US2202734A - Refrigerating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 28 1940- J. w. JAcoBs REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, ffm/fs h/.f/:lcms' BY f//s ATTORNEYS.

' May 2s, 1940.

J. w. .JACOBS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1958 May 28,v 1940. J. w. JAcoBs REFRIGERATING APPARATUS s sheets-sheet s Filed Nov. 25, 1938 mmm INVENTOR. r'vMss h/.vfwos- BY f( M ...4 a

/l/S ATTORNEYS hunted May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE l 2,202,734 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS James W. '.lacobs, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application November 23, 1938, Serial No. 242,016

15 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to freezing apparatuses such as ice trays and grids therefor employedin household refrigerators.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved liquid freezing apparatus or device and a novel method of removing the ldevice from a freezing compartment of a refrigerating system'and of harvesting ice blocks from the device. Another ooject of my invention is to utilize the force applied to a metal tray of a freezing device to break the bond between same and its support in or on a cooling element of a refrigerating system to break the bond between walls of the tray and ice contained therein and to also move certain walls of a grid structure positioned in the tray relative to certain other walls thereof to liberate ice blocks from the grid strucure.

Still another object of my invention is to stop the upward movement of a tray relative to its support at a predetermined point to twist'the tray, which twisting causes a portion of the top edge of the tray to engage a part of the grid structure disposed therein and move certain of the grid walls relative to certainV others thereof for liberating ice blocks from the grid structure prior to moving the tray from a cooling element to thereafter facilitate removal of the grid structure and ice blocks from the tray.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: 5

Fig. l is a horizontal section through a cooling element of a household refrigerator showing inv plan view a freezing apparatus or device constructed in accordance with the present invention associated with the cooling element;

L, Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the freezing device taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing an ice tray with a grid structure positioned there- Fig, 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 illustrating the normal position of the freezing device relative to stops provided on the cooling element and adapted to be engaged by the device;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the freezing device elevated relative to 'its support in or on the cooling element and showing the tray of the device in engagement with stops;

Fig. 5 is al view partly in section and partly in (Cl. (i2-108.5)

elevation showing the tray of the device twisted by force applied thereto while engaging the stops on the cooling element, which twisting causes elevation of a part of the grid relative to another part thereof for releasing ice blocks 5 therefrom; n l

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 more clearly illustrating the twisting of the tray and elevation of certain' of the grid g walls relative to said other grid Walls; and l0 Fig. l yis a view showing the grid structure removed from the tray of the freezing device with ice blocks released therefrom and located in the tray.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating the present invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof an evaporator or cooling element` l2 of a refrigerating system which element is. normally mounted in a food sto/rage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet to cool and cause circula- 2n tion of air within the compartment, The evaporator or cooling element l2 may be of any suit--v able or desirable construction and is preferably of the sheet metal type wherein refrigerant conveying and evaporating passages I4 are formed 25 between double sheet metal Walls l5 and I6 and wherein the walls form a sharp freezing chamber l-l which is protected by the Walls from air circulating Within the g food compartment. A liquidl freezing apparatus or device, generally represented by the reference character I8, and comprising a resilient thin metallicwalled tray I9, having a unitary metallic grid structure 20 disposed therein, is positioned in the chamber Il of evaporator l2. Ordinarily, the freezing of liquids in an apparatus or device of the type disclosed causes the metal tray I9 to become bonded to its support and causes ice frozen within the` tray to be bonded to the tray walls and to walls of the grid structure. My invention contemplates 0 the provision of an improved device wherein all three of these ice bonds can be quickly and easily broken prior to removing the freezing device from its support in a sharp freezing chamber to thereby facilitate removal of the device from the freezing chamber, removal of the grid structure from the tray and harvesting of ice blocks from the tray. In carrying out this contemplation, I l propose to utilize the force applied to the tray to release the device from 'its support, to break the 50 bond between ice in the tray and the tray walls and to alsomove certain walls of the grid structure relative to otherwalls thereof for liberating ice blocks from the gridas will be more fully described hereinafter.

