US2237078A - Ice picking and grading machine - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1941. T. F. LILLY 2,237,078

' ICE PICKING AND GRADING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 I ThOma/sFLLLQ,

April 1, 1941. T. F. LILLY ICE PICKING AND GRADING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 311/0241 You, fiwma ffldg, a

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES 21 Claims.

My invention relates to an ice picking and grading machine and it is an object of the same to provide means whereby blocks of ice may be reduced to pieces of relatively small size, which pieces in turn maybe graded so as to be sold in bulk, as now desired for various uses, each grade 'consisting of pieces of approximately similar size so that one grade may be used for such purposes as the packing of ice cream, another grade for cooling bottled beverages, etc.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character described, which shall be capable of forming sized ice consisting of pieces all of which are of relatively large size, or crushed ice consisting of pieces of various sizes suitable for grading, according to the wish of the user.

Referring to the drawings which are made a part of this application, and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the hopper or chute;

Fig. 4 a similar view of a modified form, and

Fig. 5 a plan of a [detail shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, reference character H] indicates a framework upon which is supported a chute II which is preferably inclined sufficiently so that a block of ice entered at the open end thereof will tend to slide downwardly toward a pick-drum l2. The pick-drum has mounted on its periphery a plurality of sets of picks 13 which may vary in length and vary in pitch. In a preferred form of the invention the picks include a set of short teeth such as indicated at a, a set of medium. teeth as indicated at 'b, and a set of long teeth such as indicated at c, and each tooth having the point formed to provide a different angle, as indicated at al, b2, 03 though such angular formation is not essential. The difference in length of the teeth is the important point in this regard; i. e., the radial distance of the point of the tooth from the drum (or the axis of rotation of the drum) to which the various teeth extend. The teeth are preferably so shaped as to enter the ice at a right angle and to break it off cleanly without making any considerable amount of small ice fragments, snow and slush. While I do not limit myself to picks of any particular length or pitch, such lengths as one-and-one-half inches, three inches, and four-and-one-half inches for the respective N T O F F l C sets are considered desirable, the picks of each set being formed at different angle to operate in a comb-like manner and to strike the ice at an acute angle.

The drum I2 is mounted on a shaft l4 provided at one side of the chute l l with a fly wheel l5 and extending outward to a substantial distance at the other side, as shown in Fig. 2, the

shaft being provided with a cushioned flexible coupling for cushioning shocks caused by the striking of the picks against the ice, to prevent transfer of such shocks to the motor, this shaft M being further provided with a worm-wheel l'l. Worm-wheel H is driven by a worm l8 on a shaft l9 which'in. turn is driven by a motor 20. As to this and other features of the invention, it is to be understood that I contemplate using other sources of power and equivalent mechanisms.

Cooperating with the pick-drum l2 there is breaking means comprising, in the preferred form, a series of breaker bars 2| laterally separated as indicated in Fig. 2 and arranged for adjustment toward and. from the periphery of the drum. As best shown in Fig. 3 the means for such lateral adjustment comprises a handle 22 and a rack 23 having a plurality of spaces adapted to be engaged by a tooth 24 on the underside of the horizontal portion of the handle. As here shown the bars are supported for sliding engagement with the bottom of the chute but it will be obvious that they may be supported for vertical movement, or otherwise, so long as the movement is such as to vary the space between the picks on the pick-drum and the ice-supporting surfaces of the breaker or grating.

It will be evident from the foregoing that if a block of ice is entered at the intake 25 of the chute it will move inward against the wheel so as to press lightly against it, as compared with the usual arrangement, wherein the hopper is above the drum and the ice block rests directly on the wheel.

