Abstract: A vibration dampening support for mounting a structure horizontally includes a stationary mounting bracket with an inside U-shape configuration and an inwardly projecting lug. There is also an elastomeric bushing located in the mounting bracket with the back wall abutting the lug of the mounting bracket. The bushing includes a top and bottom section connected to each other at the back wall by a hinge and the bushing has a cavity through the front wall to receive the structure to be mounted. The bottom section of the bushing has an outside configuration complimentary to the inside U-shape configuration of the mounting bracket. There is also a strap secured to the mounting bracket and engaging the top section of the bushing.

Abstract: A sealing grommet is utilized to form a seal for articles such as electrical wires passing through the outer case of a refrigerator cabinet, the insulation, particularly foam insulation, between the outer case and the inner liner of the cabinet, and the inner liner. The grommet includes a substantially cylindrically shaped hollow body of a relatively rigid material disposed between the inner liner and the outer wall with a core of a relatively soft material supported by the inner surface of the body and secured thereto by glue, for example. Each of the body and the core is split longitudinally to receive the electrical wires with the core having a central longitudinal passage extending therethrough for an interference fit with the electrical wires. An integral mounting flange and a plurality of spaced locking lugs cooperate to mount the body on the inner liner.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for refrigerator evaporators of the type consisting of helically coiled refrigerant-carrying tubing with radially inward extending fins formed along the length of the coiled tubing, with the air to be refrigerated directed across the axis of the coil turns. The coil turns are skewed from the helix angle to expose a greater proportion of the fins into the air flow path between the coil turns so as to increase the air flow contact with the fins. The skewing is created by relatively offsetting opposite portions of the coil turns along the air flow path across the helical coil to increase the obliqueness of a portion of each coil turn with respect to the direction of air flow.

Abstract: A demand defrost control system which responds to whether a predetermined evaporator temperature is reached during a defrosting operation. If the predetermined temperature is not reached, then a relatively shorter interval before the next defrosting operation is established. If the predetermined temperature is reached, then a relatively longer interval before the next defrosting operation is established.

Abstract: A support arrangement in a refrigerator having a hinged door to attach a hinge pin assembly to the cabinet outer case and to secure the outer case to a mullion. The outer case has a U-shaped portion, one leg of which has two spaced openings to receive fastener elements and the other leg has a slot located between the openings. The mullion has an edge abutting the edge of the outer U-shaped portion and also has an opening to receive a fastener element. A cross piece support member spans the abutment area and is inserted in the U-shaped portion. A first end of the cross piece support member has two openings to receive fastener elements and these openings are in alignment with the two spaced openings in the U-shaped portion. The first end also has a detent tang dimensioned and located to snap into the slot in the U-shaped portion to thereby retain the cross piece support member in its proper position relative to the fastener element openings.

Abstract: A unitary transition sleeve for a double-wall structure such as a refrigerator cabinet used to pass tubing or the like through juxtaposed apertures formed therein. The sleeve includes a tubular body of relatively rigid material having a plurality of radially extending integral flanges formed at each end therof for sealing engagement with each of said walls. The sleeve is adapted to be rotationally secured to one of said walls by means of a plurality of radially exending integral locking tabs projecting from one end thereof. Each of the tabs have a camming face formed thereon to facilitate rotation during assembly. The sleeve includes a plurality of equi-angularly disposed and radially extending detents which positively locate the rotational position of the sleeve in the wall to which it is secured.

Abstract: A single sheet of metal is stamped to provide portions which form the top, side and bottom outer walls of the refrigerator cabinet and portions which form the top, side and bottom inner walls of the cabinet. This single sheet of metal is stamped in the same operation to include a plurality of perforations in an elongated section thereof extending lengthwise of the sheet between the portions which form the outer wall and the portions which form the inner wall. This same elongated section is further shaped to provide a groove of arcuate cross-section extending substantially the length thereof. The single sheet of metal is then bent to form in one operation the top, side and bottom outer walls of the refrigerator and the top, side and bottom inner walls of the refrigerator, the elongated perforated section framing the door opening of the refrigerator, the perforations retarding heat transfer from the outer walls.

