EP0131667A2

EP0131667A2 - Machine for making ice cubes

Info

Publication number: EP0131667A2
Application number: EP83306889A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Moshe Dagan
Original assignee: Amcor Ltd Israel
Current assignee: Amcor Ltd Israel
Priority date: 1983-07-14
Filing date: 1983-11-11
Publication date: 1985-01-23
Also published as: ES8601447A1; ES527315A0; EP0131667A3; ZA844943B; JPS6026265A; AU2132883A; ES8503827A1; IL69224A0; ES537815A0

Abstract

A machine for making ice cubes includes an arrangement which first uses water, which is to be introduced into a tray to be frozen therein to form ice cubes, to activate the tray so as to cause previously formed ice cubes to be ejected from the tray. Then the water is permitted to flow in a direction to the tray, while the tray returns to a position to receive the flowing water.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is primarily directed to a device for making ice cubes and, more particularly, to an improved ice cubes' making device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various devices are presently known for making ice cubes. Many modern refrigerators for home use include such devices. Typically such a device operates in a plurality of sequentially performable cycles. An ice cube tray is first placed in a first position to receive a measured quantity of incoming water. After undergoing a freezing cycle the tray is placed in a second position, the ice cubes are ejected from the tray into an appropriate container and the tray is then returned to the first position to receive a new quantity of incoming water to form additional ice cubes.
Typically, in the prior art electrical and mechanical arrangements, driven by power from external sources, are incorporated to perform the various steps needed for the device's operation, particularly the turning of the tray between the position in which the ice cubes are formed to the one in which they are ejected as well as the ejection of the ice cubes from the tray. The need for such arrangements, particularly the electrical ones, which typically include one or more electrical motors, increases the cost and complexity of the ice cubes' making device and, therefore, is quite undesirable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ice cubes' making device in which the above-referred to disadvantages are eliminated or at least substantially reduced.
According to the present invention there is provided an ice cube making machine of the type in which a tray with receptacles is adapted to receive water, which when frozen form ice cubes, when the tray is in upward position with the receptacles pointing upwardly, an arrangement comprising:

first means including tray rotation means responsive to a first force for turning said tray from said upward position to a downward position, wherein said receptacles point downwardly; and
second means including fluid receiving means for imparting said preselected force to said tray rotation means.

Preferably and in a preferred embodiment thereof, hydraulic power is utilized to control the performance of at least some of the cycles of the device. The device includes a diaphragm type valve which imparts motion to a piston to which a push rod is pivotally connected at one end. As hydraulic power is applied, the push rod, which has one end, shaped as a cam follower is pushed by the piston to first engage a tray rotating mechanism. Additional motion of the push rod causes the tray with the ice cubes to rotate from an upward (first) position to a downward (second) position, wherein the ice cubes are to be ejected therefrom. Additional motion of the push rod causes some tray deformation, which is sufficient to cause the ejection of the ice cubes from the tray into an appropriate container. Due to the cam follower-shaped end of the push rod, farther motion thereof results in the disengagement of the push rod from the tray rotation mechanism. The latter is biased in such a way so that when disengagement between the tray rotation mechanism and the push rod takes place, the tray rotation mechanism rotates the tray, which is now empty of ice cubes, to the upward (first) position to receive an additional quantity of water to form additional ice cubes.
As to the push rod, the piston to which it is connected is spring biased. Upon the termination of the hydraulic pressure the spring applies a biasing force to the piston to retract it as well as the push rod which is connected thereto, to discharge the fluid out of the diaphragm type valve.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a three-way hydraulic valve is employed. In one position, water, under sufficient pressure from an appropriate source, enters a first port and exits a second port to the diaphragm-type valve to impart the motion to the piston and the push rod, as previously described, to turn the tray to the downward position and to eject the ice cubes and disengage the push rod from the tray rotation mechanism. Once the ice cubes have been ejected out of the tray and the disengagement took place, the valve is switched to stop the flow of water into the first port. Then when the tray is in the upward position to receive water in order to form new ice cubes, the valve is switched to a different position in which the water flows out of the diaphragm-type valve and through the three-way valve to the tray for ice cube formation.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:-

