US3055189A - Ice maker - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1962 L. M. sTANuLls ICE MAKER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 31, 1959 INVENTOR.

Mi j 5 'RV/W, fim) Sepf- 25, 1962 L. M. sTANuLls 3,055,189

ICE MAKER Filed July 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ICE MAKER L. M. STANULIS .HHHH

Sept. 25, 1962 Filed July 81, 1959 3,055,189 ICE MAKER Leonard M. Stanulis, Benton Harbor, Mich., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed `Iuly 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,791 8 Claims. (Cl. 62-353) This invention relates to ice body makers and in particular to ice body makers forming ice bodies seriatim and delivering the formed ice bodies to a suitable storage means.

The instant invention comprehends an improved ice body maker wherein the mold walls are mechanically separated from the ice body formed therein to permit transfer of the ice body to a storage bin. No heating of the ice bodies to effect a separation from the mold walls is required, thus eliminating the need for auxiliary heating apparatus and precluding freezing together of the partially melted ice bodies in the storage bin.

One feature of the instant invention is the provision of an ice body maker having new and improved means for mechanically stripping the ice body from the walls of the mold during an ejection operation.

Another feature is the provision of such an ice -body maker having new and improved mold wall means.

A further feature is the provision of such an ice body maker wherein the mold includes first wall means defining a downwardly widening peripheral boundary of a mold space and a second wall means extending across the lower end of the first wall means to define the bottom bonndary of the mold space.

Still another feature is the provision of such an ice body maker wherein the second wall is pivotally mounted to move alternatively toward and from the lower end of the first wall.

A still further feature is the provision of such an ice body maker including a cam structure associated with the first wall means and an actuator movably associated with the cam structure to effect a progressive stripping of the first wall means from the ice body and engageable with the second wall means to effect the pivoting thereof.

Yet another feature is the provision of such an ice body maker including means holding a quantity of water under pressure for 'delivery to the mold space and means responsive to the pressure of the water in the holding means to move downwardly through the upper end of the mold space and free an ice body from the first wall means in the event that the ice body is not freed therefrom by the outward displacement of the first wall means.

A yet further feature is the provision of such an ice body maker including means controlling the wali displacing means having new and improved means responsive to the expansion of water in the mold space 'during the freezing thereof to initiate a displacing operation.

Another feature is the provision of such an ice body maker wherein the displacing means is electrically operative and the controlling means includes a switch operated by the expansion responsive means.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such an ice body maker including means biasing the second wall means to extcnd across the lower end of the first wall, the biasing means being arranged to permit the weight vof the freed ice body to overcome the biasing means and pivot the second wall independently of the displacing means.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from -the following description, taken in connection with the 'accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIC-URE l is a Vertical section of a refrigeration apparatus provided With an ice body member embodying the invention.

States Patent O 3,055,l89 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmcntary Vertical section of the ice body maker.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, transverse section |taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

'FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken substantially :along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit of the ice body maker.

In the exemplary embodimcnt of the invention as 'disclosed in the drawings, an ice body maker genenally designated 10 is installed in the freezer Chamber 11 of a refrigerator 12. The refrigerator is of conventional construction having -a refrigerating Chamber 13 and suitable doors 14 and 15 providing access to freezing Chamber 11 :and the refrigerating chamber 13 respectively. Ice body maker 10 is shown `as installed on a refriger-ated shelf 16 and is connected 'to a water supply duct 17 extending through the insulated rear wall 18 of the refrigerator 12. A storage bin 19 is disposedbelow ice body maker 10 on a suitable shelf 20 for receiving and storing the ice bodies ejected from icebody maker 10.

Referring now more specifically to FIGURES 2 through 4, the ice body maker 10 includes a mold generally designated 21 arrange'd to receive water from a water supply generally designated 22. An actuating means generally designated 23 co-operates With mold 21 to effect ejection of the ice body from the mold and co-operates with water supply 2'2 to control the delivery of water to the mold. The actuating means is operated by an electrical solenoid 24 Controlled by a 'switch device 25 which is closed automatically upon the freezing of the ice body in the mold to effect seriatim formation of ice bodies and delivery thereof to the storage bin 19.

