Certain Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making Confections.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making
Confections.
I, ALFRED JONES, of Severn House, Stetchford, Warwickshire, Managing Director
of a Public Company, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of the bereindescribed improvements in machinery or appa-
ratus for making confections.
In carrying out this invention I provide a long table or framework which supports
the working parts of the machine and has an endless belt or band running along the
top with a step by step movement derived from any convenient mechanism and
carrying the various starch boards or trays in which the confections are moulded. At
or near one end of the said table I provide a starch sieve which is suspended by links
or otherwise supported and has a rapid vibratory motion imparted to it as by two
eccentrics and straps on a revolving shaft. This sieve is arranged immediately over
the travelling band of the starch boards. As the trays of dried confections are
brought from the stove the confections and starch are thrown into the said sieve so
that the fine starch falls through on to one of the boards or trays underneath on
which the starch is to some extent levelled by cross bars depending from the bottom
of the sieve at short intervals apart. The confections and bits of coarse starch fall
from the sieve into a chamber from which the rough starch is elevated by an elevator
to a revolving starch dresser of fine mesh which is located in a box over the table in
front of the said sieve the starch which passes through the dresser falling down on.
In front of the starch dresser there are horizontal
the boards or trays underneath.
bars to level the starch in the boards or trays as they pass underneath.
At some little distance in front of the starch dresser I provide the stamper which
carries one two three or more rows of patterns on a cross bar carried at the ends of
the side levers and to which an up and down movement is imparted from a revolving
shaft by means of an eccentric and strap or the like and side links supported by the
table or framework so that as the starch board comes into position under the stamper
and stops, the stamper descends and the pattern makes the impressions in the starch.
The said side levers which carry the said cross bar of the stamper also carry a small
hammer lever the tail of which is acted on by a cam on a revolving shaft so that
the hammer lever raps the pattern to loosen it as it is being raised from the starch
board.
At a short distance in front of the stamper provide the dropper which holds the
melted sugar or other substance of which the confections are to be formed and drops
the proper quantity at the proper times into the moulded starch in the trays. The
The bottom of the
said dropper consists of two feed tanks one below the other.
lower tank is perforated with holes corresponding with the moulds in the starch
underneath and is made removable so that various bottoms can be used according to
the number and size and arrangement of the moulds in the starch. Both tanks are
fixed to side brackets on the table and arranged above the boards. The dropper rods
which pass through the holes in the bottom of the lower tank are make adjustable

page_text: and readily removable by each being carried at the top of a tubular socket in which
the dropper rod is fixed by a set screw each of these tubular sockets having a partial
ball like head which take into cup like recesses in a sliding cross beam which is
moved up and down by the mechanism hereinafter described so as to drop the melted
sugar or other substance from the tank into the moulds at the proper times. The
above described fitting of the droppers ensures their hanging vertically in the centres
of the perforations in the bottom of the feed tank. From the upper feed tank above
described there is an outlet to the lower feed tank regulated by a slide or valve or
the like so as to ensure having always about the same head of the melted sugar or
other substance in the lower tank which is necessary to ensure the drops being of
uniform size.
The said cross bar which carries the dropper rods has an upward movement
imparted to it by two vertical sliding side rods which are lifted by cams on a
revolving shaft and at the proper times the dropper rods and cross bar drop by their
own weight the length of drop being regulated by set screws in the ends of the cross
bar which come into contact with the tops of the vertical slides and which can be
screwed any desired distance below the cross bar by bevel gear on the two set screws
and a cross shaft and hand wheel so that both set screws will be adjusted simul-
taneously and to the same amount.
The revolving shaft which drives the dropper is controlled by a clutch so that the
dropper can be stopped without stopping the stamper in case the tray coming under
the dropper has not been properly moulded.
I will now describe the part of my invention which brushes and finishes the dried
confections after they fall from the sieve above described.
The dried confections fall from the said sieve on to an elevator which carries
them up to the top of a box or chamber in which there are several say five revolving
brushes close together. One or more of these brushes on to which the confections
fall revolve slowly and the other brushes revolve quickly and in the same direction
as the slow brushes so that as the confections are held by the bristles of the slow
brushes they are brushed by the fast brushes and the starch removed therefrom. The
said quickly revolving brushes have another brush or brushes revolving against them
in the opposite direction to remove any of the confections which may stick in them.
After falling from the said revolving brushes the confections fall on to a series of
inclined stepped sieves arranged in an inclined chamber or shoot up which air is
blown by a fan so as to blow away the starch and bits into a separate compartment
the finished confections falling down the shoot into a box placed to receive them.
