Flake ice vending machine

• US 4,276,750 A
• Filed: 01/09/1980
• Issued: 07/07/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hoshizaki Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoshizaki Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawasumi, Sakichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TAPOLCAI, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US06/111,008
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 62/354, 62/389, 62/391, 62/320, 62/321, 222/146 C, 222/148, 222/, 221/96, 141/82, 141/91, 141/104
• US Class Current: 62/137
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/00 Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught B67D3/00 takes precedence; apparatus for making beverages A47J31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0857 Cooling arrangements cooling systems per se F25B
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/147 by using augers
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/12 Ice-shaving machines
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/142 extrusion of ice crystals
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 5/20 Distributing ice
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/10 with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0071 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream

Abstract

A flake ice vending machine for vending disposable receptacles filled with a mixture of flake ice and a flavored syrup, and including an auger type ice maker, a storage bin for storing the ice formed by the ice maker, an ice slicer for slicing the ice formed by the ice maker, and a discharge chute for discharging the flake ice formed by the ice slicer. Additional mechanisms are provided for dispensing a flavored syrup into the disposable receptacle and mechanisms for washing the area in which the disposable filled receptacles are provided so as to wash away the surplus syrup and ice.

Claims

1. In a flake ice vending machine for vending disposable receptacles filled with a mixture of flake ice and a flavored syrup, the improved combination comprising:

an auger type ice making means comprising a refrigerated cylinder and rotating auger contained within said cylinder, said auger scraping ice formed on an inner circumferential surface of said cylinder;

a storage means for storing said ice formed by said ice making means, said storage means mechanically connected to said ice making means by a conduit, said auger of said ice making means feeding said ice formed from said ice making means to said storage means through said conduit;

a first means provided at an upper portion of said storage means for measuring an upper storage limit of said ice stored therein and for controlling said ice making means;

a second means provided at a bottom portion of said storage means for measuring the presence of ice stored therein;

an agitator means located within said storage means and controlled by said second means for agitating said ice formed by said ice making means;

an ice slicer means for slicing said ice formed by said ice making means into flake ice, said slicer means mechanically connected to said storage means by a feed means for feeding said ice from said storage means to said slicer means; and

a discharge means for discharging said flake ice, said discharge means mechanically connected to said slicer means;

said improved combination producing flake ice for dispensing.

2. A flake ice vending machine as in claim 1 further comprising means for storing a plurality of disposable receptacles and dispensing one of said plurality of disposable receptacles, said dispensed one of said plurality of disposable receptacles arranged beneath said discharge means for receiving said flake ice.

3. A flake ice vending machine as in claim 2, further comprising a flavored syrup storing and dispensing means for storing a quantity of flavored syrup and dispensing a metered portion thereof into said dispensed one of said plurality of disposable receptacles.

4. A flake ice vending machine comprising:

an auger type ice making unit in which an ice layer formed on an inner circumferential wall surface of a freezing cylinder is scraped by an auger and then compressed by a press head into a plurality of ice masses;

a means for transferring the ice masses extruded from said ice making unit;

a storage chamber for storing the transferred ice masses;

a means for slicing the ice masses supplied from said storage chamber to discharge flake ice into a receptacle;

a means for pouring a selected flavored liquid onto the flake ice;

wherein the ice storage chamber at its upper portion is provided with a means for measuring an upper storage limit of the ice masses and for controlling said ice making unit and is provided at its bottom portion with a means for measuring the presence of the ice masses and for activating an agitator provided in the bottom of the ice storage chamber.

6. A flake ice vending machine as claimed in claims 4 or 5, wherein the means for transferring the ice masses extruded from the ice making unit to the storage chamber comprises a flexible tube having one end is connected to an outlet of the auger type ice making unit and having its opposite end connected to an inlet of the ice storage chamber.

7. A flake ice vending machine as claimed in claims 4 or 5, further comprising a means for discharging water against a dispensing outlet tray for cleaning.

8. A flake ice vending machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the water discharging means comprises a pipe line branched from a water supply line to the auger type ice making unit through an electromagnetic valve and opened into a chute adjacent the outlet of the ice slicing means.

5. A flake ice vending machine comprising:

an auger type ice making unit in which an ice layer formed on an inner circumferential wall surface of a freezing cylinder is scraped by an auger and then compressed by a press head into a plurality of ice masses;

a means for transferring the ice masses extruded from said ice making unit;

a storage chamber for storing the transferred ice masses;

a means for slicing the ice masses supplied from said storage chamber to discharge flake ice into a receptacle;

a means for pouring a selected flavored liquid onto the flake ice;

wherein the ice storage chamber at its upper portion is provided with a means for measuring an upper storage limit of the ice masses and for controlling said ice making unit and is provided at its bottom portion with a

means for measuring the presence of the ice masses and for activating a screw conveyor arranged in the bottom of the ice storage chamber.

9. A flake ice vending machine comprising:

an auger type ice making unit in which an ice layer formed on an inner circumferential wall surface of a freezing cylinder is scraped by an auger and then compressed by a press head to form a plurality of ice masses;

a means for transferring the ice masses extruded from said ice making unit;

a storage chamber for storing the transferred ice masses;

a means for slicing the ice masses supplied from said storage chamber to discharge a flake ice;

a means for storing and supplying a receptacle for receiving the flake ice into a dispensing outlet tray;

a means for pouring a flavored liquid onto the flake ice in the receptacle;

a means for discharging water against a dispensing outlet tray for cleaning;

wherein the ice storage chamber at it upper portion is provided with a means for measuring an upper storage limit of the ice masses and for controlling said ice making unit and is provided at its bottom portion with a means for measuring the presence of the ice masses and for activating an agitator provided in the bottom of the storage chamber.

10. A flake ice vending machine comprising:

an auger type ice making unit in which an ice layer formed on an inner circumferential wall surface of a freezing cylinder is scraped by an auger and then compressed by a press head to form a plurality of ice masses;

a means for transferring the ice masses extruded from said ice making unit;

a storage chamber for storing the transferred ice masses;

a means for slicing the ice masses supplied from said storage chamber to discharge a flake ice;

a means for storing and supplying a receptacle for receiving the flake ice into a dispensing outlet tray;

a means for pouring a flavored liquid onto the flake ice in the receptacle;

a means for discharging water against a dispensing outlet tray for cleaning;

wherein the ice storage chamber at its upper portion is provided with a means for measuring an upper storing limit of the ice masses and for controlling said ice making unit and is provided at its bottom portion with a means for measuring the presence of the ice masses and for activating a screw conveyor arranged in the bottom of the ice storage chamber.