Applicator

Abstract: An applicator (10) for dosing a layer of filling (33) onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor (11), a nozzle (28) having a mould opening (29) in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling (33) into the mould opening (29), means for reciprocating the nozzle (28) vertically above the conveyor (11) and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor (11) so that in one cycle, a) the nozzle (28) descends so that the border of the mould opening (29) contacts a substrate (12) travelling on the conveyor (11), b) the filling (33) is fed into the mould opening (29), c) the nozzle (28) advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor (11) with the filling (33) in the mould opening (29) lying on the substrate (12), d) the nozzle (28) ascends leaving the moulded filling (33) forming a layer on the substrate (12), and e) the nozzle (28) retracts upstream to its original position.

Description: The present invention relates to an applicator for dosing a layer of filling on a continuously moving substrate e.g. a dough travelling along a straight line. The accurate automatic moulding and dosing of a thin layer of sauce intermittently onto a sheeted dough travelling on a continuously moving conveyor is difficult to achieve, especially if the sauce is viscous. Filling is often applied by hand but, even by this method, it is still difficult to achieve the desired precision. A complex biscuit creaming machine is known from US-A-1,904,742. The machine comprises a train of biscuit platforms which during the creaming pass along a semicircular path beneath a co-operating rotary stencil plate mounted co-axially with the semicircular path. The machine provides means for individually lifting the biscuit pans for creaming. We have devised a simple applicator for dosing a filling which is suitable for any type of pumpable filling independent of the viscosity, and whereby the filling may be applied with high precision with respect to position, shape and thickness. Accordingly, the present invention provides an applicator for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling on a continuously moving conveyor comprising a conveyor, a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling into the the mould opening, means for reciprocating the nozzle horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor, characterised in that the applicator is adapted to dose the filling onto the substrate when the latter is travelling along a straight line, and in that means are further provided for reciprocating the nozzle vertically above the conveyor such that in one cycle, a) the nozzle descends so that the border of the mould opening contacts a substrate travelling on the conveyor, b) the filling is fed into the mould opening, c) the nozzle advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, d) the nozzle ascends leaving the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and e) the nozzle retracts upstream to its original position. The conveyor is conveniently an endless belt and may be adapted to advance continuously or intermittently. The nozzle advantageously comprises a valve house whose lower surface is a base plate formed within which is a mould opening. The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle and the means for reciprocating the nozzle are conveniently fitted to a valve tap to which the nozzle is slidably fitted so that it may reciprocate horizontally along the valve tap while the nozzle and the valve tap are adapted to reciprocate vertically together. The means for supplying a filling to the nozzle may conveniently be a dosing tube connected to a supply of the filling and a pump for supplying the filling. The pump is preferably adapted to supply a predetermined amount of the filling depending on the shape and depth of the mould opening. The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically and horizontally may advantageously be provided by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders and associated pistons. Advantageously, a sensor may be provided on the cylinder for reciprocating the nozzle horizontally to indicate the completion of the moulding. The sensor may be a magnetic sensor which is activated by the piston at the end of its movement. The means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically preferably ensures that in the descended position, the nozzle i.e. the base plate surrounding the mould opening contacts the substrate lightly so as not to substantially distort the shape of the substrate, and that in the raised position, the nozzle no longer contacts the filling. The substrate may be, for instance, a sheeted dough and the filling may be any pumpable fluid such as a sauce. The shape, thickness and the amount of the filling dosed onto the substrate may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions and adjusting the pump for the filling, if necessary, to distribute the appropriate amount of filling. Conveniently, the pumping means for the filling and the reciprocating means for the nozzle are sequence controlled by a computer to enable automatic operation. The present invention also provides a process for dosing a layer of filling onto a substrate travelling along a straight line on a continuously moving conveyor which comprises advancing a substrate on a conveyor beneath a nozzle having a mould opening in its lower surface, descending the nozzle so that the border of the mould opening contacts the substrate travelling on the conveyor, feeding a filling into the mould opening, advancing the nozzle downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor transporting the substrate with the filling in the mould opening lying on the substrate, raising the nozzle to leave the moulded filling forming a layer on the substrate, and retracting the nozzle upstream to its original position. The present invention will now be further illustrated by example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the applicator positioned above a conveyor at the start of the dosing operation, Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the applicator at the termination of the dosing operation, Figure 3 represents the valve house and Figure 4 represents the valve tap. Referring to the drawings, the applicator generally designated 10 is positioned above an endless conveyor belt 11 adapted to run continuously transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12. The applicator comprises a valve tap 13, and a valve house 14. The valve tap 13 is adapted to reciprocate vertically with the valve house and is provided with an opening 15 and a solid block 16 to which is fixed a dosing tube 17 supplied by a pump (not shown). Fitted to the valve tap 13 is a pneumatic cylinder 18 mounted on a fixed support 19 with a vertically reciprocating piston 20 passing through an opening in the fixed support 19 and a pneumatic cylinder 21 provided with a magnetic sensor 22 mounted on a lug 23 with a horizontally reciprocating piston 24 passing through an opening 25 in the lug 23. The valve house 14 which is slidably mounted on the valve tap 13 and adapted to reciprocate horizontally in the direction of the arrows comprises side walls 26 formed with internal grooves 27 shaped to slide along the valve tap 13, a nozzle consisting of a base plate 28 formed within which is a mould opening 29, and a cross bar 30 fitted with a lug 31 having an opening 32 to which piston 24 is connected. Moulded fillings 33 are shown on the conveyor belt. The operating of the applicator is controlled by a computer (not shown). In operation, the conveyor belt 11 transporting a sheet of Pitte bread 12 advances continuously to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. At the start of a cycle as shown in Figure 1 the piston 20 descends to lower the whole applicator 10 so that the nozzle consisting of the base plate 28 formed within which is the mould opening 29 contacts the Pitte bread with light pressure. The pump is activated by the computer to supply a predetermined amount of a sauce filler 33 which passes through the dosing tube 17 into the mould opening 29 where it lies on the sheet of Pitte bread 12. As the conveyor belt 11 advances continuously, the piston 24 retracts to the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings at the same speed as the conveyor belt causing by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the left along the valve tap 13 with the nozzle still lightly contacting the Pitte bread 12 while the filling 33 is moulded to the contours of the mould opening 29. When the moulding is completed at the position shown in Figure 2, the sensor 22 is activated by the end of the piston 24 and sends a signal to the computer which activates the piston 20 to ascend to raise the whole applicator 10 to a height sufficient for the nozzle to be lifted clear of the moulded filling 33 and then the piston 24 moves to the right in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings to cause, by means of its connection to the lug 31, the valve house 14 to slide to the right along the valve tap 13 to the position shown in Figure 1 where a new cycle is commenced by the piston 20 descending to lower the whole applicator. Moulded fillings 33 are thus dosed consecutively onto the Pitte bread at high speed e.g. 40 cycles per minute, and with great accuracy. There are thus very few moving parts of the applicator according to this invention and the shape, thickness and amount of filling may be varied easily by replacing the valve house with one having a mould opening with different dimensions.

