US1852064A - Ice cube remover - Google Patents

Description

April-5, 1932. E. D, RosENBERG ICE CUBE REMOVER Filed Dec. 1l. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet FIIE J INVENToR. Edgar D. ,Qasznbz/"g @5.2:

April 5, 1932 E. D. RosENBERG 1,852,064

ICE CUBE REMOVER Filed Dec. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Q/gar D. Hofer/berg www? , A TTORNEYS.

Fatented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDGAR ROBENBEG, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RAPHAEL SAMPSON, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA Ica cuan amovzsa Application ma nember n, 192s. serial No. 413,223.

In partitioned ice trays of the type commonly employed in household electric refrigerators, diliculty is often encountered in attempting to release ice cubes from the tray. A common method'of separating the cubes from the tray is to pour warm water ab'out the tray, but this method is unsanitary as well Y as inconvenient for the reason that the ice cubes are scattered about and frequently fall in unclean places. In the practice of my invention, the cubes areA released in a convenient, sanitary and expeditious manner and a receptacle is .providedV for catching the released cubes.

' It is an object ofthis invention to devise means for releasing ice cubes from a tray.

Another object 1s to devise a tray from I,which ice cubes may be removed in a convenf ient and sanitary manner.

Another object is to devise means for heating the walls of an icecube tray.

Another object is to devise electrical means for facilitating removal of ice cubes from a tray. A further object is toI devise means for completing the operating electrical circuit in a tray of this type.

A further object is to ydevise means for automatically breaking the operating'elec- 3 trical circuit when the cubes have been released.

A further object is to devise means for facilitating the collection and disposal of re? leased ice cubes.

5 A still further object is to devise means for protecting the electrical terminals of a tray of this type Vfrom injury and from the formation of ice and frost thereon.

other Oblects and advantages wlu appear@ rounding plate A15 and forming 'the outside shell of tray is a sheet metal casing 20. A

| from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention. Attention'is directed to the accompanying drawings in whichz.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ice tray i of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view Showing a modiiication of one of the heating elements of the 1nvention.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 I of Fig. 4. l

6 shows a modification in perspective. Fig. 7 1s a perspective view showing the chamber, ice tray and scoop of this invention in assembled relation.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a cross-section taken on line 99 of Fig. 7 l

Fig. 10 is a perspective 'view of the scoop of the invention.`

3, the sides 13 and 14 of each wall being separated at theirlower ends to form a sheath for an electrical heating ele-ment 18. Strips 16 and 17 of mica or other heat resisting insulating material are disposed withinA the sheath and'around element 18 to insulate ele- "ment 18 from walls 13 and 14 of the sheath and from the inside plate l5 of the base of the tray. Plate is bent to form the inside of the'base and the surrounding walls of the tray and has a rolled over' edge 19. Surspace is provided betweeninside plate -15 and outside casing20 for housing heating elements 24 disposed between insulating sheets 21 and 22. Casing4 20 is pressed inwardly at' its edges 23 and secured in any suitable man ner to plate 15.

Heating elements 18 and 24 are provided with insulated terminals 25 and 26 which are adapted to be connected to a source ofcurrent. When a circuit is completed for heating elements 18 and 24, partitioning walls 11 and 12 and inside casing 15of the tray` become heated and` melt the adhering surfaces of the ice cubes allowing removal of the ice cubes by inverting the tray. Walls 11 are heated directly by heating elements 18 and walls 12 become hot by conduction of heat from walls 11. Walls 11 and 12 are secured at .their extremities to inside' casing 15 of the tray and therefore will not be disturbed when the tray is inverted.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a modification has been shown in which each heating element is in the form of a coil. In this construction, sides 13 and 14 of each longitudinal partitioning wall form at their lower end a sheath suiti able for housing an electrical heating element 27 of helical shape. Surrounding element 27 is a refractory tube 28 for insulating element 27 from the adjacent metallic parts of the tray. In this modification the partitioning walls of the tray become yhot by conduction of heat from heating element 27.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification in which a heating element 29 having terminals 30 and 31 is located in a chamber adapted toreceive an ice cube tray. In this modificav tion the tray is inserted in the chamber until the adhering surfaces of the ice cubes melt and upon withdrawal of the tray the ice cubes may be removed'by inverting the tray.

