US3163019A - Unitary automatic ice cube machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1964 H. J. HALL UNITARY AUTOMATIC ICE cuss MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1962 INVENTQR. HENRY a. 6941!.

Dec. 29, 1964 H. J. HALL 3,163,019

' UNITARY AUTOMATIC ICE cuss MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1962 2 She ets-Sheet 2 55 Q 54 47a 6 F/G 7 INVENTOR. HEM/97d. 6641 BY 66) ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,163,019 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,163,019 UNITARY AUTOMATIC ICE CUBE MACHlNE Henry J. Hall, 18912 Mapleview, Detroit, Mich. Filed Oct. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 229,944 4 Claims. (Cl. 62-137) This invention relates to the refrigeration art and has particular reference to a device for automatically making and dispensing ice cubes.

An object of the invention is to generally improve ice making machines and to provide a device which may readily be positioned for use on the inside of any refrigerated space, such as a domestic refrigerator, a deep freeze chest, or the like, without major changes to the refrigerator, or deep freeze chest.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is simple in construc tion, economical to manufacture and efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic ice cube machine, which may readily be installed in an old or new refrigerator, without special equipment and without the necessity of disturbing the side walls of the refrigerator or deep freeze chest, except for providing for the water and electrical supplies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is substantially selfcontained and does not depend upon the side walls of the refrigerator or deep freeze chest for the support of any of the mechanical elements of the machine, such as is required with machines now known to the public.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic ice making machine which has an automatic water supply, with means to prevent the water from freezing as it approaches the ice cube machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is provided with novel heat transfer means which serve to automatically release the ice cubes from the machine after the freezing cycle is completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is constructed and arranged so that the housing of the machine is non-heatconductive and will always remain at the same temperature as the air surrounding it, thereby obviating any tendency of frost or ice to form thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is provided with an automatic weight control, which serves to stop the machine when sufficient ice cubes are made and serves as a safety factor in the event of a water overflow in the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which has means for the circulation of air in and around the tray whereby all walls of the molds of the tray are equally affected by the cold dry air which causes the shrinkage of the cubes from the walls of the molds to effect a dry harvest when the tray is inverted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, which has as one of its principal elements, an integrated upper and lower receptacle, which is constructed and arranged to provide a highly efiicient heat transfer throughout its area, particularly in the partition wall, whereby to make for the rapid freezing of water therein, and the rapid automatic discharge of ice cubes therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is provided with a novel arrangement of temperature controls whereby the operating cycle of the device is rendered entirely automatic and highly eflicient.

I am aware of the fact that there are other automatic ice making machines available to the public, but such machines now known to the public leave much to be desired, and it is believed that the object and advantages of the machine hereinabove indicated will obviate many of the difficulties now encountered in using the machines now known to the public.

The foregoing and other objects and the advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a domestic refrigerator with a device embodying the invention incorporated therein.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits employed in the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a section taken substantially on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 11 indicates a domestic refrigerator box having a freezing section 12, in which is mounted the device 13 embodying the invention. The device 13 is supplied with water through a water pipe 14 and electrical power is provided for the device 13 through the electrical lead 15. The electric circuits are protected by a suitable fuse 16 (FIG. 2) and the Water entering the device is controlled by means of a solenoid valve which is connected, as at 13, into the electrical system of the device. The device 13 embodying the invention is housed in a suitable housing 19 (FIG. 3), which is preferably made of plastic or some other non-conductive material. The housing 1@ has a bottom wall 19A, top Wall 1913, front wall 1%0, side walls 19D and 19E (FIG. 5), rear wall 19F and spaced partitions 19G and 19H, the latter of which serve as supporting means for certain of the mechanism hereinafter described. A junction box 20 is provided for the electric circuits shown in FIG. 2. The water inlet tube 14 is heated throughout its length on the interior of the box 11 by means of a heating element 21, which is also connected into the electrical circuits, as at 22 (FIG. 2). Mounted at the end of a shaft 24 (FIG. 3) and rotatable therewith is a tray or receptacle 25, which is constructed as hereinafter described.

