Mogul machine for manufacturing starch molded products such as candy and apparatus and starch level adjuster and method for reducing starch loss in same

A method of manufacturing a plurality of starch molded products with a mogul machine, comprising:

• conveying a plurality of empty trays on a conveyor mechanism;
• depositing starch in the empty trays, the tray having a horizontally extending base and a vertically extending peripheral border wall containing starch in the tray, the border wall having a top edge;
• leveling the starch deposited with at least one resilient member, the resilient member deflecting past the top edge to enter and exit the tray, the resilient member having an bottom edge dropping below the top edge when in the tray to level starch in the tray below the top edge;
• stamping a plurality of cavities into the starch contained in the tray, the formation of the cavities displacing starch vertically upward toward the top edge, the starch being prevented from spilling over the top edge due to the leveling;
• pumping liquefied starch molded mixture into the cavities;
• curing the starch molded mixture to form the starch molded products;
• and
• separating starch molded products from the starch.

A mogul machine for manufacturing a plurality of starch molded products, comprising:

• a plurality of trays for holding starch, the tray having a horizontally extending base and a vertically extending peripheral border wall adapted to contain starch in the tray, the border wall having a top edge;
• a conveyor mechanism adapted to convey the trays with the top edge situated at a first vertical height;
• a starch depositor disposed along the conveyor mechanism adapted to deposit starch into the trays;
• a starch leveler disposed along the conveyor mechanism including at least one resilient member with a bottom leveling edge, the bottom leveling edge being disposed at a second vertical height below the first vertical height such that the bottom leveling edge engages the peripheral border wall when trays are conveyed past the starch leveler, the at least one resilient member being sufficiently resilient to deflect past the top edge of the tray without damage to the tray or the resilient member;
• a recycling hopper disposed underneath the starch leveler adapted to catch starch removed via the starch leveler;
• a stamping station disposed along the conveyor mechanism including a stamping plate adapted to press cavities into starch in the tray;
• and
• a pumping station disposed along the conveyor mechanism adapted to pump liquefied starch molded product into cavities formed in starch.

An apparatus for reducing starch loss in a mogul machine, the mogul machine including a starch depositor and a conveyor mechanism transporting trays in a downstream direction through the starch depositor wherein starch is deposited in the trays, the apparatus comprising:

• a pair of mounts, the mounts being spaced apart a distance greater than a width of the conveyor mechanism but less than an overall width of the mogul machine for mounting the apparatus of the mogul machine;
• a pair of support posts projecting vertically from the mounts, the posts projecting vertically above the conveyor mechanism when the mounts are mounted to the mogul machine;
• a cross support extending horizontally between the posts and supported by the posts;
• an elongate blade mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support;
• and
• an elongate brush mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support in spaced relation to the elongate blade.