The arrangement of the breaker bars 2 I, which may be formed as axunitary member, or which may be separate bars suitably secured together, is such that the entire supporting face for the ice is at a low angle to the horizontal, e. g., about 25 to 30, so that a block of ice placed thereon Will slide toward the drum, but so that the action of gravity will be counteracted by friction to such an extent that the block will just slide nicely but will never bear against the ends of the picks with any substantial pressure. Thus it becomes possible to avoid. to the maximum any scratching of the face of the block, tending to make snow ice, and to insure that the picks will strike cleanly and will break off chunks along planes extending from the points of the picks tions that are provided with reference to the number of different lengths of teeth on the drum), only the long teeth will engage the ice block and will break off pieces of generally similar large size, the shorter teeth being practically idle except that they may help to carry such large pieces through the throat between the drum and the grading and out of. the machine. Even though shorter teeth may happen to strike the ice block they will not ordinarily break off ice chunks, since effective breaking seems to require that the block be so supported as to offer direct resistance to the force exerted by a tooth, and it has been proved. conclusively that much more precise control of the desired size of ice fragments is had where different sized teeth are used. If the grating be moved to an intermediate position, both the long and the medium teeth may engage the ice block or the broken off large pieces to break them further, 1. e., broken off chunks too large to be reached by the medium teeth will be held in the throat between the drum and the grating until further broken by the medium teeth, thus providing pieces of two or more sizes which can later be separated or graded according to size; if the grating be moved to a position closer to the drum, the shortest teeth also come into action, the short teeth breaking off pieces of ice and also breaking up large chunks that cannot pass through the throat between the drum and the adjacent ends of the grate bars, thus providing additional grades of ice. If the grating is moved to its extreme inward position permitted by the holding means shown in Fig. 3 the ice fragments will be ground against the face of the drum, as

the only exit is then byway of the spaces be tween the bars of the grating, through which the pick teeth pass. The different length teeth on the wheel being formed to contact at different angles, engage the ice block in a comb-like manner. Crushers are known in which the teeth act at a right angle to the bars of the grating, so as in effect to grind the ice, but in mine they strike at an acute angle to the grating, so as tobreak the ice.

It is within the provision of my invention to make the grate sections of different lengths so that, for example, the longest teeth might enter between the longest bars 2| in the close-up position of the grating, and other variations will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

As one form of such variation I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a breaker consisting of a handle portion 22 and means for supporting a shaft 21, carrying a roller consisting of a series of spaced disks 28, each of the disks having teeth 29 for coaction with the picks I3 and the pick-Wheel l2. This roller may be adjusted to and fro with reference to the periphery of the pick-drum, as above described, or in any other suitable manner, and it will be obvious that the roller may be rotated due to the action of the pick-drum on the ice passing between the disks or it might be driven in a suitable manner, as desired. It will be evident that the grating can be set so close to the pick drum, in this form of the invention, that the serrated disks will crush the broken ice against the surface of the drum l2 itself, so making a still finer product.

From the lower end of the chute the fragments of ice pass into a cylinder 30 having a foraminous periphery, 1 This cylinder is rotatable and open at both ends so that pieces of ice which do not pass through theperiphery of the cylinder will be fed out into a container 3| at the exit end of the drum. The outer wall of the cylinder consists of woven wire or expanded metal, or any other suitable material provided with openings therein. Preferably, a seamless Woven wire tube is used, the same having large meshes in the part 33 nearer to the intake end. As many zones may be provided as there are to be different grades of ice and containers such as 34 and 35 are provided underneath the respective zones or cylinder sections;

For causing the ice fragments to pass in proper manner from end to end of the screen, I provide conveying means, here shown as a spiral conveyor 36 attached to the screen, by the use of which the fragmentary material is moved endwise of the revolving cylinder, and the larger pieces will be lifted so as to fall back to the bottom of the cylinder, and this lifting will disengage pieces of ice that may be entangled in the holes of the screen. Merely locating the cylinder in inclined fashion, with the outer end of its supporting shaft 31 lower than the intake end, would of course serve to some extent to cause the desired movement of the ice fragments lengthwise of the grading drum, but some such conveying means as here shown is deemed desirable for strengthening the drum. The bottom end of the. chute is elevated above the bottom part of the cylindrical sifter sufliciently so that the ice fragments are delivered over that part of the spiral 36 which is close to the chute and which is about six inches in height, as measured Vertically.

Obviously, the grader may be driven in any one of numerous ways. A simple preferred method herein shown, comprises the formation of a suitable friction surface at 38 on the head of the drum at the intake end thereof, this friction surface being engaged by a friction gear 39 fixedl to the shaft l9, whereby the cylinder is driven. at a reduced speed as compared to the shaft I 9.

