US3268118A

US3268118A - Flaked ice dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3268118A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1966-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-23

Description

g- 23, 1966 w. H. HOENISCH 3,268,118

FLAKED ICE DISPENSER Filed Sept. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 I f 4/? H jj E 41 l, J4 j; 5'4 J4 23 1f j] if ya); J v

jig I v 77- ,v 55 Q/ 21 1 1 7 74 2:7 ANVENTOR. 1 E l d cr' A. #067123 41 3, 1963 w. H. HOENISGH 3,268,118

FLAKED ICE DISPENSER Filed Sept. 27, 1963 '2 Sheets-Sheet z 'ojzr INVENT'OR 3,268,118 Ce Patented August 23, 1966 3,268,118 FLAKED ICE DISPENSER Walter H. Hoenisch, Albert Lea, Minn, assignor to King- Seeley Thermos Co., Ann Arbor, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Fiied Sept. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 312,065 21 Claims. (Cl. 222-108) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for storing and dispensing ice, and particularly to apparatus for storing and dispensing ice in particulate form.

As used herein, the terms ice in particulate form and particulate ice are intended to refer to ice that is in the form of relatively small, discrete particles. In a typical case, the particles may be irregularly shaped and of the order of /4 inch in maximum dimension.

Particulate ice has the desirable characteristic of affording rapid cooling due to a high ratio of surface area to mass. it also lends itself to application in a wide variety of uses, because the particulate form enables the user to shape a mass of ice as in an ice pack or the like, and the small particles give a nearly infinite range of quantity variations that can be selected for any given application.

Particulate ice is produced in a variety of ways. For example, it may be formed by freezing one or more thin layers of water on a refrigerated surface and subsequently peeling or stripping the ice oif in the form of thin flakes. It can also be produced by shaving or pulverizing ice in block form.

In many instances, there is a need for apparatus which will store a substantial quantity of particulate ice and dispense it in readily controllable quantities, varying from the small amount needed in a beverage glass, for example, to the much larger amount needed for an ice pack, a pitcher of ice water, or the like. Heretofore, the commonest handling technique has been to simply scoop the ice manually from an open storage bin. Not only is it somewhat inconvenient to obtain an accurately measured small quantity in this fashion; it is also quite likely to be a messy technique with considerable spillage. More important, the open storage bin and the manually handled scoop provide definite probabilities of contamination.

A general object of the invention is to provide new and improved particulate ice dispensing apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved particulate ice dispenser in combination with a water cooler or other liquid dispenser.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic storage and dispensing apparatus for particulate ice that will greatly facilitate the handling of such material in a sanitary manner. A more specific object is the provision of a completely sanitary particulate ice storage and dispensing apparatus in which the ice is formed, stored and delivered without contact with human hands or other possible sources of contamination. Another object is the provision of such apparatus in which there is little possibility of malfunction due to adhesion between ice particles. A further object is the provi sion of an ice storage and dispensing apparatus from which ice can be obtained in accurately controlled amounts.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foregoing and other related objects and advantages are attained in a dispensing cabinet having a liquid dispensing means and ice dispensing means mounted adjacent one another in a common dispensing cavity. Particulate ice is manufactured in the cabinet and delivered to and stored in a refrigerated rotatable chamber. The entire mass of stored ice is moved by rotating the chamber when dispensing is called for. The moving mass passes over a discharge opening in a stationary end plate having provision for assuring that ice particles will be sheared from the moving mass and not merely pass over the opening due to .adhesion Within the mass. After passing through the discharge opening, the ice particles are conveyed to and forced into an outlet channel which is small enough to afford accurate metering of the ice passing through it. Opening of the outlet is controlled simultaneously with actuation of the ice moving mechanism by a single control to properly coordinate the action of all parts of the apparatus. The ice dispensing means and the fluid dispensing means are provided with a common drainage system.

