US2994204A - Automatic ice making apparatus - Google Patents

Description

1961 E. B. ARCHER 2,994,204

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Fen/v B. flea/7'5 BP. x/AQA 1961 E. B. ARCHER 2,994,204

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed March 51, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ERA G 5. A cHE mu! paw Aug. 1961 E. B. ARCHER 2,994,204

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed March '31, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORI [Ru/V6 48 MW? M g- 1, 1961 E. B. ARCHER 2,994,204

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1958 5 SheetsSheet 4 U] I m IN VENTOR. Emma 15. fle /1 9 T BYMPM 1, 1961 E. B. ARCHER 2,994,204

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed March 51, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 LNVENTOR'.

12. &1. NW? Aye/ 16g BY I .I

2,994,204 AUTOMATIC ICE MAKING APPARATUS Erling B. Archer, 33-74 191st St., Flushing, N.Y. Filed Mar. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 725,159 19 Claims. ((11. 62-127) This invention relates to means for substantially continuously and automatically producing, harvesting and storing blocks of ice, commonly called ice cubes, in a household refrigerator.

There is available on the market at the present time, for use in household refrigerators, a number of ice cube making devices, some of which are fully automatic and provide a continuous supply of ice cubes, while others are semi-automatic or even non-automatic in that they require removal of a formed batch of cubes from the storage bin and/ or manual emptying of the ice mold or tray prior to the formation of the next batch of ice cubes. Several of such ice makers further require thermostatically controlled heating means in cooperative relationship with the ice mold for loosening the ice cubes from the mold surfaces so as to enable associated gripper and/or conveyor means to remove the cubes from the mold. By their very nature, these ice makers still further entail the provision of means for drying the wet surfaces of the removed ice cubes prior to transfer of the latter to the storage bin. In addition, a permanent connection of the cube freezing apparatus to the water supply main of the house is necessary, which may entail having the refrigerator disposed in an undesirable location or the provision of extra piping if the refrigerator is not disposed immediately adjacent the main.

For the foregoing and a variety of other reasons the known ice cube making devices or apparatus have failed to find full acceptance in the market. As will be readily appreciated, they are extremely expensive to produce and difiicult to incorporate or install in commonly available refrigerators. Moreover, with respect to those devices which are less than fully automatic, proper functioning thereof depends on constant attention by the possessor of the refri erator, and since freezing of a new batch of cubes in such non-automatic devices cannot be initiated until the preceding batch has been removed from the mold, the possibility of an insufficient supply of cubes in the event of a sudden, heavy demand therefor is always present.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide novel ice cube making devices which are substantially automatic in operation and free of the disadvantages and drawbacks inherent in known devices of this type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic ice making apparatus greatly simplified in construction and capable of being employed with all refrigerators having a freezer compartment normally maintained at a temperature below the freezing point of water.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide automatic ice cube making apparatus in which predetermined control elements including valve means incorporated in conduit means leading from a Water storage tank disposed exteriorly of the refrigerator to an ice mold or tray located interiorly of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator are combined with electromechanical means so as to efiect in timed sequence the ejection of a formed batch of ice cubes from the mold into ice cube storing means located in the said freezer compartment, and the refilling of the tray with a fresh supply of water to be frozen into a further batch of ice cubes.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of automatic ice making apparatus characterized by a patented Aug. 1, 1961 Water storage tank and a metering tank both located exteriorly of the refrigerator, and an ice mold or tray, from which ice cubes can be easily ejected, as well as ice cube storing means both located interiorly of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, in combination with electromechanical means for controlling the flow of water from said storage tank through said metering tank and into said mold and for simultaneously controlling the ejection of cubes from the latter for transfer to said storing means.

Concurrently, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a specially constructed ice mold or tray which may be tiltably mounted in the refrigerator freezer compartment and impacted as a result of operation of the electromechanical means to cause ejection of the ice cubes from the mold.

An associated object of the invention is, therefore, the provision of a mold or tray having a rigid frame, a deformable, elastic body in which the ice cubes are formed, and a non-deformable reinforcing member or thickened portion at the base of the mold body, which reinforcing member is adapted to be impacted against rigid abutment means disposed within the freezer compartment and in the normal path of tilting movement of the mold.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide, in automatic ice making apparatus as aforesaid, means for indicating or signaling that the water storage tank is either full or substantially empty, and means for interrupting operation of the apparatus whenever a predetermined quantity of ice cubes has been accumulated in the cube storing means.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of automatic ice making and harvesting devices made of simple, commercially available and relatively inexpensive components so combined as to render the said devices substantially foolproof in operation and eliminate the need for any supervision other than an occasional refilling of the water storage tank.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of automatic ice cube making apparatus of the aforesaid type, which may be employed in conjunction with any refrigerator having a freezer compartment, regardless of whether such compartment is located adjacent the top or bottom of the refrigerator.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a household refrigerator showing elements of one embodiment of the ice cube making apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the metering and control structure of the ice making apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 36 in FIG. 2 and shows the ice mold in its water-receiving and freezing position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, but illustrates the parts of the apparatus in the ice-ejecting position;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the bracket employed to provide the impact location for the to mold or tray as well as the fulcra for the mold-moving lever;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an ice mold constructed according to the present invention; 3

FIG. 7 is a sectional 'view taken along the line 77' in FIG. 6;

in FIG. 3;. Y

FIG. 8a is a sectional view taken along the line 8a--8a in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a schematic wiring diagram for the embodiment of the ice making apparatus of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 8;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a second embodiment of an ice making apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the rear of a household refrigerator equipped with still another embodiment of an ice making apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic wiring diagram for the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of yet a fourth embodiment of an ice making apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a view taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged side view of a detail of the structure shown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 16 is a schematic wiring diagram for the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawings, it will be seen that the ice making apparatus according to the present invention is employed in conjunction with a household refrigerator 21 having legs or base members 22, a rear Wall 23, side walls 24 and 25, a top wall or roof 26 and a front door 27 mounted on hinges (not shown) and provided with a handle (not shown) on its front or outer surface. Within the refrigerator 21 at the lower region thereof is provided a freezer compartment 23 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) having a top wall 29 extending horizontally forwardly from the refrigerator rear wall 23, and a front door 3t) which may be hinged either vertically or horizontally. The upper surface of the freezer compartment roof 29. may further serve as the bottom or floor of the food storage space 31 of the refrigerator. Both the food storage space 31 and the freezer compartment 28 are kept at the desired temperatures by any suitable refrigeration means (not shown), e.g. evaporator coils or the like, with the temperature in the freezer compartment being, of course, kept well below the freezing temperature of water.

