Slide gate assembly and mixer including a slide gate assembly

A slide gate assembly includes a mounting plate with a through opening and an upper surface, and a top plate with a through opening and lower surface, wherein the through opening of the top plate aligns with the through opening of the mounting plate. A slide plate is mounted between the lower surface of the top plate and the upper surface of the mounting plate, wherein the slide plate is slidable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the closed position the slide plate blocks material passage from the opening of the top plate to the opening of the bottom plate, wherein, in the open position, the slide plate permits material passage from the opening of the top plate to the opening of the bottom plate.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates generally to gates for opening and closing access to food equipment, such as horizontal dough mixers, for the ingress of ingredients and, more specifically, to a slide gate assembly useful for such purpose.

BACKGROUND

Horizontal mixers commonly have an overhead canopy that covers the open top of the bowl during mixing. The canopy includes one or more openings through which mix ingredients, such as flour, can be input to the mixer bowl. It is known to use slide gates at such openings. However, removability and cleanability of such slide gates is typically time-consuming and overly complex.

It would be desirable to provide an improved slide gate assembly for horizontal mixers.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a slide gate assembly includes a mounting plate with a through opening and an upper surface, and a top plate with a through opening and lower surface, wherein the through opening of the top plate aligns with the through opening of the mounting plate. A slide plate is mounted between the lower surface of the top plate and the upper surface of the mounting plate, wherein the slide plate is slidable between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the closed position the slide plate blocks material passage from the opening of the top plate to the opening of the bottom plate, wherein, in the open position, the slide plate permits material passage from the opening of the top plate to the opening of the bottom plate.

In another aspect, a slide gate assembly includes a mounting plate with a through opening and an upper surface. A slide plate is positioned on the upper surface of the mounting plate and movable between a closed position that blocks material passage to the through opening and an open position that permits material passage to the through opening. A stationary framing seal mounted at the upper surface of the mounting plate, wherein the framing seal defines a slide window, and the slide plate is mounted within the slide window for movement along the slide window.

In a further aspect, a slide gate assembly includes a mounting plate with a through opening and an upper surface. A slide plate is positioned on the upper surface of the mounting plate and movable between a closed position that blocks material passage to the through opening and an open position that permits material passage to the through opening. A scraper bar having a lower surface in contact with an upper surface of the slide plate, wherein the scraper is positioned alongside the opening of the top plate such that, as the slide plate moves from the open position to the closed position, residual material on the upper surface of the slide plate is scraped off of the upper surface of the slide plate and onto the upper surface of the mounting plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG.1, a horizontal mixer10includes a mixing bowl12supported on a frame14and mounted for relative rotation on the frame14. The mixing bowl12is an open top arrangement. A canopy16is located to cover the open top of the bowl when the bowl is in an upright position used for mixing. The mixing bowl12is supported at each end by support members that are mounted to respective support plates20. An agitator (not shown here, but show in U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,749, which is incorporated herein by reference) is rotatably mounted within the mixing bowl12. The mixing bowl12can be tilted about a horizontal axis22for movement between an upright mix position and a turned load/unload position (e.g., per FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,729) for loading and unloading of material.

The illustrated mixer10includes two slide gate assemblies30mounted to the top of the canopy16to permit controlled opening and closing of access openings32(FIG.2) in the canopy. Each access opening32is bounded by an upwardly extending mount ring34having a flange36secured thereto. Each flange36defines a plurality of mount openings38that can be used for mounting a slide gate assembly to the canopy16. For example, the openings38may be threaded, or may include a fixed mount nut at the underside thereof, and hand rotatable bolts may be used to engage a slide gate assembly thereto. This type of manually releasable connection requires no tools and enables the slide gate assembly to readily be disassembled and/or removed from the canopy for cleaning.

Referring to the schematic side elevation ofFIG.3, a slide gate assembly30is shown atop a canopy16. A feed tube (e.g., flexible tube)40connects to the slide gate assembly and extends up to a dispensing gate42that in turn connected to an ingredient feed chute44. The dispensing gate42may, by way of example be a weight-controlled gate that opens when a set ingredient weight to be input to the mixer bowl is achieved. The slide gate assembly30includes a slide plate50movable to open and close the access opening32through the canopy16to the mixer bowl. Here, the slide plate50is in the closed position. Typically, the slide plate50is moved, per arrow52, to the open position, uncovering the canopy opening, before the dispensing gate40opens, and the slide plate50is moved back to the closed position, per arrow54, covering the canopy opening, after the ingredients are dropped by the gate40into the mixer bowl.

After the slide plate50closes, it is possible that some residual ingredients in the dispensing gate42or the feed tube40could be deposited on the top of the slide plate50. In prior slide gate systems, subsequent opening of the gate could undesirably distribute the ingredients on the top of the canopy and/or be moved to locations of the slide gate that cause difficulty in movement of the slide gate and/or jamming of the slide gate. Such prior slide gate systems also proved relatively difficult to disassemble and/or remove.

Referring toFIGS.4A-4B and5-8, the guide plate assembly30, according to one embodiment, includes an upper mount ring60(e.g., for connection to a fed tube40) and a lower mount ring62(e.g., for connection to a canopy mount ring). The lower mount ring62includes a mount flange64secured thereto with openings66. The flange64and openings66are shaped and positioned such that the openings66align with the canopy flange openings.

