Ice transportation system and method

A method of transporting ice pieces and residual water from minimum melted ice through a transport tube to a satellite bin at a remote location for use of said ice pieces, comprising:

• supplying a charge of ice pieces to said transport tube adjacent a first end;
• engaging the trailing end of said charge by a downstream face of a driver member;
• and
• propelling the driver member along said tube by establishing a differential air pressure across said driver member with a high pressure on the upstream face and a low pressure on the downstream face that engages the trailing end of said charge, the differential air pressure being sufficient to propel said driver member for delivery of said charge to the satellite bin adjacent a second end of said tube while maintaining said ice pieces substantially out of contact with the high pressure air and isolating the pieces from significant stress;
• lubricating said driver member with said residual water to reduce the friction during movement along said tube;
• establishing an average first velocity for the charge during the propelling step to minimize breakage and melting;
• and
• reversing the differential air pressure before the driver member reaches a second end of said transport tube to establish a second average velocity to automatically shuttle the driver member back to the home position adjacent the first end, said second average velocity being higher than the first average velocity,
• whereby said ice pieces can be efficiently and rapidly transported to said satellite bin in a substantially defined charge while minimizing melting and breakage.

A method of continuously cleaning an ice transportation system having a transport tube comprising:

• supplying a charge of ice pieces to a transport tube adjacent a first end;
• propelling the charge of ice pieces through the transport tube with a driver member from the first end to a second end by differential air pressure;
• maintaining the charge of ice pieces in substantially close contact on the low pressure side of the driver member traveling through the transport tube, while at the same time maintaining said charge substantially out of contact with and insulated from the high pressure side,
• whereby the melting effect of the pressurized air on the ice pieces is minimized;
• and
• injecting sanitizing fluid into said transport tube on the downstream side of said driver member adjacent said first end;
• maintaining said driver member in sufficiently close fitting contact in said tube to provide both lubrication and continuous cleaning by sweeping said residual water and sanitizing fluid along said tube;
• propelling the driver member through the transport tube with differential air pressure so as to sweep the sanitizing fluid through the transport tube toward the second end;
• reversing the differential pressure to shuttle said driver member back and forth between the ends;
• and
• dumping the sanitizing fluid from the transport tube.

A system for transporting a charge of ice pieces from a home position to a plurality of remote locations comprising:

• a primary bin for holding a supply of ice pieces adjacent said home position;
• agitation means to prevent ice blockage of said ice pieces in said primary storage bin;
• a transport tube communicating between said primary storage means and said remote locations;
• a dispenser for transferring a charge of ice pieces from said primary bin to said tube;
• pneumatic means for providing differential air pressure in said tube;
• a driver member to engage behind said charge to insulate said charge of ice during transport through said tube by said differential air pressure, thereby minimizing the melting effect of the pressurized air on said ice pieces;
• at least one satellite bin at each said remote location for receiving said charge of ice;
• means for reversing said differential air pressure to shuttle said driver member back-and-forth between said home position and said remote locations;
• a controller for selecting the satellite bin for receiving said charge of ice pieces,
• a precharge chamber between said primary bin and said transport tube to receive said ice pieces from said dispenser to form at least a portion of said charge during delivery of a previous charge to the selected bin;
• and
• a nozzle opening in said precharge chamber on the upstream side to provide differential air pressure from said pneumatic means in the form of an air stream for an air assist for said charge moving into said transport tube,
• whereby said ice pieces can be selectively and rapidly transported to said remote locations while minimizing melting and breakage.

A transportation system for repeated delivering of charges of ice pieces and residual water from minimum melted ice to a remote location for use of said ice pieces, comprising:

• a primary bin for holding a supply of ice pieces;
• a transport tube communicating adjacent a first end with said bin;
• a dispenser for delivering a charge of ice pieces to the tube from said primary bin;
• a satellite bin communicating with said tube adjacent a second end for receiving said charge of ice pieces at the remote location;
• a driver member to engage behind said charge of ice pieces for moving said pieces along said tube toward said satellite bin;
• said driver member lubricating said tube with said residual water to reduce the friction during movement along said tube;
• and
• pneumatic means to provide differential air pressure for propelling said driver member along said tube for controlled delivery of said pieces to the satellite bin adjacent said second end of said tube while isolating the pieces from significant upstream air flow and stress;
• means for varying the differential pressure of said pneumatic means to control the movement of said driver member;
• a controller for operating said dispenser, pneumatic means, and said varying means, and for monitoring and changing the operational parameters of said system,
• whereby said ice pieces can be efficiently and rapidly transferred to said satellite bin in a substantially defined charge while minimizing melting and breakage.

A transportation system for repeated delivering of charges of ice pieces and residual water from minimum melted ice to a remote location for use of said ice pieces, comprising:

• a primary bin for holding a supply of ice pieces;
• a transport tube communicating adjacent a first end with said bin;
• a dispenser for delivering a charge of ice pieces to the tube from said primary bin;
• a satellite bin communicating with said tube adjacent a second end for receiving said charge of ice pieces at the remote location;
• a driver member to engage behind said charge of ice pieces for moving said pieces along said tube toward said satellite bin;
• said driver member lubricating said tube with said residual water to reduce the friction during movement along said tube;
• and
• pneumatic means to provide differential air pressure for propelling said driver member along said tube for controlled delivery of said pieces to the satellite bin adjacent said second end of said tube while isolating the pieces from significant upstream air flow and stress;
• a precharge chamber upstream of said transport tube to receive said ice pieces from said dispenser to form at least a portion of said charge during delivery of a previous charge to said bin,
• whereby said ice pieces can be efficiently and rapidly transferred to said satellite bin in a substantially defined charge while minimizing melting and breakage.