Patent GB-937070-A (GB)
Title: Process and apparatus for coating food products
Inventor: GREEN JULIUS
IPC: A23G3/26
Filed: 1960-05-20
Abstract: 937,070. Coating bakers' and confectioners' goods; confectionery; candy-coated food preparations. GENERAL FOODS CORPORATION. May 20, 1960, No. 17974/60. Classes 28 (1) and 49. [Also in Group I] Pieces of food products are tumbled with a finely comminuted powder capable of melting on being heated and are heated until the pieces are uniformly covered with a molten coating. Popcorn or the like is mixed with finely comminuted sugar, hard candy composition or a mixture thereof, e.g. by tumbling in a rotary drum, reel or kettle. Heat is applied to the product being tumbled, preferably near the point at which it drops from the side of the drum during rotation. The heat may be focused on the product by blowing. As shown, a container 11 tends to its discharge position and its cover 12 tends to its open position (chain-dotted lines, Fig. 2), electromagnetically releasable latch means being provided for holding the container and cover in operative position when placed there manually. Container 11 is secured on the end of shaft 17 journalled in spaced-bearings 23 fixed to a plate 25 in a housing 10 and driven by motor 26 also on plate 25 which is secured to a bar 30 pivoted in housing 10. Thus pivoting bar 30, e.g. by handle 33, causes pivoting of plate 25. The cover 12 is carried by a yoke 35 secured to a bar 37 pivoted in housing 10 and biased by spring 40. At least one spring 48 counterbalances the weight of the container 11. Striker plates 56 secured to bar 37 are held by magnets 57 to maintain lid 12 in its closed position. Energization of a solenoid 60 causes a bracket 61 to separate plates 56 from magnets 57 and allow cover 12 to open, the movement being pneumatically damped. Container 11 is latched in operative position by similar means and its descent to its discharge position is pneumatically damped. Air is drawn from container 11 through a filter cloth 84 into a passageway 80 in the lid 12 by a motordriven impeller 88 and is partly forced through a duct 107 containing a heating element 108 into the container 11 and partly through a smoke filter 112 and a porous or perforated portion of the lid to the atmosphere, e.g. 25% may be discharged. A temperature responsive member 115 in passageway 80 starts a timed cycle which controls the various elements of the apparatus and a second temperature responsive member 116 is an overheat safety device. Fresh air is drawn in between container 11 and lid 12. The container 11 has an outer shell 120, e.g. of stainless steel or the like, separated by insulation 122 from a lining 121 preferably smooth, e.g. of a silicone resin or a tetrafluorethylene polymer. One or more ribs 125 in the ide wall assists tumbling of the contents during rotation. Butter or the like to be added through a tube 127 extending through cover 12. Other coatings may be added such as confectioners' sugar, comminuted maple sugar, colouring or flavouring substances, dried fudge or chocolate powder. After coating, cold air may be blown in to assist cooling. In an alternative arrangement, passageway 80 may be closed by a plug and filter 112 and porous or perforated portion dispensed with. Breakfast cereals in the form of flakes, shaped dough pieces, puffed grains, nuts, e.g. almonds, peanuts or walnuts and fruits, e.g. raisins, prunes and tangerines may be coated by this process. The machine may be used for corn popping.