US2717496A

US2717496A - Ice making apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2717496A
Application number: US325147A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sven W E Andersson
Original assignee: Servel Inc
Current assignee: Servel Inc
Priority date: 1952-12-10
Filing date: 1952-12-10
Publication date: 1955-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-13

Description

Sept- 1955 s. w. E. ANDERSSON 2,717,496

ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 i P i 6 2% iii I 2X6 L/ 6L2 Q 2; wk we"? 4 g 1 a P l/ 7 5 5 3a T/Af Z Ala-+ JNVENTOR.

67 :w/Z/#0fissoA/ ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. W. E. ANDERSSON ICE MAKING APPARATUS f ll Sept. 13, 1955 Filed Dec. 10, 1952 United States Patent 0 ICE MAKING APPARATUS Sven W. E. Andersson, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 10, 1952, Serial No. 325,147

25 Claims. (Cl. 62-4) This invention relates to automatic making, harvesting, drying, and storing of ice pieces, generally called ice cubes.

This invention may be considered an addition and improvement to the ice maker disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application Serial No. 205,519,

filed January 11, 1951.

Briefly, my above copending application discloses an ice maker wherein an ice forming mold has a generally arcuate contour so that a piece of ice may be readily turned or swept from the mold by relative turning movement between the mold and the ice piece. The ice removing action is automatic, as is the filling of the mold, freezing, and loosening of the ice piece. The ice piece is detained for thorough drying before discharge to storage. The automatic operation is stopped short of discharge of ice to storage, and remains suspended during the time that a desired quantity of ice pieces is held in storage. In the specific structure disclosed in my above copending application, power for operating the ice release and the control mechanisms is provided by a hydraulic motor which also measures and delivers a quantity of Water to the ice mold for freezing. The dis closure of my above copending application may be considered a part of this instant application and may be referred to for a detailed description of parts thereof that are common to the two patent applications.

In accordance with the present invention, a geared electric motor is used for operating the mechanism that automatically removes the ice pieces from the mold. This motor is of a type that stalls when a given torque is applied to the output shaft thereof without burning out or otherwise harming the motor. As contrasted with a conventional motor, this motor is geared down from 3400 R. P. M. to approximately 2 R. P. M. For a detailed description of the construction and operation of a motor of this type, and for a description of equivalents of such a motor, reference may be had to my copending companion patent application, Serial No. 325,145, filed December 10, 1952.

The ice mold and ejector or conveyor mechanism used with my present invention is generally similar to that illustrated and described in my above copending application. Further, in accordance with this invention, I provide control means whereby upon the freezing of the water in the mold a circuit is closed to the stall motor by a mold thermostat whereupon the motor turns the ejector mechanism through approximately 180 degrees of rotation until the ejector mechanism contacts the ice frozen in the mold which stalls the motor.

Shortly after the stall motor begins its initial movement, a holding circuit is closed by a motor activated switch which maintains the motor energized even though the original motor circuit be opened by the warming of the thermostat or the opening of a stop switch, to be referred to hereinafter. Simultaneous with the closing of the holding circuit, a holding relay is energized, which in turn establishes additional circuits, also to be referred ICQ to hereinafter. The motor remains stalled until such time as the ice has been thawed free of the mold surfaces by electric heating elements contained in the mold.

After the ice has been thawed free of the mold, the motor and attached ejector mechanism resumes its turn ing until such time as the ejector mechanism has completed 360 degrees of rotation from its starting point, which latter movement sweeps the ice from the mold. The motor actuated switch then opens the holding circuit to the motor and heating elements whereupon the motor stops and the heating elements are deenergized. Simultaneous with the opening of the holding circuit, a circuit, one of the additional circuits referred to above, is closed to a solenoid operated water valve whereupon the valve is opened and Water flows from a suitable source of supply to the ice mold. An electrode is located on the ejector mechanism in a manner that when the water reaches the desired level in the mold and contacts the electrode, a low voltage circuit to a sensitive relay is closed, which relay opens the circuit to the solenoid valve, thereby closing such valve and stopping the flow of water to the mold. The ice is held on the ejector mechanism and is dried during the next freezing cycle, and is then discharged into an ice receptacle at the beginning of the next release cycle. A stop switch mounted on a motor actuated vane opens the motor circuit and discontinues the operation of the ice maker when the ice storage receptacle is filled.

