US2049934A - Ice container - Google Patents

Description

B. H. WITH ERSPOON ICE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. l, 1932 y LDVENTOR l r Wfl/ ..2 7 @imag Aug. 4, 1936. B H, WWHERSPOON 2,049,934

ICE CONTAINER INVENTOR Patented Aug. d, i936 n. Witherspoon, rimanga, rs.

Application August i, 11932, Serial No. tidl My invention relates to an ice container adapted to receive a plurality oi' ice cubes for storage or transportation.

Users of domestic electric refrigerating devices have frequently been handicapped by the limited capacity oi the average unit for freezing cubes of ice. Even in the larger sizes, it is possible to maintain only a fairly limited supply of cubes in the freezing unit.

My invention overcomes this disadvantage of present types of refrigerating units and provides means for keeping on hand a supply of ice cubes much greater than that which it is possible to accumulate and maintain in any domestic reirigerators now in use.

I have invented a container for ice cubes which may be stored inside oi the refrigerator, but outside the freezing unit thereof, or entirely outside the refrigerator in any convenient location. The invention also contemplates a device for iacl1itating the transportation or storage of a number of ice cube containers. Another modication of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive container for the supply of ice cubes by commercial ice manufacturers.

In accordance with one iorm of my invention, I provide a container i'or receiving and storing cubes after they have been frozen in the freezing trays of the ordinary domestic refrigerator. The container is preferably constructed of thermal insulating material and is waterproof, and has means for spacing the ice cubes placed therein to prevent them from freezing together. A suitable cover is provided.

In use, the container is lled with ice cubes from the freezing tray and is placed at any convenient point either inside or outside the refrigerator. Due to the character of the material of which the container is composed. the cubes may be preserved for considerable periods of time. Additional cubes may be frozen and stored in the same way by providing additional containers or containers of larger capacity until the required supply of cubes has been accumulated.

A modled form of the invention comprises a case or box adapted to receive a. plurality of drawers designed to receive ice cubes. Both the case and the drawers are of thermal insulating material. This modlilcation provides a convenient means for transporting a supply of ice cubes for use at a distance from the point of manufacture as, for example. on picnics or outings.

A still further modification of the invention comprises an inexpensive ice cube container adapted to be used by commercial ice manufacturers ior supplying ice cubes to householders. This form oi the invention is not designed to preserve the cubes for any great length of time since I contemplate that such container filled 5 with ice cubes will be delivered to the householder in a vehicle having a refrigerated chamber. On' delivery, the cubes may be transferred to one of the forms of the invention above-mentioned.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a pre in ferred embodiment oi the invention and certain modications. The invention, however, is not limited thereto, since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of my broader claims. For a complete understanding of the invention, l5 reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away and partly in section showing a preferred form of the invention having a supply of. ice cubes therein;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention with the cover removed;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view along the line III- m of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 25 IV-liV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation showing a refrigerator having the invention in use therein;

Figure 6v is a iront elevation of a box or case for storing a plurality oi ice cube containers, one ci the containers being removed;

Figure 'I is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of one oi' the dra ers;

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4, showing slight modifications in the structure thereof; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an inexpensive iorm of the invention for use by the commercial ice manufacturers.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention comprises a. container II) in the form of a box or tray adapted to receive ice cubes, indi-- cated at II, after they haver-been frozen in the ordinary freezing trays of the standard domestic refrigerating device. The edges of the side walls of the container are recessed at I2, for receiving a cover I3, having an edge Il extending into the recess I2.

'Ihe bottom of the container is provided with 50 o. plurality of longitudinal ribs I5, and similar transverse ribs I6, forming a. plurality of recesses I1 for receiving the cubes II. 'I'he cover I3 is provided with similar longitudinal and transverse ribs Il and Il. The function of the ribs in the single layer as shown.

of the invention is that 'I'he container is preferably formed of material having a high thermal insulating value. As an example of a, suitable material, I may use woodpulp board. The container should also be waterproofed as by painting or otherwise treating it, to prevent leakage therefrom as a result of slight melting of the cubes which may occur. The container is used, of course, only for the storage or transportation of ice cubes after they have been frozen. When a, trayful of cubes has been frozen in the freezing unit, the tray is removed therefrom, the cubes thawed free of the tray in the usual manner and dumped into the container I0. It is possible to dump the cubes freely into the container and, by shaking the latter, the cubes thus fall naturally into position between the separating ribs and when the cover has been placed on the container, it is ready for storage. When filled with cubes, the container is placed within the refrigerator at any convenient point, but outside the freezing unit, as shown in Figure 5. The temperature within the average freezing device is, of course, slightly above the freezing point, except within the freezing chamber proper or in the vicinity thereof. Since the container is made of material having high thermal insulating qualities, the tendency for the cubes to melt will be very slight indeed, since the difference in temperature between the inside of the container and the interior of the refrigerator in which the container is placed will be only a very few degrees. This slight temperature difference will be insufficient to cause any material flow of the 40 heat through the walls of the container. As a result, ice cubes may be stored in the container for a considerable period without material loss of ice by melting. The cubes are maintained out of contact with each other by the aforementioned ribs, so that there is no possibility for them to freeze together. Since the container is waterproof, there will be no leakage in the refrigerator in case there should be a slight melting of the cubes.

