US3702543A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ice making apparatus
Assignee: King Seeley Thermos Co
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Filing: 1970-05-22
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Granted: 1972-11-14
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Expires: 1990-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A rotatable compression auger and nozzle assembly includes helical flights disposed within a bore having a non-circular cross section and lined with a liner having a low thermal conductivity. An optimum angulation of the helical flights insures that an ice slush product neat the auger bonds to ice particles in free portions of the bore, and the axial alignment of the auger relative to the configuration of walls of the bore is predetermined to give either hard or uncompressed ice.
Inventors
- 👤 John B Lyman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:15
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25C; F25C1/00; F25C1/12; F25C1/14; F25C1/145; F25C1/147; F25C5/00; F25C5/14; F25C5/142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A combination ice auger and compression unit comprising harvesting means including a vertically disposed rotatable harvesting auger and freezing chamber for continuously harvesting an ice product from the freezing surface of the chamber, mechanical transfer means for directing the ice product into a compression zone, and a compression unit comprising rotatable screw blades to axially advance the ice product in the compression zone, said compression unit comprising means forming a nozzle bore through which said screw blades squeeze the ice product, said nozzle bore having walls forming slanted action surfaces in two axially adjacent zones, said action surfaces in the first of said zones converging inwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the bore and extending towards the outlet end of said bore and disposed at an angle of convergence in the order of about 3 1/2 *, thereby to compress the ice product into a hard column.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A combination ice auger and compression unit comprising harvesting means including a vertically disposed rotatable harvesting auger and freezing chamber for continuously harvesting an ice product from the freezing surface of the chamber, mechanical transfer means for directing the ice product into a compression zone, and a compression unit comprising rotatable screw blades to axially advance the ice product in the compression zone, said compression unit comprising means forming a nozzle bore through which said screw blades squeeze the ice product, said nozzle bore having walls forming slanted action surfaces in two axially adjacent zones, said action surfaces in the first of said zones converging inwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the bore and extending towards the outlet end of said bore and disposed at an angle of convergence in the order of about 3 1/2 *, thereby to compress the ice product into a hard column.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
102 words
A combination ice auger and compression zone as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said nozzle bore having said slanted action surfaces in said first zone terminating at a juncture plane between said first and second zones and said slanted action surfaces in said second zone being slanted inwardly of a longitudinal axis of saiD bore at an angle in the order of about 3/4 *, thereby to confine the ice product in the form of a hard ice column and holding the ice product under slight compression to bond the ice product together into a solid, rigid ice column.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
A combination ice auger and compression unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotatable screw blades comprise compression auger means rotatable within said nozzle and extending partially through said first zone, said compression auger means having an outer terminal end spaced inwardly of said juncture plane a distance sufficient to extrude the harvested ice product into a hard ice column, said distance being in the order of at least about 1.0 inch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combination ice auger and compression unit as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said nozzle bore having a length resulting in a percentage reduction in cross-sectional area of in the order of about 50 percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A combination ice auger and compression unit as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said compression unit having a drain port formed to drain said nozzle bore in said first zone near an entrance end thereof for venting air and excess water forced from the mass of ice particles advanced through said nozzle bore.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-14 | 1976-05-15 | 1976-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-14 | 1980-05-15 | 1980-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-14 | 1984-05-15 | 1984-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |