US2908148A - Ice block ejector - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1959 v. G. SHARPE 2,908,148-

ICE BLOCK EJECTOR Filed Feb. 14, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I vl,-

' Var/05 5lzme Hi5 ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1959 v.c5.sHARP1-: v 2,903,148

ICE BLOCK EJECTQR Filed Feb. 14, 1957 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY w Verbs 6: Shir/e Oct. 13, .1959 v, SHARPE 2,908,148

ICE BLOCK EJECTOR Filed Feb. 14, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wok Yer/0s 6: Sharpe ZMMQ H/s ATTORNEY freezing devices.

United States Patent Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation. of Delaware Application February 14, 1957, Serial No. 640,170

2 Claims. (31. 62-9344 This invention relates torefrigera-tio'n and particularly to an improvement in devices for ejecting ice blocks from With the advent and use of a single ice block ejecting device or element in a household refrigerator cabinet which is common to all the plurality of unitary freezing devices employed in the refrigeratorand invertedly receives any selected one thereof for releasing ice blocks therefrom into a removableporta'ble ice storage, dispensin'g, serving and harvesting receptacle or bucket of the type shown and described in my Patent No. 2,829,506 dated April 8, 1958 entitled Ice Block Harvesting Device and assigned to the assignee of the present application a problem has arisen. Such ice block ejecting devices are usually mounted or contained in the freezing or-frozen food storage chamber of a' refrigerator cabinetandffre quently the portable ice block' receiving and stbrag'e receptacle or bucket normally associated therewith is removed therefrom and left at the' 'kitchen sink or on a dinner or cocktail serving table. When this occfir'sfland another person wishes to harvest some ice blocks fat the refrigerator he or she mayfail toobserve-that the ice block storage receptacle or bucket is not'inits proper or normalposition within tl'ie freezing chamber and associated with the ice block ejecting] device for receiving ice blocks. Thus thispe'rson williernevefi unitary free e i rig device together with ice blocks"frozen therein fr'm the freezing chamber of the "refrigerator and place same in'iiivented fashion upon the ice bl k ,J ect.ing"device andop'erate the ice block ejec'ti mechanism the're'olf. Under such condition ice blocks The ejected from the freezing device and will fall a t'random upon the bottom of the freezing chamber andbe scattered throughout portions of the chamber and some" of the ice blocks bounce orfltumble out of the chamber ontoilthe' floor whilejitsi door isopen during operation of the ice ejecting mechanis'rn. This is very objectionable to'us'lfs 'of refrigerators equipped with an ice block ejectingdevice or, element'pf the character described and r qnt mpiate theprovision of means associated'with an ice block ej'e' g'. device which will overcome such objection and e inate or reduce to a minimum eustdmer complaints.

2,908,148 Pe e ted o -.173. 1959 which prevents the mechanism from acting on a freezing device placed" in an inverted supported p'o'sitio'n thereon and releasing ice blocks from the freezing device unless an' ice block storing and harvesting. receptacle or bucket is associated with'the ice block ejecting device and located in a proper position therebelo'w to receive ice blocksto be ejectedfrom the freezing device. v

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, refer'en'ce' being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

'Inthe drawings:

' Figure 1 is a front'vie'w of a multiple chambered .household refrigerator cabinet with the chamber doors shown open to illustrate thelocation of an ice ejecting device and ice block storage and harvesting receptacle of'the present invention the refrigerator cabinet;

figure '2 is a broken enlarged fragmentary sectional View takenon theline of. Figure 1 and shows the mounting of the ice block ejecting device to walls of the freezingcharnber ofthe refrigerator cabinet;

Figure 3 is a broken fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure" 2 showing a unitaryfreezing device invertedly supported on a support of the ice block ejecting device-with a pan of a grid wall actuating member registering and being interlocked with a means of the ice block ejecting'inechanism'; I g

