US3449921A - Ice cube producer - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1969 M. F. CONNORS ICE CUBE PRODUCER Filed Feb. 12, 1968 United States Patent 0.

3,449,921 ICE CUBE PRODUCER Myles F. Connors, Mattituck, N.Y. Crane Road, Huntington, N.Y. 11743) Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 709,163 Int. Cl. F25c 5/06, 1/10 US. Cl. 62-137 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An object of this invention is the inexpensive production of ice cubes.

Another object is the production of ice cubes in a portable producer.

Still another object is the use of a pliable plastic film to produce self-forming cells for reservoirs of water.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable version of the ice producer.

FIG. 2 is a section view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 and showing in simplified form the arrangement of the refrigerant coils and in outline the location of the swingable frame in the process of discharging a load of ice cubes therefrom.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing the pliable film disposed about the refrigerant coils to effect contact therewith and to produce water receiving cells.

FIG. 4 shows a modified mold form refrigerant unit for use in said frame.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the frame and showing the manner of arresting the rotary motion thereof and showing the use of an insulator cover plate.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the frame of FIG. 2 showing the manner of securing the film of pliable plastic to the frame.

This invention of a swingable ice producing frame having a pliable plastic film secured thereto may be used in large refrigerators of the stationary type as well as in portable units.

Where the unit is automated as by electricity, the ice producing may be programed or the unit may be provided with suitable sensing devices to effect smooth operation and to terminate the ice making process when the ice cube container is full.

Turning to the drawing, a heat insulated cabinet 10, preferably molded from suitable foam plastic material, is provided with a domed interior cavity having a ceiling 11, a lateral partition 12 and a vertical substantially centrally disposed wall 13.

Walls 12 and 13 along with side wall 14 and base 15 form a cavity in which a conventional refrigeration unit 16 is firmly implanted. Adjacent to wall 13 is an ice container 17 slidably mounted on a pair of slide rails 18.

The cabinet is provided with a water container 19 of suitable curved configuration embedded securely in the top wall of the cabinet by use of a load bearing wall 20. A vented screw cap 21X is supplied to tank 19 and a handle 22X provides portability.

An important feature of this invention is the provision 3,449,921 Patented June 17, 1969 of a novel means and method of freezing water into ice cubes and then removing the ice cubes in a simple manner.

According to this invention, use is made of pliable plastic film to produce self-conforming water receiving cells or 1reservoirs disposed between spaced apart refrigeration cor s.

As shown in the drawing, a pliable plastic film 21, preferably having a suitable impressed cavity therein, is secured, for example, by rivets 22 to a rectangular metal frame 23. A pair of spaced-apart metal arms 24 engage said frame at one end and are each curved at the other end to seizingly engage an axle 25.

When the film 21 is disposed upon a plurality of parallel spaced-apart coils 26, it tends to fall between the coils. This tendency under the influence of added water weight forms the cells full with water. The top of the frame may be provided with an insulating plastic cover, if desired.

The water is introduced from tank 19 into the cavity of film 21 on coils 26 by a water tube 27 secured to the bottom of the tank. A regulatory valve 28 is disposed in the water tube 27. Where an insulating cover 29 is used, the cover is provided with aperture 29X to receive the water from tube 27. The cover 29 is hingedly secured to the front edge of the frame by means of a hinge 30. The use of a cover hastens freezing of the water in the cells.

The ice maker of this invention may be manually operated so that after the ice cubes 31 are formed the frame 23 is rotated on axle 25 rapidly to bring the front edge 32 of the frame in sudden contact with the arresting ledge 33 of the cabinet 10. This engagement of a rapidly swinging frame with the stationary prelocated ledge 33 of the cabinet does not prevent further travel of the plastic film and its content of ice cubes. The final result is that the film cavity is turned inside out and the ice cubes continue their trajectory motion away from the non-adherent film and into the ice container 17.

Where the device is electrically motivated, the motor 25X is attached to the axle 25 and a plurality of microswitches are attached to sensing devices. Thus a microswitch 34 may be used to turn off the motor when then container 17 is full of ice. Another switch 35 may be connected to valve 28 to turn off the water when float spring contact 36 actauates switch 35 upon filling up of the cells in the film cavity.

To obtain greater refrigeration surface, the coils 26 may be encased in a tubular sheet metal mold 37 slidably mounted on the coils. The base 38 of the mold 37 engages the lower sections 39 of the coils whereas the apices of the mold engages the top sections 40 of the coils, to give maximum contact area for heat transfer.

I claim:

1. In an ice cube making device having a conventional refrigeration apparatus having refrigeration coils and a water tank, the improvement comprising: an apertured frame; an axle secured to one side of said frame and adapted to rotationally swing said frame through a predetermined arc; a pliable plastic, cavity-forming film disposed within said aperture and secured thereto about the edges thereof, said film engaging said coils in cavity forming relationship during ice formation; means for introducing water to the cavities of said film disposed upon said coils, said coils consisting of a plurality of spacedapart parallel disposed coils; a cabinet having an arched cavity therein adapted to receive said frame swung through said predetermined arc of rotation, said cabinet having an abutment adapted to engage said swung frame whereby said pliable film in said frame is turned insideout by the continuing momentum of ice cubes to separate said cubes from said film.

2. The device of claim 1 comprising an open top container slidably disposed within said cabinet adjacent said abutment and adapted to receive said ice cubes centrifugally separated from said film.

3. The device of claim 2 comprising a tubular longitudinal sheet metal mold having a flat base and a top coil engaging configuration, said mold adapted to engage the top and bottom portions of a plurality of parallel spaced-apart pairs of refrigerating coils whereby pliable film disposed on the configurations of said mold effects complete area contact therewith.

4. The device of claim 2 having electrical means for automatic ice cube making, comprising an electrical motor secured to said axle; weight sensing microswitches adapted for electrical actuation upon water filling of the cavity of said film on said frame and upon filling of said container with ice cubes; and electrical means for operation of a valve in the water line from said tank to said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,586,588 2/1952 Weseman et al. 62-344 X 2,846,855 8/1958 Frei 62353 X 2,969,654 1/1961 Harle 62-353 X 3,048,986 8/1962 Archer 62--345 3,254,505 6/1966 De Turk 62-353 WILLIAM E. WAYNER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 62-72

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