If desirable, because of lack of space within the refrigerator, or for some other reason, the containers may be stored outside the refrigerator. The cubes will melt at a faster rate, obviously, if stored outsi/len the refrigerator than if placed within it, but I have found that very satisfactory results can be obtained in the storage and preservation of ice cubes even if the container is not placed within a refrigerator.

By the use of a. number of the containers, any desired supply of icecubes may be accumulated as rapidly as the refrigerator used is capable of freezing it. Users of domestic refrigerators may find it `desirable to keep several of the containers always filled with cubes to insure a sumcient supply thereof without being dependent upon the comparatively limited capacity of the freezing trays themselves. Another important advantage a supply of cubes is maintained during intervals when it is desired ito use the trays for freezing other material than A modified form of the invention isillustrated in Figures 6 through 8. According to this modification, I provide a case 25 of insulating material having a plurality of compartments 26 for receiving drawers 21 slidable therein. The front end of the drawers is provided with a sealing flange 28 cooperating with a, recess 29 at the front of the compartments. The drawers 21 are preferably of a construction similar to that of the containers l0, except for the slight differences in shape shown in the drawings. 'I'hey may be provided with separating ribs similar to those shown in the containers, or other equivalent means for maintaining separation of the ice cubes;4 Any suitable means may be used to retain them in the case. A special latch may be provided or a frictional fit relied on.

Each drawer has a ring 30 or other convenient means for facilitating its removal from the case. The case itself has a handle 3| which is preferably pivoted so as to swing down into a recess 32 in the top of the case. The case thus provides a convenient means for storing ice cubes either in a place adjacent the point of manufacture or during transportation to a point of use, for example, on picnics or outings.

A slightly modified form of container similar to that indicated at I0 is illustrated in Figure 9. The container of Figure 9 is similar to that of the other figures, except that it has a lining 33 preferably of thin sheet metal or other waterproof material and a tray 34 for supporting the cubes above the bottom of the container to provide a space for the accumulation of the water resulting from the melting of the cubes. The tray 3l has downturned feet 35 for supporting it in the container.

Still another eld of usefulness for the invention is the transportation of individual ice cubes for sale by commercial ice companies. I believe that there is suflicient demand for individual ice cubes among householders not having domestic refrigerating units, to justify commercial ice companies in providing ice frozen in individual cubes. In view of the considerable area per unit of weight exposed in the form of small cubes, transportation thereof would hardly be feasible without the invention; but since the cubes may be preserved for considerable periods with the aid of my container, the sale and handling of ice in the form of small cubes on a, commercial scale is entirely feasible.

A form of the invention especially designed for this use is shown in Figure 10. It comprises a box 36 of any convenient dimensions having a cover 31.hinged thereto. A plurality of separators 38 within the box provide separate cubicles for ice cubes. The box 36 may be of inexpensive construction. It may be made, for example, of ordinary paste board and the separators may be composed of similar material. This form of the invention provides a container which can readily be employed by ice manufacturers in deliverlng ice cubes to householders in a truck havw ing a refrigerating chamber thereon. Obviously, the nature of the box 36 is not such as to preserve the ice cubes for very long periods, and,

in fact, it is not .designed for this purpose. It provides a convenient transportation device. It will be understood, of course, that the box 36 with its contents of ice cubes will be kept in a refrigerator both during transportation and after delivery. It is possible, furthermore, to use the box shown in Figure 10 for freezing cubes. 'Thus 70 the box may be filled with water and placed in a freezing chamber at the ice factory.

While the container I0 may be made of any dimensions and provided with recesses for cubes of any particular size, for the vbest results the accesar container will be dimensioned to receive one or more full trays of cubes from the refrigerator with which it is to be used. I contemplate also that refrigerator Vmakers will supply to purchasers ci their product a number of containers especially constructed for use therewith. Containers for refrigerators already in wide use may, of course be designed very easily.

Inaddition to providing a reserve supply of ice cubes, the use of the container described makes it possible to obtain one or more ice cubes from a refrigerator Without the necessity of having to thaw an entire tray. In other words, the cubes having once been removed from the freezing tray are always available for use in as small numbers as desired.

`Although I have illustrated and 4described herein one specific form of the invention and certain modifications thereof, it will bel apparent that other embodiments thereof may be resorted to to suit the particular needs of any given set of conditions, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended ll cl':

l. A device for transporting or storing ice cubes comprising a manually portable case composed of thermal insulating material, a plurality of individual recesses formedv in said case occupying substantially the entire available space therein, and cube trays removably positioned in said recesses, each of said trays serving as a tight closure for its recess, said recesses being separated by partitions of thermal insulating matel@ rial and said cube trays being also composed, at least in part, of such material.

2. An ice cube container comprising a case of thermal insulating material having one side open,

partitions of similar material disposed in said 15 case in spaced, parallel relation, extending between opposite sides thereof, and forming compartments therein, and drawers adapted to receive ice cubes and to fit into said compartments,

the outer ends of the drawers, at least, being of 20 thermal insulating material and forming closures for the open side of the compartments. l

BURTON H. WITHERSPOON.

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