US1925616A

US1925616A - Ice machine

Info

Publication number: US1925616A
Application number: US605023A
Authority: US
Inventors: Velut Rene
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-04-20
Filing date: 1932-04-13
Publication date: 1933-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1950-09-05

Description

Sept. 5, 1933. R VELUT 1,925,616

ICE MACHINE Filed April 13. 1932 "1 ma g 2l l' j' 1"*/2 f n .If/....f/ g5 .21. f,.26 u l "./U//- |kl? f' f" 2, .H m

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Patented Sept. 5, 1933 ICE MACHINE Ren Velut, Paris, France Application April' 13, 1932, Serial No. 605,023, v and'in France April 20,A 1931 A 7 Claims. (Cl. 62-108) The present invention has for its object improvements in or to the manufacture of artificial ice. f

Artificial ice is generally made in a large ice tank, containing smaller reservoirs or ice forms 4iilled with the water to be frozen and almost entirely immersed in the non-freezing liquid, such as brine, filling the ice tank, which brine is cooled by suitably shaped worms inside which the coldproducing liquid is vaporized.

Preferably the brine is given a comparatively great speed so as to sweepV more swiftly-over the walls of the forms. n t n l The devices of this type used heretofore show numerous drawbacks, the amount of brine is always considerable and consequently a long time is required for operating Athe cold producing compressor,` before it is brought Vto the desired working temperature. v

Moreover by reason of the speed required for the brine with a view to producing a speedy freezing in the forms, the brine must be propelled by meansjof screws or of pumps which require aA large amount of power. e n

vThe ice tank must also be luidtight throughout the height of the brine, i. e. in practice alittle over the height of the forms. p

Further, when the water is frozen, the forms must be removed from the brine upwardly and then after immersed downwardly into another tank in order to heatthe walls of the forms before removing the ice formed. After this the forms are again removed from the second tank upwardly and set into a substantially horizontal position, in order to allow the'easy removal of the block of 1ce. Y Y

For executing these operations it is necessary to use either very light forms or else mechanical liftingrmeans in the usual'case of heavy'forms since it is advantageousto produce large blocks of ice which melt less during transportation.

Finally the ice produced according to the above method is opaque and dicult to sell.l For producing transparentice, it is necessary to mechan-n ically agitate the water inside the forms whileit is freezing. q

Good results may be obtained yby blowing air inside the forms, but this method is not easily executed with the forms immersed inside the brine.

In fact, as it is necessary for unmoulding to ymaintenance under low pressure of the agital provide conical or pyramidal shaped blocks, the ,lower part of'the'block of ice is frozen before the upper partandas the air must be blown into the lower part of the forms, the movement of the air is stopped before water is completelyv frozen. If the air'were introduced through movable blowing pipes, these latter should be removed long before the Vfreezing is at an end so as ice.

Air is often blown through-pipesvdisposed onv the outside of the form and entering its lower part; the pipe is thus immersed throughout its length in the brine, which pr'oducesjacondensing of the moisture and then afterthe freezing thereof, the ice thus produced closing the air pipes whereby the agitation of the water necessary for obtaining transparent ice is lat an en'd.` l

The object ofthe present invention is a device avoidingV said drawbacks and'providing perfectly transparent ice with a minimum of handicraft. The principal feature of the invention con`- sists in that instead of immersing the forms inside an unconge'alable-liquid such as brine, the latter is caused to stream over the part of the walls of the forms disposed above the normal level of the brine in the ice tank.

The fact that the forms are not entirely immersed in the brine allows their pivoting for removing the blocks of ice round horizontal-axes arranged under their center of gravity thereof which avoids the long and tedious 'operations described hereinabove. Y p

rSuch a device allows an easy blowing oi air since it is suicient therefor to connect the bottom of the forms with a compressed air` container by lmeans of yielding pipes long enough to allow the forms to rotate around a horizontal axis.

My improved device provides the following advantages; the amount of brine may be greatly reduced and the height for which the tank must be uidtight maybe limited to that corresponding to the depth of the brine whichis no more in ycontact with the` entire height of the forms. i

The brine streams from the top of the bottom of the form under the action of gravityand its supply may be adjusted'in a manner such that the top and bottom' of the ice block are frozen substantially in a simultaneous manner.

l The ice block is in factthicker at the top'where it is frozen with the coldest brine, and less thick at the bottom where it isfrozen with already warmed up brine., F

My improved method allows therefore the air until the water is comto avoid their lower par-t being stopped up by the` side of the forms, and consequently the lowermost portion of the water does not freeze in contradistinction to the freezing devices used theretofore wherein the forms are immersed in the brine.

