Abstract: The Vuilleumier refrigerator cold free piston type displacer operates on pressure pulses generated by relative heating and cooling of gas to raise and lower the pressure in the entire interconnected system. The cold displacer operates with differential areas against which the line pressure acts, and a pneumatic spring to cause reciprocation of the displacer.

Abstract: The conditioning of building structures and the like by "exterior surface cooling" which takes advantage of heat flow from hot to cold areas for minimizing the energy required to condition the building interior. The exterior surface of the building is subjected to the flow of air which eliminates penetrating heat at the surface of the building structure, particular advantage being derived from the useful employment of otherwise waste evaporative air discharge from dry-air evaporative cooling, utilized with this invention both for sensible conditioning of the building interior and for surface cooling of the building exterior.BACKGROUNDIn the construction of buildings and the like such as trailers and motor homes and commercial structures as well, air conditioning is ordinarily excessively energy consuming commensurate with the inability of such structures to reject heat.

Abstract: The present invention includes a ventilator for use in equalizing pressures within and without an enclosure, such as a coldroom or the like. A heated valve assembly is situated within an enclosure wall opening such that it is freely exposed to both environmental and internal fluid air pressures. A fluid impervious wall formed with inlet and outlet ports therethrough is partially covered by inner and outer closure members, both of which are supported and keyed by a common rod or shaft. These closure members are each biased by a common helical spring toward sealed and closed positions in which the inlet and outlet ports are covered. Pressure differentials are equalized by displacement of at least one of said closure members, thereby permitting air flow through one of the respective ports. By preselecting the spring rate of the helical spring, the minimum forces required to displace the closure members are controlled and predetermined.

Abstract: An economizer kit for attachment to the outside of a return air duct of air conditioning systems. The kit comprises what is termed a housing having end walls and side walls which define a conduit open at both ends. At one end of the conduit, there is a by-pass passage formed by two chambers that under certain operating conditions are in open communication with each other but under other operating conditions, are separated by a movable damper, one of these chambers is an inlet chamber for air from the return air duct of the air conditioning system, while the other chamber is an outlet chamber for air returning to the return air duct. At the opposite end, the conduit has a partition extending longitudinally part-way in the conduit thus deviding the conduit into an outlet passage for air from the inlet chamber and an inlet passage adapted to communicate with the outlet chamber. The outlet passage discharges to ambient atmosphere and the inlet passage receives ambient atmospheric air.

Abstract: Vehicle air-conditioning and other refrigerator systems utilizing specified helical screw compressors and operated under specified conditions and using specified refrigerants and oils. Also disclosed are improved hydrocarbon compressor systems which also utilize specified helical screw compressors and are operated under specified conditions using specified oils selected in relation to the hydrocarbon being compressed.

Abstract: A refrigerant condenser system employs a three-way valve in the output line from the system compressor. Upon cold start-up of the system or excess condenser capacity, the valve directs hot compressed vapor to a liquid receiver to increase the pressure therein forcing liquid therefrom in a reverse flow to the condenser to raise its liquid level and thereby decrease its cooling capacity. Upon a rise in system pressure, the valve opens to direct some vapor, in proportion to the pressure, to the condenser, reducing condenser liquid level to the extent necessary to obtain adequate cooling capacity in the condenser. At maximum cooling load and high ambient temperature, all vapor will be directed by the valve to the condenser to obtain maximum cooling capacity.

Abstract: A simple climate control device is disclosed which can independently, or jointly, to the degree desired, ventilate and/or dehumidify and/or cool a dwelling. The device provides a way of supplying fresh outside air to a building or other space at a preferred humidity level while optionally cooling the inside air, and as desired dehumidifying the inside air to maintain the inside environment at a preferred temperature and at a preferred relative humidity, with gradual displacement of stale air by fresh air.

Abstract: In cooling an article by the phenomenon of corona discharge caused when the article is placed opposite a high-potential electrode, a high electric potential is applied between the article and the electrode. This invention contemplates interposing a corona focusing ring between the article and the high-potential electrode. When high electric potential is also applied to the corona focusing ring, the avalanche of ions generated by the electrode in consequence of corona discharge is focused upon the article by the corona focusing ring, with the result that local cooling is effected on the article.

Abstract: A water to air heat pump employing an energy and condensate conservation system in which a heat exchange fluid is circulated between two heat exchangers with one normally operating as a condenser and the other normally operating as an evaporator. The condensate from the air passing over the evaporator coil is collected and is passed to the condenser for circulating over the condenser coil. The heat pump is adapted to operate in a reverse mode in which the functions of the heat exchangers are reversed and in which the circulation of the collected condensate to the condenser is terminated.