The compartment door 30, the front wall 32 of which may be insulated by any suitable means, is of considerable depth and hollow to provide between the said front wall 32 and the rear wall 34 a storing or accumulation cham ber 33 for ice. Substantially at its base, the front wall of the door is provided with an outlet opening or window 35 providing access to the interior of the freezer compartment door 3t A channel-shaped door 36 having a knob or handle 37 is mounted by means of hinges 38 at the lower edge of the window 35 and is normally drawn against the wall 32 by means of a spring (not shown). If desired, the inner periphery of the door 36 may be provided with a gasket or like sealing means (not shown). Adjacent its upper end, the rear wall 34 of the compartment door 30 is provided with an opening 39 for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter.

The automatic ice making apparatus proper is disposed partly outside the refrigerator and partly within the freezer compartment thereof. Referring now to FIG. 1, a water storage tank 40 is attached to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator adjacent the upper end thereof by means of a flange member or angle iron 41 and bolts or screws 42. Provided at the top of the storage tank 40 is a nipple 43 to which is connected one end of a flexible hose 44, the other end of which is equipped with a connecting piece or nipple 45 adapted to be connected to a standard household water faucet. Provided at the side of the refrigerator is a bracket or hook member 46 for supporting the front end of the hose 44 when the same is not in use. Alternatively, a small metal plate may be substituted for the bracket 46, and the hose nipple may be associated with a permanent magnet, whereby the hose may be held in place by magnetic action when not in use. A tensional spool 47 is atfixed to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator adjacent the top thereof and is provided with a flexible cable 48 of nylon, light cord or wire, attached to an intermediate portion of the hose 44 so as to retract the latter into the position shown in FIG. 1 when the nipple 45 is disconnected from the faucet.

Extending through the top of the tank 40 is a whistle pipe or like signal device 49 the lower end of which is adapted to be covered by Water 50 when the same reaches the level 51 during a filling operation. Thus, as water is entering the tank 40, a Whistle will be heard, and as soon as this sound stops the person attending the refrigerator will know that the tank has become full. Located at the other side of the tank 40 is "a small switch 52 to which is attached a flexible line 53 carrying a float 54, the switch 52 being constructed to be open at all times except when moved to its closed position by the combined weight of the line 53 and float 54 when the water in the storage tank 40 is exhausted. A small signal lamp 55, preferably red for easy visibility, is connected to the switch 52 and arranged at the side of the water storage tank 40-. Lighting of this lamp, thus, provides an indication that the tank 40 has become empty.

Provided at the base of the storage tank 40 is an outlet nipple 56 to which is connected one end of a flexible tube 57 of a relatively restricted cross-section. A Water metering tank 58 is arranged below the storage tank 40 and provided with an angle member or bracket 59 attached to the top of the metering tank at one side thereof and suspended over a rigid pivot pin or rod 60 extending at right angles from the rear 'Wall 23 of the refrigerator. The tube 57 communicates with the interior of the metering tank 58 through an opening provided in the top of the latter. Extending laterally from the base of the metering tank 58 and to the other side of the pivot axis defined by the rod 68' is a platform 61 on which is mounted a counterweight 62 which may be held fixed in position on the platform by any suitable means (not shown). The balance conditions of this swingable system, i.e., the construction of the metering tank and the choice of the coun* terweight as to its magnitude and/ or position on the platform are so predetermined that the metering tank will remain in its full line position shown in FIG. 2 at all times except when filled with the exact quantity of water required for one ice cube freezing operation.

A flexible conduit 63 of relatively wide cross-section extends from the bottom of the metering tank 58 and leads to the inlet port of a solenoid valve 64 of standard construction fixedly attached to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator. From the outlet port of the solenoid valve 64 a flexible tube or conduit 65 leads in an airtight manner through an opening in the rear Wall of the refrigerator into the freezer compartment 28 thereof. The free end 66 of the tube 65 terminates above an ice mold or tray generally designated 67 and consisting according to the present invention (see FIG. 6) of a rigid, preferably metal frame 68 and an areuately contoured or trough-shaped receptacle portion or body 69 made of an elastic, flexible, natural or synthetic plastic material capable of withstanding the sub-freezing temperatures normally existing in the compartment 28. Materials such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, certain rubbery polymers, and the like have been found particularly well suited for this purpose. Substantially at its base, the body 69 of the tray 67 is thickened or reinforced by means of a strip of hard or rigid material 70 the purpose of which will be made more fully clear hereinafter. The interior of the tray body 69 is traversed by a plurality of partitions 71 of substantially triangular or trapezoidal cross-section (see FIG. 7), each of which is provided at its base with a small recess 72. In this manner, the various chambers 73 defined by the partitions 71 are in communication with one another so as to enable water admitted to one of the chambers by means of the conduit 65 to flow from that chamber to all the others until they are all filled. The two- end walls 74 and 75 of the tray body are slanted so as to diverge from one another in an upward direction. Thus, each chamber 73 is essentially trapezoidal in cross-section with the wider portion at the top.

At the rear edge of the tray frame 68 are provided two laterally extending pivot pins 76 by means of which the tray is hinged to a pair of brackets 77 (only one being shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) fixedly attached to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator 21 interiorly of the freezer compartment or ,cabinet 28. Also attached to the rear edge of the tray frame 68 and projecting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom is an arm 78. This arm, which is out of contact with the flexible tube 65 as long as the tray 67 is horizontal, is adapted to engage and deform the tube or conduit 65 when the tray is pivoted downwardly from its horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 to the inclined position shown in FIG. 4. In addition, two laterally extending pivot pins 79 are provided at the front edge of the tray frame 68, as well as two downwardly depending lugs 80, the function of which will be explained presently.

A channel-shaped chute or transfer member 81 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the front of the ice mold or tray 67 by means of the pivot pins 79. The front part of the chute 81 rests slidably on a rigid horizontal bar 82 fixed either at one end or at both ends to one or both of the side walls 24 and 25 of the refrigerator 21, the forwardmost extremity of the chute extending through the opening 39 in the rear wall 34 of the freezer compartment door 30 into the chamber 33.

