Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
AssigneeIce House America LLC
InventorsDonald J. Dalton, Roy Lavon Stripling
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic ice vending apparatus including a holding vessel capable of storing a plurality of ice pieces to provide a constant supply of ice over an indeterminate period of time and an ice transferring device designed to transport a portion of the ice pieces through and out of an aperture in the holding vessel, and optionally, an upwardly directional ice transport device operably positioned to transport the ice pieces upwards to a weighing device, whereby the weighing device meters out a portion of ice pieces and deposits the portion into a readily transportable container. Methods of delivering containerized ice in situ are also included.
Claims24
An automated fresh-ice vending apparatus comprising:
- a holding vessel configured and dimensioned to contain sufficient freshly formed ice pieces to provide a replenishing supply in situ for an indeterminate time;
- and
- an ice transferring device positioned in the holding vessel and configured and adapted to transport a portion of the fresh ice pieces in a substantially horizontal direction to remove the portion through an aperture of the holding vessel to a weighing device, whereby the weighing device meters out a second portion of fresh ice pieces and deposits the second portion into a readily transportable container.
An automated ice vending apparatus comprising:
- a holding vessel configured and dimensioned to contain sufficient ice pieces to provide a supply of ice pieces over an indeterminate time;
- and
- an ice transferring device positioned in the holding vessel that comprises an inclined transport mechanism near an end of the holding vessel, which mechanism moves a portion of the ice pieces at an angle comprising a downwardly vertical direction and a horizontal direction toward an aperture and out of the vessel to remove the portion through the aperture to a weighing device, whereby the weighing device is adapted and configured to meter out a second portion of fresh ice pieces and deposit the second portion into a readily transportable container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.