A more complete understanding of the invention itself and of other objects and features thereof can be obtained from the following description of an illustrative embodiment, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of dispensing apparatus embodying the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the ice storage and dispensing portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 55 in FIG. 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the .auger utilized in this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the general organization of parts in an apparatus embodying the invention is shown to comprise a cabinet 10 of stainless steel or the like, housing in its lower portion 12 suitable refrigerating mechanism of conventional design for supplying refrigerant to a particulate ice making mechanism of conventional design located in the upper part 14 of the cabinet 10. The refrigerant mechanism may also be used to cool a liquid, such as 'water, to be dispensed through liquid dispensing means 15 mounted in a dispensing cavity 16 above a drainboard 17. The ice dispensing means 18 is mounted in an insulated cavity 19 in the upper portion of the cabinet adjacent the ice making means. An ice dispensing chute or spout 20 extends downwardly into the dispensing cavity adjacent the liquid dispensing means 1 5. A sw-ingable door 21 may be provided for access to the ice apparatus. If delivery means 22 connect the ice making means and ice dispensing means 18. An ice storage means in the form of a rotatable cylinder 23 is provided to store a substantial mass of ice particles. The entire upper portion of the cabinet around the ice making means and the ice dispensing means is suitably insulated to maintain the stored ice in a refrigerated condition.

Beneath the ice storage means, drive means 24 are provided for actuating the moving parts of the dispenser as later described. An ice dispensing control handle 25 is positioned in the delivery compartment 16 in which any desired container can be placed to receive the dispensed ice particles.

It will be seen that the entire assembly as thus far described lends itself well to fabrication in a compact and efliciently useable package unit.

While the particular arrangement of parts just mentioned is not essential to advantageous use of certain features of the invention, their combination with storage and dispensing portions as described hereinafter provides a completely self-contained unit that will furnish ice conveniently and economically without ever exposing the product to any source of contamination. It will be understood that the ice making components per se are not a part of the invention and hence will not be described in detail. They may, for example, be of the type shown and described in Trow et al. Patent 2,753,694, dated July 10, 1956, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference as a part of the descriptive portion of this application.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the ice storage means 23 comprises a plurality of uniformly spaced

partitions

26, 27, 28 extending radially from a central elongated hub 29 to the inside wall of the cylinder and attached thereto by transverse flanges 30 extending opposite to the direction of rotation. These partitions or vanes support the cylinder on the hub and also serve to cause rotation of the entire stored ice mass and the cylinder 23 as hereinafter explained.

Preferably, the diameter of the cylinder 23 increases slightly from top to bottom. In any case, the top diameter should not be greater than the bottom, since a taper of this kind will tend to cause packing and adhesion between ice particles in the stored mass, interfering with proper downward flow of ice particles in the storage area during dispensing.

Furthermore, care should be taken to avoid having any irregularities or discontinuities on the inner surface of the cylinder 16, such as rivet heads or residual flash from welding. The reason for this is that particulate ice, although preferably dry and hard when formed, some-times leaves the machine with moist surfaces during abnormal ambient conditions or in case of maladjustment. Again, in some types of icemakers, the ice particles may carry entrapped water which will gradually work out and tend to make the mass wet and sticky. If this occurs, there is a tendency for the particles to adhere to any surface discontinuity as well as to each other. Particulate ice in this condition is quite likely to bridge across open areas, as between the walls and/ or partitions of the cylinder 23, and will not settle to the bottom readily even though there is a substantial mass of ice above the bridged section. By keeping the inner surfaces of the storage chamber uniformly smooth, the ice has no irregularity from which to start bridging and potential problems of this kind are substantially eliminated.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hub 29 fits over and is keyed as at 31 to a vertical shaft 32 which extends upwardy from the drive mechanism 24 suitably mounted beneath the cylinder. In effect, the cylinder floats on the shaft 32 and rotates therewith when the shaft is rotated.

Suitable bearing means 33 are provided for the shaft 32 and may be suitably mounted on bracket means 35. An electric motor 36 is provided to cause rotation of the shaft 32 through, for example, a worm 37 connected to the motor output shaft 38 and a worm gear 39 drivingly mounted on the lower end of the shaft 32. The worm and worm gear are preferably arranged to drive the shaft 32 at a relatively slow speed of, for example, approximately 6 rpm.

The lower open end of the cylinder 23 is located just above a stationary base plate 40, which cooperates with the cylinder to define the storage chamber for ice particles; the lower end of the cylinder 23 being spaced slightly from the plate 40 so as to be freely rotatable with respect thereto. The lower end of the cylinder nests within a narrow lip ring 41 at the periphery of the plate 40. The bottom of the vanes 26 and the plate 40 slope outwardly and downwardly from center to periphery (say, of the order of 15), so that any water draining off of the stored ice will flow along the plate to peripheral drain holes 42. A central hub 43 provides an opening for shaft 32.

