Abstract:
The invention relates to a system for the production of sandwich cookies, having a suction belt conveyor ( 2 ) disposed along a sandwiching path, the sandwich cookies being created on the suction belt ( 11 ) of said sandwiching path. Successively disposed over the suction band conveyor ( 2 ) are: a cookie depositing head ( 17 ) for depositing the lower cookies onto the suction belt ( 11 ), a first cookie feeding device ( 3 ), a first inspection device ( 4 ) for the lower cookies positioned on the suction belt ( 11 ), an application head ( 23 ) of an application device ( 5 ) for applying a filling mass onto the lower cookies, a cookie depositing head ( 31 ) of a second cookie feeding device ( 6 ) for depositing the upper cookies onto the filling mass applications of the lower cookies, a second inspection device ( 7 ) for the cookie sandwiches disposed on the suction belt ( 11 ), and a calibrating device ( 9 ); for the sandwich cookies.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/988,356, filed Oct. 18, 2010; which was a continuation application, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of International application PCT/EP2009/002703, filed Apr. 11, 2009; the application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of Austrian patent application No. A 602/2008, filed Apr. 16, 2008; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The invention relates to an installation for producing sandwich cookies and the like. 
         [0003]    An installation which creates sandwich cookies arranged in succession in a row from separately fed upper and lower cookies is known. This installation has a sandwiching section, along which a first cookie feeding device, furnished with a cookie hopper, for the lower cookies, a coating device, furnished with a cylindrical coating head, a second cookie feeding device, furnished with a cookie hopper, for the upper cookies, and a calibration device for the sandwich cookies are arranged in succession. Arranged along the sandwiching section is a conveying device, which is furnished with stationary sliding rails for the cookies and with finger-shaped drivers, which are fixed on a circulating endless chain and displace the cookies along the sliding rails. The conveying device provides separate sliding rails for transporting the upper and lower cookies. The conveying device provides two main sliding rails, which lead in a horizontal plane from the cookie hopper of the first cookie feeding device to the coating head of the coating device, where the lower cookies are furnished, on the top side, with a filling. Downstream of the coating head, the main sliding rails extend through obliquely downward and then horizontally for another section at some distance below the cookie hopper of the second cookie feeding device. Provided for the upper cookies above the two main sliding rails are two auxiliary sliding rails, which extend in a horizontal plane from the cookie hopper of the second cookie feeding device as far as a topping station, where the auxiliary sliding rails end and the upper cookies are deposited on the lower cookies which are furnished, on the top side, with a filling. The sandwich cookies created in the topping station are conveyed by the finger-shaped drivers of the conveying device along the main sliding rails and through a calibration station, in which the upper cookies are pushed downward slightly by a calibration device. In the process, the upper cookies are pressed against the still soft filling arranged on the top side of the lower cookies and the sandwich cookies are pressed together to a predetermined thickness. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is the object of the invention to improve an installation of this kind. 
         [0005]    As a solution, the invention proposes an installation in which a conveying device for the cookies is arranged along a sandwiching section and a first cookie feeding device, furnished with a cookie hopper, for the lower cookies, a coating device, furnished with a cylindrical coating head, a second cookie feeding device, furnished with a cookie hopper, for the upper cookies, and a calibration device for the sandwich cookies are arranged in succession along the sandwiching section. This installation is characterized according to the invention in that the conveying device is in the form of a suction belt conveyor, on the suction belt of which the sandwich cookies are created, in that the first cookie feeding device has an output portion which is arranged above the suction belt conveyor and in which a first cookie discharging head discharging the lower cookies individually is arranged, in that downstream of the first cookie discharging head there is arranged a first inspection device for the lower cookies deposited on the suction belt, in that, downstream of the first inspection device, the cylindrical coating head of the coating device is arranged above the suction belt conveyor, in that the second cookie feeding device has an output portion which is arranged downstream of the coating head above the suction belt conveyor and in which a second cookie discharging head discharging the upper cookies individually is arranged, and in that downstream of the second cookie discharging head there is arranged a second inspection device for the cookie sandwiches formed by the second cookie discharging head and arranged on the suction belt. 