The said inclined stepped sieve has a rapid vibratory movement imparted to it by
eccentrics and straps on a revolving shaft or other like means and as the confections
fall down the steps from any of the sieves to the next below they are brushed by
revolving brushes arranged in the said shoot.
Dated 19tT
T
1000
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
Certain Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making
Confections.
I, ALFRED JONES, of Severn House, Stetchford, Warwickshire, Managing Director
of a Public Company, 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 :-
This invention lias reference to that kind of machinery or apparatus for making

page_text: confections in which the trays containing the starch for moulding the confections are
carried intermittently along the top of a long table or framework which at one part
has a sieve for separating the finished confections from the starch which falls through
the sieve on to the boards or trays underneath and at another part has a stamper
which moulds the starch in the trays the said machine also having what is known as
a dropper consisting of a trough containing the plastic sugar or other substance which
is dropped by the dropper into the moulds in the trays underneath.
My invention comprises improved means for dressing the starch which has been
separated from the finished confections; also an improved arrangement of mechanism
for stamping the impressions in the starch and for ensuring the pattern lifting
properly out of the starch, also improved arrangement of dropper and means for
regulating the size of the drops and for ensuring a constant head of melted sugar or
other liquid in the dropper tank, means for throwing the dropper mechanism out of
gear when it is not desired to work it. My invention also comprises improved
mechanism for brushing and cleaning the finished confections and for separating the
dust and broken bits therefrom, all as hereinafter described. My invention also.
comprises other improvements in the said machinery or apparatus as hereinafter
described.
I thus produce a machine which automatically sifts the confections from
the starch and dresses and delivers the starch on to the starch boards, levels the
starch and stamps the patterns or moulds therein and drops the plastic sugar or other
substance in the moulds ready for the trays to be taken away and the confections
dried, and also brushes and effectually cleans and finishes the finished confections.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on;
which
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1 and continued on Sheet 2) is a side elevation partly in section of
confection making machinery or apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance
with this invention;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the said machinery or apparatus also partly in
section;
Fig. 3 (Sheet 3 and continued on Sheet 4) is a plan of the said machinery or
apparatus also partly in section ;
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of part of the said machinery or apparatus on
line XX of Fig. 3; and
Fig. 5 is a front elevation of part of the stamper;
Figs. 5 and 5xx shew additional cams for the dropper;
Fig. 6 shews separately the bottom plate of the dropper tank and
Fig. 7 is a front sectional elevation of two of the droppers of the said machinery or
apparatus on an enlarged scale.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
A is the long table or framework which supports the working parts of the machine
said table or framework consisting of side frames bolted together in sections and top
cross stays a which carry the channel section guides a² a³ which run along the top
of the table from end to end and form guides for the two endless chains B B which
pass round sprocket wheels B3 B3 on the shaft B+ at one end of the table and round
other sprocket wheels B5 B5 on a horizontal shaft B at the other end of the table.
These chains B1 B2 have a step by step movement imparted to them by any convenient
means as by the ratchet B7 engaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel B' fixed on
the shaft Be said ratchet B receiving motion by the eccentric rod B° from the
eccentric B10 which is fixed on the driving shaft C this shaft C being carried by the
framework A and driven from the main shaft E as hereinafter described. These
chains BB carry the various starch boards or trays in which the confections are
moulded. Six of these boards are shewn on my drawing and marked respectively D'
D2 D3 D4 D5 D. Fis the sieve which is rather wider than the width of the starch
boards D¹ etc. and is suspended by four links ff from the bridge like brackets f5 fo
fixed to the top of the table and braced together by the two top cross stays. f. This
sieve F has a rapid vibratory motion imparted to it as by the two eccentrics ffu

page_text: connected to the sieve by the eccentric straps fl f12 said eccentrics f f being fixed
on the horizontal shaft 3 which revolves in bearings f¹ and receives its motion from
any convenient source as by a driving belt on the pulley f15 from the horizontal
shaft G. The sieve F is arranged immediately over the starch boards. As the trays
of dried confections are brought from the stove the confections and starch are thrown
into the sieve F so that the starch falls through the same on to the board say the
board D2 underneath on which the starch is stirred up by the short cross bars or
wires fo which are fixed to the bottom of the sieve F and depend therefrom at short
intervals apart.