The tray or receptacle 25 is preferably made of some high heat conductive material and in the embodiment herein disclosed is rectangular in shape and consists of side walls 25A and 25B and end walls 25C and 251) (FIG. 5). The tray or receptacle 25 is divided into top and bottom compartments by means of an undulating wall 25E (FIGS. 3 and 5) which undulating wall 25E also divides each upperand lower compartment into an equal number of spaces 25F and 25G (FIG. 3). A groove 25H is formed in each undulation and communicates each space with an adjacent space on each respective side of the Wall 2513, so that a liquid level may be maintained in each of the spaces in each compartment when the tray is positioned for receiving water. A space 25I is provided at each end of the tray 25 so that excess liquid may be drained from the tray. The shape and positioning of the undulating wall 25B is important so that proper heat exchange may be effected therethrough. With this arrangement it is obvious that when ice cubes are frozen in the tray 25 and the tray is inverted and a new supply of water is introduced, the heat from the incoming water will have a considerable expense of surface through which it may be conducted to the inverted ice cubes, which together with the shrinking of the cubes by the circulating cold air causes them to be released from the tray.

The shaft 24 is supported in suitable bearings 26 and 27 carried by the partitions 19G and 19H. At the opposite end of the shaft 24 is a'wheel 23 having a pin 2% therein, to which is secured one end of an arm 36. The other end of the arm 30 is slotted, as at 31 (FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) in which slot is received a pin 32 carried on a larger wheel 33 which is mounted on a spindle 34 supported by the partition 19G. The wheel 33 is driven by the gear 35 and the pinion 36 through a suitable gear box 37 which, in

. turn, is driven by a motor 38, which is supported, as at 39,

on the partition 19H. The motor 38 is connected, as at 4%, into the electrical circuits (FIG. 2). The gear train is intermittent and is timed to rotate on one-half minute intervals.

The pin 29 also has attached to it one end of a short arm 41 (FIGS 3 and 4) the other end of which is attached to a spring 42 which is supported on the wall HD. The spring 42 and arm 41 serve to pull the wheel 28 and tray 25 into six oclock position after the pin 29 has passed the three oclock position on the Wheel 28. The continued rotation of the wheel 28 is prevented by a stop pin 43 which is carried on the shaft 24 and is arranged to strike the semi-circular collar 44 which is supported by the bearings 26 and 27 (FIG. 3). The stop pin 43 and collar 44 permit the wheel 28 and tray 25 to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise only through an arc of 180 as shown by the directional arrows in FIG. 4. This positions the tray 25 with one side up for loading and the same side down for dumping the ice cubes after freezing.

The housing 19 (FIG. is provided with an air channel 46 whichextends along a part of the wall 19E around the end wall 19F and terminates at a point 47 along the wall19D. The channel 46 is intended to help in the circulation of cold air over and around the tray 25. It will be remembered that the device embodying the invention is positioned inside a refrigerated area so that the air in and about the device is of equal temperature. The cold air is circulated through the channel 46 and over and around the tray 25 by means of a blower 47A which is driven by a motor 48 which is connected, as at 49 (FIG. 2) into the electric circuits of the device. Mounted on the side of the tray 25 is a thermostatic switch 59 (FIGS. 3 and 5) which controls the circuit to the drive motor 33 as shown in FIG. 2. The electric circuits shown in FIG. 2 are also controlled by a master switch 51 and a normally closed three pole switch 52, as herein after explained.

