Improvements in Machines for Making Candy Chains.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Candy Chains.
I, MAXIMILIAN JACKER, of Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois, 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 to a machine for manufacturing chains from candy, which
latter substance, when in the condition in which it must be to be passed through the
machine and moulded and compressed into the proper form, is in a highly plastic
state, from which it passes to a solid or hardened state under cooling influences;
and, obviously, if before attaining a certain degree of hardness the links of
the chain formed of this material are subjected to any strain their shape will be
impaired.
The article is one chiefly of ornament being designed principally for purposes of
decoration, as, for example, the decoration of Christinas trees, shop-windows, con-
fections, cakes, and the like; hence symmetry is a requisite as well as uniformity in
strength and quality.
The essential requisites of a machine for making successfully chains from candied
sugar, are, therefore, that the links shall be conveyed away from the machine
instantly upon their delivery from the rolls at a speed uniform with their progress
through the rolls; that during this progressive movement the chain shall rest upon
a carrier of such conformation as will prevent the links from becoming misshapen
by their own gravity; that all sides of the chain shall be subjected to proper cooling
influences; and that these conditions shall continue until the successive links have
attained a sufficient degree of hardness to permit them to be deposited without injury.
All these conditions are attained by means of the machine represented in the drawing,
in which-
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with the die rollers and their immediate
driving shafts and gears omitted ;
Figure 2, a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of the
discharging and conveying mechanism, together with the air-blast attachment för
aiding the cooling ;
Figure 3, a vertical section taken on the line 3 of Figure 1 and viewed in the
direction of the arrow, showing particularly the die rollers with their attendant parts,
omitted from Figure 1;
Figure 4, an oblique section taken on the line 4 of Figure 3 and viewed in the
direction of the arrow;
Figure 5, a perspective view of a fragment of the carrier for the chain ;
Figure 6, a sectional view of one of the carrier pulleys with the carrier thereon,
showing also, in dotted lines, the air-blast attachment for aiding the cooling; and
Figure 7, a view in elevation of a fragment of the candy chain, which is the
product of the machine.
The die rollers are represented by the letter A. Each die roller is mounted upon
a separate shaft in bearings upon a frame, and to all these shafts a common rotary
movement is imparted by gearing which causes opposite die rollers to move in
contrary directions. The shafts carrying the die rollers are represented by the
letter B, and each is mounted in a sleeve bearing, C, extending to the face of the
die roller, and carries upon its outer end a fixed bevelled gear wheel, D. E is the bed
of the machine, and F is a bracket projecting obliquely upward from the bed. This
bracket constitutes the support for all those parts of the machine which are intimately
associated with the rolls. To the inner face of the bracket F. is bolted a disk, G,
and about the periphery of this disk, and bearing against a flange, t, upon the disk, is
Dim 11

page_text: an annular bevelled gear-rim, H, with which the bevelled gear wheels D engage. The
bevelled gear-rim H turns freely upon the periphery of the disk G, and it is obvious
that when movement is imparted to it the die rollers must be set concurrently into
action, the opposite die rollers moving in contrary directions as required. The
requisite rotary movement is imparted to the gear-rim H by means of a bevelled gear-
wheel, I, the connection of which with the power pulley will be more fully described
further on. Each sleeve bearing C is firmly secured to the disk G by means of a
web, s, having feet, rr, which feet are separately fastened to the disk G by bolts g.
Between the web and the foot r is a strengthening flange, p, at the end adjacent to the
roll. Upon the opposite side of each sleeve bearing C near the die rollers is a sectoral
lug, o, provided with a threaded socket, to receive a bolt, g', which secures to it a
disk, K. Upon the outer face of the disk K a larger disk, L, is secured, constituting
a shield, and through both the disks K and L in line with the meeting point of the
rollers a flaring opening, M, is formed which constitutes the feed passage. Upon
the opposite side passing through the disk G and bolted thereto through a flange, n,
is a tube, N, which constitutes the discharge passage for the finished chain. It is
essential that the inner end of the tube N be in close proximity to the die rollers, in
order that the candy chain may not adhere to and he carried around by the latter, and
for this purpose the inner end of the tube is provided with bevelled projections, m,
which fit somewhat closely into the bevelled recesses formed by the meeting peripheries
of the die rollers. All the parts with which the candy comes into contact should
preferably be made of bronze metal.
To give especial stability to the die rollers, and at the same time to afford means for
their original adjustment, or subsequent adjustment in the event of wear, setting
devices are provided consisting of lugs, t, projecting one from each of the feet
and nut bolts, k, passing one through each lug and impinging against the edge of the
web p; also lugs, l, projecting inward from the plate K, one adjacent to each of the
lugs o, which project from the sleeve bearings, and nut bolts, k', extending one
through each lug and impinging against the lugs o, as indicated by dotted lines in
Figures 3 and 4. To permit the limited adjustment which this construction is
intended to afford, the bolts q, which secure the sleeve bearings to the disk G, and
the bolts gl, which secure them to the plate K, are given slight play, as shown in the
'drawing.
