US3182465A - Slug valve driven ice maker - Google Patents

Description

May 11, 1965 Filed June 29, 1961 D. E. MILLER ET AL 3,182,465

SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 |1 IW "H" In i --M Il; l Il i' \l a Il QN Il :a I' N i; w ii V i: I i LL, :z

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, I I I a HIM .l 'hln Il I Donn/d si t BY Gar/ 62 Bauer/em A M @Mmm lm wlw-7W A TTORNE YS May 11, 1965 D. E. MILLER ErAL A3,182,465

SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1961 INVENTO S Dana/d EIM/'l r' C'ar/ C'. Bauer/em ATTORNEYS D. E. MILLER ET AL SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER May ll, 1965 INVENToRs E Ml//aw f BYUW/ 6*., Beelen@ Filed June 29. 1961 May 1l, 1965 D. E. MILLER ETAL 3,182,465

' SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER Filed June 29. 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE YS May ll, 1965 D. E. MILLER ET AL SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 29, 1961 muwwl.

IN VEN TORS ana/d .E Alf/fer BY Car/ C. ,Sauer/ein A TT( )RNE YS May 1l, 1965 D. E. MILLER ETAL SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 29, 1961 IN1/ENT Rs Dona/d 1' Ml' /er- BY ar/ C! Ender/em ATTORNEYS May 11, 1965 D, E. MllLER ETAL 3,182,465

SLUG VALVE DRIVEN ICE MAKER Filed June 29, 1961 A 7 sheets-sheet 7 f90 v@ w3 f8 9 INVENTORS Dona/a E'. Ml//er BY C'ar/ Ci Bauer/em A TTORNE YS United States Patent O Filed Sinne 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,631 l 4 Claims. (Cl. 622-137) This invention relates to an ice making assembly of the type adapted to be installed in a household refrigerator and more particularly relates to a mechanism for controlling the operation of a distortable tray assembly wherein ice blocks are mechanically ejected from the tray by twisting the tray about its longitudinal axis. More specifically the invention is directed to an improved mechanism which will automatically energize a tray distorting means shortly after ice blocks have become cornpletely frozen therein and which will control the liquid filling of the ice tray at proper intervals and in the proper volume but which is itself deenergizable when the ice blocks accumulated in the storage tray have reached a predetermined level.

y A slug valve is employed for the purpose of dispensing a predetermined volume of liquid to the ice tray and this valve is of the usual type having a piston which is movable during filling and emptying of the valve. A gear rack is connected to this piston and is cooperable with a segmental driving gear mounted on a shaft journalled within a housing which, in turn, isdrivingly engageable with a shaft mounted driven gear connected to one end of the ice tray. In this manner, rotation of the driven gear will effect rotation of the ice tray. By limiting the degree of rotatable movement of the opposite end of the ice tray, the tray can be distorted, by a twisting action about its longitudinal axis, simply by arranging the gear drive to rotate the said one end of the tray through a greater rotational arc than is permitted the free end of the ice tray.

Slug valve filling and the discharge of liquid from the slug valve to the ice tray is controlled by means of a temperature sensitive power unit which is energized in accordance with the rate of freezing of ice blocks within lthe ice tray. Slug valve filling is also controlled as a function of the level of ice blocks within the storage tray so that the entire control assembly is completely automatic.

We have sov devised this mechanism, however, that it requires only a single power source; namely the temperature sensitive power unit. It does not necessitate the provision of separate solenoids or electrical drive means and does not require any electrical connections. Furthermore, the entire mechanism is completely contained in a single unit, thereby obviating the assembly disadvantages of working with a plurality of subassemblies.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved automatically operable ice making assembly. v

A more specific object or the invention resides in the provision of an automatically operable ice making assembly which requires no electrical connections and which requires only arsingle power source; namely the thermal mechanical transducer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an entirely automatically operable ice making assembly which is completely self-contained within a single unit.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following speciiication proceeds vand with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial View of an ice making apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention mounted within the freezing compartment of a household refrigerator;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the ice making apparatus of the present invention showing some parts in elevation and others in horizontal section;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus of our invention in a first position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental vertical sectional view through the apparatus which is similar in nature to FIG- URE 3 but which illustrates various parts in different positions;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional View similar to FIG- URE 3 but showing the parts in yet another position;

FIGURE 6 is another vertical sectional view of various parts of the apparatus;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines VIIVII of FlGURE 5; v

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines VIII- VIII of FIGURE 5 with parts thereof shown in elevation;

FIGURE 9 is an end view of our apparatus showing some parts in vertical section; and

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal sectional view through the valve illustrated in FIGURE 9.

