A DEVICE FOR FIXEDLY HOLDING JUGS AND SIMILAR CUPS

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fixedly holding jugs and similar cups (12) of disposable type in an apparatus for filling the cup with soft ice-cream and a similar mass. The device is, according to the invention, provided with an easily removable agitator spoon (20) of disposable type, which is rotated by the device when the cup is fixedly holded between a top guide wall and a bottom guide wall (2, 4) resiliently biased towards each other, and two arms (6, 7) that are resiliently biased towards each other and have arc-shaped clamping surfaces (10, 11) pressed against diametrically opposed wall portions of the cup (12) slightly beneath its opening edge. Moreover, the top guide wall is provided with a U-shaped opening (16), which extends to a side edge of the guide wall and permits withdrawal of the cup from the device together with the agitator spoon (20) left in the cup.

Description: A device for fixedly holding jugs and similar cups. The present invention relates to a device for fixedly holding jugs and similar cups of disposable type in an apparatus for filling the cup with a viscous mass, like soft ice-cream, and agitating the mass in the cup with a rotary agitating means having an agitator spoon sticking down into the mass. Devices of this type are known, which have a holding means, in which the cup can be positioned during a first working operation, that is filling the cup with soft ice-cream. During a second working operation, that is a rotary agitating of the soft ice-cream together with a surface layer of coloured sprinkling powder or similar powder by means of a rotary agitating means, the cup has to be hold firmly by hand. This is the case also when the agitator spoon has to be pulled up from the mass. This is in practice time consuming, because during the time filling and agitating is performed there are other working operations to be carried out, like serving customers in a rationally operated refreshment room. The object of the invention is to achieve a device of the initially mentioned type comprising a means for holding the cups, which means prevents the cup from being turned around during the agitating, and which means presents a better result than that obtained by the known devices. According to the invention, this is obtained by providing a device that is characterized as set forth in the following claim 1. The device comprises the two essentially horizontal guide surfaces between which it is possible to push in the vertically fixed cup between the two arms that are movable towards each other under the influence of a spring force, which arms have arc-shaped clamping surfaces that are pressed towards opposite sides of the cup just beneath its opening, i.e. where the diameter is at its largest. Hence, the arms are capable of preventing the cup from rotating during the rotary agitating without applying a clamping force large enough for causing a risk of deformation of the cup. To cause a stiffening of the open top part of the cup, it is preferable to provide the cup with the easily removable cap of disposable type set forth in claim 2. It has proved difficult, after the rotary agitating, to remove the agitating spoon without leaving a cavity in the mass and causing an unfavourable appearance of the surface of the soft ice-cream. Hence, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening of the top guide wall is U-shaped and open against the front edge of the guide wall, as set forth in claim 3, and the agitator spoon is designed as a disposable spoon, which is easily removable from the agitating means and which is permitted to be left in the mass in the cup during the feeding out from the device. The arms designed resiliently biased towards each other are preferably characterized in accordance with claim 4 to facilitate the feeding in and feeding out of the cup between the guide surfaces. The invention is explained more in detail in the following with reference to the attached drawing, which schematically discloses, by way of example, an ernbodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, Figure 2 is a plan view, and Figure 3 is a plan view of a part showing one of the arms with an arc-shaped clamping surface. Fig.l of the drawing discloses the device with a back wall 1 to which a top guide wall 2 is attached. The underside of the top guide wall forms a top guide surface 3. A bottom guide wall 4 is resiliently attached to said back wall, and the upper surface of said bottom guide wall forms a bottom guide surface 5. Outside the side edges of top guide 2, which side edges are folded downwards, two arms 6,7 are attached movable towards each other under the action of a spring force. The arms are provided with clamping means 8,9 with arc-shaped clamping surfaces 10,11 adapted to the diameter of a cup 12 slightly beneath its opening edge. A frame 13 is attached to the top guide wall 2, which frame extends downwards and with a bottom part 14 is positioned beneath the bottom guide wall 4. The downwards directed parts of the frame 13 are connected to a rod 15, which forms a stop means for a cup 12 pushed in between the guide walls 2,4. Thus, the opening of the cup 12 will be positioned straight under the inner part of the U-shaped opening 16 of the top guide wall 2, as shown in Fig.2. There it is fixedly positioned in lateral direction between the two clamping means 8,9 of the arms, which have yielded a bit out from the side edges of the top guide wall 2. The shape of the clamping means 8,9 is shown in more detail in Fig.3. The clamping surfaces 10,11 are preferably corrugated, and the clamping means 8,9 are attached to the end portions of folded parts of the arms 6,7 by rivets 17, such that the central portions of the clamping means 8,9 are imparted a certain movability. Because the clamping means are intended to prevent turning of the cup 12 at the agitation of a viscous mass 19 filled through a feeding tube 18 of an apparatus not shown by an agitating spoon 20 attached to a rotary shaft end 21 of the apparatus not shown, the clamping means have to impart a certain press power against the cup 12. In order to prevent the cup 12 from the risk of being deformed it may sometimes be preferable to provide the cup with a cap 22 having a large central opening 23 before the introduction of the cup into the device. The cup 12 with the cap 22 is intended to be pushed into the device between the two guide surfaces 3,5, and simultaneously the bottom guide wall 4 is yielding a bit downwards. At the same time the arms 6,7 with the clamping means 8,9 are yielding a bit outwards. In order to facilitate the feeding in of the cup, the front parts 24 of the clamping means 8,9 are preferably provided with a surface of low friction , for instance a folded down, curved portion 24 of the respective arm 6,7, which are made of rustproof steel. When the cup is stopped against the rod 15, the opening 23 of the cap is positioned in the U-shaped opening 16. An agitator spoon 20 made of plastics is put down into the cup 12 and is attached with the upper part to the shaft end 21. Then a viscous mass of soft ice-cream 19 is filled into the cup from the feeding tube 18. A motor, not shown, is started and rotates the shaft end 21 and the spoon 20, such that the soft ice-cream is agitated, and a portion of coloured sprinkling powder fed down is forming a decorative helical streak on the surface of the ice-cream before the rotation of the shaft end 21 is stopped. Then the spoon 20 is disconnected from the shaft end 21 and is left in the cup when the cup is pulled out from the device, after which the cap 22 is removed and the cup with the spoon, which has a suitable form for being used as a spoon, can be handed over to the customer. The invention is of course not restricted to the embodiment here shown and described by way of example but can be modified in a plurality of ways within the scope of the invention defined by the claims. If a cap of disposable type is used, it is suitable to provide the cap with a stiff, interior or exterior flange extending down in the cup to stiffen the wall of the cup alongside the area where the clamping surfaces are pressed against the cup. Since a certain precision is necessary at the pressing of the clamping surfaces, and cups of slightly different heights might be used, it is preferable to arrange the bottom guide wall 4 as the resilient guide wall. As an alternative it is also possible to arrange the feeding down of the viscous mass through the shaft of the agitator spoon, which shaft for practical reasons and structural strength reasons suitably is tubular. Further, the legs of the U-shaped opening in the top guide wall may be shorter than shown in the drawing, such that the shape of the opening becomes more like a semi circle.

