US3557975A - Pusher assembly for freezers - Google Patents

Pusher assembly for freezers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3557975A
US3557975A US806982A US3557975DA US3557975A US 3557975 A US3557975 A US 3557975A US 806982 A US806982 A US 806982A US 3557975D A US3557975D A US 3557975DA US 3557975 A US3557975 A US 3557975A
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United States
Prior art keywords
freezer
boxes
pusher
drive rods
bar
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Expired - Lifetime
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US806982A
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English (en)
Inventor
Pasquale Amerio
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ST Regis Paper Co
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ST Regis Paper Co
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D25/00—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled
    • F25D25/04—Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled by conveyors

Definitions

  • Kopecky ABSTRACT In a freezer having contact freezer plates which are vertically movable into register with a front charging opening, a pusher assembly for intermittently feeding a single row of boxes from a conveyor through said opening and for alternatively removing all the boxes from each plate through a discharge opening, for example, when the freezer is to be defrosted said assembly including a pusher bar movable generally in the plane of said charging opening, a plurality of drive rods for advancing the pusher bar, trackways extending forwardly from the front of the freezer supporting said rods for sliding movement and a pusher frame secured at the forward ends of said drive rods.
  • PUSIIER ASSEMBLY FOR FREEZERS This invention relates to the freezing of foods and relates more particularly to means for freezing boxes of unfrozen food in an automatic freezing system.
  • a unique feature of this assembly is that it provides for continuous operation, filling all the plates with boxes and at the end of the freezing cycle the boxes are pushed out through a discharge opening on the opposite side of the freezer as rows of unfrozen boxes are successively pushed in by the pusher assembly.
  • the principal object of the present invention is to provide a pusher assembly which, while different in structure from that shown in my U. S. Pat. No. 2,812,050, will perform the first function of that apparatus, namely, pushing one row of boxes onto the plate at a time.
  • the pusher of the present invention will also clear the plate, at one stroke, of all the boxes, just prior to the defrosting operation.
  • the mechanism includes a pair of drive rods with the pusher assembly mounted on the forward ends of the rods.
  • the rods are suitably mounted for sliding movement in trackways which extend horizontally from the front face of the freezer at the charging opening.
  • a rack, driven by a gear, is carried by each rod and, if the installation is in an area where space is plentiful, the rods and trackways extend straight out a distance in excess of the width of the contact freezer plates. In almost all instances, however, space in freezer plants is scarce and the trackways are curved upwardly at a point inches or so from the freezer.
  • the rods are, therefore, made in hinged sections and links of a conventional drive chain secured thereto with about twelve links to each section.
  • Hydraulic cylinders and pistons can be employed to drive the rods, but I prefer to use hydraulic motors to drive sprocket gears which engage the chain links. Substantially, the same automatic control mechanism as that shown in my U. S. Pat No. 2,812,050 can be used, and, when the plates are to be cleared, the drive rods can be switched to manual control.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a continuous automatic freezer equipped with the pusher assembly of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof and showing the front and rear endless feed conveyor in section;
  • FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a broken section showing a side elevation of one of the pusher arms
  • FIG. Si is a section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 4 but showing the position of the parts when the pusher has moved well into the interior of the empty space between two freezer plates;
  • FIG. 7 is a section showing the details of a-modified pusher
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the modified pusher raising mechanism to enable the pusher bar to clear the oncoming boxes on the return stroke.
  • the freezer housing is shown at 10 supported by a suitable frame structure 11, supporting the front and rear walls 14.
  • a control panel 15 is mounted on the front wall and this wall also has an elongated rectangular charging opening 16 while the rear wall has a similar discharge opening 18.
  • the rows of boxes 20 are fed to a rectangular contact freezer plate 19 which is one of a plurality of such plates in a bank of plates suitably supported in a cradle (not shown) which intermittently moves vertically by increments, during charging, until all the plates in the freezer are filled.
  • the plate 19 to which the boxes are fed, and the plate immediately above the plate 19 defines a charging space and during freezing both of these plates engage the boxes.
  • the boxes are fed to opening 16 by means of an endless conveyor belt 21 supported between two rolls 22 and 24, the latter of which has a pulley 26 driven by a belt 28 from another pulley connected to the shaft of a motor 29.
  • the upper course of conveyor belt 21 is supported by a platen 30 mounted on fixed sidewalls 31 and 32, the latter supporting a flange 34 which iscoplanar with the belt 21 and one of the freezer plates 19.
  • This flange may be a separately formed member, as shown in FIG. 2, or may be formed integrally with the inner sidewall 32 as shown at 34' in FIG. 4.
  • the lower course 35 of the belt 2! travels along a lower wall 36 of the boxlike conveyor support 30-3132. This support is mounted on the front of the freezer housing by brackets 39.
  • a similar conveyor assembly is positioned at the rear of the freezer.
  • the pusher assembly includes a frame 40 mounted at the forward ends of a pair of drive rods 41.
  • the frame 40 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 as an angle bar, and the pusher bar is formed like a piano hinge with a first fixed horizontal section 42 secured on the upper horizontal part of the angle bar 40 and a second hinged section 44 which normally is in a vertical position and supports the pusher bar 46 on its front face.
  • This pusher bar contacts the boxes 20 as they are pushed into the freezer.
  • a hinge pin 47 is shown between the two sections 42 and 44 of the pusher bar is shown at 47.
  • the vertical section 48 of the frame or angle bar 40 limits rearward pivotal movement of the second hinge section 44.
  • the drive rods 41 move horizontally from the front towards the rear of the freezer and, if there were an empty space in front of the freezer equal to the width of the freezer plate (usually about 72 inches), these driven rods could be supported in straight horizontal tracks. Space, however, is almost always in short supply in freezer plants and for this reason the drive rods are formed in articulated sections 49 having hinged connections at 50 and having square end faces 51 which are vertical when the rod sections are horizontal.
  • Each rod section of the pusher assembly is mounted for sliding movement in a track structure having a lower horizontal terminal section 52 mounted as by welding at the lower end of a square tube 54 on the front wall of the freezer housing.
  • the track structure has an upwardly extending vertical section 56 joined to the horizontal track section 52 by a curved section 58.
  • Square tubes 54 support a substantial portion of the weight of the entire pusher assembly and they can be moved up or down to an adjusted position and secured there by means of threaded adjusting screws 60 passing through slots 61 (FIG. 1) in the tubes.
  • the two tubular supports 54 for the lower end of the pusher assembly are maintained in spaced relation from each other by a cross piece 64 (FIG. 4).
  • the angle bar or frame 40 supporting the pusher bar has its vertical part 48 cut away at 66 (FIG. at each end and a short plate 68 is secured to the end of the horizontal section of the angle bar 40 by a bolt 70.
  • a block or shim 71 is positioned between plate 68 and track 52 and the three members are welded together.
  • the track structure is reinforced by a square tubular member 72 and friction between the drive rod 41 and the track 52 is reduced by synthetic plastic liners 74, 75 and 76 made of nylon, Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) or other plastic material.
  • Liner 75 is positioned between the side of the rod 41 and the inner wall 78 of square tube 72 while liner 76 is between the other side of the rod and block or shim 71. This liner 76 may extend rearwardly along angle bar 80 (FIG. 3).
  • the drive rods are guided by a flange or angle bar 80.
  • Driving of the drive rod 41 is effected by a rack secured thereto and conveniently formed by drive chain links 82 (FIG. 4) welded thereto.
  • a drive shaft 84 is journaled in pillow blocks 86 (FIG. 4) secured to tubes 72 and keyed to this shaft are two sprocket gears 88.
  • a hydraulic motor 90 (FIG. 2) is supported on a base 91 secured to square tube 72 (FIG. 3) and the motor shaft is connected with drive shaft 84 by a coupling 92.
  • This motor 90 drives shaft 84 and the sprocket gears 88 that are keyed thereto.
  • a hydraulic motor for this purpose is preferred to an electric one because of the frequent reversals of direction that are required.
  • Tubular connections 93 and 941 to the motor 90 lead to a suitable source of fluid under pressure with controls for rotating the drive sprocket gears 88 a sufficient distance in one direction to move the row of boxes into the freezer, i.e., the distance from A to B as represented in FIG. 2. It is then driven in the other direction to return the pusher bar to its original starting position.
  • the present pusher operates more effectively with a hydraulic motor, however, but the piston controls can be the same.
  • the freezer is empty, I start the loading by employing the system disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,842,253.
  • the tops of the incoming boxes are engaged by a soft friction wheel 108 (FIGS. and 11) which rotates at a faster rate than the motor 106 is geared to turn it with an overrunning clutch 107 between the friction wheel 108 and the drive shaft.
  • a soft friction wheel 108 FIG. and 11
  • the motor supported on a pivoted bracket is upset and closes a switch which starts the pusher. That system thus operates much like the present system, filling each contact freezer plate successively.
  • the automatic controls may be cut out and be replaced by manual control.
  • This operation simply involves continuing movement of the drive rods 41 and pusher bar clear across the plate to position C in FIG. 2.
  • the square ends 51 of the rod sections 49 prevent the sections from buckling.
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 a modified hinged pusher bar which is driven by power means both for raising and lowering the same to vertical pushing position.
  • An angle bar again forms a frame at the forward ends of the articulated pusher rods 49.
  • the horizontal part 96 of this bar is mounted on a base 98 secured to a bracket 99 secured by bolts to the forward end of the drive rods.
  • One part 100 of a two-part hinge is secured to the upper face of angle bar 96 and the other part 101, which is pivoted to the first part at 102, is normally vertical and is secured to brackets 106 which support pusher bar 107.
  • a hydraulic cylinder 108 with an internal piston (not shown) and a piston rod 109 is connected with the upper end of each bracket 106 by a link 110 pivoted at each end. Fluid under pressure is supplied to opposite ends of the cylinder by conduits 112 and 113.
  • a solenoid valve such as is shown at 72 in FIG. 7 of US. Pat No. 2,8 I 2,050 may be used to control the up and down movement of the hinged pusher bar.
  • a pusher assembly for intermittently feeding a single row of boxes from a conveyor through a front charging opening in a freezer having contact freezer plates which are vertically movable into register with said opening, and for alternatively removing all the boxes from each plate through a discharge opening, said pusher assembly including a pusher bar movable generally in the plane of said charging opening, a plurality of drive rods for advancing the pusher bar, trackways extending forwardly from the front of the freezer supporting said rods for sliding movement, a frame secured at the forward ends of said drive rods, a pivotal connection between the pusher bar and the frame to permit the bar to raise over the oncoming boxes on the conveyor after a first row has been pushed into the freezer, a motor for advancing and retracting the drive rods to successively feed said rows into the freezer, and means for moving the pusher assembly clear across the plate to remove all boxes therefrom in one stroke.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
  • Special Conveying (AREA)
  • Intermediate Stations On Conveyors (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
  • Pusher Or Impeller Conveyors (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
US806982A 1969-03-13 1969-03-13 Pusher assembly for freezers Expired - Lifetime US3557975A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US80698269A 1969-03-13 1969-03-13

