US2558802A - Ice tray and grid structure - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1951 K. T. WHITE ICE TRAY AND GRID STRUCTURE Filed March 15, 1945 INVENTOR. Ken/mfh Z'Wh/fe.

ATT ORNE Y5 Patented July 3, 1951 ICE TRAY AND GRID STRUCTURE Kenneth T. White, Grosse Ile, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to said Kenneth T.

White, as trustee Application March 15, 1945, Serial No. 582,905

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to an ice tray and grid structure. It has to do particularly with a freezing tray or pan and an improved removable grid structure therefore for containing a substance, such as water, to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved grid structure and tray for producing a pluralit of individual ice cubes or blocks, which is so constructed and arranged as to permit the ready release and removal of one or more of the individual ice cubes without disturbin the position or condition of the remaining ice cubes, and without applying or creating any back pressure on the cube next to the one being released.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved grid structure of the foregoin character in which longitudinally spaced pairs of transverse separators or fins are mounted upon and connected to a lengthwise partition with the members of the pairs being disposed on opposite sides thereof and which are capable of independent oscillating or swinging movement relative to the partition for the purposeof freeing or releasing individual ice cubes, and wherein the point of connection between each'separator and the partition is located outside the plane of the separator.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved grid structure in which the movement of the transverse separators relative to the lengthwise partition is limited in both directions, and wherein said separators are maintained normally in predetermined upwardly inclined operative or freezing positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved grid structure in accordance with the preceding paragraph in which the limiting of the movement of the separators relative to the Lil partition is effected by means carried either by the individual separators or the partition and cooperable one with the other when said separators are in predetermined positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved grid structure in which the individual separators are of relatively light reinforced construction capable of withstanding force or pressure applied thereto by an operator or the like tool for effecting their movement to release the individual .cubes.

Another object is to provide an improved ice tray and grid structure wherein the end walls of the tray extend upwardly at different angles with relation to one another and to the bottom of the tray and wherein the grid partition has correspondingly angled ends whereby the grid will interfit with the tray only when the angled ends and angled end walls are brought into their proper cooperative relationship.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved grid structure and tray of the foregoing character wherein the individual separators of the front pair of separators located adjacent the front end wall of the tray are preferably engaged and moved forwardly toward said front wall by an operator or tool to release the individual cubes located in front of said pair of separators, and wherein the separators of the remaining pairs may also be moved or shifted individually in a forward direction to release additional individual ice cubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide separators for a grid in accordance with that above referred to in which each of the separators functions, during its initial movement toward the front end wall of the tray, to lift or peel the ice cube resting against its forward surface from the bottom of the tray to thereby efiect the quick and eas release of said ice cube.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved grid structure and tray or pan Wherein the individual separators of the front pair of separators located at the front end of the tray may be engaged and moved forwardly by a detachable hand-manipulated operator or tool to release the ice cubes located in front of said pair of separators, and wherein the remaining separators of the remaining pairs may be moved or shifted individually by hand in a forward direction to release additional and successive individual ice cubes until any desired number of cubes has been released.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand-grasped operator or tool adapted to be releasably applied to the upper portions of the transverse separator members of an ice tray grid structure for effectin the movement of the separator members, individually, to readily free and release individual ice cubes, the freeing and releasing of a cube being effected without disturbing the position or condition of the remaining ice cubes in the grid structure, and with-out creating back pressure upon said remaining cubes.