Figure 4 is a broken view similar to Figure 3 and shows a lever of the ice block ejecting mechanism on the ejector device moved into a position which breaks bonds between the grid and tray walls' and iceblocks of thereezing device and ejects the ice Blacks therefrorr'rj freezing device placed-en the ejecting" device;

Figure 6 is :afragmentary sectional view taken on 'the; line 6-6 ofFigure 3 showing a roller freezing. device holding nieans: onth'e ic'e block ejecting device; and 1 I Figurefi isxafragmentary 'sectibnalview taken on th'e fo'r example-,w371.to 43 F., by atplatedike sheet. niet'al An object of my invention is to provide a improved arrangement or device for ejecting ice block rr'dn a freezing device in a refrigerator cabinet into a portable ice block'storage, dispensing and harvesting receptacle er bucket. 3 f' s Another ob ect arm invelitiea to jii-oiride means in an ice block ejecting device-er apparatus whiehirender'sj the ejecting :me'chanisni thereof iriefiec'tive to eject iee blocks'from a freezing deviceplaeed'iii supported 'rela* tionship on'the' ejecting devi'ce autom'atieally-imres topremoval of a portable ic'e block -sttirage,- dispens1iig and harvesting receptacle or bucket from associ 4 i the ice block ejecting de'v'ieel I c In carrying out the. foregoing objectsit is a further and more specificobjectof my invention 'toprovide means inan. p r tingmechanismnfan .ifijbhcl ejecting device glassespj Charnlierj ld-xis.refrigeratedby 'an evaporaton ejecting device; foi supporting a.freezing .-:'devi ea'nd apontablez ice block storing" and Iharvesting' hrec'efitacle th'ereon-.;.; Y 'u' l. 1

Referring to the drawingsilsliowjn Figure-.1: thereof amrefrigerating apparatus including lanxinsulatedhhouse holdlriefrig'er'ator, cabinet :10. of 1 the multip'le: chamber typeinwhi'ch thepres'entiriventidn isienibodiedz- Cabinet 10; is provided *withzi an upper unfrozen? food. storage chamber 11 which iszcooled to a" temperatliretiof from,-

evaporatorivm. of a, refrigerating- 1 systern rassociated with the cabinetand located behind a protective cover'or con cealing baflieJS both ofwhichare secured: to the back wall of chamber; '11; Gabinet- 110 is xalso :provided. with a loWerI ordfro'zen food'storage-rchaniber: 1'4 v which is eobled. toa temperaturexwellzbelow 32 97-1 for-the storage oflfrozenfoods, fer =free'zingufoods. andfior for-freezing waterv in freezing devices removably disposed in: chamber 14:. into ticeqlblocks for tahlemuse. in; chillin'g dr inks in 15,015 the refrigerating systemrassoci'ated.with-cabinet 0,

which revaporator is in-tlie' form: ofla conduit coiled or wrapped areund thexoutsid'e :of and; rsuitably"seei1red to ainetal canslike member 16'forrning the linen'ofchamberl 154: I insulated: door 17, shown inil open p'os'iti0n in v nwith.

"Figure l, is hinged-lyirmounted on-LcabinePIO-at the front thereof; to? providean:individual closure for" the aeeess opening rofehamber 11: andianother insulated door 18, alsogshown'in openposition in Figure l, pror' ides' individual. cle'silre -fr theaecess opening of the rreez-ing chamber 14 as is conventional in the art. A resilient V gasket 19 extends around each of the doors 17 and 18 for sealingly engaging the front of cabinet 10. A pluraltYQfA/S mila .oridentical unitary freezing deviQes,;=gen.-

erallv-representeduat ,20, of ,the typer including. a ,.t'ray' and a grid locked therein against detachment-therefrom may be'supported,'"in an upright position lalong. the

wall and to the bottom respectively of liner 16 of com-' partment 14.- This shell 31 forms a compartment withbottom wall of lean-like member or liner 16 of chamber I 14.j The. devicesf20 are exposed to the low temperature of chamber 14 and are-in mtal-tO-metalheat conducting relation with the" evaporator 15 .forfreezing water containedinth'ese devices into, ice blocks or cubes. An ejectingi device or element common tothe pluralityof freezing devices 2,0 and adapted .to invertedly support and eject ice blocks from any selected one thereof ismounted in chamber 14,.- of cabinet 10. preferably 'atone side thereof, v