Directly below the brackets 77 is disposed a bracket 84 (see also FIG. which includes a short vertical flange 84a, 2. horizontal plate 84b extending frontwardly from the flange, a downwardly and forwardly slanted portion 84c, and a vertical extension 84d depending downwardly from the front edge of the portion 840, the bracket 84 being fixedly mounted within the freezer compartment 28 by means of rivets or bolts 83 extending through the flange 84a. The extension 84d is provided with a vertical slot 85. The bracket 84 is so positioned that the slanted portion 84c, which is coextensive in length with the thickened or reinforced portion 70 of the ice mold 67, is disposed in the path of downward swinging movement of the mold so as to constitute abutment means for the latter, the position of the abutment means 840 relative to the normal or horizontal position of the ice mold being I so chosen that the latter, when inclined downwardly to the greatest possible extent by operating means still to be described, is deformed as shown in FIG. 4.

The operating means hereinabove referred to may generally be considered as consisting of two parts, motive means for displacing the ice mold, and actuating means for operating the motive means in conjunction with the V valve means controlling the flow of water from the storage tank to the ice mold, as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 9. Basically, the motive means comprises a short link 86 articulated at one end to the ice mold 67 at the lugs 80 depending from the front edge of the mold frame 68, a lever arm 87 articulated at one end to the second end of the link 86, and an armature 88 of a solenoid 89, p the armature 88 being articulated by means of a pin and a slot connection 90 to the second end of the lever arm 87 and biased outwardly of the solenoid by a spring 91 anchored at 91a to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator. The lever arm 87 extends through the slot 85 in the extension 84d of the bracket 84, the upper and lower ends of this slot thus constituting a pair of fulcra for the lever arm. f In order to enable the latter to extend to and be operated from the exterior of the refrigerator, the rear wall 23 is r provided with a slot 92 sufficiently long to accommodate 1 the full throw of the lever arm 87 under the action of the armature 88. Insulation of the interior of the freezer compartment 28 is efiicaciously accomplished by means of a strip 93 of sealing material (see also FIG. 8) affixed to the lever arm 87 adjacent the outer surface of the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator and guided for closely contacting movement therealong by a pair of offset guide ledges 94 (see also FIG. 8a) the length of the strip 93 being such as to ensure that the slot 92 is covered in all positions of the lever arm 87.

The actuating means, of which the aforesaid solenoid 89 constitutes a part, comprises an electric circuit and certain additional elements best shown in FIG. 9. The circuit includes two terminals 95 and 96 to be connected to the main power line of the refrigerator or of the building in which the same is housed. A conductor 97 leads from the terminal 95 to one end of the coil of the solenoid 89 and to one terminal of the solenoid coil of the valve 64. The other end of the coil of the solenoid 89 is connected by a conductor 98 to a standard, thermally actuated circuit breaker 99 which in turn is connected by a conductor 100 including a normally open switch 101 to a conductor 102 connected to the power input terminal 96. The second terminal of the solenoid valve 64!- is connected via a conductor 103 to a normally closed switch 104- which in turn is connected via a conductor 105 and a normally open switch 106 to the conductor 102. The switch 101 is mounted on the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator directly beneath and in the path of swinging movement of the metering tank 58 and is adapted to be closed by the latter when the same is substantially in the broken-line position shown in FIG. 2. The switch 104 is normally, i.e., when the solenoid 89 is deenergized, kept closed by an arm 107 of a bell-crank lever 108 pivotally mounted on the wall 23 at 109 and having a second arm 110 subjected to the upward biasing force of a spring 111 so as to ensure continued contact between the arm 110 and the lever arm 87 from underneath. The switch 106 is adapted to be closed by an arm 112 of a bell-crank lever 113 pivotally mounted on the rear wall 23 at 114 and having a second arm 115 carrying a roller 116 at its free end, a spring 117 anchored to the wall 23 being connected to the arm 115 and biasing the same in a direction tending to keep the roller 116 in contact with the lower surface of the platform 61 attached to the metering tank 58.

As can further be seen from FIG. 9, the switch 52 and the lamp 55 are connected in series with one another and across the main power line 9"7102 by means of conductors 118 and 119.

Means for interrupting the operation of the ice making device completely whenever a predetermined amount of ice has been accumulated in the ice storing means are also provided in accordance with the present invention. With respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 9, this means comprises a platform 120 yieldingly mounted, as by means of leaf or coil springs (not shown), in the ice storing chamber 33 at the bottom thereof, and a normally closed switch 121 disposed under the platform 120. As shown in FIG. 9, the switch 121 is incorporated in the conductor 97 and thus, when open, breaks the entire circuit. The yieldably mounted platform constitutes weight-sensitive means and is so constructed that it will sink a sufiicient distance in the chamber 33 to open the switch 121 whenever a predetermined quantity of ice has been amassed in the chamber 33.

In order to ensure that the metering tank 58 will remain in its tilted position, to which it was shifted upon becoming full, until substantially all the Water has been drained therefrom through the conduit 63 and valve 64, a permanent magnet 122 is mounted on the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator adjacent the switch 101, while a plate 123 of magnetic metal is afilxed to the base of the metering tank. The strength and/ or position of the magnet and plate relative to the swinging axis 60 for the tank 58 should be so chosen that the counterweight means 61-62 will be able to return the metering tank to its normal position (the full-line position shown in FIG. 2) only after all the water has flowed out through the conduit 63.

The operation of the ice making apparatus of FIGS.

1 to 9 will now be explained. Let it be assumed that the water storage tank is approximately full, as a result of which the switch 52 is open, and that an ice making operation has just been completed with the consequence that the metering tank 58 is substantially empty and held in its full-line position shown in FIG. 2, and that the tray 67 is water-filled and horizontal. A small quantity of ice in the form of half-moon-shaped cubes is in the storing chamber 33, whereby the switch 121 is closed, and at the same time, with all parts in their positions shown in FIG. 2, the switch 101 is open, the switch 104 closed and the switch 106 open. Thus, the solenoid 89 and the solenoid of the valve 64 are deenergized.

