Apparatus for and method of making and delivering slush ice

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of making and delivering slush ice includes providing a main housing (28) having a floor (30) and substantially cylindrical sidewalls (32). The housing (28) includes a water inlet (58) and an ice inlet (26). A pump (34) having a delivery outlet (50) is positioned to have an inlet (44) substantially centered axially within the housing (28) and spaced a predetermined distance from the floor (30). A delivery conduit (52) extends from the delivery outlet (50) of the pump (34) to a second end (72, 88) remote therefrom. A rotating agitator member (54, 54') having an axis of rotation substantially centered co-axially within the housing (28) is positioned such that the agitator (54, 54') swirls ice and water in the housing (28) substantially around the pump inlet (44). The pump (34) draws ice and water through the inlet (44) and delivers a mixture of ice and water in the form of slush ice (16) through the delivery outlet (50). Slush ice produced according to this method and by this apparatus is soft, noncaking, and free of irregular and sharp edges.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.