Patent GB-433386-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for making pies
IPC: A21C9/06
Filed: 1934-03-02
Abstract: 433,386. Pie - moulding machines. MORETON, W., Shandon, London Road, Leicester. March 2, 1934, No. 6745. [Class 87 (ii)] In a machine for moulding pie casings wherein dough is worked to shape in a mould 3 by a moulding- member such as a roller 4, means are provided for effecting relative axial movement, relative rotary movement and continuous lateral relative to-and-fro movement of the moulding-member and the mould. The mould 3 may comprise a base 3a and hinged half sections 3<b> secured by a bolt. The mould is detachably mounted as by pins 64 on a turntable 2 rotatable with a shaft 6 mounted in a frame 8. An electric motor 9 carried by the frame 8 drives the shaft 6 to rotate the mould. In use, the roller 4 is introduced into the mould and moved against one side, the mould may be simply rotated or may rotate and also have lateral movement as for oval pies. The lateral movement and variation in its amplitude according to the size of the mould are effected by means of cams 11, 11<a> on the shaft 6, each adapted to be selectively engaged by rollers 15 on radial arms 14 on a selector shaft 13 mounted on the machine frame 1. There are round cams 11 where only rotation is desired and oval cams 11<a> where lateral movement also is required. The frame 8 is moved laterally by the oval cams and returned by a spring 16. The position of the shaft 13 is adjusted by worm gearing from a shaft 18 and handle 20, also operating a disc 21 moving past a fixed pointer so as to indicate the selection. The shaft 18 is held in adjusted position by a poppet pin. After the pie casing is formed in the mould, meat is inserted, a lid placed on and pressed in by a die 5. The roller 4 and die 5 are carried respectively on plunger rods 72, 73, Fig. 7, carried on swinging arms 66, 67 mounted on a fixed upright 43. The arms 66, 67 are operated by hand levers 68, 69 pivoted on axes 70, 71 and having counterweights 76. The roller is first swung over the mould, lowered and moved slightly laterally. The movement is guided by a roller 77 engaging a horizontal rail 78 and moving down a vertical groove 79, the lower end 79<a> thereof is inclined. The groove is formed in a bracket 80 which is adjustably set according to the size of mould as by screws 82 and also by worm gearing from a handle 92 having a pin 91 engaging holes 90 in a disc 89. The roller 4 and rod 72 are rotated by worm gearing from an electric motor 94. The swing- ing arm 67 is similarly guided, a roller 181 engaging a rail 178 and groove 179 which is wholly vertical. The position of the groove can be adjusted by mechanism from a handle 185 which also operates a scale moving past a fixed pointer. The die 5 comprises a lower die part 156 mounted for universal movement on a carrier 157 detachably mounted on the rod 73 as by headed bolts. The lower part 156 comprises a central boss 158 for pressing down the lid and a flange 159 which trims off surplus material. The carrier is secured to the rod by a rotational movement wherein the headed bolts engage notches 170 on a flange 169. The arrangement is such that the operator can use both hands for removal of the carrier. The turntable 2 is arrested by a brake which may act on the motor spindle 32 and the brake and a switch controlling current for the motors are controlled from a pivoted pallet 34 operated through movement of the swing arm 66 on the upright 43. The pallet 34 is normally held raised by a spring 35 but on swinging the arm 66, a roller thereon engages the pallet and presses it down. This releases a trigger to permit rotation of a shaft 33 to operate mechanism for making the motor switch and releasing the brake. After moulding,when the arm 66 is swung back, the pallet is released, but does not rise fully owing to the position of the trigger, but sufficiently to stop the motor. The turntable rotates until the mould is positioned with the hinge to the rear when a roller engages a notch on a cam on the shaft 6, the trigger is moved and the pallet rises to its full position and so puts on the brake. The switch comprises a pivoted bridge 55 working in mercury cups 53 and provided with a counterweight 57. The brake comprises shoes 29 engaging a drum 31 on the spindle 32 ; the shoes being held together by a spring 30 and forced apart by a cam. Provision is made for continuously coating the roller 4 on the dough paste with flour during moulding. The flour is contained in a holder 108<a> rotating within a container 105 and having a gauze bottom 128 whereon a thin film of flour is maintained by a scraper 129. Air from bellows 131 is blown into the container by a pipe 130 below the gauze and flour is thus forced up through a nozzle leading to pipes 143, 145 leading to a point adjacent the roller 4. The holder 108<a> is rotated by ratchet and pawl mechanism operated from a cam on the shaft 6 and the bellows are operated by levers from a cam on the shaft 6. The bellows may be replaced by a rotary blower. A second air pressure pipe 155 may also be provided and connected to the top of the nozzle. According to the Provisional Specification all the cams may be circular and the shaft 13 mounted on a bracket which is laterally reciprocated for making oval pies. The bracket may be reciprocated by an eccentric or crank on a vertical shaft rotated from the turntable shaft by an intermediate horizontal telescopic shaft. A clutch is operated from a control cam on the selector shaft to put the eccentric out of action. The reciprocating frame may have horizontal rods sliding in guides or carry rollers running on horizontal girders or rails, the rollers being adjustable in height, or the frame may be supported on and reciprocated by levers pivoted to horizontal bars and rocked in a slightly arcuate path.