US2774224A - Ice cube making refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1956 J. R. BAYsToN ICE CUBE MAKING REFRIGERATOR 2` Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan 31, 1955 INVENTOR Jahr/v R Bn ra ra/v.

ara/49 NN EEN Dec. 18, 1956 J. R. BAYsToN ICE CUBE MAKING REFRIGEBATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3l, 1955 3 M @Y Nm R. QM WN Sv BITBLIB. R. W

Q* n* mm. w J f N N 1 MU R u C i m A K uw, IL. N l .AN Mm. MN MN NQN MN .MN #Y r NW U H Y 9 Claims. (Cl. 62-7) 'Ihis invention relates-to a refrigerator including an nited States Patent O automatic and continuously operable ice cube making machine whereby the refrigerator will be continuously supplied with a quantity of ice cubes, and its contents refrigerated thereby, as in the usual ice box.

The invention, therefore, contemplatesa refrigerating unit which may include a frozen food compartment at the bottom thereof cooled by the standard and well known condenser unit, said refrigeration unit including an upper compartment housing an automatic ice cube making machine. Below the ice cube making compartment there is provided an ice cube receiving bin which is kept constantly supplied with a predetermined quantity of ice cubes. Surrounding and below the ice cube compartment the refrigeration unit includes shelves for receiving foods to be preserved by the cooling of air circulating through the ice bin.

Such a refrigeration unit has the advantage of constantly providing a supply of ice cubes which may be dished out of the bin without the necessity of lling trays, removing and dumping them. It has the further advantage of providing a circulation of air for food preservation much in the manner of the usual ice box. Thus, the circulation of moist air through the refrigerating medium of the ice cube supply eliminates the necessity of covering dishes containing food, and as the air is moist the food will not dry out and no tastes will be transmitted to different foods. Leafy and fresh vegetables will stay fresh and crisp. Thus, this refrigerator has the advantages inherent in the usual i'ce boX as Well as being automatically serviced through the constant supply of ice cubes.' As the .f

ice cubes will be frozen free of air, they will not freeze together although they are constantly melting and absorbing heat from the compartment.

The invention therefore resides in providing a refrigerating unit with a constant supply of ice cubes for refrigerating the food compartment, as well as providing a supply of such cubes for drinks, salads and the like.

The above is accomplished by positioning in the top of rice ing the relation of the ice making mechanism to the ice bin and refrigerator.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the ice making mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the ice making mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 with parts removed.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the control circuit.

In the drawings there is shown a refrigerator 10 having shelf compartments 11 for receiving food. The lower portion of the refrigerator may house a frozen food compartment 12 cooled by the standard condenser unit. At the top of the refrigerator and centrally disposed in spaced relation tothe side walls there is an ice bin 13 suitably apertured over its side walls andbottom as at k13 to permit drainage and circulation of air therethrough, said ice bin containing a predetermined quantity of ice cubes indicated at 1 4. Above the food compartment and ice bin 'there is'an automatic ice cube making mechanism in- Cat the food compartment an ice bin through which airmay circulate, and above the ice bin providing a series of inve'rted ice cubeV forming cells in association with 'refrigeration coils and a platen or headerthrou'gh'l'which water is discharged upwardly and centrally of the cells for freezing. A water pump maintains water pressure-A in the header and unfrozen water returns 4through the header to the pump for recirculation. Upon the ice cubes being frozen, the header is withdrawn-and the cubes de- A frosted suiiiciently to drop and be kdirected into the ice The full nature of the invention will'be understood from the accompanying `drawings and the following description Fig. 2 isa sectional side view with parts removed showi dicatedat 15. The ice bin 13 is provided witha hinged door indicated at 16 for giving access to the bin forconvenient removal of ice cubes for use in drinks, salads and the like. Below the ice bin there is provided a drain pan 17 for catching drainage and condensation of water from the ice bin, which is drained therefrom through a drain pipe 18.