The operation of the machine'is a simple, continuous one, in which the ice fragments are torn or broken off the block and thrown toward the grader, thus taking advantage of both the operation of the picking means and of gravity for propelling them toward the grading means. There is minimum power and labor required, and a very small floor space and little head room is required. Obviously. the number of grades can be varied readily, in accordance with the needs of the user. Preferably the cylinder is made in a single length of wire mesh, with a varying weave so as to. provide smaller holes near'the intake end of the cylinder and zones of successively larger ones toward its other end. How,- ever, I do not limit myself to a rotary cylinder as other grading devices may be utilized,

While I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement of picks on the pick wheel, I have found that a placement comprising two long picks c at opposite sides of the-wheel and respectively located one-third of the length of the wheel from the respective ends of the same; plus picks b of intermediate length halfway between the long picks and halfway between picks c and the ends of the wheel; plus short picks a midway between the picks b and c and also midway between the ends of the wheel and the adjacent picks (b or c) constitutes a good working arrangement.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous variations not mentioned above may be made in the device of my invention, all without departing from the spirit of the invention; therefore, I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as required by the state of the known art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a rotary drum means for supporting an ice block, said means providing a continuously fiat ice supporting face at a low angle to the horizontal, the projection of said ice supporting face intersecting said drum between its axis and its periphery, breaker bars forming parts of said supporting face and supporting the underside of said block adjacent to said drum, said bars being adjustable toward and from said drum to permit the ice block thereon to overhang said supporting face to varying extents, a series of picks extending outward from the drum to different distances, said picks including long and short picks spaced apart lengthwise of said drum, the long picks being relatively widely spaced from each other, said picks being so located as to pass between said bars when the support is close to the drum but leaving an open throat between the outer ends of the picks and the bars when the bars are moved away from the drum.

2. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a rotary drum means for supporting an ice block, said means providing a continuously flat ice supporting face, the projection of said ice supporting face intersecting said drum between its axis and its periphery, breaker bars forming parts of said supporting face and engaging the underside of said block adjacent to said a series of picks extending outward from the drum to different distances, said picks including a plurality of sets of picks of different lengths in interspersed relation, all of the picks being spaced lengthwise of the drum, the picks of the longest set being relatively far apart and those of an intermediate set being closer together and means for adjusting said breaker bars from a position where their ends are close to the drum to a position where their ends are spaced outwardly from the ends of the picks, said ice block overhanging said supporting face in the outer positions of said breaker bars.

3. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a rotary drum, a chute, means in said chute for supporting an ice block, said means providing a continuously fiat ice supporting sur face above the bottom of said chute at a low angle to the horizontal, the projection of said ice supporting surface intersecting said drum between its axis and its periphery, breaker bars engaging the underside of said block adjacent to said drum, and permitting said ice block to overhang their ends, a series of picks of different lengths ex tending outward from the drum to different distances, the picks of the series including staggered sets of long picks, picks of intermediate length and short picks, the long picks being space-d farthest apart lengthwise of said drum, the icks of intermediate length being spaced less widely apart, and the spaces between each of the shortest picks and a pick adjacent thereto being still shorter than the spaces between picks of intermediate length said breaker bars being adjustable .to locate their ends close to the periphery of the drum or outward beyond the ends of the longest picks or to intermediate positions.

4. An ice picking and grading or sizing machine comprising :a chute, a drum rotatable on a horizontal axis extending crosswise of said chute, ice picks :on said drum extending radially outward to diiferent distances from the surface of the a support in the chute for holding blocks of ice in posi ion for engagement of said picking means therewith, said support including a freely rotatable roller with laterally spaced having radial teeth between them between which disks some of said picks may pass, and means for adjusting said roller toward and from said picking means.

5. In :a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of a chute, a cylinder mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis in line with said chute, said cylinder having an open end facing toward said chute .the lower part of said cylinder being below the level of the lower margin of said chute, said cylinder having a zone of relatively small perforations adjacent said open end and having one or more zones of successively larger openings beyond said first-named zone, and rotary ice picking means on. a horizontal axis extending transversely of said chute, said means being arranged rto project ice fragments through said chute and into and endwise of said drum due to the momentum imparted to said fragments by said picking means.

6. A device as in claim 5, with a spiral conveyor fixed to the inner periphery of the cylinder rotatable therewith for moving the ice fragments positively lengthwise of the drum.

7. A device as in claim 5, the end of said cylinder farthest from said chute being open for discharge of any ice fragments of excessive size.