The confections and bits of coarse starch fall from the sieve F through the opening
(see Fig. 4) on to the elevator H (see Figs. 3 and 4) hereinafter described, and
the over-flow of starch from the board D2 falls down a shoot not shewn on my drawings
on to the elevator by which the starch is elevated to the revolving starch dresser J
which is a drum of fine mesh revolving with the shaft and is located in the box j¹
over the table A in front of the sieve F so that the starch which passes through the
dresser J falls down through the opening j2 on to the boards underneath to fill up any
deficiency in the boards or trays lost by sifting. In front of the starch dresser J
there are two horizontal levelling bars K' K2 carried by the box part and extending
right across the table A and at the proper height so as to level the starch in the
boards as they pass underneath. These cross bars K1 K2 are boxed in by the box j¹
so as to prevent the starch from flying about. The revolving dresser J receives rotary
motion from any convenient source as by a band driving from the pulley f18 on the
shaft fs on to the pulley on the shaft ja of the starch dresser J.
At some little distance in front of the cross bars K¹ K2 and starch dresser J, I
provide the stamper which moulds the patterns in the starch in the boards or trays.
This stamper consists of a cross bar 1, carried across the boards and fixed to the rising
and falling frame shewn separately by Fig. 5 the sides of which are jointed to
the ends of the two side levers 12 13 at one side of the table and to two similar
levers 1213 at the other side of the table. The two top side levers 12 are jointed at /*
to brackets fixed on the top of the table A. The other two side levers 13 are made
of the same length as the side levers 2 and turn on centres on the frame A so that
the side links thus form a parallel motion and ensure the frame ¹ with its cross bar L.
moving up and down vertically. The up and down movement of the frame L is
obtained from the shaft C by the eccentric and the eccentric strap and rod l*, the
end of which is connected to the lever which is fixed on the cross rocking shaft (10
turning in bearings in the side frame and having fixed to it the two side arms (112
the outer ends of which are jointed to the lower ends of the frame where the ends
of the levers 3 are jointed. The cross bar L carries one two three or more rows of
patterns 13 so that as the starch board comes into position under the stamper L and
stops, the stamper descends and the patterns 13 make the impressions in the starch.
One (or both) of the side levers which carry the frame of the cross bar L of
the stamper also carry a small hammer lever 14 jointed at 15 to the side lever 12
this hammer lever " having a tail 16 which is acted on by the cam 17 on the revolving
shaft 18 so that the hammer end 11 of the hammer lever raps the side levers
12 and thus jars the stamper and loosens the pattern 13 from the starch as it is being
raised and so prevents the starch sticking to the pattern. The tappet shaft 118
receives rotary motion by any convenient means as by the band 120 from the pulley ["
on the counter shaft M.
At a short distance in front of the stamper L is the dropper which holds the
melted sugar or other substance of which the confections are to be formed and drops
the proper quantities at the proper times into the moulded starch in the trays.
make this dropper of two feed tanks marked respectively N₁ N2 of which the feed
tank N2 is arranged below the other feed tank N¹. The bottom n² of the lower feed
tank N2 is perforated with holes n¹ corresponding with the moulds in the starch
underneath and is made as a removable plate by sliding in guides n³ in the bottom
of the tank №2 so that various bottom plates n² can be used according to the
number and size and arrangement of the moulds in the starch. The bottom

page_text: plate is shewn separately by Fig. 6. Both tanks N1 N2 are fixed to side
brackets 002 on the table A and arranged above the boards or trays which move
underneath the lower tank N2. Corresponding with each of the holes n¹ in the
bottom of the tank N2 there is a dropper rod P shewn separately by Fig. 7 these
dropper rods P being made adjustable and readily removable by each dropper
rod P being carried at the top by a tubular socket p' in which the dropper
rod P is fixed by a set screw p² each of these tubular sockets pl having a partial
ball like head p3 which takes into a cup like recess q¹ in the bar Q¹ which by the
side brackets q² q² is fixed to the underside of the sliding cross beam Q² which
is moved up and down by the mechanism hereinafter described so as to drop the
melted sugar or other substance from the tank N2 into the moulds at the
proper times. At the top of each of the heads p³ there is an indiarubber washer p
which bears against the underside of the cross beam Q2 so as to keep the
collars p³ down in the cup like sockets q¹. The above described fitting of the
droppers P ensures their hanging vertically over the centres of the perforations n¹
in the bottom n² of the feed tank N².
From the upper feed tank N¹ there is an outlet n to the lower feed tank N2
regulated by a sliding door n for regulating the flow of the melted sugar or the like
from the extra supply tank N' to the lower tank N² so as to ensure of always having
about the same head of sugar or other substance in the lower tank N2 which is
necessary to ensure the drops being of uniform size.