The evaporator or cooling element I2 in the present invention diiersfrom conventional evaporators of this type only in that stops are provided within the sharp freezing chamber thereof in a manner and for a purpose as will herein be described. The inner metal sheet I 5V of the double metal walls at the bottom of evaporator I2 forms a flat refrigerated sharp freezing support 2I'for the device or apparatus I8. Located in fixed relation with respect to and at a predetermined distance above the support 2| (see Fig. 3) there is provided a pair .of stud elements 22 and 23. Each of these stud elements 22 and 23 pass through an upright wall of evaporator I2 and are riveted, welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. 'I'he stud elements 22 'and 23 are disposed on diagonally opposite sides of th'e device I8 so as to locate the one stud element 22 near the rear of chamber I1 and the other element 23 at the front of the chamber I1 (see Fig. 1). Elements 22 and 23 project inwardly of the upright sidewalls of evaporator I2 so as to be in the path of elevation of device I8 relative to its support 2I and are thereby adapted to be engaged by tray I9 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully explained.

The metal tray I9 of device I8`in the present invention includes sidewalls 26 (see Fig. 3), a bottom wall 21, and opposed end walls 28 and 29. The tray side and front end walls 26 and 28 respectively may be slightly diverged outwardly toward the top of the tray to facilitate removal of ice therefrom. The rear wall 29 of tray I9' is diverged outwardly toward the'top of the tray at a greater angle than other walls thereof to permit movement of ice blocks within the tray as will hereinafter be described. The upright walls 26, 28 and 29 of tray I9 have their upper portion rolled or bent over as at 3| to provide a rim which extends around the top of the tray. A portion of the metal of tray I9 is extended downwardly, as at 32 (see Figs. 2 and 4), at the front of the tray and as at 33 at the back of the tray to form mountings for certain elements carried by the tray. A heavy metal piece 34 is mounted by screws 35 upon the downwardly direc'ted part 32 at the front of trayI I9 and has a handle 36, provided with legs 31 and 38 (see Figs. 1 and 5), pivotally secured thereto as by pins or the like 39. The one leg 31 of handle 36 has a cam portion 4I provided thereon and the other leg 38 of handle 36 has a pin 42 secured thereto. A rod 43 secured to handle 36 by pin 42 on the leg side 38 thereof extends to the rear end of tray I9. A heavy metal piece 45 is mounted by screws 46 upon the downwardly directed part 33 at the rear of tray I9 and has a member 41 pivotally secured thereto as by pin 48. Member 41 has a cam portion 49 provided thereon for cooperation with the cam portion 4I or leg 31 of handle 36. Member 41 also carries a pin 5I to which the rear end of rod 43 is secured so that operation of handle 36 to actuateA cam 4I also actuates the cam portion 49 of member 41 at the rear of tray I9. Tray I9 has'a part of its front end wall 28 bulged inwardly as at 55 and is furthermore provided at its rear end 29 with a small lever 56 secured to the rim 3| of tray I9 by a pin or the like 51. Thev cam 4I on leg 31 Aof handle 36 is shaped to normally engage the support 2|, while the tray I9 is positioned thereon, and maintain handle or lever 36 in an easily accessible upright position to be grasped by the hand. It is to be noted that the cam 4I engages the support 2I at a point opposite the pin stop l 2,2oavs4 23 and that cam 49 on member 41 engages vthe support 2I on the'opposite side of tray I9 and at a point opposite the pin stop 22 to thereby cause a lifting action of the tray relative to its support beginning at diagonally opposite corners of the tray to thus lift the tray from its support. While the rim 3| and portions 32 and 33 of metal tray I9 increase the structural rigidity of the tray the metalthereof is'sumciently resilient to permit freezing of walls thereof -to elevate same relative to its support and to permit twistng of the tray in a manner and for'a purpose to bc hereinafter described.

