Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AUGER-T~E ICE ~ING APPARATUS
FOR Pl~ODUC I NG H I GH QUALI ~Y I CE
BAC~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are t~o general types of icè making machines
known in the prior art. The first and possibly the most
~amiliar of these machines involves placing water into ice
, forming chambers or molds and subjecting the molds to the
action of a refrigerant or a refrigeration system until the
water is frozen into ice in cube or other suitable form.
While machines of this general type produce high quality
ice, they are by their very nature9 relatively inefficient.
This ine~ficiency is a result of the poor heat transfer
characteristics of the ice itself, which necessitates
significant refrigeration efforts in order to freeze a
relatively thick piece of ice by direct heat transfer alone.
The second principal type of ice making machines
~nown in the prior art is one in which ice is scraped from
a freezine surface to provide ice in slush form which is
subsequently compressed or compacted. A machine of this
general type is disclosed in ~nited States Patent ~o.
3,034,311, issued May 15, 1962, to M. L. Nelson. While
a machine of this type in which slush ice is forced through
a plurality of openings in order to compress or compact the
ice and remove water therefrom is much more efficient than
conventional ice cube making equipment discussed above, such
latter type of equipment has heretofore been known to
produce ice which is inferior in quality to that produced
on cube-type ice making equipment. In the art of - 5
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manufacturing cubes or chunks oE ice o~ various shapes t
a definite distinction is made in the axt between cube
ice, such as that produced on the conventional machines
~irst discussed above, and flake ice formed under pressure,
since the former is hard and clear and regular in nature,
while flake ice is produced in the form of irregular ice
chunks which are not as hard or as clear as the ice pro-
duced on cube-type equipment.
The present invention is directed toward a
new and improved flake-type ice making machine which over-
comes a number of the deficiencies of similar type mach-
ines known in the prior art, and as such, the present in-
vention is intended to produce a very high quality re-
la-tively uniform size particles of ice, as compared to
the irregular low quality ice produced by prior art equip
ment.
According to the present invention there is
provided an apparatus for producing high quality reia-
t1vely uniform si~e ice particles or pellets. The appara-
tus includes means for producing an ice body comprising
a generally hollow cylindrical-shaped ice forming chamber,
the ice body having a generally cylindrical cross sectional
shape and having radially inner and outer sides. An ice
auger means is provided within the chamber and is co-
operable therewith for causiny the ice body to move to-
ward and into engagement with an element defining a
generally radially extending ice discharge opening, the
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opening being arranged direc-tly above the ice body where-
by a section of -the body moves through -the opening upon
upward movement of the body. The discharge opening has
a dimension measured radially of the chamber that is
greater than the radial thickness of -the ice body so that
the section of the body moving through the opening has
at least one side thereof spaced away from the peripheral
wall of the opening so as to define a flow passage through
which unfrozen water within the body may flow through the
opening back toward the ice producing means.
According to another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a method of produciny rela-
tively uniform particles of high quality ice including
the steps of producing a body of ice and causing the ice
body to move toward and into engagement with an element
defining an ice discharge opening. A portion of the ice
body is caused to move through the ice discharge opening
in a manner so as to form a flow passage between an outer
peripheral portion of the ice body -moving through the
opening and the peripheral wall of the opening, Ice
make-up water is permi-tted to flow through the passage,
and the portion of the ice body moving through the opening
is caused to be severed into relatively uniform size ice
particles.
It is accordingly a general object o~ the
present invention to provide a new and improved ice making
method and apparatus.
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It is another objec-t of the presen-t invention
to provide a new and improved apparatus for producing
high quality ice of the above character wherein the ice
which is forced through the ice discharge openings de-
fines water flow passages with the periphery of the open-
ings to permit excess water to flow back toward the ice
forming chamber, resul-ting in ice being produced w~ich
has a significantly lower water content -than ice produced
by similar machines of the prior art.
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Other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the followin~ description
taken in conjunc-tion with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of
the ice making apparatus of the present invention;
igure 2 is a bottom elevational view of the ice
discharge member incorporated in the apparatus shown in
~ Figure l;
~igure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken substantially a~ong the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view
illustrating a portion of the ice auger and one of the
as 5 ociated ice discharge openings;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view
taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one
of the ice particles produced by the ice making machine
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE P~EFERRED EMBODIMENT
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.Referring now in detail to the drawings and in
particular to Figure 1 thereof, an auger-type ice making
machine 10, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of
the present invention, is shown generally as comprising an
el.ongated hollow cylindrical or tubular housing member 12
::~ving auger means in the form of an elongated rotatable
auger 14 disp~sed interiorly thereof. The auger 14 is
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formed hith reduced diameter upper and lower end portions
16 and 18, respectively, which are supported for rotational
movement, as seen generally at 20 and 22. The auger 14 com-
prises an elongated generally cylindrically-shaped central
body section 24 that is formed with an integral helical
ramp or flight 26 which defines a helical ice shearing
edge 28 disposed closely adjacent the inner peripheral
' wall of the tubular housing member 12. The outer periphery
of the auger 24 body, i.e., root diameter, and the inner
10~ periphery of the housing 12 define an ice forming chamber
about which a refrigeration coil 32 is disposed. The coil
32 is arranged within a shroud or enclosure 34 which is in
turn located interiorly of a suitable layer of a heat in-
sulating material or the like, representatively designated
by the numeral 36. As is well known in the art, a supply
of ice make-up water is adapted to be communicated to the
ice forming chamber 30 through suitable water conduit
means (now shown), whereupon energization of an associated
refrigeration system causes refrigerant to flow through
the coil 32 to effect a thin layer of ice being contin-
uously formed around the inner periphery or surface of the
tubular member 12. Upon rotation of the auger 14 by means
of a suitable drive motor or the like (not shown) which is
drivingly connected to the auger 14 by means of a drive
shaft 38, the aforesaid layer of ice is transferred axially
upwardly by the helical ramp 26, whereupon said ice will
be formed into a geneTally cylindrical or tubular-shaped
ice body having a radial thickness or dimension equal
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to the radial space between the inner periphery of the
housing member 12 and the root diameter of the auger 14.
