Patent GB-738185-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for making ice cream confections
Inventor: NELSON CHRISTIAN KENT
IPC: A23G9/28
Filed: 1953-02-09
Abstract: 738,185. Refrigerating. ESKIMO PIE CORPORATION. Feb. 9, 1953, No. 3649/53. Class 29. [Also in Groups V, VI, XXX and XL (b)] Ice cream and other frozen confections, which may be provided with sticks, are made in a continuous process by successively depositing portions 45 of partially frozen mix on a carrier 11 maintained at a temperature not higher than - 30‹ F. within a freezing chamber 1, moving the carrier through the chamber while subjecting the mix portions to refrigerating air, and discharging the confections at a degree of solidification which permits their handling without deformation. The chamber 1 contains five superposed endless belt conveyers 11 ... 15 driven in opposite directions, and the feed end of the uppermost conveyer 11 passes under the throat 37 of a pipe 38 leading from a continuous ice-cream freezer. The ice-cream stream emerging from the throat 37 in a plastic condition is of wedge-shape in cross-section and slices of the stream are cut off at intervals by heated wires 40 on curved arms 39 geared together at 41 and operated by a link 43 and eccentric 44. The slices 45 fall on to the belt 11 in spaced relation and due to the low temperature of the belt a congealed film is formed instantaneously at the belt-contacting surface and adherence of the confections to the belt is stated to be prevented. Brine coils 27 extend along each side of the freezing chamber and a blower 30 forces air cooled by refrigerator coils 29 through a series of ducts 34, 35 to all of the feed belts. Stick-inserting mechanism.-Near the other end of the uppermost belt 11 each confection 45 obstructs the beam of light from a lamp 56 falling on a photoelectric cell 57 to energize a solenoid 52 which through a rod 54 actuates a plunger 48E to drive a wooden stick 48 from a pile 47 into the confection. A rotating wheel 68 engages the other end of the confection to provide resistance, and the speed of the plunger 48E is such that the position of the confection on the belt is not disturbed. Upon of the confection beyond the beam, the circuit of the solenoid 52 is opened and a spring 55 returns the plunger 48E to its initial position in which the lowermost stick 48 drops into it ready for the next actuation. At the end of the first belt 11 the sticks are received and gripped between two narrow endless belts 72 led over pulleys 70, 71 and 10E and tensioned by spring-pressed pulleys 93, 94, the pulley 10E lying adjacent the main belt pulley, so that the confections are fed to the second belt 12 reversed as to face of contact. Similar arrangements are provided at alternate ends of the other belts, and from the lowermost belt 15 the confections fall upon a mesh belt 98, Fig. 5, leading to an enrober 130. Enrobing.-The sticks are gripped between narrow belts 99, 100 and carry the confections, resting on mesh belts 98, 98E moving at the same speed, beneath the nozzle 130 of the enrober to which liquid chocolate is pumped from a sump 131. Between the mesh belts 98, 98E a shaft 125 applies chocolate to the bottom surfaces of the confections. The coated confections are discharged by a belt 133 into a chill room 134.