Water now flows through the conduit 57 from the storage tank 40 to the metering tank 58 at a rate determined by the cross-section of the conduit 57, this rate being such that it will take at least as much time for the metering tank to become full as for the water in the mold or tray 67 to be frozen, say one hour. As long as the metering tank is less than full, it being remembered that its capacity is substantially equal to that of the ice mold, the counterweight 62 holds the metering tank in the rest position thereof. As soon as this tank becomes full, however, it overcomes the force of the counterweight and swings downwardly (counterclockwise in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9), closing the switch 101 slightly before reaching the brokenline position in FIG. 2. This immediately energizes the solenoid 89 while the switch 106 is still open. Energization of the solenoid 80 causes upward movement of the armature 38 against the force of the spring 91 together with the rear end of the lever arm 87, the front end of which swings essentially downwardly and forwardly due to the presence of the upper fulcrum constituted by the upper end of the slot 85 in the extension 84d of the bracket 84. This causes a sudden downward swinging of the ice mold 67 about its hinge axis defined by the pins 76 and impacts the thickened or reinforced strip 70 against the slanted bracket portion 84c which in turn causes the tray body 69 to be deformed as shown in FIG. 4, with the result that the ice cubes formed in the mold are ejected into the chute 81, as indicated in broken lines at 12.4. Ejection of the ice cubes is, of course, greatly facilitated by virtue of the trapezoidal shapes of the tray chambers 73 (see FIG. 7).

Concurrently with the upward movement of the armature 88 and lever arm 87, the spring 111 draws the arm 110 of the bell-crank lever S upwardly and the arm 107 away from the switch 104, thereby permitting the latter to become open. The switch 101 is so constructed, as by the provision of resilient contacts, for example, that the metering tank can swing downwardly a little further even after the switch 101 is closed, as a result of which the spring 117 can move the bellcrank lever 113 to such an extent that the switch 106 is closed. Inasmuch as the switch 104 has already been opened, however, the solenoid of the valve 64 remains deenergized and the valve closed.

While the ice mold is being cleared of ice cubes, current flows, of course, in the energization circuit 9597- 98-99100101-10296 of the solenoid -89, raising the temperature of a suitable resistance or impedance ele ment in the circuit breaker 99. The latter is so constructed that it reaches its break temperature in the same time interval as is required for complete ejection of the ice cubes from the ice mold, say two seconds. After this time interval has passed, the circuit breaker opens the energization circuit for the solenoid 89, and this permits the spring 91 to draw the armature 88 downwardly together with the lever arm 87. This in turn depresses the arm 110 of the bell-crank lever 108 against the force of the spring 111 and effects closing of the switch 104 by the arm 107. The energization circuit 95- 97103104105106-10296 for the solenoid of the valve 64 is now completed, thus causing the valve to be opened and permitting Water to flow out of the metering tank 58 at a relatively rapid rate, due to the fairly large cross-sections of the conduits 63 and 65. The ice mold, of course, was returned to its horizontal position by virtue of the fact that the downward movement of the armature 88 caused the lever arm 87 to be pivoted about the lower fulcrum constituted by the lower edge of the slot in the extension 84d of the bracket 84, whereby the water flowing through the conduits 63 and 65 via the valve 64 leaves the conduit 65 at 66 and enters the ice mold, which has by now regained its normal shape due to the resilience of the material of which it is made, at one of the chambers 73 thereof, traveling to the remaining chambers 73 via the small recesses 72 provided in the partitions 71. Concurrently, the chute 81, which was shifted to a horizontal position during the ejection operation, is returned to a slanted position, enabling the ice cubes to slide therealong and through the opening 39 to fall into the storing chamber 33, as indicated at 125 (FIG. 3). The metering tank 58 remains in its tilted position due to he magnetic attraction between the magnet 122 and the metal plate 123 until substantially all the water has been exhausted from the tank 58, at which time the counterweight again becomes effective to overcome the force of the magnet and return the metering tank to its rest position. The depresses the arm of the bell-crank lever 113 and raises the arm 11 2 thereof, permitting the switch 106 to open and interrupt the energization circuit for the solenoid of the valve 64, whereby the latter is closed. Water continues to enter the metering tank '58 through the conduit 57, and the whole cycle is in the process of being repeated. It is to be noted that the rate of flow of water through the conduit 57 is so low that even though the latter is never closed during emptying of the metering tank, the amount of water entering the latter during the emptying thereof is negligible and does not affect operation of the system as a whole.

As the operating cycle is repeated over and over, the ice cubes ejected from the ice mold collect in the chamber 33. Should the weight of the ice in the chamber 33 rise above a certain maximum, the platform will be depressed so as to open the switch 121. This condition, as can be readily understood, will render the system inoperative even though the metering tank 58 becomes full and tilts over, and further operation will be inhibited until a sufficient quantity of ice cubes has been removed from the storing chamber via the door 36 to permit the platform 120 to rise from the switch 121.

rIn the event that the storage tank 40 becomes substantially empty, the float 54 will be located adjacent the bottom of this tank, and the combined weight of the float and its line 53 will effect closing of the switch 52. The lamp 55 will thus be lit, whereupon it is merely necessary to take the hose 44 and pull the free end thereof over to a nearby faucet to which the nipple 45 may be attached. Thus, not only is it unnecessary to have the refrigerator 21 positioned directly adjacent the sink or connected to the water main by a permanent line, but it is also never necessary to remove the ice mold from the freezer compartment for the purpose of ejecting ice cubes therefrom or for filling it with water.

The ice storing means of the embodiment of the invention described hereinabove may be replaced by a stationary bin if the freezer compartment is not provided with its own door such as 30. This is illustrated in FIG. 10 wherein the front door 27 of the refrigerator or a section of such front door is employed as the closure means for the freezer compartment 28. The chute and doorcontained storing chamber are eliminated in this embodiment of the invention, and in lieu thereof there is provided below the bracket 84 in the freezer compartment a horizontal bracket 126 afiixed to the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator 2:1 by screws, bolts or rivets 127 and supporting below the discharge side of the ice mold a bin or hopper 12 8 the length of which is coextensive with that of the ice mold. 'The bracket 126 is formed with two elongated slots 129 and 130 in its front half into which extend two flaps or flanges 131 and 132 stamped out from a leaf spring 133 supporting the bin 128. Alternatively, two or more leaf springs 133 spaced from one another longitudinally of the bin may be employed. The switch 121 is positioned below the leaf spring which con stitutes the weight-sensitive means. In all other respects, the structure shown in FIG. is identical with that shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, and thus the operation of this emobdiment of the invention is the same as that of the preceding embodiment except for the fact that the ice cubes ejected from the ice mold or tray 67 fall directly into the bin 128.

In both of these embodiments of the invention, as stated hereinabove, the tray 67 is provided at its rear edge with a finger or arm 78. As will be understood,

during the downward tilting of the ice mold, this finger I will contact the conduit 65 lying thereabove and will deform the same, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 10.