The plate 40 is provided with a rectangular opening 44 (see FIG. 3) extending radially from a point adjacent to the central hub 43 to the rim 41. It is through this opening 44 that ice particles are discharged from the storage area to the dispensing section. This is accomplished by rotating the cylinder relative to the base pan 40 so that the ice mass also rotates relative to the pan. To insure that ice will be taken uniformly from the entire radial portion of the lower surface without developing voids or pockets in the mass, it is preferable to have the pan portion 45 which defines the far side of opening 44 (relative to oncoming ice) raised slightly with respect to the near edge 46 of the opening so that the far edge 45 will have a blade-like shearing action against the lowermost part of the oncoming ice mass. It has also been found preferable to eliminate the gap between the center hub 43 and the adjacent end of the discharge opening 44 by a deflector blade 48. This blade extends and exaggerates the shearing action of the edge 45 beyond the end of the opening 44, preventing the development of a tubular core of ice particles at the center of the moving ice mass.

To accomplish metering, ice discharged through the relatively large opening 44 is dispensed through a much smaller outlet. To accomplish this, a rotary shaft 50 is mounted beneath the opening 44 in a chamber 52 defined by a housing 54 depending from the base pan 40 around the opening 44. The shaft 50 carries a plurality of vanes or blades 56 spaced along its length and pitched with an appropriate attack angle for the selected direction of shaft rotation to urge ice particles from blade to blade toward the outlet end of the chamber 52 (preferably, at the periphery of the pan 40).

As shown in FIG. 6, the individual vanes 56 are spaced axially along the shaft 50 and are preferably of rectangular shape, having a slightly rounded outer end 57 to conform to the curvature of the bottom portion of the housing 54. At their inner or root end 58, the blades are relieved or reduced substantially in width, providing a. minimum of blade surface immediately adjacent to the shaft 50. The blades extend outwardly at three different positions around the shaft 50 spaced approximately 120 from one another. It has been found that this configuration reduces the tendency for ice particles to pack between the blades along the shaft.

At the outlet end of the chamber 52, the rectangular blades 56 are replaced by beater elements 60 of generally T-shape, to force ice particles into the outlet as hereinafter explained.

For ease in disassembly and cleaning, the collection chamber 52 may be closed at the outlet end by a removable plate 62 (FIG. 2), held in place by pivotally mounted latches 64 that engage pins 66 on the end plate 62. The shaft 50 is suitably journaled in suitable hearings in the opposite end walls of the housing 54.

At the outlet end of the chamber housing 54, there is provided a bottom opening 70 (say, of the order of 3 inches in diameter) through which ice particles can be discharged from the chamber 52 into an outlet tube 72. As best shown in FIG. 3, the beater elements 60 on the shaft 50 are disposed immediately above this outlet opening 70 so that ice particles carried to the outlet end of the chamber 52 by the blades 56 can be forced downwardly into the tube 72 by the heaters 60.

The lower end of the tube 72 is closed by a shutter assembly, generally designated 74 (FIG. 5), which is removably attached relative to the tube 72 by thumbscrews 76 or the like extending into a mounting flange 77. The shutter assembly includes a dish shaped stationary plate 78 having an outlet opening 80 communicating with dispensing spout 20 and normally closed by a shutter plate 82. The shutter plate 82 is pivotally attached to the plate 78 adjacent the opening 80 at 83 and is urged to the closing position over the opening 80 against a stop 84 by a spring 85. The shutter 82 is provided with a downward ly depending actuating handle 25 having a portion pivotally slidable along the periphery 87 of the plate 78. A switch actuator 88 which functions to energize the drive mechanism for the cylinder 23 and the conveyor shaft 50 is carried to operating position by the shutter during movement to uncover the opening 80. The actuator may, for example, comprise a magnet cooperable in the open position of the shutter with a so-called proximity magnetic reed switch 90 mounted on the flange 78 above the shutter assembly. A drain passage 91 is adapted to abut the end of the spout 72 and terminates in an arcuate opening 86 at one end.

