Patent ID: 6382947
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B01F,B28B,B28C

Abstract:
A color blending device for distributing a plurality of selectively colored individual batches of an agglomerating flowable material between a mixer and a product forming mold, the device comprising:at least two material storage hoppers each with an independently operable outlet; hopper filling means, disposed between the mixer and the hoppers, for directing an individually colored batch of material from the mixer to a selected hopper; mold filling means, including a filling tray, downstream from the hoppers, for transferring said material from at least two of the hoppers and for filling the mold with a mottled heterogeneous charge comprising material from at least two said selectively colored individual batches; and control means for controlling the position of the filling tray relative to the mold, time sequencing and quantity of material passed through each hopper outlet into the filling tray, the control means including indexing means for indexing the filling tray to a plurality of selected tray filling positions relative to each hopper outlet and for transferring the filling tray to a mold filling position above the mold.