Abstract: A water sprinkling apparatus for an ice making machine. The sprinkling apparatus includes a spray tube formed by two snap fit parts from which water flows over onto vertical evaporator plates in the ice making machine. The open top channel body permits the water to flow easily as well as having the apparatus cleaned in a simpler and more efficient manner. Furthermore, particle buildup as well as clogging of apertures is eliminated, thereby maintaining continuity of flow and simplifying maintenance.

Abstract: A water tank including a frusto-conical support hat portion and a tub portion. The tub portion having a support mound that includes a first section and a second section extending from the first section. The first section has a width larger than a width of the second section such that a ledge is formed between the first and second sections. The second section has a rectangular aperture formed therein that permits the manufactured ice to pass therethrough. The support hat portion has a support mound that has a width no larger than the width of the first section. An integral support system includes the support hat nestingly engaging the tub portion from a bottom portion of the tub portion to provide a central support for an ice guide placed on the water tank.

Abstract: An automatic ice maker of the open-cell type including a box-type housing, a plurality of spaced ice making cell casings arranged on a horizontal plane in an upper portion of the housing and opened downward, a cooling pipe mounted on the cell casings to be supplied with refrigerant from a freezing circuit, and a sprinkler mounted within a bottom portion of the housing and placed under the cell casings to spout ice making water into the respective cell casings, wherein a base plate is mounted within the upper portion of the housing to form an ice making chamber, and wherein the ice making cell casings are secured to a bottom surface of the base plate, while the cooling pipe is mounted on the base plate at positions located above the cell casings and welded to an upper surface of the base plate.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing effective ozonation of water used in ice making equipment for the production of ice cubes and for the ozonation of ice retaining bins located within an ice/beverage dispenser for sanitizing and retarding the growth of microorganisms therein and in the drains associated therewith.

Abstract: An ice making machine of the open-cell type including a box-type housing, a water storage tank mounted to the bottom of the housing, a sprinkler mounted within the bottom portion of the housing and having a plurality of nozzles for spouting upward ice making water supplied to the water storage tank, and a plurality of ice making cell casings mounted wit an ice making chamber formed in an upper portion of the housing and located above the nozzles of the sprinkler to supplied with the ice making water spouted therefrom, wherein the box-type housing is composed of a pair of spaced side wall panels and front and rear wall panels jointed at their opposite side ends to front and rear end portions of the side wall panels respectively.

Abstract: An icemaker dose dispenser includes a housing with a septum therein defining opposite chambers having corresponding water ports. Water is routed alternately through the ports for dispensing water from the chambers in sequence for accurately filling an ice tray.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing effective chlorination of water used in ice making equipment for the production of ice cubes for sanitizing and retarding the growth of micro-organisms therein. A chlorine generator is used to produce chlorine gas from chloride ions present in the water.

Abstract: A Machine and method for producing the illusion of snow is disclosed and described. It produces said product in a manner such that is easier to manufacture, operate, and produce than is currently available.

Abstract: A facility including an inclined plane for sliding for which snow is used, a snow producing apparatus for producing snow from water and supplying the snow to the facility, and an air jet apparatus for forming an air roof by air flow so that the air roof covers space over the facility, are provided. The air roof covers space over the facility for which artificial snow is used, thus making the building of a roof and the like unnecessary and lowering building costs. The inside of the facility is opened to the fresh air by stopping the supply of air for forming the air roof, which makes special equipment for measures against exhaust gas unnecessary.

Abstract: An ice making machine having a water distribution and cleaning system which supplies an evaporator plate assembly with all of the water required during ice making operations and provides all of a cleaning solution to cascade down interior and exterior surfaces of the evaporator plate assembly during a cleaning operation.

Abstract: An evaporator device for an ice maker with a grid of ice cells in horizontal rows and vertical columns. The grid is formed by a plurality of vertical integral structures interleaved with a plurality of vertical partitions. Each vertical structure is shaped to form the tops, bottoms and backs of the ice cells of a column. The sides of the ice cells of a column are formed by the vertical partitions to the right and left of a vertical structure. An evaporator tube threads bores and holes in the vertical structures and the vertical structures. The evaporator tube is expanded to mechanically bond the evaporator tube with the vertical structures and the vertical partitions.

