Paste depositor for dispensing exact amounts of a smooth food product

A paste-depositing apparatus comprising, a temperature-controlled hopper having an open upper end for receiving a batch of paste material and having a lower perforated end for dispensing the paste material, the lower perforated end including a lever-operated slide valve for opening and closing a plurality of inlet and outlet ports for discharging a row of paste material each time the lever is moved between a first and a second position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention pertains to a food-depositing apparatus for dispensing equal 
amounts of a paste material into a carry member, and more particularly to 
a confectionery depositor including a temperature-controlled hopper having 
an upper loading inlet and having a lower dispensing outlet which includes 
a lever-operated slide valve for opening and closing a plurality of input 
and output ports each time the lever is moved between a first and a second 
position. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It will be appreciated that there are various types of food-dispensing 
apparatuses, such as, paste depositors, which include one or more 
extruding screws or augers and rotating rollers which feed the paste 
material into a dispensing chamber which contain the rotating screws or 
augers. The rotating screws or augers then extrude the paste material 
through nozzles and deposit it onto a conveyor belt in one or a number of 
rows or lines. In such an arrangement, the rollers and screws or augers 
are located in a single housing in which the axles of the feed roller are 
in alignment with the axles of the extruding screws or augers. Usually, a 
drive transmission rotates the feed rollers in the opposite direction to 
the extruding screws or augers. If it is necessary to change the number of 
rows or lines which requires a change in the number of extruding screws or 
augers, it is necessary to redesign the entire depositor to conform the 
desired number of rows or lines. Such a redesign is not only expensive, 
but also time consuming which results in production delays and loss of 
revenue and earnings during the reconstruction. Another shortcoming of 
such previous food depositors is that, if more than one rotating screw or 
auger is situated in the same dispensing chamber, the distribution of the 
paste material throughout the dispensing chamber may not always be even so 
that the amount of extruded paste may not be the same amount. In 
confectionery and food manufacture, it is very important and essential to 
control the exact amount of paste material that is deposited. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and 
improved paste depositor. 
A further object of this invention is a novel food depositing apparatus 
including a temperature-control hopper having an upper loading end and a 
lower dispensing end. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a unique paste-dispensing 
mechanism having a hopper including a top open end for receiving paste 
material and including a bottom perforated end for dispensing the paste 
material onto a receiving member. 
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an innovating 
confectionery depositor including a heated hopper for maintaining a 
uniform temperature and having a slide valve for dispensing the 
confectionery. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved candy 
dispensing apparatus which includes a temperature-controlled hopper having 
an upper open end for receiving the candy and having a lower slide valve 
assembly having a plurality of openings for dispensing equal amounts of 
candy. 
Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improved 
paste-depositing mechanism which is economical in cost, simple in 
construction, dependable in service, durable in service, and efficient in 
operation. 
In the attainment of the foregoing objects, there is provided a 
paste-depositing apparatus comprising, a temperature-controlled hopper 
having an upper open end for receiving a batch of paste material and 
having a lower dispensing end for depositing the paste material, the lower 
dispensing end having at least one inlet opening for receiving the paste 
material from the hopper, a slidable member having at least one through 
hole for allowing the passage of a predetermined amount of paste material, 
and at least one outlet opening for releasing the predetermined amount of 
paste material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, 
there is shown a paste-depositing apparatus in accordance with the present 
invention. As shown, the paste-depositing apparatus or dispensing 
mechanism which is generally characterized by numeral 1 is mainly 
constructed of stainless steel and other noncorrosive materials which will 
be described hereinafter. In viewing FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that 
the paste-depositing mechanism 1 includes a V-shaped receiving hopper 2 
having a pair of inclined stainless steel side walls 3 and 4. The 
receiving hopper 2 also includes a vertical stainless steel front wall 5 
and a vertical stainless steel back wall 6. The contiguous edges of the 
side walls 3 and 4 and the front and back walls 5 and 6 may be securely 
attached to each other in any suitable manner, such as, for example, by 
welding. It will be noted that the exterior of the paste-receiving hopper 
2 is encased by a stainless steel water jacket 10 which is a weldment, or 
welded assembly made up of side members 11 and 12, front and rear end 
members 13 and 14, bottom members 15 and 16, and top members (not 
illustrated). The top of the hopper 2 is covered by a lid 19 having a 
handle 20. 
It will be noted in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 that the horizontal leg 17A of a 
front angle iron 17 is connected, such as, being welded to the bottom 
members 15 and 16. A rectangular cut-out section 17C is removed from the 
center of the vertical leg 17B of the front angle iron 17 to accommodate a 
slide valve, as will be described hereinafter. 
In viewing FIG. 1, it will be seen that the horizontal leg 18A of a rear 
angle iron 18 is connected, such as, being welded, to the bottom numbers 
15 and 16. A rectangular cutout section 18C is also removed from the 
center of the vertical leg 18B of the rear angle iron 18 to accommodate 
the slide valve. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, threaded blocks 21A and 21B 
are welded to the outer lower ends of the vertical leg 17B while as shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 2, threaded blocks 21C and 21D are welded to the outer 
lower ends of the vertical leg 18B. 