Generally speaking, my present invention relates to an ice tray or pan and a removable grid structure in which the tray and the removable gridstructure are so formed and proportioned J as to be capable of being nested together incooperative relationship only when the grid structure is properly positioned with relation to the tray or pan. The grid structure comprises a longitudinal divider or partition and longitudinally spaced pairs of separator members, the individual members of the pairs being disposed on opposite sides of the partition and mounted thereupon for oscillating, tilting, or arcuate movement in opposite directions relative to the partition. The pivot or point of oscillation for each of the separators is outside or offset from the plane of the separator in such a manner that the axis of oscillation does not die within the plane of the separator and the line about which the sepa- I rator moves is preferably disposed at an angle of approximately 90 with relation to the partition. The grid structure is provided with means for limiting the movement in opposite directions of the separators and each of the individual separators is so formed and proportioned as to be capable of movement toward ice cube-releasing pois not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed or carried out in various ways. It is to be understood also that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is r for the purpose of description and not of limitasition to release an individual ice cube without affecting the position or condition of the other separators and ice cubes. Additionally, each of the separator members is provided with improved means effective to lift or .peel an individual ice cube from the bottom of the tray or pan during the initial movement of the separator toward its cube-releasing position.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an improved ice tray and grid structure embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly broken away, of the forward portion of the structure shown in Fig. l, and showing the application to one of the separator members or fins, of a detachable releasing operator or tool embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. l and illustrating one arrangement of the inclination or angularity of the different pairs of separator members of the grid when in their operative or freezing position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the front end of the structure, indicating the relative positions of the parts with an ice cube formed in one of the front cells of the structure.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the ice cube of Fig. 4 after its initial release from the cell by means of the operator or tool embodying the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the stop means for limiting the movement of the separators relative to the divider or partition of the grid structure.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an improved operator or tool embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of my improved ice tray and grid structure containing a capacity load of ice cubes and illustrating one manner of grasping and applying the operator or tool of Fig. '7 prior to releasing an ice cube.

Before explaining in detail the present invent it is to be understood that the invention tion, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art. 7

Presently known ice tray and grid structures for use in connection with household and other refrigerating systems leave much to be desired in the way of practical construction, utility and economy. With many such trays and grids it is necessary to either dip the tray into a pan of hot water or invert it under a hot water faucet in order to release the grid and its ice cubes. This often merely permits the grid to be removed with all of the cubes still remaining in place, it requiring additional hot water treatment to remove the individual cubes from the grid. This is not only unsatisfactory and bothersome but effects a substantial waste of the frozen cubes, This is particularly true in the event only a few of the cubes are desired'for use. In order to salvage the other cubes which have been loosened, they must again be placed in the cells of the grid which is a tedious and difficult operation.

Other grids of the, prior art have been arranged as to effect the release of the ice cubes mechanically but in most instances the releas ing operation was not only difficult to perform but eifected the release, or at least the loosening, of all, or substantially all, of the cubes in the structure. Operators have been employed in the prior art in an attempt to acuate the separators and release the ice cubes but none of such prior art devices was capable of effecting the quick and easy release of an individual ice cube, or even a pair of such cubes, without also disturbing at least some of the remaining cubes. Some such operators have been fixed to grid. It is, therefore, one of the important pur-. poses of my present invention to provide an improved ice tray and grid structure which is of relatively simple construction, easy and rela' tively inexpensive to manufacture, and one which is so constructed and arranged as to permit the quick and easy release of a single in-' dividual ice cube without in any way disturbing or affecting the position or condition of the other ice cubes in the structure. Moreover, it is a further important purpose of my present invention to provide an improved structure of this nature in which, after the cube or-cubes at the front end of the structure have been released by my improved operator or tool, additional ice cubes may be released and removed individually by the easy hand-manipulation of the other separators of the structure.

Referring now particularly to the drawings I0 represents as a whole, the improved ice tray or pan and removable grid structure of the present invention. The structure comprises two units, namely the ice tray or pan shown as a whole at H and the removable grid structure, shown as a Whole at l2. The pan, as shown, is of oblong or rectangular shape and comprises a bottom l3, side walls M, a rear end substantially vertical wall l5 and a front upwardly and outwardly inclined end wall I6. As shown, the pan or tray II has a surroundingdepending finish ing and strengthening flange IT. The tray or pan may be formed from any suitable material, such as aluminum or other metal, or the like, and is of substantially rigid or inflexible nature.

The removable grid member of the present invention comprises, as shown, a substantially centrally disposed longitudinal or lengthwise partition or divider l8 whose rear end or edge portion I9 is substantially vertical to correspond to and interfit with the rear end wall l5 of the tray. The opposite or front end portion or edge of the partition is upwardly and outwardly inclined at an angle corresponding to and adapted to interfit and cooperate with the front end wall l5 of the tray. The lower portion of the rear edge or end I9 of the partition is provided with a radius at |9a which corresponds with a similar radius |5a at the lower end of the rear wall I5. The lower portion of the front edge or end 26 of the partition has a radius 20a which corresponds with a similar radius 16a of the tray. It will be understood that by so constructing the end walls .of the tray and the opposite end edges of the partition, the grid will only fit within the tray when the parts are properly aligned or positioned. Thus, the front end of the grid is always located at the front end of the tray or pan. Moreover, it will be seen that the partition, and as well, the other parts of the grid to be described below, have .a relatively snug fit with the tray or pan.

