US2775096A - Ice cube makers - Google Patents

Description

C. M. ASHLEY ICE CUBE MAKERS Dec. 25, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July l. 1950l INVENToR. BY W f/ FIC-).3

C. M. ASHLEY ICE CUBE MAKERS Dec. 25, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l 1950 JNVENTQR. BY M77' FIG.6

Dec. 25, 1956 C. M. ASHLEY ICE CUBE MAKERS Filed July l 1950 68 F l G .7

69 sok 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY Z

`and means to harvest the formed pieces of ice.

ICE CUBE MAKERS Carlyle M. Ashley, Fayetteville, N. Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1950, Serial No. 171,621

15 Claims. (Cl. 62-4) This invention relates to devices for forming small pieces of ice and more particularly to `a device for forming ice cubes for use in restaurants, bars, hotels or similar places in which a large quantity of small pieces of ice is consumed within a short period of time. The term cube is employed herein to dene a small piece of ice of any desired geometrical configuration and is not limited to a piece of ice of specific geometrical contour.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an ice cube maker in which the ice forming elements are designed to form separate pieces of ice of` predetermined size and geometrical contour.

. matically melted from the walls of the tubes and transferred to a storage chamber.

A further object is to provide an ice cube maker dapted to form transparent, separate pieces of ice in vertically extending tubes from a stream of water ilow ing through the tubes and including mechanism for` rendering the machine wholly automatic in operation whereby the ice forming and harvesting operations are conducted cyclically until a desired quantity of ice is formed and then the operation of the machine is discontinued, operation commencing again automatically when a predetermined portion of the formed pieces is consumed.

A still further object is to provide a piece of ice so formed as to increase greatly the area thereof adapted to be placed in heat exchange relation with a liquid to be cooled thereby decreasing the time required to cool the liquid. Other objects of my invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to an ice cube maker comprising,

in combination, at least one hollow ice forming element,`

a plurality of bands having a heat conductive value greater than the element placed in spaced relation to each other and in contact with the exterior of the element, means to direct a stream of water through the hollow element in contact with the interior wall of the element, a refrigeration system including an evaporator placed in heat exchange relation with the bands to form spaced pieces of ice within the interior of the element,

Automatic control mechanism is provided to regulate the ice forming and harvesting operations as well as to discontinue and resume operation of the machine upon the i `formation of a desired quantity of ice and its consumption. i

This invention further relates to a piece of ice having a predetermined exterior contour and having an opening `ice piece of a `liquid to be cooled, theinteriorwall of the"ice piece surrounding the openingbeing so formed s United StatesI Patent O ice as to provide an hour glass conguration to the opening.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which Figure 1 is a front view partly in elevation and partly in section of the device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View, the casing being removed, of the device shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation, the casing being removed, of one side of the device;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation, the casing being removed, of the opposite side of the device;

Figure 5 is an isometric View of the ice forming element assembly;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of one ice forming element, showing the construction thereof;

Figure 7 is .a diagrammatic view of the refrigeration circuit;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the water circu1t;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit for the controls; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view of an ice cube formed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is disclosed the ice cube maker of the present invention which includes a machine compartment 2 and an insulated ice storage compartment or bunker 3 placed below the machine compartment. Preferably, these compartments are formed as separate elements, being attached to Ione another when the ice cube maker is Iassembled at. the place of use in order that the machine compartment may be utilized with bunkers of dilerent capacity. It will lbe understood, of course, that the machine may be formed as a single unit if desired although suc-h practice is not as satisfactory commercially.

Machine compartment 2 includes standards 4 and braces 5 forming supporting framework. Decorated removable met-al sheets 6 are attached to the frame to form the walls of the machine compartment. If desired, compartment `2 may be insulated to prevent condensation on the surfaces of sheets 6. Storage compartment 3 is provided with an yopening 7 through which ice enters the storage compartment 3 after its formation in machine compartment 2. Slidable lids 8 are provided to permit easy access to and removal of ice from compartment 3 for use.

The machine elements are placed and supported in compartment 2. Such elements include the ice forming members, the refrigerating and harvesting system, the water supply system, the controls and electrical circuit connecting the controls.

The 4ice forming member 9 includes a plurality of vertically extending tubes 10 formed of stainless steel or other low conductivity material, the tubes 10 having a plurality of copper bands or rings 11 placed about the exterior thereof, the bands 11 being spaced from one another longitudinally of the tube. The copper bands may be preformed and secured to the tubes by a friction tit or if desired molten copper may be sprayed on the tubes to form the bands. The tubes 10 are assembled in two parallel rows and an yoverllow trough 12 is placed between the parallel rows for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Each tube 10 is formed from a single sheet of metal in such manner that its side walls 13 incline downward and outward substantially uniformly throughout the length of the tube so that the opening 14 in the bottom of the tube is greater in area than the opening 15 in the top of the tube. Two adjacent side walls as shown in Figure 6 have tlanges 16 and 17 extending outwardly therefrom, the anges 16 and 17 being pressed together and spot welded, for example, to form the tube. The top of each tube is formed with a pitcher lip 18.

Preferably, each tube 10 is about seventeen inches in length and possesses an interior perimeter of about ve ir icl 1es the y total inside area of each tube plied be'lieated 1 t animee being about eightyve square inches. The Hrate of `cn`ducta`nce through the tube is approximately two B. t. u.s per hour per square inch of insidearea; attheportions ofthe tubes f with which the bands are in kcontact, tliei-'atefof 'conductance is approximately eight B. t. ufs' .p frlnir'per'v 'square inch of band area. .I have found that'thefratesvof'on ductance described abovefperrnitfmost satisfactory results to be achieved. HWhile- 'such' rates .'rnaybe varied, it' will be appreciated substantialvarianc'e preventsfrrnation of spaced pieces of ice or'l renders 'the operation i'neHicient.

The evaporator 19 o'ffthef'ref'rigeration "systemis' formed of a plurality of coils"2, 21,"22,23,cilsi20,21'being seopposite sides of the'hsecond 'row oftubes" 10,1" If desire-d,

M"sure agreater'areaoficontact'with"bands.11.

Below the ice farming me' bers isaihelinedineecto'r or'guide24 on' which'tl'i'pi'ece's of' ice fall fr oin tubes ,f during the harvesting. operationalid down whichthe ice'slides intobp'enin'g`7 ofb'unker 32"."Deec`tor24'may be "a suitable'screen or' grid tp'rmitwater o'pass there- .through while vpreventing passageof ic t as hereinafter explained. Q Referring to'Figure 7;;th'ei-eis` shownthegrefrigerating 'andharvesting circuit of the ice" cube nalieri`""Such*-cir 'cuit includes a semi-'hermetic compressor-motor unit; the compressor" 28 beingactuated b'ymotor 29'; Compressor 28`islc'onnected by'discharge linei 30 tocondenser 3'1,`pref j erablywatepcooled'altI-rough ifde'si'red, anair cooled condenser "may be employed. lLiquid linel 32"includes 'twoca'pillary tubes 33,` 34 adapted to'serve as expansion means to regulate supply of liquid refrigerant to evapora- 'jtor`19;I A strainer 35may b e placed inline 32 between M'condenser 31 land capillaries`` 33, 34. Other expansion means may be employed if desired. Capillary. 33'supplies "refrigeranttocoils'20, 21;capillary 34 supplies refrigerant tocoils 22, 23"." Refrigerant passes from leach of .'coils'g20, 211,22, 23 into `a'ret'u'rn'head'er 36 for return to' compressor 2 8. vv"Header"3 6'is connected by line 37 to ac'cumulator'38. "A liner 39 connectsaccuinulator 38'toa`sec'ond accumula- 'tor 40.y Accumulator 40 is'connectedby'suction line 41 to the compressorl 28.; Accumulator 40 is' jalso connected byf'adrain line 42 tthevrnotor 29 to permit oil and liquid V refrigerant in Laccumulator4t) 4to pass to' the motori"l This is an importantffeature sincefanyliqu'id refrigerant Adrainjingfrom accumulato":r` 40'f'with thel oil visreturned to the f vcompressor 28 over' the heated coils of the"rinotor thus "j "flashing'ithe' refrigerant `to assure that gaseous 'refrigerant vf only freturns to-the3compressor thereby avoiding excessive wear and tear of compressor lelernents.