Also, in accordance with this invention, during a release cycle, except for the temporary stoppage of the ejector by its initial contact with the ice frozen in the mold, the motor and attached ejector mechanism makes one complete revolution and is then stopped in the freezing position by the cam-actuated switch on the motor shaft, and any further flow of water after a proper filling of the mold is prevented through the deenergizing of the holding relay. The electrode which causes the water valve to close may be a stationary member or a part of the ejector as shown. The electrode preferably contacts the water in one of the ice compartments at the rear of the mold, so that after the water valve has been closed and the water levels off in the several ice compartments of the mold, the electrode will be somewhat above the water level and it will not freeze into the ice with the next freezing cycle.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, is set forth in more technical detail in the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram for the controls for my improved ice maker;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the ice mold and ejector mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the ice maker; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan of the ice maker partly in section.

Referring to the wiring diagram in Fig. l, 10 represents the ice mold with built-in heaters 11 and a high temperature limit switch 12. 13 indicates the ejector, which is connected by an insulating coupling 14 to the shaft 15 of a stall motor 16. A line voltage stop switch is shown at 17, and 18 is a mold thermostat with ambient temperature compensation. 19 is a switch operated by the output shaft 15 of the stall motor. 21 is a sensitive relay and 22 is a normally closed, two-way solenoid water valve having an inlet conduit 22a leading thereto from a source of supply and an outlet conduit 22b leading therefrom to the ice mold 10. The coil 21a of the relay 21 is connected, as shown, to the grounded secondary 23b of a small stepdown transformer 23. The transformer provides a reduced voltage for an electrode circuit to satisfy code requirements, and it also isolates this grounded circuit so that the polarity of the supply wires L1 and L2 becomes immaterial.

The electrode or low voltage circuit proceeds from the grounded secondary 23b of the transformer through the relay coil 21a to a contact 24 on the front end of the ejector shaft 43, through the ejector shaft to an electrode 26 attached thereto, which electrode is temporarily grounded through the water in the mold upon filling the mold. Except during the filling of the mold, the shaft 43 is insulated from the ground because it runs in plastic bearings and is connected to the motor shaft by the insulating coupling 14. The electrode 26 is welded or otherwise secured to the ejector shaft above one of the rear ice compartments of the mold as shown in Fig. 2. The primary 23a of the transformer 23 may be connected between the supply wires L1 and L2, but it is preferable to connect it between the wire L1 and a wire leading from an auxiliary holding relay 27 to the water valve 22 as shown. The holding relay 27 includes a coil 27a and a pair of switches 27b and 27c connected in the several circuits as shown.

Any suitable refrigerating ssytem may be used for freezing the water in the mold. When the ice maker is applied to a compressor operated refrigerator, it may be desirable and advisable to prevent compressor operation during periods when ice is being released from the mold so that the mold heaters do not have to buck the refrigerating effect of such system. A circuit is therefore provided for the compressor motor which is energized at all times except during the ice release periods. As shown in Fig. l, the compressor motor circuit is connected between the wires L1 and CL2. From the wiring diagram, it will be seen that the wire CL2 is not energized or connected to L2 except when the switch 19 is in the full drawn position. This occurs only after the ice has been released from the mold but never during the release process. Should the ice maker be applied to a heat operated refrigerating system, and should it be desired that operation of such system be interrupted during the ice release periods, the heat source to the system may be controlled by the circuit that includes the wires L1 and CL2. For example, the fuel supply to a burner or the elec tric supply to an electric heating element may be controlled by the circuit which includes the wires L1 and CL2.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the ice mold 10 is shown in elevation with the stop switch 17 movably mounted thereon. Mounting plates 30, made of plastic or other suitable insulating material, are attached to each end of the ice mold, as by screws 31. A pair of arms 32 are pivotally mounted at one end upon the mounting plates 30 by pivot pins 33, and at their opposite ends, the arms support a stop vane 34. The stop vane extends throughout the length of the ice mold at the left side thereof. The stop switch 1'7 comprises a conventional mercury switch 17a attached to the front arm 32 by an adjustable bracket 35. A circular cam 36 is eccentrically mounted upon the front end of the ejector shaft 43, and upon rotation of such shaft the arms 32 and the attached switch 17 and stop vane 34 are raised and lowered.