The grid structure I 2 includes a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced separators or fins, each of the individual separators or transverse members being indicated at 2|. The separators are disposed in pairs with the individual separators being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal partition or divider l8 and it will be seen that when the several pairs of separators 2| are disposed in their operative or freezing positions, the two separators of each pair are substantially in transverse end to end alignment crosswise of the tray or pan .|.-l,.

Each of the individual separator members '21 is, as shown, provided with .a pair of spaced upright reinforcing rib members 22,, such ribs, as shown, being formed preferably from the material of the separator in any suitable manner and by any desired method or process. Each separator 2| at its upper inner edge adjacent the longitudinal partition 18 is provided with pro- ,jecting portion, extension or ear 23 which overlies the upper edge of the partition 18. The separator .2| is provided along its inner upright edge with a flange or angularly disposed portion 24, it being noted that said flange or portion terminates at its upper end at a point slightly below the projection 23. The lower end of the flange is provided with a curved forward edge or radius at 24a which corresponds generally to the shape or curvature of the bottom of the pan in the vicinity of the pan radius l-Ga, and the remain-- ing portion of the bottom edge of the flange extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the tray bottom l3 when the separator 2| is in its inclined operative freezing position, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. If desired, the pair of separators 2| adjacent the front end wall of the tray may be of somewhat heavier gauge metal than the remaining separators.

The separator members 2| may be attached to the longitudinal partition |8 in-any suitable manher so that they may have a limited forward and back oscillating or swinging movement relative 6 to the partition, when desired. As shown, each pair of transversely aligned separators 2| is movably connected to and mounted on the partition by means of a pivot pin or rivet 25 which is passed through aligned holes formed in the flanges 24 adjacent the radii 24a and through a similarly formed hole located adjacent the bottom edge of the partition. Thus, the pair of aligned separator members, while being mounted upon common pivot means 25, are capable of relative swinging or arcuate movement, each independently of the other. It is to be noted that the pivot 25 is located closely adjacent to the radius 24a of each flange so that, when one of the separators is moved forwardly about the pivot, it immediately moves away from the ice cube in the cell at the rear of the separator and thus the movement of said separator forwardly does not exert any back pressure on the ice cube in the next adjacent cell. Moreover, it will be seen that the pivot or point of oscillation 25 is oifset from its separator member or members 2| so that the axis of oscillation does not lie within the plane of the separator. This is an important feature 7 of the present invention.

Each of the separators 2| is provided at its lower edge with a forwardly extending gradually curved lip portion 26. This lip portion 26 extends throughout the width of the separator 2| and terminates at its inner end adjacent the flange 24. It will be noted that the lip 26 has a curvature or radius which corresponds to the curvature or shape of the lower rear edge of the flange.

As best seen in Fig. 3 and as shown, merely by way of example, the pair of separators 2| at the front end l6 of the pan extend upwardly in an inclined plane and at an angle which is somewhat greater than the angle of inclination of the remaining pairs of separator members when all of said members are in their operative freezing positions, as seen in this figure. Merely by way of example, the front pair of separator members 2| is inclined at an angle of approximately 25 degrees, whereas the remaining pairs of separators 2| are upwardly inclined at an angle of approximately 20 degrees. It will be understood, however, that the various pairs of separator members 2| may be inclined at any desired and suitable angle which may be the same for all members so that when in operating positions, they will be substantially parallel. I have discovered that by placing the front pair of separators relatively close to the front end of the partition l3 which would place them, when the grid is. assembled with the pan closely adjacent to the front end wall l6 thereof, the ice cubes 0 in the cells or compartments at the front end of the grid structure may be released and removed with greater ease and facility by virtue of this location of the separator members and also by virtue of the angle of inclination of said members. As seen in Fig. 5, when the separator 2| is moved about its pivot 25 in a direction toward the front end wall l6 of the pan, the separator immediately moves away from the ice cube C in the next adjacent cell or compartment, the initial movement of the separator lifting or peeling. the ice cube C from the bottom I3 of the tray, with the forward surface of said ice cube tending to ride or move upwardly along the inclined front wall I6 of the pan and into position to be removed.

