Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Balls of Confection and other Substances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATJUN.
[Communicated from abroad by OLIVER RICE CHASE, Boston, U.S. America,
Machinist.]
Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Balls of
Confection and other Substances.
We, HARRY CHARLES SHARP, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM SHARP
AND SONS LIMITED, Manufacturers, all of Vincent Parade, Balsall Heath, in
the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for the manufacture of balls of confection, and
of other substances of sufficient plasticity, or ductility, to permit of formation into
balls or spheres by the action of a rolling pressure. The object of our invention is
to construct a machine that will receive such substances as a strip, or bar, or other
crude form, and cut and roll or press the same into a number of spherical pieces,
discharging them at the conclusion of the operation as complete and perfect balls.
In carrying our invention into effect when constructing a machine for the
production of balls of cocoanut ice, or other confection, we employ an endless belt
or band of leather, or other suitable material, and stretch the same over two
pulleys or drums, arranged at any required distance apart from each other. We
fix these drums upon axles carried by suitable bearings, and upon the prolongation
of one such axle we mount a driving pulley, preferably in the form of a stepped
cone in order that the speed of driving may be readily varied. The driving pulley
receives motion from a belt transmitting power from some convenient main, or
counter-shafting, driven by a steam or other engine. Instead of a driving pulley
we sometimes mount a spur or a friction wheel upon the drum shaft, or employ a
clutch or other coupling or connecting mechanism, for the purpose of transmitting
the required driving power to our machine. The revolution of the drum upon the
driving pulley axle is transmitted to the drum of the distant axle by means of the
endless belt or band herein before described, and to assist in keeping the band at
sufficient tension we provide adjustable bearings to increase or decrease the distance
between the centres of the drums as may be required.
We cause the lower side of the endless band to pass over a table or platform
provided with grooves, preferably of hard wood, intercepted with blades or knives
preferably of steel. The lower side of the band and the surface of the grooved
table or platform are set at a slight angle with each other, in order to give a greater
distance between them at the front end of the machine, gradually diminishing to
the minimum distance at the back or rear end. The cocoanut ice or other
confection, preferably in the form of a strip or bar cut from a prepared sheet or
roll of the substance, is introduced at the front end of the machine between the
underside of the band and the grooved platform. It is then immediately carried
forward by the band and pressed on to the knives hereinbefore described, and into
the grooves, and thus it is cut up by the knives and rolled continuously forward,
until it is discharged in the form of balls at the rear end of the machine. The
number of balls so formed depends upon the width of the material inserted and
upon the number of grooves and knives on the table or platform. The formation
of the balls will continue so long as the material is fed between the grooved table
and the band, and during the time that the band is kept in constant motion.
We make the grooves and blades, or knives readily detachable from the platform
or table, and provide grooves and knives of varying dimensions, to suit the particular

page_text: size of balls that we desire to produce. We make the table or platform itself
adjustable in order that the distance between the band and the grooves may be
varied as required.
For the purpose of printing or impressing the balls with any desired words,
motto, or device, we fix or secure to the table or platform at the rear end of the
machine, letters or type, supplied by any convenient method with suitable ink or
colour. Such printing is performed after the formation of the complete balls in
the grooves, and by the rolling pressure produced by the band when rolling the
balls over the letters or type.
We vary the arrangement of our machines and modify the parts or details of the
same to suit balls of varying substances, and the requirements of particular
services or conditions, without departing from the essential features of our
invention.
.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Balls of
Confection and other Substances.
We, HARRY CHARLES SHARP Manufacturer and WILLIAM SHARP
AND SONS LIMITED, Manufacturers, all of Vincent Parade, Balsall Heath, in
the City of Birmingham, 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 relates to machines for the manufacture of balls of confection,
and of other substances of sufficient plasticity, or ductility, to permit of formation
into balls or spheres by the action of a rolling pressure. The object of "our
invention is to construct a machine that will receive such substances as a strip, or
bar, or other crude form, and cut and roll or press the same into a number of
spherical pieces, discharging them at the conclusion of the operation as complete
and perfect balls.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to-
Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an end elevation of
one general form of our improved machine.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
In carrying our invention into effect when constructing a machine for the
production of balls of cocoanut ice, or other confection, we employ an endless belt
or band such as A of leather, or other suitable material, and stretch the same over
two pulleys or drums B B' arranged at any required distance apart from each other.
We fix these drums upon axles carried by suitable bearings, and upon the pro-
longation of one such axle we mount a driving pulley, preferably in the form of a
stepped cone such as C in order that the speed of driving may be readily varied.
The driving pulley receives motion from a belt transmitting power from some
convenient main, or counter-shafting, driven by a steam or other engine. The
direction of motion is iudicated by the arrow at Figure 1. Instead of a driving
pulley we sometimes mount a spur or a friction wheel upon the drum shaft, or
employ a clutch or other coupling or connecting mechanism, for the purpose of
transmitting the required driving power to our machine. The revolution of the
drum upon the driving pulley axle is transmitted to the drum of the distant axle
by means of the endless belt or band A herein before described, and to assist in
keeping the band at sufficient tension we provide adjustable bearings such as D D'

