Improvements in Machinery for the Covering or Coating of Sweetmeats and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1898--Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Covering or Coating of
Sweetmeats and the like.
I, NICOLAUS FRINGS, of Schaufelderstrasse, Hannover, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to machinery for covering or coating small sweet-
meats, sugar bonbons, and like confectionery with chocolate or similar substance.
This coating is preferably done after warming the sugar goods as then the coating,
which would otherwise be rough and uneven, is perfectly smooth.
According to the invention, the sweets to be coated are dipped into a vat or
tank containing chocolate paste by means of rocking dipping levers supporting
axles fitted with a removable sweet holder from which the escape of the sweets
whilst under treatment is prevented by a lower holder held in position by hand.
After being dipped, the sweets are shaken by a suitable arrangement in order
to remove the superfluous coating therefrom and are then brought to a carrier
cloth by which they are passed through a cold air chamber, or other cooling
device, cooled and then removed from the said cloth.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents the said machine in eleva-
tion, showing one side thereof. No cooling apparatus is shown affixed to the
machine, as any known arrangement may be employed for the purpose.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the other side.
Figure 3 is a plan of the forward end of the machine shewing the dipping
tank and its cognate parts.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent detail views of different parts, hereinafter more
specifically referred to.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
In order to dip the bonbons Z they are laid in holders H, which, for round
bodies, have the form shewn in the top view and partial section of the forward
end of the machine in Figures 3 and 4. The said holders for the bonbons are
suspended by means of vertical bars Ho, from rods H¹, connected as hereinafter
described, to a rocking axle A. To prevent a possible falling through of the
sweets, wires are stretched beneath the rows of holes in which the sweets lie.
The carrier arms H¹, on their further ends, are connected with hollow cones H³,
(see in section in Figure 4) which fit on to the conical projection A°, of an axle A.
directed across the machine, and so are interchangeably attached to the said
axle. This provides an easily disconnected attachment of the bonbon holders to
the rocking axle and when thus connected, both holder and axle may move
together.
The chocolate is contained as a thick fluid in the trough T attached to the
framework G, of the machine, and in this it is stirred or agitated by a grating-

page_text: frame B. This consists of the frame proper B, B, and the bars B¹, which may
stand out somewhat above the upper edge of the said frame B. The sides B°,
of the stirrer frame are attached to elbows 132, which pass over the sides of the
trough T, in the manner shown in front and side view in Figures 5 and 6 and
are connected to the ends C1, of levers C by means of clamp-plates B³, or by some
other adjustable device, whereby the position of the grating in the trough may
be raised and lowered, or altered vertically. The elbows B³, are fixed to the ends
of levers C, arranged to rock upon an axle Co, which has fixed bearings Gº, in
the frame G, which said levers act both for dipping the goods and agitating the
coating liquid.
'
At the forward end of the lever C, (which are duplicated on the opposite sides
of the machine) there is a bearing C¹, in which the axle A, with the conical
projections Aº, is revolved approximately through 180° in order to bring the
holder H and sweetmeats over a conveyor band or carrier cloth M, by which the
coated sugar goods are carried through a cooler which may be attached to the
machine but is not shown. The movements of the several parts of the machine
are as follows: The axle W, is driven by the pulley Wo and band W, while by
means of the band W³, and pulley U¹, the axle U, is made to revolve and by
means of the toothed wheels Uº, and Do, turn the axle D) in the direction shewn
by the arrow in Figure 1. Naturally the revolution of the axle D, may also be
brought about by any other suitable means. The raising and depression or the
alternate vertical rise and fall of the holder H and grating-frame B, within the
trough is brought about by the rocking of the levers 'C, which are acted upon
by the cam wheel E. which has two gaps or cam surfaces Eº, E, cut out of its
periphery, but otherwise is circular. The rollers C, on the levers C, lie
continuously on the plain part of the periphery of the wheel E, until the cam
formations and E' come round, then the dipping levers and the grating frame
mounted upon it are depressed, again raised as the point e, of the cam wipes
past the roller on e, then are again depressed and finally pass upwards again into
their original positions. By means of this duplex rising and falling movement
the grating is thoroughly worked through the chocolate and the efficient dipping
of the goods ensured. As the holders H, are affixed to the axle A, and this rests
on the arms C', when these latter are depressed or allowed to fall by the cams,
the sugar bonbons Z, contained in the said holders H, are dipped in the chocolate
their escape being prevented by a contrivance described below. When the arms
are again lifted, the holders H, with the bonbons are raised above the chocolate
so that they are allowed to drip. This process is hastened by the fact that the
axle A, with the holder is slightly revolved or rocked and thus the latter is
raised and on returning, a weight f, strikes on the arm c, and by this means
the drops of superfluous coating material are shaken off from the bonbons. The
arrangement is shewn in Figure 1 and therein F, is a double arm on the axle A,
which has on the right arm F, the weight f, and on the left the lever F¹. A
pin f¹, is so situated that it is engaged and raised by the teeth s, of the toothed
segment S, affixed to and revolving with the axle D. By this means 'the lever ",
is also raised, on the forward end of which is the adjusting pin fo, which is on the
weight arm Fo. When the toothless portion of the sector wheel comes round
the pin f, drops in and the revolving axle returns owing to the action of the
weight, whereupon the said weight strikes the arm C, and shakes 'the holder.
For revolving the axle A 180° in order to remove the coated goods on to the
carrier cloth M, the following arrangement is shewn in Figure 2.
On the axle A, there is a toothed wheel K, engaged by the chain K°. The ends
of which are respectively attached to the two levers I, and I', which turn in
bearings in the frame G. To keep the chain Ko taut, a spring 1º, is arranged
between the levers C, and I', and in conjunction with the said levers is a pawl L,
so constructed and applied to the axle D, that when the shaking of the holder
is finished, it acts upon the roller i, of the lever I, and pushes the latter back
causing the chain to be drawn along and impart its motion to 'the wheel K, and