Abstract: A modified water drain pan for use in an ice maker is positioned below a vertically oriented evaporator and includes a front lip for receiving run off water from the evaporator during an ice making cycle. The lip includes a plurality of spaced apart ice removing structures defining a V-shaped groove there along. The V-shaped groove is defined by a plurality of front and rear angled surfaces. In operation, when the ice is harvested, the ice sheet falls from the evaporator such that a bottom edge thereof lands within the V-shaped groove. The bottom edge of the ice sheet contacts a front surface of the V-shaped groove wherein the force applied there against by the weight of the entire sheet causes the sheet to rotate about an imaginary axis extending within and along that groove. As a result thereof, the top of the ice sheet tips in a forward direction away from the evaporator where upon it falls into an ice bin there below.

Abstract: An ice cube making evaporator design comprising an aluminum roll-bond evaporator plate (50) which is encased in a plastic grid (59) of vertical and horizontal ridges, thereby forming an array of freezing sites (28) on both sides of the plate. Plastic grids (59) are attached to each other using thermal staking, adhesives or welding so that the plate (50) is securely sandwiched between the two plastic grids (59).

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for precipitating water ice or CO2 snow downwardly over a load within a shipping container or semitrailer body. The apparatus and method utilize high pressure and high velocity fog-like spray discharges of liquid CO2 and water (for forming water ice) or opposing high pressure and high velocity fog-like spray discharges of liquid CO2 (for forming CO2 snow) for intimate commingling in an elevated area of the container or semitrailer body. The commingling fog-like jet discharges of water and liquid CO2 cause water ice precipitation downward over a load within the container or semitrailer body and are capable of producing ice at a rate (poundage) equal to generally 96% of the rate (poundage) at which liquid CO2 is consumed in forming the water ice. Further, the opposing and commingling high pressure and high velocity fog-like spray discharges of liquid CO2 cause CO2 snow to form and to precipitate downward over an associated load.

Abstract: An ice making machine having an evaporator plate assembly which is manufactured from two side plates and a serpentine shaped tube. Each side plate has vertical partitions integrally formed therein. The two side plates are bonded to the serpentine shaped tube through a braze process.

Abstract: An ice making apparatus is provided, in which an ice guide plate is capable of being fixed between an ice-water tank and ice-making plates without any fastener such as a screw. To realize such an arrangement, a convex portion (20) is formed on an inner surface of the bottom at the front end side of the ice-water tank (10), and the front end portion of the ice guide plate (19) is engaged therein so that a gap is formed between the convex portion (20) and a front wall portion of the ice-water tank (10). The rear end portion of the ice guide plate (19) is engaged with a groove 21 formed in a rear wall face 3a of the ice making chamber 3. As a result, the ice guide plate (19) can be fixed between the ice-water tank (10) and the ice-making plate.

Abstract: A method and system for electronically controlling the location of the formation of ice within a closed loop water circulating unit. A method and system is provided for making ice using supercooled water. When a desired degree of supercooling is reached in the closed loop water circulating unit, a pump associated with the ice-making machine is stopped so as to initiate ice seeding on the ice mold. After the pump is restarted, the supercooled water flows over the seeded molds to rapidly form ice on the ice molds. A method and system is also provided for improving the clarity of the ice. Water is preheated prior to introducing the water to the closed loop water circulating unit. Furthermore, in an ice-making machine having two or more ice molds, a method and system is provided for allowing one mold to act as a condenser in a harvest mode, while simultaneously allowing the remaining molds to act as evaporators in the freezing mode.

Abstract: An ice guide plate with a trapezoidal main body joined to a right triangular side plate by a joining plate. The joining plate has only two lateral water recovery slots in a lower section thereof. A pair of drip ridges are provided on the back of the joining plate as continuations of two reinforcing ribs of the main body and the side plate. A valley gutter slot is provided along the lower edge of the joining plates and extends up into the main body and the adjacent side plate as well.