The unitary metallic grid structure, generally represented by the reference character 20, disposed within tray I9 of device I8 includes walls which divide the interior of the tray into a plurality of rows of cells or compartments ,60. The j grid 28 comprises a vertically disposed rigid metal wall or longitudinal partition 6I and a plurality of spaced apart rigid metal walls 63 extending continuously through the plane of and transversely to longitudinal wall 6I and are movably connected or interlocked with wall 6I. It is to be noted that grid walls 63 are normally inclined or disposed at an 'acute angle with respect to `the bottom 21 of tray I9 to provide the ice block compartments 60 with a parallelogram shape in at least one direction of crosssection therethrough. Also included as a part of the unitary grid structure 28 is a horizontally disposed relatively at rigid metal member 64 which is located abovev and extends lengthwise with the longitudinal gridI wall 6I. This member 64 has a pair of legs 66 depending from each end thereof and is also provided with a plurality of spaced apartv elongated openings 61 (see Fig. 1) in its face. The openings 61 in member 64 receive an upwardly'extended portion 68, which is bent over as at 69, of each transverse grid wall 63. Openings 61 are slightly wider than the thickness of the metal extension 68 of walls 63 so as to permit tilting of these walls as will hereinafter be described. 'I'he member 64 is further provided with outwardly extending arms or wings 1I at each end thereof andwhich arms or wings overlap the sides of tray I9 and are bent downwardly of the main body portion of member 64 to engage the tray rim 3|. A pin 12 is secured to the pair of legs 66 at each end of member 64 and this pin 12 extends through a vertically inclined elongated opening 1 3 formed in raised end portions 14 of the longitudinal grid wall 6I. The connection of member 64 with grid Wall 6I and the connection of transverse walls 63 with member l64 interlocks the various parts of the grid together to form the unitary structure and also permits elevation of member 64 and walls 63 relative to grid wall 6I in a manner to hereinafter be more fully described.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 2 and '7, it will be noted that-thea longitudinal grid wall 6I is provided at one end with a notch 8| in the vicinity of the raised part 14 thereof and with a cut-out portion 82 in the vicinity of the raised part 14 at the other end thereof. When the grid structure 20 is located Within tray I9 the notch 8| receives the inwardly bulged part 55 of the front wall 26 of tray I9 and the cut-out portion 82 of wall 6I is engaged by the nger end portion of lever 56 to hold the grid 20 within the tray and to normally prevent elevation of the longitudinal grid wall 6I relative to the tray I9. Thus the grid 28 is normally maintained in anice block forming position within tray I9 but the construction and cooperation of the notch,8I with the bulged portion 55 and of lever 56 with cut-out portion 82 are such that the grid 28 may be bodily removed from the tray I9.

In order to provide for the extension of grid walls 63 transverselythrough the plane of longitudinal wall 6I, I cut a slot 85 in each wall 63 (see Fig. 3). It will be noted that the slot' 85 extends upwardly from the bottom edge of walls 63 to provide a web portion 86 in these walls immediately below the upwardly extending portion 68 thereof. To accommodate the web 86 of walls 63 within the plane of longitudinal grid wall 6I, I cut a plurality of slots 81 iri wall 6I in spaced apart relation along thelength thereof (see Figs. 2 and 7). Slots 81 extend at an angle downwardly from the top edge of wall 6I and are wider at their upper open end than at their lower closed end to permit the cross walls 63 to swing or tilt from theirnormal inclined position into substantially a vertical position when elevated along with member 64 relative to grid wall 6I as will become apparent in the description of operation of the device. The slots 81 thereby-provide longitudinal grid wall 6I with a plurality of web portions below the slots 81 which are received in the slots of transverse walls 63. While the normally inclined transverse Walls 63 are equally spaced apart along member 64, the slots 81 in longitudinal wall 6I are of progressively increased width from one end to the other end of the grid structure 28. The purpose of the progressively increased width of slots 81 vis to cause movement of the transverse grid walls 63 lengthwise of a longitudinal wall to be progressive from one end to the other end of the grid structure. This progressive movement of walls 63 greatly reduces the force required to move same by movement of rigid member 64 vto break the ice bond between the walls 63 and ice blocks within the tray. The progressive movement of grid walls 63 thereby sequentially releases ice blocks from the grid walls and from compartments 68 to reduce the force required to operate the present device.