Abstract: Module for conditioning air by the Peltier effect, comprising a hot plate and a cold plate arranged face to face, divided into strip plates and both provided with ribs, the P and N thermoelements connected by the strip plates and arranged between the crests of the cold ribs and the crests of the hot ribs, the cold ribs are vertical and the hot ribs are vertical or horizontal. The air to be conditioned circulates by natural convection along the vertical ribs without forced ventilation.

Abstract: A multiple curtain, refrigerated display case employing an energy saving air defrost system that, during the first defrost stage, draws defrosting ambient air into the refrigerated air curtain passage from both directions, and during the second defrost stage employs part of the defrost air to form a circulating air curtain over the open front of the case. The case has defrost exhaust fans in the upper rear thereof actuated by a timer simultaneously with deactuation of the guard curtain fans and the refrigeration condensing unit. The circulation fans for the refrigerated air of the case have a total propulsive capacity significantly greater than that of the exhaust fans, such refrigerated air circulation fans being upstream of the refrigeration coils in the refrigerated air curtain passage, and the exhaust fans being downstream of such coils.

Abstract: An open-cycle air-conditioner for compressing and expanding gas with heat rejection for cold production and more particularly to improved means for carrying out thermodynamic cycles in open cycle systems using an internal, stationary, porous body as a thermal capacitor.

Abstract: A household refrigerator-freezer has an air passageway formed through the partition between the freezer and the fresh food compartment. Air is controllably passed by convection through the passageway for maintaining the fresh food compartment in a preselected temperature range. Apparatus is associated with the passageway for controllably opening and closing the air passageway.

Abstract: An expander compressor unit for a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The unit has a rotor which is provided with radial passageways terminating in tangentially oriented nozzles for expanding the high-pressure fluid and utilizing the kinetic energy of the expanding fluid to propel the rotor. The rotor is in driving engagement with a compressor which serves to compress fluid in the cycle. By this means the expander compressor unit substantially improves the efficiency of the cycle through efficient expansion of the refrigerant prior to evaporization and through reduction of the net work input into the system.

Abstract: An in-store fixture for the displaying of bananas or the like in an atmosphere of controlled temperature and humidity has a plurality of support members that accommodate a number of banana hands in a substantially vertically oriented display. The support members are arranged to accommodate the banana hands in a substantially spaced, noncontacting relationship relative to one another such that a zone or curtain of circulating, temperature and humidity controlled air essentially surrounds each respective banana hand. Individual banana hands are held by respective hook elements depending from their associated support members to permit removal of any selected one banana hand without the need for handling adjacent hands, thereby significantly reducing wastage caused by excessive handling of the product and undesirable contact of the same with one another.

Abstract: The hot cylinder for a Vuilleumier cycle cryogenic refrigerator having an annular liner positioned between the hot displacer and the hot-cylinder wall with a plurality of stainless steel tubes in the space between the liner and the hot-cylinder wall to form a hot regenerator. The liner axially supports the tubes and has air flow notches at the top and bottom thereof. The gas flows through the tubes and through the spaces between the tubes. An annular seal is provided between the hot displacer and the annular liner.

Abstract: A skating rink comprising a rigid wall forming the periphery of a closed area, and a sheet, spread over the area and the wall, to form a water container. The wall is formed of elongated flexible tube of plastic sheet which is placed in a peripheral configuration and then filled with space-filling, rigid material, either water, which is allowed to freeze, or formed-in-place plastic foam. The sheet is held in place either by tucking its edges under the wall or by wire clips which hold the sheet and wall together. A plastic foam blanket can be used to reduce puncturing of the wall.

Abstract: A combination high pressure relief valve and magnetic clutch disconnect switch for an air conditioning compressor which utilizes an automatically resetting valve member. The escape of pressurized refrigerant under control of the relief valve pressurizes the interior of a cap member on the end of the relief valve and thereby disconnects the ground circuit portion of the electromagnetic compressor clutch. This renders the system inoperative until the cap can be replaced and the original cause of the high pressure is determined and remedied.

Abstract: An expander compressor unit for a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The unit has a rotor which is provided with radial passageways terminating in tangentially oriented nozzles for expanding the high-pressure fluid and utilizing the kinetic energy of the expanding fluid to propel the rotor. The rotor is in driving engagement with a compressor which serves to compress fluid in the cycle. By this means the expander compressor unit substantially improves the efficiency of the cycle through efficient expansion of the refrigerant prior to evaporization and through reduction of the net work input into the system.

Abstract: A lever for operating a damper door of an air conditioner includes a rotatable shaft extending through an orifice of a wall in the air conditioner, the shaft having a pair of spaced collars for receiving therebetween the edges of the wall which define a slot receiving the lever. One collar is slightly bowed and has a tooth which engages an edge of the orifice to hold the lever in place in the wall when the shaft has been positioned in the slot.