More specically, mold 21 comprises reversely similar mold halves 26 and 27 each having a fiat end 28, a downwardly widening, semi-frusto-conical portion 29, a fiat extension 30 and a cam end 31. The flat ends 28 are secured in facial jux-taposition by suitable means such as screws 32 and, thereby retain the portions 29 in a confronting dispositi-on 'defining -a frusto-conical mold cavity 33. The mold halves 26 and 27 are formed of resiliently fiexible material permitting actuating means 23 to effect a separation of the two halves -thereby causing a progressive stripping of the wall portions 29 from an ice body formed in mold cavity 33 as is described more fully below.

Mold 21 is secured to shelf 16 by means of flange 34 projecting laterally from the fiat end 28 of each of the mold halves 26 and 27 and secured to the shelf by suit- -able means such as screws 35. The shelf is provided with a circular opening 36 through which the lower end 37 of each wall portion 29 projects, the di'ameter of lopening 36 being suificien'tly larger than the adjacent portion of end 37 to permit the outward displacement of the wall portions 29 during the ejection operation.

The lower end of the mold space or cavity 33 is closed by a plate 38 having a turned end 39 secured to a turned Vend 40 of a pivot arm 41 by suitable means such as screws 42. The plate is urged upwardly against the lower end 3'7 of the mold wall portion's 29 by a pair of Springs 43. Each spring includes a coil portion 44 extending around a |cylindrical vlateral projection 45 of pivot arm '41, 'a first'end 46 'bearing against the under side of shelf 16, 'and a second end 47 bearing against the upper surface of an `outer end 48` of pivot arm 41. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the pvot larm 41 is carried for pivotal movement about the laxis of projecti'ons 45 by means of a shaft 49 extending coaxi'ally therethrough and journ'alled in `a pair of legs 50depending from fianges 34 .m and extending through suitable slots 51 in shelf 16.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, cam end 31 of each mold half includes a Vertical, fiat bottom portion 119 and an inclined, fiat upper portion 120. Actuating means 34 includes 'a rod 53 vertically slidable in 'a pair of vertically aligned fholes 54 and 55 in an upright support 56. T'he lower portion of rod 53 is defined by an' end 57 having a diameter slightly smaller than the spacing between bottom portion 119 of cam ends 31 and a frusto-conical portion 58 Widening upwardly from end 57. End 57 projects through yan opening 59 in shelf 16 to engage the outer end 60 of plate 38 when the rod is moved downwardly. The length of end 57 above shelf 16 is substantially greater than 'the 'length of cam bottorn portion '119 so that a. substantial downward movement of plate 'end 60 is eifeeted before frusto-eonical portion 58 of the rod engages the cam portions to separate mold wall portions 29 of the mold halves;

Rod 53 lis biased upwardly by `a ooil spring 61 bottomed in a recess 62 in support 56 and engaging a radially enlarged outer end 63 of the rod. Downward movement of the rod is eifected by 'a lever 64 engaging rod end 63 and movable downwardly about a pivot 65 by a pin 66 carried by armature v67 of solenoid 24, which armature is normally biased to an upper position, 'as seen in FIG. l, and urged 'downwardly upon energization of 'the solenoid. The downward movement of rod 53 effected by solenoid 24 'causes apivoting of plate '38 about 'the 'axis of shaft 49 and breaks the plate 38 free of an ice body formed in mold space 33. The weight of a freed ice body in mold space 33 is sufiicient to overcome spring 43 vand cause the plate 38 to continue its pivotal movement downwardly about the axis of shaft 49 until the ice body clears lower end 37 of the mold w-all portions 29 -and falls into storage bin 19. The 'spring 43 then pivots the plate 38 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 2, until end 60 ofthe plate abuts lower end 57 of .the rod 53. Upon de-energization of solenoid 24, spring 61 urges the rod upwardly permitting spring 43- to restore the plate 38 to the position of FIGURE 2 across the lower end 37 of the rnold wall portions 29.

