The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 21, 1980
Filed:
Dec. 26, 1978
Keith E Carr, Lincoln Township, Berrien County, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Belmont Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
An ice body delivery apparatus having a hopper for storing a plurality of discrete ice bodies and a wall portion defining an outlet opening for passing the ice bodies seriatim outwardly therethrough for dispensing the ice bodies as desired. A rotatable auger is provided in a lower frustoconical portion of the hopper and includes spaced spiral vanes arranged to sweep across the opening so as to dislodge ice bodies which may have become lodged thereacross. The auger is arranged so as to define an effectively open axial portion permitting the dislodged ice bodies to be returned to the outlet opening therethrough and under or behind the rotating vanes back to the outlet opening. The vanes extend arcuately a total of approximately 360 degrees or more. The auger may be driven by a subjacent drive motor.