Improvements connected with Machinery for Cutting and Panning Biscuits.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899
1
ce 10th ant
4000
Ancantad
05th Nov
1000
Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1900 Accepted, 25th Nov, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Machinery for Cutting and Panning
Biscuits.
We, JOHN VICARS, the Elder, THOMAS VICARS, and Jous VICARS, the Younger,
all of 56, Seel Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to biscuit cutting and panning machinery in which
there are endless chains which carry the pans along the machine, such chains
passing round wheels at the ends of the machine. The wheels at one end of the
machine are generally arranged so that they can be moved backwards and forwards
so as to take up any slackness in the chains. As at present arranged the operation
of adjusting the wheels takes very considerable time: and if the pans get jammed
in passing along, it is generally the case that the chains are strained and the
wheels have to be readjusted.
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the adjustment of
the chain carrying wheels can be more easily and rapidly effected.
For this purpose, under one modification, we carry the chain wheel shaft in
blocks free to slide upon the usual sliding blocks. The shaft is provided at each
end with a toothed wheel taking into racks attached to the usual sliding blocks.
The chain wheel shaft is also fitted with a square end or otherwise arranged
so that it and the toothed wheels attached thereto can be rotated, thereby, by
reason of the toothed wheels engaging in the racks, the chain wheel shaft and
with it the wheels thereon, which are free to move loosely, can be readily moved
backwards and forwards without moving the usual sliding blocks. When the
chain wheel shaft and wheels are in the desired position they can be locked
therein by a nut on the end of the said shaft. If one chain requires to be taken
up more than the other, this can be effected by a slight motion of one or other
of the usual sliding blocks.
Under a second modification the usual sliding blocks are dispensed with and
the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft are free to slide on guides in the main
frame. The rack into which the toothed wheels at the ends of the chain wheel
shaft engage are also fixed to the main frame. The shaft and wheels can be
adjusted backwards and forwards by turning the chain wheel shaft and toothed
wheels as above mentioned, but in order to take up more slack in one chain than
in the other, one of the toothed wheels on the shaft may be rotated round the
shaft to the required extent by any suitable means, and then secured in position
on the said shaft.
Under a third modification the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft are free
to slide in guides as under the second modification; but the rack on one side of
the machine, intead of being fixed is free to slide to and fro in guides on such
frame, and can be adjusted in position by nut and screw as desired in order to
take up more slack in one chain than in the other.
Dated the Seventeenth day of January 1899.

page_text: Improvements connected with Machinery for Cutting and Panning
Biscuits.
We, JOHN VICARS, the Elder, THOMAS VICARS, and JOHN VICARS, the Younger,
all of 56, Seel Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings:
-
This invention relates to biscuit cutting and panning machinery in which
there are endless chains which carry the pans along the machine, such chains
passing round wheels at the ends of the machine. The wheels at one end of the
imachine are generally arranged so that they can be moved backwards and forwards
so as to take up any slackness in the chains. As at present arranged the operation
of adjusting the wheels takes very considerable time; and if the pans get jammed
in passing along, it is generally the case that the chains are strained and the
wheels have to be readjusted.
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the adjustment of
the chain carrying wheels can be more easily and rapidly effected.
For this purpose, under one modification, we carry the chain wheel shaft in
blocks free to slide upon the usual sliding blocks. The shaft is provided at each
end. with a toothed wheel taking into racks attached to the usual sliding blocks.
The chain wheel shaft is also fitted with a square end or otherwise arranged
so that it and the toothed wheels attached thereto can be rotated, thereby, by
reason of the toothed wheels engaging in the racks, the chain wheel shaft and
with it the wheels thereon, which are free to move loosely, can be readily moved
backwards and forwards without moving the usual sliding blocks. When the
chain wheel shaft and wheels are in the desired position they can be locked
therein by a nut on the end of the said shaft. If one chain requires to be taken
up more than the other, this can be effected by a slight motion of one or other
of the usual sliding blocks.
Under a second modification the usual sliding blocks are dispensed with and
the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft are free to slide on guides in the main
frame. The racks into which the toothed wheels at the ends of the chain wheel
shaft engage are also fixed to the main frame. The shaft and wheels can be
adjusted backwards and forwards by turning the chain wheel shaft and toothed
wheels as above mentioned but in order to take up more slack in one chain than
in the other one of the toothed wheels on the shaft may be rotated round the
shaft to the required extent by any suitable means and then secured in position
on the said shaft.
Under a third modification the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft are free
to slide in guides as under the second modification; but the rack on one side of
the machine instead of being fixed is free to slide to and fro in guides on such
frame and can be adjusted in position by nut and screw as desired in order to
take up more slack in one chain than in the other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of part of a biscuit cutting and
panning machine, and illustrative of our invention a is the chain wheel shaft
supported in blocks which are free to slide on the blocks c which are of the usual
kind in this class of machinery, and are movable and adjustable on slides d in
the framing e by means of screws f. y are toothed wheels secured to each end
C