Abstract: A method and coupling for severing and rejoining sealed tubing without the loss of the seal especially adapted to the installation of charged refrigerant lines into the refrigerator cabinetry. The method includes the crimping of the tubing wall at the point to be severed, sealing of the crimped tube walls, as by welding, and severing of the tube through the crimp. To rejoin the ends, a rejoinder coupling is utilized having end sections receiving and sealed to the crimped tube ends. The coupling also includes an axially compressible body section within which is disposed a piercing tool having a pair of penetrating ends adapted to pierce each of the crimped tube ends upon pushing the tube ends together, the compressible body section accommodating the axial tube movement toward each other in carrying out the piercing.

Abstract: An anti-sweat refrigerator cabinet warming device including a secondary refrigerant loop heat transfer arrangement extending through the refrigerator cabinet to warm those portions which have a tendency to form condensate on the exterior surfaces. The secondary loop is warmed by thermal contact with the condenser loop of the refrigeration system, which thermal contact is selectively controllable by positioning of a control member to position a section of the secondary loop and the condenser loop into and out of thermal contact. This is accomplished by a clamp acting on the loop sections, operated by a manual control lever to allow the selective operation of the heat transfer device. This allows power conservation when the warming of the cabinet is not required to prevent condensate formation. The clamping device is designed to maximize the transfer of heat from the condenser loop section into the secondary loop section when the cabinet is being warmed.

Abstract: A pulley drive system including a centrifugally governed two speed drive pulley assembly and a driven pulley assembly coactively connected by a belt. There is a speed selection mechanism which includes an auxiliary weight movable from a radially inward position to a radially outward position which in one position prevents the centrifugally governed two speed drive assembly from shifting and the auxiliary weight operation is actuated by a pivotal trigger which in turn is actuated by a control member movable in response to a control mechanism.

Abstract: A demand defrost control system which bases the interval between future defrosting operations on the time (heater ON time) required for the defrost heater to raise the evaporator temperature to a predetermined temperature during a previous defrosting operation. There is an inverse relationship between heater ON time and defrost intervals. Additionally, an override is provided which measures the time the compressor and evaporator are energized during any single operation cycle. If this time exceeds a predetermined length of time, the interval before the next defrosting operation is shortened.

Abstract: A refrigerator has a machinery compartment at the bottom for housing a motor-compressor unit and a condenser and has an air inlet opening at the front thereof extending substantially across the width of the compartment. The machinery compartment includes a forward section for receiving the condenser and a duct at the rear portion thereof for receiving the motor-compressor unit. The duct has an air inlet at one end for receiving air from the forward section. The condenser extends generally horizontally from one side wall of the compartment across a substantial portion of the forward section. A drain pan is supported above the condenser for collecting water draining from the interior of the refrigerator. The drain pan additionally functions as a baffle to cause air entering the forward section to flow effectively over the condenser.

