US3220214A

US3220214A - Spray type ice cube maker

Info

Publication number: US3220214A
Application number: US287608A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard T Cornelius
Original assignee: Cornelius Co
Current assignee: Cornelius Co
Priority date: 1963-06-13
Filing date: 1963-06-13
Publication date: 1965-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-30
Also published as: GB1055732A

Description

Nov. 30, 1965 R. T. CORNELIUS 3,220,214

SPRAY TYPE ICE CUBE MAKER Filed June l5, 1965 56 ff 31 52 ,f

vH 1" u um! pull n INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,220,214 SPRAY TYPE ICE CUBE MAKER Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The Cornelius Company, Anoka, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed .lune 13, 1963, Ser. No. 287,608 16 Claims. (Cl. 62-347) This invention relates generally to means for freezing a liquid, and more specifically to a novel machine for making ice-cubes.

Consumers of iced drinks purchased at commercial establishments have shown a definite preference for such drinks in which the ice-cubes are crystal clear. Heretofore, ice-cube freezing machines located at a bar or fountain where such drinks are mixed have either produced other forms of ice, such as flake ice, shaved ice, or cracked ice, have produced cloudy ice-cubes, or have been large and expensive, or both.

The present invention provides a means for freezing a liquid, such as water to make crystal clear ice-cubes, the machine being simple, inexpensive, and easily supported on a table, counter, or bar.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention t provide a novel means for making ice-cubes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for making ice-cubes, which machine is simple in structure.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for making ice-cubes which machine may be constructed to relatively small size to occupy a small space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice making machine which produces crystal clear ice.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ice making machine provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention, portions of the machine being broken away;

FIGURE 2 is yan enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified for-m of ice making machine.

As shown on the drawings:

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a machine for freezing a liquid, such as an ice making machine, such as illustrated in FIGURE l, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The ice making machine includes an insulated cabinet 11 dening a storage chamber 12 at the upper end of which is disposed a number of cube-forming elements or fins 13 arranged in an annular pattern centrally of which there is provided a spray means generally indicated at 14. The lower end of the spray means 14 extends into a sump 15 disposed centrally of an annular drip tray 16, above which there is provided a rack or annular cube deiiector 17.

The cabinet 11 is constructed to be supported on top of a counter or table. At its front side there s a door (not shown) communicating with the storage chamber 17 to provide access thereto for obtaining ice-cubes. The storage chamber 12 is provided with a suitable drain (not shown) so that no water may accumulate therein. Refrigeration means are also housed in the cabinet behind "ice the storage chamber 12, and are explained further below.

The cube-forming elements 13 comprise fins of thermally conductive material, the fins 13 being arranged in an annular pattern. Each iin has a lower portion which terminates in a distal end 18 which is downwardly directed so that cubes formed thereon may slide off by gravity when released. It is on this exposed lower portion of the tins 13 on which the cube is formed, and therefore the lower portion preferably comprises an elongated lower end. Each individual element 13 also has an upper edge 19 at its upper or non-exposed portion or end, the edge 19 preferably comprising a plurality of concave arcs extending substantially tangent to each other.

The refrigeration means includes a conventional compressor and valves operatively associated with a refrigeration coil 20 which is formed in a plurality of loops, each loop of the coil 20 being bonded to the upper or remote portion of the elements 13 at the respective arcuate edges 19, thereby providing a heat-exchange connection therebetween. The coil 20 is alternatively provided with expanding and cooling refrigerant for lowering the temperatures of the iin elementsbelow the freezing point of the liquid, and hot gas for raising the temperature of the elements 13 to a point above the melting point of the cube formed thereon to effect release thereof. It has been found that the concave arcuate edges 19 increase the contact area between the 1in elements 13 and the coil 20, for example by 40%, and that this increase in contact area adds approximately 10% to the efficiency or ice making capacity of the machine, as compared to a machine not having the arcuate concave edges 19 bonded as described.

The assembly of the fin elements 13 and the coil 20 is enclosed in a mass of rigid insulation 21, such as polyurethane, which insulates the non-exposed portions, and which supports the coil and fin assembly mechanically, From this rigid insulation 21, the lower ends 18 of the iins project.