Furthenthe flexible pipes leading air to the bottom of the` forms may be spaced with reference to the latter enough to prevent the brine from streaming too much over them, the condensation and freezing of the air moisture bein thus avoided. I;

Finally the duct through which the stirring air rarrives during the freezing process may also serve for removing the liquid water remaining` at the end of the operation in the center of the filling again the form with water, the apparatus being thus again ready for operation.

Consequently the operations are controlled merely by the actuation of some cocks, the tilting of the forms `and the return thereof when empty; this is simple and requires substantially no energy I, have described'hereinbelow, with reference to accompanying drawing and by way of YeX- ample, a form of execution of the invention.

chine; Y

Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing the arrange- 4 ment of Athe form, streaming device and worms inside the casing of the machine.

v-The apparatus (Fig. 1) is'enclosed inside a casing 1, a great part of which has been broken away in Fig. 1; the lower part of. said casing is fluidtight and forms a brine tank; it contains a worm 2 inside which the cold producing fluid moves. Y

Above the tank are disposed the formsB., 4, 5

shaped Ias frusto-pyramids the cross-sections of which increase as they are taken higher; these forms may rotate round a horizontal shaft 6; in their operative position they are vertical, as shown for the forms 3 and 4; the form 5 is shown as upset, viz. in the position given thereto at the end of the operation, for removing the ice block formed therein. Y

VAt the top of the casing 1 is a duct 'l with several cocks such as 8 disposed just over the forms.

f This duct is connected with a pumpS, driven by a motor (not shown) and fed with thebrine contained in the bottom of casing 1. The forms are closed by caps 11 (the cap on form 5 is supposed to be removed), which caps are provided with flanges having apertures 13.

The working ofthe device is as follows:

4The bottom of casing 1 beingflled with brine cooled to a suitable temperature, andthe coldproducing iiuid being set in motion in worm 2, the pump 9 is started. The brine is sent into duct '7 out of which it flowsthroughthe cocks 8. 1t falls on to the middle ofthe caps 11, out of which it ows through apertures 13 over the side walls of the forms A.which are cooled not only through contact but also through the' evaporation of the brine streaming as a thin layer over a large area. Y

The brine falls again into the bottom of casing 1, after streaming over the worm 2, or the upper tubes thereof if the lower tubes are immersed in the brine; the brine is thus cooled bythe worm. It may be sucked again by the pump 9 for coolving again the forms.

Sometimes it may be of advantageto arrange a second worm between the duct 'land the top of the forms so that the brine maybe cooled by block of ice, and after lifting of said block forn Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically the whole ma-- passing over said worm justV before it streams Y `condensation and stillmore the freezing of moisture inside the pipes is thus avoided; on the other hand the air already cooled abandons only very `little heat during its passage through the forms.

The air is sent from the fan into the duct v16, provided with as many cocks 17 as there are forms, which latter are themselves provided with cocks 418- at their lower ends ;`

cocks

17 and 18 are interconnected through the flexible tubes 19 the length of `which is great Yenough to allow the forms to be pivoted round their axes and brought intothe position illustrated for form 5. After:A

. having travelled through the water filling a form,

the air escapes through a vent 21 at-the top thereof.

As soon as the operation has begun and the4 brine streams over the forms, the fan 1 is started, andthe-threewaycocks 22 and 23 are actuated so as to connect the fan with duct 16 whereby the. air is blown through the water to beV frozen.

Whenthe water is frozen, the pump 9 and fan 14 are stopped; Each form contains an ice block 24, Vshowing at its bottom the usual central hollow wherein the impurities of the water gather. The

cocks

22 and 23 are actuated so as to separate duct 16 from pipe 15 and to connect it with the exhaust 25 through which the soiled water remaining in the hollows of the ice blocks is removed.

This being'done, the doors 26 of the casing 1 1 are opened, the forms are pivotedv (as shown for form 5) the ice block is freed through grav-` ity and can be easily removed and loaded on a car.

When all the forms have been emptied and the 1 caps replaced, the forms are set in their upright positions which requires only aslight effort; they are then filled again with pure water in order to make them ready for another operation. To this effect the cocks 22 and r23 are again actuated l for separating duct 16

from'pipes

15 and 25 and connecting it with tube 27 fed from the pure waA ter supply (not shown). Y 'Y It is Aobvious that at the beginning of the fol-V lowing operation, the water will fill the duct 16 and part of the pipe 15, but the pressure of the air from the fanrlfl will drive it back into the forms.

