Patent GB-401133-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to machines for applying coatings to articles such as cream or the like to biscuits, cakes or the like
IPC: A23G3/20
Filed: 1933-01-05
Abstract: 401,133. Coating confectionery. KREMMLING, A., Hammerslehen, Oschersleben, Germany. Jan. 5, 1933, No. 429. [Class 28 (i).] In a machine for coating pastry, cakes, biscuits, &c., with coating material such as meringue, marshmallow, chocolate, or buttercream, the biscuits are held by vacuum means in coating-relationship with nozzles, which are preferably arranged for decorating movements in a horizontal plane and means are provided for severing the deposits from the nozzles at the end of the coating operation. As shown in Fig. 1, the biscuits are supported on ledges 20 on baking-tins or other supports 21 arranged in transverse rows. The supports are moved intermittently over a table 23 having side angles 19 on which the supports rest. The table 23 is raised vertically for the biscuits to receive deposits and is then lowered to break the deposits from the nozzles. Fig. 1 shows the table 23 in its raised position. In order that the biscuits may be pulled away from the nozzles, a vacuum device is applied to the undersides of the supports 23, the device comprising a manifold 41 having mouthpieces 43, preferably resilient, to engage the undersides of the supports. The manifold is carried by arms 40 pivoted at 39 to the table 23, and is oscillated by a rotary cam 46 to make and break the connection between the mouthpieces and the supports. Prior to the breaking of the connection, the suction is automatically shut off. In a modification, Fig. 4, the biscuits are moved towards the coating-position on a conveyer 147 and transferred therefrom on to a fixed suction-manifold 50 by a rising and falling and horizontally reciprocating bar 59 having notches in its front edge to align the biscuits correctly with the nozzles 4. The table 23 rises and falls as in the previously described construction, and the motions of the bar 59 relative thereto are effected by cams on a shaft 53 which act on rods 57 carrying the guides 58 for the bar 59, and by a crank pin 67 connected by an adjustable link 66 to a pivoted arm 61 to which the bar 59 is linked. The stroke of the bar 59 is varied by a pin and slot connection 63, 64. The coated biscuits may be removed from the coating position by a second similar transfer device or by the next row of biscuits. The delivery conveyer 68 may move continuously or intermittently. The mouthpieces of the suction-manifold may be arranged to engage directly with the undersides of the biscuits, and the biscuits may be moved continuously, in which case the depositing nozzles would be reciprocated in the direction of the movement of the biscuits. In the modification shown in Figs. 7, 13, the biscuits are extracted by pusher bars 80 from a magazine and moved thereby whilst resting on a table 70a, 70b to the nozzles 91. The bars 80 are connected to side chains 74 and the whole conveyer assembly and magazine are rocked about the sprocket shaft 71 by a cam 97, the falling movement breaking the deposits from the nozzles. The magazine comprises a transverse member 81b carrying V-shaped walls 81 which co-operate with vertical slats 84 to retain the biscuits in freely gravitating stacks 87. The slats 84 are carried by a transverse member 81c which is adjustable by screws 85 towards or away from the walls 81 to accommodate biscuits of various sizes. The height of the lower end of the magazine above the table 70a, over which the pusher bars 80 move, is adjusted according to the thickness of the biscuits, by screws 82. The suction device comprises a rigid box 89 and an apertured plate 90 over which the biscuits are positioned by the pusher bars 80 which are moved intermittently. The nozzles 91 are connected to the icing-supply by flexible connections 92 whereby the nozzles may be moved, by cam means, laterally in a horizontal plane to effect ornamentation. The coated biscuits are transferred to a discharge conveyer 98 over a plate 100, and, in order to permit the bars 80 to pass to beneath the table 70a, 70b, the plate 100 is pivotally mounted and a spring 102 or counterweight tends to retain it in the horizontal position, but allows the plate to yield as each bar passes around the end sprockets. Alternatively, the plate 100 may be dispensed with by arranging the chains 74 to carry the bars 80 upwardly at the discharge point, and from thence back over the table 70a, 70b. The side chains run on tracks which are adjustable in height, by screw means, so that the bars may be spaced from the table when thick biscuits or hollow articles are being treated and the bars are readily detachable from the chains to permit the use of bars shaped to suit the particular articles being treated. Instead of raising and lowering the conveyer to break the deposits from the nozzles, a reciprocating severing wire may be used.