US2181582A

US2181582A - Ice tray

Info

Publication number: US2181582A
Application number: US231624A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dale C Gerber
Original assignee: Hoover Co
Current assignee: Hoover Co
Priority date: 1938-09-26
Filing date: 1938-09-26
Publication date: 1939-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1956-11-28

Description

D. c. GERBER ICE TRAY Nov. 28, 1939.

Filed Sept. 26, 1938 lNVENTO R Dale CGeI'beP ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ICE TRAY corporation of Ohio Application September 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,624

9 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to a freezing tray for domestic refrigerators having an indicator associated therewith to inform the user whether or not the tray is empty or full, and whether the contents are freezing or have become frozen.

When a freezing tray is positioned on the evaporator shelf of a refrigerator and the contents allowed to freeze, the tray also freezes to the evaporator shelf. Frequently ice trays are removed before the contents have been frozen and the tray is then returned to the shelf. This breaks the bond between the tray and the shelf. The tray and shelf then being dry, the tray will not freeze again to the evaporator shelf, resulting in a less efiicient transfer of heat from the freezing contents of the tray to the evaporator shelf.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a freezing tray in which it.is not necessary to remove the tray from the evaporator shelf to determine if the contents have been frozen.

It is another object of this invention to provide a freezing tray having an indicator with means responsive to the condition of the contents of the tray to indicate the condition thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator having a thermostatic element associated therewith adapted to be affected by the temperature of the material in the tray which operates a signal with indicia thereon to inform the user whether the contents of the tray is freezing or frozen.

Sometimes the tray is placed in the freezing compartment without being refilled. When ice is again needed none is available and it is necessary to refill the tray and wait until it has frozen.

It is accordingly another object of this invention to provide means to indicate whether the tray is full or empty which is visible when the cabinet door is opened to obtain foodstuffs so that the user is informed if the tray is empty every time the door is opened whereby the tray can be refilled before ice is needed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a freezing tray having means associated therewith aifected by the weight of the receptacle and/or contents to operate a signal. to inform the user whether the tray is full or empty.

It. is another object of this invention to provide freezing or frozen, in which the indicating means is responsive to the condition of the contents of the tray and is permanently associated with the tray.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying v 1 partly broken away to show the. indicating mechanism;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention depicting the position of the indicating means when the tray is empty,

Figure 5 is a front view of the device of Figure 4 partly broken away to show the indicating mechanism, and

Figure 6 is a view of the device of Figure 4 depicting the position of the indicating means when the tray is full.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, 10 indicates a freezing tray adapted to be positioned on the evaporator shelf of a domestic refrigerator having a front wall ll extending forwardly to form a handle l2. Secured in the front wall II is a bimetallic thermostatic disc I3 having a pin it secured thereto to contact a rocker arm [5 pivoted to bracket I6 mounted on cover member I! which is riveted or otherwise secured to the front wall ll ofthe tray. A torsion spring 18 surrounds the pivot pin for the rocker arm I5 and normally holds it in the position shown in Figure 1 with its outer end engaging a stop 19 on the bracket I6.

The cover member I! is provided with an opening 20 so that the indicia of the front face of the rocker arm l5 will be visible therethrough. The rocker arm l5 has two front faces 2| and 22 each of which is marked with distinguishing indicia above referred to. These faces 2 I and 22 may be painted in different colors or be provided with any distinguishing mark which will distinguish the one from the other, but it is preferable to mark the portion 2| with the word freezing" and the portion 22 with the word frozen.

A rubber member 23 is shown secured to the front of the tray so as to seal the interior of the tray from disc l3, and the latter is provided with a; small opening 24 so that a vacuum will not be produced when the disc operates. The rubber freezing.

member may be omitted if desired and the disc secured in watertight engagement with the front of the tray.

In operation, the tray is filled with a substanceto be frozen and placed on the evaporator shelf of a refrigerator and the substance allowed to.

freeze. When the contents have been frozen, thermostatic disc. l3 will snap to the position shown in Figure 2 so that the'pin I4 will engage the rocker arm 15 and move it into the position shown in Figure 2 against the action of the torsion spring Hi.

If the user desires the frozen contents before they have been frozen, the rocker arm l5 will be in the position shown in Figure 1 and the word freezing will be visible through the opening 20 so that the user will immediately known that the contents have not yet frozen. If the rocker arm is in the position shown in Figure 2, the word frozen will be visible through the opening 20 and the user will know that the contents of the tray are frozen and ready for use.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the device makes it .unnecessary to remove the tray from the evaporator shelf, thereby breaking the bond between the tray and the shelf in order to determine if the contents of the tray have been frozen, but the condition of the contents of the tray can be readily determined by merely opening the cabinet door and glancing at the indicator.

