Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Tubular Articles of Confectionery and for similar purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Tubular Articles
of Confectionery and for similar purposes.
I, CLEMENT EDWARD GARDINER, of Hempstead, in the county of Queens 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:-
This invention has reference to the production of tubular articles-such as
sweetmeats, maccaroni, and other confectionery-by forcing the plastic mass from
a reservoir or receptacle through a suitable die orifice; as in the well known
maccaroni machine. It is applicable generally to the production of tubular
articles from plastic material, such as clay, soap, and the like.
In machines of this type the compression of the material is generally effected
by a reciprocating plunger; but a screw has been used in place of a plunger, so
that the operation may be continuous.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to employ a screw with threads of varying
pitch, the threads at the lower part being closer together than those at the top of
the screw.
Beneath the screw is a tapering mouthpiece, and between this and the body
of the receptacle I interpose a perforated or reticulated diaphragm (such as wire
cloth), whereby the material is strained and rendered of uniform consistency,
and is also distributed with uniformity through the area of the mouth piece.
In operating with some materials such as above specified-the atmospheric
pressure around the tube as it issues from the die orifice tends to compress or
distort the tube, and this tendency to collapsing is proportional to the softness
and pliability of the material being worked. To overcome this difficulty, the
centre of each die orifice is occupied by a hollow tube, the other end of which is
in open communication with the atmosphere, so that at the moment of issuing
from the die the atmospheric pressure is equalized on both sides of the tube. In
carrying out this part of the invention the die plate is preferably located on the
side of the mouthpiece instead of at the lower end thereof, and the air tube is
carried across and through the walls of the mouthpiece, one end lying in the centre
of the die orifice and the other projecting a suitable distance through the opposite
side of the mouthpiece. There will of course be one air tube for each die orifice,
and these individual tubes may each be open to the atmosphere or may be con-
nected with a common air pipe, as may be most convenient.
For certain purposes it is desirable to connect with the air tube means-such
as a pump for applying air under pressure through the air tube. By this means
the tube as it is formed may be expanded more or less, and by applying the
pressure regularly or intermittently a variety of novel shapes can be produced.
For instance, by varying the pressure—that is, increasing and then diminishing
it gradually I have produced hollow articles having an oval shape.
I have also found it desirable to provide means for supplying to the interior
of the tube of confectionery or other plastic substance as formed, a filling in the

page_text: mechanisms and arrangements of parts having the ability to perform said
functions.
The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated
a form of apparatus embodying the invention; and some modifications thereof.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the cylinder.
17
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the die plate.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the mouthpiece.
Fig. 5 is a partial view of. the cylinder in vertical section, showing a means of
adding powder into the tubular product which issues from the die orifice.
Fig. 6 illustrates the methods of introducing, liquid into the tubular product,
and
Fig. 7 shows the means of forcing another plastic mass as a core into the tube
in, course of construction.
tts
As
In said Figures A indicates an upright cylinder, in which is a close fitting
screw B, which receives a rotary motion from shaft C through the bevel gear, a.
The pitch of the screw thread is, as shown, much greater at the upper than at
the lower end. To the lower end of the cylinder A is bolted the tapering exten-
sion D, and between the parts A and D is placed the reticulated diaphragm E,
the latter being directly beneath the lower end of the screw B. The mouthpiece is
is bolted to the lower end of extension 1), forming a continuation thereof.
shown, one side of this mouthpiece is vertical, while the opposite side is inclined.
The die plate G, Fig. 3, is attached to the inclined side of the mouthpiece! It
is provided with any suitable number of die orifices 9 of the size and configura-
tion which it is desired to impart to the tubular article. The air tubes H, one
for each orifice, pass in a direction substantially horizontal through the mouth-
piece F, one end terminating in the centre of, the corresponding die orifice, while
the other is open to the atmosphere, or is connected with an air forcing apparatus,
such as a pump I (shown in Fig. 2). Beneath the mouthpiece F is an endless
travelling apron K, which is moved at a proper speed to carry away the tubular
articles or forms as they issue from the die orifices.
The operation of the machine will be readily understood. A proper supply of
the material to be shaped into tubes is fed into the mouth of the cylinder A and
is carried down by the screw, rapidly at first and then more slowly, but with
greater force as the threads of slight pitch act upon it. The last convolution of
the screw forces the material through the strainer E. The extension D and
mouthpiece F become filled, and as the screw continues to operate the plastic
material is forced through the die orifices. It is obvious that with many materials
the end of the tube as it is made, unless kept open, would collapse; but this is
prevented in one way by the internal pressure of air supplied by the air tube H.