The switch 52 (FIG. 4) is arranged to be opened by means of a rocker arm 58, which is pivoted as at 58A and spring-biased as at 533. The arm 58 is actuated by a pair of cam lobes 59 and 60 formed on the wheel 33 and functions as hereinafter described. The wheel 33 is timed to rotate so that each lobe 59 and 60 strikes the arm 58 to actuate the switch 52 every minutes when the wheel 33 is operating. The switch 52 is connected into the electrical circuits as shown in FIG. 2

Positioned beneath the tray of the housing 19 is an ice cube collector bin 53 which is a rectangular boxlike member open at the top and pivoted at one end, as at 54, in a suitable channel formed in the bottom wall of the housing. The opposite end of the bin 53 is provided with a pair of flat springs 55 which serve to hold the free end in elevated position when the bin is empty or only partly filled. When the bin 53 becomes filled with ice cubes from the tray 25, the weight of the ice cubes will cause the spring 55 to flatten, permitting the came face 56 to actuate the plunger of the switch 57 which is also connected in the electrical circuit, as shown in FIG. 3.

The device operates as follows:

Assuming the device is connected to a suitable source of water and electricity as shown in FIG. 1. When the elements of the master switch 51 are chilled to a temperature of approximately 26 F., the main circuit is closed, transmitting electrical energy to the blower motor 48 and the water supply heater 21. This condition remains until the temperature controlled switch 50, which is carried on the tray 25, has been chilled to approximately 12 F. When the temperature of the control switch 50 reaches 12 F. the circuit to the drive motor 38 is closed, causing the motor 38 to be actuated to drive the intermittent gear train 37, and through the elements 35 and 36, to rotate the wheel 33. As previously stated, the wheel 33 is geared to make a revolution each one-half minute, and as previously stated, the wheel 33 carries the cam members 59 and oil, which open the normally closed switch 52. As the wheel 33 rotates in a clockwise direction (FIG. 4) the cam 59 will strike the arm 58 which in turn will strike plunger 52A to open the switch 52. This will cut off the current to the blower motor 4% and turn on the current to the solenoid valve 17. The solenoid valve 17 will remain open for approximately one-half minute, allowing water to run into the upper part of the tray or receptacle 25. As the drive motor 38 continues to rotate the cam 5? moves free of the arm 58, allowing the plunger 52A to move outwardly again opening the switch 52, thereby cutting oif the flow of current to the solenoid valve 17 and closing the circuit to the blower motor 43, which causes cold air to be circulated over and around the tray 25, the upper part of which is now loaded with water. The cold air continues to be blown over and about the water until it is frozen into ice cubes. The drive motor 33 continues to operate without any movement of the small wheel 28 because of the lost motion provided between the slot 31 in the arm 30 and the pin 32 carried by the large wheel 33. \Vhen the temperature of the control switch 56, which is mounted on the side of the tray 25, reaches approximately 22 B, because of the comparatively warm water which has entered the upper part of the tray 25, the circuit to the drive motor 38 is opened, causing the motor 38 to stop. The machine will remain in this condition until the temperature of the switch 5! on the tray 25 again falls to approximately 12 F., at which time the circuit to the drive motor 38 will then be closed and the large wheel 33 will start to rotate and will continue rotation until the pin 32 on the wheel 33 reaches the end of the slot 31 in the arm 3%. The end of the slot 31 will engage the pin 32 and the continued rotation of the wheel 33 will cause the arm 30 to be pulled down and by the same token will start the downward rotation of the small wheel 28, which causes the rotation of the shaft 24 and the downward rotation of the tray 25 carrying with it the ice cubes which have already been frozen in the upper part of the tray 25.