page_text: whereby the axle revolves and the levers H', rocked through about 180°, but
as the lever I', has moved to the left so on further revolution of the axle D, the
pawl L, comes against the roller i, of the lever I, and forces it back into the
original position carrying with it the axle A, which is again brought to its normal
position in the tank. Now the empty holder H, is taken out and replaced by
one full of uncoated bonbons.
The movement of the carrier cloth is effected by the lever N, which is pushed
back by means of the roller o, on the arm o¹, fixed to the axle D. By this means
the wheel P, connected with the lever N by the rod P', revolves in the direction
shewn by the arrow in Figure 2, and this revolution is communicated to the
axle M', of the cloth by means of a latch or friction clutch, not shewn. In order
to bring the wheel P₁, rod P, and lever N, again into the original position, when
released by the roller o, an arm Po, supporting a counterpoise weight P³, is
arranged in connection with the said wheel P₁, as shewn in Figure 2.
The contrivance which prevents the escape of the bonbons while being dipped
is shewn in Figures 4 and 7.
To the grating frame B, are attached two pillars Q, and to them by means
of the joints Qº, the rods Q¹, are connected. To these by means of the metal
plate Ro, the frame R, is attached and the wires R, are stretched through the
said frame and pass exactly across the middle of the holes for the bonbons Z
in the holder H. As soon as the dipping is finished the lower-holder consisting
of Ro, R2, R, is turned forward, out of the way, upon the joints Q°, and then
hangs above the trough until it is turned again into the working position as
lower-holder for freshly dipped bonbons. It is understood that is lower holder
is held in position for preventing the escape of goods during dipping, by hand.
It sometimes happens that the carrier cloth must be depressed, especially in the
case of large bonbons, and for this purpose the two rocking supports X of the
axles M and M2 of the cloth M, are made to revolve or rock on the axle Co, and
are held in position by the axle Y, and arms Y¹, Y2, Y³, and the rod Y. This
arrangement is regulated by the hand wheel Y, and the cloth thus adjusted to the
proper level. To determine the throw of the dipping levers C, there is journalled
at G¹, in the frame an axle C³, on which a jointed stop arm C (see Figure 1).
revolves, which arm can be lowered or raised, so as to increase or decrease its
distance from the edge of the lever, by the rod C, worked by the hand-wheel 07,
and by its means the throw of the lever C, can be adjusted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First: A machine for coating bonbons, sweetmeats and the like characterised
by the goods to be coated being dipped into chocolate by the lowering of levers
supporting axles on which there is a removable holder from which escape of the
said goods is prevented by a lower holder held by hand and wherein after the said
goods have been shaken by the rise and fall of a weight connected with the said
supporting axle and thereby connected with the said supporting axle and thereby
freed from drops, they are, by the turning of said axle, brought to a carrier
cloth or conveyor, by which they are passed through a cooling apparatus and
cooled prior to being removed from the cloth.
Secondly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to in
the first claim, the employment of an interchangeable holder for the goods to
he coated, consisting of a series of bars with bonbon netting below them made
of wire, and having arms (H) provided with cones (H2) by which means, em-
ployed in conjunction with conical projections (A), the holder H, is interchange-
ably connected with the axle A, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to in the
first claim, the arrangement for regulating or adjusting the height of the grating

page_text: frame B, by means of an elbow (B2), levers (C) and clamp plates (B³) or otherwise,
substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to
in the first claim, imparting a rising and falling movement to the grating frame
by means of cam formations such as E°, and E', formed in the periphery of a
wheel such as c, and limiting this movement by a stop 4, on the axle c³, sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
Fifthly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to
in the first claim, the employment of a shaking contrivance for expediting the
removal of superfluous chocolate or coating material from the goods consisting in
the combination of a tooth segment S, double arms (F°) a weight (f) on the
arm (F), and a lever (F) on the arm (F), the pin (f) of which is raised by the
teeth (s) of the segment (S) on the end of which is the adjusting pin fo, on
the arm (F) substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Sixthly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to
in the first claim, the means for imparting movement to the holder (H) for the
purpose of placing the bonbons (2) on to the carrier cloth (M) characterised by
a chain wheel (K) fixed on the axle (A) with the chain (K), and the levers (I
and I¹), connected with it and spring Fo, also pawl (Z) on the axle (D) by the
action of which on the levers (I and I¹) the holder is removed and returned, sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
Seventhly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to
in the first claim, the employment of a lower holder held by hand for securing
the goods during dipping, consisting of a frame (R) provided with wires (¹)
and connected by means of the plate (R) with the pillars Q of the grating
frame (B) by means of joints (Q) connected with bars (Q) substantially as
described and set forth.
Eighthly: In a machine for coating sweetmeats and the like as referred to
in the first claim, a raising or adjusting arrangement for the carrier cloth or
conveyor band, characterised by the supports (r) of the axles (M¹ and M²) being
made to revolve on the axle (C) in connection with joint Y2, and arm Y', and
an axle X, which is worked by a rod (Y) and a lever (Y³), substantially as
described and set forth.
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