Abstract: An ice making apparatus comprises: an ice making unit including ice making plates having ice making surfaces, and a water sprinkler for sprinkling ice water on the ice making surfaces; a reservoir tank for receiving the ice water flowing down on the ice making surfaces; and a feed pump including a pump section for supplying the ice water reserved in the reservoir tank to the water sprinkler, and a motor section for driving the pump section. The pump section is accommodated, together with the ice making unit and the reservoir tank, in an ice making chamber formed within a main body of the ice making apparatus. The motor section is accommodated, together with a control box containing therein various electrical components, in an upper machine chamber formed within the main body. The upper machine chamber is formed at the back of the ice making chamber and is partitioned from the ice making chamber by an L-shaped thermally insulating panel.

Abstract: A down-flow-type ice-making machine has an easily detachable pump and a level sensor mounted in a water reservoir, which allows for easy maintenance. The water reservoir is provided under a horizontal wall of a rear wall of an insulated box. A through-hole is provided in the horizontal wall. The pump and the level sensor are passed through the through-hole and fixed at a predetermined position in the water reservoir using a single bracket. The bracket is detachably mounted on the horizontal wall from the upper exterior of the horizontal wall, that is, from the exterior of the insulated box, so that the pump and the level sensor are easily detached during maintenance.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent ice making water from splashing outside of an ice making water tank with a simple means. Flat members are provided at the right and left outermost portions of an ice making unit such that the front ends, the rear ends and the lower ends of the flat members are elongated forward, rearward and downward with respect to the front ends, the rear ends and the lower ends of the ice making plates to prevent the ice making water from splashing to the right and left outside of the ice making plates. Moreover the flat members can be provided as side plates comprising the ice making unit. Further, notches can be provided at the lower front corner portions of the side plates. Or a front cover having an inclined portion with the lower end inclined to the rearward can be provided forward the front of the ice making unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing ice cubes. It has a freezer unit (6) with a plurality of freezing regions (7) accessible from the outside of said unit (6) for one ice cube (1) each, a device (9) for supplying the freezing regions (7) with an excess of water to produce clear ice and a dispensing region (1)) for ice cubes (1) released from the freezer unit (6). Between the freezer unit (6) and the dispensing region (19) there is a device (18) for putting two ice cubes (1) together to form a composite cube (1(A+B)). Said device (18) has adjacent storage devices for the ice cubes (1) to be put together which can be moved together in order to place the ice cubes (1) with plane damp surfaces together, where the path between the combining device (18) and the dispensing region (19), and the dispensing region (19) itself, are cooled to a temperature below 0.degree. C.

Abstract: An ice maker in which a non-metallic shroud surronds the metal evaporator plate and has a continuous bulbous edge that engulfs the edges of the plate. The shroud further includes a roof disposed above the plate and slopes toward the front of the plate. The water distributor of the ice maker is mounted on the roof of the shroud.

Abstract: An ice making machine is provided comprising an ice making chamber and an ice reservoir defined by an insulating material. Ice making plates are vertically disposed beneath a water sprinkler for receiving ice-making water supplied therefrom. The ice-making machine further comprises an ice-making water tank for storing the ice-making water, and an assembly of a pump and a motor for supplying the ice-making water stored in the ice-making water tank to the water sprinkler. An insulating rear panel of a predetermined shape is arranged along the ice making plates between a machine chamber and the ice making chamber. The rear panel is formed by bending one insulating panel into the predetermined shape at a given portion thereof for the arrangement between the machine chamber and the ice making chamber.

Abstract: A snow forming station is provided for making and/or maintaining snow on a ski slop constituted by a moveable base assembly which passes through the snow forming station. The snow forming station has a snow chamber surrounding a section of the moveable base assembly and a return air chamber through which a refrigerated air supply mean is recirculated. Snow making apparatus supplies snow to the chamber and snow carried in the return air is precipitated prior to return to the refrigeration apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic ice making apparatus for use in a refrigerator has a water regulation container capable of containing water therein and a pair of lateral holes formed on side portions of the water regulation container. The water regulation container is also provided with a drain hole formed through a bottom of the water regulation container and a second conduit through which the water in the water regulation container is delivered to a mold for defining a shape of an ice cube. A micro processor controls an opening and a closing states of the drain hole in such a way that the drain hole is opened for a predetermined time to be closed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for making artificial snow with a snow-making machine having a funnel-shaped carrier. The carrier has, at the inlet end thereof, a fan adapted to provide rapid flow of air through the carrier, and at the outlet end thereof, both a ring of atomizing nozzles mounted close to a nose cone of the snow-making machine, and several (preferably three or more) rings of water distribution nozzles. The water nozzles are arranged to eject a curtain of water drops obliquely into the flow of air passing through the carrier. The method involves the steps of: (a) turning on the fan so that a rapid flow of air is moved through the snow-making machine, (b) pressing water under high pressure through the ring of atomizing nozzles, (c) then turning on pressurized water in a first ring of water distribution nozzles, and (d) thereafter, stepwise after each other, turning on pressurized water to the remaining rings of water distribution nozzles.

