Domestic Wine Cooler

Abstract

A modular, refrigerated cabinet having a removable, portable wine rack on its interior, with means to support the rack.

Description

This invention relates to domestic appliances and has particular reference to a small, compact device for storing and cooling wines.

More and more people are becoming connoisseurs and collectors of fine domestic and imported wines and storing the wines under the proper conditions and having them ready to serve to guests and family upon short notice and properly chilled, has become a problem, particularly in the confined areas of modern living.

It is therefore an object of this invention to obviate the foregoing difficulties and to provide a wine cooler and cabinet, which may readily become a part of interior decor of a home or small apartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is made up of several modules, which are easily separated from one another to permit the cleaning of the interiors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, in which the principal working parts of the refrigeration system are mounted on a slidable tray, positioned at the bottom of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, in which the several modules are supported by detachable legs.

FIG. 1, is a front perspective view, with parts broken away and with one of the two front doors open, of a device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2, is a rear view of the device with the back wall and pigeon-hole dividers removed, and the side walls in section.

FIG. 3, is a bottom plan view of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates, in general, the outer module, which consists of insulated walls 8 & 9, a rear wall 10, a top 11, a bottom wall 10A, and a pair of doors 12 & 13, all of which are preferably made of opaque fiberglass. The doors 12 & 13 are provided with hinges (not shown) and locking handles 14 and 15. One of the side walls has a tunnel like opening 8A, therein, which permits cold air to be forced upwardly by the fan 28, to the top, where it enters the module 7 through apertures 8B. The cold air then decends by gravity through the interior and through the apertures in the members 10A and 22.

A second module 16 is positioned on the inside of the module 7, and is divided into a plurality of compartments or pigeon holes 17, each of which is arranged to receive a bottle of wine. The module 16 is preferably made of chrome plated metal and has corner support posts 18.

A third module 21, also made of fibreglass, is open at the bottom and at the rear and consists of a top 22, a front wall 23, and side walls 24 and 25. The member 10A and the top 22 are perforated to permit the circulation of air through the modules 7 and 21. The three modules 7, 16, and 21 are supported by four legs 26. The legs 26 are provided with threaded, internal, bores which are arranged to receive machine screws 27, which extend through the members 11A, 22, and L-shaped brackets 27A, which are secured to the uprights 18, by welding or other suitable means. This permits the module 16 to be removed from the module 7 by simply removing the machine screws 27, so that the inside of the module 7 may be readily cleaned. The machine screws 27 serve to tie the three modules together.

The module 21 serves as a housing for the refrigerating equipment 28A and 28B, which is mounted on a tray 29, which is slidable through the open back of the module 21. A cooling coil (not shown) is supported on the back wall 10 of the outer module 7, by any suitable means, and a thermostatic control 31 is mounted on the interior of the module 7 near the bottom. The refrigeration controls are set to maintain a temperature of approximately 55.degree.F on the interior of the module 7.

The refrigeration unit is connected to any suitable electrical power source as in conventional practice. The refrigeration equipment 28 may be reached for servicing by sliding out the tray 29.

The module 16 may be removed from the module 7 and the module 21 may be separated from the module 7, simply by removing the machine screws 27 from the legs 26. Thus, it will be seen that the device may be readily disassembled for moving or storing when not in use.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing description.

Claims

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wine cooler comprising a refrigerated upper module, and a lower module opened at one end, each of which modules is made of fiberglas, and a third module consisting of a metal wine rack, removably supported in said first module, said wine rack having a plurality of angular pigeon-holes therein, said first two modules being supported one above the other by a plurality of legs, said modules and said legs being secured together by a plurality of machine bolts, which are accessible from the interior of said first module.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said second module is in the form of an inverted box, and has housed therein parts of a mechanical refrigeration system.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said second module is in the form of an inverted box having at least one wall removed, there being a removable tray therein with parts of a mechanical refrigerating system supported on said tray.