Drive means for the auger comprise a suitable gear train 92 or the like connected to the motor 36 and being rotatable simultaneously with the shaft 32. For example, one gear 93 is shown drivingly connected to the end of shaft 50 and one gear 94 is mounted on the motor shaft. The gear arrangement is such as to cause rotation of the auger at a speed of, for example, 200 r.p.m. The illustrative drive means for the auger and the storage bin may be replaced by a gear box mounted below the drum connected by suitable shafting and pulleys to a motor in the refrigeration compartment 12.

Drain means are provided in the shutter plate by rim portions 96, 97 which extend rearwardly and terminate in a drain opening 98.

Thus, assuming that the storage section of the apparatus is kept filled with ice particles by the ice maker 14 (under control of a suitable level-sensing thermostat or the like not shown), by moving the control handle to open the shutter 82, the cylinder 23 will be set in rotation and, simultaneously, the blades 56 and beaters 60 will start rotating in the collection chamber 52. As previously described, suitable speeds for the cylinder 16 and the conveyor shaft 50 have been found to be six and two hundred revolutions per minute, respectively.

As the cylinder 23 rotates, the mass of ice particles resting on the base plate 40 will be carried around across the opening 44, and ice particles will drop or be sheared uniformly from the bottom of the mass into the collection chamber 52. In the chamber 52, rotation of the blades 56 will move the ice particles toward the discharge outlet 70, where the beaters 60 will ensure that the ice will move down into the tube 72 and not become packed into the discharge end of the housing 54. With a suitable container in position beneath the outlet pipe 20, the operator merely holds the shutter 82 open until the desired amount of ice has been dispensed. When the handle 86 is released, the outlet opening 80 will automatically be closed by the spring-biased shutter 82, and simultaneously, the cylinder and conveyor shaft drive mechanisms will be deenergized.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a storage and dispensing mechanism for particular ice that will furnish any desired quantity of ice in a simple and efficient manner, while meeting the most rigid standards for sanitation and ease of cleaning.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in a dispensing cabinet for dispensing particulate ice, a dispensing cavity, a drainboard provided at the bottom of said dispensing cavity, liquid dispensing means mounted in said cavity above said drainboard, particulate ice dispensing means mounted in said dispensing cavity above said drainboard, drainage means providing a drain passage between said ice dispensing means and said drainboard, rotatable ice storage means mounted above said ice dispensing means and having drain passages connected to said drainage means, and means for conveying particulate ice away from said ice storage means including auger means disposed adjacent said ice storage means and comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted spaced blade means.

2. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, means defining an upright, cylindrical storage compartment for ice particles, said means having in the bottom portion thereof an opening extending radially with respect to said cylindrical storage compartment, means for moving across said opening ice particles stored in said compartment whereby to discharge said particles downwardly through said opening, a housing beneath said opening defining a collecting chamber for said particles, said housing having an opening at one end thereof, conveyor means in said compartment comprising a rotatable shaft having blade elements thereon pitched to move ice particles toward said housing end opening upon rotation of said shaft, T-shaped beater elements mounted on said shaft adjacent said housing end opening and axially spaced from said blade elements for forcing ice particles to pass through said housing end opening upon rotation of said shaft, and drive means coupled to said shaft for rotating said shaft.

3. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, a cylindrical storage portion, a bottom closure for said storage portion having an opening that extends radially from the center to the periphery of said storage portion, means for rotating said storage portion relative to said bottom closure whereby to discharge stored ice particles through said opening, a housing defining a collecting chamber beneath said opening, said collecting chamber having at one end an out-let opening in the underside thereof, conveyor means in said chamber for movice particles toward said outlet opening and comprising shaft means having a plurality of axial spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon, said outlet opening being substantially smaller than said bottom closure, opening whereby to limit the amount of ice particles d-ischargeable per unit of time through said outlet opening to a small percentage of the quantity of ice dis. chargeable through said bottom closure opening in the same unit of time.

4. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, an open-ended cylinder mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, said cylinder having a smaller diameter at the top than at the bottom, a stationary conical plate closing the lower end of said cylinder and having a lip ring enclosing the lowermost wall portion of said cylinder, said plate having an opening therein extending from the center to the periphery of said cylinder, a vertical supporting shaft for said cylinder extending upwardly through the center of said plate, a hub keyed to said shaft, and radial partitions joining the walls of said cylinder to said hub, the portions of said plate which define the radial edges of said opening being vertically offset relative to each other whereby to present a raised, shearing surface to a mass of ice particles moving across said opening upon rotation of said cylinder relative to said plate.