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the invention, showing the device during the cycle when the ice cubes are formed therein;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention, showing the device during a different cycle;
Figures 3 and 4 are partial cross-sectional views, useful in explaining important aspects of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a combination cross-sectional and top view of portion of the device; and
Figs 6-8 are diagrams useful in describing another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Attention is first directed to Figs 1 and 5 wherein an ice cube tray 10 is shown having a plurality of water-receiving troughs or receptacles 12, which are adapted to receive and contain water, which when frozen, form ice cubes. The tray 10 with the receptacles 12 are shown in greater detail in Fig. 5. The tray is located within a housing 14, wherein water-freezing takes place. In Fig. 1 tray 10 is shown in an upward position, during which the water is frozen to form the ice cubes. The tray is attached to a tray rotation mechanism, generally designated by numeral 15, which hereafter will be referred to as mechanism 15 which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 5.
Briefly, the mechanism 15 includes a ratchet or rack 18 which is meshed to a gear 20 to which a tray support shaft 22 is connected (see Fig.5). The shaft is biased, such as by means of a spring 24 so that in the absence of a motion-producing force the tray 10 is in the upward position, as shown in Fig. 1. However, when a motion producing force, provided by a unit 25 is applied to mechanism 15, the tray first starts turning from the upward position to a downward position and, after reaching this position, the continued application of the force causes the ice cubes to be ejected out of the tray, as will be explained hereafter in connection with Fig. 3. Thereafter, upon the termination of the force, the tray, as a result of the bias provided by the spring 24 returns to the upward position.
The novel device with the novel force-producing unit 25 will now be described in connection with Figs. 1 through 4. In all the figures like elements are designated by like numerals. The novel unit 25 comprises a piston 30, which is connected at an end 30a to a flexible member 32, hereafter also referred to as diaphragm 32. It forms one side or wall of a fluid-containing housing 34, into which fluid is adapted to enter and exit through an opening 34a. At the other end 30b of piston 30, one end 36a of a push rod 36 is pivotally connected by a pivot 38. The other end 36b of the push rod is shaped in a multifunctional unique manner as will be described hereafter to perform several unique functions.
End 36b of the push rod 36 defines an elongated recess 40 with an outwardly extending lip or side 40a (see Fig 1). The special relationship between the push rod 36 and the rack 18 is such that the top end of the rack 18 slides and is in contact with the push rod within the recess 40 during the period when force is applied by the push rod to mechanism 15. In addition to recess 40 the end 36b of the push rod 36 includes a surface _'42 which serves as a cam follower to follow the surface 44a of a circular cam-like member 44.
The piston 30 is biased by appropriate biasing means, e.g. a spring 46 so that the piston is biased toward opening 34a of housing 34 whereby the flexible member or diaphragm 32, reduces the volume of housing 34 in which fluid may be present. Also, when the piston 30 is biased against opening 34a it pulls the push rod 36 away from the rack 18 so that no force is applied by the push rod to the latter. This is the case when a tray is in the upward position during which water is adapted to be introduced into receptacles 12, and is frozen to form the ice cubes, as shown in Fig. 1. The absence of the application of a force by the push rod 36 to the rack 18 is represented by the fact that the recesses side 40a is not in contact with the tip of rack 18, closest to 40a.
Once ice cubes are formed in the tray it is obvious that the ice cubes need be removed therefrom before additional ice cubes can be formed. To this end the tray is first turned to a downward position, as shown in Figures 2-5. This is achieved by introducing fluid designated by numeral 50 in Fig. 2 into housing 34 through inlet or opening 34a. As will become apparent from the following description, in a preferred embodiment the fluid 50 is actually the water which is to be used subsequently to fill the tray in order to form the ice cubes.
