US2674860A

US2674860A - Bowable ice tray grid with preflexed cross walls

Info

Publication number: US2674860A
Application number: US158773A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hallock Robert Lay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-04-28
Filing date: 1950-04-28
Publication date: 1954-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1971-04-13

Description

p 1954 R. L. HALLOCK 2,674,860

BOWABLE ICE TRAY GRID WITH PREFLEXED CROSS WALLS Filed April 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l w k: z; 4 Y: 22'

y #2 ig r INVENTOR. 2298' April 13, 1954 HALLOCK- BOWABLE ICE TRAY GRID WITH PREFLEXED CROSS WALLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1950 INVENTOR. f; m 4

Patented Apr. 13, 1954 BOWABLE ICE T I PREFLEXED My invention relates to improvements in ice tray grids that are distortable to release ice pieces, and more particularly grids that have resilient walls and which are bowable. A grid of this type is illustrated and described in my Patent No. 2,378,845 granted June 19, 1945.

The objects of the invention are to provide a grid of this type that is simpler and easier to construct and simpler and easier to operate.

This application replaces and relates back for common subject matter to my application S. N.

"98,580 filed February 26, 1949, which is now abandoned. 1

'Novel features that characterize this invention are resilient walls held in fiexure while ice is being formed, and then un flexed to loosen ice attached thereto; a backbone, otherwise known as a center or longitudinal wall, fashioned from a single sheet of material in such a manner that it is bowable in its own plane; and members for bowing the grid, at least one of which is bowable with the grid.

These and otherfeatures of the invention, together with the advantages which they aiford, appear in the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of an ice freezing tray and grid embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail section of a portion of Fig. 9;

Fig. 4 is a similar detail section of Fig. 10;

Fig. 5 is a detail partly in section showing a part of the grid referred to asa stop strap;

Fig. 6 is a detail section of another portion of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a detail section of another portion of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is an exploded plan of two pieces in Fig.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the grid as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the ice tray in section;

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 9 showing the grid operated and removed from the tray; and

Fig. 11 is an elevation of thecenter wall or longitudinal partition only.

As seen in Figs. 1, 9 and 10, the ice tray grid is composed essentially of a center or longitudinal wall member or partition and a number of cross walls or partitions which intersect the center wall and form therewith a plurality of cells arranged in two rows. Operating members are provided to how the grid, as shown in Fig. 10. to effect release of ice pieces formed in the cells.

The center or longitudinal wall is fashioned from a single sheet of material to the configura- 1 RAY GRID WITH CROSS WALLS Robert Lay Hallock, Larchmont, N. Y. Application April 28, 1950, Serial No. 158,773 15 Claims. (01. 62-1085) tion illustrated in Fig. 11. The material may be sheet metal or plastic sheet. 61'ST8 aluminum sheet .051" in thickness, or 52811 aluminum sheet .060" in thickness has been found satisfactory. The wall strip It has a row of slits or slots near the bottom edge comprising a series of slots l l and an alternate series of longer slots [2. Each of the shorter slots H has a, curved slot l3 connecting it to the top edge of the strip H3. Each of the longer slots I2 is connected by a cut M to a respective upright slot [3. This leaves as the only section running the full length of the strip ID a ribbon l5 at the bottom of the wall.

At the top end of each of the upright slots it there are lugs or ears or tabs, one on each side of the slot. These are numbered I 6 to 2'! inclusive and are of several shapes and sizes for purposes that appear below. The left end of the strip H3, as seen in Fig. 11, projects upward to form a section 28 provided with a hole 29 and a lug 36 which projects toward the lug It. On the right hand end of the strip It there are two small upward projecting lugs 3i and 32. The wall strip It as just described and as illustrated in Fig. 11 is formed by one press operation.

The cross webs or wall sections 33 which intersect the center wall It can be seen in elevation in Fig. 2, top view in Fig. 1, edge view in Figs. 9 and 1'0, and center section in Figs. 3, 4, and 6. Each cross wall 33 is shaped, as seen in Fig. 2, to conform generally to the cross section of the tray 34. At the top center of each cross wall 33 there are two portions '35 and 36 projecting toward each other over a squat T-slot having a lower portion 31 and an upper portion 38. At the bottom center of each wall piece 33 there is a notch 39. A lip 40 is struck out of each cross partition 33 just above the notch 39. A shallow corrugation l! is formed in each cross wall 33 below and generally parallel to its upper edge. The cross walls 33 are formed by a press operation and may be madeof GIST sheet aluminum .032" in thickness.