An ice receptacle 37 is located below the ice maker to receive ice therefrom. The arrangement is such that the stop vane 34 is moved out and up at the beginning of a release cycle so that a previously frozen and dried batch of ice resting on the ejector blade may be discharged therefrom into the ice receptacle below the stop vane, and when the receptacle becomes filled with ice, the stop vane 34 cannot return to the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the the mercury switch 17a is held open and the ejector motor is stopped at the end of the ejecting cycle and until such time as ice is removed from the receptacle and the stop vane falls by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 3. The ice mold 10 is mounted in good thermal contact upon a freezing plate or shelf 38 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, not shown. The plate 38 is cooled by a suitable freezing coil 39.

The ice mold 10 and ejector mechanism 13 are shown in detail in Fig. 4. The ice mold comprises an aluminum die casting that is adapted to rest upon the freezing shelf 38. The interior of the mold is arcuate or semi-circular in cross-section and is divided into a plurality of compartments by tapered transverse partitions 40. As shown, the partitions are tapered from the left to the right side of the mold and are each provided with a slot or weir 41, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The slots 41, which provide for flow of water from one compartment to another when filling the mold, are particularly shaped and located at the right side of the partitions so as to allow the ice to be easily swept from the compartments. Also, these slots provide bridge members of ice for connecting the individual ice pieces into a unit when removed from the mold. The inside of the end walls of the mold slant outward from left to right. The ice mold is provided with an upstanding edge 42 on its right side, and the partitions 40 are each provided with an upstanding projection 40a at their left side.

As shown, the ice mold compartments are larger on the right side of the mold than on the left side thereof. With this arrangement, the ice pieces, once they have been thawed free of the partitions and mold surfaces, are readily turned in the mold and swept therefrom by the ejector mechanism. The electric heating elements 11 are located in holes in the bottom longitudinal edges of the mold and the thermostat 18 is located in an opening in the upper right side at the rear of the mold, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. During a freezing cycle the temperature of the mold in the vicinity of the thermostat 18 remains around 32 F., but this temperature drops quickly when the freezing is completed. When the temperature of the thermostat falls to a desired low its electric contacts close which in turn closes a circuit to the motor 16 and starts an ice ejecting cycle.

The ejector mechanism 13 includes a shaft 43 that is milled flat on its upper side throughout a portion of its length, as shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 43 is mounted for counterclockwise rotation in bearings in the insulated mounting plates 30 at each end of the mold. A blade 44'provided with a plurality of tabs or fingers 45, one for each ice mold compartment, is welded or otherwise secured to the flat portion of the shaft 43. In order that the ice may be turned out of the mold and come to rest on top of the blade 44, the ejector shaft 43 is located off center relative to the longitudinal axis of the mold, and in order to provide for the upwardly projecting tips B that form on the top center portion of the ice pieces A in freezing, the blade 44 is bent in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As an aid in removing the ice from the mold and to provide only point and line contact between the ice and the ejector, the tabs or fingers 45 are each provided with a pair of teeth 46 at their outer edges. As stated above, the cam 36 which operates the stop switch 17 and the vane 34 is mounted on the front end of the ejector shaft 43. The electric contact 24 is mounted on the front insulating plate 31] and is urged into engagement with the front end of the ejector shaft by a leaf spring 24a. The rear end of the ejector shaft 3 is connected to the motor shaft 15 by the insulating coupling 14. As shown, the coupling 14 is located in the rear wall 47 of the refrigerator in which the ice maker is located. The coupling 14 is surrounded by a wooden block 48 which acts as a guide and support and also protects the insulator in the rear wall 47.