As fluid 50 enters housing 34 it pushes the flexible diaphragm 32 outwardly thereby pushing piston 30 and push rod 36 which is coupled thereto, toward rack 18. Once rack 18 abuts against lip 40a any additional motion (to the right as shown in the Figures) of the push rod, as a result of the introduction of additional fluid into housing 34 causes rack 18 to move to the right. Since it is meshed with gear 20, the latter turns, thereby turning with it the shaft 22 which supports the tray 10, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. Consequently, the tray with the frozen ice cubes starts turning from the upward position (Fig.l) to the downward position (Figs. 2-5).
The introduction of additional fluid into housing 34 continues to push the rack 18 and thereby turn the gear 20 and the tray 12 until the latter reaches its downward position as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the back side of tray 12 abuts a stop element 52. As shown in Fig. 2 in this position the cam-shaped face 36b is not yet in contact with the surface 44a of cam 44, but rather is slightly spaced therefrom. Typically, the ice cubes freeze to and adhere to the tray. Thus, some force has to be applied to separate them from the tray 10 so as to eject them therefrom. This is easily achieved in the present invention by the introduction of additional fluid into the housing 34, which causes the rack 18 to move slightly rightward and thereby apply an additional rotational force to gear 20. The latter is transmitted, via shaft 22, to the tray. However, since additional rotation of the tray is prevented by stop 52 (Fig. 2), the tray, which is typically of plastic, instead rotating, is subjected to slight distortion or deformation, which is sufficient to dislodge the ice cubes therefrom. Since the tray at this point is in the downward position, as shown in Fig. 3, the ice cubes, designated in said Fig. 3 by 60, are dislodged or ejected from the tray 10. They may be gathered or fall into an appropriate container 62.
At this point in the operation of the device the amount of fluid and its pressure in housing 34 is such that the can follower surface 36b abuts against the surface 44a of cam 44, as shown in Figure 3. As additional fluid is introduced into housing 34 further motion of the push rod 36 takes place. However, due to the fact that surface 36b follows the surface 44a of cam 44 (see Fig.4), the push rod 36, rather than continuing to push the rack 18, pivots about pivot 38. As the push rod 36 continues to pivot upwardly, at some point the corner of the rack, which previously abutted lip 40a within recess 40, is cleared therefrom. Consequently, the forces which acted on the rack 18 to turn the gear 20 and through shaft 22 the tray, terminate. The only force to which the shaft 22 is subjected is that provided by biasing spring 24 Isee Fig. 5). Thus spring 24 causes shaft 22 to turn and with it turn the tray back to its upward position, as represented in Fig. 4 by arrow 65.
As to the positions of the piston 30 and push rod 36, once the tray has returned to its upward position (see Fig. 1), fluid, instead of flowing into the housing 34 through opening 34a, is permitted to flow out of it. This outflow is achieved by the biasing force which spring 46 applies to the piston 30. In practice spring 46 pushes the piston 30 and the flexible diaphragm 32 toward housing opening 34a, while pulling with it the push rod 36. The movement of the diaphragm 32 toward opening 34a reduces the volume of housing 34, thus ejecting fluid 50 out of the housing 34.
As previously pointed out, in a preferred embodiment the fluid 50 is actually the water which is to be used to form the ice cubes. In this embodiment a multi-position valve, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is designated by numeral 70.
Let it be assumed that the device is in the cycle wherein the tray is in the upward position as shown in Fig. 1, with ice cubes therein, ready to be ejected. At this point the valve 70 is switched so that water from an appropriate source and under adequate pressure is permitted to enter port 70a and pass through the valve and through port 70b and conduit 72 to the housing 32 through opening 50. This valve position is represented in Fig. 2 by numeral 74. A measured amount of water is introduced, sufficient to turn the tray, eject the ice cubes and release the tray, as previously explained in connection with Figs. 2-4.
Once the tray has been turned upwardly (by spring 24) the valve 70 is switched to a second position, as represented by arrow 75 in Fig. 1. In this valve position the force of the biasing spring 46 ejects the water out of housing 34 and causes it to flow through conduit 72, port 70b of valve 70 out of the valve, through port 70c and therefrom through conduit 76 to fill the receptacles 12 of tray 10 with water to be frozen to form more ice cubes.
