Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a drinking vessel which is substantially free of contaminants. A consumable liquid is added to a container. The liquid is stirred while freezing the liquid allowing contaminants to flow towards the center of the liquid. A layer of ice forms on the inside of the container which is substantially free of contaminants to form the drinking vessel. In one embodiment, gas is bubbled into the liquid for stirring the liquid. Alternatively, a propeller can be used to agitate the liquid.

Abstract: Apparatus for making large blocks of crystal clear ice for ice carving has a tank of brine of freezing temperature. A water can filled with water of the size and form of the desired ice block is in the tank. A tube extends down to the bottom of the container. A source of air under pressure about one and three-quarter pounds/square inch, is connected to the tube to bubble air out of the container to drive air out of the water to be frozen, by bubbling action. A rotating cam is connected to oscillate the tube up and down. A resilient hollow bumper is connected to the bottom of the tube, the cam being designed to raise the tube a predetermined amount, approximately two inches, and then permitting a drop, whereby, as ice forms from the bottom, the tube is gradually retracted so that it will not become frozen in.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an air and liquid product flow control element that can be adjusted to vary the flow of liquid dessert product and ambient air into the freezing chamber of a frozen confectionery dispensing machine. The invention is an air tube with a varied opening on its circumferential skin near one end, and a moveable sleeve that fits around the air tube. The air tube is positioned in the reservoir of liquid dessert product with its varied opening being submersed into the liquid. The air tube connects the freeze chamber with the ambient air above the liquid reservoir and allows liquid to flow through the varied opening into the freeze chamber.The moveable sleeve that fits around the air tube extends from the ambient air above the liquid reservoir, down to the varied opening. By moving the sleeve up and down along the air tube, the sleeve blocks part or all of the varied opening.

Abstract: In a soft-serve ice cream dispensing machine of the gravity feed type containing an overrun control device for controlling the amount of air ingested into the liquid mix while retaining the entrapped in a standby condition, the device including a tubular member with a longitudinal air passageway positioned with its lower end communicating between the mixing chamber and reservoir, its upper end extending above the fluid level in the reservoir, a mixing chamber within the device concentrically positioned in the air passageway with a plurality of lateral openings in the device extending into the mixing chamber allowing liquid mix to enter the mixing chamber and a venturi means in the air passageway downstream of the mixing chamber having a throat section and an air induction tube intersecting the throat section and extending above the level of the reservoir to permit additional air to be drawn into the air passageway due to the increased velocity in the throat area.

Abstract: A frozen comestible freezer with a freezing chamber, a receiving chamber, and a tank of liquid comestible fed to the receiving chamber through an aerator proportioner which provides the correct proportion of liquid comestible and air for the freezing chamber. The aerator proportioner further contains means for isolating pressure exerted by the comestible product in the chamber from the combined pressures exerted by the liquid comestible and atmospheric pressure of air admitted into the receiving chamber, and thereby minimize backflow concerns brought about by pressure imbalance.

Abstract: Ice, in particular, block ice containing soluble materials dispersed therein is produced in an effective manner on a commercial scale by a process comprising cooling and freezing raw water for ice making in an ice can while air blowing and agitating by a blowing means, characterized by adding and dissolving soluble additives or materials in the raw water, effecting the air blowing and agitating with air under a pressure close to a minimum pressure required for dispersing bubbles in the raw water and thereby dispersing and incorporating the soluble additives or materials in the ice without substantially deteriorating the transparency of the ice.

Abstract: New and unexpected control is achieved over the ratio of food ice mix/air directed from a food ice mix container to a freezer chamber. A one-way float valve is disposed within the channel between the food mix container and the freezer chamber. Float valve apparatus is operative within the food mix container capable of automatically adjusting the size of a food mix port or aperture extending in fluid communication with the freezer chamber so that as the level of food mix in the food mix container becomes lower, the size of the food mix port becomes larger to maintain a constant flow rate of food ice mix from the food mix container into the freezer chamber. Level indicating apparatus is operatively associated with the float including a vertically movable elongated member extending above a cover on the food mix container such that when the level of the food ice mix drops, the elongated level indicator similarly drops.