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US3557975A true US3557975A (en) 1971-01-26

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US806982A Expired - Lifetime US3557975A (en) 1969-03-13 1969-03-13 Pusher assembly for freezers

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US (1) US3557975A (xx)
DE (1) DE2012615C3 (xx)
ES (1) ES377434A1 (xx)
FR (1) FR2034900B1 (xx)
GB (1) GB1259073A (xx)
NL (1) NL163866C (xx)
NO (1) NO132584C (xx)
SE (1) SE359911B (xx)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3719291A (en) * 1971-07-28 1973-03-06 Simmonds Precision Products Diffusion furnace loader
US4178773A (en) * 1978-03-24 1979-12-18 Crepaco, Inc. Material handling system
WO1989003965A1 (en) * 1987-10-30 1989-05-05 Brødrene Gram A/S Freezing plant
US5035120A (en) * 1989-05-22 1991-07-30 Pierre Guerin S.A. Freezer
US5042633A (en) * 1989-02-04 1991-08-27 Erwin Jenkner Roller bearing device for workpiece transfer platforms
US5073081A (en) * 1989-08-14 1991-12-17 Johnson Nolton C Automatic self-contained stacking machine
US5131241A (en) * 1990-04-19 1992-07-21 Stal Samifi S.P.A. Method for freezing food products in containers, and an automatic plate freezer for implementing the method
AU740983B2 (en) * 1997-07-16 2001-11-22 Gordon Brothers Industries Pty Ltd Automatic plate freezer
US20110138840A1 (en) * 2008-08-22 2011-06-16 Simon Staughton Automated unloading bare block plate freezer system