In order to prevent excessive production of ice cubes means may be provided to terminate the operation of the device until more ice cubes are needed. This can be achieved by closing the valve 70 so as to prevent water from entering it when the number of ice cubes or their total weight, in the container 62 has reached a maximum desired value. For example, the container may be placed on a scale 80 (see Fig. 3) so that when the container weight exceeds a chosen value a signal is supplied to the valve 70 to close it. Likewise, when the level of ice cubes in the container 62 reaches a maximum defined level a signal from a level sensor 82 may be provided to the valve to close it and thereby prevent the production of additional ice cubes, until the level (or weight) drops, thereby reactivating the operation of the device. In Fig. 2 for explanatory purposes arrow 86 represents a line through which a signal is supplied to the valve to close it so as to terminate the operation of the device, until more ice cubes are needed.
Attention is now directed to Figs. 6-8 in connection with which another embodiment of the invention will be described. This embodiment also includes the force-producing unit 25, except that instead of rack 18 and push rod 36, the unit 25 includes a piston 100, which by means of spring 46, has its end 100a biased against the diaphragm 32. Thus, water entering housing 34 via inlet 34a pushes the piston 100 to the right, while the spring 46 urges the piston to the left to expel the water out of the housing.
As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 near the piston end 100b teeth 105 are formed thereat. These teeth mesh the teeth of a gear 106 which is coupled to a shaft 110 by a coupling or one direction clutch unit 111. Directly connected to the shaft 110 is an ice-cube tray 112. Also coupled thereto is an ice-cube extraction arrangement 115 in the form of elongated frame, also designated by numerals 115. The function of the frame will be described hereafter.
In operation, as water enters housing 34 and the piston 100 is forced, against the spring bias, to the right, the engagement of the gear 106 with the piston teeth 105 causes the gear 106 to rotate clockwise. In the clockwise rotation the shaft is coupled to the gear so that it too rotates CW. As the shaft rotates it carries with it the tray 112. After a partial rotation of the shaft, e.g. 60°, the extraction frame 115 also starts to rotate therewith. The extent of the teeth 105 is such that the tray 112 is rotatable slightly more than one quarter of a revolution, as shown in Fig.7, and the frame 115 rotates about 60° less, on the order of 20°-30°.
At this point the gear 106 is juxtaposed a recess 120 in the piston 100 (see Fig.7). Thus, the gear is no longer meshed to the piston. The shaft 110 is spring biased so that as soon as the gear is freed from the piston the shaft 110 rotates back to its initial state, thereby returning the tray 112 and the frame 115 to their horizontal initial state, as shown in Figure 6.
When water is free to exit the housing 34 the spring 46 urges the piston 100 to the left to push diaphragm 32 so as to expel the water. As the piston is urged to the left the gear 106 again engages piston teeth 105 and thus it rotates counterclockwise. However, the one direction clutch mechanism 111, which couples the gear 106 to shaft 110, operates so that when the gear rotates CCW it is disengaged from the shaft. Thus, as the gear 106 rotates CCW the shaft does not rotate and therefore the tray 112 and the frame 115 remain in their horizontal state. It is only when the gear 106 rotates clockwise that the clutch mechanism 111 engates the shaft 110 to the gear 106.
The freezing of the water in the compartments of the tray 112 to form ice cubes is achieved by means of fingers 125 which extend into the compartments from a temperature controlled unit 130. The latter is cooled and heated in response to signals from a control unit 135, which is responsive to signals from a temperature sensor 140, which is coupled to sense the temperature of unit 130.
The operation of the embodiment will now be described, starting the description when water is present in the tray and unit 130 is in a cooling cycle. In this state the multiposition valve 70 is in a state wherein water no longer flows from inlet 70a to either the ports 70b or 70c. The control unit 135 keeps cooling unit 130 and its fingers 125, which are in direct contact with the water in the compartments of the tray. Consequently, the water cools and eventually freezes to form ice cubes. The sensor 140 keeps sensing the temperature and sends corresponding signals to unit 135. When the fingers 125 and thus the frozen water or ice cubes reach a desired low temperature below water freezing, e.g. -10°C, which is sufficient to insure that the frozen water has hardened into solid ice cubes, the control unit 135 switches unit 130 to a heating cycle. Thus the temperature of unit 130 with its fingers 125 fises. The purpose of heating the fingers is to condition the ice cubes to become more easily separable from the fingers, as will be described.
