of either heating or cooling at high or low speed and with the compressor loaded or unloaded is controlled by a temperature control system including a heat relay 1K and a speed relay 2K, and has an auxiliary control relay CR which is operative to maintain the compressor speed at a low speed in the temperature band 48 closely above and below the setpoint temperature, and will further maintain the low speed of the compressor for a predetermined time as the temperature rises above or below the narrow temperature band through time delay means 46 which, if uninterrupted in operation for the predetermined time period will drop out the control relay so the system can resume higher speed operation.

Abstract: This invention provides a direct oil return system from the accumulator tank in the refrigerant circuit of a transport refrigeration system to the crankcase of the compressor for returning oil entrained in the refrigerant to the oil sump. A pressure relief valve in the lubricating oil circulating system positively opens under the influence of oil pressure from the positive displacement oil pump whenever the compressor is operating to bleed excess oil from the pump back to the sump. The oil return line from the accumulator tank of the refrigeration system is connected to the valve to enter through another inlet port which opens in response to the pressure relief valve being opened and flows therethrough to another outlet in the valve also in communication with the sump.