As shown in Fig.-2 the compartment indicated at 15 is housed Within insulation 19 which embraces an evaporator unit 20. Extending over the evaporator unit there is a refrigerating coil 21 which is connected to a condenser unit (notshown) in the usual manner for periodically circulating refrigerant therethrough. Over the evaporator unit and within the refrigerant coil 21 .there is positio'ned a temperature sensing bulb 22. The'evaporator unit contains a pluralityof inverted ice cube forming cells 23 generally closed at the top and open at the bottom, but each provided with' an off center vacuum breakaperture 23. As shown herein there is one row of six cells. 'I he evaporator unit with the cells is mountedabove a water 'plate at 24 havingupwardly sloping edges 25 for preventing overflow or spillage therefrom of water resulting from condensation, as well as anyV leakage between the cells and the water plate. v

The bottom open ends of the inverted cells 23 are closed during the freezing cycle by a removable platen or headercomprising the water plate 24/vand bottom plate 30 enclosing a water passage 31 having an Vorifice 32 open# ing into the center of each ce11'23 for vthe discharge of water upwardly into the cells in a fountain-like spray, as

indicatedat 33.A I n this connectionlit is to be noted that the periphery ofthe evaporator unit engagesthe water but is free to ow over the water platel between the cells. The water,V plate iswalso provided-` with a plurality of 'drainageopenings 36 (Fig.- 2)` each of which is otf center *with respect to eachcell for draining water back into a return channel` 37.@ Y Water is introducedand retained in thatv portionof the header comprising a reservoir or tank 38.(Fig..l5) in which there is'positioned a water pump 39 driven by a shaft40 from a motor 41.Y The water in tank 38'is con- 'trolled by a'water valve 42 suitably connected with the source of water supply, said valve having .a discharge spout. 43 -directing water into a funnel' 44 leading into l the water tank. The water tank is ypartitionedotf from 5 the water passage31 into which the pump discharges the Water under pressureffor spraying into the cells.l'1`he return channeIYST-leads into the tank on thesuctionuside 'of thepumpV into .which anywater` in the wateri plate Veach provided Vwith a guide slot 48.

drains through the drain openings 36. This'unit, com

pump. Thus, the water is circulated through the header n during dus operation.

At each side of the header there is a mounting plate '46 supported upon the frame structure of the refrigerator, said mounting plate having up'turn'ed flanged portions 47 Said slots run parallel with the mounting plate, terminating in a forwardly 'disposed angular portion extending upwardly, as indicated at 49 (Fig. 2). Outwardly from each end of 'the header, being rigidly secured to the water plate, there is `a Vpair of guide pins 50 extending through their respective slots 48. K

To the rear of the evaporator viewed from the front of the refrigerator thereis mounted a header actuator motor 51 which drives a bell crank 52 pivotally connected with a link S3 having its opposite end pivotally connected with ythe header intermediate its ends as indicated at 54. 'Upon motor 51 being energized at the end of the freezing cycle the header will be drawn rearwardly upon and guided by 'the guide pins 50 sliding in the guide slots 48. Duelto the angular disposition of the forward portion of the guide slots the header will be tilted downwardly 'and lowered from the evaporator and then moved rearwardly completely from below it to fully expose the cells. With the header removed from below the cells the ice cubes 14 formed therein will be free to dropi directly into the bin 13 during the defrosting cycle. p

In operation, and reference being hadto the schematic wiring of the system, as shown in Fig. e, the water valve 42 is .adjusted so that a predetermined amount of Water `will enter the reservoir or tank 38 through the funnel on the `teniperature sensing bulb 22 actuates a thermostatic Y switch indicated at 55l (Fig. 6),V which completes a circuit from the sourceA L1, L2 through contacts er, b, causing the transformer circuit c to be` completed (primary side). The secondary winding d f of vthe transformer is connected to the heating elementes wrapped around'the `evaporator as shown in Fig. 2. At the same time a circuit is completed through a reset micro switch VS7throughV terminals g, f, energizing the actuator motor 51. The motor then .drives the bell crank52, turning it in.;a

counterclockwise direction. Thisaction pulls the entirev header assembly toward the motor, guided by the guide slots 43, '49' free lof the evaporator and cells.` The first movementof this 'action will cause *the header to-tilt downwardly at its forwardend so that it will breakaway more easily from the ice frozen on its surface. This tilting -al-so allows the raised edge 25 of the water plate to clear the edge of the evaporator. 1

KAAs above noted, the partitions of thecells terminate slightly above the water seal portion of the evaporator .so that the unfrozen water may'ow through anyorfall :of lthe drainage openings 36 vtothe 'suction lside of the;v`

pump. This `space between the`water-.platel of the header` and the cell ypartitions-also allows'they cubes to be frozen together at the bottom by a web so that all of the cubes will drop out as a unit and then break away when dropped into the bin. Y

