Container for supplying chilled water from a refrigerator or the like

Claim 2

An unpressurized water container for installation in an above freezing portion of a refrigerator to chill water supplied to the container through a water valve connected between the container and a source of water under pressure, the container comprising: an elongated tank extending generally horizontally between opposite end walls, the end walls being interconnected by side walls and top and bottom walls; a water inlet adjacent one end wall; an upright water exit chamber disposed adjacent the other end wall and opening at its bottom into the tank adjacent its bottom wall, the tank top wall between the inlet end wall and the exit chamber inclining upwards from the former to the latter; a water outlet disposed adjacent the top of the exit chamber; and an air bleed passage disposed at the juncture of the tank top wall and the exit chamber, the air bleed passage communicating with the water outlet.

Claim 3

The container of claim 1 wherein the tank side walls are provided with inwardly extending baffles between the top and bottom walls of the tank, the baffles on one side wall being offset from those on the otHer side wall and effective to provide a horizontally sinuous path for water flowing through the tank from the inlet end wall towards said other end wall.

Claim 4

The container of claim 2 wherein the water exit chamber is disposed on the exterior of the other tank end wall, the tank top wall inclining upwardly from the inlet end wall to said other tank end wall, and wherein the air bleed passage is located at the juncture of the tank top wall and said other end wall.

Claim 5

The container of claim 3 wherein the air bleed passage extends through said other end wall and into the upper end of the exit chamber.

Claim 6

The container of claim 1 including a second elongated tank extending generally horizontally between opposite end walls and disposed above the first tank, the end walls of the upper tank being interconnected by side walls and top and bottom walls; an upper water inlet at one end wall of the upper tank adjacent its juncture with its bottom wall, the water outlet of the lower tank being disposed directly below and connected to the upper water inlet for flow of water from the lower tank up into the upper tank; an upper upright water exit chamber disposed adjacent the other upper tank end wall, the upper exit chamber extending downwards from the level of the adjacent end of the upper tank top wall and opening at its bottom into the upper tank adjacent its bottom wall, the upper tank top wall between the upper inlet end wall and the upper exit chamber inclining uniformly upwards from the former to the latter; an upper water outlet disposed adjacent the top end of the upper exit chamber; and an air bleed passage disposed at the juncture of the upper tank top wall and the exit chamber, the air bleed passage of the upper tank communicating with the upper water outlet.

Claim 7

The container of claim 5 wherein the side walls of each tank are provided with inwardly projecting baffles formed by indentations therein extending between the top and bottom walls thereof, the baffles on one side wall being offset from those on the other side wall of each tank to define a series of laterally connected compartments in each tank, the walls of each baffle being curved into its adjoining side wall, all effective to provide a horizontally sinuous and swirling path for water flowing through each tank from its water inlet end wall towards its said other end wall.

Claim 8

The container of claim 6 wherein the water exit chambers of both tanks are disposed on the exterior of their respective other tank end walls, the respective tank top walls inclining upwardly from their respective inlet end walls to their respective said other tank end walls, and wherein the air bleed passages of both tanks extend through their respective said other end walls into the tops of their respective exit chambers.

Claim 9

The container of claim 7 wherein the lower and upper tanks, the water inlets and outlets thereof, and the water exit chambers and the air bleed passages, are all integrally formed as a single molding.