Method for installing a motor-compressor unit in a cooling device

An apparatus for mounting a motor-compressor unit in a compartment equipped with first conduits for circulating coolant, said compartment having a rear compartment wall, a compartment opening, and a compartment bottom between the compartment opening and the rear compartment wall, said motor-compressor unit having a bottom and second conduits for connection with said first conduits, comprising:

• a mounting plate having a front end, a back end, and a substantially straight side between the front and back ends;
• elongated rail means mounted on the bottom of the motor-compressor unit for slidably supporting the motor-compressor unit on the mounting plate, said rail means having a front end, a back end, and a side disposed between the front and back ends and configured to be slidably guided by the substantially straight side of the mounting plate;
• means cooperating with the mounting plate for temporarily securing the mounting plate adjacent the compartment bottom with the back end of the mounting plate oriented toward the rear compartment wall and with the front end of the mounting plate extending through the compartment opening to support said rail means and the motor-compressor unit mounted thereon at least partially outside the compartment opening while the first and second conduits are manually connected, the back end of the rail means being oriented toward the rear compartment wall and the side of the rail means slidably engaging the substantially straight side of the mounting plate;
• means extending from the rear compartment wall and spaced above the compartment bottom by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the mounting plate for automatically securing the back end of the rail means when the rail means and motor-compressor unit mounted thereon are manually slid into the compartment following the connection of the first and second conduits;
• and
• means disposed adjacent the compartment opening for securing the front end of the rail means to mount the motor-compressor unit in the compartment after the mounting plate is manually removed.