When the fingers' temperature has risen to a preselected level, still below O^OC, e.g. -1°C, the control unit 135 stops the heating cycle. At substantially the same time it activates valve 70 to connect inlet port 70a to port 70b. Consequently, water starts to flow into housing 34 via inlet port 34a, thus pushing the piston loo to the right, as diagrammed. As a result, the gear 106 starts turning and with it it turns the shaft 110 to which tray 112 is fixedly attached. At the time the tray starts turning, the frozen water, i.e. the ice cubes in the various compartments of the tray are still partially frozen to the fingers. Consequently, while the tray is rotated downwardly the ice cubes remain attached to the fingers 125. After a chosen rotation of the tray, e.g. 60°, as the shaft 110 keeps turning the extraction frame 115 also starts to rotate downwardly. As it comes in contact with the ice cubes which are still attached to fingers 125, the frame pushes the ice cubes down and thus removes or extracts them off the fingers 125. Once extracted, the ice cubes fall into a receiving container or bucket 150.
As more water enters the housing 34, resulting in the rightward pushing of the piston 100, the tray 112 and the frame 115 keep rotating until they reach their most downward position, as shown in Figure 7. At this point in time the piston has advanced to the right so that the gear 106 is juxtaposed recess 120. Thus the gear is decoupled from the piston and therefore the shaft rotates back to its initial position and returns with it the tray 112 and the frame 115 to their horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 6.
At about the same time or shortly thereafter, which is at a preestablished time period from the time the introduction of water into housing 34 began, the control unit 135 switches the valve 70 so that ports 70b and 70c are interconnected. As previously explained, in connection with the previously described embodiment, when these valve ports are interconnected, the spring 46 urges the piston to expel the water out of housing 34 and feed it to the tray. Simultaneously with switching the valve to interconnect ports 70b and 70c or shortly thereafter, the control unit 135 switches the unit 130 again to be cooled. Thus as unit 130 together with fingers 125 are cooled the latter cool the water in the tray's compartments to freeze the water and harden it onto the fingers 125. The cooling continues until the chosen low temperature is reached, e.g. -10 C as previously described, at which time the unit 135 switches to the heating cycle, as previously described.
From the foregoing it should be apparent that in the last-described embodiment, water freezing is achieved by the direct contact of fingers 125 with the water, rather than as a result of the coldness of the air in the chamber in which the mechanism is located. Such an arrangement is particularly desirable in free standing, separate ice cube making machines. In the embodiment the cooling of the fingers is controlled by the control unit 135 which effectively controls the entire automatic operation of the mechanism. Once the fingers are cooled to a low temperature, e.g. -10⁰C so that the ice cubes are fully hardened, the control unit switches to a heat cycle. This is necessary to reduce the adherence of the ice cubes to the fingers. When heated to a higher temperature, e.g. -1°C, still below freezing, the control unit 135 switches the valve 70 to admit water into the housing 34. Consequently, the tray is rotated away from the ice cubes. However, the latter remain attached. to the fingers 125. Then, the extraction frame 115 starts rotating and as a result presses down on the ice cubes to detach them from the fingers 125. The ice cubes thus fall into receptacle 150. Water keeps entering the housing 34 and when the piston has moved so that the gear 106 is juxtaposed recess 120, the tray 112 and the extraction frame 115 return to their horizontal position. Thereafter, control unit 135 switches the valve 70 to enable the water in housing 34 to be expelled into the tray. Then the control unit switches structure 130 and fingers 125 to be cooled again in order to freeze the newly introduced water into hardened ice cubes.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur, to those skilled in the art and consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