After the cubes C in the front pair of cells have been removed, it is a relatively Simple matforward direction, the separator 2| ter .to swing the separators 2| of the nextadjacent pair forwardly to likewise release the ice cubes C It will be understood that by virtue of the construction and arrangement of the separators 2|, the removal of an ice cube from one cell will not cause any back pressure to be applied to a cube in the next. adjacent cell and will, in no wise, affect the condition or position of the last-named cube.

It is desirable to provide an operator or tool for detachable engagement with the upper portion of a separator 2| for the purpose of swinging or moving said separator about its pivot 25 to release an ice cube located in the cell whose one wall is formed or provided by the separator. For this purpose, I have provided an operator or tool such as that shown as a whole at 21 in Figs. 2, 5, '7 and 8. As shown, the operator or tool comprises a relatively flat body portion 28 having a handle 29 projecting from one side thereof and a bifurcated portion $6 located at the opposite side of the body portion. As shown, the handle has a relatively long gripping portion to be grasped in the manner, illustrated in Fig. 8. The bifurcated portion 31] forms, as shown, an extension of the body portion 28 and comprises two separator engaging members or portions 3i and 32, the portion 3| being shown as of somewhat greater length than the corresponding portion 32. These portions 3| and 32' are of substantially the same Width the'body portion 28 and are spaced apart to provide a slot or recess 33 therebetween. For the purpose of reinforcing and strengthening the lower section of the operator 21, the separator engaging portion, the body portion, and the adjacent end portion of the handle 29 are provided on opposite faceswith longitudinal reinforcing ribs 34 providing therebetween for a portion of their length, a longitudinal socket 35. Additionally, and to provide greater strength at the separator engaging end of the operator 21', the side edges of the members or portions Si and 32 and the integral body portion 28 are provided with reinforcing flanges 36. By virtue of the present structure, the operator 2'! may be formed from relatively light weight metal, such as aluminum, so as to be of extremely light weight yet having sufficient strength and rigidity to perform its intended function without bending in use or causing damage to bers 2| of the grid structure.

Assuming now that an ice tray and grid structure such as that shown in Fig. 8 and containing a series of ice cubes C and C has been removed from the freezing compartmentof a refrigerator and it is desired to release and remove one or more of the ice cubes, the handle portion 29 of the operator or tool 21 is grasped by the hand and the separator engaging portion 3i! of'the operator is brought into engagement with the upper exposed portion of one of the separator members 2| located adjacent the front end wall N of the ice tray. It will be noted that because of the width and depth of the slot 33, a substantial portion of the separator 2| will be engaged by the operator. By moving the operator 21 in a is caused to swing in an arc toward the front end wall 56. The separator 2| moves forwardly about its supporting pivot 25 away from the next adjacent ice cube C see Fig. 5, with the initial movement of the separator lifting or peeling the;ice cube C from the bottom it of the tray. Further arouate forward movement of the separator 2| under for example, as i .50 the separator mem non-freezing position.

the influence of the operator or tool 21, causes the released cube 0 to ride up the adjacent inclined front wall I6 of the pan in the manner indicated in Fig. 5. This action of the operator in releasing and removing the cube C causes no disturbance whatsoever to the adjacent ice cube C nor will such action transmit any back pressure to the cube C After the cube C has been released, thev opera: tor. 21 is removed and if an additional cube is desired, the operator may be applied to the other separator member 2| of the front pair and the operation repeated to remove another ice cube C. Thereafter, if desired, additional ice cubes C may be removed by repeating the operation above described. It is, however; usually unnecessary to employ the operator 21 in the removal of the cubes C after the two front cubes C have been removed. These adjacent cubes may be removed by hand by grasping the upper end portion of the separator 2| above the ice cube 0 and swinging it forward. 7

It will be seen that the longitudinal socket 35 formed by the reinforcing ribs 34 of the operator receives and cooperates with the inner rib 22 of the pair of reinforcing ribs of the separator 2| when the operator is applied to a separator. Since the member 3| of the gripping portion 39 of the operator is slightly longer than the corresponding member 32 thereof, it will be easier to engage the operator with the upper exposed portion of a separator member 2|.