When the tray 25 has been rotated downwardly a little more than the centering arm 41, under the influence of the spring 42 will cause the wheel 28 and the shaft 24 and the tray 25 to rotate to the approximate position of at which time the stop 43 will engage the lower left edge of the collar 44 and prevent the further clockwise rotation of the tray 25. In this position of the parts, the tray 25 will be inverted with the ice cubes in the lower half of the tray, the upper half of the tray now being empty and ready to be charged with a new supply of water. In this position of the parts, all circuits are closed except the circuit to the solenoid valved 17 controlling the water supply. The motor 38 continues to rotate, causing the rotation of the wheel 33. By this time the pin 32 carried by the wheel 33 has passed lower dead center and is on its way upward. As the pin 32 moves upward, it travels freely in the slot 31 until it reaches the upper end of the slot 31, at which time it starts the upward movement of the arm 39 and the counterclockwise movement of the wheel 28, the shaft 24 and the tray 25, which counterclockwise movement of the tray continues until the stop 43 engages the lower right hand edge of the collar 44, which position is shown in FIG. 4. As the large wheel 33 continues to rotate in the clockwise -JD direction, the cam 60 carried on the wheel 33 strikes the arm 58. depressing the plunger 52A of the switch 52, thereby opening the circuit to the blower 48 and closing the circuit to the solenoid valve 17, permitting water to enter the now empty upper half of the tray 25. The continued rotation of the drive motor 38 and the large wheel 33 moves the cam 60 free of the control arm 58 and permits the switch 52 to again close, at the same time opening the circuit to the solenoid valve 17 to admit more water to the tray and closing the circuit to the air blower motor 48 causing the cold air to again pass over and around the tray. It will be remembered that the wheel 33 is timed to rotate to move each lobe 59 and 60 into switch 52 operating position each 15 minutes of motor 38 operation.

The wheel 33 continues to rotate without any movement of the small wheel 28 because of the lost motion provided between the slot 31 and the pin 32. The tray, the upper half of which is now again filled with water, remains in upright position until the temperature of the control switch 50 on the side of the tray 25 has been elevated by the heat of the fresh water just admitted into the upper half of the tray. The entrance of the comparatively warm water into the upper half of the tray 25 causes a comparatively rapid heat exchange through the undulating partition wall 25E, thereby freeing the ice cubes in the lower half of the tray 25 permitting them to fall into the collector bin 53. As the temperature of the tray 25 is warmed by the fresh water and reaches approximately 22 F., the circuit to the drive motor 38 is then opened and the machine will remain in this position until the temperature of the tray switch 50 is again reduced to approximately 12 F. At this instant the circuit to the drive motor 38 is again closed, and the motor 38 and the large wheel 33 begin to rotate in a clockwise direction. The cycles continue until sufficient ice cubes have been formed and deposited in the bin 53. The weight of the filled bin 53 will cause the downward flexing of the springs 55 and the opening of the switch 57 which will open the circuit to the drive motor 38 and stop the machine. The bin switch 57 may also be actuated if a water overflow in the device should fill the bin 53 with water instead of ice cubes.

In the event that the temperature in the refrigerator area in which the machine is positioned should rise above 36 F., the main switch 51 would be opened and the power supply to the machine would be stopped. This is a further safety factor in the machine.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have disclosed a compact, automatic ice cube making machine which has direct application to domestic and commercial refrigerating devices.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a self contained self supported ice making machine including a water supply and a power supply, the combination of a portable, non-conductive housing, power means supported by said housing, said power means including an electric motor and gear train, driven by said motor, a rotatable shaft driven by said power means, through said gear train, a tray supported for rotation with said shaft, said tray being a rectangular member having an undulating partition dividing it into upper and lower sections, each section having a plurality of compartments, the compartments of one section being staggered with respect to the compartments of the other section and all compartments being separated from one another by common partition walls, and temperature responsive means on said tray for controlling said power means, the said shaft having a wheel at the end, opposite said tray, said wheel having an eccentric pin secured to a slotted arm, which in turn is connected to a larger wheel by means of a pin which is received in the slot of said arm, said larger wheel being driven by said gear train and said motor, whereby to rotate said tray clockwise and counterclockwise, said housing containing means for directing air equally over, around and under said tray, a blower for moving the air, and temperature responsive means for controlling said blower.