The tray twist mechanism Referring initially to FIGURE 1, an ice tray it) is disposed within a freezing compartment 11 of a normal household refrigerator and a collection tray l2 lies on the base wail 13 of the freezing compartment below the tray 16B to collect ice blocks which are ejected from the ice tray. A pair of shafts l5 and 16 are connected to opposite ends of the tray l0 and are journalled within a housing 2d and plate 18, respectively. The plate i8 has its base secured to the base wall 13 of the freezing compartment lll and constitutes a support for the shaft i6 which is secured to what may lne-termed the free end of the ice tray. The housing 2li has a right angular flange 21 formed integrally therewith which is bolted to a closure plate Z2 which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the side Wall of the freezing compartment 11.

Stiffening arms 23 and 24 are connected to and corotatable with the shaft l5; the former overlying an end Z5 of the ice tray and the latter lying along the lower surface of that end of the ice tray. Similarly, stitfening arms 26 and 27 are secured to the shaft 16 and lie along the lower and upper surfaces, respectively, of the free end 2.8 of the ice tray.

The tray l@ is preferably formed of high density polyethylene so that it may be flexed or twisted under low temperature conditions without breaking. High density polyethylene may have a very smooth and somewhat waxy surface so that a relatively weak bond is formed between the ice blocks which are formed within the molds in the ice tray and the walls of the individual ice molds. By turning the tray over and subsequently distorting the tray by applying a longitudinal twist thereto the ice blocks will be ejected from the tray and fall into the collection tray 11.

Longitudinal flexure of the tray is effected in the following -manneru the shaft l5 is rotated to turn the tray o ver and rotation of the tray continues until the arm f2.7 comes into contact with a stop Titi which extends outwardly from the plate i8. Thereafter the free end 2% cannot move through a greater arc so that continued rotation of the shaft l5 in the same direction will twist the tray about its longitudinal aXis The stiffening arms 23, 24, 26, and 27 serve to rigidify the opposed ends of the tray so that torque will be most effectively transmitted to every part of the tray, Also, the walls of the individual molds within the tray are generally curvilinear so that an ice block will readily be dislodged from its respective mold when torque is thus applied to the tray.

Patented May ll, lg

The means for eifecting the desired degree of rotation of the shaft 15 is` sequentially illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, and in conjunction withFGURE 2. The Shaft has one end journalled within the plate 17 and has its opposite end journaled within a bore 31 formed in a boss v 32 which protrudes inwardly from a cover 33 which l rlhe y stop pin 37 has its Aopposite ends disposed;v within bores formed in the cover 35 and the face 17 of the casing Ztl. A torsion spring iencircles the shaft15 and has an outturned arm disposed within the plate 17 and another arm lying on the ice tray 1@ 'so that the spring 38 tends to bias the shaft ina direction to dispose the tray in a liquid receiving position.

A drive gear 40 has gear teeth formed through an arc of approximately 70 at diametrically `ropposed points thereon and is corotatably affixed to a shaft 41 which is journalledin the casing and cover 33 as best viewed in FGURE 8. The toothed segments of the gear it are engageable with theV gear to effect rotation ofthat gear in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3. Of course, when the gear has'rotated to the position to the position illustrated in illustrated in FGURE 3, its gear teeth will have moved f out of engagement with the gear' 35 and thetorsion spring 53 will have rotated the shaft 15 kand gear 35 to the position illustrated therein. Keyed to the shaft '41 isa ratchet gear 43 having foursegmental spiral-form drivingk lugsr 44 formed about the periphery thereof. The maximumv radius of each spiral-form ylug 44 terminates in a shoulder` 45 extending substantiallyA along a radius line extending through the center axis-of the shaft 41.

