Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator showcase enabling to smoothly dispose of dewing occurring on an upper surface of a glass door; the showcase in which the door includes a frame body having a form similar to a picture frame; a transparent glass mounted inside the frame body; a drainage passage formed inside the frame body located in the supported side of the door; and a water collection portion formed in a portion where the frame body contacts the upper surface of the transparent glass in the supported side of the door; whereby the drainage passage connects a space formed above the transparent glass to the machine room, and the water collection portion slopes down to the drainage passage in the open state of the door.

Abstract: An arrangement pertaining to refrigerator and freezer gondolas of the kind used to exhibit merchandise in self-service retail stores and being upwardly open in order to expose refrigerated and frozen merchandise. The invention has an upper glass plate located above the opening of the gondola. The size and positioning of the glass plate is such as to generally cover the gondola opening, seen in vertical projection. The surface of the glass plate facing towards the gondola opening is provided with an infrared reflecting layer having an emissivity number below 0.2, preferably below 0.1.

Abstract: A tote bin cooler for a produce filled tote bin to facilitate the handling, cooling and display of bulk shipped fresh produce at the point of sale. The tote bin cooler includes a refrigerated cabinet having an open side, provided with a removable closure, for receiving a produce filled tote bin supported on a pallet jack. A motor driven strap is connectable to the filled tote bin for pulling the produce filled bin off the pallet and into the cabinet. The tote bin is provided with a false or movable bottom engageable by an elevator mechanism positioned in the cooler for maintaining the level of the produce in the bin at a position near the top of the bin, so that the customer can see the produce when walking by the display area and can easily reach the produce in the bin.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling the ripening of produce. The apparatus includes a chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a plurality of walls. Positioned in the chamber is a support and position structure to support two rows of palletized produce and to space the palletized produce away from the walls to define a fluid circulation space around the palletized produce. The rows of palletized produce are spaced apart to define an interstitial volume therebetween. Each row of palletized produce includes at least an upper and a lower tier with a vertical spacing therebetween. A flexible sealing strip is affixed to the support and position structure to generally seal the vertical spacing between the tiers from the fluid circulation space.

Abstract: A vending machine with an anti-condensation product viewing window. The product viewing window has two window sections. The first window section is typically a wall or portion of a wall of the product storage chamber. A second window section is spaced outwardly a distance from the first window section to form the face of the viewing window. An illumination device is placed between the first and second window section. The heat from the illumination device prevents a build up of condensation on the window sections. Substantially sealing the two window sections further reduces the condensation build up. One or more small openings in the sealings between the two window sections into a cooler area allow for the escape of any moisture which does accumulate between the two window sections. The illumination device can also be used to illuminate the products to be vended, back light a sign on the machine or both.

Abstract: A refrigerator door construction is disclosed which includes door rail elements formed from a foamed polymeric substance. At least one substantially transparent panel is supported, retained by and sealed in the door rail. Connection elements are provided for connecting the door rail elements. At least one hinge is provided for allowing pivotal movement of the door about an axis. The foam rail element may also form one or more spacer elements between adjacent panels so that separate, discrete spacer bars may be eliminated.

Abstract: A door structure, for use in combination with upright refrigerator and freezer spaces, which utilizes heat transfer by forced convection, of the kind used in everyday commodity stores to display goods on sale. The door has two glass panes which together with a frame embracing the edges of the glass panes, either completely or partially, form a door leaf. The glass pane which faces towards the warm atmosphere of a shop area is provided on the surface thereof facing away from the shop area with an electrically conductive coating, which is operative to heat the outer pane electrically. The door has solely two mutually parallel glass panes, of which the glass pane facing towards the colder refrigerator or freezer space is provided on the surface thereof which faces towards the colder space solely with an infrared radiation reflective coating or layer.

