GB750576A - Improvements in methods of making ice and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

750,576. Ice-making. TAYLOR, F. W. July 12, 1954, No. 20289/54. Class 29. Ice making apparatus comprises a container 1 for the liquid to be frozen and one or more fluidtight chambers 14 immersed in the liquid, each chamber having a flexible, deformable wall 18 which is in heat exchange contact with a refrigerant coil 9<SP>1</SP> within the chamber. Ice forms in a layer on the wall 17 and then the wall is deformed by the application to or the withdrawal from the chamber of fluid pressure so that the ice layer separates in part from the wall. Liquid then flows into the space between the wall and the frozen layer and freezes, and the wall is again deformed and so on. Ultimately the ice sheets break away from the walls. The top and bottom of the chambers have electric or other heaters 26 to confine the ice to the flexible walls. Each chamber may, as shown, be divided by a partition to form two parts 23, 23<SP>1</SP> which can be connected to the fluid pressure source and which each have a flexible wall 17. Alternatively the chambers need not be partitioned and have each two opposite walls 17. As shown, the detached ice floats to the surface and is removed by a conveyer 7. The supply of fluid pressure and hence the ice-making operation can be controlled by an electric timer, the control circuits being fully described with reference to Fig. 6 (not shown). In modifications, the chambers may be disposed on the walls of the container or the ice may be allowed to accumulate until a block of ice is formed. In this case the flexible walls may slope to allow easy withdrawal of the block. Small blocks of ice may be cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of water, then wetted with water and joined together in a press. The blocks may have concave faces so that, when stored, they have line contact one with another and do not fuse together.