The moulded articles, now in the form of hollow rods or sticks, are delivered
upon trays or boards carried by the apron K, and, being removed therefrom, are
cut into suitable lengths, dried, and finished in a manner appropriate to the
particular material under treatment.
"In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the tapering extension D is continued
into a horizontal passage-way L having the terminal cap or being otherwise
closed. Die orifices are provided in the base of passage-way L, said die orifices
being centered by tubes 2, which tubes are passed through the passage-way L
and connect with a trough or hopper M arranged above said passage-way. Said
hopper. M is intended to contain powder or a granulated substance which may fall
by its own gravity through the tubes 12 and into the tubular formation which
issues from the die orifices . Since there is a liability of the powder or granulated
substance becoming packed in the hopper and failing to run freely, I provide a
shaft m rotatably supported within said hopper M, and having arms m¹ to hold
-the powder or granulated substance in constant agitation whilst the apparatus, is

page_text: in operation, whereby said powder or granulated substance may be free to fall
through the tubes 12.
In Fig. 6 is seen a similar construction to that of Fig. 5, excepting that the
tubes, here indicated by ³, connect with a reservoir N, containing liquid which
is to be passed into the plastic tubular formation, and a valve n is provided for
each tube 13 to regulate the supply of liquid, so that the proper quantity may
be automatically supplied.
In Fig. 7 a mouthpiece F¹ having die plate G₁ is employed, similar to those of
Figs. 1-and 2, and a tube H' is applied to each die orifice; but in this substance
either one or a plurality of horizontally arranged cylinders O are connected one
to each tube H¹, said cylinders having the feed screws o and vertically opening
enlarged mouths o¹, forming hoppers to receive a plastic mass and convey it
through the tubes H¹ and into the interior of the hollow formation which issues
from the die orifices g¹. The screws o are provided with pinions for gearing with
moving mechanism or are otherwise suitably adapted to rotate, and they are of
course regulated to feed the filling at a rate proportionate to the feed of the screw B
in forming the envelope.
It is unnecessary for me
to illustrate or describe means of closing the
envelope or hollow tube of plastic substance in order to retain the different fillings
which I have provided for, as such means are old and well understood.
While in order to obtain the best results it is preferred to use the invention as
a whole, it is obvious that parts thereof may be used separately and that modifica-
tions may be made in details of construction and arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a machine for forming hollow articles from plastic materials, the com-
bination of the cylinder or receptacle for the plastic mass, provided with a die
orifice and with means for forcing the material through said orifice, and an air
tube, one end of which occupies the centre of the die orifice and the other extends
beyond the wall of the cylinder, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the cylinder having a contracted mouthpiece forming
its lower end, a die plate with an orifice or orifices on one side of said mouthpiece,
and air tubes, one extending from the centre of each orifice, through the opposite
side of the mouthpiece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination of the cylinder provided with a die orifice, an air tube
having its end in the centre of said die orifice, and means, such as an air pump,
for supplying air under pressure through said tube, substantially as described.
4. A machine for forming hollow articles from plastic materials, said machine
comprising, in combination, the cylinder or receptacle, the feed screw, the tapering
extension beneath the feed screw, the diaphragm between the cylinder and exten-
sion, the mouthpiece having a die plate, and the air tubes extending through the
mouthpiece and terminating one in each die orifice, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the cylinder provided with a die orifice, a powder con-
veying tube having its end in the centre of said die orifice, a powder containing
trough or hopper above said tube, and means for agitating the powder in said
trough or hopper to facilitate its passage through the tube, substantially as set
forth.
6. The combination of the cylinder provided with a die orifice, a liquid con-
veying tube having its end in the centre of said orifice, a liquid reservoir above
said tube, and a valve to regulate the supply of liquid through said tube, sub-
stantially as set forth.
7. The combination of the cylinder provided with a die orifice, a tube having
its end in the centre of said die orifice, a cylinder connecting with said tube,
said cylinder containing a screw adapted to rotate therein and to force a plastic
mass through said tube, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 8. The improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of tubular articles of
plastic material such as confectionery and the like, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described, set forth, and illustrated.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1897
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.