Apparatus for cooling articles to low temperatures

Claim 2

Apparatus for continuous cooling of articles comprising an elongated tunnel having insulated top, side and bottom walls, conveyor means in the tunnel for moving articles longitudinally through the tunnel, means for applying cooling fluid to articles moving through the tunnel, means in said bottom wall and in a part of at least one sidewall forming an opening in the tunnel located beneath the conveyor means, the opening being defined by longitudinally spaced transverse edges of the bottom wall and the one sidewall, cover means for said opening, the cover means including an insulated portion positioned in said opening between the longitudinally spaced transverse edges of the bottom wall and the one sidewall, the insulated portion having longitudinally spaced transverse edges in contiguous relations with the longitudinally spaced edges of the bottom wall and the one sidewall, the longitudinal dimension between the longitudinally spaced transverse edges of the insulated portion being less than the longitudinal dimension between the longitudinally spaced transverse edges of the opening to provide for relative movement between the cover means and the transverse sides of the opening thereby accommodating termal expansion in a longitudinal direction, means foRming a gastight seal between the cover means and the tunnel, and means releasably securing said cover means to the tunnel.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the means forming a gastight seal between the cover means and the tunnel comprises members joined to the longitudinally spaced transverse edges of the insulated portion of the cover means and extending longitudinally therefrom in opposite directions, the members extending throughout the transverse edges of the insulated portion in overlying relation with marginal portions of the outside surfaces of the bottom wall and the one sidewall adjacent the opening, and sealing means acting between the members and the marginal portions of the outside surfaces of the bottom wall and the one side wall.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the opening in the tunnel is formed by means in the bottom wall and in a part of both of the sidewalls, in which the insulated portion is a U-shaped member, and in which the members extend from the edges of the U-shaped member in overlying relation with marginal portions of the outside surfaces of the bottom wall and both sidewalls adjacent the opening.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section; having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining at least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portions of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the transverse sides of the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members composing said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the uppermost edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section; having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining at least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portions of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the transverse sides of the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members composing said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the uppermost edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section; having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining a least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portion of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the trAnsverse sides of the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members compose said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the uppermost edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members; the mating lines of said inverted U-shaped members and the adjacent transverse edges of said cover means and said walls are disposed in spaced relationship to one another to provide for relative movement therebetween thereby accommodating thermal expansion in said apparatus.

Claim 8

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section; having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining a least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portion of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the trAnsverse sides of the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members compose said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the uppermost edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members; the mating lines of said inverted U-shaped members and the adjacent transverse edges of said cover means and said walls are disposed in spaced relationship to one another to provide for relative movement therebetween thereby accommodating thermal expansion in said apparatus.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining at least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portions of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the transverse sides to the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members composing said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the upper most edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members; said means releasably securing said cover comprising, at least in part, an elongated retaining strip coextensively disposed with the mating line between a pair of inverted U-shaped members coincident with said one edge of said cover means, and means between the ends of said strip and the adjacent corners of said cover means to releasably interconnect said cover means and said strip.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for the continuous cooling of articles, said apparatus having top, side and bottom walls defining an elongated passageway of substantially rectangular transverse cross section having conveyor means longitudinally traversing said passageway; and having means to apply cooling fluid to articles transported on said conveyor means; the improvement comprising access means in both the upper and lower portions of said passageway as follows: access means in said lower portion including: means defining at least one opening formed in said bottom wall and in part of both of said sidewalls, said opening being disposed beneath said conveyor means and extending transversely of the passageway; an insulated cover means extending over said opening to close and seal said opening, said cover means comprising a U-shaped member formed to conform to portions of said bottom and sidewalls adjacent the transverse sides to the opening, said cover means having at least one edge disposed substantially transverse of said passageway; and means releasably securing said cover means to said walls; access means in said upper portion including: a plurality of inverted U-shaped members composing said top wall and the upper portions of said sidewalls and disposed to abut one another along transversely disposed mating lines, said inverted U-shaped members being removable to expose at least the upper portion of said conveyor means and the lower internal portions of said walls for cleaning thereof; said inverted U-shaped members comprising the upper portions of said sidewalls to a level horizontally coincident with the upper most edges of said cover means; said one edge of said cover means which is disposed substantially transverse of said passageway being longitudinally coincident with a mating line between a pair of said inverted U-shaped members; said means releasably securing said cover comprising, at least in part, an elongated retaining strip coextensively disposed with the mating line between a pair of inverted U-shaped members coincident with said one edge of said cover means, and means between the ends of said strip and the adjacent corners of said cover means to releasably interconnect said cover means and said strip.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 including resilient seal means disposed between the cooperating edges of said cover means and said walls.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including an elongated, resilient seal means disposed on the inward surface of said strip to provide sealing between said abutting edges of said inverted U-shaped members.