Abstract: A merchandiser for merchandising refrigerated food products comprised as a support structure having two ends, refrigerated merchandising shelves spanning between the ends of the support structure, and a refrigerator for refrigerating product located on the refrigerated merchandising shelves. Each shelf is individually supplied with refrigerated air from the refrigerator. The merchandiser is placed adjacent checkout aisle with one end of the merchandiser abutting an end of the checkout counter, and preferably the express lane checkout counter. Refrigerated food products are thereby accessible and removable from the refrigerated merchandising shelves of the merchandiser from either side of the merchandiser as customers pass down the aisles to the express lane checkout stations.

Abstract: A curtain panel assembly, for an island of game machines, which enables any person of the amusement arcade to look into the island easily and quickly to check the states of game mediums in a distribution gutter situated in the upper part of a support frame of the island or for the purpose of maintenance of the interior structure of the island. In the curtain panel assembly, a curtain panel is mounted on the upper part of the support frame outwardly thereof and is pivotally connected at its upper edge to the upper frame edge. The curtain panel has on its inside wall surface a mirror on which the image of the interior, e.g. the distribution gutter, of the island is reflected so as to be observed from outside when the curtain panel is moved angularly about the upper panel edge to open as the lower panel edge is pulled upwardly.

Abstract: A refrigerator or freezer of a storage refrigerator unit includes a central support shaft mounted within the refrigeration cabinet having support containers adjustably mounted along the support shaft. The shaft structure is rotatably mounted within the cabinet for access to various portions of each container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for merchandising product by gravity feeding that product to the front of a rotatable shelf. The product is supported upon a shelf which is in turn supported from a low friction support for rotation about an axis slightly tilted relative to a vertical plane with the shelf slightly tilted relative to a horizontal plane. The orientation of the shelf is such that the low point of the shelf is at the front of the shelf so that when displayed product is removed from the front of the shelf, the center of gravity of the shelf shifts and the weight of the product remaining on the shelf causes the shelf to rotate so as to relocate new product to the front of the shelf.

Abstract: A multipurpose, refrigerated food vending machine of the type which includes a rotatable carousel divided into compartments for receiving merchandise to be vended from the machine. A microprocessor controls and tracks various functions in the machine. In particular, the microprocessor is programmed to rotate the carousel through a predetermined increment and at a predetermined time interval to periodically reposition the merchandise disposed in the carousel such that the merchandise is maintained at the average temperature prevailing in the cabinet of the machine.

Abstract: A heat insulating covering is provided for a cooling shelf unit having a lower goods member, a plurality of intermediate shelf members vertically spaced from the lower goods member and from one another, and an upper cover part. The covering has a blind web adapted to cover a cooling space of the cooling shelf unit between a front edge of the cover part and a parallel front edge of the goods member over a whole horizontal length of the cooling shelf unit, a shade axle adapted to extend over the whole horizontal length of the cooling shelf unit, a lower stabilizing rail, a drive motor connected with the blind axle of the blind web and operative both in a closing direction and in an opening direction of the blind web, spring biased turning arms supporting the stabilizing rail of the blind web and having hinges located between the shade axle and the parallel front edge of the goods member.

Abstract: A refrigerator display cabinet having a front opening and a thermally insulated multiple-glass pane window panel mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent the upper marginal end of the window panel. The window panel has an internal solid spacer bar adjacent the upper marginal end thereof which permits secure clamping of the window panel by hinge supports without crushing or other damage to the window panel. The hinge supports have a relatively streamlined configuration, which, together with the substantially frameless window panel, provide an esthetic modernistic appearance.

Abstract: A display counter wherein the upper portion of the case has several upwardly and forwardly sloping hollow supports for modules which pivotably mount one or more front panels each of which can be moved to a first position in which it overlies the customer side of the counter and a raised second position in which the internal space of the counter in accessible from the customer side. The modules include linear actuators which can pivot the front panel or panels between the first and second positions as well as to one or more intermediate positions. Each actuator is pivotally secured to a frame of the respective module at the lower end of the corresponding support and to a hinge for a front panel at the upper end of the support. The pintle of the hinge is mounted in the upper end portion of the corresponding frame.