In viewing FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that the threaded stems of 
leveler guides 25A and 25B are screwed into the taped holes of the blocks 
21A and 21B while the threaded stems of leveler glides 25C and 25D are 
screwed into the taped holes of the blocks 21C and 21D. 
In viewing FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be noted that a filler-drain valve or 
cock 22 is located at the lower extremity of the front end member or wall 
14 of the water jacket 10. A hand-wheel 23 opens the valve 22 for filling 
up or draining the water jacket 10 and closes the valve 22 for retaining 
the water in the water jacket 10. It will be seen that an overflow fitting 
24 and tube 24A are located at the upper extremity of the front end member 
14 of the water jacket 10. The overflow 24, 24A prevents the pressure from 
building up in the water jacket 10 by purging excess water from the water 
jacket 10 during fill-up. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pipe-threaded immersion heater 26 is located 
at the lower extremity of the rear end member or wall 13 of the water 
jacket 10. The electric immersion heater 23 is provided with a cord 27 and 
plug 28 for 120-volt AC service. Thus, when the water tank 10 is full, the 
heating elements are fully immersed in the water to provide uniform 
heating of the hopper 2 without any hot or cold spots. A bi-metal 
thermometer T is located at the upper extremity of the rear end wall 13 of 
the water jacket 10 and is provided with a 1/2' NPT threaded connection. 
the letters NPT stand for National Pipe Thread. 
It will be noted that a ground wire 29 is connected from the metal casing 
of the heater 26 to the vertical leg 18B of the angle iron 18 to prevent 
electrical shock to an operator. 
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, a pivotal lever 30 is connected to the front 
end wall 14. A U-shaped bracket or fulcrum member 31 is welded to the 
outer central portion of the front wall 14. A pivot pin 32 is inserted 
through the aligned holes formed in the U-shaped fulcrum member 31 and a 
hole form in the intermediate portion of the operating lever 30. A cotter 
pin 33 is inserted in a hole formed in the remote end of pivotal pin 32 to 
prevent it from falling out during operation. It will be noted that the 
upper end of the pivotal lever 30 is provided with a manual operating 
handle 34 which is movable between two extreme positions by a 
confectioner. In viewing FIG. 1, it will be observed that an upper stop 
member 35 is located between the fulcrum point 31 and the operating handle 
34. The stop member 35 includes an adjustable threaded stud member 35A and 
a stop or striker plate 35B which is welded to the exterior of the front 
end wall 14 to limit the counterclockwise movement or rotation of the 
pivotal lever 30. Similarly, a lower stop member 36 is located between the 
fulcrum point 31 and the lower end of the operating lever 30. The stop 
member includes an adjustable threaded stud member 36A and a stop or 
striker plate 36B which is welded to the exterior of the front end wall 14 
to limit the clockwise movement or rotation of the pivotal lever 30. 
As previously noted, a slide valve assembly is pivotally connected to the 
lower end of the operating lever 30. A pivot pin 37 is connected to a 
clevis U-shaped shackle member 39 which includes an enlarged opening 40 
that is in alignment with the enlarged through hole 38 formed in the lower 
end of the pivotal lever 30. A cotter pin 41 prevents the pivot pin 37 
from allowing the disengagement of the lever 30 and the clevis member 39. 
The slide valve assembly includes an upper apertured plate member 42 
having a plurality of inlet openings 43 which is welded to the bottom wall 
members 15 and 16. The slide valve assembly also includes a plastic slide 
valve member which may be constructed of teflon or the like. The teflon 
slide valve member 44 includes plurality of through openings 45. The 
plastic slide valve 44 is attached to the clevis member 39 by a pair of 
flat head machine screws 46. The slide valve assembly includes a lower 
apertured plate member 47 which includes a plurality of outlet openings 
48. A pair of side guide rails 49 are located between members 42 and 48. A 
plurality of flat head machine screws 50 secure the lower dispensing plate 
47 and the two side guide rails 49 to the upper inlet aperture plate 42. 
In the present embodiment, the paste depositor 1 makes eight (8) deposits 
of paste material 57 per stroke of the operating lever 30. The deposits 57 
of paste material are dropped onto a movable bakers tray or conveyor 55. 
In operation, the depositor 1 is designed to hold approximately fifty 
pounds (50 lbs.) of paste material, such as, caramel, licorice, or other 
candy or pastry material. The depositor 1 is designed for table-top 
operation and may be physically picked up by handles 58A-58D. Thus, the 
depositor 1 is relatively small and portable and may be easily stored out 
of the way when not in use. 
Thus, the present invention has been described in such full, clear, concise 
and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it 
pertains to make and use the same, and having set forth the best mode 
contemplated of carrying out this invention. We state that the subject 
matter, which we regard as being our invention, is particularly pointed 
out and distinctly asserted in what is claimed. It will be understood that 
variations, modifications, equivalents and substitutions for components of 
the above specifically-described embodiment of the invention may be made 
by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the invention as set forth in the appended claims.