Automatic recovery system for frozen product machines

A frozen product machine, comprising:

• a freeze barrel;
• a refrigeration system operable in a chilling cycle to freeze product in said freeze barrel and in a defrost cycle to defrost product in said freeze barrel;
• a scraper in said freeze barrel;
• an electric motor for rotating said scraper in said freeze barrel;
• means for sensing the output torque of said motor and for comparing said sensed torque to an upper torque limit;
• means responsive to said sensed torque being at least equal to said upper torque limit for at least a selected time to turn off said motor and operate said refrigeration system in a defrost cycle of said freeze barrel;
• and
• means responsive to said refrigeration system being operated in a defrost cycle of said freeze barrel for a predetermined time to turn on said motor and operate said refrigeration system in a chilling cycle of said freeze barrel.

A method of operating a frozen product dispenser having a refrigeration system operable in chilling and defrost cycles to respectively freeze and defrost product in a freeze barrel, a scraper in the freeze barrel, and an electric motor for rotating the scraper in the freeze barrel, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing the output torque of the electric motor;
• in response to said sensing step sensing an output torque of the motor that is at least equal to a selected limit, turning off the motor and operating the refrigeration system in a defrost cycle to defrost product in the freeze barrel;
• and
• upon completion of the defrost cycle, turning on the motor and operating the refrigeration system in a chilling cycle to refreeze product in the freeze barrel.

A method of operating a frozen product dispenser having a refrigeration system operable in chilling and defrost cycles to respectively freeze and defrost product in a freeze barrel, a scraper in the freeze barrel, and an electric motor for rotating the scraper in the freeze barrel, said method comprising the steps of:

• sensing the output torque of the electric motor;
• comparing the sensed motor output torque to an upper torque limit;
• determining whether the sensed motor output torque is at least equal to the upper torque limit for at least a selected time;
• turning off the electric motor and operating the refrigeration system in a defrost cycle of the freeze barrel upon said determining step determining that the sensed motor output torque is at least equal to the upper torque limit for at least the selected time;
• and
• turning on the electric motor and operating the refrigeration system in a chilling cycle of the freeze barrel upon the refrigeration system being operated in a defrost cycle of the freeze barrel for a predetermined time.