Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Grapple – Expanding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2001-06-05
Cherry, Johnny D. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Grapple
Expanding
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241299
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an apparatus for moving an ice block, and more particularly, to a carrier that can be used to grip and lift an ice block for transport.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Continuous freezing machines are used to extrude hard ice in a symmetric column that is easily cut, packed, stored and transported. Continuous freezing machines are described generally in U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,506 (Watt I) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,639,594 (Watt II) as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,071,465 (Huber), U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,997 (Hill), U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,655 (Rundell) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,891 (Bayston), all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1
shows a known continuous freezing machine
10
. In general, a freezing cell
12
, shown as a vertically tapered, externally refrigerated open ended frusto-conical cylinder, is mounted within a reservoir
14
of cooled water
16
. The major end
18
of freezing cell
12
is above reservoir
14
with minor end
20
of freezing cell
12
submerged below the water line
22
of reservoir
14
. A stub cylinder
24
connects to minor end
20
. A motor
26
forces a ram
28
and plunger
30
to vertically reciprocate within stub cylinder
24
.
Operation of freezing machine
10
begins by placing ram
28
and plunger
30
in their “at-rest” position at the bottom of stub cylinder
24
. Water is introduced to freezing cell
12
by pump
32
. Refrigerated inner wall
34
of freezing cell
12
chills the water until a solid ice core
36
begins to form at minor end
20
. The formation of ice core
36
chills unrefrigerated inner wall
38
of stub cylinder
24
leading to the formation of an ice sleeve
40
on inner wall
38
.
When ice sleeve
40
reaches a predetermined thickness (typically ⅜″ or ½″), motor
26
is activated to drive ram
28
. As a result, plunger
30
scrapes inner wall
38
and breaks up ice sleeve
40
as it moves upward in stub cylinder
24
, eventually compacting the resulting ice chips against ice core
36
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, ram
28
continues its upward movement and breaks ice core
36
away from inner wall
34
in one piece and lifts ice core
36
slightly (approximately 0.10″) creating a thin annular crevice
42
between ice core
36
and inner wall
34
. Water from pool
44
above ice core
36
is drawn into and fills annular crevice
42
. Ram
38
maintains its position at the top of its stroke allowing the water occupying annular crevice
42
to freeze to inner wall
34
and ice core
36
. When this occurs, ram
28
and plunger
30
are no longer needed to support ice core
36
in its current position.
Ram
28
and plunger
30
then return to their “at-rest” position at the bottom of stub cylinder
24
and pause to allow the complete freezing of the water in annular crevice
42
and for a new ice sleeve
40
to form on inner wall
38
. Typically, this rest lasts for approximately ten seconds. The ram action then commences again with the upward stroke of ram
28
and plunger
30
.
In this fashion, continuous freezing machine
10
forms a column of hard ice conforming to the shape of inner wall
34
at major end
18
. This column of hard ice may be cut into blocks that are easily stacked, stored and transported as ice core
36
advances upward past major end
18
.
However, continuous freezing machines similar to that in
FIGS. 1 and 2
only work efficiently in short bursts. Operation of continuous freezing machine
10
for more than a few hours at a time leads to a degradation of the symmetry of ice core
36
, and eventually to the splitting of ice core
36
into a plurality of irregular prisms. Irregular prisms of ice are unmarketable as they lack the uniformity needed for efficient storing, stacking and transportation. Once irregular ice prisms form, continuous freezing machine
10
must be stopped, the ice prisms within freezing cell
12
removed, and the freezing process initiated again. This constant restarting every few hours reduces the amount of marketable ice a continuous freezing machine
10
can produce.
It would be beneficial for freezing machines to produce a uniform ice core continuously without the need for restarting due to the ice core shearing into irregular prisms without significantly increasing the cost of the freezing machine or its operation. In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a carrier capable of facilitating movement of such ice cores.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The limitations of previously known continuous freezing machines have been overcome by forming a vent in an ice core within the freezing cell between the top and bottom surfaces of the ice core. The continuous freezing machine includes a freezing cell in which an ice core forms, a ram and plunger mechanism for lifting the ice core in the freezing cell and a projection member on the plunger. The projection member is adapted to seal one end of the vent immediately before and during the time the ram and plunger lift the ice core.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method for forming an ice core with a vent between the ice core's top and bottom surfaces. One end of a projection member having its lower end sealed is introduced into a freezing cell. Water is next introduced into the freezing cell and around the projection member. A portion of the water within the freezing cell freezes into the beginnings of an ice core. The projection member is removed from the ice core, forming a vent in the ice core between its bottom and top surfaces.
This vent is maintained throughout the process of forming a symmetric ice core. The vent is selectively sealed immediately before and during the raising of the ice core. An annular space is created between the ice core and the freezing cell. Water is introduced into the annular space between the ice core and the freezing cell. This water is allowed to freeze. Sealing the vent prevents ice chips pressed against the ice core from closing the vent as the ice core is lifted. The vent allows air released from the ice to exhaust preventing air pockets from forming in the ice core.
The invention also includes a mechanism to simplify moving ice blocks formed by a continuous freezing machine of the invention. A specially configured carrier includes a hand grip and a shaft mounted on the hand grip substantially the same shape and diameter as the vent in the ice core. The shaft includes along the length of the shaft at its periphery a plurality of barbs adapted to allow the insertion of the carrier into the ice block but the barbs prevent extraction of the carrier from the ice block. The carrier can be inserted in the vent of the ice block. The barbs will grip the ice allowing the carrier to be used to move the ice block.
An object of the invention is to provide a method to initially form a vent between the top and bottom surfaces of an ice core as it forms in a continuous freezing machine.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method to maintain a vent between the top and bottom surfaces of an ice core as it is extruded by a continuous freezing machine.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device that enables ice blocks cut from an ice core to be easily moved.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from reading the descriptions contained herein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 348858 (1886-09-01), Moock et al.
patent: 414303 (1889-11-01), Durning
patent: 836340 (1906-11-01), Pinkney
patent: 993267 (1911-05-01), Melville
patent: 1039382 (1912-09-01), Goldner
patent: 2071465 (1937-02-01), Huber
patent: 2374997 (1945-05-01), Hill
patent: 2471655 (1949-05-01), Rundell
patent: 2486489 (1949-11-01), McDermott
patent: 2542891 (1951-02-01), Bayston
patent: 2571506 (1951-10-01), Watt
patent: 2639594 (1953-05-01), Watt
patent: 4377956 (1983-03-01), Cooper
patent: 4944081 (1990-07-01), Ross
patent: 402582 (1923-04-01), None
patent: 685790 (1953-01-01), None
patent: 854862 (1981-08-01), None
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