capillaries 33; sa-arewrappedabutfaenmuiatr as in lheatfexchange -re'lation'therewith 'i' In addition, 'fthe 'capillaries 'may beplaced inhe'aVeXchange relatioil'fwith "'1 line 39 ifdcfsired.

A' heated refrigerant vapo'rfline 43 connectsthetop of it` de'si'red, the uisit that the 'refrigerant so suporder that'formed pieces 'of ice may be `thawed o'r=m'elted quickly fromthe "interior" walls'l of "ffitubes 10. A InFi'gure 8f, the water distribution systerny is shown dia- .f grammatically. Line 50'-l conductsiwate'rffrom'fa source' "of supply (not'shown) vto'- a 'sump o'rlreservoir` 5,'1 placed f in the'bottom of ma'chine'coinpartment `2tbelow`tubes 10 andtleilector-24; "A float 'valve A52' r"e'gulatcs the'evel of water irrsump 51.' A drain line 53'fs'e'rves to bleed a minor. amount of waterlcntinuouslyf from. the'asump therebyV preventing concentration vof minerals in. the .wa-

ter in the sump. A pump P circulates water from sump 51"tl'1rough"lines 5'4' towater headers 55` placed (refer to Figures 2 and 8) above the rows of tubes 10.

Water from headers 55 is discharged against distributors 56 placed within tubes 10, the distributors directing or guiding the water toward or against the interior walls of tubes 10. The waterclows through tubes 10 in contact with the interior Walls.,thereof,.,through deector 24 and returns or falls'into sump`5L`The water, of course,

10.., is. -cooledfby-,its passagetthroughythetrefrigeratedatubes 10 1 to substantially..freezing.temperaturezlhusfcooled or chilled water not formed into ice is continuously recirculated through the-tubes. 10,. .ther`eby.,reduc ing the time required' for ic'e` formation and considerably increasing the capacity of-thema'chine.

When passage of water through tubes 10 is prevented or retarded by the formation of ice therein, the tubes overflow, the lip 18 on each tubedirecting the Water into trough 12 from whence it.takes a different path to lreturn to. sumpv 51. "The overow water in troughf 1 2 drains "'.therefromthrough a'line 57 connected to an lS- shaped pipe arrangement 58 .which forms an overflow well.l Waterfrom well 58 returns to sump 51 through linejj59. One leg 60 of overflow well 58 is clamped in contact "with the hea'tedlrefrigerantvapor line 43 of thejrcfrigcrav" tion systemv forja `purpose hereinafter explained.

To control the refrigeration `and harvesting cycles, a

""g" wide differential-thermostatic control 65 is provided which includes a switch 66 (refer to `Figure 9) actuated by a thermal responsive system including a bellows 6 7-con nected to the switch lever 66 and a capillary tube 68 con- `'l'lecting the bellowsI 67 `with a bulb 69. The thermal responsive system contains a temperature Irespontsiveftll.