Claims: C A I M S 1. A device for fixedly holding jugs and similar cups (12) of disposable type in an apparatus for filling the cup with a viscous mass (19), like soft ice-cream, and agitating the mass in the cup with a rotary agitating means (21) having an agitator spoon (20) sticking down into the mass, characterized in that the cup (12) is fixed in vertical direction between a top guide wall and a bottom guide wall (2,4), which guide walls are essentially horizontal, and at least one of which (4) is arranged resilient in vertical direction under the influence of a resilient means, and the cup is fixed in lateral direction by two resilient arms (6,7) biased towards each other and positioned slightly beneath the top guide wall (2) with two essentially arc-shaped clamping surfaces (10,11) that are pressed towards opposite sides of the cup (12), and the top guide wall (2) has an opening (16) through which filling of the mass is performed and through which the agitator spoon (20) extends down into the mass. 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cup (12) is provided with a disposable, easily removable cap (22) with a large central opening (23) in order to stiffen the opening portion of the cup during the agitating. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the opening (16) of the top guide wall (2) is U-shaped and open towards the front edge of the top guide wall, permitting outfeed from the device of the cup (12) together with the agitator spoon (20) stuck in the mass in the cup. 4. A device according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the clamping surfaces (10,11) of the arms (6,7) are designed with a high friction, but the outer ends of the arms designed with oblique surfaces (24) with low friction, which surfaces facilitate the insertion of the cup (12) between the arms biased towards each other.

Inventors: LING LARS, ULLERTEG MICHAEL, LING, LARS, ULLERTEG, MICHAEL
Applicants: LING ANN, LING LARS, ULLERTEG MICHAEL, ULLERTEG NADINE, LING, ANN, LING, LARS, ULLERTEG, MICHAEL, ULLERTEG, NADINE
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A23G9
IPC codes: A23G9