A drive link 47 is freely mounted on the shaft 41 and has a plurality of gear teeth 48 formed around thel circular base thereof. A pawl 50 is pivotally mounted on the outermost end of the link by a pin 51 and has a face 52 which isengageable with the shoulder 45 to rotate the ratchet d3 in a clockwise direction. VA tension spring 53 interconnects the `free end of the pawl Sil with the link 47 and serves to bias the pawl into engagement With the peripheral edge of the ratchet 43.

y The slug valvev Y A piston 55 havinga shaft 56 formed integrally therewith is mounted within a cup-shaped portion 57 of a block an annular groove formed in the face of the block k58' adjacentl the open endof the cup-shaped portion 57 A valve cover 62 overlies the periphery of the diaphragm 6i? to maintain the diaphragmin its proper seated position and has a recessed interior of sufficient diameter to permitl free travel of the piston 55 thereinto. The cover 62 is affixed to the block 5S bypscrews or the like.' A compression spring 64 'is mounted within the cup-shaped portion 57'with one end in engagement with the block 5S' and its opposite end in engagement/with the piston 55 so that the. piston isV biased to the position illustrated -in FIGURE 3. v

The piston 55 and cover -62 thus define a chamber V65 which maybe rendered communicable with a source Vofpressurized water through a port 66 formedin the wall n of the cover 62. The piston and associated structure here described-comprise what is knownY in the art as a .slug valve. Theforce of presurized water'entering thel chamber 65 through the port 66 willbe sutlcient.v to overcome the opposing biasing LVforce of spring dll-and move the piston 55 from the position illustrated in FIGURE -3 FGURE 5. Thereafter, by openly communicating the chamber 65 with an outlet, the spring 34 will .urge the piston 55 to the right and Water will be expelled from the chamber k65. Y

A gear rack 65 is formed integrally with the shaft 56 and is cooperable withthegear teeth formed about the base of the .drive link i7` sol that longitudinal movement lof the piston shaft and gear rack will elect rotatable movement of thef'drive arm 47.

Assuming that lthe drive arm 47 is initially in a slightly more countercloclrwise rotated position than is rillustrated in FGURE'S and that `the face 52 `of theV pawl V5ft is in engagement with a 'shoulder 45 -,of ythe ratchetz43, the operation of the device will be as follows theentrance of pressurized water into the 'chamber' 65 will urge the piston from the .right to the left and the longitudinal Amovement of the gear rack 68 will move thedrive arm 47 in a clockwise direction andwill act through the pawl 5t? to effect clockwise rotation of the ratchet 43; gear 4i), and shaft 41.` Return movement of the piston 55 toward the right will rotate the drive arm 47 freely on the shaft 41 in .a counterclockwise direction to reposition it for another identical cycle. Y Y

Since gear teeth are formed along the edge of the gear itl through only approximately a 70 arc at each of thel diametrically opposed points on the' gear, and since the various parts ofthe mechanism are arranged as illuslowermost illustrated peripheral gear teethon .the .gear

40 will move into cngagementvwith the gear ,355,Y and will effect counterclockwise rotatable movement Yof the gear 55 and shaft i5. At the end of this second power stroke, the peripheral gear teeth on the vgear 4i) will move out of engagement with the gear 35 asillustrated in FIGURE 5 and will permit the torsion spring 38 to returnthe 'gear 35 andV shaft 15t0 the position illustrated therein.

T he water flow control valves Referring now especially to FIGURES 9 and l0, a three part valve bodyl 'tl hagan inlet 71 communicable With' a normal pressurized household water supply and is mounted onthe cover l62 with a. gasket 73 lying therebetween to provide a duid-tight seal betweeny the valve body and the cover.

The valve body/'70 includesa central section 74 having three spaced bores '75, 76,*land '77"formed therein which are respectively communicable,` with radially enlarged inlet and outlet chambers 78 and 79. Diagonal passages Si) and 81 communicate the outlet chambers of the bores 75 and 76 withtheinlet chambers'of the bores 76 and 77, respectively. The inlet 71 iscommunicable with the inlet chamber 78 of the .bore 75., Valve rods SZvand extend through the bores 75 and 76,frespectively,.and have flexible annular diaphragms 8d and 85 extenchngtherefrom which have their edges seated in recesses formed around the outlet `chambers 79v of the `respective bores. A flexible annular Vdiaphragm 86 is alsomounted on a valve rod87 extendingthrough the bore 77'ar'1d the edge ofl this diaphragms'in-their proper positions. The cap tiisaiihted to the Yvalve block 74 by means of a plurality of screws 89.

Diaphragrns 9tand9l Ia'relikewise aixed to'the opposite ends of the rods '32 and S7, respectively, and these diaphragms areemaintained inrtheir proper mounted positions -by a pillow .bloclri921.whichV isalso aiiixed tothe valve block 74 by the screws 89. A gasket 93 encircles the inlet port 78 of the bore 76 to provide a fluid-tight seal and is also maintained in position by the pillow block 92.