         [0006]    This configuration provides a significant simplification of the installation producing the sandwich cookies. In the conveying device provided for transporting the cookies, the sliding rails and the endless chain with the finger-shaped drivers fixed to it for displacing the cookies along the conveying device are dispensed with. A dedicated topping station for putting the lower cookies furnished with filling and the upper cookies together is dispensed with because the second cookie discharging head deposits the upper cookies directly onto the lower cookies furnished with filling. The first inspection device arranged downstream of the first cookie discharging head inspects the lower cookies deposited on the suction belt. The inspection may relate both to the position of the lower cookies on the suction belt and to cookies themselves. The second inspection device arranged downstream of the second cookie discharging head inspects the cookie sandwiches formed by the second cookie discharging head and arranged on the suction belt. The inspection may relate for each cookie sandwich both to the position of the upper cookie with respect to the lower cookie and to the correct arrangement of the filling and also to the upper cookie itself. If one of the inspection devices detects an error with the lower cookie, the filling application or the upper cookie, the sandwich cookie in question can be separated out on exiting the installation or on being transferred to a packaging installation. 
         [0007]    According to the invention, the first inspection device may be furnished with an image processing sensor and check the lower cookies deposited on the suction belt by the first cookie discharging head. This configuration enables not just the position of the lower cookies on the suction belt to be checked during the inspection of the lower cookies deposited on the suction belt, but also the lower cookies themselves, for example with respect to size, shape—round, rectangular—, imperfections, cracks, etc. 
         [0008]    According to another feature of the invention, the coating device may be furnished with a filling metering device which can be adjusted depending on the inspection result from the first inspection device. This configuration is advantageous in the event of a product change, when a change is made from one cookie size to another cookie size or from one cookie shape (rectangular) to another cookie shape (round). In this configuration, the installation automatically identifies the alteration in cookie type by means of the first inspection device and adapts the amount of filling automatically to the altered cookie size or shape. 
         [0009]    According to another feature of the invention, the coating device may have, for the coating head, an individually activatable drive motor which, depending on the inspection result from the first inspection device, can be temporarily stopped in order to briefly interrupt the application of filling. This configuration enables the coating head of the coating device to be temporarily stopped before the lower cookie lying on the suction belt and identified as defective by the first inspection device passes the coating head. In this way, in the case of a defective lower cookie, no filling is applied to the top side thereof and the corresponding amount of filling is saved. This configuration further enables the coating head of the coating device also to be temporarily stopped if the first cookie discharging head ever deposits no lower cookie on the suction belt. In this case, too, an amount of filling intended for an individual cookie is saved at the coating device. This additionally prevents soiling of the suction belt with filling. 
         [0010]    According to a further feature of the invention, the second inspection device may be furnished with an image processing sensor, which inspects the cookie sandwiches formed on the suction belt by the second cookie discharging head. This configuration enables the correct position of the upper cookie on the lower cookie to be checked during the inspection of the cookie sandwiches arranged on the suction belt. If this position is not correct for one cookie sandwich, the cookie sandwich in question can be separated out, for example on exiting the installation or on being transferred to a packaging installation. This configuration further enables the filling arranged between the two cookies to be checked during the inspection of the cookie sandwiches arranged on the suction belt, to see whether it is protruding beyond the edge of the upper cookie or not. This configuration further enables a check to be carried out to see whether the upper cookies, which have been deposited by the second cookie discharging head on the lower cookies lying on the suction belt and carrying a filling on the top side, include defective cookies, in which, for example, a corner is missing, or a small piece of cookie has broken off, or which are even completely broken and exhibit a breakage line. If the second inspection device detects a cookie sandwich having a defective upper cookie, this cookie sandwich can be separated out, for example on exiting the installation or on being transferred to a packaging installation. 
         [0011]    According to a further feature of the invention it may be provided that, in order to produce sandwich cookies having an additional cookie layer, a cylindrical coating head of a second coating device, a cookie discharging head of a third cookie feeding device and a third inspection device inspecting the cookie sandwiches arranged on the suction belt are arranged in succession above the suction belt conveyor downstream of the second inspection device. This configuration of the installation according to the invention enables the production of filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, in the production of which the cookie sandwiches coming from the second cookie discharging head are furnished, on the top side, by the coating head of the second coating device with a filling, on which the cookie discharging head of the third cookie feeding device then deposits its cookies. The sandwich cookies created in this way are then checked in the third inspection device. 