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2461905A1 (fr) * 1979-07-23 1981-02-06 Samifi Babcock Samifi Internal Dispositif pour l'introduction et l'avancement des produits sur les plaques, dans un congelateur a plaques horizontales
FR2647195B1 (fr) * 1989-05-22 1994-06-03 Guerin Sa Pierre Dispositif de chargement et de dechargement pour surgelateur a plaques

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB210240A (en) * 1922-12-11 1924-01-31 Ride & Bell Ltd Improvements in or relating to means for discharging coke from gas works retorts
US2697920A (en) * 1951-05-10 1954-12-28 Gen Foods Corp Food freezing apparatus
US2823811A (en) * 1955-06-29 1958-02-18 Capitol Prod Corp Proofer
US3141560A (en) * 1960-09-17 1964-07-21 Leybold Anlagen Holding A G Loading device
US3499555A (en) * 1967-04-19 1970-03-10 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Apparatus for transporting and storing cigarette packs or the like

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2461375A (en) * 1947-04-04 1949-02-08 Eftihios Kosmas Food refrigerating apparatus
US2808921A (en) * 1954-06-09 1957-10-08 Frank W Knowles Package feeder
US2812050A (en) * 1956-07-24 1957-11-05 Amerio Refrigerating Equipment Automatic pusher assembly
US2882697A (en) * 1956-07-27 1959-04-21 Amerio Refrigerating Equipment Automatic plate freezer for continuous freezing of food products
US3271973A (en) * 1964-09-18 1966-09-13 Amerio Refrigerating Equipment Automatic contact plate freezers

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB210240A (en) * 1922-12-11 1924-01-31 Ride & Bell Ltd Improvements in or relating to means for discharging coke from gas works retorts
US2697920A (en) * 1951-05-10 1954-12-28 Gen Foods Corp Food freezing apparatus
US2823811A (en) * 1955-06-29 1958-02-18 Capitol Prod Corp Proofer
US3141560A (en) * 1960-09-17 1964-07-21 Leybold Anlagen Holding A G Loading device
US3499555A (en) * 1967-04-19 1970-03-10 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Apparatus for transporting and storing cigarette packs or the like

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3719291A (en) * 1971-07-28 1973-03-06 Simmonds Precision Products Diffusion furnace loader
US4178773A (en) * 1978-03-24 1979-12-18 Crepaco, Inc. Material handling system
WO1989003965A1 (en) * 1987-10-30 1989-05-05 Brødrene Gram A/S Freezing plant
GB2229805A (en) * 1987-10-30 1990-10-03 Gram Brdr As Freezing plant
GB2229805B (en) * 1987-10-30 1991-11-27 Gram Brdr As Freezing plant
US5042633A (en) * 1989-02-04 1991-08-27 Erwin Jenkner Roller bearing device for workpiece transfer platforms
US5035120A (en) * 1989-05-22 1991-07-30 Pierre Guerin S.A. Freezer
US5073081A (en) * 1989-08-14 1991-12-17 Johnson Nolton C Automatic self-contained stacking machine
US5131241A (en) * 1990-04-19 1992-07-21 Stal Samifi S.P.A. Method for freezing food products in containers, and an automatic plate freezer for implementing the method
AU740983B2 (en) * 1997-07-16 2001-11-22 Gordon Brothers Industries Pty Ltd Automatic plate freezer
US20110138840A1 (en) * 2008-08-22 2011-06-16 Simon Staughton Automated unloading bare block plate freezer system
US9074813B2 (en) * 2008-08-22 2015-07-07 Simon Staughton Automated unloading bare block plate freezer system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES377434A1 (es) 1973-02-01
NO132584C (xx) 1975-12-03
FR2034900B1 (xx) 1973-10-19
NL163866B (nl) 1980-05-16
NL163866C (nl) 1980-10-15
DE2012615B2 (de) 1980-09-11
SE359911B (xx) 1973-09-10
FR2034900A1 (xx) 1970-12-18
NL7003533A (xx) 1970-09-15
GB1259073A (xx) 1972-01-05
NO132584B (xx) 1975-08-25
DE2012615A1 (de) 1970-09-24
DE2012615C3 (de) 1981-04-30

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