US3045446A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1962 w. M. THOMAS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. '9, 1960 INVENTOR. WENDELL M. THOMAS BY g I His Attorney July 24, 1962 W. M. THOMAS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1960 INVENTOR. WENDELL H. THOMAS BY was? His A/fom y 1962 w. M. THOMAS 3,045,446

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9', l

INVENTOR. 3 WENDELL M. THOMAS g His After I llnited Etates 3,M5,445 Patented July 24, 1962 3,045,4 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Wendell M. Thomas, Clayton, Ohio, assignor to General The present invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to an ice block maker.

An object of this invention is to provide an automatic ice maker of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,806,387 which eliminates the need for the heaters 47 and 119 and their controls as shown in said patent.

Another object f this invention is to increase the output of the above mentioned ice maker without impairing its operating efficiency.

Still another object of this invention is to reduce the maximum motor size required for operating the refrigerant compressor used in the ice maker.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a control for an automatic ice maker of the type shown in said patent which terminates the supply of hot gas to the plate evaporators and which causes flow of Water over the plate evaporators immediately after the ice slabs leave the freezing plates so as to prevent needless build up of pressure in the plate evaporators.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an ice block maker cabinet having portions thereof broken away to show the location and arrangement of Various elements within the cabinet;

FIGURE 2 isan enlarged front view of the ice maker cabinet shown in FIGURE 1 partly in section and partly in elevation; and

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of various elements of the ice block maker and showing an electrical circuit therefor.

The present invention is an improvement over the ice block making apparatus illustrated and fully described in the patents to J. R. Pichler, No. 2,806,357, dated September 17, 1957, and Marshall W. Baker, No. 2,784,563,

dated March 12, 1957, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. Reference to these patents is made for a clear understanding of the ice block making apparatus herein more or less concisely shown and described. Certain features over those shown in the Pichler and Baker patents are herein desclosed and exemplified in order to carry out the objects of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings I show, in FIGURE 1 thereof, an ice making apparatus of the type capable of producing small blocks of ice for table use including a cabinet comprisin a plurality of walls 17 having any suitable or conventional insulating material 16 therein forming an insulated chamber 20 within the cabinet. Chamber 20 is disposed over a non-insulated machine compartment 21 provided in the lower portion of cabinet 15. -A plurality of separate unitary freezing members 23 are stationarily mounted, preferably at an angle, in the upper portion of chamber MP. The inclined freezing plate members 23 are disposed in spaced apart relationship one above the other and are refrigerant evaporators forming a part of a closed refrigerating system, to be hereinafter described, associated with cabinet 15. A metal cover 36 is spaced from the flat upper surface of the lowermost member 23 and is provided with an opening 37 which receives a part of a thermostatic control means. This thermostatic control means comprises an adjustable arm 41 having its one end pivotally mounted to bracket 42, welded upon cover 36, by a pin 43. The other end of arm 41 carries a feeler receptacle 44 (see FIGURE 2) containing a coiled tube 46 disposed thereabove (see FIGURE 3). The feeler receptacle 44 is preferably made adjustable in any suitable manner relative to the flat upper surface of the lowermost freezing member 23 so as to vary the thickness of a slab of ice formed on the top surface of this member and, consequently, on the top surface of the other or uppermost of the members 23. Tube 46 has its end at the coiled portion thereof sealed and has its other end connected to an expansible and contractable element 49 located in a suitable or conventional electric snap switch 50 (see FIGURE 3). The construction and arrangement of control or switch 50 with respect to the lower freezing member 23 is clearly shown and fully described in the patents hereinbefore referred to. As before stated, the two vertically spaced apart freezing members or plates 23 form refrigerant evaporating portions of a closed refrigerating system and each has a plurality of conduit connections with a refrigerant translating device of the refrigcrating system mounted in the machine compartment 21 and comprising a motor-compressor unit 51 (see FIG- URE 3) connected, by a conduit 52, with a condenser 53 which may be cooled in any suitable or conventional manner. Condenser 53 is connected to a receiver 54 and conduits 55' and 56 connect this receiver in parallel circuit relation with the refrigerant evaporating passages within the two freezing plate member 23. Thermostatic expansion valves 57 and 57A are interposed in conduits 55 and 56 respectively and each has a thermal bulb 53 and 58A connected thereto by a tube 59 and 59A respectively for operating the valves 57 and 57A as is conventoinal in the art. Bulbs 58 and 58A are secured to the'parallelly connected gaseous refrigerant return conduits 6t and 61, leading to unit 51, and are thermally responsive to the temperature of these conduits. The outlets of the separate plate evaporators 23 are connected by the conduits 60 and 61 and a main or common conduit to the intake side of the compressor of the motor-compressor unit 51. A conduit 62 extends from the top of receiver 54 and is connected to a solenoid operated valve 63 having branch pipes connecting the same directly to the refrigerant expansion passages in the two plate evaporator members 23. Valve 63 normally closes conduit oz to prevent its communication with the refrigerant passage in members 23 during a refrigerating cycle of operation of the refrigerating system.