Abstract: A refrigerator including: storage chambers formed inside a thermal insulation box having generally rectangular horizontal cross section, said chambers having a duct provided at one rear corner of respective chamber for communication with the rear space behind the storage chambers where cold air is generated by a heat exchanger of the refrigeration unit; rotatable round shelves in the storage chambers; a lamp provided at the other rear corner of the storage chamber; and door pockets provided on the inner surface of the doors, said door pockets extending to front corner space in the storage chambers.

Abstract: A display case with adjustable shelves each having a light fixture to better showcase the goods supported therein. The shelves are both vertically and angularly adjustable. The power outlets within the case are slidably supported in a vertical raceway to be movable into proximity which their corresponding shelves to minimize power cord exposure.

Abstract: A counter for displaying chilled foods such as raw fish on a bed of ice contained in a waterproof tray portion having a drain conduit and heating means for melting the ice in the tray and draining the melted ice with scraps of fish and other debris from the tray through a garbage disposal unit for discharge into a waste water drain, control means being provided for automaticalaly turning on and off the garbage disposal unit and the heating means at preselected times for periods of predetermined duration, the counter further being provided with a source of water under pressure for further washing of the fish scraps and debris from the tray, and wherein an ice making machine is mounted above the tray for replenishing the bed of ice as required, and a refrigerated storage compartment is provided in a base enclosure supporting the tray for containing the fish or other chilled foods while the scraps of fish and debris and used ice are being drained from the tray portion and the bed of ice is being replenished.

Abstract: A beverage merchandiser for refrigerating and displaying single-serving containers disposed on gravity feed shelves has a refrigerated compartment accessed by sliding, multi-pane glass panel doors mounted on rollers engaging side-by-side overhead tracks. An evaporator is disposed inside the refrigerated compartment near the top and rear walls of same and is configured with a shallow height relative to the depth of the evaporator to save space. A duct panel forms a duct along the top wall of the refrigerated compartment to direct cooled air from the evaporator toward the product nearest the doors of the merchandiser to keep this product cool, since it is the next-to-be-purchased product. The glass panes of the doors are kept defogged by a defogging mechanism. One of the defogging mechanisms uses air warmed in a housing for the condenser and compressor and provides same to a slot oriented in a grill, which is disposed beneath the bottom edge of the doors.

Abstract: An adjustable height grille cover assembly is provided for a refrigeration apparatus including a cabinet having top mounted machine components. The cover is provided for concealing the machine components. The cover includes an adjustable height mounting panel which is mountable to the cabinet forwardly of the machine components. A frame assembly includes top and bottom frame pieces and opposite side frame pieces. The side frame pieces are selected from a plurality of select side frame pieces in accordance with the selected height of the mounting panel. Suitable fasteners are included for mounting the frame assembly to the mounting panel.

Abstract: A refrigerator-freezer unit including a machine room, a cold room, pillars for the machine room, pillars for the cold room, and a frame disposed between both rooms and having fittings which can connect the top portion of each machine room pillar and the bottom portion of each cold room pillar. Since the rigidity of the cold room pillars can be increased by connecting the pillars to the fittings of the rigid frame, the torsion and deflection of the pillars can be prevented even when external forces operate on the cold room. Moreover, since the parallelism of the cold room pillars can be maintained by the increase of the rigidity, a simple structure for the attachment of a guide plate, using only engagement mechanism without screws, can be easily employed, thereby making the attachment and removal of the guide plate easy and quick.

Abstract: A display case for bouquets of cut flowers provides water and a refrigerated environment for the flowers, while allowing completely upon customer access to the flowers for selective customer removal of same from the case.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case includes a cabinet having a top opening, at least one. A sliding door move to cover and uncover the opening, and a night cover. The night cover can be stored inside the cabinet and pulled out to cover at least one of the sliding doors at night. A spacing member is disposed on the trailing edge of the door frame and keeps the night cover from sagging and contacting the door. Therefore, the sliding door can be opened and closed easily since friction between the sliding door and the night cover is eliminated by the spacing member. Furthermore, the weight, structure, and external appearance of the night cover need not be changed.

