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US 3,959,981 AGranted
Apparatus for preparing ice
OwnerLuzon L. Andersoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Refrigerant is cooled under atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature to a temperature below that of the freezing point of water under atmospheric conditions and is then passed through an automated plant for making cans of ice and an ice storage facility. The plant includes machinery for automatically filling ice making cans and discharging the ice from the cans once it is formed.
Claims4
An apparatus for making ice under atmospheric conditions, comprising in combination:
- a. refrigeration means for reducing the temperature of a refrigerant to atmospheric temperature;
- b. a container having a jacket and an opening for the discharge of ice formed within the container;
- c. water input means for introducing water into the container at controlled conditions;
- d. refrigerant circulation means connected to said refrigeration means and to said jacket for circulating refrigerant through the jacket to cause water in said container to freeze into ice;
- e. ice discharge means for effecting the discharge of ice from said container, comprising warm refrigerant means connected to the jacket of said container to introduce warm refrigerant under controlled conditions into said jacket and thereby cause the temperature of the container to rise to a point wherein the ice will part from the container so that it is released and can be discharged therefrom;
- and
- f. mounting means connected to said container for supporting the container in an upright position with the opening at the top and for allowing the container to be pivoted to a position which will allow ice to be discharged therefrom under the influence of gravity;
- said mounting means having passages therethrough in fluid flow communication with said jacket;
- said refrigeration means and said warm refrigerant means being connected to said passage means in said mounting means for introduction of refrigerant therethrough to the jacket of said container;
- said connections being such that refrigerant at atmospheric temperature can pass through said mounting means and said jacket in the upright position of said container and upon movement of said container to the position wherein said ice can be discharged therefrom by gravity, warm refrigerant can be introduced through said mounting means and into the jacket of said container;
- and slip rings are provided connected to the refrigeration means and the warm refrigerant means and engaging the ends of trunnions which form part of said mounting means;
- said trunnions having said passages therethrough communicating with said jacket;
- said passages terminating in a port in each trunnion communicating alternatively with the refrigeration means and the warm refrigerant means to provide the fluid flow characteristics aforesaid.
10 more elements
An apparatus for making ice under atmospheric conditions, comprising in combination:
- a. refrigeration means exposed to the atmosphere and coacting therewith to utilize atmospheric conditions for reducing the temperature of a refrigerant to atmospheric temperature;
- b. a container having a jacket and an opening for the discharge of ice formed within the container;
- c. water input means for introducing water into the container at controlled conditions;
- d. refrigerant circulation means connected to said refrigeration means and to said jacket for circulating refrigerant through the jacket to cause water in said container to freeze into ice;
- and
- e. ice discharge means for effecting the discharge of ice from said container, comprising release means for releasing the ice from the container and positioning means for positioning the jacketed container so that the released ice will fall by gravity from the container, said positioning means comprising pivotal means attached to the container to allow it to be pivoted through an arc from an upright position to the position wherein the ice can be discharged by gravity;
- and motor means are provided for pivoting the container as aforesaid, said motor means being controlled automatically by sensor means which senses when the ice within the container is formed;
- said sensor means, motor means and positioning means coacting to return the container to an upright position for refilling by said water input means, said water input means and said sensor means coacting to introduce water into said container when said container is in the upright position, to stop the flow of water during the freezing thereof in the container and during the time when the ice is being discharged from the container, and to automatically introduce water into the container when it has again been moved to the upright position.
5 more elements
An apparatus for making ice under atmospheric conditions, comprising in combination:
- a. refrigeration means exposed to the atmosphere and coacting therewith to utilize atmospheric conditions for reducing the temperature of a refrigerant to atmospheric temperature;
- b. a container having a jacket and an opening for the discharge of ice formed within the container;
- c. water input means for introducing water into the container at controlled conditions;
- d. refrigerant circulation means connected to said refrigeration means and to said jacket for circulating refrigerant through the jacket to cause water in said container to freeze into ice;
- and
- e. ice discharge means for effecting the discharge of ice from said container, comprising warm refrigerant means connected to the jacket of said container to introduce warm refrigerant under controlled conditions into said jacket and thereby cause the temperature of the container to rise to a point wherein the ice will part from the container so that it is released and can be discharged therefrom;
- and mounting means are provided connected to said container for supporting the container in an upright position with the opening at the top and for allowing the container to be pivoted to a position which will allow ice to be discharged therefrom under the influence of gravity;
- said mounting means having passages therethrough in fluid flow communication with said jacket;
- and said refrigeration means and said warm refrigerant means are connected to said passage means in said mounting means for introduction of refrigerant therethrough to the jacket of said container;
- said connections being such that refrigerant at atmospheric temperature can pass through said mounting means and said jacket in the upright position of said container and upon movement of said container to the position wherein said ice can be discharged therefrom by gravity, warm refrigerant can be introduced through said mounting means and into the jacekt of said container.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.