The refrigerant coil 21 is connected in any suitable manner to a condenser unit of the well known type (not shown), the refrigerant passing through the coil in the direction of the arrows. The bell crank 52 of the .actuating motor turns counter-clockwise in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) one-half a revolution when it strikes and trips the reset micro switch 57. Said switch is thereupon actuated to open contacts g, f. As the heating element 56 is energized, the evaporator is defrosted and causes the frozen cubes to drop from the evaporator directly into the bin. Thereupon the temperature of the evaporator rises rapidly, causing the bulb 22 to actuate the switch 55, closing the contacts a, h. The circuit therethrough causes the water valve 42 to open and also energize the actuator motor S1 through the contacts e, f. Said `inciter-thereupon 'turns the remaining one-half a revolution until the contacts e, f are opened by the pin S8 on the bell crank 52 actuating the reset micro switch 57.

yThe entire circuit'is Vcontrolled by a master switch 59 which in turn is controlled by vany suitable mercury switch or Va heat sensing switch, such as a thermostat (not shown),.preferably located in the food compartment of the refrigerator, or in the ice bin, such as to control the temperature of the refrigerator and the amount of ice accumulated in the bin. Thus, when the temperature of the refrigerator reaches a predetermined high or the ice in the bin reaches a predetermined level, the switch 59 will be opened to break the circuit. Upon 4the ice in the bin reaching a predetermined low or the temperatures of the food compartment of the refrigerator reaching a predetermined low, the switch 59 is closed for operating the refrigerating unit.

From the above it will be observed that not only is there provided a continuous supply of ice cubes in the usual household refrigerator for convenient use free of the troublesome ,freezing trays commonly employed, thi'sconvenient source of ice cube supply being effective for cooling thefood compartment of the refrigerator, as in the usualice box, but it overcomes various objections to the electric refrigerator systems involving moisture and defrosting problems. This system of refrigeration isaccomplished largely by reason of the small and compact structure of the icecube producing mechanism, such Tas may be housed in a, small space at the top of the refrigerator box'.

The invention claimed is:

l. A refrigerator having a ice bin located therein to receive ice cubes for refrigeraltion thereof, anevaporator including VVan inverted cell open at the bottom and positioned to discharge ice cubes into said bin, means controlled by the temperature to alternately generate la Vfreezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator. headermovable into and out -of evaporator closing'p'osition having a Water passage communicating with a nozzle orifice positioned centrally 1 of said cell through which 'water is sprayed upwardly therein: during the freezingcycle, said header'having .a return channel communicating with said cell for receiving unfrozen water, a watertank in said header connected j with said return channel having a source of water supply,

a 'motor driven pump mountedjon' said headefhaving its intake side' connected with said tank lfor circulatingwater under pressure through said passage into said celldur- 'ing-'the freezing cycle, a motor controlled by said means operabiy connected tosaid header for reciprocating it between evaporator opening and closing positions, and sa'guideufor initially tilting said header' downwardly and transversely free of said evaporator to opening position. kZLA refrigerator having-a food compartment and an ice rbin located therein to 'receive ice cubesforjrefrigeration thereof, an evaporator including aninverted cell fopen at the 'bottom and positioned to discharge its cubes food compartment and an into said bin, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position, said header being tray-shaped with a drainage-catching rim encircling the bottom of the evaporator, means controlled by the temperature of'said evaporator to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle therein, power means operatively connected to said header, and guide means for the header to obliquely slide said header into said closing position during the freezing cycle and out of closingposition during the defrosting cycle, a source of water supply, and a pump mounted upon said header for discharging-water from said source into said cell during the freezing cycle.

3. An ice-making machine comprising an evaporator including an inverted cell open at the bottom and psitioned to discharge ice cubes, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position, means to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator, header support means connected to the evaporator, said support means having guide slots inclined to the plane of the bottom of said evaporator, a power-driven thrust rod connected to the header to forcibly drive said header along said slots to slide said header into said closing position during the freezing cycle and out of closing position during the defrosting cycle, a source of water supply, and .a motor driven pump mounted on said header connected with said supply for owing `water under pressure through said header into said cell during the freezing cycle.

4. A refrigerator having a food compartment and -an ice bin located therein to receive ice cubes for refrigeration thereof, an evaporator including an inverted cell open at the bottom and positioned to discharge ice cubes into said bin, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position, means controlled by the temperature to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator, said means being operative to move said header into said closing position during the freezing cycle and out of closing position during the defrosting cycle, a source of water supply connected with said header for discharging water into said cell during the freezing cycle, and a guide for said header to initially direct it downwardly and laterally from said evaporator into a position to one side thereof for permitting the ice cubes to drop directly downwardly from said cell for discharge into said bin during the defrosting cycle.

