Improvements in Confectionery Coating Machineš.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of 'Application, 1st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec.; 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION...
Improvements in Confectionery Coating Machineš., 1,
1, JouN REEVE VAN DERVEER, of 7 E. 19th Street, City, County and State
of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed; to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates especially to mechanism employed for conting confectionery
with various substances, such as chocolate, and has for its object, the provision of a
machine which shall cheaply and effectually apply such coating.
To attain the desired end, my invention consists essentially in certain novel and
useful combinations or arrangements of parts, and peculiarities of construction and
operation, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed
out in the claims.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a like view
at the side opposite to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan view.
Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view at line of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an
enlarged detail view of the drop mover 54.
:
Like numerals of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
1 is the main frame of the machine, supported upon legs 2. 3 is a tank for
containing coating material, mounted in a water receptacle 105. 4 are vertical
standards, extending upward at the sides of the coating tank, and 5 is a bar con-
necting said standards at top. 6 is a shaft mounted upon the cross-piece 5 in
bearings 7. 8 are springs coiled around the shaft 6, having their inner ends secured
to a standard 9, the tendency of said springs being to turn the shaft 6 in the
direction indicated by the arrow at the top of Fig. 1. 10 are pulleys fixed upon
the shaft 6, and 11 are straps secured at their upper ends to pulleys 10, and at
their lower ends to slide pieces 12, connected together by a cross-piece 30. 13 are
arms projecting from the slides 12, to which are secured flexible connections 14,
leading to segments 15, mounted upon a shaft 16. 17 is a counter-balance. 18 is a
slotted pitman pivoted to one of the segments 15, at 19, and provided with a
roller 20. 21 is a shaft, mounted in bearings in the main frame, one extremity of
said shaft extending through the slot in the pitman 18, as shown in Fig. 1. 22 is a
cam mounted upon shaft 21, and arranged to bear against the roller 20. The
shaft 21 is driven by a gear 23, which meshes with a gear 24, mounted upon a
stud 25 projecting from the receptacle 105. The gear 24 is secured to a gear 106,
which in turn engages with a gear 26, mounted upón a 'driving shaft 27 which
hears a tight pulley 28, and a loose pulley 29.
Upon the cross-piece 30 are secured metal blocks 31, bearing pins 32, which
receive side bars 33. These bars are connected together at the top by a cross-
bar 34, and at bottom by a drop support 35. Fixed to the side bars 33 are
perforated ears 36, wherein are movably mounted vertical rods 37, curved at 38,
and arranged to receive a drop holder 39. 40 are arms pivoted to a cross-rod 41
mounted in bearings 42, secured to the side pieces 33. The extremities of arms 40
are connected by links 43 to the vertically movable rods 37. 44 is an arm secured
to the rod 41, and arranged to come in contact with a cross-piece 107 secured to
the uprights 4, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5.
45 is the front portion of the dipping mechanism, provided with side arms 46,
pivoted at 47 to the drop support, and normally held in an elevated position, as
shown in Fig. 5, by springs 48.
49 is a stirring device, held by rods 50, which movably nass through eves 108 at

page_text: the side of the drop supporting mechanism, the downward limit of movement being
secured by the stop pins 109.
51 is a feed board, provided at each side with racks, 52. 53 is a hand piece,
having gears 154, at each extremity, arranged to mesh with the racks 52.
Connected to the front of the hand piece 53 is a drop centreing device 110.
54 is a drop moving device, having its ends arranged to play in slots 55 in the
bottom side bars of the drop holder 35. At each extremity of the drop mover 54
are eyes 111, wherewith pins 112 projecting downward from bars 113 engage when
the drop holder is raised to its highest position, but allowing the mover to drop
with the dipping mechanism. The bars, 113 are connected to a cross-piece 114,
which in turn is provided with rods 56 and 57 extending to arms 58 connected to a
rock shaft 59; this shaft 59 is provided with a coiled spring 100, which normally
throws the arms 58 and connected parts towards the feeding board. 60 is a slotted
pitman, provided with a roller 61. This pitman embraces the shaft 21, whereon is
located a cam 62. Upon the shaft 27, is located a sprocket wheel 63, connected by
a chain 64, to a wheel 65 mounted upon a shaft 66, journaled in arms 67 extending
from the cross-bar 107. 68 is a ratchet also mounted upon the shaft 66. 69 is a
shaft mounted in bearings upon the cross-piece 5; attached to said shaft is a
finger 70, and rods 71 bearing hammer heads 72. In order to throw finger 70 out
of engagement with the ratchet 68 at pre-determined periods, a rod 73 pivoted upon
an upright 4 is arranged to bear against said finger, this arm being carried to a
cam 74, mounted upon the shaft 21, a friction wheel in the extremity of rod 73
being arranged to bear upon said cam.