Means is provided for flowing a film of water over each of the spaced apart freezing plate evaporators 23 from a main or supply pipe containing water under pressure. This means comprises manifolds in the form of headers 66 one of which is located at. the upper end of each inclined member 23 and provided with small holes or orifices for distributing water over the freezing plate members 23. Headers 66 have supply conduits 73 and 74 connected thereto and these conduits connect with a common pipe 75 which communicates with a centrifugal water pump 76 located in the bottom of a water sump or reservoir forming receptacle 77. A motor 78 located below receptacle 77 is employed to operate the water pump 76. A valve 81, actuated by a float 82, controls the flow of water through a water main or supply pipe 83, containing water under pressure, into the sump or reservoir 77. Receptacle or reservoir 77 is also provided with a siphon pipe 36 which periodically draws water out of the receptacle 77 to aid the apparatus in producing clear ice blocks. A trough 87 is located below the lower end of each of the members 23 and these troughs each have a pipe 87A connected thereto and extending into the receptacle 77. The troughs 87 receive excess water directed over the plate members 23 and convey this water into the sump or reservoir receptacle. A baffie 88 is located at the lower end of each member 23 to direct water flowing therefrom into the trough 87 and for preventing excessive water splash. These baflles 08 are each hingedly mounted so as to be swingably moved out of the path of slabs of ice released and sliding from the members 23.

In the upper left hand portion of chamber 20 there is mounted two inclined ice cutters, grids or dissectors 90 and 90A. The dissectors 90 and 90A are disposed in spaced apart relationship one above the other at the lower side of the freezing plate members 23 and each is adapted to receive a slab of ice from the plate freezer member with which it is associated. Each dissector ice cutting grid 90 and 90A comprises a frame 91 having sets of spaced apart wires 92 and 93 extending thereacross in opposite directions to one another. The lower portion of insulated chamber 20 forms storage means for ice blocks and this storage means has a partition 94 therein dividing same into separate side by side ice block storage compartments or bins 95 and 96. The ice block storage means, bins or compartments are normally closed by an insulated vertically slidable door structure 97 and inner tiltable guards or retainers 98 (see FIGURES l and 2) arranged as desired and which may be opened or tilted angularly automatically in response to sliding door 97 into open position to afiord access to ice blocks in the storage means. A drain pipe 99 leads from the bottom of the ice block storage means to convey water, entering same from the siphon 86 associated with receptacle 77 and water resulting from melting ice in the storage means, out of the cabinet.

Also in the present disclosure I provide each bin 95 and 96 with a thermal bulb 101 and 101A respectively which are connected by tubes 101B and 101C to one end of a conduit 102. The other end of conduit 102 is connected or sealed to an expansible and contractable bellows mounted in a bin thermostatic electric switch 103 of any desired or conventional construction. The bulbs 101 and 101A, tubes 101B and 101C and the bellows in switch 103 are charged with a volatile fluid and then sealed to form a temperature responsive unit for actuating switch 103. The bulbs 101 and 101A may be placed at any desired height within chamber 20 to maintain a predetermined supply of ice blocks in the compartments or bins 95 and 96. When, however, ice blocks accumulate in either one of the storage bins up to or above the bulb therein to contactsame the bulb responds to the temperature of the ice and will cause switch 103 to shut down or render the refrigerating system inoperative to produce ice on the freezing plate members 23.