Bulb 69 is placed in overow well 58 and a portion 68 of capillary tube- 68 is placed in contact with the suction line 41. Preferably, portion 68 is' placed in contact-'with *i the portion of suction line 41 adjacent compressor- 28 to assure that it is affected asy little as possible by liquid refrigeran't flooding back to the compressor 28 if such -ooding back occurs. During the 'refrigerati-onfcycle, thermostat 65 is governed by portion 68 in contactlwith "--'suction'line 41 since ythat is the coldest portion of the` thermalfresponsive system Iand the fill-condensatecollects in i' lportion 68'.) When, however, water overflows from Vtrough '1 12y vintowell 58, it displaces water present inthewell and gradually cools bulb 69 until it becomes they coldest-point of the thermal responsive lsystem thereby governingthermostat 65 from suchpoint rather than capillary tube pori tion? 68; rvSwitch 66 is accordingly moved from-a first if position toV a second position to vdiscontinue operation of 'I t'pump P- andto actuate the solenoid S of valve 46 toopen the'heated refrigerant vaporlline 43 to supply heated refrigerant vapor to` coils 20, 21,22, 23 tothaw. formed 1' pieces 'of ice `from the interior `walls `ofztubes 10..:.;During theharvesting operation, the hot gas line 43 Vwar-msithe water in the well 58 so that the lcontrolLpofnt.again shifts i to.' portion 68 of capillary tube 68 which is'in contact with .thefsuctionline 41.* Refrigerant passing through thesucftionline is` belowthe cut-in point of thermostat so .long as ice remains .in tubes 10. t As soon as theflastpiece of-ice -isremov'edfrom tubes 10,. .temperature in. the-suc- "onfline rises' and the thermostat isagain:actuated.tostart pump rRJ and to'discontinue. current ow to: solenoid S ai ktherebyI closing valve 46 .and resuming the. refrigeration 651.;v cycle.

f =A second .normally closed thermostat control 'l-ispro- .t 'vided to.discontinue-.operation ofthe regrigerationfsysrftemlandthepump when'a desired quantity of ice is present in ythe bunker. Control 70 includes a switch lever 71, a

'ZG-.bellows `72,connected by capillary. tubet73 to yabulb 74 l .placed in thebunker 3 adjacent the.top.thereof. A suitable. illis present in bellows 72,.capillaryttubelligand ,vbulb 74. When ya predetermined quantity of ie is present in bunker-3,` bulb 74is cooled thereby actuatingthermo- 'La .stat 7 0 toppen. the` circuit tti-control 6.5 4and...thezrcomarrange pifssr, discontinuing operation ofthe system. Upon removal of ice from bunker 3, bulb` 74 warms to a"p`oint at which thermostat 70 isagain actuated to close the circuit, permitting supply of `current to actuate 'the comrence of a pressure so high that it might `harm elements of the system.

In Figure 9, I have shown the electrical circuit connecting the various controls .and actuating elements of the device. A manual switch 76 is employed to actuate the device. The remaining elements are connected in .the circuit as shown.

`The refrigeration system and controls are more fully de- `:scribed andclaimed in the copending application of David E. MacLeod, Seri-al No. 171,593, led July l, 1950, to which reference is made fora complete description.

Considering the operation of the device, manual `switch t '76 is closed thereby actuating motor y29 .to operate com- ,pressor` 28 of the refrigeration system and pump P `to supply water from sump 51 to headers 55 for distribution .in tubes 10. Water ows downward over `the interi-or 'walls of tubes 10 and returns to sump 51. The walls of tubes are refrigerated at spaced portions by means of coils 20, 21, 22, 23 and the copper bands 11. Thus 'water liowing `through the tubes -is cooled and within a rshont time ice begins to form within the tubes adjacent .the refrigerated portions thereof. As ice formation continues, within a short time, the spaced pieces of ice present in the tubes are so large as to impede or retard passage of cooled water therethrough so that the tubes overow `into trough 12.

Water from trough 12 flows through line 57 into overt flow well 58 displacing the water .therein and cooling bulb 69 so that it becomes the control point rather than capillary portion 68'. When a predetermined low point is reached, thermostat 65 is actuated moving switch lever 66 from a rs't position to a second position discontinuing op eration of pump P and passage of water to tubes 10, and actuating solenoid S to move valve 46 to an open position permitting heated refrigerant vapor to flow into coils 20, 21, 22, 23 to thaw the `formed pieces of ice from .the interior walls of the tubes 10. Simultaneously, water in `well 58, being in heat exchange relation with line 43, is heated to shift the control point of thermostat 65 ,to capillary porton 68.

Capillary portion 68 does not become sutliciently warm to actuate the thermostat 65 until all ice is removed from the tubes 10, since it is in heat exchange relation primarily with liquid refrigerant condensed by heat exchange ,of the heated vapor with the formed ice in the tubes 10.