Valve members 94, 95, and 96 are aixed to the inner ends of the valve rods 82, 33, and S4, respectively, and are engageable with the annular shoulders dening the ports 75, 76, 77; the valve members 94 and 96 being shown as formed integrally with the diaphragms 90 and 91. Similarly, a valve member 97 is formed integrally with the diaphragm 86 and is cooperable with a shoulder deiining the upper end of the bore 77 as viewed in FIG- URE 10.

1t will be understood that the diaphragms 84, 35, S6 may be formed of resilient material and be so congurated that they normally tend to bias the rods 82, 33, and 87 in a direction to seat the valve members 94, 95, and 96 on their respective shoulders.

An outlet passage 98 is communicable with the bore 77 and leads to an aperture 99 formed in the casing 62 which opens to the chamber 65.

Accordingly, if each of the valve rods is depressed, water may ow from the inlet 71 through the several bores and chambers to the outlet passage 98 and thence to the chamber 65. If any one of the valve members 94, 9S, or 96 is seated on its respective shoulder, communication between the inlet 71 and the chamber 65 will be closed.

Turning now to FIGURES 6 and 9, a housing 101i has a storage chamber 101 formed therein which has an outlet 152 leading from a port 103 formed in the base thereof and terminating in a short lip 194 which protrudes from the plate 22. Fitted on the lip 164 is a resilient tongue 105 which delivers water from the passage 102 to the ice tray 1i?. A plurality of curvilinear grooves 106 are formed within the partitioning walls in the ice tray so that the water delivered to one of the molds from the tongue 105 will be distributed throughout the entire ice tray.

A cap 107 is seated on the housing 100 to close the storage chamber 101 and this cap has a nipple 108 threaded therein which serves an an inlet to the storage chamber 101. The nipple 19S is disposed in open communication with the outlet chamber 79 of the bore 77 through a hose 199 and a itting 119 which opens to the outlet chamber 79 as viewed in broken lines in FIG- URE 9.

1t will thus be observed that when all of the valve rods 82, 83, and 87 are depressed, water may be communicated from the inlet 71 to the chamber 65 in the slug valve to move the piston 55 to the position illustrated in FIG- URE 5. Upon movement of the valve rod 87 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 10, communication between the inlet 71 and the chamber 65 will be closed by the valve member 96 but the valve member 97 will be unseated and the spring 64 will act to move the piston 55 1n a direction to decrease the volumetric capacity of the chamber 65 and Water will be forced back through the pjortg, bore 77, and hose 109 into the storage cham- Snap action valve control Movement of each of the valve rods is effected in a different manner. The valve rod S7 is moved as a function of the-position of the piston 55 in the manner hereafter described. A supporting structure 112 comprising a pair of spaced uprights 113 and 114 and a pair of horizontal supports 115 is secured to the cover plate 33 by screws 116 extending through the cover plate and screw threaded into one of the horizontal supports 115. The horizontal supports 115 are each notched as at 117 on their upper and lower surfaces. Snap blades 118 and 119 are mounted above and below the horizontal supports 115 with their edges in the notches 117 and are interconnected by an overcenter spring .120 which is connected to each blade adjacent the free end thereof. A depending finger 121 depends from the blade 119 and is received within a slot 122 formed in the horizontally extending iiange 123 of a bracket 124 which is ailixed to the gear rack 68.

A valve rod 37 extends through a guide block 125 and guide boss 126 and is slidably received by a channel groove formed in the upper end of the upright member 11d. The innermost end of the guide rod S7 is radially reduced as at 127 and this radially reduced portion of the guide rod is received within a complementary U- shaped groove 129 formed in the upper end of the blade 11S. A collar 131i is formed integrally With the Valve rod S7 and is engageable with the upright 114 to prevent the valve rod 87 from moving further to the left than is illustrated in FIGURE 5.

It will then be observed that movement of the piston S5 from the position illustrated in FGURE 5 toward the right will act to move the blade 119 past the plane of the biade 11S and the spring 120, having thus passed over center, will snap the blade 118 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. Such movement of the blade 118 will act to move the valve rod 37 toward the right as viewed in FGURE 5 or depress that rod to unseat the valve member 96 from its respective shoulder. Conversely, movement of the piston toward the position illustrated in FG- URE 5 will act through the blades 118 and 119 to move the valve rod S7 in an opposite direction to unseat the valve member 97 from its respective shoulder.

