Gear boxes having two motors and two output shafts

• Main Authors: TSERGAS ATHANASE N, BLEY RALPH A, RAMIREZ EMILIO A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.08.2007
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GEARING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A gear box has a housing and first and second direct current motors inside of the housing. A first rotatable output shaft extends through a wall of the housing and is rotatably driven by the first motor via a first gear train. A second rotatable output shaft extends through the wall of the housing and is rotatably driven by the second motor via a second gear train. The gear box can be used to dispense ice from a refrigerator/freezer. The first motor drives the first output shaft in one direction to dispense shaved ice. The second motor drives the second output shaft in one direction to dispense ice cubes and drives the second output shaft in an opposite direction to dispense crushed ice. The first and the second motors operate independently of each other.