Before proceeding further with theldescriptionof the present inventionl wish it tobe understood that each of the similar unitary freezingide'vices employed in conjunction with. the use ofth e refrigerator may be of the character'shown .and described in my patent hereinbefore referred to withminor changes incorporated therein having no bearing. on the presentinvention, For the sake of brevity. the specific construction of such a freezing device will. not be herein described in detail sinces'ame may be .varied withoutdeparting from'the spirit of my invention as set forth by claims appended hereto. Epitomizing howevereach freezing device 20 includes a stamped sheet metalelongated tray21- having a grid structure locked therein, in'a ny suitable or desirable. manner, against detachmentltherefrom to provide for movement of the grid walls and ejection of ice blocks whilethefreezing device is supported in an inverted position, as distinguished-from conventional freezing devices whereinthe grid structurein a tray is removable therefrom during the act of harvesting ice blocks. The grid structure-comprises a metal longitudinal wall 22 having a plurality of spaced apart substantially inflexibleor rigid metal walls 23 extending transversely across wall 22, to divide the interior of; tray 21, into rows of ice block formingcompartments, and a metal grid wall actuating in chamber 14 at one corner thereof (see Figure 1) wherein ice blockscan be removed from a freezing device 20 and stored indry form until removed from the refrigerator cabinet 10. Opposed rails 36, preferably of molded plastic material, are stationarily "mounted, by screws or the like 37, on the shell extension 32 and the vertical leg of shell 31 respectively (see Figure 2). Each rail 36 is provided with vertically spaced apart shoulders or inwardly directed projections forming an upright track or support 38 and a lower track or support 39 (see Figures 3, 4 and'5). The upper track 38 .is adapted to receive and supp rt oneof the unitary freezingdevices 20 and lower track: 39. removably receives and suspendingly supports an elongated ice block storage'and harvesting. receptaele or. bucket. 41 from an integral raised top rim 42 provided on the receptacle or bucket. Recep tacle or bucket 41.is preferably formed of molded plastic'material and has ahandle 43 at one or the front end thereof; A reinforcing metal bracket 44 extends across the backof shell31 and is riveted or otherwise suitably V secured thereto for abutment by therim 27 on the back end of tray 21of a freezing device 20. The ice block ejecting element or device includes a manually operated force multiplying leverage mechanism which comprises a bail-like lever having arms 46 connected together, in any suitable manner, at one end'thereof such as by a molded plasticrhandle 47. The other end of arms46 of member 24 substantially coextensive-with'zwall 22 and f 7 located thereabove. The grid-may: belocked in tray 21 against removal or detachmenttherefrom-in any suitable or desirable, manner such, for example, asfis described in my patent above identified; Rigid cross walls 23 are normally held in an inclined position with respect to'the vertical and are adapted to be tilted toward the vertical, while the grid remains locked in tray 21, to effect ejec tion of ice blocks from the freezing device. Walls 23 and member 24v are all loosely anchored in-tray 21 and interlocked. together-by webs and notches or theliketin any conventional manner to permit shifting of member 24 lengthwise. of longitudinal wall 22 to tilt cross walls 23 out of their angular or inclined position toward the vertical. Cross walls-23 arepreferably. tilted one'after the other in succession progressively from end to end of device 20. This'feature is'oldin the art and is disclosed in the Donald Reeves PatentiNo. 2,2l9,079,1'dated October .22, 1940. and greatly contributes 'tothe successful actuating member 24'. is provided with a part or cutout notch,- indicated at '26, which is adapted to register and interlockwith a means forming a' portion :ofa force the bail-likelever-areattached to shell 31 as by round shafts or pins 48 so as to'be-pivotallymovable or swingable in a verticalydirection relative to the shell or to the ice blockjejecting element'ordevice. Opposed studs 49 disclosure in that the 27 ion tray 21.0f a freezing device 20' can be freely rnoved therealong with respect thereto and that theyform stops or' abutments for hold- 7 ingafrcezifig devicel20Estationary on the'ejecting de vice The mountingfof, or pins 48 and studs 49 areireinforce'djbyj beingfextended through substantially triangularly lshap'ed metal pieces 52 secured to opposed sides of shiellblby rivets, 53. A portion of each of the V arms 461 of'the bail-like lever close to the pivot 48 of ends thereof has apin orstud 54 secured or riveted thereto. These or studs 54 pivotally'tcarry ends '56 of asubstantially U- shaped metal means or yoke 57. ..Yoke