This cylindrical body of ice is representatively desig-
nated by the numeral I in Figures 4 and 5 and is moved
upwardly within the chamber 30 under the influence of the
rotating auger flight 26, the uppermost portion of the ice
body I being subjected to a compacting and forming operation
resulting in the ice being formed into discrete ice particles
or pellets, one of which is illustrated in Figure 6, as will
hereafter be described.
Disposed adjacent the upper end of the cylindrical
housing member 12 is an annular mounting flange 40 formed
with a plurality of internally threaded apertures 42. The
mounting f]ange 40 is adapted to function operatively sup-
porting an ice e~truder and breaXer member generally desig-
nated by the numeral 44 upon the upper end of the housing
member lZ. More specifically, the member 44 comprises a
generally cylindrical body 46 having a radial outwardly
extending mounting flange 48 formed integrally of the lower
Z0 end thereof and adapted to be surmounted upon the flange 40
in the manner best illustrated in Figure 1. The cylindrical
body 46 is also formed with an upper attachment flange 50,
with the flanges 48, 50 being provided with suitable bores
52, whereby mounting bolts or the like 54 may be used for
fixedly sccuring the breaker member 44 upon the flange 40.
Disposed directly above the member 44 is an ice discharge
elbow 56 having a suitable mounting flange or the like 58
provided with apertures 60, whereby attachment bolts or
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the like 62 may be utilized for operatively securing the
discharge elbow 56 upon the upper end of the ice extruder
and breaker member 44.
Generally speaking, the cylindrical body of ice I
which is biased upwardly under the influence of the rotating
auger 14 is subjected to the ice compacting or extruding
operation of the member 44, whereupon relatîvely uniform
size, high quality ice particles or pellets are produced
thereby, the ice particles or pellets moving upwardly into
10~ the elbow 56 along a discharge path 64, whereupon the ice
may be transmitted to a suitable ice storage area, either
adjacent or remote ~rom the machine 10~ It is to be noted
that the mounting arrangement for the elbow 56 upon the
member 44 is disclosed herein merely by way of depicting a
suitable way of attaching the elbow 56 in its operative
position, and various other mounting arrangements may be
utili~ed without departing from the scope of the present
invention. It is contemplated, for example, that the
elbow 56 could be rotatably or adjustably mounted upon the
top of the member 44 so that it may be conveniently positioned
to acco~modate various installationsO It should also be
noted that suitable sealing means, such as 0-ring sealing
elements or the like may be provided interjacent confronting
surfaces of the me~ber 44 with the associated flange 40
and/or elbow 56l as illustrated, to preclude undesirable
water leakage, as is well known in the art.
The ice extruder and breaker member 44 includes a central
section 66, the underside of which is formed with an annular
blind bore or cavity 68. As best seen in Fig~re 1, a
suitable anti-friction bearing assembly,generally designated
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by the numeral 70, is disposed within the bore 68 and adapted
to rotatably support the reduced diameter upper end portion
16 of the auger 14.
Disposed radially outwardly from the central section
66 of the member 44 is an intermedia~e body portion, generally
designated by the numeral 72 and which is arranged generally
axially above or in overlying relationship with respect to the
.~' ice forming chamber 30. In accordance with the principles of
the present invention~ the body portion 72 is formed with a
10. plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending ice
discharge openings which extend from the underside of the
member 44, i.e., the side of the member 44 confronting the
ice forming chamber 30, to the open upper side of the member
44, as best seen in Figure 1. The plurality of openings 74
are identical in size and shape and are arranged such that
the central axis of each of the openings 74 is located on an
imaginary circle, the center of which is coaxial with the
axis of the auger 14 and housing member 12 and the diameter
of which is greater than the root diameter of the auger 14
and smaller than the inner diameter of the housing member
12. In a preferred construction of the present invention,
the diameter of the aforesaid imaginary circle,designated
by the letter C in Figure 5, is such that the center of
each of the openings 74 is spaced radially between, i.e.,
midway or equidistant, from the root diameter of the
auger 14 and the inner perpheral wall of the housing
member 12.
