Abstract: An auger-type ice making machine has a refrigerating cylinder having upper and lower bearings, an auger supported rotatably within the refrigerating cylinder by the upper and lower bearings, a water supply valve for supplying water to the refrigerating cylinder, a drain valve in fluid communication with the refrigerating cylinder for discharging water therefrom, an electric detector assembly including an electrode member having its one end extending into the refrigerating cylinder, and an electric control circuit electrically connected to the electrode member to receive a detection signal from the electric detector assembly. The electric control circuit determines on the basis of the detection signal that the impurity concentration of the water has increased beyond a predetermined level.

Abstract: An ice dispenser comprises an ice stroage chamber within which an agitator is rotatably mounted. In response to reception of an ice dispensation signal, a motor for driving the agitator is controlled in a predetermined timing sequence independent of a period during which ice pellets are dispensed from the ice storage chamber by means of an auger and a time interval intervening between the preceeding and succeeding ice dispensing operations. To this end, a first timer for driving first the agitator and a second timer for stopping the agitator for a predetermined period are provided in association with the agitator driving motor.

Abstract: An ice dispensing apparatus includes an ice dispensing lever which causes an ice dispensing signal to be produced when pressed, whereby an ice dispensing auger is driven for a period during which the ice dispensing signal is produced under the action of a relay (X.sub.5). In response to the ice dispensing signal, a motor for driving an agitator installed within an ice storage chamber is driven for a first period (t.sub.1) and then stopped. The rest state of the agitator driving motor is maintained until an integrated value resulting from integration of periods during which the ice dispensing signal is generated has attained the length of a second period (t.sub.2). After the lapse of the second period (t.sub.2), the agitator can be driven in response to subsequent generation of the ice dispensing signal.

Abstract: There is provided an ice discharge section in an auger type ice making machine wherein an evaporator connected to a refrigerating system is sealingly wound along the outer periphery of a cylindrical refrigerating casing and the thin ice formed upon the inner wall surface of the refrigerating casing is scrapped off by an auger rotatably supported within the interior of the refrigerating casing so as to transfer the resulting ice flakes upwardly so that the compressed ice obtained by compressing these ice flakes by an extruding head may be discharged into an ice storage chamber via an ice discharge passage provided at the top of the refrigerating casing, characterized in that an ice transfer passage disposed within the interior of the ice storage chamber is connected to an opening of the ice discharge passage, an ice transfer passage having a drainage portion is disposed in the area immediately downstream of the opening and has an upwardly inclined surface continuing after the drainage portion, and a water coll

Abstract: An ice making machine includes a freezing plate having one surface placed in contact with an evaporator and the other surface serving as a freezing surface, and a water distributor for spraying water over the freezing surface. The water distributor comprises a pipe having a number of spaced orifices formed along the longitudinal direction of the pipe. Water is sprayed over the freezing surface. A dry zone or zone on which no water is sprayed is formed on the freezing surface at a location corresponding in position to the region of the one surface provided with the evaporator. Formation of ice starts from the boundary defining the dry zone, as the dry zone is inherently colder than the area on which water is sprayed, and a solid ice nucleus for propagating ice is formed therein, and proceeds to an ice slab over the whole freezing surface except the dry zone.

Abstract: An ice product storage detector which instantaneously detects when the ice products have filled the reservoir to its full capacity or when the amount of ice product in storage has decreased. The ice product storage detector includes a proximity switch provided on a barrier plate of a non-magnetizable material, the barrier plate being provided on the lower part of a base portion of the main body of the auger type ice making device, an ice storage detector plate rotatably mounted about a shaft in the ice product reservoir in positional registration with the proximity switch and which is formed of a low heat capacity and low thermo-conductive material, a pair of inclined plate sections provided on an ice product receiving portion of the ice product storage detector plate, and an auxiliary detector plate formed of a magnetizable material and provided on the ice product storage detector plate so as to be normally parallel to the detective surface of the proximity switch.

Abstract: An auger type ice making apparatus adapted for effectively flushing and removing deepended water and precipitates in the water supply pipe and the freezing cylinder during ice making.

Abstract: A control circuit for an auger type ice maker using a relay which is responsive to a predetermined level of an ice making water in a tank and to of a predetermined level of stored ice, and a timer circuit responsive to the commencement of the ice making cycle which corresponds to the detection of the water level and the completion of the ice making cycle which corresponds to the detection of the ice level, both by the relay. This timer circuit is arranged so that during the starting operation it starts to drive the auger motor at the beginning of the ice making cycle and then after a first predetermined time starts to drive the compressor, and during the stopping operation, it stops the compressor after a second predetermined time after the detection of the completion of the ice making cycle and then after a third predetermined time stops the auger motor. Should a short interruption of the supply of water occur, the timer circuit can ignore it because of its delay time.