Improvements in Marking Loaves and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Marking Loaves and the like.
1, GEORGE HOPKINS, of The Hayes, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,.
Provision Merchant, 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 improvements in machinery for marking unbaked loaves
and the like; and consists, in mechanism by means of which either or both sides
of the loaf are marked at once by a single operation of the machine, as distinguished
from hand-marking as at present practised by which only one side is marked at a
time and by a single operation.
In order that my invention, and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will describe it and them in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of
this Specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail,
Fig. 3 is a side elevation,
Fig. 4 is a plan, and
Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation illustrating a modified form thereof.
Referring to Fig. 1, a is the table upon which the machine is fixed. is the base
of the machine. c is a lever having its fulcrum d at a suitable height above the
base. I do not confine myself in respect of how the fulcrum is provided. A con-
venient device is a pillar e standing upon the base and through which and the lever,.
a bolt is passed. 9, hare a pair of dies. They have their faces prepared
according to the mark to be impressed upon the loaf. They are fixed opposite to
each other, the former upon the front end of the lever c, and the latter upon the
base b. If desirable, the dies are removable instead of being permanently fixed
in their respective positions. i is a treadle and j is the connecting rod between it
and the levere to which it is pivotted in front of the fulcrum of the latter. k is a
counterpoise the function of which is to raise the die g after its operative stroke..
This being so, the counterpoise and the point of connection of the connecting rod
to the lever are on opposite sides of the fulcrum of the latter. This counterpoise
may be replaced by a spiral spring properly placed to return the lever.
The unbaked loaf 1 to be marked is laid upon the bottom die, and the treadle is
pressed down. This brings the top die g down upon the loaf, and at the same time
presses the under side of the latter into the bottom die h. As soon as the treadle
is released, the counterpoise k raises the die g, whereupon the loaf is removed.
Instead of the treadle mechanism, the lever may be put down by hand, and is, for
that purpose, provided with a handle c'.
Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the top die y is made fast to and depends from a
frame consisting of two cross heads m, m' and two ties n. The frame slides by the
latter through the base band the table a in guides o standing upon the said base.
The connecting rod is made fast to the bottom cross-head m³, and the returning
spring is made fast to the said cross-head and the base b in any suitable way.
The bottom die h is fixed to the base b in any suitable way. The treadle is of the
same description as that illustrated in Fig. 1, or any other convenient and equivalent
device may be adopted.
The advantage of the modification last described is that as the top die is always
in a plane parallel with that of the bottom die, the impressions on the loaf are.
clearer than those produced by a die which moves through an arc.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1. The combination of a fixed die with a pivotted die adapted to be approached
thereto, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of two dies, one fixed and one moveable, and mechanism for
moving the latter towards the former and returning it, as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dad his th
C
L
1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.