Abstract: A produce rack for the display and storage of produce having a display surface and an opening allowing the produce to be viewed. Refrigerated air is provided to the produce through the display surface. Water is periodically sprayed onto the produce by an automatic watering system. A flexible cover selectively closes the opening to optimize the condition of the air inside the display area. The cover includes a plurality of transparent curtains that roll up on rollers for storage and roll down for use. Strip connectors close the gaps between adjacent curtains. Hook and loop fasteners on the edges of the curtains and connectors allow the connectors to be secured to the curtains across the gaps simply by placing the connectors across the gaps.

Abstract: Glass chilling cabinet having a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls, a number of posts adapted to keep glass baskets stacked above said bottom wall, said posts being perpendicular to said bottom wall, partition members (23) arranged in a plane that is parallel to said bottom wall and leaving above said bottom wall a gap that is not smaller than the height of a basket filled with glass, compression springs (29) placed between said bottom wall and said top wall and adapted to press a stack of baskets (33) against stop members (35) retaining said stacked baskets below said top wall, a front cabinet door, a top cabinet door, and a cool air draft inlet in one of said side walls.

Abstract: A glass cover or lid for a chest freezer of the kind in which the goods contained therein are intended to be viewed through the glass cover and which chest is constructed so that a substantially stationary cushion of air can be generated immediately beneath the glass cover, preferably a chest which lacks devices for forcibly circulating air in the chest. The glass cover (1) includes a glass panel or two mutually parallel panels, and the side of the glass cover facing inwardly towards the interior of the chest is provided with a layer for reflecting infrared radiation.

Abstract: A display counter for use in supermarkets and like establishments for temporary storage, cooling and displaying of foodstuffs has a case with a hollow upper section having a pivotable front panel at the customer side and a horizontal counter top. The front panel can be pivoted by one or more fluid-operated motors with assistance from an attendant and through the medium of hinges which are mounted on forwardly extending arms of the skeleton frame of the upper section of the case. The top marginal portion of the front panel is held between discrete or integra rails of the hinges so that its exposed side is normally flush with the upper side of the counter top. One of the rails has a portion which extends rearwardly and overlies the adjacent portions of the arms and of the counter top to seal the interior of the case from the surrounding atmosphere when the front panel is held in its operative position at the customer side of the counter.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a display cabinet provided with a compartment. The compartment is divided into at least two spaces by a shelf for storing and displaying merchandise. The shelf is provided with a frame element which is slidably supported thereon. The frame element is supported on the shelf with a gap therebetween and determines the storage space for merchandise when the frame is placed in its normal position. When the frame element is pulled forward, the merchandise on the shelf is gathered by the frame and pushed to the front of the shelf for easy access. This also forms a space for loading additional merchandise in the back of the shelf. A stopper element is disposed at the front of the shelf to prevent merchandise from falling off the shelf when the frame element is pulled forward.

Abstract: A flexible cover for closing the opening of a refrigerated produce rack when the produce does not need to be viewed thereby optimizing the refrigerated and moisturized air conditions inside the display area. The cover includes a plurality of transparent curtains that roll up on rollers for storage and roll down for use. Strip connectors provide connections across the gaps between adjacent curtains. Fasteners of the hook and loop type allow the strip connectors to be secured to the curtains across the gaps simply by placing the connectors across the gaps.

Abstract: An enclosed area, such as a cabinet, having a section for items and also a separate section containing an air circulating system contained within the cabinet.