Ice level sensitive valve mechanism As best viewed in FGURES 2, 6 and 8, an ice level sensing arm 141D has an end 141 journalled for rotatable movement in the support 18 and has an elongated opposite end portion 142 similarly journalled for rotatable movement in the casing 29 and closure plate 33. The sensing arm is so formed that an ice level contacting portion 143 thereof is normally disposed in a raised position adjacent the ice tray out of the path of ice blocks ejected from the ice tray 10. This position is shown in broken lines in FIGURE 6.

Counterclockwise rotation of the sensing arm from the position illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 6 to the position illustrated in fulllines therein moves the ice contacting portion 143 thereof to a position Within the upper portion of the collection tray 12. Resilient drive means are provided for moving the sensing arm from the full line position in FIGURE 6 to the broken line position therein so that when the level of ice blocks within the tray 12 has risen above lthe ice contacting portion 143 of the sensing arm, the sensing arm will be prevented from returning to the broken line position. By controlling the operation of the ice making apparatus in accordance with the position of this sensing arm, the apparatus can be operated as a function of the level of ice blocks within the collection tray 12. 1t will be understood, of course, that the sensing arm may be arranged to sweep over the .top of the collection tray rather than through the upper portion thereof; the particular arrangement being merely a matter of preference.

As viewed in FIGURES 3 and 8, a tubular member 145 having an arm 146 formed integrally therewith and depending therefrom is keyed to the end portion 142 of the sensing arm 14:0. The arm 146 abuts the innermost end of a rod 148 which is mounted for sliding movement in the guide block 125 and guide boss 126. The outer end of the rod 148 abuts the plunger 83 so that movement of the rod 14S 4to the right in FIGURE 3 will depress the plunger 83 to unseat the valve member 95 from its rcspective shoulder.

A collar 149 is formed on the rod 148 and serves as a seat for one end of a compression spring 150 which has its opposite end sea-ted on a plug 159 mounted within a radially enlarged bore 152, thus biasing the rod 148 to the left as viewed in FGURE 3. When the rod 148 is in this left-hand-most position, the plunger 8f3 will be extended and the valve member 95 will be seated.

A lever 155 extends outwardly from the tube 145 and a tension spring 156 serves to interconnect the free end of this lever with a wall of the casing 2t) to bias the tube 145 in a counterclockwise direction. It will be understood that the biasing force of the tension spring 156exceeds that of the compression spring 150.

The pawl 5t) is disposed in the same vertical plane as at least a portion of the arm 146 andhas a ,cam 158 t formed thereon which is arranged tocontact the arm 14o to rotate that arm and the tube 145 in a clockwise direction. n

In operation the device functions in the following manner. Upon movement of the piston 55 to the right as Viewed in FIGURE 3 the cam 158 will Contact the arm 146 and rotate the tube 145 in a clockwise direction. Such rotation of the tube and the arm 146 will permit the spring 150 to move the rod 14S to the left to allow the plunger 83 to move extensibly to seat the valve member 95. Such movement of the arm 146 will raise the sensing arm 14? to the position illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 6. Further movement of the piston,

5S toward the right will effect further Ycounterclockwise rotation-of the drivev arm 47 and as soon as the leading edge of the pawl 5@ passes the shoulder 45, the' spring 53 will 'snap the pawl inwardlyv toward the center axis of the shaft 41 and the arm 1416 will be released from the cam` 153. if the level of ice within the collection Y tray 12 is sucient to Vprevent return movement of the f.

sensing arm, the arm willY remain in its depending position and the valve member 95 will remain seated oniits respective shoulder preventing the flow of water therepast. If no ice blocks are. disposed in the path of return movement of the sensing arm, the tension spring 156 willrotate the tube 145 in a counterclockwise direction las soon as the arm 146 is released from the cam 15S` Vand the control `rod 83 will be depressed to unseatV the valve member 95. Since filling of the ice tray is controlled byrthe'valve '70 and since the iiow of water through the valve 70is prevented whenever any one of the valve members 94,' 95, or 96 is closed, the filling of the ice tray is thus controlled as a function of the level of ice within the collection tray12.

Temperature sensitive valve mechanism A thermal sensitive power unit 1611 having a power member 151, a piston guide 162, and a temperature sensitive portion 163, is mounted in the housing tlt with its temperature sensitive portion 163 .disposed within the chamber 101. The power unit 161) is of a type which contains .a water or water-alcohol mixture or the like within the temperature sensitive portion 163 thereof so that the expansion of this substance, etected upon decreases in ambient temperature to a predetermined critical point, will move the. power member 161 extensibly from the guide 162. The outermost end of the power member 161 is cooperable with the plunger 82 so that the plunger 82 is depressed to unseat the valve member 94- from its respective seat when `the power member 161 movesrex-tensibly from the guide 162;.

