US2627377A - Shaving apparatus for rotating ice blocks - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1953 D. H. FLETCHER 2,627,377

SHAVING APPARATUS FOR ROTATING ICE BLOCKS Filed NOV. 4. 1949 l? ENN Is HfFLa-rcH ER TOKHEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1953 `SHAVINGr APPARATUS FOR ROTATING ICE BLOC Dennis H. Fletcher, Magrath, Alberta,` Canada Application November 4, 1949, Serial No. 125,638

not only diiiicult and hazardous but unsatisfactory from the standpoint that the chopped pieces are not uniform and vary considerably in size and shape to say nothing of wastage. Thus such pieces of ice are not in many cases adaptable for the purposes required.

It is one of the objects of the present invention therefore 'to avoid and overcome the foregoing'and other objections and disadvantages by providing a device of this character which will shave or cut ice from a block in a uniform thick- Another object of .the present invention is to provide la device of vthis character wherein the ice cut or shaved from the block may be varied or of a predetermined thickness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character in which means are `provided for feeding the ice block to the cutting mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character in `which brake feed means are provided to control the operation of the Yfeeding mechanism.

Yet Aanother object of the present invention vis to Aprovide a device of this character which is novel and simple in form, rugged innature and one that will .the more satisfactorily perform Vthe functions required of it.

Having regard to the `foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become apparent as the description proceeds and the details become known, the invention consists essentially in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

`Fig. 1 is a front elevational. view of anembodiment of my present invention shown partly in section for purposes of illustrating the operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. l and is also shown `partly in section.

Fig. `3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 isla plan view of the driving and gear mechanism shown in `separate form for purposes of clarity.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of my present invention is disclosed and wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the different illustrations, the numeral l5 indicates the ice shaver as a whole, I6 the operating mechanism `generally and I'l the cabinet or stand within which the mechanism is supported and operated.

The cabinet il may be constructed of any suitable material, but preferably sheet metal, suitably braced and reinforced and closed on four sides with the exception of frontal opening i8 which provides an entrance for the insertion of a block of ice and for the removal of ice that has been out `or shaved from the block.

A closure cover or cap I9 is provided Vfor the top of the cabinet and carries therewith an integral skirt depending downwardly therefrom `as indicated at 2li and to which a bearing and shaft supporting housing is connected.

Mounted substantially centrally of the cabinet and movable axially therein is the threaded or worm drive shaft 2l. This shaft is provided with a spline slot or keyway 22 which extends throughout its length, the Vpurpose of which is to .provide a driving medium for the shaft as will be later referred to.

The drive shaft 2i extends through the bearing housing 23 and guide sleeve 24, the housing being secured to the skirt 20 of the cover member by means of bolts, screws or like securing means.

Mounted on the shaft 2l and supported .on bearingsurface 25 of the housing is worm gear 26, the worm gear being provided with a sleeve v2l. The interior wall of the worm and sleeve is provided with an inwardly protruding boss 28, the boss in turn being adapted to engage and slide as a spline or key in the slot 22 of the shaft 2l previously mentioned. From the foregoing it will be seen that while providing a drive medium for the shaft 2i, the shaft itself may be moved axially within the worm for adjusting purposes.

The means for `driving the worm Z and shaft 2l includes a driving worm 29 supported in suitable bearings 39 in the bearing housing 23. The end 3l of the Worm drive shaft is connected to the motor drive shaft 32 of motor-33 by means of a coupling 34 while the motor is supported in operative position on bracket 35, see Fig. 2.

Secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 2| inany appropriatemanner is an ice engaging disc or plate 36 while extending downwardly from the under surface of the disc is a series of pointed, ice engaging fingers 31.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the fingers 3l' are designed to penetrate into the upper surface of the ice block 38 and form a firm grip between the block 38 and the disc member 36 so that as the shaft and disc are rotated, the ice block is also rotated. Additionally, the upper extremity of the shaft 2l is provided with a hand wheel S9 which will be later referred to.

Arranged in the cabinet immediately beneath the ice engaging disc 36 is a horizontal supporting platform dfi. The platform is designed to support the ice cutting blade 4l as well as the block of ice. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the cutter blade 4I extends through the rectangular slot of opening 2 in the platform and is adjustably maintained in cutting position by means of a pair of thumb screws d3 and adjusting screw lid, the latter being adjusta'bly movable in the extension supporting arm d5 of the platform. From the description thus far given, it will be seen that as the motor 33 is put into operation, the motor drive shaft operates worms ZQ-and 26 and rotates shaft 2|. As shaft 2l is rotated, disc 36 with fingers Si rotate the ice block 38 over the cutter blade fil to thus cut or shave a predetermined thickness of ice from the base of the ice block, the cut or shaved ice dropping through opening L32 in the platform into a suitable receptacle therebeneath.

As ice is shaved from the base of the block 38, it becomes necessary to lower the shaft 2i with 3S in order to exert a downward pressure on the ice being rotated over the cutter blade and for this purpose I provide a novel feed brake mechanism which will presently be described.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the feed brake mechanism includes gear il operatively meshing with the teeth of threaded drive shaft 2l. The gear il is fixedly mounted on Shaft 48 and normally supported for free rotation within the bearing housing 23.