The upper mount ring60is connected to and extends upwardly from an opening71in a top plate70, and the lower mount ring62is connected to and extends downwardly from an opening73in a mounting plate72. The two plates70and72include a plurality or peripheral slots74and75that are aligned and through which fastener assemblies76extend for holding the top plate70toward the mounting plate72when the slide plate assembly is in the assembled condition. The fastener assemblies76may, for example be formed by threaded rods80and manually graspable mount nuts78. A slide plate82and slide plate peripheral framing seal84are positioned between the top plate70and mounting plate72in the assembled condition. The framing seal84defines a window86in which the slide plate80is positioned, so that the slide plate can move along the length of the window for opening and closing of the gate. The framing seal84also includes peripheral slots88that align with the slots74and75to fix the position of the framing seal relative to the two plates70and72. The lateral width of the slide plate82closely corresponds to the lateral width of the window86so that the window guides the movement of the slide plate82. The arcuate end edge90of the slide plate also matches the shape of the arcuate end edge92of the window to achieve effective gate closure, and the radius of the arcs defining the edges substantially matches the radius of the openings71and73(e.g., the arcuate end edges90and82may extend through 180 degrees to follow one half of the perimeter contour of the opening73). The framing seal84and slide plate82are both of generally planar configuration. The framing seal84is slightly thicker than the slide plate82, which facilitates relatively low friction sliding of the slide plate, because the top plate70does not press against the upper surface of the slide plate82. Instead the top plate70and mounting plate72clamp against the thicker framing seal84.

By way of example, the top plate70and bottom plate may be formed of 304 stainless steel and the slide plate82and framing seal84may be formed of food grade UHMW polyethylene. However, other variations are possible.

Movement of the slide plate82is achieved by spaced apart linear actuators110, here in the form of pneumatic actuators with cylinders112and extendable/retractable drive rods114that connect to the ends of the same lateral u-shaped drive bar or bracket116. The drive bar116and rods move within a protective u-shaped housing118, which is illustrated as transparent in the figures for ease of understanding. The cylinders112include air inputs at both ends so that the rods114can be driven in both directions (i.e., one direction to extend from the cylinders and an opposite direction to retract into the cylinders). The drive bar116includes a middle segment118with spaced apart upwardly extending fingers120that engage within corresponding spaced apart openings122toward the rectangular end of the slide plate82. The engagement between the fingers120and openings122causes the slide plate82to move with the drive bar116. The middle segment118extends upward through a rectangular opening77in the mounting plate72and moves along the opening during movement of the drive bar116. The ends of the cylinders112connect to a lateral bracket124that remains fixed during movement of the drive bar116and slide plate82.

The top plate70includes handles130to facilitate removal for cleaning. The top plate also includes a lateral slot opening132through which a lower projection134(FIG.9) of a seal bar136extends. A gasket138may be positioned between the top portion of the seal bar136and the upper surface of the top plate for sealing, and includes a slot opening through which the projection134extends. However, variations without the gasket are also possible. The seal bar136may be removably held in place by a pair of the fastener assemblies76. As best seen in the cross-sections ofFIGS.10and11, the lower projection134of the seal bar136is positioned to be in sliding contact with the top surface of the slide plate82when the slide plate moves, and preferably along the entire width of the slide plate top surface. By way of example, the seal bar136may be formed of 304 stainless steel and the gasket138, if used, may be formed of closed cell silicone. However, other variations are possible.

FIGS.10and11also shows the engagement of the slide gate assembly mount ring62with the canopy mount ring34via joining of the respective mount flanges64and36(e.g., using fasteners through the aligned openings of the flanges).

Operation of the slide gate assembly is described below with reference toFIGS.11and12. Air is delivered by via airlines (arrows150) to one end of the cylinders112to extend both cylinder rods, thus driving the drive bar116away from the cylinders per arrows152. The drive bar116pulls along the slide gate82, per arrow154, to move the slide gate to the open position (not shown). Magnetic read switches (not shown) attached to both ends of each cylinder112signal (e.g., to a controller) when the slide plate82is fully open or fully closed by sensing the head of the pistons inside the cylinders112. As the slide plate82moves from its closed position to its open position, some of the ingredients atop the slide plate82will be scraped off of the top of the slide plate82and into the bowl by interaction with the mount ring60. Any residual ingredients that pass below the bottom edge of the mount ring60will be scraped off the top surface of the mount plate by the projection134of the seal bar136, causing the ingredients to drop into the bowl below the slide gate assembly or to drop onto the top surface of the mounting plate72(e.g., in gap155). The slide plate82is moved back to the closed position by delivering air via airlines (arrows156) to the far ends of the cylinders112, retracting the rods into the cylinders, per arrows158) and moving the drive bar116and slide plate82back, per arrow160) to close off the bottom of the mount ring62. The magnetic switches relay to the machine controller that the gate is closed. As the slide plate82moves back, the leading arcuate edge of the slide plate pushes and ingredients in the gap155back into the opening to drop into the bowl below the slide plate assembly. Thus, the slide plate assembly provides an arrangement that is very effective at reducing any build-up of ingredients along the path of the slide plate, improving performance of the gate assembly.

In addition, cleaning of the slide gate assembly30is facilitated. In particular, the fastener assemblies76can be released in order to enable the seal bar136and top plate70to be removed, exposing the slide plate82for straightforward wipe down cleaning. In addition, the slide plate82is no longer captured, and can then be pulled upward away from the mounting plate72, as can the framing seal84, enabling cleaning of upper and lower surfaces of both, as well as the top surface of the mounting plate72.

It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that other changes and modifications are possible.