         [0012]    In an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, it may be provided according to the invention that the second coating device is furnished with a filling metering device which can be adjusted depending on the inspection result from an inspection device. This configuration is advantageous in the event of a product change, when a change is made from one cookie size to another cookie size or from one cookie shape (rectangular) to another cookie shape (round). 
         [0013]    In an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, the second coating device may have, for the coating head, an individually activatable drive motor which, depending on the inspection result from the second inspection device, can be temporarily stopped in order to briefly interrupt the application of filling. This configuration enables the coating head of the second coating device to be temporarily stopped before the cookie sandwich lying on the suction belt and identified as defective by the second inspection device passes the coating head of the second coating device. This saves an amount of filling which corresponds to an individual cookie and would otherwise be separated out together with the defective cookie sandwich. 
         [0014]    In an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, it may be provided according to the invention that the third inspection device is furnished with an image processing sensor, which inspects the 3-layer cookie sandwiches formed on the suction belt by the third cookie discharging head. This configuration enables in each case the correct position of the uppermost cookie with respect to the two lower cookies to be checked during the inspection of the 3-layer cookie sandwiches arranged on the suction belt. If this position is not correct for one cookie sandwich, the latter can be separated out, for example on exiting the installation or on being transferred to a packaging installation. This configuration further enables a check to be carried out on the 3-layer sandwich cookies with regard to the filling applied by the coating head of the second coating device, to see whether it is protruding beyond the edge of the uppermost cookie or not. This configuration further enables a check to be carried out to see whether the cookies, which have been deposited by the third cookie discharging head on the cookie sandwiches carrying a filling on the top side, include defective cookies, in which, for example, a corner is missing, or a small piece of cookie has broken off, or which are even completely broken and exhibit a breakage line. If the third inspection device detects a cookie sandwich having a defective upper cookie, this cookie sandwich can be separated out, for example on exiting the installation or on being transferred to a packaging installation. 
         [0015]    According to a further feature of the invention, it may be provided that each cookie discharging head has a continuously moveable transfer mechanism, which is arranged at the lower end of a cookie hopper, separates the cookies emerging from the bottom of the cookie hopper and passes them individually onto the suction belt. The transfer mechanism may, according to the invention, be furnished with a rotor which rotates about a horizontal axis and has at least one cookie holder on its outer circumference. According to the invention, the rotor of the transfer mechanism may be in the form of a wheel, which has cookie holders distributed around its circumference. 
         [0016]    According to a further feature of the invention, a cookie ejecting device assigned to the suction belt of the suction belt conveyor may be provided upstream of the calibration device. This ejecting device may be furnished with an individually activatable actuating device. 
         [0017]    According to a further feature of the invention, it may be provided in the installation for producing sandwich cookies and the like that the suction belt conveyor has an individually activatable drive motor for the suction belt, that each coating device is furnished with an individually activatable drive motor for its coating head, that each cookie discharging head is furnished with an individually activatable drive motor for its continuously moveable transfer mechanism, and that an electronic control device, which individually activates and synchronizes the individual drive motors and is connected to all the inspection devices and the individually activatable actuating device of the ejecting device, is provided. 
         [0018]    Such a configuration of the installation allows various operating variants. Firstly, during operation of the installation, separately created defective cookie sandwiches may be separated out of the installation automatically by means of the electronic installation controller while the installation is in operation. Secondly, the installation can be set for the respective product by means of the electronic installation controller while the installation is in operation. Thus, for example, the position of the filling application on the lower cookies or the position of the upper cookies on the filling application can be altered by means of the electronic installation controller. 
