US2401894A - Ice tray - Google Patents

Description

June 11,, 1946, R c; YANTls 2,401,894

ICE TRAY Filed Jan. 24, 1942 W FF J P" 1 M A J J INVENTOR. BOY C VA/VT/S Patented June 11, 1946 Roy 0. Yantis, Greenvill mesne assignments, t Company, Greenville,

Michigan e, Mich, assignor, by o Gibson Refrigerator Mich a corporation of Application January 24, 1942, Serial No. 428,019 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-4085) This invention relates to ice trays for refrigerators and more particularly to removable grids therefor.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to provide ice trays with grids formed of a plurality of relatively movable metal partitions to facilitate the removal of individual ice cubes. The present shortage of aluminum, copper, and other non-corrosive metals has practically eliminated the manufacture of such grids because steel, the only metal available in quantity, must be coated with a corrosion resistant coating which soon chips and wears off when the partitions rub against each other while separating the ice cubes from the grid.

All rubber grids have been employed, but rubber is a poor conductor of heat and is prone to tear, so that frequent replacement is necessary.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a novel grid which will overcome the above mentioned disadvantages of other types of grids, while permitting the easy removal of individual ice cubes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and economically manufactured grid which can be easily disassembled for repair or replacement of parts.

These objects Will more fully appear in the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an ice tray containing a grid embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same, a portion of the tray side wall being broken away to show the interior construction of the grid;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of one of the transverse portions; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the longitudinal partition of the grid.

Broadly, the invention resides in an ice tray grid composed of a relatively flexible and extensible longitudinal partition and a plurality of relatively rigid transverse partitions detachably connected to the longitudinal partition. The longitudinal partition may be, and is here shown as being, formed of soft rubber. The transverse partitions may be, and are here shown as bein formed of thin sheet metal.

The structure shown in the drawing comprises a shallow ice tray I formed of metal. It has inclined side and end Walls, and a stiffening flange about its upper edge.

Positioned within the tray is a grid 9 forming with the walls of the tray individual compartments or molds for ice cubes. The grid is composed of a longitudinal partition or backbone II in the middle of the tray, and a plurality of transverse partitions I2, all attached together, and removable as a unit from the tray.

The longitudinal partition II is here shown as being made of rubber. It is very flexible, permitting the partitions I2 to be moved freely in all directions relative to each other, but stiff enough to support the partitions in the positions shown when the tray is filled only with water. The partition Il may be cut from sheet rubber or it may be molded in one piece. In any event it is provided in its upper and lower edges with longitudinally spaced apart pairs of aligned notches l3 of a, width approximately the thickness of the partitions I2.

The partitions I2 are relatively rigid. They are here shown as being fashioned from thin sheet metal. Their shape in elevation is shown in Figure 3, wherein it will be seen that they are slightly higher than the depth of the tray and of a width slightly less than that of the tray. At the upper edge of'each the metal is reverseli bent to provide a stiffening bead I4; I

Centrally of each partition I 2 a vertically elongated opening I5 is formed. The transverse width of the opening I5 is the same as the thickness of the rubber partition I I, and the height of the opening is the same as the distance between the adjacent edges of each pair of notches I 3. Each partition I2 is slit at I6 from the bottom of the opening l5 through the bottom edge of the partition.

The transverse partitions I2 are assembled on the longitudinal partition II by springing apart the two end portions of partitions I2 on laterally opposite sides of the opening l5, whereby to open the slit I6 enough to receive the partition II. The parts of the partitions I2 above and below the opening I5 are inserted in the notches I3 and the slit I6 closed up again by pinching the ends of the partition together. When that is done the upright edges of the opening I 5 grip the partition II firmly whereby the partitions are held in proper assembled relationship, and relative movement between the transverse and longitudinal partitions is minimized at the connection therebetween. Thus, while the rubber longitudinal member itself is flexible, relative rotary or swivel movement between the transverse and longitudinal partitions is avoided. This helps to keep the grid in proper position within the tray and prevents undue twisting of the transverse partitions in the tray.

The grid is placed in the tray as shown, it is filled with water, and the latter is frozen in'the usual way. To remove the ice cubes the bottom and/or sides of the tray may be warmed slightly and the grid and ice cubes removed. The individual cubes then may be broken loose from the grid by twisting the grid with the fingers, the rubber longitudinal member flexing topermitthat to be done easily. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides a grid which is economically manufactured and easily assembled. It is easily disassembled for replacement of the longitudinal grid if the latter should be torn or otherwise become unfit for use. The greater part of the grid is of metal, a better conductor of heat than rubber, thereby providing a more efiicient device than an all rubber construction.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the I appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ice tray grid comprising a one piece longitudinal partition and a plurality of spaced apart parallel relatively rigid one piece transverse partitions firmly attached to the longitudinal partition, said transverse partitions having reinforcing beads adjacent their upper edges, said longitudinal. partition being relatively flexible and extensible and substantially bisecting each transverse partition.

adjacent their upper edges, said longitudinal partition being relatively flexible and extensible and substantially bisecting each transverse partition.

ROY C. YANTIS.

-2. An ice tray grid comprising a, one piece longitudinal partition and a plurality of spaced

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