2. In a self contained self supported ice making machine including a water supply and a power supply, the combination of a portable, non-conductive housing, power means supported by said housing, said power means including an electric motor and gear train, driven by said motor, a rotatable shaft driven by said power means, through said gear train, a tray supported for rotation with said shaft, said tray being a rectangular member having an undulating partition dividing it into upper and lower sections, each section having a plurality of compartments, the compartments of one section being staggered with respect to the compartments of the other section and all compartments being separated from one another by common partition walls, and temperature responsive means on said tray for controlling said power means, the said shaft having a wheel at the end, opposite said tray, said wheel having an eccentric pin secured to a slotted arm, which in turn is connected to a larger wheel by means of a pin which is received in the slot of said arm, said larger wheel being driven by said gear train and said motor, whereby to rotate said tray clockwise and counterclockwise, said housing containing means for directing air over and around said tray, a blower for moving the air, means for preventing said water supply from freezing prematurely, and temperature responsive means for controlling said blower and said heating means.

3. In a self contained self supported ice making machine including a water supply and a power supply, the combination of a portable, non-conductive housing, power means supported by said housing, said power means including an electric motor and gear train, driven by said motor, a rotatable shaft driven by said power means, through said gear train, a tray supported for rotation with said shaft, said tray being a rectangular member having an undulating partition dividing it into upper and lower sections, each section having a plurality of compartments, the compartments of one section being staggered with respect to the compartments of the other section and all compartments being separated from one another by common partition walls, and temperature responsive means on said tray for controlling said power means, the said shaft having a wheel at the end, opposite said tray, said wheel having an eccentric pin secured to a slotted arm, which in turn is connected to a larger wheel by means of a pin which is received in the slot of said arm, said larger wheel being driven by said gear train and said motor, whereby to rotate said tray clockwise and counterclockwise.

4. In a self contained self supported ice making machine including a water supply and a power supply, the combination of a portable, non-conductive housing, power means supported by said housing, said power means including an electric motor and gear train, driven by said motor, a rotatable shaft driven by said power means, through said gear train, a tray supported for rotation with said shaft, said tray being a rectangular member having an undulating partition dividing it into upper and lower sections, each section having a plurality of compartments, the compartments of one section being staggered with respect to the compartments of the other section and all compartments being separated from one another by common partition walls, and temperature responsive means on said tray for controlling said power means, the said shaft having a wheel secured to the end thereof opposite said tray, and arranged to rotate said shaft and said tray, said wheel having a pin eccentrically securedthereto, a slotted arm, pivoted at one end on said pin, said arm in turn being slidably connected to a larger wheel by means of a pin eccentrically secured to said larger wheel, which last pin is received in the slot of said arm, said larger wheel being driven by said gear train and said motor, whereby to rotate said tray clockwise and counterclockwise and a leveler arm secured at one end to a spring carried by said housing and pivoted at the other end to said pin on said first named wheel, whereby to speed the rotation of said first named Wheel and said tray after said first named pin has passed dead center on said first named wheel, and means to limit the rotation of said first named wheel end said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Linstrornberg Sept. 25, 1962 De Turk Oct. 2, 1962 Knifiin Oct 23, 1962 Hall Jan. 29, 1963

Claims (1)

1. IN A SELF CONTAINED SELF SUPPORTED ICE MAKING MACHINE INCLUDING A WATER SUPPLY AND A POWER SUPPLY, THE COMBINATION OF A PORTABLE, NON-CONDUCTIVE HOUSING, POWER MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING, SAID POWER MEANS INCLUDING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR AND GEAR TRAIN, DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR, A ROTATABLE SHAFT DRIVEN BY SAID POWER MEANS, THROUGH SAID GEAR TRAIN, A TRAY SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION WITH SAID SHAFT, SAID TRAY BEING A RECTANGULAR MEMBER HAVING AN UNDULATING PARTITION DIVIDING IT INTO UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, EACH SECTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS, THE COMPARTMENTS OF ONE SECTION BEING STAGGERED WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPARTMENTS OF THE OTHER SECTION AND ALL COMPARTMENTS BEING SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY COMMON PARTITION WALLS, AND TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE MEANS ON SAID TRAY FOR CONTROLLING SAID POWER

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