US3266265A

US3266265A - Ice maker with ice spreader for receiver

Info

Publication number: US3266265A
Authority: US
Current assignee: King Seeley Thermos Co
Publication date: 1966-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-16

Description

Aug. 16, 1966 w. G. WINKLER ICE MAKER WITH ICE SPREADER FOR RECEIVER 3,266,265 ICE MAKER WITH ICE SPREADER FOR RECEIVER Wynn G. Winkler, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 407,992 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-344) This invention relates to an ice maker for producing loose masses of ice and including an ice spreader means for distributing a loose mass of ice through a receiver and away from the ice maker proper.

There is disclosed in the copending application of Donald F. Swanson and Wynn G. Winkler Serial No. 374,- 642, filed June 12, 1964, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, an ice maker which produces lose masses of ice which are deposited on the bottom of a receiver such as a subfreezing chamber of an insulated structure. In the customary operation of such an ice maker means are provided for shutting off the ice maker when the mound gets so high. In such cases it often happens that the bin is not completely full. Also, the ice tends to buildup toward the ice maker in a mound with the result that the top of the mound could possibly interfere with the proper operation of the ice maker. The present invention provides an ice maker including an ice spreader means which will spread the ice away from the maker and over the bottom of the receiver after the ice has reached a predetermined depth.

One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved ice maker for producing loose masses of ice and including a driven ice spreader means above the bottom of a receiver for distributing the ice away from the ice maker and along the bottom.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an ice maker embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 plus the addition of a bottom Water receiving trough not shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the structure for rotatably securing one end of the driven ice spreader means.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating the mounting means for the other end of the ice spreader means.

In the illustrated embodiment there is disclosed diagrammatically a chamber for receiving the ice and in cluding a bottom 11, with the chamber containing an ice maker 12 for producing loose masses of ice. The ice maker 12 is of the type disclosed in more detail in the above mentioned Swanson et al. application and .cludes a substantially horizontally arranged and generally cylindrical evaporator shell 13, a water distributing system including a trough 14 with small openings 15 and a water conduit 16 for conveying water to the trough 14.

Water in the trough 14 flows through the openings 15 onto the surface of the cylindrical evaporator shell 13 where it is recirculated as explained in the above Swanson et al. application.

Ice removing means is provided as a part of the ice maker 12 with this removing means 18 comprising rotatably driven end rings 19 and 20 carrying spaced metal rods 21 which are spaced closely adjacent the outer surface of the evaporator shell 13. As the removing means 18 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, and in the manner explained in the above copending Swanson et a1. application, the rods 21 bear United States Patent 0 against the ice formed on the evaporator shell 13 and break it loose and move the ice by the notation over the right side of bottom water receiver 17, as viewed in FIG- URE 2, whereupon the ice falls onto the bottom 11 of the receiver 10.

Because the ice gathers on the bottom 11 of the receiver in a loose mass it tends to build up to the point where it contacts and can interfere with the operation of the ice maker 12. In order to distribute the ice over the bottom 11 of the receiver there is provided a driven ice spreader means 22.

The ice spreader means 22 is in the form of a screw and is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG- URE 2, in order to distribute the ice away from the ice maker 12 toward the opposite end 23 of the receiver 10.

The screw of the ice spreader means 22 comprises an elongate axial rod 24 around which is arranged a helical rod 25 with the convolutions spaced from each other and from the axial rod 24. With this arrangement, as soon as the mound of loose ice reaches a predetermined depth which is approximately equivalent to the height of the ice spreader means 22 above the receiver bottom 11, it is engaged by the ice spreader means and distributed over the receiver bottom 11.

In the illustrated embodiment the ice spreader 22 is driven through power transfer means from the powered ice removing means 18 of the ice maker. The particular power transfer means illustrated comprises interengaging friction drive members on the removing means and the spreader means. Thus, the ice spreader 22 includes a wheel 26 mounted on the axial rod 24 with this Wheel having an annular friction covering 27 which is in the form of a rubber tire. This tire 27 bears against the end ring 19 of the ice removing means 18 so that rotation of the ice removing means also rotates the ice distributing means through the friction tire 27. With this arrangement the ice in the receiver 10 is distributed over the bottom 11 of the receiver as described.

The spreader 22 is removably mounted in end brackets so that it can be removed for cleaning and other purposes. As is shown most clearly in FIGURE 3, the end wall 23 of the receiver is provided with a block 28 having an opening 29 therein for receiving the reduced end 30 of the axial rod 24.

