GB2096103A - Automatic machine for producing ice cubes provided with a dispensing drawer - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic machine for producing ice cubes, comprising a dispensing drawer mobile horizontally between two working positions; namely a first closed charging position in which it receives the produced ice cubes which fall freely from the production apparatus on to feed chutes, and an open position in which the cubes fall freely downwards by passing through an aperture uncovered by virtue of the fact that the base (20) of the drawer remains stationary, and in which a wall (16) extending rearwards from said drawer covers the space left free thereby at the base of the machine tray. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Automatic machine for producing ice cubes provided with a dispensing drawer This invention relates to an automatic machine for prodcuing ice cubes, provided with a dispensing drawer by means of which a substantially uniform predetermined quantity of cubes can be comfortably withdrawn without other cubes being handled.

The machine according to the invention is of the type in which the ice cubes fall freely from a production apparatus into an underlying collection tray accessible from the outside through a door.

Machines of this type have the drawback that the ice cubes can be handled on withdrawl, this being evidently anti-hygienic.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the aforesaid drawback, by providing a machine characterised by comprising a dispensing drawer mobile horizontally between two working positions, namely a closed charging position in which it receives the produced ice cubes which fall freely from the production apparatus on to feed chutes, and an open position in which the cubes fall freely downwards by passing through the missing base of the drawer, and in which a wall extending rearwards from said drawer covers the space left free thereby at the base of the collection tray.

The structural and operational characteristics of the invention and its advantages will be more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are partly sectional side views showing a machine according to the invention in its two different working positions, and Figure 3 is a section on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, the machine according to the invention is indicated overail by 10, and is of the type comprising an ice cube production apparatus in which the cubes produced fall freely into an underlying tray. Said production apparatus is not illustrated herein as it is well known to experts of the art.

According to the invention, the machine tray comprises chutes 11 and 1 2 which convey the ice cubes into a dispensing drawer 1 3 manually mobile between the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, namely a closed and open position respectively.

Said drawer 1 3 comprises a compartment 14 to be filled by ice cubes, a handgrip 15, and a rearwardly extending wall 1 6 designed to close the tray base when the drawer is open in the position of Fig. 2.

As is clearly apparent from the drawings, the ice cubes produced by the machine fall freely into the drawer 1 3 to fill it when in its closed position of Fig. 1.

On opening the drawer into the position of Fig. 2, the cubes above it become supported b.y the wall 16, while those inside it are able to fall freely into the container 1 8 by passing through the aperture 1 9 uncovered by virtue of the fixed base 20. This occurs without other cubes inside the tray being handled.

The drawer 1 3 can also be fitted with a magnetic catch 1 7 or the like.

1. An automatic machine for producing ice cubes, characterised by comprising a dispensing drawer mobile horizontally between two working positions, namely a first closed charging position in which it receives the produced ice cubes which fall freely from the production apparatus on to feed chutes, and an open position in which the cubes fall freely downwards by passing through an aperture uncovered by virtue of the fact that the base of the drawer remains stationary, and in which a wall extending rearwards from said drawer covers the space left free thereby at the base of the machine tray.

2. An automatic machine for producing ice cubes constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (2)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Automatic machine for producing ice cubes provided with a dispensing drawer This invention relates to an automatic machine for prodcuing ice cubes, provided with a dispensing drawer by means of which a substantially uniform predetermined quantity of cubes can be comfortably withdrawn without other cubes being handled. The machine according to the invention is of the type in which the ice cubes fall freely from a production apparatus into an underlying collection tray accessible from the outside through a door. Machines of this type have the drawback that the ice cubes can be handled on withdrawl, this being evidently anti-hygienic. The object of the present invention is to obviate the aforesaid drawback, by providing a machine characterised by comprising a dispensing drawer mobile horizontally between two working positions, namely a closed charging position in which it receives the produced ice cubes which fall freely from the production apparatus on to feed chutes, and an open position in which the cubes fall freely downwards by passing through the missing base of the drawer, and in which a wall extending rearwards from said drawer covers the space left free thereby at the base of the collection tray. The structural and operational characteristics of the invention and its advantages will be more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are partly sectional side views showing a machine according to the invention in its two different working positions, and Figure 3 is a section on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1. With reference to the drawings, the machine according to the invention is indicated overail by 10, and is of the type comprising an ice cube production apparatus in which the cubes produced fall freely into an underlying tray. Said production apparatus is not illustrated herein as it is well known to experts of the art. According to the invention, the machine tray comprises chutes 11 and 1 2 which convey the ice cubes into a dispensing drawer 1 3 manually mobile between the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, namely a closed and open position respectively. Said drawer 1 3 comprises a compartment 14 to be filled by ice cubes, a handgrip 15, and a rearwardly extending wall 1 6 designed to close the tray base when the drawer is open in the position of Fig. 2. As is clearly apparent from the drawings, the ice cubes produced by the machine fall freely into the drawer 1 3 to fill it when in its closed position of Fig. 1. On opening the drawer into the position of Fig. 2, the cubes above it become supported b.y the wall 16, while those inside it are able to fall freely into the container 1 8 by passing through the aperture 1 9 uncovered by virtue of the fixed base 20. This occurs without other cubes inside the tray being handled. The drawer 1 3 can also be fitted with a magnetic catch 1 7 or the like. CLAIMS

1. An automatic machine for producing ice cubes, characterised by comprising a dispensing drawer mobile horizontally between two working positions, namely a first closed charging position in which it receives the produced ice cubes which fall freely from the production apparatus on to feed chutes, and an open position in which the cubes fall freely downwards by passing through an aperture uncovered by virtue of the fact that the base of the drawer remains stationary, and in which a wall extending rearwards from said drawer covers the space left free thereby at the base of the machine tray.

2. An automatic machine for producing ice cubes constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.