The previously described inwardly projecting portions or ears 23 of aligned pairs of separator members 2|, see particularly Fig. 6, engage the upper edge of the longitudinal partition l8 when the separators 2| of the various pairs are in their normal or operative freezing positions. Thus, these extensions provide stop means to prevent the members 2| from being moved about their pivots 25 beyond a predetermined point. In this manner, all of the pairs of separators are maintained in their proper inclined or angular positions and both members of a pair are likewise' maintained in transverse alignment when the parts are in their operative or freezing positions. Moreover, the projections 23 also function as stops to prevent the separators from being moved beyond a predetermined point in their opposite directions toward inoperative or In this connection the members 23 I are particularly useful when the grid unit i2 is removed from the tray or pan II and prevent the separator members from swinging downward beyond either their normal operative or their inoperative positions with relation to the longitudinal partition l8. If desired, the stop or limiting members 23 may be provided on the partition H3 or on the tray itself, in lieu of being on the separators 2|.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In combination with a freezing tray for use in a refrigerating unit, a removable grid structure comprising a partition extending longitudinally of said structure and having a relatively snug fit with the opposite ends of said tray, a series of pairs of transverse separators positioned in spaced relationship lengthwise of the partition and projecting laterally therefrom to form with said partition and tray walls ice block comp-artments on opposite sides of said longitudinal partition, pivot means connecting each of the pairs of separators to said longitudinal partition whereby to permit oscillating movement in opposite directions of each separator of a pair in a direction longitudinally of and relative to the longitudinal partition and about said pivot connecting means independently of the other separator of the said pair and of all of the other separators of the series, the movement of a separator in one direction longitudinally of the tray effecting the release and movement of a single ice block within a compartment without disturbing the position of the other ice blocks in the other compartments, each of said laterally projecting separators havin stop means engageable with the upper edge of the longitudinal partition whereby to limit the extent of movement of the separator in both directions longitudinally of the grid structure, means on the separators for reinforcing and strengthening the same, each of said separators terminating at its lower edge in a gradually curved forwardly extending lip disposed in engagement with the bottom of the freezing tray when said separator is in its normal upwardly inclined operative freezing position, said pivot connecting means being located at one side of each pair of separators whereby the axis of oscillation of each separator or each pair of separators lies without the plane of the same.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein each separator is provided with a forwardly projecting flange at its inner upright edge and wherein the pivot means for movably connecting each separator or pair of separators to the longitudinal partition is located adjacent the lower forward edge of the flange whereby to place the axis oscillation for each separator or pair of separators outside the plane thereof.

3. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the pair of separators of the series located adjacent the front end of the tray is positioned normally at a difierent angle of inclination from the normal angle of inclination of the remaining pairs of separators of the grid structure when all of the said pairs of separators are in their operative freezing positions.

4. A grid for dividing a substantially rigid pan member into a plurality of ice containing cells, said grid comprising a longitudinal partition, a series of pairs of separators positioned in spaced relationship lengthwise of the partition with the individual members of the pairs being disposed on opposite sides of said partition and projecting laterally therefrom toward the side walls of the pan member when the grid is assembled with such pan member, pivot means connecting the pairs of separators to said longitudinal partition to permit oscillating movement in opposite directions of each separator of a, pair lengthwise of and relative to the longitudinal partition and about said pivot connecting means independently of the other separator of said pair and of all of the remaining separators of the grid whereby the movement of a separator independently of all of the other separators in one direction will release and move a single ice block in an ice containing cell without disturbing the other ice blocks in the remaining ice containing cells, each of said independent separators having stop means engageable with the upper edge of the partition to limit the extent of oscillatin movement of the separator in both directions lengthwise of the grid, each of said separators also having means for reinforcing and strengthening the same, and each of said independently movable separators terminating at its lower edge in a gradually curved forwardly extending lip portion disposed in engagement with the bottom of the freezin tray when said separator is in its normal upwardly inclined operative freezing position, said pivot connecting means being located outside the plane of each pair of separators so that the axis of oscillation thereof does not lie within the plane of the separators.