The opposite wall 31 of the receiver 10 is provided with a similar block 32 for receiving the opposite reduced end 33 of the rod 24. In this block 32, however, the rod receiving opening is in the form of a slanted upward- 1y open slot 34 with the slot angled toward the ice maker 12, as indicated at the right hand side of FIGURE 1. With this arrangement the end 30 is first placed in the opening 29 in the block 28 and then the end 33 is forced to the bottom of the angled slot 34. Because of the angle it is necessary to compress the resilient friction tire 27 against the ice maker ring 29 before the :rod can enter the slot 34. The resiliency of the tire, of course, permits this. Then, any tendency of the rod end 33 to ride up and out of the inclined slot 34 'will merely press the tire more closely against the ring 19. Accidental dislodgement of the rod 24 is thereby greatly minimized.

The

rods

28 and 32 operate as bearings for the distributor 22 as well as releasable holding means therefor.

The ice maker of this invention not only provides approximately uniform leveling of the ice across the bottom 11 of the receiver but also automatically compensates for unequal removal of the ice by a. user thereof. Thus, it maintains at substantially all times an approximately full receiver or bin. The device is also quite safe as if the user should come in contact with the ice distributor 22 the resiliency of the helical wire 25 will cause it to yield and the resistance caused by the accidental contact will stop the rotation of the spreader whereupon the ring 19 will merely slide against the stationary friction tire 27.

Another very important advantage of the ice spreader 22 is that it serves as a lateral guard, as shown in FIG- URE 2, to aid in preventing accidental contact of the used with the rotating ice removing means 18.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims. The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. In an ice maker for producing loose masses of ice, apparatus comprising: a receiver, having a bottom, in which said loose masses are received; an ice maker above said bottom halving powered rotatable means for removing ice therefrom in said loose mass; means for transferring said removed ice from said ice maker to said receiver bottom; a driven ice spreader means above said bottom for distributing said ioe away from said ice maker and along said bottom comprising a screw arranged above said bottom rotatable about the screw axis, said screw comprising an elongate axial member and a helical member concentric therewith and spaced therefrom; and power transfer means for driving said ice spreader means from said powered removing means comprising interen- 4t gaging friction drive members on said removing means and said ice spreader means.

2, In an ice maker for producing loose masses of ice, apparatus comprising: a receiver, having a bottom, in which said loose masses are received; an ice maker above which bottom having powered rotatable means for removing ice therefrom in said loose mass; a driven ice spreader means above said bottom for distributing said ice away from said ice maker and along said bottom; power transfer means for driving said ice spreader means from. said powered removing means comprising interengaging yielding friction drive members on said removing means and said ice spreader means; and releasable mounting means for said ice spreader means urging said friction members toward each other on releasing movement of the ice spreader means from said mounting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,024 11/1940 Field.

2,674,396 4/1954 Peterson 222-56 2,730,865 1/1956 Murdock 62-347 2,791,887 5/1957 Henning 62-344 X 3,052,557 9/1962 Vidal et al 62-347 3,192,734 7/1965 Swanson 62-344 X 3,196,628 7/1965 Reynolds 62-354 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

2. IN AN ICE MAKER FOR PRODUCING LOOSE MASSES OF ICE, APPARATUS COMPRISING: A RECEIVER, HAVING A BOTTOM, IN WHICH SAID LOOSE MASSES ARE RECEIVED; AN ICE MAKER ABOVE WHICH BOTTOM HAVING POWERED ROTATABLE MEANS FOR REMOVING ICE THEREFROM IN SAID LOOSE MASS; A DRIVEN ICE SPREADER MEANS ABOVE SAID BOTTOM FOR DISTRIBUTING SAID ICE AWAY FROM SAID ICE MAKER AND ALONG SAID BOTTOM; POWER TRANSFER MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ICE SPREADER MEANS FROM SAID POWDERED REMOVING MEANS COMPRISING INTERENGAGING YIELDING FRICTION DRIVE MEMBERS ON SAID REMOVING MEANS AND SAID ICE SPREADER MEANS; AND RELEASABLE MOUNTING MEANS FOR SAID ICE SPREADER MEANS URGING SAID FRICTION MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER ON RELEASING MOVEMENT OF THE ICE SPREADER MEANS FROM SAID MOUNTING MEANS.