Device for the Production of Flake Ice

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing flake ice from a liquid, comprising a tub receiving the liquid, a rotatably supported roller which partly dips into the liquid received in the tub, a refrigerating device for cooling the surface of the roller and a scraper for removing ice formed at the surface of the roller from the liquid.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for producing flake ice from a liquid, comprising a tub receiving the liquid, a rotatably supported roller which partly dips into the liquid received in the tub, a refrigerating device for cooling the surface of the roller and a scraper for removing ice formed at the surface of the roller from the liquid;
 wherein the roller is part of a closed refrigerant agent circuit which is in a heat-exchanging relationship with a closed refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration machine.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the roller includes a core and a jacket, with the jacket surrounding the core and a flow passage for the refrigerant agent being formed between the jacket and the core. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the flow passage is formed by an annular clearance between the jacket and the core extending over at least approximately the total length of the roller. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein a means for increasing the contact surface between the refrigerant agent and the roller is provided in the flow passage. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein a means for increasing the contact surface between the refrigerant agent and the roller at least approximately completely fills an annular clearance between the jacket and the core. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein said means is a metal foam which can be penetrated by the refrigerant agent. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the refrigerant agent of the refrigerant agent circuit is different from the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the refrigerant agent of the refrigerant agent circuit is food-safe. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the roller is suspended at two holding arms. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the roller is rotatably supported at the holding arms by means of stub shafts formed at the end faces of the roller. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the roller has an inlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its one axial end and an outlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its other axial end, and wherein a feed passage connected to the inlet passage is provided in the one holding arm and a discharge passage connected to the outlet passage is provided in the other holding arm. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the roller has an inlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its one axial end and an outlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its other axial end. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage each include a blind bore which extends axially into one of the stub shafts of the roller. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage each include at least one radial bore which extends radially in a core of the roller and connects an axial blind bore to an annular clearance between the core and the jacket of the roller. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein a rotary drive for the roller is arranged offset from the axis of rotation of the roller. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for producing flake ice from a liquid, comprising a tub receiving the liquid, a rotatably supported roller which partly dips into the liquid received in the tub, a refrigerating device for cooling the surface of the roller and a scraper for removing ice formed at the surface of the roller from the liquid;
 wherein the roller includes a core and a jacket, with the jacket surrounding the core and a flow passage for the refrigerant agent being formed between the jacket and the core.   
     
     
         32 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the roller is part of a closed refrigerant agent circuit which is in a heat-exchanging relationship with a closed refrigerant circuit of a refrigeration machine. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the flow passage is formed by an annular clearance between the jacket and the core extending over at least approximately the total length of the roller. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein a means for increasing the contact surface between the refrigerant agent and the roller is provided in the flow passage. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein a means for increasing the contact surface between the refrigerant agent and the roller at least approximately completely fills an annular clearance between the jacket and the core. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 35 , wherein said means is a metal foam which can be penetrated by the refrigerant agent. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the refrigerant agent of the refrigerant agent circuit is different from the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein the refrigerant agent of the refrigerant agent circuit is food-safe. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the roller is suspended at two holding arms. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 39 , wherein the roller is rotatably supported at the holding arms by means of stub shafts formed at the end faces of the roller. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein the roller has an inlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its one axial end and an outlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its other axial end. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 41 , wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage each include a blind bore which extends axially into one of the stub shafts of the roller. 
     
     
         43 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 41 , wherein the inlet passage and the outlet passage each include at least one radial bore which extends radially in a core of the roller and connects an axial blind bore to an annular clearance between the core and the jacket of the roller. 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 39 , wherein the roller has an inlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its one axial end and an outlet passage for the refrigerant agent at its other axial end, and wherein a feed passage connected to the inlet passage is provided in the one holding arm and a discharge passage connected to the outlet passage is provided in the other holding arm. 
     
     
         45 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein a rotary drive for the roller is arranged offset from the axis of rotation of the roller. 
     
     
         46 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 39 , wherein the rotary drive includes a drive gear which is in engagement with a sprocket attached to the roller at the end face. 
     
     
         47 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 45 , wherein the rotary drive includes a drive gear which is in engagement with a sprocket attached to the roller at the end face.