Abstract:
A method and apparatus for reducing starch loss in mogul machines. Starch is lowered below the tray edge such that starch does not spill over the tray side walls when cavities are stamped into the starch for receiving liquefied candy material. The leveling device may include a brush and a resilient plastic blade. The leveling device recycles starch into a collection hopper.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the art of food manufacturing, and more particularly relates to machines for manufacturing starch molded products also commonly known as mogul machines. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mogul machines have been used for many years in the manufacture of starch molded products such as pectin, gelantine, agar, agar-based jellies, gummies, liquorice, fondant, cream, marshmallow foam, and other similar materials. Many of these products are commonly referred to as candy. Mogul machines may also be used for depositing liqueur. 
     The typical process for making these forms of candy or other starch molded products include dumping starch into trays, stamping cavities in the starch, pumping a liquefied candy mixture into the cavities, curing of the candy to allow it to sufficiently harden (e.g. drying), and then separating the candy from the starch. While the above process results in high volume production of candy, it has drawbacks. One problem that has existed for years since the existence of mogul machines is that a large amount of starch is lost when the cavities are stamped into the tray full of starch, particularly during subsequent movement of the tray and vibrations which can cause starch to spill over the top wall of the tray. This can translate into a loss thousands of dollars of year for candy manufacturers. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an objective of the present invention to reduce the starch loss in mogul machines due to the stamping of cavities into the starch. 
     In that regard it is an further objective to reduce starch loss while maintaining speed and quality of starch molded products for economic feasibility. 
     In accordance with these and other objectives, the present invention is directed toward a method of reducing starch loss by lowering the level of starch below the tray edge. According to the method, the tray is first filled with starch. The tray has a horizontally extending base and a vertically extending peripheral border wall containing starch in the tray. The border wall has a top edge. The starch is then leveled in the tray to a level below the top edge. Then, a plurality of cavities a formed into the starch which are then filled with liquefied starch molded mixture (e.g. liquefied candy). The liquefied starch molded mixture is then cured (e.g. dried) to form the starch molded products such as candy. The starch molded products are then separated from the starch. 
     The present invention is also direct toward a mogul machine for manufacturing a plurality of starch molded products. The mogul machine uses a plurality of trays that hold starch. Each tray has a horizontally extending base and a vertically extending peripheral border wall containing starch in the tray. A conveyor mechanism conveys the trays with the top edge of the tray situated at a first vertical height. A starch depositor disposed along the conveyor mechanism deposits starch into the trays. A starch leveler (comprising at least one resilient member with a bottom leveling edge) levels the starch to a second vertical height below the first vertical height. The resilient member is sufficiently resilient to deflect past the top edge of the tray without damage to the tray or the resilient member. A recycling hopper is disposed underneath the starch leveler to catch starch removed by the starch leveler. After leveling of starch, the trays pass through a stamping station where a stamping plate stamps cavities into starch in the tray. The trays then pass through a pumping station that pumps liquefied starch molded product into cavities. 
     The present invention also directed toward an apparatus for reducing starch loss in a mogul machine that can be used on an existing mogul machine as a retrofit or used in a new mogul machine. The apparatus comprises a pair of mounts for mounting to the mogul machine. The mounts are mounted to the mogul machine in spaced apart relation a distance greater than a width of the conveyor mechanism but less than an overall width of the mogul machine. A pair of support posts project vertically from the mounts such that the posts extend vertically above the conveyor mechanism when the mounts are mounted to the mogul machine. A cross support extends horizontally between the posts and is supported by the posts. An elongate blade is mounted to the cross support and extends vertically downwardly from the cross support. An elongate brush is also mounted to the cross support and extends vertically downwardly from the cross support in spaced relation to the elongate blade. 
     Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a mogul machine. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of a starch leveler for use on a mogul machine such as that illustrated in FIG. 1 with part of the mogul machine frame and conveyor carrying a tray illustrated. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the brush of the starch leveler illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the resilient leveling blade of the starch leveler illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the starch leveler illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a cross section of the starch leveler of FIG. 2 illustrated in operation on an exemplary tray of starch. 
