Mechanical snow and ice removal for impinger
AssigneeMesser Industries USA, Inc.
InventorScott Boyles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impingement apparatus associated with a conveyor includes: (a) a shell supporting an impinger; and (b) a coolant delivery apparatus enclosed by the shell, the coolant delivery apparatus including a gas circulation device for directing a coolant to the impinger; the impinger including: (i) an impingement plate including openings for directing impingement jets toward the conveyor; (ii) at least one non-circular cam in mechanical communication with the at least one conveyor and rotatable when the conveyor is in motion; and (iii) at least one connector in mechanical communication with the at least one cam and the impingement plate, the connector displaceable during rotation of the at least one cam to elevate and lower the impingement plate.
Claims14
An impingement apparatus associated with a conveyor, the impingement apparatus comprising:
- (a) a shell disposed at an interior of the impingement apparatus, the shell supporting an impinger above the conveyor;
- and
- (b) a coolant delivery apparatus selected from the group consisting of an impeller, a blower, and an axial flow fan and being enclosed within the shell for directing a cryogen coolant to the impinger, the impinger comprising:
- (i) an impingement plate comprising openings for directing impingement jets toward the conveyor,
- (ii) at least one non-circular cam in mechanical communication with the conveyor for transfer of linear motion of the conveyor into rotary motion of the at least one non-circular cam, and
- (iii) at least one connector in mechanical communication with the at least one non-circular cam and the impingement plate, the at least one connector comprising a vertical plate engaged with the impingement plate and resting on the non-circular cam for being displaceable during the rotary motion of the at least one non-circular cam to elevate and lower the impingement plate to create an impact force on the impingement plate.
An apparatus for cooling or freezing items, comprising:
- a housing comprising a ceiling, a floor and side walls defining a chamber within the housing;
- at least one conveyer extending into the chamber between the ceiling and the floor;
- and
- at least one impingement apparatus disposed in the chamber and above the conveyor, the impingement apparatus comprising:
- (a) a shell supporting an impinger above the conveyor;
- and
- (b) a coolant delivery apparatus selected from the group consisting of an impeller, a blower, and an axial flow fan and being enclosed within the shell for directing a cryogen coolant to the impinger, the impinger comprising:
- (i) an impingement plate comprising openings for directing impingement jets toward the conveyor,
- (ii) at least one non-circular cam in mechanical communication with the conveyor for transfer of linear motion of the conveyor into rotary motion of the at least one non-circular cam, and
- (iii) at least one connector in mechanical communication with the at least one non-circular cam and the impingement plate, the at least one connector comprising a vertical plate engaged with the impingement plate and resting on the non-circular cam for being displaceable during the rotary motion of the at least one non-circular cam to elevate and lower the impingement plate to create an impact force on the impingement plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.