Ice dispensing method and apparatus
US4512502A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1982 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/24
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Ice is stored for dispensing in a semicylindrical bin. A cone-shaped wire auger is mounted on radial extensions from a sloped axle near the bottom of the bin. A large flyte of the auger pushes ice from the rear of the bin toward smaller flytes near the front of the bin. Distal ends of generally radially extending fingers sweep an opening in the front of a bottom wall. Interchangeable plates with varied size openings control dispensing rate from the bin. The large flyte pushes the ice toward the front where some of the ice drops through the dispensing opening and some of the ice is recirculated upward. Ice clusters near the dispensing opening are broken by the fingers which extend generally radially and slightly rearwardly from the axle on which the conical auger wire is mounted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.