         [0019]    If the first inspection device reports to the electronic installation controller that a defective cookie or no cookie at all has been deposited on the suction belt by the first cookie discharging head, a first operating variant provides that the coating head of the coating device is temporarily stopped by means of the electronic installation controller in order to prevent the application of filling in the case of the defective lower cookie or in the case of the empty cookie position on the suction belt. In this operating variant, the first cookie discharging head carries on running and deposits an upper cookie on the lower cookie or at the empty cookie position on the suction belt. In this operating variant, the ejecting device is activated in time-offset manner with respect to the stopping of the coating head, in order to remove from the suction belt the defective lower cookie and the upper cookie lying on it, or the upper cookie lying on the suction belt, when they pass the ejecting device. Another operating variant provides that, by means of the electronic installation controller, the first cookie discharging head is also temporarily stopped in addition to the coating head of the coating device, and the ejecting device is activated as soon as the defective lower cookie arrives at the ejecting device. 
         [0020]    One operating variant for an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies provides that the coating heads of the two coating devices and the cookie discharging heads of the second and third cookie feeding devices are temporarily stopped by means of the electronic installation controller if the first inspection device reports to the electronic installation controller that a defective cookie or no cookie at all has been deposited on the suction belt by the first cookie discharging head. In this operating variant, the ejecting device is activated by means of the electronic installation controller in order to remove from the suction belt the defective lower cookie passing the ejecting device. 
         [0021]    If the second inspection device reports to the electronic installation controller that the cookie sandwich formed by the second cookie discharging head is defective, said sandwich cookie is removed from the suction belt by the ejecting device activated by means of the electronic installation controller. In such a case, in an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, the coating head of the second coating device is also temporarily stopped by means of the electronic installation controller. This prevents the defective cookie sandwich from being furnished with filling before it is removed from the suction belt by the ejecting device activated by means of the electronic installation controller. According to another operating variant of an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, in such a case, the cookie discharging head of the third cookie feeding device is also temporarily stopped by means of the electronic installation controller in order to prevent the deposition of a third cookie on the defective cookie sandwich. 
         [0022]    If, in an installation for producing filled 3-layer sandwich cookies, the third inspection device reports to the electronic installation controller that the cookie sandwich formed by the third cookie discharging head is defective, said cookie sandwich is removed from the suction belt by the ejecting device activated by means of the electronic installation controller. 
         [0023]    In the installation according to the invention, once they have been transferred onto the suction belt conveyor, the cookies introduced into the installation are subjected to an inspection, wherein both the lower cookies and the cookie sandwiches formed thereupon are inspected. As a result, defective lower cookies and defective cookie sandwiches can be identified and excluded from being passed on to a downstream packaging installation. This exclusion from being passed on can take place during the transfer, provided for all sandwich cookies created in the installation, to the downstream packaging installation. In the case of an installation according to the invention furnished with an ejecting device, this exclusion from being passed on can take place still within the installation according to the invention, with the result that only complete and properly formed sandwich cookies are output from the installation. 
         [0024]    The identification of the defective lower cookies and defective cookie sandwiches can, in the case of an installation furnished with an electronic installation control device, be used, still within the installation, to temporarily stop the devices downstream of the respective inspection device, such as coating head and cookie discharging head, while the defective lower cookie or the defective cookie sandwich passes through. As a result, the production waste to be separated out together with the respective defective lower cookie or with the respective defective cookie sandwich is restricted to the defective lower cookie or the defective cookie sandwich. 
         [0025]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0026]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an installation for producing sandwich cookies and the like, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
         [0027]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0028]    The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, in which: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  shows a side elevation of a first installation for producing sandwich cookies, 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of the installation in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  shows a side elevation of a cookie discharging head, 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  shows a side elevation of a section through the installation in  FIG. 1  in the region of the first inspection device, 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  shows a side elevation of a coating head, 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of the coating head in  FIG. 5 , 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  shows a side elevation of the output region of the installation in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of a part of  FIG. 7 , 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  schematically shows a side elevation of a further installation for producing sandwich cookies, and 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  shows a top view of the installation in  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0039]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an installation for producing 2-layer sandwich cookies, in which a filling is arranged between the upper and lower cookies. 