Water supply 22 of ice body maker includes a first housing 68 secured 'to support 56 defining a measuring cham'ber 69 `and second housing 92 defining a delivery Chamber 70 to which the housing 68 is secured by suit- 'able means (not shown). A diaphragm 71 closing one end of measuring Chamber 69 is interposed between housing 68 'and support 56. A delivery tube 72 extends through housing 68 and is provided with 'an inner end 73 spaced 'a 'small distance from the fiat plane of diaphragm 71 serving as a valve seat against which a portion 74 of the'diaphragm is urged to close 'the tube. 'Ihe seating of di'aphragm portion 74 on tube end 73 is effected by a pin 75 extending slidably through 'a bore 76 in support 56 aligned with tube end 73. A similar pin 77 extends slidably through a bore 78 in support 56 and 'a hole 79 in diaphragm 71. Pin 77 is provided at its inner end with a closure member 80 which seats on a wall portion 81 of the housing 68. A tubular boss 82 extends from wall portion 81 into delivery chamber 70 and is provided with a passage 83 providing for transfer of water from measuring chamber 69 to delivery ch'arnber 70 when closure member 80 is spaced from wall portion 81.

Each of pins 75 and 77 is urged inwardly (to the right as seen in FIGURE 2) by a bifurcated leaf spring 84 having ra bight 85 secured to support 56 by suitable means such as 'screws 86. Upper leg 87 of spring 84 'is secured intermediate bight 85 'and its outer end 88 to pin 75 and the lower leg 89 is secured intermediate vbight 85 and its ou'ter end 90 to pin 77. The spring legs are biased inwardly (to the right as seen in FIG- URE 2).

Rod 53 is provided with an elonga-ted recess .91 extending from support recess 62 to slightly above pin 77 when :the rod is in its uppermost position. End 88 of the upper spring leg 87 is free, thus permitting leg 87 to urge the pin 75 inwardly rat this time, but end of lower spring 89 is retained in an outer position by the engagement of end 90 with the unrelieved surface of rod 53. However, when olenoid 24 is energized, lthe rod moves downwardly sufliciently tonengage the unrelieved portion of the rod above recess 91 with end 88 of upper leg 87, thereby moving pin 75 outwardly and permitting di'aphragm portion 74 to unseat from tube end 73, while end 90 of lower spring leg 89is`disposed within rod recess 91 permitting pin `77 to move inwardly and rapidly seat closure member 80 on wall portion-81 across the outer end of passage 83. It is to be noted that passage 82 is closed before tube end 73 is opened in this operation.

Delivery chamber 70 is defined by a housing portion 92 secured to housing 68 by suitable means (not shown) and having interposed therebetween a flexible diaphragm 93. 'The upper surface of housing portion 92 is concave at central portion 94 in alignment With a circular opening 95 in housing 68. A rod 96 is secured at its upper end by a -clamp 97 to the diaphragm 93 coaxially of opening 95 -and concave surface 94. The lower wall 98 of housing 92 comprises a disc peripher'ally threaded to housing 92 and provided with 'a central bore 99 aligned vertically with a bore 100 in 'the upper wall of housing 92, through which bore rod 96 extends for free Vertical reciprocation. Thus, Whenever closure member 80 is seated 'on Wall portion 81 -and diaphragm portion 74 is unseated from tube end 73, the water delivered through inlet tube 72 is retained in measuring Chamber 69 under pressure and urges diap'hragm 93 downwardly into engagement with concave surface 94. 'his causes rod 96 to move downwardly through bores 99 and 100 urging the lower end 101 of the :rod forcibly into the upper portion of mold space 33 and forcing any ice body remaining in space 33 downwardly therefrom. Bore 99 in lower wall 98 has a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of rod 96 so that when closure `member 80 is unseated from wall portion 81, water may pass freely from measuring charnber 69 through passage 83 through delivery chamber 70 and downwardly 'through bore 99 into mold space 33. The volume of measuring chamber 69 is `made equal to the volume of water properly filling mold space 33 to form an ice body therein. Thus, an automatic measuring of the water delivered to the mold space is eifected.

Measuring chamber 69 is refilled after each ejection operation by a seating of closure member 80 on wall portion 81 and an unseating of diaphragm portion 74 from end 73 of tube 72. This permits water to pass from supply duet 17 through tube 72 into measuring chamber 69. 'llhe air in chamber 69 is exhausted through a ball valve 102 of conventional construction mounted in the -top of housing 68 which closes when the Chamber is completely filled with water. As best seen in FIGURE 2, tube 72 is provided with suitable threaded outer end 103 for connection of water supply duct 17 thereto.