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention has been depicted as starch leveler  20  as illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 incorporated into a mogul machine  22  as illustrated in FIG.  1 . Referring to FIG. 1, the mogul machine  22  includes multiple stations through which a plurality of trays  24  travel in order to make starch molded products such as candy. For purposes of reference, the disclosed mogul machine  20  includes generally the following stations/systems: a tray feeder  26 , a conveyor mechanism  28 , a starch and candy dumping mechanism  30 , a starch separation and reclamation system  32 , a starch depositor  34 , a starch leveler  20 , a candy cavity stamping station  38 , one or more candy pumping stations  40 , a tray stacker  41  and a bottom tray return conveyor  39 . Although one particular form of a mogul machine  22  is disclosed, other mogul machine configurations are known. As such, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable across all mogul machines which can be used to stamp or print cavities into starch and fill the cavities with liquefied candy material. 
     In operation, trays  24  containing cured (or dried) candy and starch from a previous run are stacked in a vertical stack  42  proximate the tray feeder  26 . The tray feeder  26  takes individual trays  24  and feeds them onto the conveyor mechanism  28 . The disclosed conveyor mechanism  28  is divided into two sections comprising an upstream intermittent belt conveyor  44  and a downstream controlled movement belt conveyor  46  (although belt conveyors are illustrated it will be appreciated that other conveyor mechanisms such as walkers common in other mogul machines may also be used). The cured candy and starch in each tray  24  is first dumped at the dumping station  30  where a rotating tumbler  48  may be used to separate starch from candy. Starch is separated and reclaimed in the starch separation and reclamation system  32  where starch is recovered in a collection hopper  52 . After the trays  24  are dumped, the now empty trays  24  are moved downstream to the starch depositor  34 . The starch depositor  34  deposits starch into the individual trays  24 . The depositor  34  also preferably measures the starch to get a rough level of starch in the tray close to the desired amount, typically just more than is necessary. The conveyor  44  then moves the trays  24  through a leveler  20  that levels the starch and then through a stamping station  38  that imprints a plurality of candy cavities into the starch. The stamping station  38  includes a vertically driven plate having a plurality of candy shaped molds projecting therefrom. The intermittent belt conveyor  44  then delivers the trays to the controlled motion belt conveyor  46 . The controlled motion belt conveyor  46  transfers trays through the one or more candy pumping stations  38  that fill the cavities will liquefied candy material. Thereafter, the conveyor  46  moves the trays now filled with starch and candy to the tray stacker  41  which stacks the trays in vertical stacks  54  for drying or curing the candy. 
     In accordance with the invention, the starch leveler  20  levels and lowers the starch in the tray  24  to a level  56  below the top edge  58  of the tray  56 , as can be best seen in FIG. 6 (see also FIG.  2 ). By lowering the starch in the tray  24  to the lower level  58 , the starch which is displaced vertically upward due to cavity formation at the stamping station  38  stays in the tray  24  displacing upwardly roughly to the top edge  58  and is not pushed up on top of the top edge  58  or otherwise does not substantially protrude above the top edge  58  such that the starch in the tray is not prone to spilling over onto the floor in large quantities due to tray movement and vibrations further downstream for example at the pumping stations  40 . 
     For purposes of reference, each tray  24  is generally rectangular including a border wall comprised of a leading wall  60 , and trailing wall  62 , and side walls  64  perpendicularly therebetween. The walls  60 ,  62 ,  64  project vertical upward from a horizontal support base  66  to form the top edge  58 . In the disclosed embodiment, the tops of all of the walls  60 ,  62 ,  64  lie in the same horizontal plane. 