75 is a clutch mounted upon the shaft 21 and provided with a manipulating
handle pivoted upon an arm 76, said device being arranged to throw the dipping
mechanism into and out of gear at the will of the operator.
77 is a paper reel mounted in the main frame; 78 is the paper passing therefrom
over a roller 79, and around a second roller 81 mounted in a plate 80 hinged to the
main frame in order that said plate may be thrown back out of the way when it is
desired to remove the coating tank. The paper passes to an endless carrier belt 99,
which passes over rollers 82 and 83, mounted in the main frame. The shaft of the
roller 83, bears a ratchet 84, and an arm 85, whereon is pivoted a pawl 86.
87 is a rod connected to the arm 85, and passing to a perforated support 88.
115 are stops mounted upon the rod 87. 89 is a rod pivoted to an arm 58, and
engaging with an eye-piece 90, arranged to play between the stops 115.
91 is an ice box having a metal bottom 92, and an outside casing 93.
Within
casing 93 is a metal bottom 94, arranged to catch any moisture which may drop
from the bottom of the ice box, and conduct it to an exit orifice 95.
96 is an asbestos plate located between the metal bottom 94, and a wooden
covering 97. 98 is a circulating fan, driven by means of suitable connections to
shaft 27, and arranged to cause the cold air to circulate through the ice box and
the space above the carrier belt 99. The paper reel is covered by a casing 117,
and cold air is made to circulate around the paper in order that it shall be cold
when the drops are deposited thereon, thus insuring a proper covering of coating
material upon the bottom of the drops. The plate 80 may be made hollow and a
cold current driven therethrough.
In operating my confectionery coating machine, the material to be applied to
drops, or the equivalent, is placed in the tank 3, and kept at the requisite tempera-
ture in any preferred manner. The drops to be coated are placed in the spaces in
the feeding device 110 and pushed under the drop holder 39 by means of the hand
piece 53. As the mechanism commences to niove, and the dipping device to
descend, through the medium of the straps 14, segments 15, and cam 22, the
releasing of the arm 44 from contact with piece 107 permits the drop holder 39 to
descend upon the drops, holding them in place, and they are then carried down into
the coating material. The stirrer 49 descends into the coating material, thoroughly
mixing the same. When the cam 22 has made a portion of a revolution, it ceases
to hold the segments 15, and they return to their initial position, through the action

page_text: of the weight 17, and the springs 8, drawing upward upon the dipping mechanism.
When said mechanism reaches its first position, the holder 39 raises from the drops,
and as the cam 62 now comes into operation, the pusher, or drop moving device 54
is carried over the drop support, past the centre thereof. From the peculiar shape
of the cam 62, it now returns to its first position, and after an interval of time
again moves entirely over the drop support, and as it strikes the arms 46 at the
sides of the extension 45 of the drop support, said extension is brought downward
so as nearly to touch the paper 78, and the drops are pushed onto said paper which
at that moment moves forward at the same rate of speed as the drops, making
clean deposit and leaving the requisite space for the reception of the next row of
drops. The return of the drop mover 54 is rapid, and the extension 45 raises
quickly to the original position, instantly and effectually severing any adhering
coating material.
As the coating mechanism descends, the projections 100 upon the uprights 33
come in contact with segments 102 upon the uprights 4, thus causing said dipping
mechanism to swing towards the feeding table, both in its descent and ascent,
clearing the paper as the extension 45 passes thereby.
As the dipping mechanism reaches its highest point, the finger 70 is released
through the medium of the bar 73 and its connections, permitting the ratchet 68
to strike it, and the hammers are caused to rapidly tap the upper portion of the
connections to the drop holder, thus causing the jarring off of the surplus coating,
and this jarring continues until the drops are nearly deposited upon the paper. If
desired, to prevent such jarring being transmitted to the paper, and its supporting
parts, that portion of my device might be slightly separated from the coating
mechanism, and india rubber used to deaden the jar.
As the drops pass into the cooling chamber they are subjected to the action of
the cold, circulating dry air, and upon passing therefrom are ready for packing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1: A confectionery coating machine in which is comprised a coating material
tank; a vertically reciprocatable drop holder; a paper reel; a carrying belt and
means for imparting movement to the whole.
2-A confectionery coating machine in which is comprised a coating material
tank; a vertically reciprocatable drop holder; means for removing the surplus
material from the drops after dipping; a paper reel; a carrying belt and means
for imparting movement to the whole.
3: In a confectionery coating machine, a drop holder consisting of a bottom
support, and a movable top bearing device, in combination with drop feeding and
delivering mechanism.
4: In a confectionery coating machine, drop dipping mechanism in combination
with delivering mechanism, and a receiving shelf over which paper passes as the
drops are deposited.
5: The combination with the coating and delivering mechanism of a cooling
device wherethrough the drops are carried.
Dated this 1st day of November 1892.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.