         [0040]    Arranged in the machine frame  1  of the installation is an elongate suction belt conveyor  2 . Arranged in succession in the longitudinal direction along the latter are a first cookie feeding device  3 , a first inspection device  4 , a coating device  5 , a second cookie feeding device  6 , a second inspection device  7 , an ejecting device  8  and a calibration device  9 . The calibration device  9  is arranged within the output device  10  arranged at the end of the installation. 
         [0041]    The suction belt conveyor  2  has an endless conveying belt, which circulates in the horizontal direction, is furnished with a longitudinal row of holes  12  and is in the form of a suction belt  11 . The suction belt  11  is driven by means of a drive motor  13 . The suction belt conveyor  2  has a negative-pressure chamber  14 , which is arranged under the upper strand of the suction belt conveyor  11 . The negative-pressure chamber  14  extends in the longitudinal direction of the installation from the first cookie feeding device  3  as far as the calibration device  9  arranged in the output device  10 . The negative-pressure chamber  14  is connected to a suction-draft blower which generates the negative pressure in the negative-pressure chamber  14 . The negative-pressure chamber  14  is arranged in a channel, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the induced draft ventilator  2  and is covered on the top side by a planar panel  14   a , on which the underside of the upper strand of the suction belt  11  bears. The panel  14   a  includes a longitudinal slot arranged under the holes  12  in the suction belt  11 . Arranged on both lateral longitudinal edges of the panel  14   a  is a respective longitudinal groove into which the suction belt  11 , which is in the form of a toothed belt, engages with its teeth arranged along its longitudinal edges ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0042]    The first cookie feeding device  3  has an output portion  15  arranged over the suction belt conveyor  2 . The output portion  15  includes an upper cookie hopper  16  and first cookie discharging head  17 , which is arranged between said upper cookie hopper  16  and the suction belt conveyor  2 . The cookie discharging head  17  carries on its front side a continuously revolving cookie transfer mechanism  18 , which is driven by a drive motor  19  arranged on its rear side. 
         [0043]    The first inspection device  4  has a downwardly open shaft  20 , which is arranged over the suction belt conveyor  2  and in which an image processing sensor  21  is arranged above the suction belt  11 . The first inspection device  4  provides a device  22  which is arranged in the negative-pressure chamber  14  and illuminates the upper strand of the suction belt  11  from below. The planar panel  14   a  arranged on the top side of the negative-pressure chamber  14  is furnished, in the region of the first inspection device  4 , with a cutout, through which the light projected from a light source via the mirror  22   a  onto the underside of the suction belt  11  falls onto the light-permeable suction belt  11 . This makes the outline of the cookie lying on the suction belt  11  and any cracks it contains readily identifiable to the image processing sensor  21  arranged above the suction belt  11  ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0044]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show the coating device  5 . This has a cylindrical coating head  23 , which is arranged above the suction belt conveyor  2  and around the outside of which extends a cylindrical coating ring  24 , which has filling outlet openings  25  arranged distributed over its circumference. The coating head  23  has a drive motor  26 , which sets the coating ring  24  in rotation. On the lower vertex of the coating head  23 , a scraping device  27  for the filling is arranged over the suction belt  11 . Said scraping device  27  carries a wire, which bears against the coating ring  24  and separates the filling emerging from an outlet opening  25  in the coating ring  24  from the rotating coating ring  24 . Provided on the rear side of the coating head  23  is a connection stub  28 , to which a transporting line (not illustrated) for the filling is connected. The coating device  5  or coating head  23  can be furnished with an individually activatable metering device  23   a  for the filling. 
         [0045]    The second cookie feeding device  6  has an output portion  29  arranged over the suction belt conveyor  2 . The output portion  29  includes an upper cookie hopper  30  and a second cookie discharging head  31  arranged between the cookie hopper  30  and the suction belt conveyor  2 . The cookie discharging head  31  carries on its front side a continuously revolving cookie transfer mechanism  32 , which is driven by a drive motor  33  arranged on its rear side. 
         [0046]    The second inspection device  7  has a downwardly open shaft  34 , which is arranged over the suction belt conveyor  2  and in which an image processing sensor  35  is arranged above the suction belt  11 . 
