Ice-dispensing bin

Claim 2

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end and within which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of said bin structure, and wherein said bin structure includes a reservoir fabricated in one piece of a plastic sheet.

Claim 3

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 1 wherein said reservoir is supported on polystyrene foam.

Claim 4

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, a bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end and within which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of said bin structure, wherein said dispensing means comprises an upwardly and outwardly inclined rotatable auger, which includes an elongated spindle and a series of continuous helical flights, and an elongated trough, which is closely spaced from said flights in parallel relation to said spindle, supporting means for supporting said trough in fixed relation to said bin structure and said auger for rotation relative to said trough, and rotating means for rotating said auger relative to said trough.

Claim 5

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, a bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end and within which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of said bin structure, wherein said dispensing means comprises an upwardly and outwardly inclined rotatable auger, which includes an elongated spindle and a series of continuous helical flights, and an elongated trough, which is closely spaced from said flights in parallel relation to said spindle, supporting means for supporting said trough in fixed relation to said bin structure and said auger for rotation relative to said trough, and rotating means for rotating said auger relative to said trough.

Claim 6

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 3 wherein said trough has a flat base wall and generally perpendicular sidewalls, said walls of said trough being closely spaced from said flights of said auger, whereupon substantially melted ice cubes and ice fragments are permitted to drop through the open spaces between the said flights of said auger and the corners formed by said walls of said trough.

Claim 7

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 3 wherein said supporting means comprises upper and lower journal bearing means, a rotatable mandrel journaled in said lower journal bearing means and coaxial with said spindle, and a socket member integral with the lower end of said spindle as an axial extension of said spindle, the upper end of said spindle being journaled in said upper journal bearing means, said socket member being slidably fitted over and keyed to said mandrel for conjoint rotation of said auger and said mandrel.

Claim 8

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 5 wherein said trough has upper and lower end walls, said lower end wall having an opening through which said mandrel is extended, said upper end wall being removably supported in fixed relation to said bin structure and supporting said upper journal bearing means.

Claim 9

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 3 wherein said rotating means comprises a prime mover and means for rotating said mandrel from said prime mover.

Claim 10

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end in which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of said bin structure, and wherein said bin structure includes upwardly and inwardly inclined lateral wall structure.

Claim 11

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end in which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of said bin structure, and wherein said bin structure includes upwardly and inwardly inclined lateral wall structure.

Claim 12

The ice-cube-dispensing means of claim 8 wherein said lateral wall structure comprises an upwardly and inwardly inclined backwall and upwardly and inwardly inclined sidewalls.

Claim 13

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end and within which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of the bin structure, and wherein said bin structure includes a reservoir and upwardly and inwardly inclined lateral wall structure above said reservoir.

Claim 14

An ice-cube-dispensing bin comprising, in combination, bin structure defining a substantially enclosed space having a closed lower end and within which ice cubes may be stored, said bin structure being composed of wall means permitting the stored ice cubes to melt slowly and cause a film of water to be formed between adjacent stored ice cubes, dispensing means for mechanically dispensing the stored ice cubes from said bin structure in a direction upwardly from the closed lower end of the bin structure, and wherein said bin structure includes a reservoir and upwardly and inwardly inclined lateral wall structure above said reservoir.

Claim 15

The ice-cube-dispensing means of claim 10 wherein said reservoir is fabricated in one piece of a plastic sheet.

Claim 16

The ice-cube-dispensing means of claim 10 wherein said lateral wall structure comprises an upwardly and inwardly inclined backwall and upwardly and inwardly inclined sidewalls.

Claim 17

The ice-cube-dispensing means of claim 10 wherein said reservoir is fabricated in one piece of a plastic sheet and said lateral wall structure comprises an upwardly and inwardly inclined backwall and upwardly and inwardly inclined sidewalls.

Claim 18

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 10 wherein said dispensing means comprises an upwardly and outwardly inclined rotatable auger, which includes an elongated spindle and a series of continuous helical flights, and an elongated trough, which is closely spaced from said flights in parallel relation to said spindle, supporting means for supporting said trough in fixed relation to said reservoir and said auger for rotation relative to said trough, and rotating means for rotating said auger relative to said trough.

Claim 19

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 14 wherein said trough has a flat base wall and generally perpendicular sidewalls, said walls of said trough being closely spaced from said flights of said auger, whereupon substantially melted ice cubes and ice fragments are permitted to drop through the open spaces between the flights of said auger and the corners formed by said walls of said trough.

Claim 20

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 14 wherein said supporting means comprises upper and lower journal bearing means, a rotatable mandrel journaled in said lower journal bearing means and extended into said reservoir so as to be coaxial with said spindle, and a socket member integral with the lower end of said spindle as an axial extension of said spindle, the upper end of said spindle being journaled in said upper journal bearing means, said socket member being slidably fitted over and keyed to said mandrel for conjoint rotation of said auger and said mandrel.

Claim 21

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 16 wherein said trough has upper and lower end walls, said lower end wall having an opening through which said mandrel is extended, said upper end wall being removably supported in fixed relation to said reservoir and supporting said upper journal bearing means.

Claim 22

The ice-cube-dispensing bin of claim 14 wherein said rotating means comprises a prime mover and means for rotating said mandrel from said prime mover.