The operation of ice body maker 10 is Controlled automatically by switch device 25 which is carried on a spring support 104 secured to housing portion 92 by suitable means such `as screws 105 land having :a hole 106 through t which rod 96 passes. The actuator |107 of switch 25 bears against one end 108 of a spring arm 109, the spring arm having its opposite end 1110 secured by suitable means such as screws `111 vto outwardly projecting flanges 112 on mold half fiat ends 28. Spring arm end 108 rests on projections 113 on mold half extensions 30 to dispose a downwardly offset por-tion 114 of the spring arm slightly within the 'upper end of mold space 33 and directly below lower end 101 of rod 96. The expansion of the ice body in mold space 33 during the freezing operation causes the upper surface thereof, to abutV offset portion 1'14 of spring arm 109 and urge end 108 thereof upwardly to `move actuator 107 of switch 25 correspondingly and close the switch. As seen in FIGURE 5, switch 25 is connected in series With the coil 115 of the solenoid 24; thus, the completion of the formation of the ice body effects an automatic movement of the rod 53 downwardly to efiect the ejection of the ice body from the mold space. When the ice body is ejected from mold space 3'3, it will no longer have an upward urging action on spring arm 189. However, before the ice body is so ejected from the mold space, the rod 53 moves downwardly sufficiently to cause a projection 116 thereon to pass through a slot 117 in support 56 and engage an arm 118 secured to the switch 25 to move the switch on support td downwardly and cause -actuator 1(37 to remain in engagement with spring arm end 108 thereby maintaining the switch in closed condition. However, when the pressure of the water in the measuring Chamber 69 becomes sufficient to fiex the diaphragm 93 downwardly to urge end 161 of the rod 96 into the upper end of mold space 33, the end '101 also engages the offset portion 114 of the spring arm 1055 and moves the end 168 thereof downwardly away from actuator 1117 thereby opening switch 25 and permitting the rod 53 to be moved by spring 61 back to its uppermost position as shown in FIGURE 2.

The functioning of ice body maker in forming ice bodies seriatim and delivering the ice bodies to storage bin 19 is as follows. Assuming that the mold space 33 has been previously filled with water subsequent to an ejection of an ice body, the rod 53 will be 'in the uppermost position of FIGURE 2 with switch 25 open, diaphragm portion 74 closing the inner end 73 of water inlet '72 and measuring chamber 69 drained. The bottom Wall of mold space 33 defined by plate 38 is retained across the lower end 37 of wall portions 29 retaining the water in the mold space during the freezing operation. As the ice body forms, it expands until its upper surface urges offset portion 114 of spring arm 109 upwardly to close switch 25 as discussed above. This energizes solenoid coil 115, drawing armature 67 of the solenoid downwardly and thereby pivoting lever 64 downwardly to move rod 53 downwardly against the action of spring 61. Lower end 57 of rod 53 abuts outer end tti' of plate 38 and pivots the plate in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 2 to strip progressively the plate from the bottom of the ice body in mold space 33. Further down- Ward movement of the rod 53 causes frusto-conical portion 58 thereof to wedge first against the upper inclined portion 12h of cam end 31 to initiate a spreading apart of the mold halves 26 and 27. Continued downward movement causes the frusto-conical po-rtion 58 to pass into the space between the Vertical lower portions 119 of the cam ends 31 and further space the mold halves to effect a progressive stripping of the mold wall portions 29 from the ice body in mold space 33. This normally Will free the ice body from the mold walls and permit the weight thereof to pivot plate 38 sufiiciently downwardly to allow the ice body to fall into storage bin 19. If, however, the ice body should adhere to the wall portions 29, rod 96 efiects a positive ejection -thereof Thus, as the rod 53 moves to its lowermost position end 99 of lower spring leg 89 is first permitted to move closure member into seating engagement with wall portion 81 to close the outlet passage 83, and second, the spring leg end 88 is cammed outwardly by the rod to space diaphragm portion 74- from tube end 73. The pressure of the water in measuring chamber 69 forces diaphragm 93 downwardly against surface 94 and urges 'rod end 1M into the upper end of mold space 33 to assure an ejection of an ice body therefrom. At the same time, the rod end 1%*1 moves the spring arm 169 downwardly to release the actuator 197 and permit switch 25 to open. The resulting de-energization of solenoid '24 permits spring 61 to return the rod 53 to the upper position wherein diaphragm portion 74 is first seated across tube end 73, and second, closure member 80 is spaced from wall portion S1. Thus, the measured quantity of water in measuring chamber 69 is allowed to pass therefrorn into the mold space 33 as discussed above to form in the mold space a subsequen-t ice body.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