Fig. 2

than Fig. 1 which with a view to a greater cleari? ness, is quite diagrammatical, how the casing 1 and its door 26 maybe arranged in practice with a careful protection against external heat, the form 3 being shown with its shaft around which the form is adapted to pivot without any difficulty. i

What I claim is: .Y Y Y 1. An ice machine comprising in combination .a casing the bottom of which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottomand flaring upwardli7 d for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft disposed underneath the centers'of gravity of said forms and to which'said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal positoma pipelying above the forms, l means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out of the pipe on to the forms and over same and'is collected in the fluidtight bottom of the casing, means for cooling the brine collected at the bottom of the casng,'means for returnng the cooled brine to the pipe-feeding means, means for filling the forms with Water, means for blowing air inside the form for stirring the water to be frozen therein and means for removing the soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central hollow of the frozen blocks formed in the forms.

2. In an ice machine as claimed in claim 1, means for controlling the fall of water out of the duct on to each form and a cap closing the upper larger end of each form and an apertured vertical flange raised on the periphery of each form.

3. An ice machine comprising in combination a casing the bottom of which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottom and flaring upwardly for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft'disposed underneath the centers of gravity of said forms and to which said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal position, a pipe lying above the forms, means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out of the pipe on to the forms and over same and is collected in the fluidtight bottom of the casing, a worm disposed at the bottom of the casing, means for feeding said worm with cold-producing fluid, means for returning the cooled brine to the pipe-feeding means, means vfor filling the forms with water, means for blowing air inside the form for stirring the water to be frozen therein and means for removing thel soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central' hollow of the frozen blocks formed in the forms.

4. An ice machine comprising in combination a casing the bottom of which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottom and flaring upwardly for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft disposed underneath the centers of gravity of said forms and to which said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal position; a pipe lying above theforms, means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out of the pipe onto the forms and over same and is collected in the fluidtight bottom of the casing, means for cooling the brine collected at the bottom of the casing, a pump, means for connecting the suction of said pump with the bottom of the casing, means for connecting the exhaust of said pump with the pipe-feeding means, means for removing the soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central hollow of the frozen blocks formed inthe forms.

5. An ice machine comprising in combination a casing the bottom of which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottom and flaring upwardly for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft disposed underneath the centers of gravity of said forms and to which said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal position; a pipe lying above the forms, means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out of the pipe onto the forms and over same and is collected in. the fluid tight bottom of the casing, means for cooling the brine collected at the bottom of the casing, a duct inside the casing lying substantially at the same level as the bottoms of the forms, a fan, means for feeding the fan with air from the casing, means for connecting the exhaust of the fan with the duct, flexible means for connecting the duct with the bottoms of the forms, means for connecting the upper end of the forms with the inside of the casing, means for removing the soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central hollow of the frozen blocks formed in the forms.

6. An ice machine comprising in combination a casing the bottom vof which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottomand flaring upwardly for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft disposed underneath the center of gravity of said forms and to which said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal position; a pipe lying above the forms, means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out of the pipe onto the forms and over same and is collected in the fluidtight bottom of the casing, a worm disposed at the bottom of the casing, means for feeding said worm with cold-producing fluid, a pump, means for connecting the suction of said pump with the bottom of the casing, means for connecting the exhaust of said pump with the pipefeeding means, a duct inside the casing lying substantially at the same level as the bottoms of the 105 forms, a fan, means for feeding the fan with air from the casing, means for connecting the exhaust of the fan with the duct, flexible means for connecting the duct with the bottoms of the forms, means forrconnecting thel upper end of thev forms with the inside of the casing, means for removing the soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central hollow of the frozen blocks formed in the forms.

7. An ice machine comprising in combination a casing the bottom of which is fluid-tight, forms disposed above said bottom and flaring upwardly for their normally vertical position, a horizontal shaft disposed underneath the centers of gravity of said forms and to which said forms are pivotally secured to allow their rocking into a substantially horizontal position; a pipe lying above the forms, means for feeding the pipe with cold brine, means whereby said brine falls out rof ther pipe onto the forms and over same and is collected' in the uidtight bottom of the casing, means for cooling the brine collected at the bottom of the casing, a duct inside the casing lying substantially at the same level as the bottom of the forms, a fan, means for feeding the fan with air from the casing, means for connecting the exhaust of the fan with the duct, flexible means for connecting the duct with the bottoms of the forms, means for connecting the upper end of the forms with the inside of the casing, means for removing the soiled unfrozen water remaining in the central hollow of the frozen blocks formed inthe forms, and cocks controlling the connection of the duct with the fan exhaust, with the soiled water removing means and with the means for filling the forms with water.

REN vELUT.