Abstract: An ice maker has an ice tray with a plurality of ice forming cavities arranged in longitudinal succession therealong, and a water distributor extending along the tray and arranged to receive water from a water feed system. The distributor serves to distribute water evenly into the cavities without the overflow of water from one to another, thereby avoiding the formation of interconnecting webs between ice masses formed in the cavities. A level detector is provided, typically in the form of a thermistor, to detect a predetermined level of water in the tray and provide a control signal when said level is detected.

Abstract: An ice cube making evaporator design comprising an aluminum roll-bond evaporator plate (50) which is encased in a plastic grid (59) of vertical and horizontal ridges, thereby forming an array of freezing sites (28) on both sides of the plate. Integral refrigerant passes (52) in the evaporator plate may be designed to be flat on one side, enabling the freezing sites (28) to be in direct contact with the refrigerant passes (52). Adjacent refrigerant passes (52) are flat on opposite sides of the evaporator plate (50') thereby enabling significant improvements in heat transfer geometry and performance. Boundary layer interrupters (68) and conductive anchors (86) are also disclosed for the purpose of heat transfer enhancement.

Abstract: An apparatus for restoring the efficiency of ice cube making machines with a vertically oriented evaporator plate is disclosed. These evaporator plates have a series of ice cube molds arranged in a lattice pattern on one side of the evaporator plate and a refrigerant coil attached to the other. The ice cube molds are of a generally square or rectangular cross section with the lower face being either horizontal or tapered downwardly to facilitate ice harvesting. The apparatus is a piece of low friction plastic material shaped to fit the lower face of the ice cube mold. This forms a low friction surface or skate which allows the ice harvesting to be restored to its original efficiency.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying an exact quantity of a water to an the ice tray is provided. The apparatus includes a first container having a same volume as the ice tray and being rotatably installed below the water tank, and a valve unit for opening and closing the water tank. A driving member for rotating the first container and at the same time, raising and lowering the valve unit is provided. A water supply member is installed in a partition wall which partitions off the freezing and refrigerating compartments. The water supply member flows water from an outlet pipe of a second container to the ice tray. At first, water is supplied to the first container, and then water supplied to the first container is supplied to the ice tray. Therefore, an exact amount of water is supplied to the ice tray.

Abstract: The device for implementing the method comprises a receptacle (3) whose internal profile has the shape of an asymmetric cone (3d) inside which is arranged a blade (5b) of an agitator (5) to agitate with a slow motion the bath of refrigerating liquid contained in the receptacle (3), an orifice (3i) being provided at the bottom of the cone (3d) and communicating with a pipe (3j) wherein is rotationally driven an Archimedean screw (6b) of an extractor device (6) to evacuate continuously the solid particles.

Abstract: A remote ice-making machine is disclosed having a compressor unit remote from an evaporator unit, a supply line for transferring refrigerant from the compressor unit to the remote evaporator unit, and a return line for returning refrigerant from the evaporator unit to the compressor unit during an ice-making mode. The preferred evaporator unit has an ice-forming evaporator and a heating unit, as well as a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator unit. A method for making ice with the remote ice-making unit is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods, apparatus and solutions for cryopreserving microscopic biological materials for biologically extended periods of time. The method comprises treating a suspension of biological material, in an appropriate buffer, with a cryoprotectant or combination of cryoprotectants which raises the glass transition temperature range of the sample. One or more dry protectants may be added to the cryosolution. The cryosolution is then nebulized and rapidly cooled with novel apparatus, dried by molecular distillation, stored and then rehydrated in a buffer prior to its use. The solutions comprise novel mixtures of cryoprotectants.