l. An ice body maker comprising: a mold having first, fiexible wall means defining 'a downwardly widening peripheral boundary of a mold space, and second wall means extending across the lower end of the first wall means separably vfrom the first wall means, said second wall means defining a bottom boundary of the mold space; and means for displacing said first wall means outwardly relative to said space, said displacing means displacing said second wall means downwardly relative to said first Wall means prior to the outward displacing of the first wall means thereby to free .the wall means from an ice body formed in said space, said displacing means including a cam structure associated with the first wall means and an actuator movably associated with the cam structure to effect 'a progressive stripping of the first wall means from the ice body, said actuator firstly engaging :the second wall means to effect the downward displacement thereof.

2. An ice body maker comprising: a mold having first wall means defining a peripheral 'boundary of a mold space, and second wall means across the lower end of the first wall and defining a bottom boundary of the mold space; means for displacing outwardly relative to said space each of said walls to free the same from an ice body formed in said space; means holding a quantity of water under pressure for delivery to the mold space; and means responsive to the pressure of the water in the holding means to move downwardly through the upper end of the mold space and free and ice body from said first wall means in the event that the ice body is not freed therefrom by the outward displacement of the first Wall means.

3. An ice body maker comprising: a mold having a first wall defining a peripheral boundary of a mold space, and a second wall across the lower end of the first wall and defining a bottom boundary of the mold space; means for displacing outwardly relative to said space each of said walls to free the same from an ice body formed in said space; means controlling the displacing means including an element responsive to the expansion of the ice body in the mold space during the freezing thereof to initiate a displacing operation.

4. The ice body maker of claim 3 wherein the element extends across the upper end of the mold space.

5. An ice body maker comprising: a mold having first wall means defining a peripheral boundary of a mold space, and second wall means across the lower end of the first Wall and defining a bottom boundary of the mold space; means for displacing outwardly relative to said space each of said walls to free the same from an ice body formed in said space; means holding a quantity of water under pressure for delivery to the mold space; means responsive to the pressure of the water in the holding means to move downwardly through the upper end of the mold space and free an ice body from said first wall means in the event that the ice body is not freed therefrom by the outward displacement of the first wall means; and means controlling the displacing means including an element responsive to the expansion of the ice body in the mold space during the freezing thereof to initiate a displacing operation.

6. The ice body maker of claim 5 wherein the element extends across the upper end of the mold space, the controlling means includes a switch closed by said element to initiate the displacing operation, and the pressure respons'ive means ac'ts further to reposition the element permitting said switch to open.

7. An ice body maker comprising: a mold having a first Wall defining a peripheral boundary of a moid space, and

a second Wall; means mounting the second Wall for pivotal movement; means biasing the second Wall to extend across the lower end of the first wall and define the bottom boundary'of the mold space; and means displacing outwardly relative to said space said first Wall to free the same from an ice body formed in said space, and pivoting said second wall to free the same from the ice body, said biasing means being arranged to permit the VWeight of the freed iceV body to overcome the biasing means and pivot the second wall independently of the displacing means.

8. In ice body maker comprising: a mold having a first Wall formed of a relatively non-stretchable material defining a peripheral boundary of a mold space, and a second Wall extending across the lower 'end of the first Wall separable from the first Wall, said second Wall defining a bottom boundary of the mold space; first displacing means adjacent one side of said mold for displacing said second wall downwardly relative to said space for breaking said second wall free from an ice body formed in Vsaid space; second displacing means for subsequently displacing said first Wall outwardly relative to said space for detaching said first wal] from an ice body formed in said space, said second Wall being rigid; pivot means carrying said second wall at one end thereof Whereby said second Wall is pivotally displaced by said first displacing means to break said second Wall free from the ice body; and resilient means for continuously urging said second wall toward said first Wall.

References Cited in the fiie of this patent UNITED STATES PAT ENTS 559,788 Perrottet May 5, 1896 1,278,217 Reid Sept. 10, 1918 1,948,146 Warren Feb. 20, 1934 2,026,227 Foraker Dec. 31, 1935 2,435,285 Lucia Feb. 3, 1948 2,466,831 Van Vleck Apr. 12, 1949 2,723,534 Wilbushewich Nov. 15, 1955

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