         [0047]    The ejection device  8  provides two blowing nozzles  36 , which are arranged next to the suction belt conveyor  2  and are aligned transversely to the running direction of the suction belt  11 . The blowing nozzles  36  are connected to a compressed air line, in which a shut-off valve  37  is seated and can be actuated by way of a dedicated actuating device  37   a.    
         [0048]    The output device  10  provides an endless transporting chain, which is arranged above the suction belt  11  and carries finger-shaped drivers  10   a , which are arranged next to one another in pairs, protrude downwardly from the transporting chain and grasp the rear end of the sandwich cookies lying on the suction belt  11 . The calibration device  9  arranged in the output device  10  provides a calibration rail  38 , which is arranged at a predetermined distance above the suction belt conveyor  2 , extends in the longitudinal direction of the installation and is furnished with a run-in slope  39 . This calibration rail  38  is arranged in the intermediate space remaining between the two finger-shaped drivers  10   a , arranged next to one another, of the output device  10 . Each pair of drivers conveys, by way of its drivers  10   a  arranged on both sides of the calibration rail  38 , a finished cookie sandwich, lying on the suction belt  11 , through under the calibration rail  38 . The finished cookie sandwich is pressed together to a predetermined thickness on passing the run-in slope  39  and is transferred to a subsequent device, for example to a packaging machine, after leaving the calibration rail  38 . 
         [0049]    The two cookie discharging heads  17  and  31  are of identical design. Both cookie discharging heads  17  and  31  carry, on the front side, a transfer mechanism  18  and  32  respectively, driven by their drive motor  19  and  33  respectively, for the cookies. A transfer mechanism  40  of this kind is illustrated in detail in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0050]    The transfer mechanism  40  has a rotor  41 , which has a horizontal rotation axis and revolves counterclockwise. The rotor  41  is in the form of a wheel, which is furnished with a plurality of holders  42 , arranged distributed over its circumference, for the cookies. The holders  42  are in each case in the form of a planar face, which is delimited at its rear end by a projection  43  protruding radially outward. Along the rear half of the rotor  41 , two guide rails  44 , which are curved in the form of a circular arc, are arranged next to one another. The two guide rails  44  prevent the cookies arranged along the rear half of the rotor  41  from falling out of the transfer mechanism  40  during the transferring process. Arranged between the two guide rails  44  is a lever, which is mounted pivotably at its upper end, is connected to an off switch, extends along the outside of the rotor  41  and is kept at a distance from the rotor surface by the cookies arranged there. If the cookies are missing, the lever is pivoted as far as the rotor surface and the off switch is activated, switching off the installation. Arranged above the rotor  41  is a cookie hopper  45 , in which a vertical cookie stack rests on a fork-like base plate. The rotor  41  rotates counterclockwise. It engages with each projection  43  into the fork-like gap in the base plate and conveys the lowest cookie in the cookie stack rearwardly out of the cookie hopper  45 . The cookie is conveyed downwardly to the suction belt  11  of the suction belt conveyor  2  along the curved guide rails  44  by the rotational movement of the rotor  41 . Both guide rails  44  carry, on the lower end, a spring plate, the free end of which protrudes into the transporting path of the cookies. The two spring plates prevent the cookie from slipping down off the planar face of the holder  42  early at the lower vertex of the rotor  41  and not being transferred to the suction belt  11  by the projection  43  arranged at the rear end of the holder  42 . 
         [0051]    The installation has an electronic control device  47 , which is arranged in a switch cabinet  46  and is connected to an input device  48  arranged on the front side of the switch cabinet  46 . The input device  48  has a plurality of input keys  49  for switching the installation on and off and for adjusting individual working parameters of the installation. Within the installation, the electronic control device  47  is connected to the drive motor  13  of the suction belt conveyor  2 , to the drive motor  19  of the first cookie discharging head  17 , to the image processing sensor  21  of the first inspection device  4 , to the drive motor  26  of the coating head  23  of the coating device  5 , to the drive motor  33  of the second cookie discharging head  31 , to the image processing sensor  35  of the second inspection device  7  and to the actuating device  37   a  of the shut-off valve  37  of the ejecting device  8 . In the case of a coating head  23  furnished with an individually activatable metering device  23   a , the metering device  23   a  is also connected to the electronic control device  47 . 
