Patents Examined by William Tapolcai, Jr
  • Patent number: 4348872
    Abstract: A storage bin for bulk ice has upper and lower sections that completely enclose a space in which ice cubes are stored. These ice cubes are produced by an ice making machine and are delivered to the ice bin by a conveyor which is inclined upwardly away from the ice making machine. One of the walls on the upper section of the ice bin is inclined to accommodate the inclination of the conveyor and this wall has an opening through which the ice cubes are discharged into the enclosed space. The lower section of the bin has an opening through which the ice cubes are withdrawn for bagging, while the upper section has another opening that provides access to the interior of the bin for breaking up ice jams. Both of these openings are normally closed by doors. Refrigeration equipment extracts heat from the enclosed space of the bin, and the water line that leads to the ice making machine passes through the space so that the water is precooled, thus rendering the ice making machine considerably more efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Hill
  • Patent number: 4333606
    Abstract: An intake control system comprising a mode selector which receives a first control pressure and a second control pressure, and, according to the temperature inside and outside the vehicle, adapted to supply selectively a plurality of different combinations of the first and second control pressures to a pressure activated actuator to switch an air intake system between at least an outside air position and a recirculating air position. An air intake changeover switch receives the pressure output by an air control switch, a first reference pressure and a second reference pressure, and supplies a certain combination thereof as the first and second control pressures, when operated, to the mode selector, thereby causing the actuator to switch the air intake system to the recirculating air position, irrespective of the switching state of the mode selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yukio Shimada, Naoyoshi Suzuki, Toshio Ohashi, Yasushi Inoshita