Portable self-contained apparatus for freezing liquids

A portable, self-contained apparatus for freezing liquids, such as ice cream, without the use of ice and salt and being characterized by a compact and stable construction providing efficient and uniform freezing of the liquid and ease of removal of the frozen liquid therefrom, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing including a hollow base portion and an upper housing portion carried by said base portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said base portion being of a substantially larger cross-sectional area than said upper housing portion and having a depth of at least one half the overall height of the apparatus to thereby provide a stable foundation for the apparatus;
• a heat conductive wall of a closed curved configuration located inside said upper housing portion and defining a cooling chamber therein of generally circular cross-section having an open upper end;
• refrigeration means cooperating with said heat conductive wall over substantially the entire extent thereof for circulating a refrigerant therearound for uniformly cooling the inner surface of said wall, said refrigeration means including a refrigeration compressor located in said hollow base portion below said cooling chamber, a condenser coil operatively connected to said refrigeration compressor, and an evaporator coil surrounding said heat conductive wall and being operatively connected to said refrigeration compressor and to said condenser coil;
• a heat conductive liquid container of generally circular cross-section corresponding to the shape of said cooling chamber, said container being removably positioned in said cooling chamber and adapted for rotation relative thereto,
• a plurality of spacing members carried by the inner surface of said heat conductive wall at spaced apart locations therearound and bearing against said liquid container so as to maintain the container centered in said cooling chamber and in closely spaced relation with the uniformly cooled inner surface of said heat conductive wall for being quickly and uniformly cooled thereby;
• and
• drive means cooperating with said liquid container for rotating the container within said cooling chamber to thereby provide agitation for the liquid in the container during freezing thereof, said drive means including an electric motor located in said hollow base portion, a drive gear located in the lower portion of said cooling chamber and being releasably connected in driving engagement to said liquid container for imparting rotation thereto, and means operatively interconnecting said electric motor and said drive gear.

A portable self-contained apparatus for freezing liquids, such as ice cream, without the use of ice and salt and being characterized by a construction providing efficient and uniform freezing of the liquid and ease of removal of the frozen liquid therefrom while compensating for frost accumulation during the freezing operation, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a heat conductive wall of generally frusto-conical configuration carried by said housing and defining therein an upwardly flaring frustoconical cooling chamber having an open upper end;
• refrigeration means contained in said housing and cooperating with said heat conductive wall over substantially the entire extent thereof for circulating a refrigerant therealong for uniformly cooling the inner surface of said wall;
• a heat conductive liquid container of generally frusto-conical shape corresponding to the shape of said cooling chamber, said container being removably positioned in said cooling chamber and adapted for rotation relative thereto, and said container being positioned in closely spaced relation with the uniformly cooled inner surface of said heat conductive wall for being quickly and uniformly cooled thereby while allowing upward axial movement of said container with respect to said conductive wall for compensating for accumulation of frost thereon;
• and
• drive means extending into a lower portion of said cooling chamber and being disengageably connected to said liquid container for rotating the container relative to said wall to thereby provide agitation for the liquid in the container during freezing thereof.

A portable self-contained apparatus for freezing liquids, such as ice cream, without the use of ice and salt and being characterized by a construction providing efficient and uniform freezing of the liquid and ease of removal of the frozen liquid therefrom while compensating for frost accumulation during the freezing operation, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing, including a hollow base portion and an upper housing portion carried by said base portion and extending upwardly therefrom;
• a heat conductive wall of generally frusto-conical configuration located in said upper housing portion and defining therein an upwardly flaring frusto-conical cooling chamber having an open upper end;
• refrigeration means cooperating with said heat conductive wall over substantially the entire extent thereof for circulating a refrigerant therearound for uniformly cooling the inner surface of said wall, said refrigeration means including a refrigeration compressor located in said hollow base portion below said cooling chamber, a condenser coil operatively connected to said refrigeration compressor, and an evaporator coil surrounding said heat conductive wall and being operatively connected to said refrigeration compressor and to said condensor coil;
• a heat conductive liquid container of generally frusto-conical shape corresponding to the shape of said cooling chamber, said container being removably positioned in said cooling chamber and adapted for rotation relative thereto, and said container being positioned in closely spaced relation with the uniformly cooled inner surface of said heat conductive wall for being quickly and uniformly cooled thereby while allowing upward axial movement of said container with respect to said heat conductive wall for compensating for accumulation of frost thereon;
• drive means cooperating with said liquid container for rotating the container within said liquid chamber to thereby provide agitation for the liquid in the container during freezing thereof, said drive means including an electric motor located in said hollow base portion, a drive gear located in the lower portion of said cooling chamber and being releasably connected in driving engagement to said liquid container for imparting rotation thereto, and means operatively interconnecting said electric motor and said drive gear;
• a dasher extending into said liquid container from the upper end thereof;
• and
• a cooling chamber cover carried by said upper housing and enclosing the open end of said cooling chamber, said cover including means engaging the upper end of said dasher for holding the dasher stationary during rotation of the liquid container to thereby provide further agitation to the liquid in said container to facilitate uniform freezing thereof.