5. In combination with an ice tray, a removable grid structure for dividing said tray into a plurality of individual open-top compartments in which individual blocks of ice are to be formed, said grid comprising a longitudinal upright member or members and a plurality of upright transverse members arranged in multiples crosswise of the ice tray, said transverse members being disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal plane of said longitudinal upright memher and projecting laterally therefrom, said transverse members also being pivotally connected in multiples to and being supported by the longitudinal upright member for limited independent oscillatable movement lengthwise of the grid structure independently of one another, stop means for limiting movement of said laterally projecting members lengthwise of the grid, and means for pivotally connecting the laterally projecting members to the longitudinal upright member or members for movement of any one of said members independently of all of the other laterally projecting members and of the longitudinal upright member or members, said pivot means being so positioned as to be offset from the plane of the laterally projecting members to which it is connected.

6. In combination with a freezing tray for containin a substance, such as water, to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, a removable grid structure comprising a partition extending longitudinally of said structure and having a relatively snug fit with the 0pposite ends of said tray, a series of pairs of transverse separators positioned in spaced relation ship longitudinally along said partition, the individual separators of each pair being independently movable with relation to one another and to said partition and bein disposed on opposite sides of the partition and projecting laterally therefrom, said separators together with the partition and tray walls forming individual ice block compartments on said opposite sides from end to end of said freezing tray, and pivot means located in the partition closely adjacent to the bottom of the tray for oscillatably connecting each of the pairs of separators together and to said longitudinal partition whereby each individual separator of a pair of separators may be moved about its pivot means relatively to the partition in a direction lengthwise of the grid structure and tray independently of the other separator of the pair and of all of the other separators of said grid structure to release and move a single block of ice from a compartment without disturbing other blocks of ice in other compartments, each of said separators havin means engageable with said longitudinal partition whereby to limit the movement of the separator when oscillated from one position to another position.

'7. In combination with a freezing tray for containing a substance, such as water, to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, a removable grid structure comprising a partition extending longitudinally of said structure and having a relatively snug fit with the opposite ends of said tray, a series of pairs of transverse separators positioned in spaced relationship longitudinally along said partition, the individual from, said separators together with the partition and tray walls forming individual ice block compartments on said opposite sides from end to end of said freezing tray, and pivot means located in the partition closely adjacent to the bottom of the tray for oscillatably connecting each of the pairs of separators together and to said longitudinal partition whereby each individual separator of a pair of separators may be moved about its pivot means relatively to the partition in a direction lengthwise of the grid structure and tray independently of the other separator of the pair and of all of the other separators of said grid structure to release and move a single block of ice from a compartment without disturbing other blocks of ice in other compartments, the outer edges of each pair of separators having a relatively snug lit with the adjacent side walls of the ireezing tray, and each of the separators having spaced upright reinforcing ribs for strengthening the same.

8. A grid structure for dividing a substantially rigid pan member into a plurality of ice containing cells, said grid comprising a longitudinal partition, a plurality of pairs of transverse separators positioned in spaced relationship lengthwise along said partition with the individual separa tors of each pair being independently movable with relation to one another and to the partition and being disposed on opposite sides thereof and projecting laterally therefrom to form, when placed in a pan, cells on said opposite sides, and pivot means located adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of the partition and the lower edges of each pair of separators for movably connecting each pair of separators together and to said longitudinal partition whereby each of the individual separators of a pair of separators may be moved in an arcuate path in a direction lengthwise of said grid independently of the other separator of the pair and of all of the other separators of the grid to release and move a single block of ice from a cell without disturbing the blocks of ice in the other cells, each of said 12 separators having a projecting portion engageable with said partition for limiting the arcuate movement of the separator from one position to another position.

9. A grid structure for dividing a substantially rigid pan member into a plurality of ice containing cells, said grid comprising a longitudinal partition, a plurality of pairs of transverse separators positioned in spaced relationship lengthwise along said partition with the individual separators of each pair being independently movable with relation to one another and to the partition and being disposed on opposite sides thereof and projecting laterally therefrom to form, when placed in a pan, cells on said opposite sides, and pivot means located adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of the partition and the lower edges of each pair of separators for movably connecting each pair of separators together and to said longitudinal partition whereby each of the individual separators of a pair of separators may be moved in an arcuate path in a direction lengthwise of said grid independently of the other separator of the pair and of all of the other separators of the grid to release and move a single block of ice from a cell without disturbing the blocks of ice in the other cells, each of said separators being provided with reinforcing and strengthening means and the lower edge of each thereof terminating in a gradually curved forwardly extending lip portion engaging the bottom of the pan member when the separator is in its normally inclined position.

KENNETH T. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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