It is essential that the carrier which removes the finished chain shall produce
neither slack in the chain nor strain upon it; therefore, the chain must be taken
away by the carrier at a speed just equal to that at which it is delivered from the
die rollers. For this purpose the carrier and die rollers are operated from a single
train of gearing deriving movement from the common power pulley O. The
gearing is clearly shown in Figure 1, in which i is the power shaft, h a pinion
thereon, and a gear wheel mounted on a shaft, ¹, and meshing with the pinion h.
The shaft carries upon its end the bevelled gear wheel I, which drives the bevelled
gear-rim H; and it is provided with a pinion, h2, meshing with a gear wheel, h³,
upon a shaft, 2, which carries upon its outer end the initial carrier pulley P. The
carrier is formed in endless sections, as will be described further on, and each
section consists of two bands, g, of flexible material, carrying cross-strips, f, of metal
firmly secured to them, each cross-strip having a depression, e, to receive the
horizontal links of the chain, and an additional and deeper depression, d, along its
centre to receive the vertical links of the chain. The carrier pulley P is provided
with corresponding depressions, e¹ and d', about its periphery to permit it to conform
accurately to the carrier. To prevent slipping of the carrier it is preferred to provide
the pulley P with a covering, c, of india rubber.
When the chain is delivered from the die rollers upon the carrier it might of
course be carried forward continuously in one direction until it should become
sufficiently hard, and be then deposited; but this is less desirable than the plan
which I employ, which is to deliver the chain from one to another of a series of
carriers one below another and moving always with uniform speed, since by the latter
plan not only is space economized, but opposite faces of the chain become alternately

page_text: exposed wholly to the atmosphere with each reversal, and in addition to this, the
first reversal serves to break a thin fin of candy which is left by the die rollers
between the consecutive links, thereby completing the formation of the chain. The
construction which I employ is clearly shown in Figure 2, in which the carrier is
represented as being formed in three sections, though, obviously, this number may
be increased or diminished at will. The separate sections are mounted upon guide-
pulleys, P, each having the same peripheral depressions as the pulley P to conform
accurately to the carrier. These guide-pulleys are so mounted in their bearings as to
cause the ends of the separate sections to overlap each other in close contact so that
the movement of the first section shall be imparted to all the others.
In operation the sugar from which the candy chain is to be formed, reduced to a
plastic condition by heat in the usual manner, is fed into the flaring opening m. For
this purpose a portion is drawn out undetached and pressed by the hands into a strand
of the proper size to enter the feed opening. The die rollers being in action the
plastic sugar is received by them, compressed into a continuous series of connected
links by the matrices, and delivered through the discharge tube N upon the moving
carrier. After the initial insertion of the plastic sugar the feed becomes automatic,
or so nearly so as to require but little attention, since the action of the die rollers
continually spins out the proper quantity in a strand from the mass.
It is an advantage, especially during the hot season, to subject the finished chain
to artificial cooling, by suitable agencies. For this purpose I commonly employ
an air-blast from an ordinary blower (not shown) directed through a pipe, R, into
a receptacle, S, provided with a longitudinal slot, b, in its upper side, upon which
the carrier travels for a portion of its length, the projecting parts of the carrier
entering the slot, which has its upper portion widened to receive them. Thus the
cooling blast is impelled through the interstices of the carrier and chain. A
branch-pipe, R', permits an air-blast to be directed upon the die-rollers in case
they become unduly heated. The pipes R and R' are provided with valves, a, so
that either or both may be opened at will.
The chain may be discharged from the carrier into a receptacle or upon a reel,
and if the latter is employed it may be run by a belt or gearing from the other
gearing of the machine in any suitable and convenient manner.
The section of chain shown in Figure 7 has plain links, such as would be formed
by the matrices of the die rollers represented in the drawings. It is obvious, how-
ever, that the links may be made in a great variety of ornamental designs by
giving the desired form to the matrices, and that if preferred they need not be
all alike, but may be formed in recurring variety.
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 continuous chains from candy, the combination
with the system of die rollers A and means for supporting and revolving them, of
a conveyor to receive the chain from the die rollers and conduct it away, and
driving mechanism imparting movement to the conveyor at a rate of speed
corresponding with that of the chain when issuing from the die rollers, substantially
as described.
2-In a machine for making continuous chains from candy, the combination
with the system of die-rollers A, and means for supporting and revolving them, of
a conveyor having depressions corresponding with the projections of the chain, to
receive the chain from the die-rollers, and conduct it away, and driving mechanism
imparting movement to the carrier at a rate of speed corresponding with that of
the chain when issuing from the die-rollers, substantially as described.
