Patent GB-420814-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to ice trays for refrigerators
IPC: F25C1/24
Filed: 1933-05-08
Abstract: 420,814. Ice-making. HALLOCK, R. L., 5, Woody Lane, Larchmont, New York, U.S.A. May 8, 1933, Nos. 13325 and 13326. Convention dates, May 28, 1932 and March 8, 1933. [Class 29] Hand-operated mechanism is provided for releasing frozen ice trays from the shelves of freezing compartments of refrigerators and for releasing the frozen cubes and partitions from the trays, the mechanism being mounted on the front portions of the trays, which are relatively flexible so as to permit of separation by a peeling action. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 6 a cranked rod 125 is pivotally mounted at one end in the finger grip handle 18 and at the other end in a depending front flange 20 of an ice tray 30. By rotation of a handle 27 attached to the rod one cranked part 125<a> of the rod engages the shelf 12 and breaks the tray away gradually from the front rearwards, while the other cranked portion 125b engages a pin 21 depending from the front of a longitudinal partition plate 23 and releases it with the attached ice cubes from the tray. The transverse partitions 30 are formed by pressings in the tray bottom, the rear walls of the partitions being curved about the rear edge 28 of the tray as centre. The longitudinal partition has projecting base flanges 24 and its upper edge is stiffened by a folded strip 25, to which the pin 21 is secured. The cranked rod may have a pointed end pivoting in a depression in the front wall of the tray, or in place of it a shaft 42 Fig. 12 may be used, having an eccentric portion 44 on which is mounted a ring member with an upper projection 48 to engage the partition 22 and a lower projection 50, extended into a recess 51 in the tray bottom, to engage the shelf 12. Alternatively a cam member with shallow and deep rises, or with a single rise and a pivoted dog, may be used, the handle being turned in one direction to release the partition and in the other to release the tray. The tray may have release means as above described and the partition separate release means, as shown in Figs. 25 and 26, comprising a looped handle 93 pivoted at 92 in the front edge of the partition and shaped to exert a pressure against the upper edge 85 of the tray front. The partition comprises a hollow-walled unitary structure 88, the space between the walls being filled with rubber or other resilient material or the open tops being closed by rubber &c. strips to exclude water when filling the tray. After the partition and frozen cubes are taken out of the tray the walls of the partition may be pressed together by hand to detach the cubes. Such a partition may be of thin sheet metal or of a phenol condensation product, or celluloid, and its transverse walls may have upwardly extending tabs to be gripped between the fingers. In another form the partition comprises a hollow longitudinal member 101, Fig. 28 with folded upper edges 103 to accommodate rods 104 on which are pivoted thin sheet transverse partitions 102. These transverse partitions may be swung up to detach the cubes. In another tray release arrangement, Fig. 30, a rod 120 extending across the tray front has a finger piece 122 passing through a front cover plate 116 of the tray and a bent portion 119 adapted to engage the bottom of a recess in the wall 110 of the evaporator. The partition release means comprises the pivoted wire handle 143 as above described. In another arrangement a grid or partition of rubber is employed, and the centre web of the grid is reinforced by a bar extended forwards so as to be engaged by the release cam. Specification 420,865 is referred to.