page_text: of the shaft a. The toothed wheels y-take into racks h attached to the blocks c
by bolts or otherwise as desired. The shaft a is provided with a square end k
by which it and the toothed wheels can be turned so as to move the said shaft
backwards or forwards so as to adjust the chain wheels to the desired position.
By the toothed wheels being secured to the ends of the shaft both ends move
the same distance when the shaft is turned. m is a nut on the end of the shaft a
by which such shaft can be locked against the block so as to prevent it turning.
The chain wheels revolve loosely on the shaft a. Instead of toothed wheels g
quadrants or like devices may be employed; also any convenient means other
than a nut m may be used to prevent the shaft a turning in the block b. If one
of the chains n should be slacker than the other it may be adjusted by moving
one of the blocks c by means of the screw f which will move one of the racks h
and with it one of the toothed wheels and one end of the shaft a.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan illustrative of a modification
of our invention. Like letters indicate similar parts as in Figs. 1 and 2. Here
the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft rest and are free to slide on the
guides d in the main frame c. The racks are also attached to the main frame
and are of such length that the whole of the travel possible can be given to the
chain wheels by turning the shaft a and toothed wheels g as before described.
One of the toothed wheels g' is loose on the shaft a but is attached to a collar
or sleeve o which can be secured to the shaft a so as to rotate therewith by a set
screw or other convenient device q is a square on the collar o by which, when
the set screw is slackened, the toothed wheel g¹ can be turned on the shaft a
thereby moving one chain wheel more than the other, thus allowing of taking up
any more slack there may be in one chain than in the other. Any other con-
venient means than a set screw and square on a collar o may be employed for
securing and rotating the toothed wheel g'.
t
Fig. 5 is a side elevation and Fig. 6 is a plan showing another modification
under our invention. Here the blocks carrying the chain wheel shaft are sup-
ported on the guides d as in Figs. 3 and 4. The toothed wheels are both fixed
to the shaft as in Figs. 1 and 2. One of the racks his fixed to the main frame e
the other rack is carried on a slider movable in guides s on the main frame.
is a screw by means of which the rack can be moved longitudinally in the
guides s carrying with it the corresponding toothed wheel and the end of the
shaft thereby moving one of the chain wheels more than the other and allowing
of taking up any varying slackness in the chains.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular details above described as various
arrangements of parts may be made without departing from the essential features
of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
.
First. The combination with the chain wheels of biscuit cutting and panning
machinery of a shaft provided with toothed wheels or equivalent devices at or
near each end, racks or equivalents into or with which the toothed wheels or
equivalent devices engage, sliding blocks for carrying the shaft, and means for
rotating and securing the shaft in position, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Second. The combination with the chain wheels, of a shaft provided with
toothed wheels or equivalent devices at or near each end, sliding blocks carrying
racks or equivalents into or with which the toothed wheels or equivalent devices
engage and sliding blocks for supporting the shaft, means for rotating and
securing the shaft in position, and means for moving the sliding blocks, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination with the chain wheels, of a shaft provided with toothed
wheels at or near each end one of such toothed wheels being movable round the

page_text: shaft, racks into which the toothed wheels engage, sliding blocks for carrying the
shaft, means for securing the movable toothed wheel on the shaft, and means
for rotating and securing the shaft in position, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the chain wheels, of a shaft provided with
toothed wheels at or near each end, racks into which the toothed wheels engage
one of such racks being movable longitudinally, sliding blocks for carrying the
shaft, means for rotating and securing the shaft in position, and means for
adjusting the movable rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Seventeenth day of October 1899.
W. B. JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.