Abstract:
An air conditioner cooling apparatus which is designed to be used in conjunction with a cabinet type air conditioner that has an air exhaust portal which has an exhaust airflow,path and a length of condenser coils. The cooling apparatus comprises a paddle which is to be placed within the exhaust airflow path and upon operation of the air conditioner, the paddle is to be pivoted from a crosswise position relative to the airflow path to an inclined position relative to the airflow path. The pivoting of the paddle connects by a linkage assembly to a control arm with this control arm to be raised from a lower position to an upper position when the air conditioner is activated. The control arm connects to a water supply valve which is opened when the air conditioner is turned on with water to be caused to flow through the valve to a series of discharge nozzles with this water to be dispensed onto the condenser coils of the air conditioner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to air conditioners and more particularly to an apparatus which causes water to be dispensed onto the condenser coils of the air conditioner in order to promote faster heat exchange therefrom with the dispensing of the water being activated solely upon the operation of the air conditioner with the operation of the cooling apparatus being achieved mechanically, not electrically. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are many different types of air conditioners with one common type being a refrigerated type of air conditioner that resembles a cabinet which is frequently installed within residential homes, offices and industrial buildings. These cabinet types of air conditioners are generally connected to a central heating and air conditioning system of the house or building. These types of air conditioners include a compressor unit which works in conjunction with a pump and condenser coils. A heat absorbing fluid is conducted through the coils and by its expansion and contraction functions to remove heat from within the house or building. This collected heat is then discharged into ambient air exteriorly of the house or building with this heat to be dissipated through the condenser coils. In order to facilitate this transfer of heat, there is utilized an electrically operated fan which is to move air across the condenser coils. 
     It long been known that one can increase the efficiency of the air conditioner by misting or spraying of water on the coils. This application of water on the coils promotes faster heat exchange from the condenser coils to the ambient. This increased efficiency usually results in a few extra degrees of cooling for the house or building at the same time decreasing the load on the compressor of the air conditioner. In situations where there is exceedingly hot weather, this difference can amount to the cooling of the air space within the house or building to a comfortable temperature as opposed to an uncomfortable temperature while minimizing the load being encountered by the air conditioner. 
     The application of the water onto the condenser coils cools the condenser coils and the fluid contained within the coils thus reducing the pressure of the fluid. The compressor encounters less back pressure and thus consumes less energy. The cooler fluid results in a lower temperature at the evaporator coil inside the house or building and therefore the air conditioner operates for a shorter period of time in order to cool the interior space to the desired temperature. In the past, the controlling of the delivery of water onto the condenser coils is well known. However, for some reason, the prior art systems have failed to appear in the marketplace. The failure of the prior art systems to achieve widespread success may be attributed to any number of shortcomings associated with the previous designs. One of the problems of previous designs is that under high water pressure many valves become inoperable, in other words the valve may not close. Also, prior art designs were frequently complicated using pressure regulators, specialized valves, large and heavy vanes, paddles or air cups on the end of long support arms. Any air conditioner cooling apparatus should be simple, low cost, easily adaptable to the wide variety of different types of air conditioners that are on the market, adaptable to the many different household water pressures, adaptable to the different rates of airflow in the various models of air conditioners, and easy to install and remove. The air conditioning cooling apparatus should also minimize the degree of obstruction of the airflow of the exhaust airflow path of the air conditioner in order to minimize the flow of air and increase the overall operating efficiency of the air conditioner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The basic structure of the present invention comprises an air conditioner cooling apparatus to be used in conjunction with a cabinet type air conditioner that has an air exhaust portal which has an exhaust airflow path and a length of condenser coils. A paddle is to be mounted and located within the exhaust airflow path. A normally closed water supply valve is connected to a source of pressurized water. Opening of the water supply valve causes water to be supplied to a series of discharge nozzles through which water is to be dispensed onto the condenser coils. A control arm connects to the valve and extends outwardly therefrom. Movement of the control arm from a lower position to an upper position will cause the valve to move from a closed position to an open position permitting flow of water to the discharge nozzles. A linkage assembly connects the paddle to the control arm. As the paddle is moved by the exhaust airflow path from a crosswise position within the airflow path to an inclined position, the control arm is to be moved by the linkage assembly from its lower position to the upper position and hence opening of the valve. 
     Another embodiment of this invention is where the control arm within the basic embodiment is designed to pivot relative to the valve. 
     In another embodiment of this invention, the basic embodiment is modified by the paddle being permitted to pivot from the crosswise position within the airflow path to the inclined position. 
     In another embodiment of this invention, the basic embodiment is modified where the linkage assembly includes a roller mounted on the control arm with a cam, which connects to the paddle, riding on the roller. 
     In another embodiment of this invention, the basic embodiment utilizes a roller that is adjustable by raising and lowering of the roller relative to the control arm. 
     In another embodiment of this invention, the basic embodiment is modified with the control arm including a weight assembly with this weight assembly to be adjustable on the control arm to vary the amount of force being applied to maintain the valve in the closed position. 
     In another embodiment of this invention, the just previous embodiment is modified by the weight assembly of the control arm being adjustable by increasing or decreasing the spacing of the weight assembly relative to the valve. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an exterior isometric view of a typical cabinet type of air conditioner on which has been installed a first embodiment of air conditioner cooling apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the mechanism of the air conditioner cooling apparatus of the present invention showing the first embodiment of air conditioner cooling apparatus in its non-operated position not causing any water to flow onto the condenser coils of the air conditioner; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the apparatus in the operated position where water is flowing onto the condenser coils of the air conditioner; 
     FIG. 4 is a view partly in cross-section through the air conditioner cooling apparatus of the present invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is an exterior isometric view of a second embodiment of air conditioning cooling apparatus that is intended to be mounted in conjunction with a typical type of cabinet air conditioner. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown a cabinet type of air conditioner  10  that has a series of louvered side panels  12 . Mounted interiorly of the side panels  12  are a series of condenser coils  14 . Generally, these condenser coils  14  are arranged in a back and forth serpentine manner with the coils  14  constituting a continuous flow path. Through the coils  14  is to be conducted a fluid, which is not shown. A typical fluid is what is commonly sold under the trade name Freon. 
     The cabinet air conditioner  10  includes a top panel  16  that includes an enlarged circular hole  18 . Within the top panel  16 , the enlarged circular hole  18  is covered by a mesh screen  20 . Mounted within the interior cabinet  10  and located directly adjacent the interior surface of the mesh screen  20  is a fan blade  22 . The fan blade  22  is to be rotated from a motor (not shown) which causes rotation of shaft  24  upon which the fan blade  22  is mounted. Rotation of the fan blade  22  causes air to be conducted from the ambient inwardly across the condenser coils  40  to within the interior of the cabinet air conditioner  10 . This air is then moved through an exhaust flow path represented by arrows  26  and  28  through the mesh screen  20  to within the ambient. 
     Mounted about the cabinet air conditioner  10  is a dispensing tube  30 . The dispensing tube  30  includes two in number of discharge nozzles  32  for each side panel  12  with it being understood that there will also be two discharge channels for the side panel, which is not shown. The discharge nozzles  32  are normally designed to emit mist rather than a stream with this mist to be conducted through the louvers  34  into contact with the condenser coils  14 . The discharge tube  30  is connected to a valve housing  36  with this valve housing  36  being mounted on an L-shaped mounting plate  38  of the first embodiment of this invention. 
     This L-shaped mounting plate  38  is to be fixedly mounted onto the top panel  16 . The valve housing  36  includes a valve piston  40 . The valve piston  40  is to be movable from a retracted position, shown in FIG. 2, to an extended position, shown in FIG. 3, and when in the retracted position, discharge tube  30  is closed by the valve piston  40 . Also, valve piston  40  will close off water supply tube  42  which is to be connected to a water supply spigot  44  which will normally be mounted in conjunction with the house or building, which is not shown. The water supply spigot  44  also includes a valve, which is not shown, with the valve in the spigot  44  to be normally positioned by the valve spindle  46  being located so that pressurized water will be continuously supplied within the water supply tube  42 . However, no flow of the water from the water supply tube  42  into the water discharge tube is permitted when the valve piston  40  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The valve piston  40  is pivotally connected to a link  48 . The link  48  is pivotally connected by pin  49  to a control arm  50 . Link  48  is pivotally connected by pivot pin  45  to arm  47  which is integral with valve housing  36 . The control arm  50  is shown to be of elongated configuration and has a rectangular cross-sectional configuration. However, it is to be considered to be within the scope of this invention that control arm  50  may assume the configuration of a rod. The inner end of the control arm  50  is attached to the link  48  and at the outer end of the control arm  50  there is mounted, thereon, a series of weights  52 . Normally, there will be a four ounce weight, a two ounce weight and a one ounce weight forming the series of weights  52 . The weights  52  are to be adjustable longitudinally on the control arm  50  or one or more of the weights could be actually removed from the control arm  50 . The weights  52  are to be used so that when the water pressure that is supplied to the valve piston  40 , that just the right amount of weight is used on the control arm  50  so the valve piston  40  will be moved to the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, when the airflow has been turned off with the fan  22  non-operating. It is to be understood that within some homes or businesses that the water supply tube  42  may contain a higher or lower pressure of water. Therefore, weights  52 , by adjusting of such relative to the control arm  50  can precisely individually control the shutting off of the valve piston  40  according to the specific requirements of the particular installation. 