         [0052]    By means of the control devices  47 , it is possible, while the installation is running, to influence the position of the lower cookies on the suction belt  11 , the amount and position of the filling on the lower cookies, the positioning of the upper cookies on the filling, and the actuating device  37   a  of the ejecting device  8 , in such a way that only acceptable sandwich cookies are transferred from the installation according to the invention to a subsequent device, for example to a packaging machine. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show an installation  50  for producing 3-layer sandwich cookies. Arranged in a machine frame  51  in this installation  50  is an elongate suction belt conveyor  52 , which is furnished with a dedicated drive motor  53  for its circulating suction belt  54 . The design of the suction belt conveyor  52  with a negative-pressure chamber, which is arranged in a channel which extends in the longitudinal direction and is covered by a panel on the top side of the channel, corresponds to the design of the suction belt conveyor  2  of the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0054]    Arranged in succession in the longitudinal direction above the suction belt conveyor  52  are the following devices. A cookie discharging head  56 , furnished with a dedicated drive motor  55 , of a first cookie feeding device  57 . A first inspection device  59 , furnished with an image processing sensor  58 . A coating head  61 , furnished with a dedicated drive motor  60 , of a coating device  62 . A cookie discharging head  64 , furnished with a dedicated drive motor  63 , of a second cookie feeding device  65 . A second inspection device  67 , furnished with an image processing sensor  66 . The arrangement and configuration of these devices correspond to those of the devices with the same designations in the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0055]    Arranged downstream of the second inspection device  67  in the installation  50  is a coating head  69 , furnished with a dedicated drive motor  68 , of a second coating device  70 , which corresponds to the coating device  5  of the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and, just like the latter, can be furnished with an individually activatable metering device  70   a  for the filling. Arranged downstream of the coating head  69  of the second coating device  70  is a cookie discharging head  72 , furnished with a dedicated drive motor  71 , of a third cookie feeding device  73 , which corresponds to the two cookie feeding devices of the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Arranged above the suction belt conveyor  52  and downstream of the cookie discharging head  72  of the third cookie feeding device  73  is a third inspection device  75 , furnished with an image processing sensor  74 . 
         [0056]    The third inspection device  75  is followed, as in the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , by an ejecting device  76 , a calibration device  77  and an output device  78 . The arrangement and configuration of these devices correspond to those of the devices with the same designations in the installation in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0057]    The installation  50  has an electronic control device  80 , which is arranged in a switch cabinet  79  and is connected to an input device  81  arranged on the front side of the switch cabinet  79 . The input device  81  has a plurality of input keys  82  for the switching the installation  50  on and off and for adjusting individual working parameters of the installation  50 . 
         [0058]    Within the installation  50 , the electronic control device  80  is connected to the drive motor  53  of the suction belt conveyor  52 , to the drive motor  55  of the cookie discharging head  56  of the first cookie feeding device  57 , to the image processing sensor  58  of the first inspection device  59 , to the drive motor  60  of the coating head  61  of the coating device  62 , to the drive motor  63  of the cookie discharging head  64  of the second cookie feeding device  65 , to the image processing sensor  66  of the second inspection device  67 , to the drive motor  68  of the coating head  69  of the second coating device  70 , to the drive motor  71  of the cookie discharging head  72  of the third cookie feeding device  73 , to the image processing sensor  74  of the third inspection device  75  and to the actuating device of the ejecting device  76 . In the case of a second coating device  70  furnished with an individually activatable metering device  70   a , the metering device  70   a  is also connected to the electronic control device  80 . 
         [0059]    By means of the control device  80 , it is possible, while the installation  50  is running, to influence the position of the lower cookies on the suction belt  54 , the amount and position of the first filling on the lower cookies, the positioning of the second cookies on the first filling, the amount and position of the second filling on the second cookies, the positioning of the third cookies on the second filling, and the actuating device of the ejecting device  76 , in such a way that only acceptable S-layer sandwich cookies are transferred from the installation  50  to a subsequent device, for example to a packaging machine.