5. A storage and dispensing apparatus for particulate ice comprising an open-ended upright cylinder, a plate closing the lower end of said cylinder and defining therewith an ice storage chamber, said plate having a substantially rectangular opening therein extending radially from the center to the periphery of said plate and providing an outlet from said chamber through which to discharge ice particles upon rotation of said cylinder relative to said plate, the portions of said plate that define the radial edges of said opening being vertically offset relative to each other whereby to present a shearing surface to the rotating ice mass in said chamber as the latter passes beyond the opening, a housing beneath said opening defining a collecting chamber for ice discharged through said opening, said housing having at one end a delivery outlet through which to dispense ice, and conveying means in said housing comprising shaft means having a plurality of axially spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon.

6. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, an open-ended cylinder, a fixedly mounted plate closing one end of said cylinder to define therewith an ice particle storage chamber, said plate having an opening extending radially with respect to said chamber, a housing on the opposite side of said plate from said cylinder defining an ice particle collecting compartment communieating with said chamber through said opening, said cylinder being rotatable relative to said plate, and means for conveying particulate ice away from chamber including auger means disposed adjacent said chamber and comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted spaced blade means.

7. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, an open-ended cylinder, a fixedly mounted plate closing one end of said cylinder to define therewith an ice particle storage chamber, said plate having an open ing extending radially with respect to said chamber, a housing on the opposite side of said plate from said cylinder defining an ice particle collecting compartment communicating with said chamber through said opening, said cylinder being rotatable with respect to said plate, said housing having an outlet opening in one wall thereof, and means in said compartment for moving ice particles toward said outlet opening and comprising shaft means having a plurality of spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon.

8. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice, an open-ended cylinder having one end lower than the other, a plate closing the lower end of said cylinder to define therewith an ice particle storage chamber, said plate having an opening extending from the center to the periphery of said cylinder, a housing beneath said opening defining an ice particle collecting compartment, said housing having an outlet opening therein, means in said compartment for moving ice particles toward said outlet opening and comprising shaft means having a plurality of spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon, and drive means coupled to said cylinder and to said ice particle moving means to rotate said cylinder relative to said plate and simultaneously actuate said ice particle moving means.

9. In an ice machine, in combination, an open-ended cylinder, a plate closing one end of said cylinder to define therewith an ice particle storage chamber, said plate having an opening extending radially with respect to said cylinder, a housing on the opposite side of said plate from said cylinder defining an ice particle collecting compartment communicating with said chamber through said opening, said cylinder and said plate being rotatable relative to each other, said housing having an outlet opening in one end thereof, means in said compartment for moving ice particles toward said outlet opening and comprising shaft means having a plurality of spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon, and drive means coupled to said cylinder and to said ice particle moving means to simultaneously rotate said cylinder and actuate said ice particle moving means.

10. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing a particulate material, a cylindrical storage compartment, means within said compartment for effecting rotational movement of the material within said compartment, a discharge opening in the lower end of said compartment, a housing beneath said opening defining a collecting chamber for the particulate material, and conveyor means within said housing for effecting rectilinear movement of the material within said collecting chamber, said conveyor means comprising shaft means having a plurality of axially spaced outwardly projecting blade means mounted thereon.

11. The invention as set forth in claim wherein said means for effecting rectilinear movement of the particulate material within said collecting chamber comprises a rotatable shaft, said shaft having a plurality of blade elements mounted thereon and pitched so as to move the particulate material along a path parallel to said shaft,

said shaft further having means mounted thereon for preventing the particulate material from becoming compacted within said collecting chamber.

12. The invention as set forth in claim 11 which includes common drive means for effecting rotational movement of said shaft and said means for effecting rotational movement of the particulate material within said compartment.

13. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing a particulate material, a cylindrical particulate material storage compartment, a particulate material discharge opening formed in the lower end of said compartment, one side of said opening being vertically offset relative to the opposite side of said opening whereby to provide a shearing edge for the particulate material within said compartment, means for effecting rotational movement of the particulate material within said compartment including a cylinder mounted coaxially of said compartment, a drive shaft extending axially within said compartment, and partition means extending radially between said drive shaft and said cylinder, said cylinder and said partition means being rotatable upon rotation of said drive shaft to bias the particulate material within said compartment across said opening.