Abstract: A display case is provided with a compartment which stores merchandise for display and is divided into at least two chambers by a partition plate to enable storing different types of merchandise, each of which types is to be held under a predetermined temperature. These chambers communicate with one another through a communication gap which is defined between the partition plate and the window of the case and the opening and closing of the gap is controlled by a sealing mechanism to vary the temperature conditions within each chamber. The sealing mechanism includes a sealing element which is movably engaged with the partition plate and a retaining element is fastened on the partition plate to hold the selected position of the sealing element. Thus, the opening and closing control of the gap is easily operated without interfering with the visibility of the merchandise.

Abstract: A combination cooler-freezer or "refrigerator" includes a front door providing access to the refrigerated portions of its interior, and it also includes a side door providing access into the freezer portions of its interior. The size and placement of the freezer door provides an unusually large amount of access area into the freezer space, reduces its depth and thus increases the visibility of most of the items contained therein.

Abstract: A refrigerator shelf for dispensing cans or thawing food. Adapted for mounting in the limited height space below a meat keeper, the shelf defines a one-legged tray which is supported by the cross members of a cantilever-suspended frame. The cross bars are substantially L-shaped and inverted such that the respective supporting short sides are at different vertical heights. When the legged end of the tray is forward, the tray is held horizontally. When the legged end of the tray is rearward, the tray functions as a front loading can dispenser because it is inclined towards the rear.

Abstract: A refrigerated storage cabinet suitable for use in convenient storing of food stuffs has a plurality of storage chambers within which storage racks are located and the temperature maintained by a refrigerating unit. One opening of each of the storage chambers is covered by a door element which is provided to function as the door for a display case or for a vending machine whereby different forms of merchandise can be stored in the cabinet and vending sales made from the same cabinet.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case with front, top and side panels of multi-windowpane construction. Each panel is designed to provide high visibility of the merchandise on display. The panels are easily connected together. Thus, the manufacturing cost of the display case is significantly reduced.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for prolonging the preservation of cut flowers involves cooling the bottom portion of a flower pot, which contains water in which the stems of cut flowers stand, while also cooling a semi-enclosed flower space with cooling air introduced in such fashion that the blooms of the cut flowers are not subjected to significant draft of the cooling air.

Abstract: An island-type chest freezer for the display of food products to the public. The chest includes a base and a rectangular container provided with an evaporator for receiving the products as well as cover panels. The chest freezer includes a beam disposed longitudinally in the container in a median position and at a level close to an upper edge of the cover panels. The beam acts as a support for the evaporator and for one side of the cover panel. The chest freezer allows the use of a single evaporator which, being centrally located, ensures uniform refrigeration within the container.

Abstract: A self-serve type of salad bar for supermarkets and restaurants. The salad bar comprises a base which supports a table. The table supports a container for fruits and vegetables and for ice. A cover member is supported above the container by posts which are movable to an upper position to position the cover in an upper position to provide access to the container and the contents thereof. In its upper position, the cover serves as a shield to prevent contamination of the contents of the container. The posts and the cover are movable to a lower position in which the cover closely encloses the container and prevents access to the container. Readily adjustable support members support the posts in the upper position thereof and prevent accidental lowering of the posts and the cover.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case is provided which includes a framework having a plurality of first panels connected to each other to form a structure having a polygonal cross-section. Each first panel is connected to an adjacent first panel such that an extending portion of the first panel extends beyond its connection point to an adjacent first panel. The framework also includes a plurality of second panels, each second panel being connected at one end to an extending portion of a first panel. The framework defines a plurality of refrigeration compartments. Each compartment includes an information board to provide information relating to the products displayed in the compartments.

Abstract: An electric outlet assembly adapted for mounting in an opening in a wall to secure a current take-off means at various fixed positions relative to the opening. The take-off means is mounted in a cover member which is arranged to block the opening at all positions at which the current take-off means is secured. Positive or negative air pressure can be maintained within the wall. The wall can be an air conduit partition in a refrigerated display cabinet.