page_text: to increase or decrease the distance between the centres of the drums as may be
required. We sometimes provide a depressing or guard piece such as A¹ for the
purpose of preventing vertical play or movement of the underside of the belt.
We cause the lower side of the endless band to pass over a table or platform E
provided with grooves or grooved blocks such as E' preferably of hard wood,
intercepted by cutters or knife blades E preferably of steel. The lower side of
the band and the surface of the grooved table or platform are set at a slight angle
with each other as illustrated at Figure 1, in order to give a greater distance
between them at the front end F of the machine, gradually diminishing to the
minimum distance at the back or rear end G. The cocoanut ice or other
confection, preferably in the form of a strip or bar cut from a prepared sheet or
roll of the substance, is introduced at the front end F of the machine between
the underside of the band the the grooved platform. It is then immediately
carried forward by the band and pressed on to the cutters or knives
herein before described, and into the grooves, and thus it is cut up by
the knives and rolled continuously forward, until it is discharged in the form
of balls at the rear end G of the machine. The number of balls so formed
depends upon the width of the material inserted and upon the number of grooves
and knives on the table or platform. The formation of the balls will continue so
long as the material is fed between the grooved table and the band, and during the
time that the band is kept in constant motion.
We make the grooves or grooved blocks and the blades or knives readily
detachable from the platform or table, and provide grooves and knives of varying
dimensions to suit the particular size of balls that we desire to produce. We make
the table or platform itself adjustable by the adjustment bolts and nuts H H' or
by other suitable and well known methods, in order that the distance between the
band and the grooves may be varied as required.
For the purpose of printing or impressing the balls with any desired words,
motto, or device, we fix or secure to the table or platform at the rear end of the
machine, letters or type, supplied by any convenient method with suitable ink or
colour. Such printing is performed after the formation of the complete balls in
the grooves, and by the rolling pressure produced by the band when rolling the
balls over the letters or type.
We vary the arrangement of our machines and modify the parts or details of the
same to suit balls of varying substances, and the requirements of particular
services or conditions, without departing from the essential features of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The improved method of manufacturing balls of confection and other sub-
stances, by means of a moving belt or band which presses the substance on to
cutters or knife blades and into and along grooves formed in or upon a table or
platform, for cutting, rolling, and forming it into balls, substantially as described.
2. In machines for the manufacture of balls of confection and other substances,
the use of cutters or knife blades intercepted by grooved blocks or projections from
the working table or platform, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The construction of a machine for the manufacture of balls of confection and
other substances, having an endless belt or band and adjustable pulley shaft
bearings and an adjustable working table or platform provided with cutters or
knife blades intercepted by grooved blocks or projecting pieces, arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
4. In machines for the manufacture of balls of confection and other substances,
the use in connection with an endless belt or band and a grooved working table or

page_text: platform, of letters or type for the purpose of printing or impressing the balls with
any desired words, motto, or device, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of October 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.