8. In a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of a chute, a cylinder mounted for rotation about an approximately horizontal axis, said cylinder having an open end the lower part of which is below the level of the lower margin of said chute, said cylinder having a zone of relatively small perforations adjacent said open end and having one or more zones of successively larger openings beyond said first-named zone, notary :ice picking means on a horizontal axis extending transversely of said chute, said means being arnanged to project ice fragments into and endwise of said cylinder due to the momentum imparted thereto by said picking means, said ice picking means comprising a drum having on its periphery sets of picks of different length and means in said chute for supporting a block of ice in position either to coact positively only with the picks of the longest set, or with more than one of said sets.

9. In a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of a chute, a cylinder mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, said cylinder having an open end the lower part of which is below the level of the lower margin of said chute, said cylinder having a zone of relatively small perforations adjacent said open end and having one or more zones of successively larger openings beyond said first-named zone, rotary ice picking means on a horizontal axis extending transversely of said chute, said means being arranged to project ice fragments into and endwis'e of said drum due to the momentum i-mparted to said fragments by said picking means,

said ice picking means comprising a drum having on its periphery sets of picks differing in length, a grid for supporting a block of ice, and means whereby said grid may be adjusted toward and from said drum, the bars of said grid being arranged in staggered relation with said picks, so that the picks can pass between said bars when the grid is brought near the drum.

10. In a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of a chute, a, cylinder mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, said cylinder having an open end facing the lower end of said chute the lower part of said cylinder being below the level of the lower marginof said chute, said cylinder having a zone of relatively small perforations adjacent said open end and havingone or more zones of successively larger openings beyond said first-named zone, rotary ice picking means on a horizontal axis extending transversely of said chulte adjacent the discharge end there-- of, means for rotating said ice picking means in a direction to project ice fragments into and endwise of said cylinder due to the momentum imparted to said fragments by said picking means, said ice picking means comprising a drum bearing comb-like picks, and ice-block supporting means cooperating therewith, said supporting means comprising toothed disks constructed to rotate during the ice picking operation.

l1. A device as in claim 10, said picks being arranged in rows adapted to enter the spaces between said disks, as and for the purpose described.

12. In a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of an inclined chute, grading means having a grading surface extending approximately horizontally rearwardly from the outlet end of said chute below the level of the lower end of the chute and positioned to receive ice fragments directly therefrom, and rotary ice picking means in the chute arranged to project ice fragments from said chute to and along said grading surface due to the momentum imparted to said fragments by said picking means and said chute.

13. In a machine for providing sized ice, the combination of an inclined chute, grading means arranged to receive material directly from said chute, ice picking means in said chute comprising a rotary picker with teeth so arranged as to throw ice fragments toward the lower end of said chute and into said grading means, means at the side of the picker remote from said grading means for supporting an ice cake in operative relation to said picker, said grading means comprising a rotary cylinder with small perforations therethrough in a zone adjacent said chute and with one or more zones of successively larger perforations following said first zone, and a spiral conveyor fixed to the inner periphery of the cylinder, the lower portion of said cylinder being sufficiently far below the lower end of said chute to permit ice fragments to pass over the part of the spiral adjacent to said chute.

14. A machine for making sized ice, comprising a rotary drum, picks on said drum including long picks and short picks, and means for supporting a block of ice at a low angle to the horizontal and in position to slide toward said drum, said means including breaker bars providing a lineadjacent the drum beyond which the ice block may overhang the space between said bars and said drum, and adjusting means for varying the space between said breaker bars and said drum from a position where said line is beyond the ends of the long picks to positions where the shorter picks coact with the ends of the breaker bars to reduce the size of pieces of ice broken off by the long picks.

15. A machine for making sized ice, comprising a drum, ice supporting means including breaker bars adjacent said drum, said means providing a fixed ice supporting face at a low angle to the horizontal, a few widely spaced long teeth along said drum, a greater number of more closely spaced teeth of intermediate length interspersed with said lon teeth, and a still greater number of short teeth still more closely spaced along said drum, said short teeth being interspersed with the long and intermediate teeth, said breaker bars being adjustable from a position close to the peripher of the drum to a position outwardly from the ends of the longest teeth, as and for the purpose described.

