US2337450A - Freezing tray - Google Patents

Description

R. H. CHILTON FREEZING TRAY Dec. 21, 1943.

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FREEZING TRAY Filed F'eb. 27, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 21, 1943.

Patented Dec. 21, 1943 FREEZING TRAY Ralph H. Chilton, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,153

12 Claims.

This invention relates to freezing containers, especially to portable freezing trays adapted for use in house-hold refrigerators.

An object of this invention is to provide improvements in such presently` known devices whereby the frozen ice blocks may be removed without the necessity of melting the frozen bond between the tray parts and the ice. A more specic object is to provide improvements over the devi`ce disclosed in application S. N. 98,213, filed August 27, 1936, by Donald H. Reeves and assigned to the assignee of this application. One feature of such improvements is greater simplicity of structure and fewer parts whereby the cost of manufacture of this present device is very materially less but its eiliciency in operation is maintained.

A feature of lthis invention is the elimination of any actuating hand levers or similar devices to cause relative movement between the grid parts to facilitate the removal of the frozen ice blocks. In this device relative movement between the grid parts is obtained by a simple blow, or other externally applied force, on one end of the assembled grid. Also in this device the required head-room between the water level and the highest point of the tray mechanism may be kept very small, and hence there will be less head-room required in the freezing compartment for a stack of the trays of this invention. In other words, nearly the full depth of the entire tray device may be utilized by filling with water to a relatively higher level.

Another feature is the simple method of loosely assembling the cross partitions to the longitudinal partition, whereby the desired relative movement between these parts is readily permitted. Also in the final assembled structure, the tilting movement of the cross partitions is permitted without the necessity of crushing out'any such substantial necks of ice as would render its normal operation materially more diiiicult or to crack up the ice blocks.

Further objects andiadvantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portable ice tray and grid made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 illustrates the actuation of the grid of- Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to remove the frozen' ice blocks therefrom after the grid is removed from the pan.

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4, except here the actuating member is being forced to the left Whereas itis being forced to the right in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a method of assembling the one-piece cross partitions upon the two-section central wall. In Fig. 6 the upper section of the central wall is in final location while the lower section thereof (shown in dot-dash lines) is being passed endwise thru the slots in the cross partitions. Fig. 7 is a section on line I-'l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a second form of the invention wherein all the cross partitions lean against shoulders on the upper section of the central wall when in normal freezing position, and wherein said upper section is to be bumped in only one direction (toward the right).

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The container pan I0 may be any known type f of pan but is preferably a one-piece metal pan pressed from sheet aluminum and having some degree of flexibility as a whole. Preferably it is shaped according to the disclosure of the pan in Y S. N. 88,559, filed July 2, 1936, by Harvey D. Geyer and assigned to the assignee of this application, now Patent No. 2,122,937.

The grid of Figs. 1 to 7 is indicated as a whole by II and is made to be inserted rreely into pan l0 either before or after pan I0 is filled to the desired level withvwater to be frozen. Grid II comprises a series of .separate cross partitions I2 and a central main wall composed of an upper section I3 and a lower section lil, all of which are mutually relatively movable to a limited degree. 'lne upper anu lower sections I3 and I4 are held substantially aligned in a vertical plane.

by their sliding rit in tiie aligned slots I5 in the cross partitions I2.

In order to assemble the cross walls `I2 upon the sections I3` and I4, each cross wall I2 has a central slt I5 cut or punched therein of a suficient depth to permit the wider oi' the two sections I3 and I4 to be passed endwise thru said slots I5. In addition, eachcross wall I2 has a metal flap I6 sheared at the two cuts Il therein (see Fig. 3) and then bent out at such an angle as will temporarily provide a slot of sufficient width to permit the two sections I3 and I4 to lie Vside by side in said slot (see Figs. 6 and 7). The sections I3 and I4 may then be passed endwise in overlapping relation thru said slots in cross walls l2. When each cross wall I2 registers with atively slidable endwise in slots vI5 in the cross walls I2.

The preferred shape of notches 20 and 2| are best shown in Fig. 2. The lower notches 2l are triangular except for the flat apex thereof against which the bottom of slot I5.is pressed in each case by the fact that the lowerf'edge of each cross wall I2 bears upon 'the bottom of pan III. This forces each cross wall up against the flat apex `in its notch 2I.and so tends to maintain each vcross wall I2 in vertical position during freezing.