The cross beam Q which carries the dropper rods P has an upward movement
imparted to it by the two vertical sliding side rods R¹ R2 which are guided and
supported by the bearings 23 fixed to the side brackets 01 02 of the machine
frame. These side rods R¹ R2 are lifted by the cams fixed on the revolving
shaft C each cam having one or more enlargements 78 formed on it so as to raise the
side bars R1 R2 and the cross beam Q2 and the droppers P one or more times during
the revolution of the shaft C according to the number of times the melted sugar is
required to drop into the moulds during one revolution of the shaft. In Fig. 1
the cam is represented with one projection 8 and in Fig. 5+ with two projections
and in Fig. 5++ with four projections. The upper ends of the side rods R R2 act
against the lower ends of the set screws 2010 which pass through the ends q³ q* of
the cross bar Q and these set screws 10 are arranged to be turned to any suitable
distance below the cross bar Q by the bevel wheels fixed on the screws engaging
with corresponding bevel wheels 12 on the cross shaft 7-13 which is turned by the
hand wheel 14 fixed on one end so that both of the set screws 70 10 will be
adjusted simultaneously and to the same amount thus keeping the cross beam Q2
horizontal. At the proper time that is as the boards come to rest under the dropper
tank N2 the high parts of the cams 56 lift the side rods R1 R2 and the cross
bar Q2 and the dropper rods P and thus allow of a certain quantity of the
contents of the tank N to drop into the starch moulds in the board underneath and
then when the high pieces of the cams have passed the lower ends of the rods R¹ R²
these side rods and the cross bar Q2 and parts carried thereby drop so that the lower
ends of the dropper rods P close the holes n' in the bottom of the tank.
The revolving shaft C which as above described operates the droppers is controlled
by a clutch so that the dropper mechanism can be stopped without stopping the
stamper in case the tray or board coming under the dropper has not been properly
moulded. This clutch and the gearing are arranged as I will now describe (see
Figs. 1 and 2). On the main shaft E which revolves continuously there is mounted
to run loosely the spur pinion t¹ which can be connected so as to revolve with the
shaft E by the clutch t2 operated by the hand lever 3 and link t* or other convenient
means. This spur pinion gears with a spur wheel to which is fixed on the shaft C
and revolves with it. Thus by throwing out the clutch the pinion t¹ and spur
wheel to and shaft C and the droppers can be stopped or started at will. In order that
the eccentric which operates the stamper and the other eccentric B10 that operates
the ratchet mechanism for moving the boards will continue to run when the shaft C
has been stopped by throwing out the clutch 12, these eccentrics 17 and B10 are

page_text: mounted to revolve loosely with the spur wheel on the shaft C this spur
wheel to being driven by an independent spur pinion 7 which is keyed on the
shaft E.
I will now describe the part of my invention which brushes and finishes the dried
confections after they fall from the sieve F above described. This part of my inven-
tion is illustrated more particularly by Figs. 3 and 4. As before stated the dried
confections fall from the sieve F through the hole on to the elevator H which
carries them up to the top of the box or chamber U in which there are several, say
five, revolving brushes marked respectively u¹² revolving close together.
Of these the brushes us us revolve slowly in the directions indicated by the
arrows in Fig. 4 and the other brushes u¹ u² revolve quickly in the directions indicated
by the arrows in the same figure. The confections fall from the elevator H on to the
top slow brush 3 and are held by and carried round in the bristles of the same, and
as the confections are carried down they are brushed by the quickly revolving
brush u and then fall on to the next slowly revolving brush u by the bristles of
which the confections are held whilst they are brushed by the quickly revolving
brush u which also brushes them as they fall on to and are held by the third slowly
revolving brush u³.
The confections fall from the revolving brushes on to a sieve
made with steps v₁ v² vv arranged in the inclined chainber or shoot W. This
stepped sieve is suspended as by side links v5 and has a rapid vibratory movement
imparted to it by the eccentric and eccentric strap connected to the sieve at v
this eccentric being mounted upon the revolving shaft which receives rotary.
motion from any convenient source. Up the inclined shoot or chamber W air is
blown by the fan X so that as the confections roll down the sieve steps v¹ v² v³ v4
into the box Y the starch and bits of confections are by the air from the fan X blown
up the inclined chamber W into the separate compartment Y2 the finished confections
falling down the stepped sieve into the box Y¹ arranged to receive them. At each
of the steps
of the sieve I provide a revolving brush revolving in stationary
bearings in the direction indicated by the arrows these brushes being marked respec-
tively 71 72 73 the object of them being to brush the confections as they fall down
the steps v1 2 3 4 of the sieve.
