Abstract: An improvement in a heating and air conditioning system for a mobile home or the like including a system of air ducts for distributing the air within the mobile home, a heating unit, a cooling unit; and characterized by a plenum chamber that includes respective connected hot and cold air inlet apertures and valve seats, and at least one outlet opening connected with the air ducts; and a large hollow lightweight poppet disposed intermediate the hot and cold air valve seats. The large hollow poppet is moveable responsive to respective directions of air flow to and away from the hot and cold air valve seats so as to permit flow from one of the heating and cooling units and to block reverse flow into the other. Also provided are guide means for freely and accurately guiding the hollow poppet between its respective seating engagement positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cupboard for storing and bringing prepared meals to a suitable temperature, said cupboard being divided into a storage compartment or space and a compartment or chamber for bringing to suitable temperature. The meals are carried on trays superposed in the storage space. Individual metallic flaps comprising at least one mobile portion are provided at the level of each tray in order to separate or place the storage space and chamber in communication and transporting mechanisms are provided for transferring the dishes contained in inner compartments of the trays towards the chamber for bringing to suitable temperature and for returning them into the compartments where they were located after a sequence of bringing to suitable temperature in the chamber intended for this purpose. The invention finds particular application in the distribution of meals in collective catering.

Abstract: The open-face frames of electric heat modules used with a pair of centrifugal fans in a roof top type air conditioning unit are mounted with their upwardly open faces spaced downwardly away from the downwardly facing discharge opening of the fans, rather than up tight against the discharge opening, so that there will be a bypass of at least some of the discharge air from the fan around the module to reduce the resistance to air flow imposed by the module. The arrangement achieves a good balance between the use of relatively high watt density heater while avoiding undue resistance to air flow through the heater. The invention also provides a convenient module mounting arrangement in which the inboard end walls of the modules are supported in a complementary hook and eye arrangement with mounting straps depending from the sides of the discharge openings of the centrifugal fans.

Abstract: An air-conditioning device having a common housing case in which there are a heat exchanger through which used air and fresh air can flow formed with plate-shaped heat-exchanger walls which are made of aluminum foil, as well as a fresh-air blower and a spent-air blower. The interior of the housing case is divided into a fresh-air passage leading through the heat exchanger and a spent-air passage leading through the heat exchanger by the stack of foils of the heat exchanger together with internal partitions in the interior of the housing; the housing partitions comprise a controllable by-pass damper through which the spent-air entry side of the heat exchanger can be connected directly to its spent-air outlet side, and comprise a controllable recirculated-air damper through which the spent-air entry side of the heat exchanger can be connected directly to its fresh-air outlet side, the fresh-air inlet and the exhaust-air outlet of the housing case being constructed so as to be able to be shut off.

Abstract: A modular fireplace assembly which comprises a hearth, a firebox around and over the hearth, and an air plenum chamber on opposite sides and to the rear of said firebox in heat transfer relation thereto. A plurality of environmental comfort conditioning subassemblies are removably positioned in a portion of the air plenum chamber to the rear of the firebox, and include a fan subassembly, an air conditioning coil subassembly, and a heater subassembly. A stack extends upwardly from the upper side of the firebox in heat exchange relation to a hot water tank positioned over the firebox. Air conveyance ducting is connected to the upper side of the air plenum chamber, and air return ducts are connected to the lower side of the air plenum chamber.

Abstract: A compact heating and cooling system in which air ducts are connected to a heat exchanger system through which a coolant fluid from a condensing unit or a heating fluid from a compact water heater is selectively directed by a control circuit so that the system may be mounted outside a building to be heated and/or cooled.

Abstract: A forced air hot water furnace including means for initially heating water and delivering the heated water to a radiator, the radiator having a fluid conduit as a part thereof, the fluid conduit having an upstream section with an orifice or passage of predetermined cross-sectional flow area, and a downstream section with an orifice or passage of reduced or smaller cross-sectional flow area whereby the water, as it passes through the conduit of the radiator, is increased in its velocity whereby to provide increased energy transfer within the radiator means, the conduit of the radiator being provided with heat transfer fins in surrounding relationship thereto.