Ice drops from the tubes 10 by gravity upon deector 24 and slides into bunker` 3. As soon as the last piece of ice is removed from the tubes, the hot vapor passing into line 41 raises the temperature thereof 4thereby actuating thermostat 65 to move from its second position to its first position, closing the solenoid valve 46, resuming refrigeration of tubes 10 and starting pump P to supply water from sump 51 through tubes 10. The refrigerating and harvesting cycles repeat automatically until a predeter-mined quantity of ice is formed. When a predetermined quantity of ice is collected in bunker 3, thermostat 70 is actuated to break the electrical circuit discontinuing operation of the machine. Upon removal of ice from bunker 3, thermostat lil is again actuated to `begin operation of the machine.

The piece of ice formed by the present machine is designed for rapid cooling of the liquid in which it is placed. Referring to Figure l0, there -is shown a transparent cube of ice formed by the present machine. The cube may be of any desired contour depending upon the shapes of tubes 10 and has' a circular opening 81 extending therethrough from one side of the cube to its opposite side to provide access tothe interiorof the cube of the liquid" being cooled. 4The interior walls 82 of the cube 80 `are so formed as to provide an hour glass configuration to the `operated machine for formingseparate pieces of ice. The `machine is particularly adapted for use in restaurants,

hotels, `taverns, `bars or the like in which a large quantity of ysmall pieces of ice is consumed during dailyoperation. The machine so provided greatly decreases `the cost of ice consumed in such places of use. The machine is simple and does not require more than occasional attention vsince it is designed to operate automatically as required by the demand -for pieces of ice. The ice forming elements :are inexpensive and highly eicient in opera-tiem The time required for forming and harvesting a desired quantity of ice varies, of course, with ambient temperature and the temperature of the water supplied to the ice forming elements. The present invention permits the water supplied to the ice forming elements to be precooled thereby reducing the length of `the refrigeration cycle and greatly increasing the capacity of the machine.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. i In an ice cube maker, the combination of Ia hollow ice forming element, a plurality of bands substantially ysurrounding the exterior of |the element and being placed rin spaced relation to each other, said bands having a -heat conductive value greater than the element, means to direct a stream of water through the hollow element in contact with the interior wall of the element, a refrigeration system including an evaporator placed in heat exchange relation ywith the bands to form spaced pieces of ice within the interior of the element, and means to harvest the formed pieces of ice.

2. An ice cube maker |according to claim 1 including mechanism for discontinuing flow of water ythrough the element during the harvesting operation.

3. In an ice cube maker, lthe combination of a stainless steel hollow ice forming element, a plurality of copper bands substantially surrounding the exterior of the -stainless steel element and being placed in "spaced relation to each other, means to pass Ia stream of water through the hollow element in contact with the interior wall of the element, Ka refrigeration system including an evaporator placed in heat exchange relation with the copper lbands to form spaced pieces of ice within the interior of the stainless steel element, and means to harvest the formed pieces of ice.

4. An ice cube maker according to claim l in which the i'ce forming element is formed of a Isingle metal sheet having each side formed at a substantially right angle to the adjacent side, two adjacent sides terminating in outwardly extending anges in contact with each other throughout the length of the element.

5. In an ice cube maker, the combination of a casing, a plurality of ice forming tubes placed adjacent one another in said casing, 4a plurality of .spa-ced bands having a heat -conductive value greater than the tubes placed Iabout the exterior of each tube, `a sump in the casing, means to pass a ystream of water from the sump through the Itubes, the stream of water returning to the sump, a refrigeration system lincluding an evaporator placed in heat exchange relation with the bands to form spaced pieces of ice from water llowing through lthe tubes, harvesting means, means to actuate the harvesting means, a storage chamber for pieces of ice placed in a plane below the bottom of the tubes, and means to direct pieces of ice passing from Ithe tubes `to the storage chamber.

6. An ice cube maker according to claim 5 in which

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