Patent GB-894448-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines for cooking crumpets and like hotplate goods
IPC: A21B5/02
Filed: 1959-04-14
Abstract: 894,448. Crumpet, meat pie and the like making machines. DE JERSEY, A. L. April 14, 1959 [April 16, 1958], No. 12692/59. Class 28 (1). [Also in Group XXX] In a machine for making crumpets and the like, an endless conveyer with transverse hotplates has a horizontal upper stretch to support mould ring plates in which crumpet batter or the like is cooked which, at the discharge end of the conveyer are elevated in succession to the end of an overhead track means along which they are propelled back to the leading end of the conveyer where they are deposited in succession on to the conveyer again. As shown, endless conveyer chains 20 are carried on sprocketwheels 21 whose shafts are mounted in a frame which also carries guide-rails 19. The ends of hot-plates 2 are connected to the chains 20, which are driven intermittently by an electric or other motor through mechanism including a Geneva-stop wheel 22. The hot plates are heated by banks of gas jets 27 and each receives a mould ring plate 4 from a magazine 5 as it arrives at the upper stretch 3 of the conveyer. Plates 4, which may include a series of rings, have lugs 28 at both ends. Magazine 5 comprises a pair of channel members 29 which receive the lugs 28 of plates 4 as they are supported in a stack by spring-loaded pawls 30 pivoted to side plates 31 extending from members 29. Pawls 30 can be moved apart by a toggle member 32 slidably mounted on vertical rods 33 mounted on the outer faces of members 29. Rocker arms 34 are rocked by finger members 35 on links 36 connected to secondary rocker members 37 whose opposite ends are connected by links to rods 33 each of which has a foot member 39. These members 39 engage the bottom of the stack when pawls 30 are moved apart and then lower the bottommost plate 4 on to the hot plate, pawls 30 returning automatically to engage the next plate 4. Arms 37 are rocked by pivoted bellcrank levers 40 connected at one end to link 36 and carrying a cam 41 at its other end to engage a cam 42 on a continuously rotating shaft 43. A plate 47 is reciprocated in timed relationship with the conveyer, to elevate successive mould ring plates from the discharge end of the upper stretch of the conveyer, by rods 51 linked to one end of a bell-crank lever 49, carried on a pivoted rocker-shaft 50, whose other end is pivoted to a reciprocating bar 52. A roller on bar 52 engages a cam-plate 53 on a transverse driven shaft 54. The plate 47 separates a pair of spring-loaded pawls 45 to receive successive plates 4 at the bottom of the stack in magazine 8. The overhead track consists of spaced rails 57 which support plates 4 as they are carried along by projecting members 58, carried on intermittently moved beams 59, which engage the lugs 28 on plates 4. The beams 59 are moved forwards and downwards and backwards and up by bell-crank levers 61 thereon and connected at one end by links 60 to rails 57 and at the other end to lever arms 62 carried on chain-driven spindles 63 which make one complete revolution for each intermittent movement of conveyer 1. A reciprocating member 69 pushes the top plate 4 of the stack in magazine 8 on to the rails 57. Crumpet batter is deposited from mechanism 72, e.g. a hopper and valve assembly, and a crumpet browning means 73 is provided, e.g. a heat reflector with gas jets. The crumpet separating mechanism comprises scraping blades carried on pivoted lever arms. Above rails 57 there is a cleaning and oiling mechanism 74 for the rings which comprises rotary cleaning and oiling brush members carried by arms connected to shafts with toothed pinions geared to a common drive-shaft and adapted to be lowered and raised in synchronism with the intermittent movement of plates 4. The machine may be used for making meat or custard pies, means being provided for lining the rings with pastry and placing the filling therein. Specification 859,102 is referred to.