' In order to effect cyclic operation of the power unit 160 in accordance with the rate of freezing of ice blocks within the rice tray 10, a plug y164is threaded into thetoward :the left.

.in side walls 167 and Y1615 of the housing 11111 and has a inger 169 which abuts a collar 165 formed on the power member 161 so that linear movement of the power member will effect rotary movement of the rod'165. The rod 156 hasr anV arm 17? extending therefrom which is piv- `otally secured to a plun ger valve 171.` Thev plunger valve 171 is cooperable with the port `103 tov control the flow of water from the. chamber 1&1 and is guided through its stroke by a guide 172 extending from a wall Vof the housing 109. Y v

A latch 173 is mounted for piovtal movement on the guide blocl'125 and has an arm 174 which also engages the collar 155. A latoh'nger 175 is formed'on the opfposite end of the latch 173 and is cooperable'with` a col- Vconnectsthe latch 173.with the guide bloclrr125 to normally bias the latch 173 in this counterclockwise rotated direction. Y

Operation 01 the icermaking assembly Assume that the water within the ice tray has just been frozen into ice blocks and that the various parts of the mechanism areV in the position'illustrated` in FIGURE 3 The power member-161 isin its retracted position and the valve members 95 and 96 are Vboth unseated from their respective shoulders while the valve 94 is inthe position shown in FIGURE l0. Shortly after the Water within the tray has been frozen into ice Vblocks the temperature transmittedto the temperature sensitive portion 163 of the power unit 16S will'be lowered to a predetermined critical point and the consequent expansion of the water or water-alcohol mixture therein will effect extensible movement of the powermember 161. The outermost end of the power member 161 will move into engagement with the plunger 82. and .depress that plunger to unseat the valve member 94- from its 'respective seat.

At the same time the rod 166 will rotate to seat the plunger valve '171 in the port 103. Since each of the valve members 94,95, and 96 is unseated from its respectiveshoulder, water will How from the inlet 71 through v the port 66 tothe chamber 65 and move the piston 55 Such piston movement will actV to rotate the lever arm 47 so thatfthe pavvl 5t) will rotate the gear ttl through a .90 arc. Such movement of the gear 40 will,V actthroughit-he gear 3S toeffect rotation of the shaft 15 to.twist the ice tray 10 in the manner heretofore described.V Ice blocks vvill'thenV be ejected into the collection tray 12. When the lpiston has moved a sufcient distance to the left, the. blades 118 and 119 willbe snapped to yan overcenter position by the spring 1Z0 and the rod 87 will be moved to the left toseat the vvalve member-96 and unseat they valve member 97. Such movement; of Ythe rod 87 willshut olf the vinlet flowY of water to the chamber and will communicate the Vchamber 65 through passages 6e, 77, 79 110, 199, and1tl 8 with the n chamber 1411. The compression spring 64 will then urge the piston 55.Y to the rightV to force water from the cham- :ber 65 to the chamber 161.

A spring v(not shown) is `disposed within the .powerf unit 16@ which biases the power member 161 toa retracted position. The normal household temperature of water directed to the chamber 1&1 will be suiiicient to `.raise the ambient temperature around the power unit above its criticalpoint and this spring Vwill be effective to retract the power member 161m permit the plunger 82 to move to its extended position. Thu-s, by controlling heat transfer throughthe plug 164V so that the cycle of loperation of the power unit 16@ is slightly greater than The relatively high. temperature of water entering the chamber wlwill. raise the ambient temperature about the power unit 16% above the critical temperature of the substance contained thereinY and theV spring Within the power'unit 160 will act toretractibly move the power member 161,.-v The casing 161i is disposed in'the insulated side wall'of theL freezing compartment so the water within chamber 101 will ynot freeze.. Vl/'hentheYV power member 161 has moved 'ne-arlytoits retracted position, it will act through the rod toV raise the plunger valve'1'71 from ythe seat'lttl?? and the water contained within the chamber 101 will flow through passage 102 to the ice tray 10. It is contemplated that the volume of water contained with-in the chamber 1M will be sufficient to only half lill the tray 19 so that another complete cycle will be effected before the tray is twisted to eject ice blocks therefrom. This feature has been provided so that the ice blocks within the tray can be frozen in layers thus decreasing the length of time necessary to freeze the ice blocks.