In this manner, any ice which may have formed in the conduit 65 is crushed, thereby preventing blocking of this conduit.

Still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. To the extent that the parts of this apparatus resemble those of the previously described embodiments, the same reference numerals are employed. Thus, the water storage tank 40 equipped with a filling hose 44, a float 54 suspended from a line 53 connected to a switch 52 connected in series with a signal lamp 55 across the power line by conductors .118 and 119., and a whistle (not shown in FIG. 11) is mounted on the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator. The freezer compartment in this case may be either that of FIGS. 3 and 4 or that of FIG. 10, and as before the apparatus elements within the freezer compartment are operated by an armature 88 of a solenoid 89 via a lever arm 87.

In lieu of the tiltable metering tank 58, however, there is provided a stationary metering tank 134 which is in communication with the storage tank via a conduit 135 in which a mechanically operable valve 136 is incorporated. A conduit 137 connects the bottom of the metering tank 134 to the inlet port of a solenoid valve 133, from the outlet port of which a flexible tube or conduit 65 leads through the rear wall 23 to the ice mold (not shown in FIG. 11). The valves 136 and 138 are mechanically connected by a linkage 139 which is subjected to the biasing force of a spring 140 anchored at 140a to the wall 23. The valves are so arranged that the valve 136 is normally open and the valve 138 normally closed, and the linkage is such that when the valve 138 is opened by energization of its solenoid, the valve 136 is moved to its closed posi tion.

The actuating means for the motive means according to this embodiment of the invention comprise an electric circuit having power input terminals 141 and 142, the switch 121 which is arranged to be operated by the weightsensitive means being incorporated in a conductor 143 leading from the terminal 141 to one end of the coil of the solenoid 89 and to one terminal of the coil of the solenoid of the valve 138. A clock mechanism 144, the driving motor (not shown) of which is connected by a conductor 145 to the conductor 14-3 and by a conductor 14-6 to a conductor 147 connected to the terminal 142, is equipped with four spaced contacts 148, 149, 156 and 151 and with a rotatable arm 152 provided with a Wiper element 153 arranged to engage the contacts 148 to 151 in sequence and to successively bridge the gaps between the contacts 14-8 and 14-9 and between the contacts 156 and 151. The contact 148 is connected by a conductor to the second end of the coil of the solenoid 89. The contacts 149 and 151 are connected by conductors 155 and 156 to the conductor 147. The contact 151) is connected by a conductor 157 to the second terminal of the solenoid coil of the valve 138. The clock -mechanism 144, which is mounted on the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator, may be protected by a cover 158,

The operation of this embodiment of the ice making apparatus according to the present invention is as follows. Let it be assumed that a preceding ice cube forming and ejecting operation has been completed and that the clockwise rotating wiper arm 152 is in the position shown in FIG. 12. At this time, therefore, the solenoid 89 and the solenoid of the valve 138 are deenergized, the ice mold 67 and its motive means are in the positions indicated in FIG. 3, and the spring biases the linkage 139 upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 11 so that the valve 136 is open and the metering tank 134- filled with Water, while the valve 138 is, of course, closed due to the deenergized state of the solenoid thereof. The speed of the driving motor of the clock mechanism 144 is such that the arm 152 will complete one rotation in a period of time at least equal to the time required for freezing a quantity of water in the ice mold or tray 67.

When the wiper element 153 now bridges the gap between the contacts 148 and 149, the solenoid 89 is energized to move the armature 88, the lever arm 87, the link 86 and the ice mold 67 to the positions indicated in FIGS. 4 or 10, depending on whether a storing chamber 33 or a bin 128 is used, thereby ejecting the ice cubes from the mold toward the storing means therefor. As soon as the wiper element 153 passes the contact 148, the solenoid 89 is deenergized, whereupon due to the biasing action of the spring 91 the motive means are operated to return the ice mold to its horizontal position. During this entire procedure, the valve 138 remained closed, but as the wiper element now approaches and ultimately bridges the gap between the contacts and 151, the solenoid of the valve 138 is energized to open the latter while simultaneously, through the intermediary of the linkage 139, causing the valve 136 to be closed. The water previously in the metering tank now flows through the conduit 65 into the ice mold 67. When the wiper element leaves the contact 150, the valve 138 is again closed due to the return of the linkage 139 to its rest position under the force of the spring 140, 'while the valve 136 is opened to permit the entry into the metering tank of a fresh supply of water. The cycle is now in the process of being repeated. It is to be noted that the spacing of the contacts of each pair from each other and the length of the Wiper element are so selected that the respective gaps remain bridged for as long as is necessary to complete the ejecting and mold-filling operations.

A somewhat modified version of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 16, where again those elements identical with elements shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 are designated by the same reference numerals. The structure illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 16 differs from that of FIGS. 11 and 12 mainly in the construction of the motive means for displacing the ice mold and the actuating means for operating the motive means and the water fiow control valve means. As can be seen from FIG. 13, the motive means is eifectively supported by a bracket 159 aflixed to the exterior surface of the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator by means of bolts, screws or rivets 160. The motive means comprises a solenoid 161 which is mounted and fixed on the bracket 159 and has an armature 162 extending slidably through a suitable aperture in the wall 23 and connected at its free end to a link bar 163. The front end of this bar is provided with an eye or aperture through which extends a cross rod 164-, the latter being freely rotatable within the said eye and held against axial displacement therethrough by means of a pair of frictionally or otherwise stationarily fitted stop members 165 and 166. The opposite ends of the rod 164 are received, respectively, in eyes provided at one end of each of a pair of link members 167 and 168 which in turn are pivotally connected at their other ends by pivot pins 169 and 170 to two downwardly depending lugs 171 and 172 afiixed to opposite ends of the front edge of the ice mold frame 68a. The lower ends of the link members 167 and 168 are prevented from 1 1 being separated from the rod 164 by two cotter pins 173 and 174.