Abstract: An evaporator having a tortuous refrigerant flow path for use in an ice making machine. The evaporator includes a first tubular member having a closed bottom end and a closed top end with a first aperture. A second tubular member is concentrically positioned within the first tubular member. The second tubular member has a closed bottom end with a second aperture spaced from the closed bottom end of the first tubular member and an open top end spaced from the closed top end of the first tubular member. A helical baffle plate is coiled around second tubular member. A third tubular member is concentrically positioned within the second tubular member. The third tubular member has an open bottom end spaced from the closed bottom end of the second tubular member and a top end extending through the first aperture in the first tubular member. A fourth tubular member is concentrically positioned within the third tubular member and extends through the second aperture in the second tubular member.

Abstract: A method of cooling a liquid process fluid in which a liquid process stream is formed from the liquid process fluid and the process fluid contained within the liquid process stream is frozen into a conveyable particulate form. The conveyable particulate form is introduced back into the liquid process fluid. The liquid process fluid can be contained within a container and pumped through a pipe connected to the container to form the liquid process stream. A freezing chamber connected to the top of the container can be provided to countercurrently directly exchange heat between rising vaporized coolant and descending liquid process fluid. The resultant conveyable particulate form can be metered by provision of a valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the granulation of granulatable and/or pelletizable substances in which the substance to be granulated is introduced in the form of a closed jet into a rapidly flowing refrigerant--preferably liquid nitrogen. This purpose is served by a vertically arranged reaction tube (2) into the upper part of which the jet enters and through which the refrigerant circulates by means of a transport element (7).

Abstract: A method and system for electronically controlling the location of the formation of ice within a closed loop water circulating unit. A method and system is provided for making ice using supercooled water. When a desired degree of supercooling is reached in the closed loop water circulating unit, a pump associated with the ice-making machine is stopped so as to initiate ice seeding on the ice mold. After the pump is restarted, the supercooled water flows over the seeded molds to rapidly form ice on the ice molds. A method and system is also provided for improving the clarity of the ice. Water is preheated prior to introducing the water to the closed loop water circulating unit. Furthermore, in an ice-making machine having two or more ice molds, a method and system is provided for allowing one mold to act as a condenser in a harvest mode, while simultaneously allowing the remaining molds to act as evaporators in the freezing mode.

Abstract: An ice maker which produces clean, crescent-shaped ice pieces. A threaded cylindrical evaporator surrounded by copper tubing and having a centrally mounted driver with fins freezes water into crescent-shaped ice pieces and dispenses them from a chute at the top of the evaporator. Two embodiments of the present invention are provided.

Abstract: A method for preventing the formation of icy slush within the sump of an ice maker. The method includes the steps of monitoring the temperature of the water being circulated through the ice maker and detecting when the temperature reaches about 32.degree. F. When the water reaches about 32.degree. F., the water pump is turned-off to allow residual water on evaporator plates of the ice maker to freeze and form ice crystals thereon. The water pump is turned-off for a predetermined period of time sufficient to allow the residual water remaining on the evaporator plates to freeze, which is preferably about 40 seconds, before it is turned back on. Thereafter, circulating water gradually freezes to the ice crystals formed on the evaporator plates. This prevents the water in the sump from cooling below about 32.degree. F. which would cause an icy slush to form in the sump. The above cycle is repeated after ice is harvested from the evaporator plates.

Abstract: A water-supply device in an automatic ice maker including an ice tray supplied with water is provided above the ice tray. The water-supply includes a quantity container and a metered water-supply tank provided above the quantity container. The water in the water-supply tank is supplied to the quantity container to provide a predetermined quantity of water. After that, the predetermined quantity of water is supplied to the ice tray by gravity so that a pump is not required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal energy storage composition and a method for reducing rupture failures during freezing cycles of container devices holding aqueous phase change materials. The thermal energy storage composition of the present invention contains about 60 to about 96.5 weight percent water, about 3 to about 40 weight percent of one or a mixture of water-dispersible non-ionic surfactants, particularly alcohol ethoxylates, and preferably an anionic surfactant in an amount sufficient to reduce phase separation of the composition at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal energy storage composition and a method for reducing rupture failures during freezing cycles of container device phase change material. The phase change composition contains about 60 to about 91 weight percent water and about 9 to about 40 weight percent of one or a mixture of water-dispersible non-ionic surfactants, particularly alcohol ethoxylates.