     To lower the starch level in the disclosed embodiment, the starch leveler  20  includes resilient material such that it can deflect past the leading and trailing walls  60 ,  62  of the tray  24 . The starch leveler  20  includes two separate engaging devices including an elongate, resilient, plastic blade  68  and an elongate, resilient, plastic fiber brush  70 . The leveler  20  is mounted to the mogul machine frame  72  with a pair of mounts in the form of end flanges  74 , one on each side of the conveyor  28  or tray  24 . The end flanges  74  affix the starch leveler to the frame  72  in a stationary position. The end flanges  74  support a pair of support posts in the form of threaded rods  76 . The threaded rods  76  project vertically upward from the flanges  74  above the conveyor mechanism  28  to support a horizontally extending cross support  78 . The cross support  78  in turn is fastened to and supports both the blade  68  and the brush  70 . 
     The blade  68  leads the brush  68 . The blade  68  has a length that is shorter than the length between sidewalls  64  such that blade  68  fits inside the tray  24  perpendicularly between sidewalls  64  and below the tray top edge  58  in order to effectively scrape starch to the level  56  below the tray top edge  58 . In operation, the blade  68  engages and deflects past the leading wall  60  of the tray in order to enter the tray  24  with its bottom edge  80  below the tray top edge  58 . The blade  68  also engages and deflects past the trailing wall  62  in order to exit the tray  24  (and thereafter enter the next tray). While in the tray, the blade  68  scrapes and removes most of the desired starch material thereby effectively leveling starch below the tray top edge  58  and thereby reducing starch loss. 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the brush  70  performs a clean up operation to even better reduce starch loss. The brush  70  runs generally parallel to and behind the blade  68  to sweep up starch and smooth the starch further. In operation, the brush  70  engages and deflects past the leading wall  60  of the tray in order to enter the tray  24  with its bottom edge  82  below the tray top edge  58 . The brush  70  also engages and deflects past the trailing wall  62  in order to exit the tray  24 . In contrast to the blade  68 , however, the brush  70  is longer in length than distance between tray sidewalls  64  such that end portions  86  of the brush  70  engage and sweep starch from the tops of the sidewalls  64  that is left behind by the blade  68 . Starch removed by the blade  68  or brash  70  drops down via gravity into the underlying hopper  52  for collection and recycling. 
     The bottom edges  80 ,  82  of the blade  68  and brush  70  lie in parallel horizontal planes. The brush  70  is preferably just lower than the blade  68  by a couple of millimeters, typically anywhere from 0 to 3 millimeters. The exact spacing between the bottom edges  80 ,  82  can be adjusted by an adjustment mechanism in the form of oval slots  88  in the brush  70  (or alternatively in the blade) which allow for vertical adjustment before the brush  70  is locked into position by fasteners to the cross support  78 . Different vertical spacings between the bottom edges  80 ,  82  may be beneficial for different candy applications. 
     The starch leveler  20  also includes a vertical actuator mechanism  89  in the disclosed form of a handle nut  90  and knurled nut  92  engaging the threaded rods  76  to support and position the cross support  78  vertically (and therefore the blade and brush vertically as well). The actuator mechanism  89  can be used to precisely set the heights of the blade  68  and brush  70  relative to the tray top edge  58 . The actually setting typically depends upon the depth of the candy to be imprinted into the starch as deeper imprints or more closely spaced imprints can displace greater amounts of starch. It has been found that setting the starch level  56  below the tray top edge  58  by an amount of between 2 and 6 millimeters has been most effective for most applications. The level  56  is set low enough so as to prevent starch from displacing over the tray during subsequent handling, but also high enough so that candy cavities properly form in the top of the starch at the stamping station  38 . When the machine  22  is changed from one candy pattern to a different candy pattern, the vertical actuator mechanism  89  may be used to optimize starch loss and the proper formation of candy cavities. 
     Although a stationary starch leveler  20  has been disclosed wherein trays are conveyed past the blade and the brush, the invention also contemplates a driven starch leveler as an alternative to lower the starch level below the tray top edge. 
     All of the references cited herein, including patents, patent applications, and publications, are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference. 
     The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Numerous modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.