As best seen in Figures 3-5, each of the ice
discharge openings 74 comprises an upper cylindrical
section 76 and a lower tapered or frusto-conical section 789
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with the sections 76, 78 of each of the openings 74 being
coaxial, as shown. As depicted in Figure 3, the circum~
ferential spacing of the ice discharge opening 74 is such
that the tapered lower sections thereof define downwardly
converging surfaces 80 and 82 between each adjacent pair
of the openings 74, the surfaces 80, 82 converging at a
generally radially disposed ice shearing edge 84 between
~ each adjacent pair of openings 74, with the edges ~4 lying
in a radial plane defining the upper axial end of the ice
10~ forming chamber 30 and co-planar with the lower side of
the ice extrudèr and breaker member 44. In a preferred
form of the present invention, the lower tapered sections
78 of the discharge openings 74 are defined by an included
angle with respect to the axes of the openings 74 of between
15~-25, and preferably approximately 20. Also in accor-
.dance with a preferred form of the present invention, the
desired high quality ice is achieved when the diameter of
the openings 74 and in particular, the diameter of the upper
sections 76 thereof, is related to the radial thickness
of the ice body I, or in other words, to the radial spacing
between the root diameter of the auger 14 and the inner
diameter of the housing member 12. Specifically, the
diameter of the upper section 76 of each of the openings 74
is preferably equal to approximately 1.2 times the radial
thickness of the ice cylinder I or the radius of the inner
surface of the housing member 12 less the root diameter of
the auger 14. One exemplary e~bodiment of the present inven-
tion consists o~ the ice extruder and breaker member 44
having l6 equally circum~erentially sp~ced ice discharge
~0 openings 74 which are arranged around the circumference .
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of the circle C having a diameter of 2.66", with the diameter
of the upper sections 76 of the openings 74 being .437", the
diameter of the lowermost portions of the lower sections 7
being .550`' and the lower section 78 having a taper of 20
(included angle), and the associated ice cylinder having a
radial thickness o~ .312".
~ In accordance with the principles of the present
invention, as the cylindrical ice body I is biased upwardly
toward and into engagement with the underside of the member
10~ 44 under the influence of the auger 14, the upper end of the
ice body i5 divided into equal segments or rods by the edges
84 between adjacent discharge openings 74. These segments
or rods are biased vertically upwardly by the upwardly
moving ice cylinder, whereupon the ice is compacted so that
the rods maintain their shape as they are forced upwardly
through the openings 74 into the area directly thereabove.
As shown in Figure l, a generally radial inwardly and
upwardly inclined ramp or surface 90 is formed around the
interior of the upper side of the member 44 in general
Z0 o~erlying relation with respect to the upper sections 76
of the openings 74 as the aforementioned ice rods emanating
from the upper ends of the openings 74 engage the ramp 90,
the rods will be broken off or fractured into relatively
uniform length ice particles or pellets which will be
subsequently urged under the influence of subsequently
formed pellets along the flow path 64 to an associated
ice storage area (not shown)O
With reference to ~igures 4 and 5 and in accordance,
with the present invention, by virtue of the fact that the
diameter of the upper sections 76 of the openings 74 is
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slightly greater than the radial thickness o:E the cylin-
drieal ice body I, the ice rods which are formed as the ice
moves through the ~penings 7~ will have portions on the
radially inner and outer sides thereof spaced away from the
S adjacent peripheral wall of the openings 74, which spaces
comprise water flow passages which permit excess water
within the ice body and which is forced therefrom during
the compacting and extruding process taking place as the
ice body is forced upwardly through the openings 74, to
10~ pass downwardly back toward the interior of the ice forming
chamber 30 where it may be used as subsequent ice ma~e-up
water. The provision of the aforesaid flow passages per-
mits significantly greater amount of water to be out of the
ice rods than has been possible in the prior art designs,
with the result that the quality of the ice produced by
the present invention is remarkably higher or greater than
that achieved by prior known apparatus. In particular,
the quality of the ice produced by the present invention is
of a magnitude of B0-85%, whereas the quality of prior art
type flaked ice equipment is of the magnitude of 60-65
Accordingly, the present invention has the ability to
produce a very high quality ice without the attendant
inefficiencies of standard ice making equipment herein-
befo~e described.
Together with the above discussed advantages of being
able to provide high quality ice in particle or pellet form,
the present invention is also advan~ageous from ~e stand-
point that radial l~ading on the auger bearings is minimized
to the extreme by virtue of the ~act tha~ cylindrical ice
body I is forced upwardly through the discharge ~penings 74,
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as distinguished from side exitin~ machines of the prior
art. ~oreover, by permitting the discharge elbow 56 to be
selectively rotatably mounted upon the upper end of the
ice making machine lO, universality of ins~allation will
be achieved. Also, by having the ice extruder and breaker
member 44 consist of a separate integral member, convenient
replacement and interchangeability may be accomplished for
purposes of inspection, repair and enabling variation in the
size of the ice pellets produced.
10~ While it will be apparent that the preferred
embodiment of the invention disclosed is well calculated
to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated
that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation
and change without departing from the proper scope or fair
meaning of the subjoine~ claims.
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