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:
May. 25, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 07, 1992
Thomas H Hogan, Anniston, AL (US);
Mid South Industries, Inc., Rainbow City, AL (US);
Abstract
An ice piece maker has a long tray (100) with an arcuately shaped inner surface divided into full crescent shaped cavities (122) arranged sideby-side along the tray length. A bidirectional rotatable shaft (106) is positioned with its axis coincident with the axis of the inner surface of the tray. Leading and lagging rows of ejector elements (114), (116) are in separate planes with said leading ejector elements (114) extending downwardly into the center of the cavities, herein defined as the 0.degree. position of rotation, and with first ends of the leading ejector elements (114) attached to the shaft and being of a length to leave a space between its second ends and the tray bottom so that an ice bridge (152) can form between the leading and lagging ice pieces. A control controls the shaft rotation to a clockwise direction for X.degree. which carries the leading ejector elements 114 past graduated height stripper elements (104) to distribute impact and strip the ice pieces from the leading ejector elements and then reverse to a counterclockwise direction the rotation of the shaft for Y.degree., where Y.degree.>X.degree.. The control then begins water flow into the cavities and continues to rotate to the dead 0.degree. position where rotation stops and freezing begins. The clockwise rotation of the shaft begins again for X.degree. to begin the cycle for making a new batch of half crescent shaped ice pieces (130) and (132).