The cabinet 11 removably supports an annular spacer 22 which has an upwardly directed ledge 23 on which a plate 24, such as of rigid plastic, rests. The rigid insulation 21 in turn rests on the plate 24, which has conforming apertures through which the elements or tins 13 project. The plate 24 further supports an electric motor 25 such as of the shaded pole type which rotatably drives the spray means 14.

The spray means 14 comprises a pump which is' disposed centrally of the iin ele-ments 13, the pump 14 comprising a member having a lower endl 26 which is apertured and which projects into the sump 15. Liquid in the sump enters the lower end 26, and by the action of centrifugal force, moves upwardly on the interior of the hollow member 14 along upwardly diverging interior conical surfaces 27, 2S to a larger diameter cylindrical interior surface 29 which is apertured as at 30 to direct a stream or spray toward the elements 13. The larger diameter interior surfaces 28 and 29 extend upwardly from the surface of the liquid in the sump 15 to the level of the elements 13. To prevent an upward ow of liquid along the exterior of the pump 14, there is provided an exterior cylindrical surface 31 which extends upwardly from the level of the liquid in the sump 15.

Since the motor 25 spnsthe pump 14 at a relatively high speed, there is a tendency for a vortex of liquid to form in the sump 15 and to minimize or eliminate this, a pair of

stationary baflies

32, 32 are provided which extend radially to the lower end 26 of the pump 14.

Upward movement of liquid within the pump 14 is limited in that the upper end thereof is closed by a cap 33 which also supports the pump 14, and by which the motor 25 rotatably drives the same.

The liquid or spray centrifugally discharged in a radially outward direction from the aperture 311 will sag slightly due to gravity so as to impinge or be directed toward the fins 13 at a point slightly lower than the height of the aperture 30. It is preferable that the main body of spray or liquid flow be directed toward the upper end so that the influence of gravity, the lower end will be impinged, whereby relatively little ice will form at the upper end of the exposed portion of the fin. The plate 24 serves as a masking means for each n element and is a poor thermal conductor, but the chances for any particular cube to adhere to such masking plate is minimized when the spray is so directed. The numeral 34 indicates an ice-cube having an external configuration which is typical of those formed by this machine. Along the surface parallel to the 1in elements 13, the cubes are relatively iiat so that the thickness of the cube to the n is relatively uniform.

As the thickness of the cube 34 increases, the efficiency that heat is conducted through such cube decreases. However, the pump means 14 correspondingly works or withdraws liquid from a progressively decreasing level of liquid in the sump 15 thereby correspondingly decreasing its eiciency which functionally matches the eiciency change at the cube 34. The cube 34 is crystal clear at the first-formed portion thereof adjacent to the iin element 13, and subsequent growth is likewise crystal clear.

A thermostatic element schematically indicated at 35 controls the refrigeration system to terminate the refrigerating cycle when the temperature of the coil has reached a predetermined minimum, and initiates the hot gas cycle by which a hot gas is admitted to the coil 20. The hot gas quickly raises the temperature of the iin 13 to melt or form a film of water at the mutually engaging surfaces, and as soon as this lm is formed, the cube drops under the influence of gravity. It takes approximately 30 seconds after the hot gas is first admitted for the individual cubes to drop. Any tendency to form a vacuum pocket at the edge 18 of the iin 13 is immediately overcome by a ilow of the film of water to such place, thereby effecting free release. The distal end 18 being downwardly directed enables the cube 34 to drop straight down onto the rack or annular cube deflector 17.

In this embodiment, the individual ns 13 are shown as lying in planes extending radially from the central axis of the annular pattern. This relationship is not critical, and uniform growth of the cube occurs even though the plane of the iin 13 is shifted angularly about a vertical axis.

The sump 1S is disposed above the bottom of the storage chamber 12 at a height below the elements 13 in inwardly radially spaced relation to the annular drip tray 16. The drip tray 16 has a flange 36 by which the same is supported on the cabinet 11. Means are provided to support the annular cube deflector 17, such means being here illustrated as a shoulder 37.

The annular cube deiector 17 has an upper surface which extends angularly to the horizontal and on which the cubes land. The upper surface of the deflector 17 deects the cubes radially inwardly past the drip tray 16 and past the sump 15. Liquid dripping from the iin elements 13 and from the ice-cubes 34 also lands on the upwardly directed surface of the deflector 17 and is conducted by it to a peripheral edge, here comprising an in- -ner peripheral edge 38 from which such liquid drips into the drip tray 16.

The drip tray 16 has a periphery, here an inner periphery, which terminates yat an inner upper edge 39 which is disposed below the level of the peripheral edge 38 and which is disposed in inwardly nadially spaced relation thereto to dene a slot 40' therebetween through which the water may drip, and which is too small to admit any ice-.cube 34.

The sump 15 has a laterally directed opening 41 which communicates with fluid connection means 42 which comprise an open conduit which is secured at the radially inner end t-o the sump 15, and which is secured at its radially outer end to the drip tray 16 at a corresponding `opening in the inner peripheral wall thereof. The conn duit 42 provides a fiuid connection from the drip tray 16 by which liquid may flow therefrom to the sump 15. The conduit 42 spans the radial gap between the sump 15 and the drip tray 16 and provides the physical support for holding the sump 15 -in the illustrated position.

The sump 15 includes an upwardly outwardly aring portion 43 which is integral with the uper edge of the sump 15, the portion 43 comprising a funnel which has an outer periphery 44 which is disposed within the opening in the annular pattern of fin elements 13, but which radially overlaps the annular deilector 17 in an upwardly spaced relation thereto to enable the released cubes to pass therebetween. The sump 15 in combination with the funnel portion 43 and the deflector 17 jointly provide upwardly directed surface means which are disposed below all of the elements 13 and which are disposed below the central opening in the annular pattern of fin elements 13 for catching land returning to the sump 15 any falling drop of liquid, mist, spray, and the like, so that the same may be recirculated by the pump 14.

The thermostat 35 not only controls the refrigeration means 20 but also controls a water inlet valve (not shown) by which the liquid in the sump 15 is replenished once per cycle. Such replenishing liquid is admitted through a hose 45 which extends through the wall of the cabinet 11 at a rear portion thereof, terminating in a horizontally directed portion 46. The drip tray 16 has an aperture 47 in its outer periphery in which there isi disposed an annular plug or tting 48 which has a tapered end 49 which is received into the horizontal portion 46 of the hose 45 when the drip tray 16 is installed into the cabinet 11.

The drip tray 16, the conduit 42, and the sump 15, jointly initially receive and store a quantity of liquid 'which may be limited to a predetermined maximum volume available for freezing, such limiting being accomplished by an overflow drain tting 50, the upper edge 51 of which thus defines the total available liquid volume, the height of which hence determines the maximum size to Which a cube 34 can grow even if the pump 14 continues to run. The lower end of the overflow means 50, which is broken away in the drawing, communicates with a drain.

The fragmentary view shown in FIGURE 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein certain features have been added to the embodiment shown in FIGURE l for the purpose of achieving superior mist control. To that end, a cube deector 52 has been provided which includes means defining a series of radially extending slots 53. Each of the slots 53 is respectively aligned beneath one of the fins 13. Any liquid dripping from the fin 13 or from a cube thereon will therefore primarily and usually fall directly through one of the slots 53 into the annular drip tray 16, thereby reducing the amount of droplet formation or splashing occurring at the upper surface of the cube deflector 52.. Each of the slots 53 has a horizontal extent smaller than the corresponding extent of any cube which would drop thereon so as to thereby prevent any cubes falling therethrough.

There is further provided a flexible means or skirt 54- which extends between the sump and the cube deector 52. In particular, the exible means 54 comprises a rubber skirt attached to the peripheral edge 44, extending downwardly therefrom to the cube deector 52, and thereby spanning the space therebetween. The flexible means or skirt 54 is secured at its uper end, so that the lower end is deflectable in response to being engaged by any cube impinging thereagainst as it is deflected by the cube deflector 52. Owing to its natural resiliency, the skirt 54 will resume the illustrated position by itself. Normally, any mist striking the outer periphery of the skirt 54 will collect thereon and ow downwardly to the deilector 52 which will return the same to the drip tray 16.

Although various minor modilications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming fins arranged in a stationary annular pattern, and adapted to be refrigerated to a temperature below the freezing point of the liquid, and to release the cubes; and

(b) means, disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said tins, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid directed substantially simultaneously toward all of said tins.

2. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming ns arranged in a stationary annular pattern, each lin having a lower exposed end, and `an upper end;

(b) refrigeration means including a coil of refrigeration tubing bonded at an external surface thereof to an edge of said uper end of each of said fins, and operative to vary the temperature of said fins below and above the freezing point of the liquid; and

(c) means, disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said tins, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid directed substantially simultaneously toward all of said fins.

3. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming lins arranged in a stationary `annular pattern, each lin having a lower exposed end, and an upper end, each of said upper ends having an edge which comprises a plurality of concave arcs which are substantially tangent to each other;

(b) refrigeration means including a coil of refrigeration tubing having 4a plurality of loops respectively -engaging said ns and having an outer surface bonded thereto along the length of said arcs, and operative to vary the temperature of said tins below and above the freezing point of the liquid; and

(c) means, disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said ns, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid directed substantially simultaneously toward all of said fins.

4. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming tins arranged in a stationary annular pattern, each tin having a lower exposed end, and an upper end;

(b) refrigeration means including a coil of refrigeration tubing bonded at an external surface thereof to said uper end of each of said ns, and operative to vary the temperature of said iins below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(c) a mass of rigid insulation material thermally insulating and mechanically supporting said coil, and from which said lower ends of said fins project downwardly into space; and

(d) means, disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said ns, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid directed substantially simultaneously toward all of said fins.

5. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming lins arranged in a stationary annular pattern, each in having a lower elongated exposed end, and an upper end;

(b) refrigeration means including a coil of refrigeration tubing bonded at an external surface thereof to said upper end of each of said fins, and operative to vary the temperature of said ns below and above the freezing point of the liquid; and

(c) means, disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said fins, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid toward al1 of said lins, which spray is primarily directed to engage the lower portion of said lower end.

6. A machine for ferezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of annularly arranged individual cubeforming elements adapted to be refrigerated to temperatures below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(b) means disposed centrally of said elemetns for providing a spray of liquid directed toward said elements;

(c) an annular deflector disposed beneath said elements on which liquid and cubes falling from said elements may drop, said deilector having a crosssection which slopes downwardly to a peripheral edge;

(d) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said deflector and having an upper edge which with said peripheral edge defines a slot leading into said tray into which any such liquid will drip and past which any such cubes will slide; and

(e) a sump to which said drip tray communicates tiuidly and from which said spray means withdraws liquid.

'7. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(b) means disposed centrally of said element for providing a spray of liquid directed toward said elements;

(c) an annular detiector disposed beneath said elements on which liquid and cubes falling from said elements may drop, said deilector having a crosssection which slopes downwardly and radially inwardly to an inner peripheral edge;

(d) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said deflector and having an inner uper edge disposed radially inward and below said inner peripheral edge to deiine therewith a slot leading into said tray into which any such liquid will drip and past which any such cubes will slide; and

(e) a sump to which said drip tray communicates iiuidly and from which said spray means withdraws liquid.

8. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(b) means disposed centrally of said elements for providing a spray of liquid directed toward said elements;

(c) an annular deflector disposed beneath said elements on which liquid and cubes falling from said elements may drop, said deilector having a cross- -selction which slopes downwardly to a peripheral e ge;

(d) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said deflector and having an upper edge which with said peripheral edge defines a slot leading into said tray into which any such liquid will drip and past which any such cubes will slide;

(e) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray in inwardly radially spaced relation thereto, and from which said spray means can withdraw liquid; and

(f) a conduit secured to and fluidly communicating said drip tray and said sump, spaning the radial space therebetween, and providing the support for said sump.

9. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of annularly arranged individual cubeforming elements adapted to be refrigerated to ternperatures below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(c) an annular deflector disposed beneath said elements on which liquid and cubes falling from said elements may drop, said deflector having a cross section which slopes downwardly to a preipheral edge;

(e) a sump to which said drip tray communicates fluidly and from which said spray means withdraws liquid; and

(f) a funnel liaring upwardly and outwardly from said sump and having an outer periphery disposed within the annular pattern of said elements; said outer periphery radially overlapping said deector in upwardly spaced relation thereto.

10. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of thermally conductive cube-forming fins arranged in a stationary annular pattern, and adapted to be refrigerated to a temperature below the freezing point of the liquid, and to release the cubes;

(b) means disposed within the center of said annular pattern of said ns, and operative to provide a radially outwardly directed spray of liquid directed substantially simultaneously toward all of said fins;

(c) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said fins and encircling said spray means for receiving any liquid dripping from said fins;

(d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray and receiving said spray means from which said spray means can withdraw liquid;

(e) means uidly connecting said drip tray to said sump for returning liquid thereto; and

(f) an annular cube deflector disposed between said annular pattern of fins and said annular drip tray.

11. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of annularly arranged individual cubeforrning elements adapted to be refrigerated to temperatures below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(c) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said elements for receiving any liquid dripping therefrom;

(d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray from which said spray means can withdraw liquid, said sump Haring upwardly and outwardly t o define an upper peripheral edge overlying said drip tray, under which edge cubes can pass;

(f) a cube deiiector disposed between said elements and said drip tray.

12. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(c) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said elements for receiving any liquid dripping therefrom, said drip tray having means for replenishing the liquid therein, and having overflow means defining a predetermined maximum volume of liquid available for freezing;

(d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray from which said spray means can withdraw liquid;

(f) a cube deiiector disposed between said elements and said drip tray.

13. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(c) an annular drip tray disposed beneath said elements for receiving any liquid dripping therefrom; (d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray from which said spray means can Withdraw liquid;

(e) means fluidly connectingy said drip tray to said sump for returning liquid thereto; and

(f) an annular cube deflector disposed between said elements and said drip tray, said cube deflector having means defining a series of slots therein aligned with said elements and sized to enable liquid to drip therethrough and to preclude any cubes falling therethrough.

14. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray in radially spaced relation thereto, and from which said spray means withdraws liquid;

(e) means lluidly connecting said drip tray to said sump for returning liquid thereto;

(f) a cube deflector disposed between said elements and said drip tray, and operative to deiiect released cubes radially inwardly through said annular drip tray; and

(g) iiexible means extending between said sump and said cube deiiector for normally obstructing passage of any mist therebetween and yieldable in response to any released cube to permit such cube to pass by.

15. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of annularly ,arranged individual cubeforming elements adapted to be refrigerated to temperatures below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(d) a sump disposed centrally of said drip tray from lwhich spray means can withdraw liquid, said sump aring upwardly and outwardly to define an upper peripheral edge overlying said drip tray, under which edge cubes can pass;

(e) means iluidly connecting said drip tray to said sump for returning liquid thereto;

(f) a cube deiiector disposed between said elements and said drip tray; and

(g) flexible means extending from said peripheral edge to said cube deflector for normally obstructing passage of any mist therebetween and yieldable in response to any released cube to permit such cube to pass by.

16. A machine for freezing a liquid as cubes, comprising in combination:

(a) a series of individual cube-forming elements disposed in a horizontal annular pattern and adapted to be refrigerated to temperatures below and above the freezing point of the liquid;

(b) means disposed coaxially with said pattern of ele' ments and operative to provide a horizontally directed spray of liquid toward said elements;

(c) a horizontal annular drip tray disposed beneath and concentrically with said pattern of elements for receiving any liquid dripping therefrom;

(d) a sump disposed coaxially of said pattern of elements and receptive of the lower end of said spray means for providing liquid thereto;

(e) means uidly connecting said annular drip tray to said sump for returning liquid thereto; and

(f) an annular cube deector disposed between said annular pattern of elements and said drip tray in encircling relation to said sump and spray means, and having an upper surface so sloped as to deflect released cubes radially inwardly through said annular drip tray.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,249 5/ 1954 Mason 62-348 X FOREIGN PATENTS 970,479 6/ 1950 France.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

2. A MACHINE FOR FREEZING A LIQUID AS CUBES, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A SERIES OF THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE CUBE-FORMING FINS ARRANGED IN A STATIONARY ANNULAR PATTERN, EACH FIN HAVING A LOWER EXPOSED END, AND AN UPPER END; (B) REFRIGERATION MEANS INCLUDING A COIL OF REFRIGERATION TUBING BONDED AT AN EXTERNAL SURFACE THEREOF TO AN EDGE OF SAID UPPER END OF EACH OF SAID FINS, AND OPERATIVE TO VARY THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID FINS BELOW AND ABOVE THE FREEZING POINT OF THE LIQUID; AND (C) MEANS, DISPOSED WITHIN THE CENTER OF SAID ANNULAR PATTERN OF SAID FINS, AND OPERATIVE TO PROVIDE A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY DIRECTED SPRAY OF LIQUID DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY TOWARD ALL OF SAID FINS.