A chamber 32 provided with a scoop 33 is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 and is adapted to be used in conjunction with the tray shown in Fig. 1. When tray 10 is inverted and pushed into chamber 32 along a shelf 37, contacts 25 and 26 of heating elements 18 and 24 engage complementary terminals 34 located inside of e the chamber. Leads 35 and 36 connect termi- .nals 34 to a suitable source of current which preferably is the local source of commercial current. When the adhering surfaces of the ice cubes have-been melted the ice cubes drop into scoop 33. Scoop 33 is provided with a handle 38 and arelatively narrow end por-.

tion 39 to facilitate removal and disposal of the ice cubes. A spring 40 is located at the rear end of chamber 32 andis adapted to abut against the end of tray 10 when it is Spring 40 is of suicient size to urge tray 10 outwardly and thereby disengage terminals 25 and 26 from connectors 34 when the tray is empty, but is of insuiicient strength to move the tray when the tray is loaded with ice cubes. Spring 40 prevents waste of current by breaking the contacts when the heating elements have per- 'formed their function and'also affords a visual indication to the operator by causing the i tenaces tray to extend Afrom the chamber when :u

protective covering 41 for terminals 25 and 26. Protectivev covering 41 may be a dummy socket which fits securely over terminals 25 and 26 and it may or may not be secured to the rear wall 42 of arefrigerator.. If desired an operative socket secured to wall 42 may be employed for this purpose and for the purpose of enabling the tray 10 to be thawed out on those occasions when the tray has become frozen in the refrigerator. In the latter case, some form of switch (not shown) would be desirable to turn the current to the'heating elements off and on so that the heating elements may be made inoperative while ice is being made.

In the operation of the device, tray 10 is inverted and inserted in chamber 32 whereupon a circuit is completed for heating ele- V ments 18 and 24. The ice cubes are released and dro iiito scoop. 33 and spring 40 then becomes e ective to push tray 10 outwardly to break the connections tothe heating elements. It is to be understood that I do not limit' myself to the specific embodiment of the ice cube remover shown and described herein, as the invention, as set forth in the following claims may be embodied in a plurality of 4 forms.

heatin elements disposed within the walls ofsai partitions, plug terminals for said y heating elements extending from one endof said tray, a chamber adapted to receive said tray and socket connectors in said chamber adapted .to register with said plug terminals.

2. In a device for freeing ice cubes, a tray having a plurality of partitions, electrical heatin elementsv disposed within the walls .of sai partitions, plug terminals for said heating elements extending from one end of said tray, a chamber adapted to receivel said tray and socket connectors in said chamber adapted to register with said plug terminals,

and a removable scoop in said chamber for collecting released ice cubes.

3. In a device for freeing ice cubes, a tray ,having a plurality of partitions for molding ice cubes, electrical heating elements disposed within the walls of said partitions, a chamber adaptedto receive said ltray in an inverted position, electrical contacts'in said chamber for said heating elements, spring means in a direction from said contacts, said spring means being incapable of moving said tray when loade with ice cubes but of suilicient strength to move said tray when empty.

Asaid chamber tending to urge said tray in l adapted 4. In a tray for molding ice cubes having a plurality of' partitions, partitioning walls between said partitions, means for freeing ice cubes from said partitions comprising electrical heating elements disposed within said partitions, terminals for said heating elements extending froni said tray and -protecting means covering said terminals.

5. In a device for freeing ice cubes2 a tray for molding ice cubes, electrical heatlng elements for heating said tray, terminals on said tray for said heating elementsl a chamber to receive saidtray and'complementary terminals in said chamber adapted to register with the terminals on said tray.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,

EDGAR D. ROSENBERG.

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