Auger-type ice making apparatus

An ice making apparatus comprising:

• a generally cylindrical and hollow freezing chamber:
• an annular compacting head at an end of said freezing chamber normal to the axis of said freezing chamber;
• a rotatable ice auger sized to fit into said freezing chamber whereby said auger scrapes ice formed on the walls of said chamber and conveys said ice toward a discharge end of said auger and said annular compacting head;
• a means on the inner cylinder wall of said freezing chamber for facilitating axial movement of the ice whereby resistance to rotational movement of the ice relative to the chamber wall is created;
• a gripping means on said discharge end of said ice auger on a surface adjacent to said annular compacting head to improve gripping of said ice, wherein said gripping means on the ice auger is a knurl pattern, whereby discharge flow of the ice compacted by said annular compacting head is improved;
• a means to cause rotation of said ice auger;
• a means to discharge ice from said freezing chamber;
• a means for supplying water to said freezing chamber;
• and
• a refrigeration means for cooling said freezing chamber.

An ice making apparatus comprising:

• a generally cylindrical and hollow freezing chamber;
• an annular compacting head at an end of said freezing chamber normal to the axis of said freezing chamber;
• a rotatable ice auger sized to fit into said freezing chamber whereby said auger scrapes ice formed on the walls of said chamber and conveys said ice toward a discharge end of said auger and said annular compacting head;
• a means on the inner cylinder wall of said freezing chamber for facilitating axial movement of the ice whereby resistance to rotational movement of the ice relative to the chamber wall is created;
• a gripping means on said discharge end of said ice auger on a surface adjacent to said annular compacting head to improve gripping of said ice, wherein said gripping means on the ice auger is inscribed radial lines, whereby discharge flow of the ice compacted by said annular compacting head is improved;
• a means to cause rotation of said ice auger;
• a means to discharge ice from said freezing chamber;
• a means for supplying water to said freezing chamber;
• and
• a refrigeration means for cooling said freezing chamber.

An ice making apparatus comprising:

• a generally cylindrical and hollow freezing chamber:
• an annular compacting head at an end of said freezing chamber normal to the axis of said freezing chamber;
• a rotatable ice auger sized to fit into said freezing chamber whereby said auger scraper ice formed on the walls of said chamber and conveys said ice toward a discharge end of said auger and said annular compacting head;
• a means on the inner cylinder wall of said freezing chamber for facilitating axial movement of the ice, wherein said means comprises a plurality of axial grooves extending longitudinally in said freezing chamber and protruding generally radially outwardly from the inner surface of said freezing chamber, whereby, resistance to rotational movement of the ice relative to the chamber wall is created;
• a gripping means on said discharge end of said ice auger on a surface adjacent to said annular compacting head to improve gripping of said ice, wherein said gripping means on the ice auger is a knurl pattern with an abrasive surface whereby discharge flow of the ice compacted by said annular compacting head is improved;
• a means to cause rotation of said ice auger;
• a means to discharge ice from said freezing chamber;
• a means for supplying water to said freezing chamber;
• and
• a refrigeration means for cooling said freezing chamber.