The ejector motor 16 is mounted in any suitable manner on the rear wall 47 of the refrigerator. The switch 19 is actuated by a cam 50 mounted on the front end of the motor shaft 15. The cam 50 is circular in cross section and is provided with an arcuate notch, not shown, in its periphery. A lever 51 is pivotally mounted on the rear wall 47 of the refrigerator in a manner that one end of the lever rides upon the periphery of thecam 50 and the other end operates the switch 19.

Whfll thelft end of the lever 51 is in the arcuate notch of the cam 50 the switch 19 is in the full drawn position of Fig. 1, and when this end of the lever rides upon the circular portion of the cam 50 the switch 19 is in dotted line position of Fig. 1. For clarity of illustration, the arrow showing the cam actuated switch 19 in Fig. 1, extends from the shaft at the rear of the motor. However, it is preferable that the cam 50 and switch operating mechanism be mounted at the front end of the motor as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown, the conduit 22b that leads from the water valve 22 to the ice mold is provided with an extension 52 that passes through the rear wall 47 and discharges into a trough 53. The trough 53 passes through the rear insulating plate and discharges into the rear compartment of the ice mold. So that water will not be trapped in the extension 52 and trough 53, and be frozen therein and block passage therethrough, each of these elements slopes downward toward the ice mold and each is constructed of plastic or other heat insulating material. Also, the extension 52 is of much larger inside diameter than the water conduit 22b. If desired, a drain connection (not shown) may be provided between the conduit 22b and the extension 52. Such a connection is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 325,146, filed December 10, 1952.

During a freezing period all switch contacts remain in the full drawn positions provided the receptacle 37 is not yet filled with ice so that stop switch 17 is closed. Upon completion of the freezing, the mold thermostat 18 closes its contacts so that current can flow from the supply wire L2 through the thermostat 18 and stop switch 17 and in parallel through the stall motor 16 and the heating elements 11 of the mold to the supply wire L1. The motor then starts, the previous ice batch on top of the ejector is thrown off into the ice receptacle 37 and the heaters 11 begin warming up the mold. Soon after the start of the motor, the cam-actuated switch 19 snaps to the dotted position to provide a by-pass or holding circuit around the thermostat 18 and the stop switch 17 to maintain the motor and heater circuits closed even though both of the switches 18 and 17 may open. This switching action establishes also a third circuit from L2 through the switch 19 and the coil 2% of the holding relay 27 to L1. The relay 27 then closes its switches 27b and 270, which has no immediate effect except that another current path is provided from L2 through the switch 21b of the sensitive relay 21 and the switch 27b of the holding relay 27, which is connected to the coil 27a of this relay. The other end of the coil 27a is connected to L1.

The motor and attached ejector mechanism continues to turn until the ejector fingers contact the ice frozen in the mold whereupon the motor is stalled. The

motor then remains stalled until the heat applied by the heating elements 11 has loosened the ice in the mold so that the turning movement is resumed. The high temperature switch 12 is a thermostatic device which opens the heater circuit at about 100 F. and opens only in the event that the mold heaters are energized too long due to something having gone wrong with the controls. Upon completion of one revolution of the motor, the cam-actuated switch 19 snaps back to the full-drawn position, which shuts off the heaters and stops the motor with the ejector in the normal or freezing position shown in Fig. 2. The holding relay 27 remains, however, energized due to the holding circuit which was established previously from L1 through the coil 27a through the switch 27b of the relay 27 and through the switch 21b of the relay 21 to L2. As a result, current can flow from L2 through the switch 19 and the switch 270 of the relay 27 to the water valve 22 and to L1, but also through the primary 23a of the transformer to L1. The water valve consequently opens to admit water through conduit 22b to the ice mold.