The upper notches 20each has two opposed shoulders 22 and 23 on opposed sides of each cross wall I2 and having progressively widening clearances 25 and therewith from one end of the grid to the other. For instance, in Fig.

2 the clearances '28 vary progressively from a maximum at the right end of the grid to a minimum at the left end of the grid, and clearances 25 vary from a minimum at the right end of the grid to a maximum at the left end of the grid.

'Hence when upper section I3 is moved longitudinally to the right. as shown in Fig. 4, the shoulders 22 engage cross walls I2 successively beginning at the right end of the grid and tilt said cross walls I2 forward one after the other. Conversely,` when vupper section I3 is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 5, the shoulders 23 engage the cross walls I2 successively beginning at the left end of the grid and tilt said walls I2 forward one after the other in the opposite direction. Thus it is seen that the cross walls I2 will be tilted or moved successively one after the other entirely regardless of which direction the actuating upper section I3 is moved. An obvious advantage of this feature is that it permits section I3 to be moved alternately first in one direction and then in the other to materially facilitate the removal of the ice blocks with a minimum of applied force.

The upper section I3 is provided with a substantial quite rigid projection 30 at each end thereof, which preferably extends beyond the end lips of pan III and is then.turned down and terminates at 3I at a point below any immediately adjacent portionof pan I0. The lateral width of portions 3U may be made as wide as desired to give a proper bearing area for bumping same against a table or any other solid body, or simply for applying pressure thereagainst with the hands.

In operation, the grid is set snugly within pan I as shown in Fig. 2,1llled with water to a level limited only by the top `edgeof pan I0, and set within a freezing chamber until the ice is solidly frozen and bonded to all contacting metal Asurfaces. To remove the frozen ice blocks, the pan I0 may be first removed Vby setting same on a ,table and pressing down on two diagonally opposite corners thereof to slightly flex said pan III' to cause it to loosen from the ice and grid contents, or by any other suitable method. With the combination here disclosed the pan III may be removed from its contents by resting one end of the pan I0 on a table and propping the other end up slightly with the end 3| of projection 3l resting on a solid object and then pressing down with the hands on the two high corners of pan III. The resulting up force on the grid and down 5 force on pan I0 willreadily separate pan III from its frozen contents. The individual ice blocks may then be removed from the grid by a slight blow or other force on either end projection 30, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. By limiting the force of the applied blow or pressure the number of ice blocks removed at one time may be limited according to desire.

If desired, the cross walls I2 may each be p vided with an offset slotted flange 40 at its upper edge having a slot 4I therein within which the upper edge of section I3 slides (see left end of Fig. 2). each be positively retained at right angles to the plane of the central wall, but said flanges 40 will not interfere with the proper operation of the device as described above. When the cross walls I2 are tilted and drop down slightly by actuation of section I3, these flanges 40 simply take the position shown at the right side of Fig. 4. In other words flanges 40 do not prevent the decross walls I2.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, will now be described. In this form the cross walls I2' are preferably inclined from the vertical when in normal freezing position, and each has a slotted flange 40' having a slot 4I' therein within which thelupper edge of the upper section I3 slides. Now when the grid I I is inserted into pan II), the cross walls I2 will each be tilted over in the same direction until the bottom of its slot 4I' rests against its shoulder 23 (see Figs. 8 and 9). This normal tilted position of cross walls I2' is caused both by the action of gravity and by the bottom edge of each cross wall I2 bearing upon the bottom of vpan I0 and forcing By this means the cross walls I2 will sired tilting and dropping movements of the said cross wall up against. the top of the lower notch 2|' at the bottom margin of the lower secthe frozen ice blocks the pan III may be removed .l

by any method described hereinabove, after which an external force is applied to upper section I3',- as shown by arrow A in Fig. 8, to cause successive tilting of the cross walls I2 in a manner very similar to that described above in connection with the form shownvin AFig. 4. In otherwords, the shoulders 22 successively engage and tilt the cross walls I2' due to the progressively greater clearances from the right side of' Fig. 9 to the left side of Fig. 9. After each cross wall I2 is tilted forward suiciently to release the two ice'blocks in front of same, it is then free to drop down a slight distance and can then be moved forward and further tilted suiilciently to permit the required further movement tothe right (in Fig. 9) of the upper section Il in order to complete the tilting actuation of cross walls I2.

A further feature of the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is the extension of the strong rugged end projection 30' so that its lower end 3|' lies below `the plane of the bottom of pan III. When this structure of grid is used .with a slightly flexible metal pan III, the pan may be readily removed from its frozen contents simply by setting the tray upon a fiat table or other solid surface (indicated by line 50 in Fig. 9) and then pressing down with the hands on the two high corners of pan IB. The illustrated clearance I between the pan bottom and surface 50 permits the resulting up force on the grid and down force on pan I0 to slightly iiex pan I0 and readily separate it from its frozen contents by a s ort of peeling action. The removal of the individual ice blocks from the grid may then be accomplished as above described, Preferably a plate 32 of substantial area is spot-welded or otherwise fixed -to the front of projection 30 in order to stiien same and at the same time provide a greater bearing areav for the application of the external force A. For instance, with such a relatively large bearing area the above-described actuation of upper section I3' may be readily accomplished by bumping against plate 32 with the ball of the hand.

A still further feature of the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is the inclined cam surface 60 at the right end of the upper section I3' (as seen in Fig. 9) which is arranged to engage the end lip 6I of pan I0. Thus a further possible method of removing pan Ill from its frozen contents is simply to apply force A (that is, to bump the opposite end of section I3) This will rst slide the icegrid comprising: a main wall having relatively longitudinally movable upper and lower sections, and a series of transverse partition walls each loosely retained upon said main wall and being capable of a tilting movement relative thereto; said upper section having L'a series of shoulders adjacent its upper edgev which upon longitudinal movement of said upper section successively 'engage and tilt said transverse walls to facilitate the ejection of the frozen ice blocks.

3. A partitioning grid for a freezing tray, said grid comprising: a main wall having relatively longitudinally movable upper and lower sections,

and a series of transverse partition Walls eachI loosely retained upon said main wall and being capable of a tilting movement relative thereto; said upper section having a series of shoulders adjacent its upper edge which upon longitudinal movement of said upper section'su'ccessively enembedded portion of section I3'v thru its molded groove in the ice, thereby causing camsurface 60 to ride upon lip 6I of pan I0 and force same outwardly and downwardly and thus free pan I0 from its frozen bond to the ice block contained therein. The grid and ice is then removed from the pan and the separate ice blocks removed from the'grid as above described.

In all herein disclosed forms of the invention, the longitudinal movement of the actuating upper section I3 or I3 may be greatly facilitated by first loosening its ice-embedded lower margin from the ice. This can readily be done, either before or after pan I0 has been removed from the ice contents, simply by grasping the entire unit with the hands and banging the end surface 3i or 3|' of the depending projection 30 or 30' as the case may be against a solid surface such as a table. Obviously such banging will also often loosen pan I0 from its frozen contents although this method of loosening pan I0 is optional.

The upper longitudinal sections I3 and I3' are preferably made from relatively heavy smooth stainless steel in order to withstand theforces exerted thereupon during actuation of the device as above described. The' pan I0, -the cross partitions I2 and I2', and the lower sections I4 and I4 are preferably made of anodized sheet aluminum, and given a very thin coating ofa suitable grease or a high melting point wax to facilitate the separation of the ice from the contacting metal surfaces. A

While the embodiment of the present invention 'as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,

it is to be understood that other forms might lbe adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A partitioning grid for a freezing tray, said grid comprising: a main wall having relatively longitudinally movable upper and lower sections, and a series of transverse partition walls each loosely retained upon said main wall and being capable of a tilting movement relative thereto; said upper section of said main wall having means thereon serving to successively engage and tilt said transverse walls upon longitudinal movement of said upper section relative to said lower gage and tilt said transverse walls to facilitate the ejection of the frozen ice blocks, said upper section having an end projection adapted to receive a sudden blow to cause it to move longitudinally relative to said lower section.

4. A partitioning grid for a freezing tray, said grid comprising a main wall having relatively longitudinally movable upper and lower sections, and a series of transverse partition walls each loosely retained upon said main wall and being capable of atilting movement relative thereto,

said upper section of said main wall having means thereon serving to'successively engage and tilt' said transverse walls upon longitudinal movement of said upper section relative to said lower section, said upper section having a projection extending beyond the frozen ice blocks and adapted to receive an externally applied blow to cause it to move and tilt said transverse walls.