Electrical Circuit The one hundred and fifteen volt power mains indicated at L and LA (see FIGURE 3) lead to a low voltage, say, for example, an eleven volt, transformer 116. A branch wire 121 leads from wire 117 to wires 92 of the lower ice cutter grid or dissector 90 and a branch wire 122 leads from wire 118 to wires 93 of this lower dissector, which are connected in series with wires 92, to continuously energize the dissector or ice severing grid 90. A branch wire 123 leads from wire 117 to wires 92 of the upper ice cutter grid or dissector 90A and a branch wire 124 leads from wire 118 to wires 93 of this upper dissector, which are also connected in series with wires 92 thereof, to continuously energize the dissector 90A. The one hundred and fifteen volt circuit includes a wire 126 branched from power main L and leading into the bin thermostat switch 103. Another wire 127 branches from power main LA and also leads into the bin switch 103. The wires 126 and 127 extend from switch 103 to the electric motor of the motorcompressor unit 51 to cause continuous operation of this unit which is interrupted only by actuation of switch 103 in response to a predetermined accumulation of ice blocks within the storage means or bins 95 and 96. A branch wire 128 leads from wire 127, between switch 103 and unit 51, and is connected to a movable arm of the switch 106 which is controlled by the solenoid 105. The switch 106 is biased to the up or solid line position when the solenoid is deenergized. Another branch wire 131 leads from wire 126, between switch 103 and unit 51, and is connected to a wire 132 which enters one side of a solenoid in valve 63. Wire 132 extends to the water pump motor 78. A wire extends from pump mortor 78 and is connected to the bottom contact of switch 106 as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. The upper contact 136 of switch 106 is connected, by a wire 137, with the solenoid in valve 63. The contact on arm 129 of switch 50 is adapted to alternately engage or disengage the contacts 134 and 136 in response to temperature conditions in the feeler receptacle 44 associated with the lowermost freezing member 23.

A wire 117 leads from the transformer 116 to the solenoid 105 which controls the switch 106. The switch 106 moves to the full line position whenever the solenoid 105 is deenergized and moves to the dotted line position in response to the energization of solenoid 105. When the switch 106 moves to its full line position, the solenoid valve 63 is opened so as to allow the flow of relatively hot refrigerant into the plate evaporators 23 so as to cause release of the ice slabs which have been formed thereon. When the ice slab on the lower plate 23 reaches the desired thickness, the ice thickness thermostat control switch arm 129 engages contact 136. Such movement of the switch arm 129 serves to deenergize the solenoid 105 and thereby initiate the removal of the ice slabs which have formed on the evaporators 23 and to open the circuit to the water pump motor 78. When the upper and lower ice slabs have both been released, they will strike the switches 107 and 108, respectively, so as to immediately complete a circuit to the solenoid 105 via the contacts 129 and 136. Energization of the solenoid 105 moves the switch 106 into the dotted line position to deenergize the solenoid valve 63 and energize the water pump 78. By virtue of this circuit arrangement the ice freezing cycle begins even before the switch contact 129 returns into engagement with the switch contact 134. When the switch contact 129 reengages the contact 134, the solenoid 105 remains energized even after the ice slabs, which were formerly holding the switches 107 and 108 closed, have been cut into cubes and have dropped into the ice storage compartment so as to allow the switches 107 and 108 to reopen. It has been found that the ice thickness thermostat 50 requires some time to warm up after the ice slabs have been released and therefore the switches 107 and 108, in effect, serve to override the thermostat 50 at that point in the cycle when the ice slabs first leave the plate evaporators 23.

Operation Assume that the ice block maker is properly connected to a source of water supply, to a drain and its electric circuit is now energized by plugging an extension cord, leading from the cabinet, into an electric outlet. Electric current now flows from the mains L and LA through closed switch 103 to the motor-compressor unit 51 to cause operation thereof. Simultaneously therewith electric current flows from transformer 116 through wires 117 and 118 and branch wires 121, 122, 123 and 124 to continuously energize both of the ice cutters or dissectors and 90A by directing thirty to thirty-five watts of current into the resistance wires 92 and 93 of each to heat these wires. At this time electric current also flows through wire 128, switch 106 (which now occupies the dotted line position) and then to water pump motor 78. The circuit is completed back to the power main L from motor 78 through wires 131 and 126. Water fills receptacle 77 to a predetermined level under control of float valve 81. Solenoid valve 63 is closed while motor 78 operates. The pump 76 lifts water, from receptacle 77 by way of pipe 75 and conduits 73 and 74, to each of the headers 66 of the superimposed freezing plate denser 53 flows into receiver 54 where it is further cooled and collected. Liquid refrigerant enters the conduits 55 and 56 and flows to the expansion valves 57 and 57A.