. means '57,is providedj with extensions 58 at "each side r :1 yoke 5 7-arealso adapted to' engageandrest on supports 1 multiplying manually operated leverage mechanisrrnof I; an icegblock-ejecting deviceor element, to bepresently grida'ndice blocksltherein are inverted-and has the top rim 27 on tray 21isupported'upon same;

'described,-when the freezing device togetherxwith. the a or; element.

thereof which,-in' accordance with my invention, lie over and normally engage or-resltconthe top rim 42 provided onlreceptacle or bucket 41 suspended fromthe' lower set of supports "or tracks' 39. These extensions 58 on 39 in a manner and for apurpose to be hereinafter described. when'receptacle 41 is" slid out of the ice block ejecting device andremoved from chamber 14, QTfhe base or thatpart of yoke or means 57 connecting the ends or 5 ,there of is;.benL-into a substantially channel shape 111 crosssection as shown so as to provide the same Witha reinforced portior1 which -isjnormally held :in a

- p dete lpinedelevated position bytherim 42 'onreceptaclesoas tofregister and interlockfwith the part or notch of a gridgwall actuating member 24 of a freezing device 20 when-. the "freezin'g'deviee is invertedly supported on the supports 38 of the-iceblock ejecting device Having described the constructionof'the'improved ice :bl ockfejecting elementr-ordevice Ilwill proceed to describe the-,bperatihn thereof in order'to set forth the feature of my invention incorporated therein;- Assume- 51 that water has been herd freen iiit separated ice'blo'cks i'n'th upright freezing devicezo within chamber 14' f the refrigerator-cabinet lfland iti's' now desired to harve'st'i'ceblocksfr'om a selected one of'the' unitary freezing devices 20.! Assume' also that the pbrtable ice'stora'g'e receptacle or bucket; 41 is in; its proper place on" supports 39 within the shell 31 of the ice block ejecting device as showri in Figure 3 of the drawings. The selected freezing device 20 is removed from the freezing chamber 14 and together with the grid locked'in tray 21 and ice blocks therein is'rotated as a unit into' inverted positio'rr'and inserted in the ice block ejecting element ordevice. The rim 27 on tray 21' of the inverted freezing device -20"e n'- gages and rotates the rollers '1' as the device 20 is slid into the ejecting'device. When the front end of freezing device 20 pas'ses inwardlybeyondroners 5 1' the device 20 will {drop upon the opposed tracks or supports- 38 with the front or tray 2'1 thereof adapted to abut against these rollers which formstops to hold the device 20's'ta'{ tionary relative to the iceblock ejecting device-J1me handle on the front end of freezing device 20d cut away or shaped-to clear or miss the rollers 51' upon" iiiserting device 29 into the ice block ejecting device. As the rim 27 o'r'iitray 21 or therr'eezi'fi de'ViCE ZGc'omes to rest on supports 38 that, part of or notch 26 in grid wall actuating member 24 registersand interlocks with theyok'e'means 57 since this yoke means is held a predetermined elevated position by its side extensions 58 bearing against the. rim 42 on.ice'storage receptacle 41. Notch 26 receives the channel shap'ed'base part of yoke 57 by its walls straddling same (seeFigure 3). The handle, 47 of the ice block ejecting lever may now be raised or swung upwardly about its pivotal 'rhouirting points or pinsL48. This upward swinging of thel'levr of the ejecting mechanismcauses sarrfe topull yoke irreairs 57 forwardly, relative to the ice block ejecting device and freezing device 20* supported thereon, whereupon its engages a side wall of notch 26 on member 24 and shiftsihe actuating member lengthwise along grid wall 22 with respect to tray 21 of the invertedly supported freezing device. Tray 21 abuts the stops or rollers 51 at this time to prevent lengthwise movement of freezing device 20 relative to the ice block ejecting device, and since the force exerted by yoke 57 on member 24'is in a horizontal direction the freezing device does not rise off the supports 38. Shifting of grid wall actuating member 24 in this manner causes a wall of the spaced apart notches in this member to engage and tilt the grid cross walls 23, preferably one after the other in succession progressively from end to end of the freezing device, toward or beyond a vertical plane to eject ice blocks from device 20 