Patent GB-321576-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in feeding mechanism for confectionery machines
IPC: A23G7/00
Filed: 1928-12-03
Abstract: 321,576. Marks, Sir G. C., (National Equipment Co.). Dec. 3, 1928, Ratchet and like step-bystep conveyers and elevators. - In a device for feeding confections to a confectionery machine, such as a coating machine, depositor &c. in longitudinally spaced, transversely alined rows, a series of feeding members is arranged with the delivery end of one adjacent the receiving end of the succeeding one and the members are given a back and forth movement so as to transfer the confections in single rows from one member to the next, stop members being arranged between the feedmembers and actuated so is to project into the feeding path while the members are moving backwards to aline the confections and removed from the path while the members are moving forwards. The confections are contained in a hopper 68, Fig. 1<a> and are transferred to a belt 60 which is moved intermittently in one direction only by a roller 63, ratchet 72, pawl 73 and a lever 74 oscillated by a link 76, bell-crank 77 and a link 78 which is actuated through a lever 79 from a cam-oscillated shaft 27. The lever 74 is slotted at 75 to permit variation of the stroke of the pawl 73. The upper part of the belt passes over a table 61, the table and hopper being vibrated transversely by lever and crank mechanism 69, 70. The confections are spaced into longitudinal rows by guides 67 and the forward end of the belt 60 is adjustable vertically and horizontally by screws 65, 66. The confections pass in single rows from the belt 60 to the reciprocating feeding members which consist of belts 10, Fig. 6, passing over horizontal tables 12 and attached to rollers 15 by radial screws rotatable in the rollers and screwing in bars which are let into longitudinal grooves of the rollers and engage the ends of the belt. The rollers are oscillated by pinions 21, Figs. 1<a> and 2, on their shafts meshing with a rack 22 sliding in guides 24 of the side frame 13 and reciprocated by a lever 26, shaft 27, link 29 and a cam 31, Figs. 1<a> and 4 on the shaft 30. Between the feeding belts 10 are the vertical stop members 11 attached by transverse bars 39 to longitudinal bars 40 mounted on links 41 secured to shaft 42, 43, the former of which is oscillated by a lever 44, link 45 and a cam on the shaft 30 similar to the cam 31. The cams are arranged so that the belts 10 travel through a ,distance x, Fig. 6, greater than the length of the tables 12 and the stops 11 are held stationary in the top position shown while the belts are moving rearwardly, are moved downwardly out of the path of the confections b while the belts are stationary, remain in the lower position while the belts advance, and are moved upwardly before, the belts begin their rearward movements. In this way the confections are advanced step by step and are alined in transverse rows at each step. The confections are spaced into longitudinal rows by guides 52 having recesses 53 to receive the stops 11 and secured to transverse bars 54 supported by brackets 55 on the side frames 13. The bars 54 are slotted and receive screw clamps 58 to secure the guides in any laterally adjusted position. The confections pass from the last belt 11 to the operating machine, that shown in Figs. 1<b> and 6 consisting of a depositor D which may be actuated in the manner described in Specification 17858/15 [Class 80 (ii), Gearing, Variable-speed &c.]. The confections are received on a belt 93 passing over the upper surface of a table 94 and guided by rollers 100, 101, the former being pivoted to side frames 84 secured to the machine frame f and the latter to brackets 96 fixed to the end of the table and pivoted on the shaft 97 which carries the roller 99 for actuating the belt 93. This arrangement permits the table and belt to be oscillated about the shaft 97 to bring the confections up to nozzles n, the oscillation being in timed relation with the feeding movements and being caused by adjustable links 104 pivoted at 103 to the table and actuated by cams 106 carried by a shaft 105. The shaft 105 is rotated by a chain 107 from a shaft s which operates the depositor pump and also drives the cam shaft 30 through bevel gearing 83 and a shaft 80. The belt 93 is moved intermittently in one direction only by a ratchet 108, pawl 110, lever 109, link 111, and a lever 115 on the shaft 105. The cams are arranged so that the belt 93 begins its rising movement immediately after the belts 10 have come to rest at the end of a feeding stroke and falls during the interval when the belts 10 are completing their rearward movements and the stop members 11 are falling. The link 111 is attached to its actuating lever 115 by an adjustable lost-motion connection 114 so that the belt 93 will continue to advance after it has started to rise and the advancing movement is limited to an extent slightly greater than that of the last belt 10. When applied to a confection coating machine, the driving roller for the last belt 10 is situated below the preceding roller and is driven from one of the previous rollers by a chain and sprockets, the belt passing over guide rollers and a plate which extends into the coating machine. The side frames 13 of the feeding apparatus are spaced apart and secured to channel bars 84, by screwed rods 88, 85 and nuts, and the bars 84 are fastened to the frames f of the operating machine by brackets 90 thereon slidable vertically on the frames f for adjustment by screws 92. The num. ber of feeding belts 10 may be varied, a large number being preferred in order to allow the operator to inspect and replace, if necessary, the confections as they pass to the machine, but one belt only may be used if desired.