I wish it to be understood that I am aware that prior to my invention confection
making machinery has been used in which the starch boards or trays travel by a step
by step movement along the table and under a sieve which separates the dried
confections from the starch and under a stamper which moulds the starch in the trays
and a dropper which drops the melted sugar or the like in the moulds all working
automatically and I do not claim these parts broadly but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for making confections in which the starch boards or trays travel
'along the table, the combination with the sieve such as F, which separates the dried
confections from the starch, of the revolving starch dresser J and elevator arranged to
receive the overflow starch from the boards and dress and re-deliver the starch thereto,
substantially as described.
2. In a machine for making confections in which the starch boards or trays travel
along the table, the combination with the sieve such as F, which separates the dried
confections from the starch, of the revolving starch dresser J and elevator arranged to
receive the overflow starch from the boards and dress and redeliver the starch thereto
and the cross levelling bars arranged to level the starch in the boards as they pass under
the same, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for making confections in which the starch boards or trays travel,
along the table, and in which a stamper carrying the pattern moulds the starch in
the boards or trays, the combination with the stamper of a hammer operated
by a revolving cain and arranged to automatically rap the stamper to prevent the

page_text: starch sticking to the patterns as the stamper leaves the mould, substantially as
described.
4. In a machine for making confections in which the starch boards or trays travel
along the table, the particular construction and arrangement of the stamper L and
parts for carrying and operating the same and the rapping hammer, substantially as
described and illustrated.
5. In machinery or apparatus of the kind herein referred to for making confections
in which the melted sugar or other substance drops through holes in the bottom
of a dropper tank on to the moulded starch in the boards underneath, the
combination with said dropper tank of an additional supply tank arranged at a higher
level and provided with a sliding door or other regulator so as to supply the lower
dropper tank and maintain a constant or almost constant head of liquid therein
substantially as described.
6. In machinery or apparatus of the kind herein referred to for inaking confections,
in which the melted sugar or other substance drops through holes in the bottom
of a dropper tank on to the moulded starch underneath said holes being opened and
closed by dropper rods in said tank, the combination with said dropper tank of the
particular construction and arrangement of the mechanisin for operating and adjusting
the drop of the dropper rods, substantially as described and illustrated.
7. In machinery or apparatus of the kind berein referred to for making confections
in which the melted sugar or other substance drops through holes in the bottom of a
dropper tank to the moulded starch boards underneath, said holes being opened and
closed by dropper rods in said tank, the combination with the dropper rods and the
rising and falling cross beam Q2 by which said dropper rods are carried, of the means
for securing the dropper rods to the cross beam and for ensuring the dropper rods
hanging true with the holes in the bottom of the dropper tank, substantially as
described and illustrated by Figs. 2 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
8. In machinery or apparatus for making confections the employment of the
quickly revolving and slowly revolving brushes combined together and so arranged
that the confections fall on to and are carried along and held by the slowly
revolving brushes in succession and whilst so held they are brushed by the quickly
revolving brush or brushes, substantially as described.
9. In machinery or apparatus for making confections the employment of a stepped
sieve down which the confections move, revolving brushes at the steps of said sieve
arranged in an inclined shoot or chamber up which a draught of air is forced by a
fan so that as the confections roll down the stepped sieve they are brushed and the
bits and starch are blown up the sieve and fall into a separate receptacle, substantially
as described.
10. In machinery or apparatus for making confections, the combination of the
sieve which separates the starch from the dried confections, the elevator receiving the
dried confections from the same, the quickly revolving and slowly revolving brushes
combined together on which the confections fall from the elevator, said brushes
holding and brushing the confections as described, the stepped sieve down which the
confections move and the revolving brushes at the steps of the said sieve arranged in
an inclined shoot or chamber up which a draught of air is forced by a fan so that as
the confections leave the sieve they are brushed and entirely separated from the bits
and starch substantially as described.
11. In a machine for making confections in which the starch boards or trays travel
along the table by a step by step movement, the combination of the sieve which
separates the dried confections from the starch, the revolving starch dresser and
elevator which receive the overflow starch from the boards and dress and redeliver the
starch thereto, the levelling bars which level the starch on the boards, the stamper
which moulds the patterns in the starch on the boards or stays, the dropper tank and
dropper rods and operating mechanism for dropping the melted sugar or other
substance into the moulded starch and the extra feed tank which maintains a
constant head
liquid in the dropper tank, said parts being constructed arranged

page_text: and combined together substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
12. The improved machinery or apparatus for making confections constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.