In all respects other than the lugs 171 and 172, which are employed in lieu of the lugs 80 shown in FIG. 6, the ice mold 67a is identical with the ice mold 67, being also provided with a pair of rear pivot pins 76 by means of which it is hinged to the brackets 77. However, in view of the fact that the just described motive means does not include an armature-biasing spring such as the spring 91 of FIGS. 1 to 12, the function of returning the ice mold and motive means to their rest positions is executed by a pair of torsion springs 175 each associated with one of the pivot pins 76 and the corresponding bracket 77 (see FIG. Mounted below and in the path of tilting movement of the ice mold is a bracket or abutment means 176 which, except for the omission of the extension 84d, is substantially identical with the bracket 84 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The actuating means for the motive means in this embodiment of the invention comprise an electric circuit having power input terminals 177 and 178 across which the indicating lamp 55 and its switch 52 operable by the float 54 in the storage tank 40 are connected by conductors 118 and 119. An electric clock mechanism 179, the driving motor of which (not shown) is connected by conductors 180 and 181 to conductors 182 and 183 connected in turn to the terminals 177 and 178, respectively, is mounted on the rear wall 23 of the refrigerator and is equipped with a plurality of circumferentially spaced contacts 184, 185, 186, 187 and .188 and with a rotatable arm 189 carrying a wiper element 190 adapted to engage the contacts sequentially and to bridge the gaps therebetween. The contacts 184 and 186 are connected to the conductor 182, and the contact 185 is connected by a conductor 191 to one terminal of the solenoid 161, the other terminal of which is connected by a conductor 192 to the conductor 183 which is also connected to one terminal of the coil of the solenoid valve 138. The contact 187 is connected by a conductor 193 to the second terminal of the coil of the solenoid valve 138, and the contact .188 is connected by a conductor 194 to the conductor 182. For the purpose of protecting the clock mechanism, the latter may be provided with a cover 195.

In operation, assuming the same conditions as set forth hereinabove for the preceding embodiments of the apparatus, as the wiper element bridges the gap between the contacts 184 and 185 the solenoid 161 will be energized to draw the ice mold 67a down suddenly through the intermediary of the armature 162, link bar 163, and link frame 164167168 to impact the thickened portion 70 against the slanted portion 176a of the bracket or abutment means 176. The blow will be of relatively short duration and the deformation of the tray body not necessarily as great as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 10, but nevertheless the formed ice cubes will tend to be separated from the ice mold surfaces and ejected toward the ice storing means, i.e., either into the chute 81 or into the bin 128. As the arm 189 rotates further, the wiper element 190 leaves the contact 184 to deenergize the solenoid 161, permitting the springs 175 to return the ice mold toward its horizontal position, but within a very short time interval the wiper element bridges the gap between the contacts 185 and 186, so that the ice mold is again impacted against the abutment means 176 due to reenergization of the solenoid 161, and thus any ice which was not ejected the first time will now be ejected. While this is taking place, the solenoid valve 138 remains closed and the valve 136 (not shown in FIGS. 13 and 16) remains open.

When the wiper element leaves the contact 185, the solenoid 161 is again deenergized and the ice mold and the motive means are returned to their rest positions, as shown in FIG. 13. Upon further rotation of the arm 189, the wiper element 190 ultimately bridges the gap between the contacts 187 and 188, whereby the solenoid valve 138 is opened, the valve 136 closed by the linkage 139, and the water from the metering tank permitted to flow through the conduit 65 into the ice mold. As soon as the contacts 187 and 188 are again disconnected by continued movement of the arm 189, the solenoid of the valve 138 is deenergized to close the latter and open the valve 136 through the intermediary of the linkage 139 under the action of the spring 140 (FIG. 12), thereby enabling a fresh supply of water to flow into the metering tank 134 via the conduit 135. The cycle is then in the process of being repeated.

The embodiment of FIGS. 13 to 16 may be somewhat further modified so as to eliminate the metering tank entirely. For this purpose, the tank 134 constitutes the storage tank (designated 40 in the preceding embodiments), and the valve 136, as well as the linkage 139 may be dispensed with. Only the solenoid valve 138 is retained, and a spacing of the contacts 187 and 188 on the clock mechanism 179 in conjunction with a length of the wiper element are chosen so as to ensure that the l valve remains open, due to bridging of the gap between i the contacts 187 and 188 and consequent energization of the solenoid of this valve, as long as is required for the properly metered quantity of water to flow from the storage tank into the ice mold or tray 67a.

It will be easily understood that the arrangements according to the present invention are highly compact and thus take up considerably less space in the freezer cornpartment of the refrigerator than any of the heretofore known ice cube making devices. Not only is the cost of manufacture of both the refrigerator and the ice making apparatus thereby decreased, but the quantity of food which may be stored in a freezer compartment equipped with an ice cube making apparatus according to the present invention is greater than that which can be stored in conventional refrigerators equipped with ice cube making devices of the known types.

Although the various embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention have been described as combined with refrigerators having the freezer compartment located in their lower regions, it will be readily understood that the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to refrigerators having the freezer compartment located in their upper regions. In such a case, however, it will be necessary to position the water storage tank atop the refrigerator, and the metering tank (if one is used) adjacent the top of the refrigerator. In other words, it is merely necessary that the storage tank be located at a higher elevation than the metering tank which in turn must be located at a higher elevation than the ice mold.

Viewed in a broad sense, therefore, the invention comprises the provision of ice mold means, water storage means (which may or may not include water metering tank means), conduit means including valve means leading from the water storage means to the ice mold means, and electromechanical means, i.e., the motive means and the actuating means therefor, operable cyclically and in timed sequence to first subject the ice mold means to at least one ice-ejecting impact and thereafter to open the valve means for a predetermined time interval to permit fiow of a metered quantity of water, sufficient to substantially fill the ice mold means for the next freezing operation, from the storage means through the conduit means and to the mold means.

A number of preferred embodiments of the invention has been described hereinabove, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for the arrangements shown and described, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus particularly described the invention, what 13 is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent 1s:

1. In combination with a household refrigerator equipped with a freezer compartment; resiliently deformable ice mold means made of elastic synthetic plastic material and mounted Within said freezer compartment, conduit means leading to said ice mold means, valve means arranged in said conduit means and controlling the flow of water therethrough, and solenoid means operatively connected to said ice mold means and said valve means and operable cyclically and in timed sequence to first cause said ice mold means to be subjected to at least one mold-deforming and ice-ejecting impact, then to return said ice mold means to the initial position thereof while said ice mold means regains the normal shape thereof due to the resilience of said material, and thereafter to open said valve means for a predetermined time interval to permit flow of a metered quantity of water, suflicient to substantially fill said ice mold means for the next freezing operation, through said conduit means and to said ice mold means.