16. A machine for making sized ice, comprising a drum, ice supporting means including breaker bars adjacent said drum, said means providing a fixed ice supporting face at a low angle to the horizontal, long teeth widely spaced .along said drum, shorter teeth interspered with said long teeth, said teeth being of angular shape to make their points substantially tangent to the circles described by said points, and the breaker bars being adjustable from a position where the teeth pass between them to a position spaced beyond the ends of the longest teeth.

1'7. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a casing closed at the top, a rotary pick drum therein, picks on said drum, an intake chute for ice blocks at one side of the drum, means in said chute for supporting large blocks of ice, said means including a member having a surface of substantial length that is permanently fixed at a low angle so as to carry substantially the entire weight of such an ice block while permitting it to slide toward the pick drum under the action of gravity, the lower end of said supporting means being normally spaced laterally away from said drum to provide an open throat between said end and the drum whereby an ice block may overhang said end of said supporting surface, breaker bars at the inner end of said supporting means between which said picks may pass, and means for adjusting said member toward and from said drum from a position where the ends of said breaker bars are spaced outwardly beyond the ends of said picks to a position where the ends of the breaker bars are closely adjacent to said drum.

18. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a casing closed at the top, a rotary pick drum therein, picks on said drum, an intake chute for ice blocks at one side of the drum, means in said chute for supporting large blocks of ice, said means including a member having a surface of substantial length that is permanently fixed at a low angle so as to carry substantially the entire weight of such an ice block while permitting it to slide toward the pick drum under the action of gravity, the inner end of said supporting means being normally spaced laterally away from said drum to provide an open throat between said end and the drum whereby an ice block may overhang said end of said supporting surface, said drum having a small number of widely spaced lon picks and a greater number of shorter picks interpersed with the long picks, breaker bars on said member spaced to permit/the picks to pass between the bars, and means for adiusting said breaker bars from a position where the inner ends of said bars are spaced outward beyond the ends of the longest picks to a position Where the ends of said bars are closel adjacent to the periphery of said drum.

19. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a casing closed at the top, a rotary pick drum therein, an intake chute for ice blocks, means in said chute for supporting large blocks of ice, said means including a member having a surface of substantial length that is permanently fixed at a low angle so as to carry substantially the entire weight of such an ice block While permitting it to slide toward the pick drum under the action of gravity, the lower end of said supporting means being normally spaced laterally away from said drum to provide an open throat between said end and the drum whereby an ice block may overhang said end of said supporting surface, a relatively small number of long picks on said drum for breaking off large fragments of ice from said block, a relatively large number of smaller picks onsaid drum interspersed with said long picks at one side of the drum, breaker bars at the inner end of said supporting means between which said picks may pass to break such large fragments into smaller fragments, and means for adjusting said member toward and from said drum from a position where the ends of said breaker bars are spaced outwardly beyond the ends of said picks to a position where the ends of the breaker bars are closely adjacent to said drum.

length that is permanently fixed at a low angle so as to carry substantially the entire weight of such an ice block while ermitting it to slide toward the pick drum under the action of gravity, the inner end of said supporting means being normally spaced laterally away from said drum to provide an open throat between said end and the drum whereby an ice block may overhang said end of said supporting surface, a small number of widely spaced long picks on said drum for breaking ofi large fragments of ice from a block so supported, a larger number of intermediate picks interspersed with said long picks, a still larger number of short picks interspersed with said other picks, breaker bars on said member spaced to permit the picks to pass between the bars for reducing said fragments to smaller size, and means for adjusting said breaker bars stepwise from a position where the inner ends of said bars are spaced outwardly beyond the ends of the longest picks to a position where the ends of said bars are closely adjacent to the periphery of said drum.

21. In a machine for making sized ice, the combination of a casing closed at the top, a rotary pick drum therein, picks on said drum, an intake chute for ice blocks at one side of the drum, means in said chute for supporting large blocks of ice, said means including a member having a surface of substantial length that is permanently fixed at a low angle so as to carry substantially the entire weight of such an ice block while permitting it to slide toward the pick drum under the action of gravity, the lower end of said supporting means being normally spaced laterally away from said drum to provide an open throat between said end and the drum whereby an ice block may overhang said end of said supporting surface for engagement by said picks.

THOMAS F. LILLY.

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