Patent GB-500970-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to transporting goods from a chocolate coating or like machine
IPC: A23G7/00
Filed: 1937-08-19
Abstract: 500,970. Endless - chain conveyers. BAKER PERKINS, Ltd., TUNLEY, A. A., PRESCOTT, W. E.; and ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS A SAVY, JEANJEAN, ET CIE. Aug. 19, 1937, No. 22730. [Class 78 (i)] In apparatus for conveying chocolate-coated goods, or other confectionery, to or from a setting, cooling or conditioning stage upon plaques or paper sheets supported upon the trays of an endless conveyer, the trays each with an associated plaque are passed through a charging station where the plaques receive the coated goods while being drawn over a knife edge or head below which the tray passes. Each tray 7, Fig. 2, is provided with trunnions 14 into which take pins 15 carried by the conveyer chains 1, and with shorter trunnions 16, 17. An upwardly directed arm 18 at the front of each tray supports a plaque bar or tube mounting 19. The plaque bar or tube 20, Fig. 3, is connected detachably to the mounting 19 by means of a ball 24 at one end and a spring- pressed bolt 27 at the other. The tube 20 is connected to its plaque by inserting a loop 22 on the plaque 8, Fig. 4, into a longitudinal slot 21 and passing a bar 23 through the-loop. The relative positions taken up by a plaque 8 and its tray 7 as they approach and recede from a charging station 13 are shown in Figs. 1a and 5, which figures show the machine from opposite sides. As the plaque is drawn over the knife edge 30 from a hanging position to a horizontal one on the supporting table 31, the trays are arranged at a right or other convenient angle to their direction of travel. As a tray approaches the station with the plaque beneath it and supported by a plate 29, the trunnions 14, 17 engage the inclined part 48 of a weighted and pivoted switch member 46. The trunnions 14 pass below the member 46 and prevent it from tilting as the trunnions 17 ride up the incline 48. In consequence the trunnions 16 are raised on to the lower end 28a of a guide rail 28, and as they travel up the main part of the guide, the trunnions 14 pass round the guide wheel 49 and up the vertical part 50 of their path. From this vertical path the trunnions 14 pass on to a curve 52, and as they do so, the trunnions 16 are moved positively around a correspondingly curved part 28b of the guide on to a track 32 by means of dogs 53 on an endless chain 33. Since the plaque 8 must be brought close to the enrober conveyer 2 when articles are to be fed to it, the knife edge 30 is pivotally mounted, and means are provided to move it aside in order to permit the passage of the mounting 19. The knife edge 30 is mounted in a bracket 56 by trunnions 54, 55, Fig. 6, one of which is provided with an arm 57 having a sliding engagement with a rocking arm 58 free on a shaft 65, but normally secured to a pivoted cam lever 59 to rock therewith. The lever 59 is actuated by a roller 60 on an endless chain 61. In order that the arm 18 may pass the knife edge, the latter is made in two parts which separate laterally through the agency of the cam lever 59 and levers 64 secured to the shaft 65. Each lever 64 is connected by a rod 67 and universal couplings 68, 69 to one arm 66 of a bell-crank lever. The other arm 70 of this lever is pivoted to a shoe 71 engaging between collars 73 on the trunnions 54. At the discharge end of the cooling chamber, the plaques and trays pass on opposite sides of a table 40, Fig. 1c, in order that they may separate to allow the plaques to pass downwardly over an oscillating head 82 adjacent to the receiving conveyer 11. This head is constructed and actuated in a manner somewhat similar to the head 30. Pivoted switch members 104, 105, Figs. 1b and 13, are provided within the cooling chamber 10 for maintaining the trays level as they pass the turning points. These switch members are engaged by the trunnions 16, 17 while the trunnions 14 pass around the sprockets 106. The sprockets 106 and switches 104, 105 are mounted on plate members 11 which are adjustable by screws 112 for tensioning the chains 1. As the loaded plaques and trays enter the cooling chamber, they move upwardly along an inclined path 120, Fig. 1b, in which they are maintained level by the engagement of the trunnions 16 with rails 121 along which they are moved by dogs 123 on an endless chain 122. A switch member 124 similar to the switch 46, Fig. 5, lifts the trunnions on to the lower end of the rail. In a modification which permits the use of longer trays and plaques, the trays are formed in two parts 125, 126, Fig. 18, connected by a hinge 127 and having trunnions 14, 16, 17 of three different lengths. Means are provided on' the return run of the system for folding the trays so that they approach the receiving station 13 with the tail portion uppermost.