5. A refrigerator having a food compartment and an ice binV located in the upper portion thereof to receive ice cubes for refrigeration, an evaporator including a plurality of open bottom inverted cells extending transversely of said refrigerator directly over said bin, a 'header movable transversely of said evaporator and cell, means for guiding said header forwardly and upwardly into evaporator closing position and downwardly and rearwardly to evaporator open position with a tilting movement of its forward portion, a motor operably connected with said header, means controlled by the temperature to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator, said meansactuating said motor to withdraw said header from said evaporator during the defrosting cycle and move it into closing position therewith during the freezing cycle, and a water Vsupply operative to feed water into said cells for freezing therein during the freezing cycle.

6. A refrigerator having a food` compartment and an ice bin located in the upper portion thereof to receive ice cubes for refrigeration, an evaporator including a with said header, means controlled by the temperature to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator, said means actuating said motor to withdraw said header from said evaporator during the de frosting cycle and move it into closing position therewith during the freezing cycle, said header having a water passagecommunicating with a series of nozzle orifices each positioned centrally of one of said cellsduring which water is sprayed upwardly therein during the freezing cycle and a return channel communicating witheach of said cells for receiving unfrozen water, a water tank in said header connected with said return channel having a source of water supply, and a motor driven pump mounted on said header having its intake side connected with said tank for circulating water under pressure through said passage into said cells during the freezing cycle.

7. In combination in an ice-making machine, a bin,

an evaporator including an inverted cell open at the bottom and positioned to Vdischarge' ice cubes into said bin, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position, :an upwardly ared rim around the header means controlled by the temperature to alternately generate a freezing cycle and a defrosting cycle in said evaporator, means operative to move said header into said closing position during the freezing cycle and out of closing position during the defrosting cycle, a sump tank constructed on said header to catch drainage from said evaporator, a pump on the header for recirculating Water to the cells, a source of water supply connected withsaid tank, a switch controlled electric circuit for rendering said temperature controlled means and water supply inoperative actuated by the ice content of said bin, and means to move the header at an inclined angle into :and out of closed position.

8. An automatic ice cube making machine including an evaporator having a plurality of inverted cells open at the bottom and positioned to discharge ice cubes, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position having a water passage communicating with a series of nozzle orifices each positioned centrally of one of said cells through which water is sprayed upwardly therein during the freezing cycle, said header having a return channel in communication with each of said cells through a drainage opening for receiving unfrozen water, a water tank on said header connected with said return channel having a controlled source of water supply, a motor driven pump mounted on said header having its intake sideconnected with said tankrfor circulating water under pressure through said passage into `said cells, a motor Voperably connected to said header for slidably reciprocating it between a position to close said evaporator and a position to one side thereof, guide means for initially tilting the forward portion of said header downwardly from said evaporator prelimina-ryto its movement to one side thereof, and means controlled by the temperature of said evaporator to alternately generate a freezing cycle and n defrosting cycle of said evaporator, said means controlling the pump motor and the header operating motor to effect closing of said header and providing a water supply therethrough during the freezing cycle and disconnect the water supply therethrough and remove saidv header during the defrosting cycle. i I l 9. An ice cube makingV machine including an -evaporator having a plurality of inverted cells open at the bot-tomA t positioned to discharge ice vcubes therefrom, means conl trolled by the temperature of said evaporator to alternate'- plurality of open bottom inverted cells extending trans- 'f versely of said refrigerator directly over said bin, a header movable transversely of said evaporator and cell, means for guiding said header'forwardly and upwardlyinto evaporator closing position and downwardly and rearwardly to evaporator open position with a tilting movement of its forward portion, a motor operably connected ly generate a freezing cycle and 'a'defrosting cycle, a header movable into and out of evaporator closing position' having a water passage communicating witha` series ofnozzle orifices each positioned centrally of one of' said cells through which'water vissprayed upwardly therein during the freezing cycle, vsaid header having a return channel communicating with each of said cellsV for receiving unfrozen water, a water tank on said header track for guiding said header and tilting the forward connected with said vreturn channel having `a controlled portion thereof into and out of evaporator closing posisource of water supply, a motor driven pump mounted tion.V on said header having its intake side -connected with said tank for circulating water under pressure through rsaid 5 passage into said cells during the freezing cycle, a motor controlled by said means ofset Vto one side of said header References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS and connected thereto by :an angularly displaceable lcrank .2,542,892 BayStOn Feb. 20, 1951 and a pivotally connected link for Vsliding said header 2,563,093 BaySOu Aug. 7, 1951 generally transversely of lsaid evaporator, and a guide 10 2,656,686 Bayston Oct. 27, 1953

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