| 摘要 |
An apparatus for dispensing particulate ice including a case with an ice hopper therein for storage of ice. The ice hopper is provided with a downwardly sloped floor. An auger assembly is provided for moving ice within the ice hopper upwardly along the sloped floor from the lower end to dispense the ice from an opening at the upper end thereof. The apparatus is also provided with a lever arm, electric circuitry, and a motor mounted within the case in the space inside the walls thereof and under the sloped floor of the ice hopper for selectively activating the auger assembly. The auger assembly includes a rotating shaft which is sealed against the stationary ice hopper in a packing case, the packing case having a hole therethrough for receiving the rotating shaft, a seal cap and a thrust bearing. The sealing cap is provided with a seal for sealing against both the packing case and the rotating shaft. Also provided is a method of dispensing particulate ice including the steps of loading an ice hopper with ice, directing the ice to the lower end of the sloped floor of the ice hopper, and agitating the ice contained within the ice hopper while moving the ice upwardly along the sloped floor of the ice hopper from the lower end thereof to dispense the ice from an opening in the upper end of the sloped floor while draining the melt water from the ice at the lower end thereof. |