3-In a machine for making candy chains, the combination with the system of die-
rollers A and means for supporting and revolving them, of the tube N, supported in
the line of discharge from the rollers and having the projections m, fitting the bevelled

page_text: recesses formed by the peripheries of the rollers, an endless carrier, having depressions
to correspond with projecting parts of the chain, and driving mechanism for imparting
moveinent to the carrier at a rate of speed corresponding with that with which the
chain issues from the die-rollers, substantially as described.
4-In a machine for making candy chains, the combination with the die-rollers A
and means, for supporting and revolving them, of the carrier Q, forined in sections
overlapping each other and extending back and forth in alternate directions, and
driving mechanism for imparting movement to the carrier at a rate of speed corre-
sponding with that at which the chain issues from the rollers, whereby the chain, after
being formed by the die-rollers, is received upon the first section of the carrier,
deflected around the terminal pulley thereof, thus breaking the fin of candy left by
Ithe rollers between adjacent links, delivered inverted upon the second section, and
finally deposited, substantially as described.
5 The combination with the fixed disk G, of the bevelled gear-rim H, revolubly
mounted upon the periphery of the disk G, rotary shafts, B, mounted in bearings fixed
upon the disk G, bevelled gear-wheels, D, fixed upon the outer ends of the shafts Band
meshing with the gear-rim H, die-rollers A, fixed upon the inner ends of the shafts B,
and gear-wheel 1, connected with the power and meshing with the gear-rim H,
substantially as described.
6 The combination with the fixed disk G, of the bevelled gear-rim H, revolubly
mounted upon the periphery of the disk G, rotary shafts, B, mounted in sleeve-
bearings, C, adjustably secured to the disk G, bevelled gear-wheels, D, fixed upon the
outer ends of the shafts B and meshing with the gear-rim H, die-rollers A, fixed upon
the inner ends of the shafts B, and gear-wheel I, connected with the power and
meshing with the gear-rim H, substantially as described.
7-The combination with the supported disk G and revoluble bevelled gear-rim H
mounted upon the periphery thereof, of the sleeve-bearings, (, provided upon one side
with webs, s, having flanges bolted to the disk G, and upon the other side with lugs, o,
plate K, bolted to the lugs o and having a central opening for the feed, shafts, B,
mounted in the sleeve-bearings, die-rollers A, fixed to the inner ends of the shafts B,
bevelled gear wheels D, fixed to the outer ends thereof and meshing with the gear-
rim H, and bevelled gear-wheel I, connected with the power and meshing with the
bevelled gear-rim H, substantially as described.
8-The combination with the supported disk G and revoluble gear-rim H mounted
upon the periphery thereof, of the sleeve-bearing C, provided upon one side with
lugs o, and upon the other side with webs, s, having upon their inner ends the feet?
and strengthening flanges p and upon their outer ends the feet with the lugs 1,
bolts q, passing loosely through the feet r and ¹, and securing them to the disk G, nut-
bolts ¹, passing through the lugs 7 and impinging against the edges of the flanges p,
plate K having the lugs ', bolts g' passing loosely through the plate K and securing
it to the lugs o, nut-bolts k, passing through the lugs and impinging against the
lugs o, shafts B, mounted in the sleeve bearings, bevelled gear-wheels D, fixed to the
outer ends of the shafts B and meshing with the bevelled gear-rim H, die-rollers A,
fixed to the inner ends of the shafts, and bevelled gear-wheel I, connected with the
power and meshing with the gear-rim H, substantially as described.
9-In combination with the supported disk G, having upon its periphery the gear-
rim H, shafts B, mounted in bearings upon the disk G and carrying upon their inner
ends the die-rollers A and upon their outer ends the gear-wheels D meshing with the
gear-rim H, and gear-wheel I, mounted on a shaft in bearings and meshing with the
gear-rim H, the driving-pulley P for the carrier, mounted upon a shaft in bearings in
position to receive the chain as it emerges from the discharge opening, a power pulley
and shaft, and connected gearing, connecting the power-shaft with both the gear-
wheel I and pulley P, substantially as described.
10 In a machine for making candy chains, the combination with the die rollers A,
mechanism for supporting and driving them, a travelling carrier receiving the chain
from the die rollers, and mechanism for imparting movement to the carrier at a rate

page_text: of speed corresponding with that with which the chain issues from the die rollers, of
an artificial cooling device for cooling the chain as it is advanced by the carrier,
substantially as described.
11 In a machine for making candy chains, the combination with the die-rollers A,
mechanism for supporting and driving them, and travelling carrier Q receiving the
chain from the die-rollers, of the slotted receptacle S, over which the carrier moves,
and air-blast pipe R entering the receptacle S, substantially as described.
12 In a machine for making candy chains, the combination with the die-rollers A,
mechanism for supporting and driving them, and travelling carrier Qreceiving the
chain from the die-rollers, of the slotted receptacle S, over which the carrier moves,
and valved air-blast pipes R and R', leading the one into the receptacle S and the
other to the die-rollers, substantially as described.
13 The carrier-belt, formed of the flexible bands g in combination with the metal
cross-plates having the depressions e and d, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of April 1890
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.