Abstract: A flow type ice making machine comprises at least one cooling zigzag pipe 14 or 15 through which a coolant flows, a pair of ice making plates 17 and 18 vertically disposed so as to sandwich the cooling zigzag pipe therebetween, and a pair of mount plates 11 and 12 vertically disposed at both ends of the ice making plates, respectively, and supporting opposite bent ends of the cooling zigzag pipe. The pair of mount plates have respective cut-out portions 11b and 12b being open upward, and a sprinkling device is inserted to the cut-out portions so as to cover upper ends of the ice making plates. A pair of extension fins 27a and 27b formed along opposite outer side surfaces of the sprinkling device, respectively, are sandwiched between the pair of mount plates to thereby position and fix the sprinkling device.

Abstract: A water sprinkling apparatus for an ice making machine includes an icing water sprinkler comprised of a plurality of broad-width water strewing cylinders extending in parallel with one another with a distance therebetween and formed in an integral structure and a deicing water sprinkler comprised of a plurality of narrow-width water strewing cylinders extending along respective bottom surfaces of the plurality of broad-width water strewing cylinders and formed in an integral structure. Each of the broad-width water strewing cylinders and each of the narrow-width water strewing cylinders have pluralities of water strewing holes and formed distributively in the respective bottom walls. The water strewing holes are preferably formed simultaneously with molding of the icing water sprinkler and the deicing water sprinkler.

Abstract: An ice piece manufacturing apparatus is disclosed in which a guide plate is directly installed to retaining plates through both hook members formed at lower ends of the retaining plates which retain manufacturing plates and long holes opened in brim plates formed at both side edges of the guide plate. A suitable distance necessary for smoothly dropping ice pieces thereby secured between the lower ends of the manufacturing plats and flat plate of the guide plate. As a result, the ice pieces released from the manufacturing plates are continuously and smoothly guided from the guide plate into a storing room.

Abstract: An ice making machine in which ice making water in a static or flowing condition is gradually frozen on the surface of an ice making plate cooled at an ice making cycle of the machine, wherein the surface of said ice making plate is made of synthetic resin or glass.

Abstract: The disclosed thermal storage composition includes water, an electrolyte or a non-electrolyte, and a nucleating surfactant. The nucleating surfactant reduces the surface tension of the thermal storage composition and simultaneously promotes nucleation sites within the thermal storage composition. The thermal storage composition is directed along at least one heat exchanger surface cooled by a refrigerant. The thermal storage composition forms ice crystals that selectively accumulate on the heat exchanger surface. Forces resulting from gravity and the interactions with the liquid of the thermal storage composition overcome the adhesion forces between at least a portion of the ice crystals and the heat exchanger surface, causing at least a portion of the ice crystals to separate from the heat exchanger surface.

Abstract: A flow-type ice manufacturing machine includes substantially vertical ice making panels and equipped with a cooling pipe secured on the back of the ice making panels for cooling circulating water that flows on the ice making surfaces. The ice manufacturing machine comprises an ice storage chamber for storing ice, the chamber having a front door, a machinery room for accommodating a condensation unit, the machinery room mounted on the upper front end of the ice storage chamber, and an ice making portion mounted behind the machinery room, so that the ice produced drops into the ice storage chamber and heaps deeply in the chamber, thereby preventing the ice from spilling from the door when it is opened or forcing the door to open unexpectedly.

Abstract: A water distributor and an ice cutter for a tube-ice machine includes a water distributor having a cylindrical body, a multiangle head having two opposite spiraling water passageways and an air tube. Each of the water passageways are in fluid communication with the hollow interior of the multi-angle head to permit water to enter therethrough into one of a plurality of ice making tubes, to be frozen into a long bar of ice. Subsequently, the periphery of the bar of ice is melted to cause it to fall down from the ice making tube to an ice cutter. The ice cutter has ice cutting blades and sustain plates, held in a turning disc rotated by a motor, for cutting the long bar of ice into small pieces which are pushed out of an exit for use.