downwardly out of their compartments into the ice storage and harvesting receptacle or bucket 41 (see Figure 4). Thereafter the swingable lever of the mechanism is returned to its normal'or lowered position as shown in Figure 2 and the unitary freezing device from which the ice blocks have been ejected may be removed from the ice block ejecting device or element, refilled with water and repositioned within chamber 14 of cabinet to. freeze the water into another batch of ice blocks. The portable storage receptacle or bucket 41 can be slid to' and fro on its supports 39 intermediate arms 46 of the lever with respect to the ice ejecting device in chamber 14 to provide access to and harvesting of the ice blocks therein or it can be bodily removed therefrom and from cabinet 10 and carried to a dinner or cocktail serving table. It is to be noted that when receptacle '41 is removed from its supports 39 on the ice ejecting device and from cabinet 10 the yoke means 57 swings down by gravity around its pivotal mountings, pins or shafts 54, and the side extensions 58 thereon come to rest on the supports 39 (see Figure 5). This positions the channel shaped portion of yoke 57 below its normal position at which the same is held elevated by the thick rim 42 on receptacle 41. It should be observed,

by reference to'the showing by'dotadash-line's in Figures of the drawings of a fragmentary part; of a freezing de'. vice" 20, supported on thetice' block ejecting device, that yoke'means'57 cannot now fitin or interlock-with'notch 26 of an actuating member2'4 of one of the similar freeziirg devices 20:upon' placing same in supported'position onthe ice block ejecting device. Thus the: feature of my invention has come into play since the yoke means of the ice ejecting mechanism,.which ordinarily registers andiriterlocks' with apart; notch 26, of agrid wall" actuating member '24 of'a freezing device 20, has now been rendered ineffectiveautomatically in response to remove ing the" receptacle 41 from the ice block ejecting device. Therefore ifthe lever of the mechanism'is operatedafter a person invertedly sur'ap'orts another freezing device- 20' on the ejecting device, while receptacle 41 isremoved therefrom and remains out of association therewith at' a place remote from cabinet 10, no ice blocksv can' be ejected from this another freezing device untillthe storage and harvesting receptacle or'bucket 41 is repositioned on its supports 39 of the ice block ejecting'or relea sing de vice. In this manner I overcome a troublesome problem which has developed in thfe use of devices of-the type herein disclosed and provide a practical apparatus of increased utility. It is believed to be obvious to drieskilled in';the artsince the side extensions 58 ofyoke 57 rest on supports 39, when ice block storage receptacle 41 is retrieved from its supports, that these extensions are in the path of movement of this receptacle when it is re-'' placed or-slid onto the supports 39 and that such replace ment will raise the channel: shaped base portion of yoke 57 from the ositienther'eer shown in Fig re std its nor: mal elevated pos'itionasshown in Figure 3. This thereby .ag'airi rendersf-the'ice ejecting 'rnechan'isr'nof the-ice ejectin'g' -device effective whereby the-yoke 57 can register and interlock with an actuating member 24 of a freezing device '20 to be placed on the upper supports 38 of the ejecting device.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have by rendering an ice block ejecting device ineffective, upon removing an ice storage and harvesting receptacle or bucket therefrom, to eject ice blocks from a freezing device invertedly placed into association with the ejecting device provided an improved apparatus and that my improved apparatus overcomes a problem which has created customer objections. My invention provides for the control of ejected ice blocks from a unitary freezing device in a manner whereby the ice blocks are atall times collected as a group in an ice block storing and harvesting receptacle or bucket to thereby avoid scattering the ice blocks throughout a freezing compartment of a refrigerator cabinet in which they are to be maintained in dry form and whereby ejected ice blocks can not tumble or be tossed out of such compartment while its door is open during the act of operating an ice block ejecting device.

The feature of the presentinvention can be incorporated in an ice block ejecting device without adding to the cost of manufacturing such device and is a desired, novel and practical improvement.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

.1. In combination, a freezing device receiving element 7 bottom support on said element in vertical alignment therewith, a force multiplying mechanism movably mounted on said element including a rigid means pivoted 7 thereon shiftable therewith and relative thereto, said rigid means'having' a part thereofnormally abutting said removable receptacle and held thereby for engagement with a portion .of said freezing device upon operating said mechanism to. break bonds between ice blocks and the freezing device .while same is stationarily supported on said element and to mechanically eject all of the ice blocks from the device whereby they fall through said open bottom support directly into" the receptaclealigned therewith, said part of said ;rigid means being shifted automatically in response to removing said receptacle from said element into a predeterminedposition thereon with respect .to said mechanism, said mechanism being operable irrespective of the locationvof saidreceptacle and during, its removal from said element to movensaid rigid means therewith, and the shifting of, said part of said rigid means into said predetermined position thereof rendering same ineffective by operation of said mechanism toeject ice blocks from a freezing device placed on said support 'elementsubsequent to removal of the receptacle therefrom; s r

2. In combination, a freezing device receiving element having an openbottom support thereon, a freezing device containing a plurality of ice blocks bonded therein placeable in, an inverted supported positionon the support of said element, a'stop cooperating with the support on said element holding the invertedly supported freezing device stationary thereon, a portable ice storage and dis-1 pensing receptacle removably located below the open bottom support on said element in vertical alignment therewith, a force multiplying mechanism movably mounted on said element including a rigid means pivoted thereon shiftable therewith and relative thereto,; said rigid means having a part thereof normally resting on an upper edge of said removable receptacle andheld thereby in a position between said freezing device and the receptacle for engagement with a portion of the device, operation of said mechanism moving said part of said rigid means along said upper edge of said receptacle while engaging said portion of said freezing device stationarily supported on the support ofsaidelement to break bonds between ice blocks and the device and to mechanically eject all of the ice'blocks therefrom whereby they fall through said open bottom support directly into the receptacle aligned therewith, said part of said rigid means being shifted automatically in response to removing said receptacle from said element olf the receptacle upper edge into a predetermined position on the element with respect to said mechanism; said mechanism being operable irrespective of the location of said receptacle so as to be operated while the receptacle is removed from said element to move said rigid means, and the shifting of-said part of said rigid means off the edge of said receptacle into said predetermined position thereof rendering same ineifective by operation of said'mechanism to eject ice blocks from a freezing device placed on said support element subse: quent to removal of the receptacle therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent 2,587,233 Schwellar Feb. 26,

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