Abstract: A substantially transparent single-pane insulating structure, positionable between a warmer region and a colder region having a substantially transparent pane wherein one surface is exposed in use to the warmer region and the opposed surface in use facing the cold region and a reflecting material applied to the surface of the pane which faces the colder region for reflecting a substantial portion of infrared radiation incident on the reflecting material through the pane to the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region to restrict substantial transmission of infrared radiation from the warmer region to the colder region and to heat the surface of the pane exposed in use to the warmer region sufficiently to prevent formation of a visibility-impeding layer thereon without using electrical energy therefor and wherein the reflected infrared radiation is reradiated into the warmer region so as to inhibit reradiation thereof into the colder region and for transmitting a substantial portion of visible l

Abstract: Cabinet, in which cut-off flowers are cooled by cooling the flower boxes in which the flowers are put.

Abstract: A frosted logo is provided on the transparent surface of a door panel of a display type refrigeration unit. The logo is positioned such that is appears to be superimposed over the products within the unit thus conveying the effect of coolness associated with the product stored therein. The frost logo effect is achieved by a screen printing technique.

Abstract: A cover for refrigerated display cases formed from a plurality of flexible, transparent, PVC strips attached together in side by side relation to form panels which extend across the display case access opening to provide a barrier which substantially reduces the heat transfer between the store environment and the display case contents.

Abstract: A spray assembly for a refrigerated display case has inclined bottom plates defining a first chamber below the bottom plates and a spray chamber above the bottom plates. Pressurized water is delivered into the first chamber through a water pipe having a normally closed control valve connected thereto for pressure delivery of water to a spray support pipe which extends from the first chamber into the spray chamber centrally thereof. A spray pipe is mounted on and communicates with the spray support pipe and has a plurality of opposed rows of water outlets for delivering a pattern of pressurized streams of water onto interior surfaces of the case and the undersurfaces of the grates and tubing of the cooling system for washing them down and for successive disposal through a drain pipe depending from the bottom plates.

Abstract: A refrigerated showcase characterized in that curtains superposed on each other in a plurality of layers so that an air layer or layers may intervene therebetween, are equipped along a front surface of a path of a cold air flow for refrigerating goods within the showcase, across the front opening of the body of the refrigerated showcase. Spacers are provided on the curtains in order to maintain the curtains in spaced relationship.

Abstract: A curtain comprised of a plurality of individual separable strips is provided for use across the front or top of a display type refrigerator such as used in supermarkets or the like. A sufficient number of strips are attached along the upper edge of the cabinet opening to span the width of the opening, each strip being of a length sufficient to span the length of the opening. Each strip detachably connects to the cabinet and is also detachably connected to one another whereby one or more strips may be removed from the cabinet and attached piggy back fashion to one or several strips for loading and unloading the refrigerator.

Abstract: Energy losses from market refrigerated display cases, which are normally open, can be dramatically reduced by use of an access shield according to the present invention. The access shield comprises a plurality of transparent and resilient panels, each panel being adjacent to at least one other and having an overlapping relationship with the adjacent panel. The panels may be mounted in a rigid frame and allow access therethrough by stretching and bending of one or more of the panels along the overlapped line. The plurality of panels may also be fitted to a spring-tensioned roller and stretched across the aperture of the refrigerated display case. In another embodiment, the plurality of panels may each be attached at an opposite end to a holder having a bow tie shaped protrusion which is urged into a receiving indentation in a fixture to temporarily lock the panel in a predetermined position and yet to permit free rotation within a sector to facilitate access. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A transparent, flexible curtain with spaced access points is provided for installation over the opening of a display type open refrigerator of the sort used in retail food markets. The curtain is comprised of a plurality of elongated, flexible, transparent panels secured at one end to the top or rear edge of the refrigerator cabinet and extending in overlapped relation across the cabinet opening. The edges of the panel are tubular and a colored sleeve may be added to make access points between adjacent panels more readily visible. The curtain retains cold air within the refrigerator and allows the food products to be clearly visible to the customer. Goods are removed by the customer reaching in between adjacent panels which separate easily and return to a closed position when the customer's hand is withdrawn.