Assume that water has been frozen in the freezing device I8 in the form of ice blocks 98 in the compartments 68 by the refrigerating effect produced by the cooling element or evaporator I2 and removal or harvesting of these ice blocks is desired. The tray handle 36 is grasped by the hand and pulled outwardly, thus causing same to pivot about its pivotal mountings 39 and move downwardly. 4This initial downward movement of handle 36 causes the cam surface 4I thereon to bear against the evaporator support 2l and also causes movement of rod 43 and member 41 about its pivotal mounting 5I to thereby cause cam portion 49 of member 41 to bear against the support 2|. For-ce thereafter applied to handle 36 and transmitted to the two cams 4I and 49 causes these cams to elevate the freezing device I8 relative to its support 2l as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings to break'the ice bond therebetween. This elevation of ldevice I8 causes the top of the side walls of tray `I9 to strike the pins 22 and 23 which pins thereby. stop elevation of the tray. Continued forccapplied to handle 36 causes twisting of the tray I9, due to the diagonally oppositeposition of the stops 22 and 23, within the freezing chamber I1 prior to removing the device I8 from the evaporator I2. This twisting of tray I9 breaks the bond between ice contained in the tray and the tray walls. Twisting of tray I9 of device I8 in `the manner illustrated ln Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings also elevates diagonally opposite corners of the tray I9 above the stop pins 22 and 23, and this elevation of the tray corn'ers causes the wings or arms 1I on member 64 to be elevated. Since the longitudinal wall 6I of grid 28 is secured within tray I9, by lever- 56 and bulged portion 55, against elevation relative to the tray or along with member 64 of grid 28, ymember 64,is raised relative to wall 6I to thereby also elevate the cross grid walls 63. It is to be noted that since walls 63 of the grid 28 are normally inclined the upward movement of member 64 relative to longitudinal grid wall 6I, afforded by thelvertically elongated openings 13 in wall 6I, causes the transverse walls 63 to progressively engage and bear against the righthand uppermost wall portion of the inclined slots 81 during upward movement thereof. Engagement of cross wallsl 63 with the righthand wall of slots 81 during their upward movement with rigid member 64 causes these cross wal1s63 to move relative to one another and to longitudinal grid wall' 6I in another vdirection in addition to their-elevating movement or longitudinally of the longitudinal grid wall 6I. It will be noted normally inclined cross walls 63 have been moved out of their normal -position of inclination into/ a more vertical position by the force imparted to member 64 through tray I9 and by movement of lever 36. The abutment of grid walls 63 with the upper portion of the righthand wall of slots 81 during elevation of walls 63 relative to longitudinal grid wall 6I simultaneously moves the lower portion of cross walls 63 lengthwise or longitudinally of vgrid wall 6I or into the position shown in Fig. 5. The inclination of the end wall 29 of tray I9 permits the end ice blocks to be moved upwardly by movement of the first from the rear end cross wall 63 to thereby permit movement of the next succeeding cross wall 63 and the ice blocks adjacent thereto. This progressive lengthwise movement of cross walls 63 as described breaks the bond between the ice blocks 98 and the grids walls 6I and 63 and also enlarges the ice block compartments 68 to cause the loosened ice blocks 98 to be liberated from the grid structure 28 whereupon the ice blocks freely fall into tray I9. As stated, all movements of the grid walls and liberation of the ice blocks takes place prior to removing the freezing device I8 from its freezing chamber I1 of evaporator I2.

After the tray I9 has been twisted and walls of the grid moved in the manner described to liberate ice blocks 98 from the grid 28 the freezing device I8 is removed from chamber I1 of evaporator I2 and lever 56 is turned about its f 'I pivotal mounting pin 51 throughout substantially from the position thereof shown in Fig. 1. Turning of lever 56 moves its finger end away from the cut-away portion 82 of longitudinal grid wall 6I to permit the unitary grid structure 28 to be removed from tray I9 of the device I8. In order to carry out removal of grid 28 from the tray to facilitate the harvesting of ice blocks from tray I9, the rear end of grid wall 6I is elevated relative to the tray and this wall is then moved toward the rear of the tray to free the portion thereof below notch 8l from the bulged part 55 of tray I 9. The entire unitary grid structure 28 can then be elevated relative to the tray I I9 as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings.