Abstract: A self-contained, decorative ice bowl freezing apparatus, including a bowl mold for containing the water to be frozen into the ice bowl; air circulation means disposed within the bowl mold for supplying a stream of air to the freezing water to slow the freezing thereof to provide ice in greater clarity; support means for the air circulation means; a freezer tank containing a refrigerant liquid into which the bowl mold is disposed and held at a selected level; and refrigerant liquid circulation means disposed within the freezer tank for continuously circulating the refrigerant liquid to prevent stratification of temperature levels within the refrigerant liquid, whereby uniformity of freezing of the water in the bowl mold is enhanced.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated frozen confection in which a pump is mounted in the liquid ingredients reservoir of the apparatus and operates to pump a mixture of air and liquid ingredients, in selected proportions, to the freezer compartment of the apparatus. The pump itself is responsive to pressure within the freezer compartment to regulate the volume of mixture supplied to the freezer compartment by the pump for enabling automatic replenishment of the aerated mix in the freezer compartment. The pump includes a plunger projecting into the freezer compartment and driven by a cam which rotates with an agitator in the freezer compartment to move the plunger against the bias of a spring in the pump so as to reciprocate the plunger until the pressure within the compartment is great enough to move the plunger away from the cam, against the bias of the spring, thereby discontinuing the supply of mix to the freezer compartment.

Abstract: This invention pertains to machines for freezing and dispensing a confectionery product, particularly soft ice cream and milk shakes. The invention is particularly addressed to an improved mix over-run control for controlling the flow of air and liquid product into the freezing chamber by directing the incoming fluid mix from a reservoir into a vortex chamber which causes the fluid mix to flow down the side walls of a communicating line with an open air passage in the center therefor for assuring the proper over-run or percentage of air in the resultant confectionery product.

Abstract: A frozen comestible freezer has a freezing chamber, a receiving chamber, and a tank of liquid comestible which is fed to the receiving chamber through an aerator proportioner which provides the correct proportion of liquid comestible and air for the aerator. The aerator proportioner has a feed tube solely for liquid comestible and an air tube solely for air. The tubes are mounted on a multi-level plug in the passage between the tank and the receiving chamber. The plug has a high level portion and a low level portion. The air tube extends through the high level portion of the plug and the liquid comestible feeding tube extends downwardly from the low level portion of the plug. A finger grip is provided on the high level portion of the plug. The low level portion of the plug constitutes a liquid comestible sump.

Abstract: A valve for controlling the flow of air and liquid product mix from a liquid product reservoir to a freezing chamber in a soft ice cream dispensing machine has a lower tubular member snugly yet removably received within a tubular communicating line between the reservoir and freezing chamber. An air retaining chamber is fixed to the upper portion of the lower tubular member and communicates therewith. An upper tubular member fixed to the chamber extends upward to a point above the maximum anticipated level of the liquid product in the reservoir. The lower end of the upper tubular member extends somewhat inside the chamber. The upper tubular member has a small aperture near the lower end thereof opening into the liquid product reservoir. A checkvalve is attached to the lower end of the upper tubular member for retaining air in the air retaining and freezing chambers to assure the desired overrun in the ice cream.

Abstract: A method for producing frozen confections such as ice cream, or the like, wherein liquid mix is delivered from a storage tank through a freezing chamber to a draw-off valve from which the frozen mix is dispensed to cones or cups. The method is characterized by a mix tank arrangement which utilizes disposable flexible bags removably confined within a rigid container which arrangement eliminates the necessity of returning mix tanks to the dairy for sterilization and refill. The method is further characterized by a mix tank arrangement which utilizes a gaseous propellant to agitate the mix as well as to propel the mix through the machine thereby achieving homeogeneity of mix without the need for special shaking machines.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for carbonating liquids, has inlet pipes for admitting a carbonating gas and a liquid into a container and outlet pipes for dispensing the carbonated mixture from the container. Cooling coils are provided in the container for forming an interior and an exterior surrounding ice layer so that the mixture can come into thermal contact with at least the interior ice layer and be cooled thereby. Electrodes are provided for preventing the thickness of at least the interior ice layer from exceeding a predetermined value.