     Mounted on the control arm  50  is a link  54  located intermediate the weights  52  and the link  48 . The link  54  has an outer end which has mounted thereon by a pin  55  a roller  56 . Mounted on a tab  51  of the control arm  50  is an adjustment screw  58 . The adjustment screw  58  can be tightened or loosened in order to vary the position of the roller  56  relative to the control arm  50 . The use of the adjustment screw  58  is so as to again provide for individual adjustment for the particular air conditioner on which the air conditioning cooling apparatus of this invention has been installed. The position of the roller  56  is to be set so that when the roller  56  rests on cam  60 , and there is no airflow being created by the fan blade  22 , that the valve piston  40  will be in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The cam  60  constitutes an arcuate shaped rod which has an outer flared end  62 . When the roller  56  connects with the outer flared end  62 , the outer flared end  62  functions as a stop not permitting any further clockwise rotational movement of the cam  60 . The cam  60  is integrally connected to a pivot rod  64 . This pivot rod  64  is low frictionally mounted between upstanding mount  66  and back plate  68  of the L-shaped mounting plate  38 . Pivot rod  64  is connected to a flat plate configuration of a paddle  70 . The paddle  70  is designed to be located in contact with the mesh screen  20 , or in close proximity thereto. The paddle  70  is to be pivoted from a crosswise position to the airflow path, shown in FIG. 2, to an inclined position (substantially forty-five degrees) to the airflow path, shown in FIG.  3 . The pivot rod  64  pivots relative to the upstanding mount  66  and the back plate  68 . 
     When the paddle  70  moves from the crosswise position to the inclined position, roller  56  will ride on the cam  60  to come into engagement with the outer flared end  62 . During this time, the control arm  50  is pivoted from a lower position to an upper position with the upper position shown in FIG.  3  and the lower position being shown in FIG.  2 . This results in the valve piston  40  being moved from the retracted position, shown in FIG. 2, to the extended position, shown in FIG. 3, which will permit water to flow from the water supply tube  42  into the discharge tube  30 . The water within the discharge tube  30  will then be dispensed through the series of discharge nozzles  32  into contact with the condenser coils  14 . 
     It is to be understood that when the fan blade  22  is no longer rotating and the airflow terminates, that the paddle  70  will automatically pivot again to the crosswise position, shown in FIG. 3, and the control arm  50  will then move to the lower position and valve piston  40  will then move to the retracted position preventing flow of water from the water supply tube  42  into the discharge tube  30 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 5, there is shown the second embodiment  72  of air conditioner cooling apparatus of this invention. Second embodiment  72  operates similarly to the first embodiment in that there is utilized an L-shaped mounting plate  74  which also has a back plate  76  which is mounted at a right angle to a baseplate  78  of the L-shaped mounting plate  74 . The paddle  80 , which is essentially identical to paddle  70 , is mounted on a pivot rod  82  which is similar to pivot rod  64 . The pivot rod  82  also has an outer flared end  84  which is similar and functions for the same purpose as the outer end  62  of the first embodiment. The pivot rod  82  is pivotally mounted by a grommet  83  mounted within a hole  85  formed in the back plate  76  and also is pivotally mounted by a grommet  87  mounted within a hole  89  mounted in a short plate  86  which is mounted at a right angle to the baseplate  78 . The pivot rod  82  is designed to come into connection with a roller  88  which is essentially identical to roller  56 . The roller  88  is low frictionally mounted on a bend  92  of the control arm  90 . The control arm  90  has a circular cross section which is different from the rectangular shaped cross-section of the control arm  50 . 
     The inner end of the control arm  90  is fixedly mounted to a link  94 . The link  94  and the control arm  90  are pivotable by pivot pin  96  which is fixed onto a portion of the back plate  76 . The outer end of the link  94  is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin  98  which in turn is fixed to an arm  100 . Arm  100  is connected to a valve piston, not shown. The valve piston of the second embodiment will be basically similar to the valve piston  40  of the first embodiment. The valve piston is mounted within valve housing  104 . Connecting with the valve housing  104  is the water supply tube  42  and the dispensing tube  30 . The outer end of the control arm  90  is fixed to a container  106 . The container  106  is basically a box that has an open top. 
     The second embodiment  72  will operate in precisely the same manner as the first embodiment. When the paddle  80  is pivoted to an inclined position by the airflow passing through enlarged circular hole  18 , the roller  88  will be moved in an upward direction raising container  106  relative to the baseplate  78 . The air guide plate  91  functions to confine the air in the area of paddle  80  producing a “tunnel” affect which will maximize the pivoting of the paddle  80  to the greatest inclined position. At the same time, the link  94  will be pivoted causing outward movement of the valve piston shaft  102  relative to the valve housing  104 . This will cause the valve piston to be unseated and flow of liquid to occur into dispensing tube  30 . When the airflow through the enlarged circular hole is terminated, the paddle  80  will again move to the lower position, as shown in FIG.  5 . The control arm  90  and roller  88  should then fall by gravity moving the valve piston shaft  102  in an inward direction toward valve housing  104 . If there is insufficient torque due to inadequate weight of the container  106 , roller  88  and control arm  90  to cause the valve piston to be again seated (countering the water pressure of the flow) within valve housing  104  terminating the flow of the liquid into dispensing tube  30 , it will then be necessary for the operator to place a small weighted object(s) into the internal compartment  108  of the container  106  in order to increase the torque sufficiently to result in the inward movement of the valve piston shaft  102  and seating of the valve piston. Small weighted objects might comprise metallic washers, metallic bolts and nuts and even rocks. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. Reference should be made to the appending claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.