From the foregoing, it will be apparentthat I y liberate ice blocks from the grid.' Therefore, my

invention accomplishes in one operation and with afcrce applied in one direction to a single member what has heretofore had to be carried out by two or more separate members and operation of these members in a plurality of directions. My improved device is less confusing, simple in operation and practical to carry out various steps in the art of harvesting' ice blocks from freezing devices.

While. the form of embodiment 'of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other-forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling element, a resilient metallic tray adapted to contain a substance to be frozen by the refrigerating effect produced by said cooling element, a grid within said tray including a longitudinal wall and a plurality of walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending outwardly from the sides thereof to divide the interior of said tray into rows of ice block cornpartments, said grid Valso including a member disposed above said longitudinal wall and having a part thereof extending over the top of said tray at the sides thereof, said member, said longitudinal wall and said plurality of outwardly extending walls of said grid being connected together in movable relation' toone another to provide a unitary grid structure, means movably mounted on said tray engaging the longitudinal wall of said grid structure to normally secure said grid in said tray and to prevent movement of said longitudinal grid wall relative to the tray, a support associated with said cooling element for supporting said tray, means movably mounted` uponsaid tray andv adapted to engage said support for imparting force to said tray to elevate samerelative to its support, means disposed in the path of elevation of said tray, said last named means being xed relative to said support and adapted to be engaged by said tray for stopping the elevation thereof, said last named means also being arranged with respect to the point of imparting force t0 said tray to cause the force, upon engagement of the tray with said 'means to twist said tray, said part of said grid member being engaged by said tray upon twisting thereof for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, said connectionbetween said plurality of outwardly extending grid walls and said member being such that said walls are elevated along with said member upwardly of said longitudinal grid wall to break ice blocks therefrom and cause their liberation from said grid structure, and said rst named means being disengageable from said longitudinal grid wall to permit 4removal of said unitary gridfstructure from said tray for facilitating the harvesting of ice blocks.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in partments, said grid also including a memberA disposed above said longitudinal wall and having a part thereof extending over'the top of said tray at the sides thereof, said member, said longitudinal wall and said plurality of outwardly extending walls of said grid being connected together in movable relation to one another to pro- I vide a unitary grid structure, means movably mounted on said tray engaging the longitudinal wall of said grid structure to normally secure said grid in said tray and to prevent movement of said longitudinal grid wall-relative to the tray, a support associated with said cooling element for supporting said tray, means movably mounted upon said tray and adapted to engage said support for imparting force to said tray to elevate same relative' to its support, means disposed in the path of elevation'of said tray, said last named means being fixed relativeto said support and adapted to be engaged by said tray for stopping the elevation thereof, said last named means also being arranged with respect to the point of imparting force to said tray to cause the force, upon engagement of the tray with said means, to twist said tray, said part ofsaid grid member being engaged by said tray upon twistf ving thereof for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, said connection be tween said plurality of outwardly extending grii` walls and said member being such that said walls are elevated along `with said memberurlwardly of said longitudinal grid wall, said outwardly extending grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to be moved relative to one another, during elevation thereof with said member, in another direction of movement relative to said longitudinal grid wall other than said elevating movement thereof to break ice-blocks therefrom and cause their liberation from said grid structure, and said rst named means being disengageable from said longitudinal grid wall to permit removal of said unitary grid structure from said tray for facilitating the harvesting of ice blocks.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein the movement of the outwardly extending grid walls relative to one anotherandl in a direction otherthan said elevating movement relative to said longitudinal wall is pro-` gressive from one portion to another portion of said grid structure. I

4.,A refrigerating apparatusl comprising in combination, a cooling element, a resilient metallic tray adapted to contain a substance to be frozen by the refrigerating effect producediby said cooling element, a grid within said tray including a non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of non-iiexible metal-walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall and extending outwardly from the sides thereof to divide the interior of said tray into rowsof ice block compartments, said grid also including a rigid member disposed above said longitudinal wall and having a. part thereof extending over the top of said tray at the sides thereof, said member,