Of course, as the piston S moves toward the right to expel water from the chamber 65 the snap blade 119 will be moved to an overcenter position to urge the control rod 87 to the right once more. However, the power member 161 will move very slowly to a retracted position and as long as it is an extended or partially extended position, the latch 173 will be in a counterclockwise rotated position to prevent the rod 87 from moving toward the right.y When the power member 161 has moved to a nearly fully retracted position, the coll-ar 165 will engage the arm 174 and rotate the latch 173 lto release the control rod 87 so that it can be moved to the right under the bias off overcenter spring 12,0. The arm 174 and finger 169 are configurated so that the collar 165' will contact the finger 169 first to unseat the plunger valve 171 before the latch 173 is tripped. This assures that the storage chamber 1151 will be emptied prior to the time when filling thereof is effected.

The next complete cycle of operation will be identical to that above described except that the tray 1t? will not be twisted. No twisting will result sri-nce the gear 4% will simply be moved rotatably in a clockwise direction 90 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 and no gear teeth thereon will engage the gear 35 to effect rotation of that gear. Thus, another layer of water will be placed on the frozen ice blocks already within the ice tray and a complete cycle will again be repeated before ice block eiection is effected. lce block ejection thus takes place only on every second stroke of the pitson 55.

This embodiment of the invention has been used for illustrative purposes only and various modifications and variations in the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

We claim as our invention:

l. An ice making assembly comprising a housing having spaced input and output shafts journalled therein, a flexible ice tray disposed Within a freezing compartment and having one end mounted on said output shaft, stop means limiting the degree of rotatable movement of the opposite end of said ice tray, a chamber formed within said housing having a port and having a Wall which is movable to vary the volumetric capacity of said chamber, means biasing said wall in a first direction to decrease the volumetric capacity of said chamber, valve means operable to communicate said port with a source of pressurized water to urge said wall in an opposite direction and to permit said biasing means to urge said wall in said first direction to discharge the water through said port, a storage chamber for containing water discharged from said port, passageway means directing Water from said storage chamber to said ice tray, a member connected to and extending from said wall, a segmental driving gear mounted on and corotatable with said input shaft, a driven gear mounted on and corotatable with said output shaft and engaged with said driving gear, motion translation means for converting linear motion of said member to rotary motion of said driving gear, temperature sensitive power means positioned within saidstorage chamber having an element extensible therefrom upon predetermined critical temperature conditions and cooperable with said valve means to effect actuation thereof, and means for effecting heat transfer between said temperature sensitive power means and the air ambient to said ice tray and for correlating the interval required for said power means to reach said critical temperature conditions with the ini l@ terval required for water within said ice tray to be frozen into ice blocks.

2. An ice making assembly comprising a housing having spaced input and output shafts journalled therein, a flexible ice tray disposed Within a freezing compartment and having one end mounted on said output shaft, stop means limiting the degree of rotatable movement of the opposite end of said ice tray, a chamber formed within said housing having a port and having a wall which is movable to vary the volumetric capacity of said'chamber, means biasing said wall in a first direction to decrease the volumetric capacity of said chamber, valve means Operable to communicate s aid port with a source of pressurized water to urge said wall in an opposite direction and to permit said biasing means to urge said wall in said first direction to discharge the water through said port, a storage chamber for collecting water discharged through said port, passageway means opening to said storage chamber for directing water discharged from said port to said ice tray, valve means cooperable with said passageway means to control the flow of water therethrough, a member connected to and extending from said wall, a segmental driving gear mounted on and corotatable with said input shaft, a driven gear mounted on and corotatable with said output shaft and engaged with said driving gear, motion translation means for converting linear motion of said member to rotary motion of said driving gear, temperature sensitive power means having an element which is extensible therefrom upon predetermined critical temperature conditions, motion translation means interconnecting said element with each of said valve means to effect actuation of said valve means, and means for effecting heat transfer between said power means and the air ambient to said ice tray and for correlating the interval required for said power means to reach said critical temperature conditions with the interval required for liquid Within said ice tray to be frozen into ice blocks.