5. The combination of a freezing tray and a removable grid disposed therein, said grid comprising a longitudinal partition formed of a plurality of elongated sections one superposed upon and slidable upon another, and a series of partition elements carried by and extending transversely of said elongated partition to provide therewith and with said tray a series of ice cube compartments, said elongated section being constructed to provide an endwall for each cube compartment having a smooth face extending from the top to the bottom of such compartment, said transverse elements being so mounted as to be tilted by relative movement of said elongated sections vand thereby break the bond between the grid and the ice cubes frozen therein after the grid structure has been removed from the 6. A device of the character described comprising a tray, a grid assembly removably positioned in the tray comprising a notched member ex tending longitudinally'of the tray, a plurality of wall members extending transversely of said longitudinal member and loosely held in spaced relation in the notches of said longitudinal member, said transverse members being normally inclined with respect to-the bottom of the tray and adapted for angular movement from normal position, and mechanism carried by the grid assembly adapted to contact the tray to rst raise the grid assembly relative to the tray and then move the transverse members from their normal inclined. position.

7. In liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of an ice pan, a grid member removably disposed therein for dividing the ice pan into a .plurality of ice cube forming cells, said grid member comprising a central longitudinal wall member formed of two superposed parts both of which divide the ice pan longitudinally thereof and one of which is movable lengthwise relative to the other, and aplurality of transverse wall members movably attached to said longitudinal wall member, each of said transverse wall members being provided with a slot in the center thereof to receive both of said longitudinal Wall sections, said top longitudinal wall member being provided with a series of slots vin the top thereof and said bottom longitudinal wall member being provided with a series of slots in'the bottom thereof, said slots in said longitudinal wall members receiving said transverse wall members and being of suiiicient width to permit angular movement of the transverse wall members relative to the longitudinal wall members when the transverse wall `members are rotated by movement of one of the longitudinal wall members relative to the other, after the grid member has been at least partially removed from the ice pan.

8. The combination of an ice tray embodying side and bottom walls and a grid removably disposed therein and arranged to cooperate therewith for forming ice cubes, said grid comprising a longitudinal member composed of a plurality of relatively movable longitudinal extending sections disposed substantially in the same vertical plane, and a series of spaced substantially rigid transverse fins extending across the width of the ice tray, said grid being open at its bottom so that theice cubes contact the bottom of the tray; said fins extending into slots on said longitudinal member and being loose with respect to the sections of the longitudinal member and arranged to have movement in relation to said longitudinal sections and means associated with said longitudinal member for imparting such movement to the ns.

9. A partitioning grid for a freezing tray, said grid comprising: a composite partition wall having relatively longitudinally movable upper and lower sections, a series of transverse partition walls each extending transversely to and associated with said composite wall in such manner as to permit each of said transverse walls to move relative to both of said upper and lower sections, said composite Wall having means for engaging and moving said transverse walls upon relative longitudinal movement between said upper and lower sections thereof to facilitate the loosening of the frozen ice contents from the grid.

10. A removable partitioning grid for forming ice block compartments in a freezing tray, said grid comprising: a longitudinal partition wall having a substantially rigid actuating member extending longitudinally along its length and slidable relative thereto, a series of transverse partition walls each loosely retained upon and movable relative to said longitudinal partition Wall, said transverse walls beingmoved relative to each other and to said longitudinal wall by l the longitudinal movement of said actuating member, said actuating member having a projecting end portion extending endwise beyond the frozen contents of the grid and arranged to receive the full endwise impact when the grid with its frozen contents is bumped endwise against an outside body so as to move said actuating member longitudinally.

l1. A removable partitioning grid for forming ice block compartments in a freezing tray, said grid comprising: a main longitudinal partition wall, a series of transverse partition walls spaced apart along the length of said main wall, said Y transverse walls each being tiltable to facilitate the removal of the frozen contents of the grid, said main wall having associated therewith a relatively longitudinally movable actuating member extending along the length of said main wall and having means for engaging and tiltingsaid transverse walls, said actuating member having an impact-receiving portion extending endwise beyond the frozen contents of the grid and so arranged as to receive the endwise impact when the grid with its frozen contents is bumped endwise againstan outside body so as to move said actuating member longitudinally,

12. A freezing tray and a removable grid therefor, said grid having a longitudinal wall and a series of cross walls movable relative thereto, said longitudinal wall having a longitudinally extending actuating member for moving said cross walls relative to said longitudinal wall, said actuating member having an impact-receiving portion extending endwise beyond all other parts of thev

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