Claims

1. In an ice cube making machine of the type in which a tray with receptacles is adapted to receive water, which when frozen form ice cubes, when the tray is in upward position with the receptacles pointing upwardly, an arrangement comprising:

first means including tray rotation means responsive to a first force for turning said tray from said upward position to a downward position, wherein said receptacles point downwardly; and

second means including fluid receiving means for imparting said preselected force to said tray rotation means.

2. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 1, wherein said second means includes a fluid housing with an aperture through which fluid is adapted to enter said housing, said housing having at least a portion of one side thereof formed of a flexible member which flexes outwardly to thereby increase the volume of said housing as fluid enters said housing and force producing means connected to said flexible member for imparting said first force to said tray rotation means when the volume of said housing reaches a first value.

3. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first-means includes a stop means for limiting the rotation of said tray in the downward position and said tray is of a flexible material whereby when said force producing means imparts a second force greater than said first force to said tray rotation means, the latter first rotates said tray until its downward position is stopped by said stop means and the excess force above said first force causes said tray rotation means to impart a tray-deforming force to said tray to facilitate the separation of the ice cubes from the receptacles thereof, when said ice cubes falling out of said tray through the downward pointing open ends of said receptacles.

4. In an ice cube making machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first means furthermore include biasing means for urging said rotation means to turn said tray to the upward position when the force, applied to said tray rotation means, is below a preselected value.

5. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 4, wherein said second means includes a fluid housing with an aperture through which fluid is adapted to enter said housing, said housing having at least a portion of one side thereof formed of a flexible member which flexes outwardly to thereby increase the volume of said housing as fluid enters said housing and force producing means connected to said flexible member for imparting said first force to said tray rotation means when the volume of said housing reaches a first value.

6. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 5, wherein said first means includes stop means for limiting the rotation of said tray in the downward position and said tray is of a flexible material whereby when said force producing means imparts a second force greater than said first force to said tray rotation means, the latter first rotates said tray until its downward position is stopped by said stop means and the excess force above said first force causes said tray rotation means to impart a tray-deforming force to said tray to facilitate the separation of the ice cubes from the receptacles thereof, with said ice cubes falling out of said tray through the downward pointing open ends of said receptacles.

7. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 6, wherein said second means include biasing means for urging said force producing means and the flexible member in a direction so as to cause said flexible member to reduce the housing volume and thereby expel fluid therefrom when the fluid pressure in said housing is below a selected value.

8. In an ice cube making machine according to claim 7, wherein said force producing means includes a first member definable as a piston having a first end connected to said flexible member and a second member definable as a push rod being pivotally connected at one end thereof to the second end of said piston, said push rod having a second end with an elongated recess defining an outwardly extending and a cam following surface, said tray rotation means including a linearly movable member and having a portion thereof engageable in said recess, said push rod applying said first and second forces to said retention means by linearly moving said linearly movable member once the latter has become engaged by said lip of said recess.

9. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 8, wherein said first means includes a cam member, whereby when said push rod has moved a preselected distance as a result of fluid in said housing, said cam following surface follows said cam member, to thereby disengage said push rod from said linearly movable element.

10. In an ice cube making machine of the type in which ice cubes are formed in compartments of a tray by freezing water therein, an arrangement comprising:

a temperature controlled structure including a plurality of fingers, each finger extending into a tray compartment when the tray is in a substantially horizontal position above an ice cube receiving unit, whereby each finger when cooled to a preselected first temperature which is below the water freezing temperature freezes water in the compartment into which it extends;

tray position control means including water receiving means for rotating said tray from said horizontal position in a direction so as to expose said ice cubes to said receiving unit while said ice cubes adhere to said fingers:

a multi-position water flow valve for providing a water flow path between a water source and said water receiving means when the valve is in a first position and for providing a path for water to flow from said water receiving means to said tray when the valve is in a second position; and

control means for controlling the temperature of said structure and the fingers thereof and the position of said valve.

11. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 10 wherein said control means is responsive to the temperature of said structure for terminating the cooling thereof when said structure and its fingers first reach said first temperature and for heating the structure to a second temperature which is above said first temperature to facilitate the disengagement of said ice cubes from said fingers, said control means further controlling the position of said valve.

12. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 11 wherein said control means is operative to switch said valve to said first position when said structure reaches said second temperature and switches said valve to said second position a predetermined period after being in said first position, and thereafter switches said structure to be cooled to said first temperature.

13. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 10 wherein said tray position control means includes mechanical means responsive to water entering said water receiving means for causing said tray to rotate from its horizontal position a preselected angular rotation, and for returning said tray to its horizontal position after a preselected volume of water has entered said water receiving means.

14. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 13 wherein said control means is responsive to the temperature of said structure for terminating the cooling thereof when said structure and its fingers first reach said first temperature and for heating the structure to a second temperature which is above said first temperature to facilitate the disengagement of said ice cubes from said fingers, said control means further controlling the position of said valve.

15. In an ice cube making machine as recited in claim 14 wherein said control means is operative to switch said valve to said first position when said structure reaches said second temperature and switches said valve to said second position a predetermined period after being in said first position, and thereafter switches said structure to be cooled to said first temperature.