cowboy4800
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 9
Hi Gang I am going Saturday to look at an old fridge with pushbutton electric door opener...Has anyone ever heard of these, unsure as to who is/was manufacturer?
mid 50's refrigerator with automatic door opener
- Thread starter cowboy4800
- Start date
Help Support :
It is probably
a Westinghouse. I know that Westinghouse offered one in the 1950s. It's an interesting idea, until the power goes off!
There might be other makes, but I know of Westinghouse for sure.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
a Westinghouse. I know that Westinghouse offered one in the 1950s. It's an interesting idea, until the power goes off!
There might be other makes, but I know of Westinghouse for sure.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
You can be sure?
Frigidaire had one in the early-mid sixties as well. A button the door and small motor that pushed the door open. Beautiful refrigerator - also and automatic ice maker that was a conveyor-type, too cool.
Keep us posted - it's sure to be an interesting adventure.
Frigidaire had one in the early-mid sixties as well. A button the door and small motor that pushed the door open. Beautiful refrigerator - also and automatic ice maker that was a conveyor-type, too cool.
Keep us posted - it's sure to be an interesting adventure.
So what is a conveyor-type ice maker?
laundromat
Well-known member
Gemini
FRIGIDAIRE had an ice maker that was set up to roll forward and drop the cubes(4 at a time) into the ice bucket beneath it.I think it was available from around 1965 in their Imperial and Custom Imperial "Gemini"models but had so many problems that by 1970,they were gone for good.However,Frigidaire's ice makers (while owned by GM)were actual ice trays that turned over and flexed themselves instead of using heat to melt them.This made it so you could have actual ice cubes not half moon type ice pieces.L.G has these type of ice makers in some of their sellect models too.We have one here at work.The cubes do not stick together like they do in the ones that use heat to losen the ice.
FRIGIDAIRE had an ice maker that was set up to roll forward and drop the cubes(4 at a time) into the ice bucket beneath it.I think it was available from around 1965 in their Imperial and Custom Imperial "Gemini"models but had so many problems that by 1970,they were gone for good.However,Frigidaire's ice makers (while owned by GM)were actual ice trays that turned over and flexed themselves instead of using heat to melt them.This made it so you could have actual ice cubes not half moon type ice pieces.L.G has these type of ice makers in some of their sellect models too.We have one here at work.The cubes do not stick together like they do in the ones that use heat to losen the ice.
bobbyderegis
Well-known member
Our 50's Westinghouse had it. Big square button where a latch would be, and POP! It was a nice fridge. I think my aunt has it in her basement still.
Bobby in Boston
Bobby in Boston
Chuck, Whirlpool also had a tray-type ice maker, called the Flex-Tray. The tray turned over, a corner of it caught on a nub on the frame and flexed the tray to release the cubes. The mechanism incorporated the defrost timer as well. Appnut's previous Kenmore 'fridge had an ice maker of that ilk.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
DADoES:
" Whirlpool also had a tray-type ice maker, called the Flex-Tray. The tray turned over, a corner of it caught on a nub on the frame and flexed the tray to release the cubes."
This sounds like the ice maker I had on a 1980s Crosley. I don't know who made the refrigerator, except that Wards reefers were the same with a few trim differences. Anyhoo, that icemaker mechanism was more than a bit trouble-prone. If the tray didn't flex right, or if cubes stuck, then the next time the mechanism tried to fill the tray with water, there was a problem. Water poured all over the cubes still in the tray, then spilled over into the icemaker cube bin. BIG mess.
When that reefer died, I bought a Roper on sale, with the standard Whirly icemaker, and never felt so relieved as I did when my icemaker troubles were at an end. I didn't and don't like those crescent-shaped "cubes", but at least the thing works without Divine Intervention being needed.
" Whirlpool also had a tray-type ice maker, called the Flex-Tray. The tray turned over, a corner of it caught on a nub on the frame and flexed the tray to release the cubes."
This sounds like the ice maker I had on a 1980s Crosley. I don't know who made the refrigerator, except that Wards reefers were the same with a few trim differences. Anyhoo, that icemaker mechanism was more than a bit trouble-prone. If the tray didn't flex right, or if cubes stuck, then the next time the mechanism tried to fill the tray with water, there was a problem. Water poured all over the cubes still in the tray, then spilled over into the icemaker cube bin. BIG mess.
When that reefer died, I bought a Roper on sale, with the standard Whirly icemaker, and never felt so relieved as I did when my icemaker troubles were at an end. I didn't and don't like those crescent-shaped "cubes", but at least the thing works without Divine Intervention being needed.
I hated to work on those Kenmores, with the defrost timer built into the ice maker. I always end up removing the ice maker, and getting the timer retrofit kit.
cowboy4800
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 9
It's gotta be a Westinghouse
I checked the fridge out today it is indeed a westinghouse, it is also now sitting in my garage. As we hauled it into the first sunshine it had seen since Eisenhower was in the white house, I knew it was very cool. I should have taken some before pics but was in sucha hurry to start restoration completely slipped my mind I have already taken the badges and chrome off and it is sanded, ready for primer,then paint, then clear coat, The color is "I'm really not a waitress" red. While I have the paint mixed I will also shoot the front dishwasher panel. Pics of my mid century kitchen in a few days.
I checked the fridge out today it is indeed a westinghouse, it is also now sitting in my garage. As we hauled it into the first sunshine it had seen since Eisenhower was in the white house, I knew it was very cool. I should have taken some before pics but was in sucha hurry to start restoration completely slipped my mind I have already taken the badges and chrome off and it is sanded, ready for primer,then paint, then clear coat, The color is "I'm really not a waitress" red. While I have the paint mixed I will also shoot the front dishwasher panel. Pics of my mid century kitchen in a few days.
laundromat
Well-known member
That Westinghouse refrigerator in Portland has "I Love Lucy" written all over it!!!You can be sure!