Abstract: A combined air-heating and refrigeration system wherein the air temperature of a living area is maintained within a predetermined range. A conventional furnace isprovided with a heat exchanger for heating air carried within ducts which communicate air from within the living space for circulation past the furnace for heating. The refrigeration portion of the system may be either of the compression or of the absorption type. In the preferred embodiment an absorption type is used and comprises a generator for heating an absorbent and a refrigerant. The heated refrigerant is communicated to a condenser to cause the refrigerant to condense, and the condensed refrigerant is then expanded by a suitable expansion valve and communicated to an evaporator wherein the refrigeration process takes place. The refrigerant is then mixed with the absorber and recirculated to the generator by means of a circulation pump.

Abstract: A portable battery operated hot-cold food storage unit comprises a rectangular shaped housing having an inner metallic shell with an insulation layer sandwiched between the housing and the shell. A movable front door is hingeably mounted to the housing. A horizontal partition divides the interior chamber into an upper and lower portion, wherein the upper portion has a plurality of insulating horizontal and vertical shelves therein. The shelves which are adjustable and inter-locking permit the formation of different size compartments. A cooling coil is contained in a first section of the upper portion, wherein the cooling coil communicates with a cooling assembly contained in the lower portion. An electric motor powered by a household current or a storage battery powers the compressor of the cooling assembly. A heating coil is contained in a second section of the upper portion, wherein the heating coil is thermally heated by a heating element.

Abstract: A transportable food catering storage container comprises an insulating rectangular box having a latching hinged door, a rear base parallel to and opposite the door, a bottom or side base panel and an uppermost top or side panel parallel to and spaced apart from the bottom or side base panel, both adjacent and normal to the door. Rectangular narrow profile liquid fillable thermal storage receptacles capable of acting as heat or refrigeration sources are disposed in the box interior adjacent opposite sidewall surfaces. Each thermal storage receptacle has a plurality of longitudinal shelf supports disposed parallel to the side base. Peripheral lips of food containing trays rest on the shelf supports and maintain the receptacles in spaced apart relationship adjacent the box sidewall surfaces. The side base panel exterior has a pair of transversely disposed spaced apart elongated receptacles.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a heatexchange liquid in accordance with the mixing principle, the apparatus including a centrifugal pump connected to a drive motor for conveying or circulating the liquid in a working circuit, two containers for the liquid in a shunt circuit connected via respective shut-off devices to the working circuit, means for maintaining the temperature of the liquid in one container at a given value below the temperature in the working circuit and the temperature of the liquid in the other container at a given value above the latter temperature and a mechanical propeller-like circulating means is each container, the centrifugal pump being disposed between the two containers and having a pump shaft which extends into one of the containers and piercingly extends completely through the other container and is connected to the drive motor, said motor being arranged externally of the latter container, and the propeller-like means being mounted on the two portions of the pump

Abstract: A food service tray which allows selective heating and/or cooling of meal components carried thereby. A base member of a thermally insulating material has a plurality of compartments divided into serially connected flow chambers having inlet and outlet openings. Food receptacles made of a thermally conductive material carry the meal components and are inserted into the compartments. Thermally insulating lids then cover the food receptacles. A refrigerated fluid under pressure may be passed through all or part of the flow chambers to thereby maintain the contents of the food receptacles therein in a chilled condition. A heated fluid under pressure can then be passed through selected flow chambers to thereby rethermalize or heat the contents of the food receptacles in the heated flow chambers to a proper serving temperature.

Abstract: This invention discloses the combination of (1) a liquid temperature conditioning apparatus located exteriorly of a potential explosion sustaining zone, (2) an explosion proof air-liquid heat exchange device located within a potential explosion sustaining zone, and (3) air ducts interconnecting the air-liquid heat exchange device with the interior of a compartment open to the ambient and containing explosion sustaining vapors, such as the interior of an integral fuel tank compartment in an aircraft containing vapors arising from highly volatile hydrocarbon fuels normally carried therein.