초록 ▼

A series of regularly spaced cylindrical paddles are affixed to a steel strand cable. Each end of the cable is provided with a swaged ball shank which is pivotably received within a nut. The threaded nuts are connected by a threaded screw. The paddles are advanced on the cable through a conduit by a

A series of regularly spaced cylindrical paddles are affixed to a steel strand cable. Each end of the cable is provided with a swaged ball shank which is pivotably received within a nut. The threaded nuts are connected by a threaded screw. The paddles are advanced on the cable through a conduit by a rotatable drive wheel. The system is thus adapted for moving ice cubes and chips. The drive wheel has eight teeth, each of which has a connector trough dimensioned to receive the connector assembly. Each tooth has a leading finger with a drive face which engages a paddle when it is received within a paddle trough defined between neighboring teeth. The drive face has a radially extending wall which engages the disk of the paddle, and a second radially extending wall spaced outwardly from the first which engages the protruding shoulder of the disk, such that the disks are always driven at two spaced locations. Each of the tooth fingers has a peripheral groove which is curved to receive the cable as it extends between paddles. Because the teeth do not drive against the connector, and because the paddles are engaged repeatedly at multiple locations, the wear on the system is minimized.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An ice conveying apparatus comprising:a cable having two ends which are formed into a loop by a connector assembly;a plurality of paddles fixed to the cable at regular intervals, wherein a first distance is defined between each pair of neighboring paddles measured along the cable

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An ice conveying apparatus comprising:a cable having two ends which are formed into a loop by a connector assembly;a plurality of paddles fixed to the cable at regular intervals, wherein a first distance is defined between each pair of neighboring paddles measured along the cable, wherein the connector assembly is spaced between two neighboring paddles;a conduit through which the cable and paddles extend;a drive motor;an integral plastic drive wheel connected to and driven by the drive motor, wherein the drive wheel has a plurality of radially projecting teeth spaced around the perimeter of the drive wheel, wherein a paddle trough is defined between two subsequent teeth, portions of each tooth adjacent a paddle trough defining a bearing face, the cable extending around a fraction of the drive wheel, such that the paddles extend within a paddle trough with portions of one of said paddles engage a tooth bearing face as it is engaged by the drive wheel, and wherein portions of each tooth, spaced from the paddle trough, define a connector trough, and wherein the connector assembly extends within one of said connector troughs when passing around the drive wheel.