14. The invention as set forth in claim 13 which includes means mounted below said opening for effecting rectilinear movement of the particulate material discharged through said opening.

15. The invention as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means for effecting rectilinear movement of the particulate material comprises a rotatably mounted conveyor comprising a central shaft portion and a plurality of radially outwardly extending and circumferenti-ally spaced blade elements pitched so as to move the particulate material along a path parallel to said shaft portion.

16. The invention as set forth in claim 15 which includes drive means for concurrently rotating said conveyor means and said drive shaft.

17. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing a particulate material, a cylindrical storage compartment, means within said compartment for effecting rotational movement of the material within said compartment and comprising a cylinder rotatably mounted coaxially of said compartment, a drive shaft extending axially within said cylinder, partition means extending radially between said drive shaft and said cylinder, a discharge opening in the lower end of said compartment, a housing beneath said opening defining a collecting chamber for the particulate material, and conveyor means within said housing for effecting rectilinear movement of said material within said collecting chamber.

18. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice and comprising an ice storage compartment, an ice collecting chamber, and a discharge opening in the storage compartment for communicating ice to the collecting chamber from the storage compartment, the improvement comprising means for transferring particulate ice from the ice storage compartment to the discharge opening, said means comprising an enclosure rotatably mounted within the ice storage compartment, shaft means rotatably mounted within the ice storage compartment, drive means for rotating said shaft means, and partition means extending between said shaft means and said enclosure for rotating of said enclosure upon rotation of said shaft means, whereby particulate ice disposed within the storage compartment will be moved toward the discharge opening by said partition means.

19. The invention as set forth in claim 18 wherein said shaft means is arranged coaxially of said cylinder means.

20. The invention as set forth in claim 18 wherein said collecting chamber is arranged below said discharge opening and whereby the particulate ice will 'be conveyed thereto under the influence of gravity as the ice is moved therefrom by said partition means.

21. In an apparatus for storing and dispensing particulate ice and comprising an ice storage compartment, an ice collecting chamber, a discharge opening in the storage compartment for communicating ice to the collecting chamber from the storage compartment, and an outlet opening in the collecting chamber for dispensing particulate ice therefrom, the improvement comprising first means for transferring particulate ice from the ice storage compartment to the discharge opening, said first means comprising a cylindrical enclosure rotatably mounted within the ice storage compartment, shaft means extending coaxially of said enclosure, drive means for rotating said shaft means, partition means extending radially between said shaft means and said enclosure for rotating said enclosure upon rotation of said shaft means, whereby particulate ice disposed within the storage compartment will be moved toward the discharge opening by said partition means; and second means for conveying particulate ice within the collecting chamber toward the outlet opening,

said second means comprising shaft means rotatably mounted within the collecting chamber and having a plurality of axially spaced and outwardly extending blade elements mounted thereon, said blade elements being pitched toward the outlet opening whereby rotation of said shaft means will impart rectilinear movement of the particulate ice within the collecting chamber toward the outlet opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 286,361 10/1883 Wistance 222168 2,016,167 10/1935 Carlson 222168X Hessert 222-162 X Smith 222-168 Topping.

Gross 222-168 Waller 222--274 X Hill 222245 Zimmerman 222-146 X EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

l0 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, ROBERT B. REEVES,

Examiners.

F. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION IN A DISPENSING CABINET FOR DISPENING PARTICULATE ICE, A DISPENSING CAVITY, A DRAINBOARD PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID DISPENSING CAVITY, LIQUID DISPENSING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID CAVITY ABOVE SAID DRAINBOARD, PARTICULATE ICE DISPENSING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID DISPENSING CAVITY ABOVE SAID DRAINBOARD, DRAINAGE MEANS PROVIDING A DRAIN PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID ICE DISPENSING MEANS AND SAID DRAINBOARD, ROTATABLE ICE STORAGE MEANS MOUNTED ABOVE SAID ICE DISPENSING MEANS AND HAVING DRAIN PASSAGES CONNECTED TO SAID DRAINAGE MEANS, AND MEANS FOR CONVEYING PARTICULATE ICE AWAY FROM SAID ICE STORAGE MEANS INCLUDING AUGER MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ICE STORAGE MEANS AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLY MOUNTED SPACED BLADE MEANS.