3. An ice making assembly comprising a housing having spaced input and output shafts journalled therein, a flexible ice tray disposed within a freezing compartment and having one end mounted on said output shaft, a storage tray positioned beneath said ice tray to collect ice blocks ejected therefrom, stop means limiting the degree of rotatable movement of the opposite end of said ice tray, a chamber formed within said housing having a port and having a Wall which is movable to vary the volumetric capacity of said chamber, means biasing said wall in a first direction to decrease the volumetric capacity of said chamber, valve means operable to communicate said port with a source of pressurized water to urge said wall in an opposite direction and to subsequently permit said biasing means to urge said wall in said rst direction to discharge liquid through said port, second valve means operable in series with said first-mentioned valve means to control the communication of said port with the source of pressurized water, means sensing the level of ice blocks within said storage tray and controlling the operation of said second valve means as a function of that level, passageway means directing water discharged from said port to said ice tray, a member connected to and extending from said wall, a segmental driving gear mounted on and corotatable with said input shaft, a driven gear mounted on and corotatable with said output shaft and engaged with said driving gear, motion translation means for converting linear motion of said member to rotary motion of said driving gear, and power means for controlling the operation of said valve means.

4. An ice making assembly comprising a housing having spaced input and output shafts journalled therein, a fiexible ice tray disposed Within a freezing compartment and having one end mounted on said output shaft, stop means limiting the degree of rotatable movement of the opposite'end of said ice tray, a chambery formed within said housing having a`port and having a Wall which is l i movable to vary the volumetric capacity of vsaid charnber, means biasing said Wall in a first direction to decrease the volumetric capacity of. said chamber, valve means operableto communicate said port with a ,source of pressurized Water to. urge said Wall in an opposite direction and to permit said biasing means to urge said wall in said first direction to dischargeV the liquid through said port, passageway means directing water discharged from said port to said ice tray, a gear rack vconnected to and extending from said Wall, a segmental driving gear anda ratchet gear mounted for corotatable movementl on said input shaft, a lever freely mounted on said input shaft having a pawl pivoted on the free end thereof which is engageable with said ratchet to keffect rotatable movement thereof, a gear segment formed on said leverV and coopern able with said'gear rack so that linear movement of said 2 rack will eiiect;rotatable movementof said lever, al driven gear mounted on and corotatable vvith rsaid output shaft and engageable with said driving gear, and power' means for controlling the operation of said valve means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNTED STATES PATENTS Malone 62-137 EDWARD J, MICHAEL, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 3. AN ICE MAKING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING SPACED INPUT AND OUTPUT SHAFTS JOURNALLED THEREIN, A FLEXIBLE ICE TRAY DISPOSED WITHIN A FREEZING COMPARTMENT AND HAVING ONE END MOUNTED ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT, A STORAGE TRAY POSITIONED BENEATH SAID ICE TRAY TO COLLECT ICE BLOCKS EJECTED THEREFROM, STOP MEANS LIMITING THE DEGREE OF ROTATABLE MOVEMENT OF THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ICE TRAY, A CHAMBER FORMED WITHIN SAID HOUSING HAVING A PORT AND HAVING A WALL WHICH IS MOVABLE TO VARY THE VOLUMETRIC CAPACITY OF SAID CHAMBER, MEANS BIASING SAID WALL IN A FIRST DIRECTION TO DECREASE THE VOLUMETRIC CAPACITY OF SAID CHAMBER, VALVE MEANS OPERABLE TO COMMUNICATE SAID PORT WITH A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED WATER TO URGE SAID WALL IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND TO SUBSEQUENCY PERMIT SAID BIASING MEANS TO URGE SAID WALL IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO DISCHARGE LIQUID THROUGH SAID PORT, SECOND VALVE MEANS OPERABLE IN SERIES WITH SAID FIRST-MENTIONED VALVE MEANS TO CONTROL THE COMMUNICATION OF SAID PORT WITH THE SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED WATER, MEANS SENSING THE LEVEL OF ICE BLOCKS WITHIN THE STORAGE TRAY AND CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID SECOND VALVE MEANS AS A FUNCTION OF THAT LEVEL, PASSAGEWAY MEANS DIRECTING WATER DISCHARGED FROM SAID PORT TO SAID ICE TRAY, A MEMBER CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING FROM SAID WALL, A SEGMENTAL DRIVING GEAR MOUNTED ON AND COROTATABLE WITH SAID INPUT SHAFT, A DRIVEN GEAR MOUNTED ON AND COROTATABLE WITH SAID OUTPUT SHAFT AND ENGAGED WITH SAID DRIVING GEAR, MOTION TRANSLATION MEANS FOR CONVERTING LINEAR MOTION OF SAID MEMBER TO ROTARY MOTION OF SAID DRIVING GEAR, AND POWER MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID VALVE MEANS.

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