초록 ▼

An apparatus for dispensing ice includes a bin and a shroud that contains a recess for housing a wheel. The shroud mounts to a front wall of the bin and includes a chute that communicates exterior to the bin. The shroud further includes a curved plate that directs ice into the recess so that the whe

An apparatus for dispensing ice includes a bin and a shroud that contains a recess for housing a wheel. The shroud mounts to a front wall of the bin and includes a chute that communicates exterior to the bin. The shroud further includes a curved plate that directs ice into the recess so that the wheel can raise the ice to the chute. A plate mounts at an angle sloping downward towards the front wall of the bin to direct ice onto the curved plate of the shroud. A discharge chute assembly mounts to the ice bin and communicates with the chute of the shroud to permit the delivery of the ice exterior to the bin. A gear motor drives the wheel to facilitate the lifting of the ice to the chute of the shroud. Alternatively, in a combination ice and beverage dispenser, the plate mounted within the bin is replaced with a cold plate mounted within the bin at an angle sloping downward towards the front wall of the bin. The cold plate directs ice in the bin onto the curved plate of the shroud and communicates at inlets to a beverage source to cool beverages before dispensing. Dispensing valves communicate with outlets from the cold plate to permit the dispensing of beverages from the ice and beverage dispensing apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A dispensing apparatus, comprising:a bin for storing ice, said bin comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom that define an interior;a lift wheel;a removable shroud mounted to a front sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls of said bin, said removable shroud defining a recess

[ I claim:] [1.] A dispensing apparatus, comprising:a bin for storing ice, said bin comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom that define an interior;a lift wheel;a removable shroud mounted to a front sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls of said bin, said removable shroud defining a recess receiving said lift wheel therein, said removable shroud including an interior chute formed integrally therewith at a bottom of said recess and supported entirely by said removable shroud without any attachment to said plurality of sidewalls so that said removable shroud and said interior chute are removable from said bin as one piece to facilitate easy access to the interior of said bin, said interior chute extending into the interior of said bin for directing ice from said bin into said recess, and said interior chute terminating short of an opposite rear sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls of said bin, and said shroud including a discharge chute formed integrally therewith at a top of said recess, said discharge chute communicating with an exterior of said bin; andmeans for rotatably driving said lift wheel to lift ice within said recess to said discharge chute.