This liquid refrigerant is directed into the passages of both plate members 23, by the expansion valves, where it evaporates, in removing heat from the plates, and the evaporated or gaseous refrigerant is returned through conduits 60 and 61, to the compressor unit 51. The refrigerating effect produced by members 23 causes water from the film thereof flowing over the plates to freeze and accumulate thereon in the form of thin cakes or slabs of ice. ice on at least the lowermost of the freezing plates 23 reaches the feeler receptacle 44, it cools the coiled portion of tube 46. The temperature of tube 46 is lowered to the desired point, in accordance with a predetermined thickness of accumulated ice on lower member 23, and element 49 of switch 50 will contract and cause movement of switch arm 129 away from contact 134 and into engagement with contact 136. When arm 129 disengages contact 134, of switch 50, the circuit to the solenoid coil 105 is deenergized so as to deenergize the water pump motor 78 and energize the solenoid in valve 63. Energization of the solenoid in valve 63 causes this valve to open and hot gaseous refrigerant is now circulated from the receiver 54 and condenser 53, through conduit 62, valve 63 and the branch conduits leading therefrom directly into the passages in both of the freezing plates 23 and thence back to the compressor of unit 51 which continues to operate at this time. The thermostatic control or switch 50, thus, serves as a means responsive to a predetermined thickness of ice on one of the members 23 to alternately refrigerate the freezing plates and to head them. Switch 50 also serves as a means for simultaneously stopping the flow of water over both freezing plates 23, rendering the refrigerating means ineffective and for initiating heating of the plates by rendering the heating means, hot gas lines 62, effective. Heat of the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the passages in the plate members 23 thaws and substantially simultaneously breaks the bond between both plates and the slabs of ice previously formed thereon. The slabs of ice released from the lower and upper plates 23 are adapted to slide therefrom onto the inclined ice dissectors 90 and 90A respectively associated therewith. The sliding slabs of ice engage and move the baflies 88 about their pivotal When the thickness of the cake or slab of x mounting out of the path of movement of the ice. As

the slabs of ice slide off the freezing plates 23 onto the dissectors 90 and 90A the one or lower slab closes the switch 108 and the upper slab closes the switch 107.

- When these two switches are closed and the contact arm engages contact 136, the solenoid 105 is energized whereby the water pump operates and the solenoid valve 63 is closed. This reduces to a minimum the interval of time between the removal of slabs of ice from both members 23 and a subsequent ice slab freezing cycle. Movement of arm 129 away from contact 136 of switch 50 to the contact 134 will take place before the ice slabs which hold the switches 107 and 108 closed drop away from these switches.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice and releasing the ice comprising in combination, a freezing plate, means for circulating a film of Water across said plate, means for refrigerating said plate to freeze water circulated thereacross into a layer of ice thereon, means for heating said plate to loosen the layer of ice therefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides ofl the plate in the form of a slab,'a thermal element associated with said freezing plate and adapted to be directly contacted by the thickness of a layer of ice formed thereon, a switch operable by said element controlling said apparatus for initiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cycles thereof, and means actuated in response to a predetermined position of movement of a loosened ice slab with respect to said plate for overriding said switch for initiating ice freezing even though said switch momentarily remains in an ice releasing cycle position.

2. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice and releasing the ice comprising in combination, a pair of freezing plates, means for circulating films of water across said plates, means for refrigerating said plates to freeze water circulated thereacross into a layer of ice thereon, said last named means including a compressor, a condenser, and means forming evaporator passages in said freezing plate, means including a solenoid valve for directing hot gas from said condenser into said evaporator passages for heating said plates to loosen the ice therefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides off the plate in the form of a slab, a thermal element associated with one of said freezing plates and adapted to be directly contacted by the thickness of a layer of ice formed thereon, a switch operable by said element controlling said apparatus and said solenoid valve for initiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cycles thereof, and means actuated in response to ,release of both of said ice slabs from said plates for overriding said switch to terminate the ice releasing cycle.

3. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice and releasing the ice comprising in combination, a pair of freezing plates, means for circulating films of Water across said plates, means for refrigerating said plates to freeze water circulated thereacross into a layer of ice thereon, means for heating said plates to loosen the ice therefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides off the plate in the form of a slab, a thermal element associated with one of said freezing plates and adapted to be directly contacted by the thickness of a layer of iceformed thereon, a switch operable by said element controlling said apparatus for initiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cycles thereof, and means actuated in response to release of bothof said ice slabs from said plates for overriding said switch to terminate the ice releasing cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,806,357 Pichler Sept. 17, 1957 2,934,912 Rodgers May 3, 1960

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