General Electric Company

Thomas M Benton

John Keith Besore

Martin Mitchell Zentner

Bruce L Ruark

Jerry C Martin

Adam C Kennedy

A side by side refrigerator has a vertical evaporator formed from an elongated tube wrapped with a ribbon of material having spine fins extending substantially perpendicular from the elongated tube. The elongated tube has elongated straight runs joined by return bent ends to define a vertically extending evaporator having a generally oval spiral or configuration. In one embodiment, the elongated straight runs are spaced from each other throughout the vertical length of the evaporator to provide a space of constant area for air flow. In other embodiments, the lower end of the evaporator has the elongated straight runs spaced from each other to provide an entrance passage for air with the remainder of the evaporator having some of the elongated straight runs at predetermined locations on at least one side of the evaporator offset inwardly towards the other side of the evaporator so that the fins on the offset elongated straight runs overlap the fins on the elongated straight runs on the other side of the evaporator to enhance 'mixing' of the air flow around the various runs of the evaporator. The evaporator may have one of the elongated straight runs on one side of the evaporator moved into vertical alignment with adjacent elongated straight runs on the other side of the evaporator to which they are connected to provide a space intermediate the length of the evaporator for a defrost heater.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Thomas M Benton