2. In combination with a household refrigerator having a freezer compartment; resiliently deformable ice mold means made of elastic synthetic plastic material and movably mounted in said freezer compartment, conduit means leading to said ice mold means, valve means incorporated in said conduit means and controlling the flow of water therethrough, abutment means located in said freezer compartment in the path of movement of said ice mold means, and solenoid means operatively connected with said ice mold means and said valve means for operating the same cyclically and in timed sequence so as to first impact said ice mold means against said abutment means to cause deformation of said mold means and consequent ejection of a formed quantity of ice from said ice mold means, thereafter to return said ice mold means to the initial position thereof while said ice mold means regains the normal shape thereof due to the resilience of said material, and finally to operate said valve means to permit flow, through said conduit means and into said ice mold means, of a metered fresh supply of water sufficient for forming another quantity of ice.

3. In combination with a household refrigerator having a freezer compartment; water storage means mounted on said refrigerator, resiliently deformable ice mold means made of elastic synthetic plastic material and movably mounted in said freezer compartment, conduit means leading from said water storage means to said ice mold means, valve means incorporated in said conduit means and controlling the flow of water therethrough, abutment means located in said freezer compartment in the path of movement of said ice mold means, ice storing means located within said freezer compartment, and solenoid means operatively connected with said ice mold means and said valve means for operating the same cyclically and in timed sequence so as to first impact said ice mold means against said abutment means to cause deformation of said ice mold means and consequent ejection of a formed quantity of ice from said ice mold means toward said ice storing means, thereafter to return said ice mold means to the initial position thereof while said ice mold means regains the normal shape thereof due to the resilience of said material, and finally to operate said valve means to permit flow of a metered quantity of water, sufiicient for forming another quantity of ice, from said water storage means through said conduit means and into said ice mold means.

4. The combination of claim 3, further comprising means operated in response to accumulation of a predetermined amount of ice in said storing means for inbibiting operation of said solenoid means to thereby prevent further flow of water into said ice mold means pending reduction of the amount of ice in said ice storing means. i

5. In combination with a household refrigerator having 14 a freezer compartment; water storage means mounted on said refrigerator, resiliently deformable ice mold means made of elastic synthetic plastic material and having opposite edges, said ice mold means being hingedly supported at one of said edges in said freezer compartment and normally disposed in a substantially horizontal position, conduit means leading from said water storage means to said ice mold means, valve means incorporated in said conduit means and controlling the flow of water therethrough, abutment means located in said freezer compartment below and in the path of movement of said ice mold means, ice storing means located Within said freezer compartment, ice transfer means having a receiving portion hinged to the other of said opposite edges of said ice mold means and further having a discharge portion swingably positioned above said ice storing means, and electro-mechanical means operatively connected with said ice mold means at said other edge thereof and with said valve means for operating the same cyclically and in timed sequence so as to first pivot said ice mold means downwardly about its hinge axis to a slanted position so as to impact said ice mold means against said abutment means to cause deformation of said ice mold means and consequent ejection of a formed quantity of ice from said ice mold means into said ice transfer means, thereafter to return said ice mold means to said horizontal position thereof and to permit said ice mold means to regain the normal shape thereof due to the resilience of said material while tilting said ice transfer means so as to cause sliding movement of the ejected ice therealong and via said discharge portion thereof into said ice storing means, and finally to operate said valve means to permit flow of a metered quantity of water, sufficient for forming another quantity of ice, from said water storage means through said conduit means and into said ice mold means.

6. The combination of claim 5, said ice mold means comprising an elongated, channel-shaped body, and a plurality of transverse partition members arranged in said body and dividing the same into a plurality of chambers, each of said partition members being wider at its lower edge than at its upper edge and provided at said lower edge with a recess to permit flow of water from any one of said chambers to the others, the exterior of said body at the bottom thereof being provided with a thickened, non-deformable region for engagement with said abutment means.

7. An automatic ice making and harvesting apparatus for a household refrigerator having a freezer compartment, comprising a resiliently deformable ice cube tray provided with a rigid frame hingedly mounted at a first edge thereof within said compartment for reciprocal pivotal movement of said tray from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position, a water storage tank supported by said refrigerator exteriorly of said compartment, a Water metering tank supported by said refrigerator exteriorly of said compartment and below said storage tank but at an elevation higher than that of said tray, first conduit means interconnecting said storage and metering tanks, second conduit means leading from said metering tank to said tray and including a valve, mechanical linkage means connected'to said tray frame at a second edge thereof opposite said first edge for displacing said tray along its path of pivotal movement, abutment means fixedly disposed in said compartment for engagement by said tray during downward pivotal movement of the latter to said inclined position thereof so as to deform said tray and cause ejection therefrom of any ice formed therein, and electric circuit means including solenoid means controlling said valve and said mechanical linkage means in synchronism with one another to ensure that flow of water from said metering tank to said tray is initiated only upon return of the latter to said horizontal position thereof. 1

8. An automatic ice making apparatus for a household refrigerator having a freezer compartment, comprising resiliently deformable ice mold means made of elastic synthetic plastic material and hingedly mounted within said compartment for reciprocal pivotal movement between a horizontal position and a downwardly inclined position, a water storage tank and a water metering tank supported by said refrigerator, conduit means having valve means incorporated therein leading from said storage tank to said metering tank and thence to said ice mold means, motive means operable for displacing said mold means rapidly along the path of pivotal movement thereof, abutment means fixedly disposed in said compartment and adopted to be impacted by said mold means during downward pivotal movement of the latter to said inclined position thereof, such impact of said mold means against said abutment means serving to deform said mold means and cause ejection therefrom of any ice formed therein, and solenoid equipped actuating means controlling the operation of said valve means and said motive means in synchronism with one another to ensure that flow of water from said metering tank to said mold means is initiated only upon return of the latter to said horizontal position thereof while having regained the normal shape thereof due to the resilience of said material.

9. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising hose means connected at one end to said storage tank and provided with nipple means at the other end for connection to a water faucet to permit filling of said storage tank, first signal means operable during filling of said storage tank for indicating when the same has become full, and second signal means for indicating when said storage tank has become substantially empty.

10. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising ice storing means located substantially within said compartment and positioned to receive any ice ejected from said mold means, and means operated in response to accumulation of a predetermined quantity of ice in said storing means for inhibiting operation of said actuating means to thereby present further flow of water into said ice mold means.

11. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, said metering tank being arranged at a higher elevation on said refrigerator than said ice mold means, and said storage tank being arranged at a higher elevation on said refrigerator than said metering tank.

12. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, said ice mold means means comprising a rigid frame provided at an edge thereof with means pivotally connecting said frame to the mounting therefor, and a troughshaped body supported by said frame and provided with a plurality of transverse partitions substantially triangular in cross-section and dividing said body into a plurality of chambers, said body being made of said elastic, plastic material and the latter being capable of withstanding temperature conditions normally obtaining in said freezer compartment, said body being provided with a strip of thick, relatively non-deformable material attached to the exterior of said body substantially at the lowermost portion of the latter, said strip being positioned for engagement with said abutment means, downward pivotal movement of said frame subsequent to such engagement causing the deformation of said body, each of said partitions being provided with a recess at its lowest and widest point, whereby water, when admitted to one of said chambers from said conduit means, may fiow via said recesses from said one chamber into all of the remaining chambers to fill the same.

13. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, said metering tank being suspended beneath said storage tank for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed at one side of said metering tank, counterweight means carried by said tank on the other side of said axis of such a magnitude as to tend to hold said metering tank in an upwardly slanted position at all times except when completely full of water, that portion of said conduit means leading from said storage tank to said metering tank being narrow in cross-section so as to restrict the rate of flow of water into said metering tank to a value ensuring filling of said metering tank in at least the same period of time as is required for freezing any water in said ice mold means, said valve means being incorporated in that portion of said conduit means leading from said metering tank to said ice mold means, said actuating means comprising electric circuit means including first and second solenoids for operating said motive means and said valve means, respectively, a first normally open switch disposed below said metering tank and adapted to be closed by the latter when the same is completely filled and being swung downwardly against the force of said counterweight means to permit energization of said first solenoid, a second normally closed switch adapted to be opened by said motive means in response to operation thereof for displacing said mold means downwardly upon energization of said first solenoid to thereby prevent energization of said second solenoid, a third normally open switch disposed below said counterweight means and adapted to be closed, a predetermined time interval after closing of said first switch, due to upward displacement of said counterweight means in conjunction with downward swinging of said metering tank, and normally closed circuit breaker means operable to open the energization circuit for said first solenoid a predetermined time interval after closing of said first switch to enable reclosing of said second switch by said motive means, during return of said mold means to said horizontal position thereof, for energization of said second solenoid so as to operate said valve means to permit flow of water therethrough to said ice mold means.

14. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 13, said motive means comprising an armature for said first solenoid, a lever arm articulated at one end to said armature, a link articulated at its first end to the other end of said lever arm and at its second end to said ice mold means, and a spring biasing said armature outwardly of said first solenoid, said abutment means comprising a bracket fixedly mounted in said freezer compartment and provided with an impacting portion engageable by said ice mold means to cause the deformation of the latter and consequent ejection of said ice therefrom, said bracket being further provided with an extension depending downwardly from said impacting portion and defining a vertical slot through which said lever arm extends and the upper and lower ends of which constitute fulcra for said lever arm.

15. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising ice storing means located within said freezer compartment, displaceable weight-sensitive means arranged at the bottom of said ice storing means, and a fourth normally closed switch incorporated in said electric circuit means and disposed below said weightsensitive means so as to be opened by the latter for opening said circuit means in its entirety upon accumulation of a predetermined amount of ice in said ice storing means.

16. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a hollow front door for said freeze] compartment, the interior of said door constituting saic' ice storing means, chute means extending from said ice mold means to the upper region of said interior of saic door for transfer to the latter of ice ejected from saic ice mold means, said door being provided with an outle' opening at the lower region of said interior, and closure means covering said outlet opening and displaceable rela tive thereto to provide access to said interior of said doo: for removal of ice therefrom, said weight-sensitive mean; being located within said interior of said door at saic lower region thereof.

17. Automatic ice making apparatus according to clain 15, said ice storing means comprising a bin disposed 17 within said freezer compartment beneath the discharge side of said ice mold means, and said weight-sensitive means comprising upwardly arched leaf spring means supporting said bin and overlying said fourth switch.

18. Automatic ice making apparatus according to claim 8, said metering tank being stationarily mounted beneath said water storage tank, said valve means comprising a first normally open valve arranged in that portion of said conduit means leading from said storage tank to said metering tank, a second normally closed valve arranged in that portion of said conduit means leading from said metering tank to said ice mold means, and a mechanical linkage interconnecting said first and second valves for joint operation in opposite senses, said actuating means comprising electric circuit means including first and second solenoids for operating said motive means and said second valve, respectively, and an electric clock mechanism comprising two pairs of contacts incorporated, respectively, in the energization circuits of said first and second solenoids, and a motor-driven, rotatable wiper arm completing one circuit in the time required for freezing a quantity of water in said ice mold means and constructed to close and open the first one of said pairs of contacts and in timed sequence thereafter the other of said pairs of contacts.

19. An automatic ice making apparatus for a household refrigerator having a freezer compartment, comprising resiliently deformable ice mold means hingedly mounted within said compartment for reciprocal pivotal movement between a horizontal position and a downwardly inclined position, a water storage tank supported by said refrigerator, conduit means having valve means incorporated therein leading from said storage tank to said ice mold means, motive means operable for displacing said mold means along the path of pivotal movement thereof, abutment means fixedly disposed in said compartment for impacting engagement by said mold means during downward pivotal movement of the latter to said inclined position thereof so as to cause ejection from said mold means of any ice formed therein, and actuating means controlling the operation of said valve means and said motive means in synchronism with one another to ensure that flow of water from said storage tank to said mold means is initiated only upon return of the latter to said horizontal position thereof and upon said ice mold means having tresiliently regained the normal shape thereof, said actuating means comprising electric circuit means including first and second solenoids for operating said motive means and said valve means, respectively, and an electric clock mechanism provided with two sets of contacts arranged in the energization circuits for said first and second solenoids, respectively, said mechanism being further provided with a motor-driven rotating wiper arm completing one rotation in the time required to freeze a quantity of water in said ice mold means and constructed to close and open the first one of said sets of contacts and in timed sequence thereafter the other of said sets of contacts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,407,058 Clum Sept. 3, 1946 2,697,918 Comstock Dec. 28, 1954 2,717,500 Ploeger Sept. 13, 1955 2,752,762 Gaugler July 3, 1956 2,785,539 Simmons Mar. 19, 1957 2,808,707 Chace Oct. 8, 1957 2,826,899 Mufiiy Mar. 18, 1958

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