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A conventional Reynolds-type ice maker evaporator assembly such as is used in a drink dispensing machine is modified to accommodate a novel form of seal assembly for prevention of water seepage into the transmission or gear box, to allow conventional ball bearings to be replaced with roller bearings

A conventional Reynolds-type ice maker evaporator assembly such as is used in a drink dispensing machine is modified to accommodate a novel form of seal assembly for prevention of water seepage into the transmission or gear box, to allow conventional ball bearings to be replaced with roller bearings and to accommodate a unique grease fitting arrangement so that both the upper and lower ends of the auger may be lubricated.

대표청구항 ▼

An ice making apparatus comprising, in combination: (a) an upstanding evaporator assembly having an outlet at the upper end thereof; (b) means for supplying water to said evaporator assembly; (c) means for cooling said evaporator assembly including cooling means surrounding a vertical sleeve; (d) an

An ice making apparatus comprising, in combination: (a) an upstanding evaporator assembly having an outlet at the upper end thereof; (b) means for supplying water to said evaporator assembly; (c) means for cooling said evaporator assembly including cooling means surrounding a vertical sleeve; (d) an upstanding auger having upper and lower shaft ends mounted in said sleeve for scraping and delivering flaked ice to said outlet; (e) an extruding head positioned on said auger upper shaft end and having a plurality of ice compressing and shaping passages therethrough, said extruding head having a centrally positioned, press fitted sleeve bearing mounted on said auger upper shaft end, having a plurality of peripherally-spaced, radially-directed threaded holes formed in outer surface portions thereof with at least a pair of such holes having threaded fasteners passing through said sleeve and acting to secure said extruding head thereto, having at least one of such threaded holes modified to include an opening communicating through said sleeve bearing with said auger upper shaft end, having a threaded grease fitting extending outwardly from said sleeve mounted in said modified hole enabling lubrication of mating surfaces between said sleeve bearing and said auger upper shaft end, and having O-rings positioned at the upper and lower ends of said sleeve bearing to retain said lubrication; (f) drive mechanism located below and coupled to said auger lower shaft end for operating said auger to force the flaked ice from said outlet into and through said passages; (g) an auger support and sealing assembly mounted below said auger and above said drive mechanism and including: (i) a compression spring and spring support assembly surrounding and mounting a sliding carbon seal surrounding said auger lower end; (ii) an auxiliary seal mounted on said auger lower shaft end below said spring and spring support assembly and comprising an annular structure mounting a pair of vertically-spaced external O-rings at its upper and lower ends in press-fitted relation with the internal surface of said evaporator assembly sleeve, another O-ring mounted within said annular structure proximate the lower end thereof and engaging said auger lower shaft end, and having a horizontal passage formed through the body of said annular structure between said pair of external O-rings and above said internal O-ring and communicating through a mating hole in said evaporator assembly sleeve enabling any water collected above said annular structure internal O-ring to drain through said passage to be discharged through said hole in said sleeve; (iii) a bearing housing having an upper cylindrical portion residing within and secured by threaded fastener means to said evaporator assembly sleeve, a lower flange portion secured to said drive mechanism and having a lubrication passage formed on the upper end thereof; (iv) a bearing assembly mounted in the upper end of said housing approximate said housing lubrication passage and below said auxiliary seal and bearing the thrust imposed thereon; and (v) a grease fitting mounted on and extending outwardly from the lower end of said evaporator assembly sleeve and communicating through said hole formed therein and through said lubrication passage with said bearing assembly to permit lubrication thereof; and (h) an ice cutter mounted on said auger upper shaft end for rotation therewith and disposed above the upper end of said extruding head to break the extruded ice issuing from said passages into individual shapes.