Claims: An applicator (10) for dosing a layer of filling (33) onto a substrate (12) travelling on a continuously moving conveyor (11) comprising, a conveyor (11), a nozzle (28) having a mould opening (29) in its lower surface and provided with a means for supplying a filling (33) into the the mould opening (29), means for reciprocating the nozzle (28) and horizontally in the direction of travel of the conveyor (11) characterised in that the applicator is adapted to dose the filling (33) onto the substrate while the latter is travelling in a straight line, and in that means are further provided for reciprocating the nozzle (28) vertically above the conveyor, such that in one cycle, a) the nozzle (28) descends so that the border of the mould opening (29) contacts a substrate (12) travelling on the conveyor (11), b) the filling (33) is fed into the mould opening (29), c) the nozzle (28) advances downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor (11) with the filling (33) in the mould opening (29) lying on the substrate (12), d) the nozzle (28) ascends leaving the moulded filling (33) forming a layer on the substrate (12), and e) the nozzle (28) retracts upstream to its original position. An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the nozzle (28) comprises a valve house (14) whose lower surface is a base plate (28) formed within which is a mould opening (29). An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the means for supplying a filling (33) to the nozzle (28) and the means for reciprocating the nozzle are fitted to a valve tap (13) to which the nozzle (28) is slidably fitted so that it may reciprocate horizontally along the valve tap (13) while the nozzle (28) and the valve tap (13) are adapted to reciprocate vertically together. An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the means for supplying the filling (33) to the nozzle (28) is a dosing tube (17) connected to a supply of the filling (33) and a pump for supplying the filling (33). An applicator (10) according to claim 4 wherein the pump is adapted to supply a predetermined amount of the filling (33). An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle vertically and horizontally is provided by pneumatic cylinders (18, 21). An applicator (10) according to claim 6 wherein a sensor (22) to indicate the completion of the moulding is provided on the cylinder (21) for reciprocating the nozzzle (28) horizontally. An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle (28) vertically ensures that in the descended position, the nozzle (28) contacts the substrate (12) lightly so as not to substantially distort the shape of the substrate (12). An applicator (10) according to claim 1 wherein the means for reciprocating the nozzle (28) vertically ensures that in the raised position, the nozzle (28) no longer contacts the filling (33). A process for dosing a layer of filling (33) onto a substrate (12) travelling along a straight line on a continuously moving conveyor (11) which comprises advancing a substrate (12) on a conveyor (11) beneath a nozzle (28) having a mould opening (29) in its lower surface, descending the nozzle (28) so that the border of the mould opening (29) contacts the substrate (12) travelling on the conveyor (11), feeding a filling (33) into the mould opening (29), advancing the nozzle (28) downstream at substantially the same speed as the conveyor (11) transporting the substrate (12) with the filling (33) in the mould opening (29) lying on the substrate (12), raising the nozzle (28) to leave the moulded filling (33) forming a layer on the substrate (12), and retracting the nozzle (28) upstream to its original position.

Inventors: MILOHANIC SLOBODAN, MILOHANIC, SLOBODAN
Applicants: FRISCO FINDUS AG, FRISCO-FINDUS AG
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A21C15
IPC codes: A21C15, A23G3, A21C9