Patent GB-901958-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to biscuit machines
Inventor: PATERSON JOHN CURRIE
IPC: A21C15/00
Filed: 1958-03-10
Abstract: 901,958. Endless belt conveyers for biscuits; step-by-step conveyers. BAKER PERKINS Ltd. June 10, 1959 [March 10, 1958], No. 7625/58. Class 78 (1). Biscuits arranged in a plurality of longitudinally extending rows on an endless oven belt 1 are maintained in alignment during transfer to a stacking rotor 5, which stacks them on edge on a plate 6, by apparatus comprising a shoot 2 which is mounted for movement along its entire length transversely of the belt and which carries rollers 14 adapted to engage the belt edges to maintain the alignment of the shoot with the belt. In one embodiment, Fig. 1, the shoot is supported at its lower end by balls 10 running in a groove in a stationary block 12 and engaging a groove in a block 8 secured to the shoot. The upper end of the shoot carries a scraper bar 7 formed by a number of sections arranged transversely and which rests on the belt 1. Also arranged on the shoot 2 are guide plates 15 which are held in position by the magnetic attraction of a magnet assembly 16 to allow of adjustment to suit different sizes of biscuits. The guide plates 15 are loosely connected to further guide plates 19 extending over a stacking conveyer 3 which comprises an an endless belt 17 adapted to receive the rows of biscuits from the shoot and to deliver them to the stacking rotor 5 via a shoot 4. Further guide plates 21 are loosely connected to the ends of guide plates 19 and extend over the shoot 4, around the rotor 5 and along the plate 6 to which they are held by the magnetic attraction of a magnet system 23. In a second embodiment, Fig. 2, the shoot 2 is both pivotable and axially slidable on a shaft 40 at its lower end and is supported intermediate its ends by a roller 44 on each side of the shoot engaging a plate 47 which is adjustable by a plunger and screw arrangement 48, 49 to position the plate 7 at the upper end of the shoot just clear of the belt 1. In another embodiment (Fig. 5, not shown), the shoot 2 is carried by two pairs of parallel links swingable in transverse planes. In a further embodiment, Fig. 7, a cooler conveyer belt 60 is interposed between the shoot 2 and the stacking conveyer 3, a second shoot 2<SP>1</SP> being used to transfer the biscuits from the belt 60 to the belt 17 of the stacking conveyer. In order to maintain alignment of the biscuits throughout, the belt 60 runs at each end through a block 64 carrying a pair of gripping rollers 67, 68 and a pair of rollers 71 which engage the belt edges, the block 64 being mounted for transverse movement to follow lateral movement of the belt 60 by balls 60 interposed between races on the block 64 and bearing surfaces 65. Blocks 64 are respectively connected each by a lug 70 to the shoots 2, 2<SP>1</SP> so that the latter follow the lateral movements of belt 60. Step-by-step conveyers.-In order that stacking rotor 5, Fig. 1A, can efficiently stack biscuits of different sizes the plate 6 on which the biscuits are stacked is pivoted at 36 so that the end next to the rotor can be adjusted in height by eccentric means 37 operated by handle 38 which can be locked in any one of three positions 39. Specifications 472,270 and 479,436 are referred to.