When the rising water level in the mold reaches the electrode 26, the relay 21 becomes energized momentarily so that its switch 21b opens. This breaks the circuit which has held the relay 27 energized so that both the water valve 22 and the transformer 23 are deenergized due to the opening of the switches 27b and 270 of the holding relay 27. It should be noted that it now is impossible for these switches to close again until the motor-actuated switch 19 moves to the dotted position at the beginning of the next release cycle. The transformer 23 is only energized, as described, when the water valve 22 is open so that the ejector or whatever electrode arrangement is used does not carry any voltage, however low, except during the short filling periods. Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the electrode 26 is located on the ejector blade above one of the rearmost mold compartments, preferably the second compartment from the rear of the mold. With this arrangement, as the mold is being filled with water, the water level will be higher in this compartment than in the forward compartments so that after the water valve 22 is closed the water will flow through the weirs 41 and establish a common level in the mold leaving the electrode 26 above the surface of the water so as not to be frozen into the ice with the next freezing cycle. The lowering of the water level in the mold compartment directly beneath the electrode 26 opens the low voitage or electrode circuit. From this it is seen that the low voltage circuit is closed or energized only during the time that the water in the mold compartment directly beneath the electrode 26 is in contact with this electrode, which is immediately before the water valve is closed near the end of the filling cycle.

During an ice release operation, as the fingers 45 on the ejector blade pass through the mold compartments and sweep the ice therefrom, the teeth 46 on the outer corners of the fingers bite into the surface of the ice and bring the ice to rest in an upside-down position for drying on top of the ejector, as shown in Fig. 2. The edge 42, along the upper right side of the mold, aids in this movement. It is to be noted that the surface of the ice that contracts the ejector blade is dry when the ice is swept from the mold-this being the top surface during the thawing and therefore not wetted by the thawing-and the ice does not stick to the ejector during the drying period of that batch of ice, which is the freezing period of a subsequent batch. However, should there be some adhesion between the ice and the ejector, as by an accumulation of frost due to prolonged standing, the bond between the ice and the ejector is readily broken at the beginning of the next release cycle. That is, since the mold compartments are tapered from left to right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4, the left bottom surface of the ice in the upside down position is of greater extent than the spacing of the partitions 40 and of the projections 46a on the left side of the mold. Therefore, at the beginning of a release cycle the left bottom surface of the ice particles, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, will contact the projections 40a which causes the ice to be stripped or pealed from the ejector and be guided into the receptacle 37 located therebelow. The projections 40a may be omitted; in which case, the left bottom surface of the ice will contact the left upper portions of the partitions 40 and the ice will be stripped from the ejector, as before.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, and it will, of course, be understood that changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, means for filling the mold with water, means for freezing the water,

means for removing the ice from the mold, and means for controlling the filling and removing means, said control means including a plurality of electric circuits having a first switch therein movable to a first position for energizing the removing means and movable to a second position for deenergizing the removing means and for energizing the filling means, and said plurality of circuits including a first relay circuit having a holding relay therein that is energized when the first switch is in the first position and which holding relay is connected in said plurality of circuits in a manner as to remain energized when the first switch is moved to the second position.

2. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first relay circuit includes a parallel circuit connected to the relay'coil in a manner to hold the coil energized even though the first relay circuit be deenergized.

3. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 2 wherein the parallel relay circuit includes a pair of switches, one of which is operated by the holding relay coil and the other of which is operated responsive to the filling of the ice mold.

4. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of circuits includes a low voltage circuit that is energized by the filling of the ice mold and opens the parallel circuit to the holding relay to thereby cut off the flow of water to the mold.

5. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 1 wherein the freezing means is deenergized by the first switch when in the first position and is energized when the first switch is in the second position.

6. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 1 which includes means for thawing the ice free of the mold and wherein such means is energized and deenergized by the first switch when in the first and second positions, respectively.

7. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of electric circuits includes a low voltage circuit that is energized only when the ice mold is being filled with water.

8. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 1 that includes a storage receptacle for receiving ice from the removing means, and wherein the control means includes mechanism for deenergizing the ice removing means responsive to the accumulation of ice in the storage receptacle.

9. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, a conduit having a water valve therein for filling the mold, refrigerating means for freezing the water inthe mold, heating means for loosening the ice in the mold, conveyor means for removing the ice from the mold and control means for energizing the filling, refrigerating, heat-ing and conveying means said control means including a plurality of electric circuits having switches therein, said electric circuits including a first circuit having a switch therein operative responsive to the formation of ice in the mold for energizing the conveyor and heating means, a second electric circuit having a switch therein movable to a first and a second position by the conveyor means for energizing and deenergizing the conveyor and heating means independently of the switch in the first circuit, a third electric circuit for energizing the water valve, and a fourth electric circuit for energizing the refrigerating means.

10. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 9 wherein said plurality of electric circuits includes a fifth electric circuit, a sixth electric circuit and a holding relay for opening and closing said fifth and sixth circuits.

11. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 10 wherein said relay is energized when the switch in the second circuit is in position to energize the conveyor.

12. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 11 wherein the relay is connected .to the plurality .of circuits in a manner to hold the relay energized even though the switch in the second circuit be in position to deenergize the conveyor.

7 13. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of the circuits containing the relay is deenergized responsive to the filling of the mold.

14. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 13 wherein one of said plurality of circuits is a low voltage circuit that is energized by the filling of the ice mold.

15. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 14 wherein the low voltage circuit contains a sensitive relay for deenergizing the holding relay and for closing the water valve.

16. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, means including a valve for filling the mold with water, refrigerating means for congealing the water in the mold, means including an electric motor for removing the ice from the mold and control means for the water valve and the electric motor, said control means including a first electric circuit that is closed by the formation of ice in the mold for energizing the motor, a second electric circuit closed by rotation of the motor for continuing the motor energized through 360 of rotation from the starting point even though the first circuit be opened, a relay circuit energized by said second circuit, a holding relay in said relay circuit, a third circuit for holding the relay energized even though the second circuit be opened, means for opening the second circuit at the end of 360 of rotation of the motor, a fourth circuit including means for opening the water valve when the second circuit is open, and means responsive to the filling of the mold for deenergizing the holding relay and closing the water valve.

17. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 16 wherein the refrigerating means is deenergized by the closing of the second circuit and is energized by the opening of such circuit.

18. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for deenergizing the holding relay includes a low voltage circuit having a sensitive relay therein and wherein said sensitive relay is energized responsive to the filling of the ice mold.

19. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 18 wherein the low voltage circuit includes an electrode that is contacted by water in the mold upon the filling of the mold for closing the low voltage circuit.

20. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 19 wherein the ice mold has means therein for lowering the water therein away from the electrode to thereby open the low voltage circuit.

21. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, means for filling the mold with water to be frozen, means for freezing the water into ice, and means for removing the ice from the mold, said filling means including a member so positioned relative to the mold as to be contacted by water upon filling the mold, said member being operable responsive to the filling of the mold for discontinuing the filling and means in the mold for lowering the level of water in at least a part of the mold whereby said member is free of contact with the water.

22. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, means including a conduit having valve therein for filling the mold with water, means for freezing the water in the mold, and an ejector for removing the ice from the mold, said ejector having means thereon for opening said valve for flow of water to the mold, a member so positioned relative to the mold as to be contacted by water in the mold for closing said valve, and means for lowering the level of water in the mold whereby said member is above the surface of the water.

23. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 22 wherein said member includes an electrode mounted on the ejector for movement into and out of the mold, and wherein said electrode is stopped within the mold during the filling thereof.

24. In an automatic ice maker, an ice mold, means for filling the mold with water, means for freezing the water into ice in the mold, means for removing the ice from the mold, and control mechanism for operating said filling, freezing and removing means, said control mechanism including a first electric circuit having a first switch therein movable to a first position for energizing said removing means, a second electric circuit having a relay therein energized by said first switch, a third electric circuit connected across the second circuit and having a switch therein operated by said relay, a fourth electric circuit having a switch therein operated by said relay for energizing the filling means, and said first switch being movable to a second position to open the first circuit and deenergize the removing means and to close the fourth circuit and energize the filling means.

25. An automatic ice maker as set forth in claim 24 wherein said control mechanism includes a fifth electric circuit for energizing the freezing means and wherein the fifth circuit is opened and closed by the first switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS