White Consolidated Industries, Inc.

Gary R Peter

Sammie C Beach, Jr

Larry E Unger

Ralph W Brown

William G Nelson

An ice dispenser provides a storage bin in which ice cubes manufactured by an ice maker are stored until used. A powered agitator within the bin operates to move cubes to an exit end where they enter a lifting and metering drum. From the lifting and metering drum the ice cubes, in one embodiment, pass through an adjustable ice crusher which functions to crush the ice into particles the size of which can be changed by adjustment of the crusher. In one position, the crusher can be adjusted so that uncrushed cubes pass through the crusher. In a second embodiment, a deflector is provided to allow the ice cubes to bypass the crusher when uncrushed cubes are required. The deflector is moveable to a position to cause the cubes to pass through the crusher and for delivery of crushed ice. The lifting and metering drum operates at a lower speed than the agitator or crusher and is driven by gearing connecting the lifting and metering drum with the agitator. Similarly, the crusher is driven by gearing connecting the crusher with the agitator. Speed of the agitators is substantially greater than the speed of the lifting and metering drum.

Ice dispenser

A household type refrigerator has a refrigeration system including a subcooling flow control valve placed between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet to the capillary tube. The subcooling flow control valve utilizes a sealed capsule of refrigerant which operates to open and close a valve to modulate the flow from the condenser to the capillary tube to insure only that a subcooled liquid enters the capillary. The valve is mounted vertically next to the compressor and has the inlet line to the valve secured in heat conducting contact to the return line to the compressor for faster opening and closing response while the discharge side of the valve has a chamber filled with a plug to minimize the volume of refrigerant remaining between the closed valve and the entrance to the capillary when the compressor is on the off cycle.

Refrigerator with subcooling flow control valve

A combined refrigerator/freezer unit provides a step motor driven damper for adjusting the relationship between the amount of chilled air delivered to the freezer compartment and the amount of chilled air delivered to the refrigeration department. The step motor, and in turn, the damper, is controlled by a integrated circuit which receives signals from temperature sensors in each compartment. The control produces pulses which cause the step motor to readjust the position of the damper to correct temperature imbalances which exist within the two compartments. The step motor functions to move the damper to predetermined adjusted positions without requiring any feedback to establish the actual position of the damper before and after each adjustment. The control also functions during defrost to cause the evaporator temperature to be raised prior to the operation of the defrost heaters.

Temperature control system for refrigerator/freezer combinations

An ice maker for use in freezing compartments of refrigerators and freezers provides a thermal cut-out or fuse to prevent damage in the event of overtemperature conditions. The thermal fuse is located in a closed compartment where it cannot be accidentally damaged or moved. A leaf spring provides an end engaging the thermal fuse to reliably hold the thermal fuse in good heat exchange relationship with the mold in which the ice cubes are formed. The ice maker also provides an improved mounting structure permitting support fasteners to be partially threaded into the wall of the freezer compartment before the ice maker is moved to its mounted position.

Growing community of inventors

Rockford, MI, United States of America

Gary R Peter