A cross wall 33 is inserted in each of the slots is in the center wall E0. The notches 39 at the bottom of the cross pieces 33' straddle the ribbon 15 at the bottom of the longitudinal partition Ill. The lips 46 hook under the center piece at the top of the slots I l, asseen in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a small metal strip 4: has two aligned slots 42 and 43. These slots are spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between the ears 2| and 22 on the center wall ID. The slot d2 receives the ears 2G and 2E, and the slot 43 receives the

ears

22 and 23. These slots are just long enough to permit the ears to spread apart from their positions in Fig. 3 to their positions in Fig. 4. The strip 4% lies in the lower portions 32' of the T-slots in the two center cross Walls 33. As seen in Figs. 9 and 10, another similar strip A l is in the same manner associated with the two cross walls 33 at the right hand end of the grid and its two slots engage respectively the ears 24 and 25 and the ears 26 and 2?. Another slightly longer strip 45 is associated with the two left hand cross walls 33 and engages in one slot the ears l6 and il and in the other slot the ears I8 and 15. The left hand end of the strip 45 is so slotted as to straddle the upstanding section 28 of the center wall it as seen in Fig. 6.

A long strip 45 overlies the top of the center wall l and is located in the upper portions 38 of the T-slots in the cross walls 33. As bestseen in Fig. 1, the long strip 15 is suitably notched to permit insertion of this strip in the slotted-cross walls. The right hand end of the strip .5 is provided with a slot dimensioned to receive the ear or lug 3! near the right hand. endrof thecenter wall 16. The strip it abuts the lug 32 at the right hand end of the center wall [5, and the lug 31 is peened over to fasten this end of the strip in place. The strip 45 has two slots a? and :8 which receive the ears 23 and as of the center Wall H), and two other similar slots 59 and a which receive the ears Ill and 215 as seen in Figs. 9 and 10. The left hand end of the strip is fashioned as a knob 51 as seen in Figs. 7 and. 8. The

slots

45 and 50 are also seen in Fig. 8.,

The short strips Ill, 34 and 45, called stop straps, may be made of szsn aluminum sheet .09 in thickness. The long strip 55, called a thrust bar, may be made of 5281-1 aluminum sheet .06 in thickness. The stop straps fit nicely in the portions 3 of the cross wall T-slots, and thereby aid in preventing wobble of the cross walls relative to the center wall.

Referring to Figs. 9 and, 10, and more particularly Figs. 6, '7, and 8. the knob 5! at the left hand end of the thrust bar $5 is designed to be engaged by a U-strap 52 which is formed with a notch 53 at its closed end to receive the shank of the knob 55!. The legs of the U-stra-p 52 are pivotably connected by

pins

54 and 55 to the forked ends of a handle 56. Two fingers 5! and 58 project downward from the legs of the strap 52 and curve forward and inward, so that the ends of these fingers engage beneath the stop strap 45 on each side of the center wall H). The U-strap 52, generally referred to as a yoke, may be formed of 528E aluminum sheet, .06" in thickness.

The handle 55 may be formed of like material to the shape seen in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 9 and 10, The pins Hand 55 which pivot the yoke 5.2 to the handle 55 project through both flanges of the,

handle forks. These forks are located astride the upward projecting portion 28 at the left hand end of the center wall Ill. The inner flanges 59 and Eli of the handle forks are journaled on a pin 61 which projects through the hole 29 in the center wall. The outer flanges of the handle 56 are provided with

openings

52 and 53 to permit insertion of the pin 6! upon assembly. The openings 62 and 63 uncover the pin 5! or the holes for this pin when the handle 56 is about in the position illustrated in Fig. 10. The several pins may be 173T aluminum rivets. The

rivets 54 and 55 should be about /8 in diameter and the rivet 6i considerably larger in diameter, at least The various parts of the grid, except the rivets,

M, M and are above and the, thrust bar 45 are made by blanking and forming press operations. To assemble a grid, six cross walls 33 are forced downward in the upright curved slots 13 in the center wall [0 until the lips 49 snap into place in the slots II. All of th cross walls may be the same, or one cross wall like that shown second from the right in Figs. 1, 9 and 10 may have

upward projections

65 and 65 for the purpose of providing, together with the handle 55, a stable support for stacking another tray on top of the grid. Then the stop straps placed in position as described also located in its above described position. The handle and th yoke 52 are assembled by means of the

rivets

54 and 55. Then the yoke 52 is engaged with the knob. 5lon the end of the thrust bar 48, and the handle located astride the upward projection 23 on the center wall Ill. The handle is held in a position about like that in Fig. 10 so that therivet 5| can be located by manipulation through the ho1es62=and 6-3 in the handle. Then the

fingers

51 and 58 ar bent inward to engage beneath the stop strap 45. When the handle 55'is turned toits position shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the grid is closed and ready for use in the tray 34.

When using 52SHaluminum for the center wall and stop straps, it is desirable to provide a small piece 56 of 618T aluminum in the handle end of the slot in the stop strap 45 in front ofthecar It. This filler piece 68 can be seen in Fig; 6--

and is in the shape of a small inverted: T with the leg projecting upward in the slotin the-strap -infront of the center wallear i6. The-purpose is to decrease wear at this point.

It also has been found desirable to provide small shoes on the cross wall projections 35and 35 above the thrust bar d6. These small shoes 5,? and'68 onthe

projections

35 and 36 respectively, seeFigs. 2, 3, and 4, are formedby turn-- ing short horizontal projections from the lower edges of the projections 35 :and 38.

Another feature that has been found desirable is a light frictional engagement between the handle 55 and another part ofthe grid such as, for-example, the forward end of the stop strap" 45. This is accomplished by shaping the inside pair of downward flanges-ligand E0 on the handle :to

r rub on the forks li and '10 ofthe strip 45 as seen rugations may be provided.

9. The purpose is to dampen any grid is manipulated withthe toggle arrangement. The center wall 15 is straight and the resilient cross walls 33 ar held in flexure. It can be seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 9 that the cross walls 33 are curved from: top to bottom. Although I have shown one corrugation H on each cross wall, several such cor- The purpose is to distribute'toward; the outer ends of the-cross walls the curved fiexure imparted to each cross wall at its center by the center wall 10.

Assume that the tray 34 has been'filled' with water and the water frozen toiee so that the tray 34 contains a block of ice with the grid" embeddedv therein; When it is desired to obtain ice pieces, the-hand1e-55 is pulled'toward the position shown in Figs. pinss.5fiiand;55 to rotate-"around the'larger' pin Sand 10. This urges the 6| and exert pressure on theyoke 52 and the thrust bar 46. This force is transmitted through the thrust bar to the far end of the grid so that the ends of the grid are urged away from each other, causing the center wall Ill to try to bow upward in the middle and the slots 13 spread apart. The cross walls 33 try to straighten and unflex toward their flat positions illustrated in Figs. 4, 6, and 10. It can now be seen that the Walls 33 could be normally curved and the slots l3 straight to aiford the same effect. That is,

the cross walls could be under flexure when straight, and unflex toward their curved positions. As the grid bows, the thrust bar 45'also bows since it is confined within the slots in the tops of the cross walls 33. As the sections of the center wall between the slots I3 try to fan out, and the cross walls 33 try to flatten, the adhesion of the ice to the grid walls and the tray walls is overcome and there results a grid filled with loose ice pieces. The grid containing the loose ice cubes can be lifted from the tray 34. One or more of the corner cubes may fall out of the grid but the others stay in the grid to be picked on" in whatever number they are desired. Ice cubes not removedfrom the grid can be returned to the tray without handling of the cubes.

The distance the upper ends of the center wall slots I3 spread apart is limited by the several stop straps 4!, 44 and 45.

that they can be provided in various forms. The requirement is linkage to limit the distance that the ears at the upper ends of the center wall slots l3 move apart when the center wall is bowed upward.

The series of slots I! and I2 aligned generally lengthwise of the center wall l0, together with the upright slots 835, permit this wall to be flexed in its own flat plane. The cuts It also fan out when this wall is flexed. The degree of separa tion at the cuts M is a function of the length and location of the slots I2. The wall separation at the cuts I4 upon operation of the grid introduces forces tending to aid in breaking ice bonds on the center wall.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

'1. An ice tray grid having a series of resilient I transverse walls, parts including a longitudinal wall member intersecting said series of transverse walls and holding the latter in flexure, said parts being movable to unflex said walls to loosen ice attached thereto.

