Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of Sweetmeats known as Drops.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture
of Sweetmeats known as Drops.
I, EDWARD SHAW, of 9, Lower Castle Street, Bristol, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of sweetmeats known as drops, and
consists in developments in my former invention, constituting the subject of
application for Letters Patent No. 20,273, of 1896.
One of the features of my present invention consists in a device for breaking up
sheets of drops, prior to delivery in the sifter.
The said device consists of a rotating or oscillating angular bar, which lies
directly in the path taken by the cooled sheet of drops, in such a manner that the
advancing sheet is immediately broken up into the separate drops which have been
formed in the sheet, leaving the duty to be performed by the sifter to be only that
of breaking off the fine web surrounding the drops, and the delivery of the finished
drops into the tray provided for that purpose.
A further development in my previous invention above referred to, consists in
the employment of a blast of air which is directed to pass over and play upon the
sheet of drops as it passes along the cooling table. This air blast may be employed
either by itself, or in combination with a water jacket such as is described in the
specification of my said former invention.
Another development appertaining to my said former invention consists in the
employment of two driving gears to the discs carrying the steel travelling bands.
One of these driving gears consists preferably of a pulley in combination with a
ratchet wheel and pawl, and is arranged to drive the tapes at a slow speed.
The ratchet arrangement is such that the pulley which is always in motion is
able to actuate the tapes at a slow speed, but does not interfere with the second
driving pulley, which can actuate the tapes at a 'higher rate of speed than that of
the slow motion. A clutch is provided, by means of which the quicker driving
gear can be put into operation, in which case the shaft and ratchet wheel move
forward through the slowly driven pulley, and the pawl is thus rendered inoperative.
At the same time, directly the clutch is taken out of gear, the slow driving arrange-
ment immediately takes up its action and the travelling bands move at the slow
speed.
The object of this device is to enable the sheet of drops to be fed on to the cooling
table at a faster speed, but, once being there, and the clutch thrown out of gear,
the slow driving apparatus gradually takes the sheet of drops on through the
machine, thus allowing the necessary time for the more perfect cooling of the sheet.
The combined effect of the above mentioned developments in my former inven-
tion is to more quickly and efficiently cool and break up the sheet of drops, and, at
the same time, the machine requires less attention.
It is well known that in foggy or damp weather the sheet of drops after having

page_text: cooled, will absorb moisture and become sticky. This effect is likely to be increased
by the use of the air blast, and therefore the slow but certain delivery of the sheet
of drops through the machine is a matter of considerable importance, as minimising
any chance of trouble through carelessness of the operator.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent, Bristol.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture
of Sweetmeats known as Drops.
I, EDWARD SHAW, formerly of 9, Lower Castle Street, Bristol, and now of Broad
Street House, Broad Street, London, E.C., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to the manufacture of sweetmeats known as drops, and
consists in developments relating to my former invention, for which Letters Patent
No. 20,273 of 1896 have been granted to me.
One of the features of my present invention consists in a device for breaking up
sheets of drops prior to delivery in the sifter.
The said device consists of a rotating or oscillating angular bar, which lies
directly in the path taken by the cooled sheets of drops, and is so arranged that the
said sheets are, on reaching it, immediately broken up into the separate drops
which have been formed in the sheets; leaving the duty to be performed by the
sifter to be only that of breaking off the fine web surrounding the drops, and the
delivery of the finished drops into the tray provided for that purpose.
A further development in relation to my previous invention above referred to,
consists in the employment of a blast of air which is directed to pass over and play
upon the sheet of drops as it passes along the cooling table. This air blast may be
employed either alone or in combination with a water-jacket such as is described
in the specification of my said former invention.
Another development arising out of my said former invention consists in the
employment of two driving gears to the discs carrying the steel travelling bands,
by which the sheets of drops are advanced. One of these driving gears consists
preferably of a pulley in combination with a ratchet wheel and pawl, and is
arranged to drive the tapes at a slow speed.
The ratchet arrangement is such that the pulley which is always in motion is
able to actuate the tapes at a slow speed, but does not interfere with the second
driving pulley, which can actuate the tapes at a higher rate of speed than that of
the slow motion. A clutch is provided, by means of which the quicker driving
gear can be put into operation, in which case the shaft and ratchet wheel move
forward through the slowly driven pulley and the pawl is thus rendered inoperative.
At the same time, directly the clutch is taken out of gear, the slow driving arrange-
ment immediately takes up its action and the travelling bands move at the slow
speed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents, in plan, drops
machinery or apparatus arranged in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a
side view. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the breaking box a in which the sheets
of drops are broken up. Fig. 4 is an end view at that end at which the breaking
box a and fan bare situated. Fig. 5 is a view of the clutch arrangement. The
view is the same as in Fig. 4, but the eccentric rod is removed.