Abstract: A clamp has a first curved portion with one end connected to a second curved portion which overlaps or surrounds a segment of the first curved portion including the free end thereof. The free end of the second curved portion is connected to an extension, which has an elongated slot adjacent its end and an inclined lower surface adjacent its end. A base extends from one of the first and second curved portions in substantially the same direction as the extension and has an inclined upper surface at its end for cooperation with the inclined lower surface of the extension. The base has an opening extending therethrough to receive a screw, which passes through the slot in the extension prior to passing through the opening in the base.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting hinge pin sockets within cabinet doors, particularly adaptable to reversible door refrigerators, including an anchor plate frictionally secured within each door corner, and formed with a hole pattern for receiving threaded fasteners used to mount the cabinet door handles and the door stop with a common hole location allowing a reverse assembly of the door handle and the door stop on either side of the cabinet door. The anchor plates serve to mount a hinge pin socket at each corner of the door, the sockets extending into opposed lateral sides of the cabinet door in corresponding location to reversibly mounted hinge pin assemblies secured to the cabinet.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system for controlling the temperature of fill water in an automatic washer having an inlet hot water valve and an inlet cold water valve. The inlet hot water valve is continuously open during fill and the inlet cold water valve is normally closed during fill. A first predetermined temperature level of the incoming hot water is sensed and also a second predetermined level of incoming hot water is sensed, the second temperature level being lower than the first temperature level. A switch is provided to bypass the sensing of the second predetermined temperature level of the incoming hot water. This switch allows the user of the clothes washer to preselect either of two water temperature levels desired. When both the inlet hot water temperature is above the first temperature level and the sensing of the second temperature level is bypassed, the cold water valve is opened by a control.

Abstract: An automatic belt tightener for use in a belt drive mechanism for transmitting torque between a driving rotatable member and a driven rotatable member through a flat drive belt. Included is a roller assembly pivotable about the driving member and including a first, second and third roller, the driving member and the three rollers each having outside diameter grooves formed respectively by a pair of flanges, reduced interior diameters, and having their longitudinal axes of rotation parallel and spaced a fixed distance apart during operation of the mechanism. The flanges of only the first and third roller being in contact with the driving member and the second roller being driven by the first and third rollers. A drive belt passes between and in contact with reduced interior diameter of the first and second rollers and between and in contact with the reduced diameters of the second and third rollers and partially around the third roller and exiting the mechanism.

Abstract: A suction line/capillary tube assembly which provides improved heat exchange between the cool gaseous refrigerant conveyed by the suction line and the warm liquid refrigerant conveyed by the capillary tube in a refrigeration system. The assembly is generally characterized by the capillary tube being within and in direct thermal contact with the suction line wall along a substantial length thereof, which length is at least approximately two feet. In a first specific embodiment, the capillary tube is soldered to the inside of the suction line, as opposed to merely being loosely passed therethrough. In a second specific embodiment, an aluminum suction line is fabricated with an internal extruded channel defined between a pair of ridges extending from the interior surface of the suction line. A copper capillary tube is snugly positioned in the channel and preferably the ridges are deformed toward each other so as to substantially surround the capillary tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically evaluating surface roughness by the use of specular reflections particularly adpated to curved surfaces such as shafts or tubes. This is accomplished by directing a beam of parallel, monochromatic, plane polarized light onto the test surface at two different angles and detecting the relative intensity of the specular reflections at the respective angles of reflection by a pair of suitably located detectors. A signal is then generated corresponding to the ratio of the intensities of the specular reflections which are shown to correspond to the surface roughness independently of surface color. In the preferred embodiment, the differing angles of incidence are created by directing a laser beam at a portion of a suitably positioned round shaft, portions of the beam intercepting different portions of the shaft at different angles of incidence, with the detectors located along corresponding axes of reflection.

Abstract: A reinforcement for increasing the resistance of the bottom front portion of refrigerator cabinet liners subject to impact damage, including a reinforcing strip secured to the vulnerable liner surface area by means of an adhesive foam strip, securing the strip to the liner surface and acting as a shock-absorbing cushion. The reinforcement is added either to undamaged liners to increase resistance to impact damage or as a field repair method to repair liners which have been damaged.

Abstract: A cabinet heater installation particularly adapted for field repair of refrigerator cabinet warming heaters or for a supplemental cabinet heater for severe humidity conditions. The installation includes a heater element installed about the exterior lateral and top surfaces of the cabinet outer case adjacent the outer case reentrant flanges. The heater cable is housed within a protective and decorative trim channel secured to the cabinet outer case. The electrical leads for the heating element pass into the machine compartment for connections to the power supply through openings located beneath the trim channel.