` relative to one another in a direction longi metal grid such that said plurality of wallsI are elevated` plane of said longitudinal said longitudinal wall and said plurality of outwardly extending Wallsof said grid being con# nected together in movable relation to one another to provide a unitary grid structure, means movably mounted on said tray engaging the longitudinal wall of said grid structure to normally secure said grid in said tray and to prevent movement of said longitudinal grid wall relative to the tray, a support associated with said cooling element for supporting said tray, means movably mounted upon saidtray and adapted to engage said support for imparting force to said tray to elevate same relative to its support, means disposed in the path of elevation of said tray, said last named means being fixed relative to said support and adapted to be engaged by said tray for stopping the elevation thereof, said last named means also being arranged with respect to the point of imparting force to said tray to cause the force, upon engagement of the tray with said means, vto twist said tray, said part of said grid member being engaged by said tray upon twisting thereof for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, said connection between said plurality of outwardly extending non-flexible walls and said rigid member being along with said member upwardly of said longitudinal grid Wall, said outwardly extending grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to engage same during elevation of said walls by said member to also move said outwardly extending walls tudinally of said longitudinal wall to break ice blocks therefrom and cause their liberation from said grid structure, and said first namedmeans being disengageable from said longitudinal wall lto permit Aremoval of said unitary grid structure from said tray for facilitating the harvesting of ice blocks.

5. 'Ihe combination in accordance with claim 4 wherein the movement of the outwardly extending grid walls relative to one another and longitudinally of said longitudinal grid wall is pro# gressive from one portion to another portion of said grid structure.

6. A freezing apparatus of a .refrigerating system comprising in combination, a cooling element, a resilient metallic tray positioned on said cooling element and having a grid disposed therein, said grid including a non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of non-flexible metal walls extending continuously through the wall outwardly from its sides to divide the interior of said tray into rows of icev block compartments, said grid also including a rigid member disposed above said longitudinal wall and having a part thereof extending over the top of said tray at the sides thereof, said member, said longitudinal wall and said plurality of outwardly extending walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to providev a unitary grid structure,

means for locking said longitudinal wall to said tray to prevent movement` therebetween and to normally secure said grid structure within the tray, means for flexing said tray to break the bond between thel tray and its support on said cooling element and to twist said tray relative to said grid structure therein, said part of said grid member being engaged by said tray upon twisting thereof for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, said connection between said plurality of walls and said rigid Vblocks therefrom and cause said grid structure, and said first named means member being such that said plurality of walls are elevated along with said member upwardly of said longitudinal grid wall, said outwardly extending grid longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to engage same during elevation of said walls by said member to also move said outwardly extending walls relative to one another in a direction longitudinally of said longitudinal grid wall to break ice blocks therefrom and cause their-liberation from the grid structure, and said first named means being disengageable from said longitudinal grid' wall to permit removal of said unitary grid structure from said tray for facilitating the harvesting of ice blocks.

'7. The combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein the movement of the outwardly extending grid wallsrelative to one another and longitudinally of said longitudinal grid wall is progressive from one portion to another portion of said grid structure.

8. `A freezing apparatus of a refrigerating'system comprising in combination, a cooling element, a resilient metallic tray positioned on said cooling element and having a grid disposed therein, said grid including a non-flexible longitudinal metal wall and a plurality of nonflexible metal walls extending continuously through the plane of said longitudinal wall outwardly from its sides to divide the interior of said Atray into rows Walls being interlocked with said of ice block compartments, said grid also in-` cluding a rigid member disposed above said tray, means for flexing said tray to break the bond between the tray and its support on said cooling element Aand to twist said tray relative to said grid structure therein, said part of said grid member being` engaged by said tray upon twisting thereof for elevating said member relative to said longitudinal grid wall, said connection between said plurality of walls and said rigid member being suchvthat said plurality of walls are elevated along with said member upwardly of said longitudinal grid wall, to break ice their liberation from being disengageable from said longitudinal grid wall to` permit removal of said unitary grid structure from said tray for facilitating the harvesting of ice blocks'.

9. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling member having a freezing device supported thereon, said freezing device including a tray member and a grid structure disposed in said tray member, -said grid structure comprising a plurality of rigid metal walls dividing the interior of said tray member into a plurality of ice block compartments, certain of the walls of said grid structure being movable relative to a certain other wall thereof, means connected to said certain of the grid Walls and extending over a top edge of saidtray, means movably mounted on one of said members and adapted vo engagethe other of said members for imparting force between said members to elevate the tray member relative to its support on said cooling member, means xed relative to the sup- Cil ' associated with said port on said cooling member and disposed in the path of elevation of said tray member for engagement thereby to stop the elevation thereof, said fixed meansfbeing arranged with respect to the point of imparting force between said members to cause the force, upon engagement of the tray member with said fixed means, to twist said tray member, said first named means being engaged by said tray member upon twisting thereof to thereby elevate said first named means relative to said tray member, and the connection of said rst named means with said certain grid walls being such that the elevation of said first named means causes movement of said certain grid walls relative to said certain other grid wall to break ice blocks loose from the grid structure.

10. The combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein the movement of said certain grid walls relative to said certain other grid wall is progressive from one portion Vto another portion of said grid structure.

11. A liquid freezing device comprising in comprising in combination, a resilient metal tray, a grid structure disposed within said tray and including a plurality of rigid metal walls dividing the interior thereof into aI plurality of ice block compartments, certain of the walls of said grid structure being movable relative to a certain other wall thereof, a member connected to said certain of the grid walls and having a portion thereof extending over a part of said tray, means tray and being constructed and arranged to cause twisting thereof upon application of force thereto, said member being engaged by a part of said tray and elevated relative thereto by the twisting thereof, and the connection of said 'member with said certain grid walls being such that the elevation of said member causes movement of said certain grid walls relative tosaid certain other grid wall to break ice blocks loose from their compartment walls.Y

12. A liquid freezing device comprising in-combination, a resilient metal tray, a grid disposed l within said tray including a rigid longitudinal member disposed above said Wall and a plurality of transversely extending rigid wallsv disposedA in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal wall to divide the interior of said tray into rows of ice block compartments, said grid also including a walls and having a portion thereof extending over a part of said tray, said member, said longitudinal wall and said plurality of transverse walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to provide a unitary grid structure, means associated with said tray and being constructed and arranged to cause twisting thereof upon application of force thereto, s'aid member being engaged by a part of said tray and elevated relative to said longitudinal grid wall by the twisting f said tray, said connection between said plurality of transverse grid walls and said member being such that said transverse walls are elevated partments.

, wall and a plurality of transversely extending rigid walls disposed in spaced apart relation along the lengthof said longitudinal wall and inclined with respect to the vertical to divide the interior of said tray into rows of ice block compartments having a parallelogram form in at least one direction of cross section therethrough, said grid also including a member disposed above said Walls and having a portion thereof extending over a part of said tray, s aid member, said longitudinal wall and said plurality of transverse walls being connected together in movable relation to one another to provide a unitary grid. structure, means associated with said tray and being constructed and arranged to cause twisting thereof upon application of force thereto, said member being engaged by a part of said tray and elevated relative to said longitudinal grid wall by the twisting of said tray, said connection between said plurality of transverse grid walls and said member being such that said transverse walls are elevated along with said member upwardly of said longitudinalgrid wall, said transverse grid walls being interlocked with said longitudinal grid wall in such manner as to be moved relative thereto of said grid structure, during elevation .thereof with said member, toward the vertical to enlarge said compartmentsand to break ice blocks loose from their compartment walls.

14. A liquid freezing device comprising a resilient tray, a removable unitary grid structure within said tray and including relatively movablel substantially non-flexible intersecting walls forming ice block compartments, means for flexing said tray, and means responsive to said flexing operation for causing movement of said intersecting walls relative to one another to release the ice blocks from said compartments.

15. A liquid freezing d evice comprising a resilient metal tray, a removable unitary grid structure ,within said tray and. including relatively movable substantially non-ilexible metal intersecting walls vforming ice block compartments, means` associated with said tray and being constructed and arranged to cause flexing thereof, and means cooperating with said tray and grid and responsive to the flexing of` said tray for moving said intersecting walls relative to one another to release the ice blocks from said com- JAMEs W. JACOBS.

a grid disposedl movement other than said Y thereof to break ice blocks

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