The embodiment of Figures 4, 5 and 6 is similar to that just described except for a slightly different mounting for the temperature responsive means, and the addition of mechanism to indicate whether or not the tray is full or empty. The bracket I6 is provided with a slot 25 in which the pivot pin for the rocker arm 15' slides. The pivot pin is mounted through a member 26 having a portion 2'! sliding in the bottom part of the cover H. The part 21 has a foot 28 to contact with the evaporator shelf 29 and a spring 30 surrounding it to normally hold it in its lowermost position.

The face 2| of the rocker arm I5 is provided with two distinctive markings, one above the other, preferably the upper marking is the word empty, and the lower marking is the word The face 22' of the rocker arm l5 has still a different distinguishing mark, preferably the word frozen. Disc I3 is secured to the outside of the tray so that there will be no actual contact between the disc and the contents of the tray but the disc is made to be responsive to the temperature of the contents of the tray.

In operation, if the tray is not filled with water, the spring 30 will force the foot 28 down against the evaporator shelf 29 so as to raise the tray from the shelf and allow the rocker arm l5 to take the position shown in Figure 4 in which position the word empty is visible through the opening 20' and the user upon opening the refrigerator door will be immediately informed that the tray is empty whereby it can be refilled before the contents are needed. If the tray is full, the weight of the contents of the tray added to that of the tray will compress the spring 30 and move the rocker arm 15 to the position shown in Figure 6 so that the word freezing is visible through the opening 20'. The user will then know that the tray is full but the contents have not yet frozen. When the contents of the tray have become frozen, disc l3 will operate to move the rocker arm l5 to a position where the word frozen is visible through the opening 20 as described in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, to inform the user that the contents have become frozen. 1

From the foregoing it can be seen that this invention provides a freezing tray with means permanently associated therewith to indicate whether the tray is full or empty or the contents freezing or frozen, which is simple in operation and simple and economical to manufacture.

'While I have shown but two embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that these embodiments are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A freezing tray adapted to contain a material to be frozen in combination with means for indicating the condition of the material within said tray, and discernible indicia carried by said indicating means.

2. An ice tray adapted to contain water to be frozen, a thermostatic element positioned to be affected by the temperature of said water and signal means operated by said thermostatic element.

3. An ice tray adapted to contain water to be frozen, a thermostatic element positioned to be affected by the temperature of said water, signal means operated by said thermostatic element and additional means affected by the weight of water in said tray for operating said signal means.

. 4. A freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator adapted to contain a material to be frozen, in combination with means responsive to the condition of the material in said tray and indicia carrying means operable by said condition responsive means to indicate the condition of the material in said tray.

5. A freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator adapted to contain a material to be frozen, in combination with means responsive to the weight of material in said tray and means operable by said weight responsive means to indicate the amount of material in said tray.

6. A freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator adapted to contain a material to be frozen, in combination with means responsive to the thermal condition and weight of the material within said tray, and means operable by said thermal condition and weight responsive means to indicate the condition of the material in said tray.

'7. A freezing tray for a domestic refrigerator adapted to contain a material to be frozen, means responsive to the weight of the material in said tray, said means comprising a reciprocating member mounted on said tray and a spring opposing the weight of the material therein, a member operatively connected to said reciprocating member, the second mentioned member having a plurality of indicia carrying portions, and means on the tray for covering and uncovering the indicia carrying portions as the reciprocating member moves.

8. An ice tray adapted to. contain a material to be frozen, means responsive to the condition of the material within the tray, pivoted means carried by the tray and operable by said condition responsive means, said pivoted means having a plurality of indicia carrying portions, and means on the tray for covering and uncovering the indicia carrying portions as the .condition responsive means operates.

' 9. An ice tray adapted to contain water to be frozen, a thermostatic element positioned to be afiected by the temperature of said water, pivoted means carried by said tray and operatively related to said thermostatic element, said pivoted means having three indicia carrying portions, additional means afiected by the. weight of the water in the tray for operating said pivoted means, and means on the tray for covering and uncovering two of said indicia carrying portions when said thermostatic element operates and also for covering and uncovering two of said indicia carrying means when said additional means operates.

DALE C. GERBER.