Patents by Inventor Norbert E. Venne

Norbert E. Venne has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4198831
    Abstract: An ice maker having structure for forming an ice column which is passed through a constricting nozzle. A delivery structure is arranged to receive the ice column and cause selectively the shearing of the ice column into full sized ice bodies, approximately half size ice bodies, or cracked ice. The delivery structure may include a breaker tube having an inwardly directed projection and defining a deflecting structure for shearing the ice at preselected intervals. The delivery structure may further include a selectively installable adapter defining a second inwardly directed projection for causing shearing of the ice column at preselected intervals less than that effected by the projection in the breaker tube. A blade may be removably associated with the adapter for selectively causing shattering of the ice column so as to form cracked ice, when desired. An extension tube may be associated with the breaker tube for delivering the ice bodies and cracked ice in any direction from the ice maker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1980
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Walter C. Barnard, Norbert E. Venne