Secured to one side of gear lll' is a brake drum 49 while loosely embracing the drum is a brake 'band lil. A threaded bolt or shaft 5l extends through the free upturned ends of the brake band as shown in Fig. 1 and is engaged by an internally threaded sleeve 52. The outer end of the sleeve is provided with a hand operated thumb nut 53 while interposed between the end of the sleeve and the brake band is an expansion spring Eli.

From the foregoing it will be seen that under ordinary circumstances the gear |37 is freely rotated by the rotation of the worm drive shaft v2| and the shaft 2| maintains a fixed height.

When however it is desired to feed the shaft 2l and disc downwardly to exert pressure on the ice block, the thumb nut 53 is operated by hand to draw the ends of the brake band toward one another and exert a 'braking pressure on drum 49. The tightening of the brake band prevents rotation of the ygear il and consequently the gear being stationary, the shaft 2| through its spiral teeth gradually and automatically moves the shaft 2! and disc downwardly. When the shaft 2l has moved downwardly a sufficient distance, the brake is released by the reverse rotation of the thumb nut 53 when the shaft with disc 36 will maintain a fixed height until further operated by the brake feed mechanism.

The brake shaft 48 of the gear il extends through the wall of the cabinet and is operated -manually from the exterior of the cabinet by 4 means of hand wheel 55, the purpose of the hand wheel being to move the shaft 2l upwardly after it has reached the end of its downward movement.

In order to move the shaft and disc assembly upwardly, the motor is shut-off and the brake 5t released. The wheel 56 is then rotated by hand which in turn rotates gear 4l and the teeth thereof being in engagement with the teeth of shaft El, cause shaft 2i to move upwardly. The spiral teeth of shaft 2l in this instance act as a toothed rack while the gear 41 acts as a` pinion. Thus when the gear 4l is rotated through the medium of the hand wheel 55, the shaft and disc assembly move upwardly. Should it become desirable or necessary, shaft 2| may be elevated through the medium of hand wheel 39. It will be clear from the foregoing then that the height and axial movement of the shaft 2i upwardly and downwardly is controlled and maintained through the operation of the brake feed mechanism.

In operation, a block of ice is placed on the platform ll after the cutting blade has been adjusted and the shaft and disc lowered through the brake means already described until the fingers 3f penetrate the upper surface of the ice block. At this point Aof operation, the brake feed mechanism is released when the shaft 2l with disc and ice block rotates at a fixed level or height. The rotation of the ice block over the cutting blade ill causes the under surface of the ice to be shaved or severed, the shaved portions dropping through the elongated opening d2 into a suitable receptacle beneath the platform dfi. The brake feed mechanism is then intermittently applied and released to gradually feed the shaft and disc downwardly until the required amount of ice has been shaved or cut from the ice block 33.

When an ice cutting or shaving operation has been completed, the motor is shut-off, the brake mechanism released and hand wheel 56 manually rotated as previously described to move the drive shaft 2i upwardly axially in the cabinet to a desired level or height. A new block of ice is then placed on the platform ifi when the apparatus is ready to repeat a further ice shaving operation.

Many changes may be made in the above and many apparently widely different embodiments constructed without departing from the spirit or the essential characteristics of the invention. The present disclosure therefore is intended to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

i. In a rotary ice block shaving apparatus for shaving ice from a block of ice such as an ice cube, a supporting structure having an apertured front, a top cap on said supporting structure, an externally threaded drive shaft mounted through an opening in said top cap on a substantially vertical axis to be rotatable and axially endwise movable, said shaft having a spline slot along one side, a drive gear endwise slidably fitted on said drive shaft and provided with a spline slidable in said spline slot, power means to rotate said drive gear, a substantially flat ice supporting platform mounted on the supporting structure in sub-stantially horizontal relationship to be accessible through the apertured front of the supporting structure for placement of a block of ice, an ice engaging and holding disc xed on the lower end of the drive shaft, an ice shaving knife carried by said ice supporting platform in substantially radial disposition with respect to the drive shaft, a feed gear mounted rotatably on the supporting structure with the teeth thereof in racking engagement with the screw threaded outer surface of the drive shaft, means to rotate said feed gear, and means to lock said feed gear xedly to cause endwise feed of the threaded drive shaft as said drive shaft is rotated.

2. In a rotary ice block shaving apparatus for cutting shaved ice from a block of ice such as an ice cube comprising a supporting structure having an apertured front, top cap on said supporting structure, an externally screw threaded drive shaft mounted through an opening in said top cap in substantially vertical disposition, for rotational and axial endwise sliding movement, a spline groove extending longitudinally of said drive shaft, a drive gear rotatably carried by the supporting structure and having the drive shaft axially slidable therethrough, a, spline on said drive gear slidable in the spline groove ofthe drive shaft, a substantially flat platform mounted Within the supporting structure above the bottom thereof in substantially horizontal disposition to be accessible through the open front for` placement and reception of an ice cube, said platform being provided with an elongated passage-therethrough disposed substantially radially with respect to the drive shaft, an ice shaving knife adjustably mounted in said opening to present a cutting edge above the upper side of said platform, a manually operable shaft rotatably carried by the rotating structure on an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of the drive shaft, a feed gear xed on said manually operable shaft With its teeth meshing with the screw threaded outer surface of the drive shaft after the manner of a rack, and manually settable and releasable brake means for locking said feed gear against rotation and releasing said gear for rotation through the manually operable shaft.

DENNIS H. FLETCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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