page_text: The device for breaking up sheets of drops prior to delivery to the sifter con-
stitutes one of the features of this invention. The said device consists of a rotating
or oscillating angular bar c rotated by the driving pulley c¹ and lying directly in
the path taken by the cooled sheets of drops as they advance over the cooling table d.
By this bar c the sheets of drops are, on reaching it, immediately broken up into
the separate drops which have been formed in the sheets. This leaves the sifter e
the duty only of breaking off the fine web surrounding the drops, and the delivery
of the finished drops into the tray f.
A second feature of this invention consists in the employment of a blast of cold
air which is directed from a fan g over the cooling table d between it and the
cover . The blast of air conducted from the fan g through the throat g¹ to the
table d, meets the advancing sheets of drops and plays over and upon them as they
pass along to the breaker. The air blast may be employed alone or in combination
with a water-jacket such as is described in the Specification of my former Patent
No. 20,273 of 1896.
A third feature in this invention consists in the employment of two driving
gears for driving the discs h carrying the steel travelling bands or tapes which
convey the sheets of drops along the cooling table. These tapes are indicated in
the drawings by lines of dots and dashes and distinguished by the letter i. One of
these gears consists of a pulley j in combination with a ratchet wheel j¹ and pawl,
and is arranged to drive the tapes i at a slow speed. The ratchet arrangement is
such that the pulley j, which is always in motion, is able to drive the tapes i at a
slow speed, but does not interfere with the second driving pulley which can
actuate the tapes i at a higher rate of speed than that of the slow motion. For this
purpose a clutch is provided and is fitted with a jaw lever m for operating it, and
with a starting rod n.
When the fast driving gear is put into action, the shaft p and ratchet wheel 11
move forward through the slowly driven pulley j, and the pawl is thus rendered
inoperative. When the clutch is taken out of gear the slow driving arrangement
immediately takes up its action and the tapes i move at the slow speed.
The object of this device is to enable the sheets of drops to be fed on to the cooling
table at a faster speed, but, once being there, and the clutch thrown out of gear,
the slow driving apparatus gradually takes the sheets of drops on through the
machine, thus allowing the necessary time for the more perfect cooling of the
sheets.
It is well known that in foggy or damp weather the sheets of drops, after having
cooled, will absorb moisture and become sticky. This effect is likely to be increased
by the use of the air blast, and therefore the slow but certain delivery of the sheets
of drops through the machine is a matter of considerable importance, as minimising
any chance of trouble through carelessness of the operator.
The combined effect of the above mentioned developments is to more quickly
and efficiently cool and break up the sheets of drops, and, at the same time, the
machine requires less attention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In the manufacture of sweetmeat drops, the combination, with a cooling table
and means for conveying sheets of drops over the said table and cooling the sheets
n their passage by a current of cold air, of an arrangement for breaking the sheets
of drops as they leave the table to pass to the sifter, the breaking device consisting
of a rotating or oscillating angular bar such as c, or its equivalent, substantially
s hereinabove described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the manufacture of sweetmeat drops, the combination, with a cooling table
and sifter, of a blowing fan, or like blowing appliance, for supplying a current of
cold air for cooling the sheets of drops.
3. In machinery or apparatus for the manufacture of sweetmeats as set forth in

page_text: the preceding claims, the provision, in connection with travelling bands for con-
veying the sheets of drops along the cooling table, of two-speeded gearing, controlled
by a suitable clutch, or the like, whereby the sheets of drops can be received quickly
on the cooling table and thereafter more slowly delivered from the machine, sub-
stantially as hereinabove described and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of appliances constituting the improvements in machinery
or apparatus for the manufacture of drops, constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as hereinabove described and shown in the accompanying sheets of
illustrative drawings.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent, Bristol.