Auger type ice flake machine and method

Claim 1

A FREEZING APPARATUS COMPRISING, A DOWNWARDLY TAPERED FREEZING CHAMBER HAVING UPPER, INTERMEDIATE AND LOWER PORTIONS, AND AN OUTLET FOR FROZEN MATERIAL IN SAID UPPER PORTION, A FRUSTO-CONICAL SHAPED AUGER MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FREEZING CHAMBER WITH THE APEX OF SAME DISPOSED IN SAID LOWER PORTION THEREOF, MEANS THEREWITH CONSTRICTING SAID OUTLET FOR FROZEN MATERIAL IN OPERATION, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS TO CONSTRICT SAID OUTLET FOR FROZEN MATERIAL BEING OF A SIZE AND AREA RELATIVE TO SAID APPARATUS AS TO IN OPERATION IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF FROZEN MATERIAL FROM THE FREEZING CHAMBER TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT A RELATIVELY HIGH PRESSURE IS EXERTED ON SAID FROZEN MATERIAL TO MATERIALLY LOWER THE MELTING POINT THEREOF, AND A MENS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID INTERMEDIATE AND BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID FREEZING CHAMBER TO REMOVE HEAT FROM SAME, A MEANS TO INTRODUCE MATERIAL TO BE FROZEN INTO SAID FREEZING CHAMBER, AND A HEATING MEANS TO ADD HEAT TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FREEZING CHAMBER.