2. An ice tray grid having a series of resilient walls, a distortable longitudinal wall member intersecting said series to form a plurality of cells, said longitudinal wall member being formed to hold said series of walls in flexure, and means operable to distort said longitudinal wall to unflex said series of walls to loosen ice in said cells.

3. An ice tray grid distortable to loosen ice pieces formed therein with linkage operable to distort the grid and including a bendable thrust member confined against buckling by engagement at a series of points along its length with the grid, and means for applying a force in thrust to said member to distort the grid.

4. An ice tray grid flexible by opposite forces applied at its ends with a lever mounted on one end of the grid and a flexible member joining the lever to the other end of the grid and confined against buckling by sliding engagement at a series of points along its length with the grid.

This function of the I stop straps being understood, it will be seen 5. An ice tray grid having a longitudinal wall member and cross wall members associated therewith to form cells for freezing ice pieces, said longitudinal wall member comprising a single piece of material inherently rigid in the plane of the wall'and so formed as to permit bowing in the plane of the wall.

6. An ice tray grid having a series of cross walls intersected by a center wall with the latter formed from a single strip of material having a series of upright slots in which the cross walls are located and a series of aligned slots generally parallel to an edge of the center wall permitting bowing of the wall in its own plane.

7. A grid for an "ice tray comprising a center wall formed of a single strip of material having a series of parallel slots each open at the top edge of the wall and projecting in an are downward to a point in the lower part of the wall and also having a second series of aligned slots generally parallel to the bottom edge of the wall and intersecting the lower ends of said first series of slots, a series of resilient cross walls each held in flexure in one of said first series of slots and notched at the bottom to straddle the lower part of the center wall, a series of stop links joining adjacent portions of said center wall at the upper ends of said first series of slots, said links also engaging said cross walls, and means operable to bow said center wall in its own plane and thereby spread said first series of slots to the extent permitted by said links to unflex said cross Walls.

8. A flexible ice tray grid with a series of cross walls intersected by a center wall formed of a single piece of material having sections between the cross walls which fan out when the grid is flexed and links engaging the center wall sections in a manner to limit the extent of separation and also engaging the cross walls in a manner to prevent wobbling' of the latter with respect to the center wall.

9. An ice tray grid having a series of cross walls intersected by a center wall with the latter formed from a single sheet of material having a series of upright slots in which the cross walls are located and a second series of slots arranged to permit bowing of the center wall in its own plane and with links engaging both the center wall and the cross walls in a manner to limit the extent of bowing of the center wall and hold the cross walls perpendicular to the center wall.

10. An ice tray grid with a resilient wall intersecting a second wall formed to hold the resilient wall in flexure during formation of ice in the grid, said second wall being distortable to unflex the resilient wall to eifect release of the we.

11. An ice tray grid with a resilient wall and mechanism to flex and unflex said wall, said mechanism including a handle and linkage which looks the wall in flexure during formation of ice in the grid.

12. An ice tray grid with a flexible wall intersecting a second distortable wall so formed as to flex the flexible wall when not distorted, and mechanism including a handle and linkage which restrains said second wall from distortion during formation of ice in the grid, said mechanism being operable by its handle to distort said second wall to unflex the flexible wall to effect release of the ice.

13. An ice tray grid having a series of cross walls and a center wall formed from a strip of material inherently rigid in the plane of the wall aenseo 7: andfhavingsravseries. of:slots arranged t0 permit bowing: of the wall its own plane;

14: An ice traygridas set forth in claim 13- in which'the cross' walls are located in some of said'slots, the othersof said slots being. located between said cross walls topromote release of ice from the center wall by spreading upon howing of the wall.

15. An ice tray grid having a one-piece wall formed of inherently rigid material and slotted Number Name Date Re. 21,226 Reeves Oct. 3, 1939 2,009,803 Hallock July 30, 1935 Numben Name 7 Date Chilton Jan. 5, 1937- Geyer May 25, 1937 Lutz' May 24, 1938' Steenstrup Jan. 30, 1940 Miner Mar. 12, 1940 Shoemaker Apr. 9, 1940 Jacobs Aug. 26, 1941 Andersson July 29, 1942 Haugh et al Dec. 1, 1942- Kleen -1 Feb. 29, 1944 Miller Feb. 29, 1944 Hallock June 19, 1945 Saler Oct. 2, 1945 Roche Oct. 11, 1949 Saler Dec. 13,1949 Buchanan Feb. 7, 1950' Storer June 26, 1951