# US 2021/0078034 A1 · Multi-pan coating assembly for particulate material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0078034 A1 - Document ID: US20210078034A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/247,057 - Filed: 2020-11-25 - Published: 2021-03-18 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-18 - Assignees: Freund-Vector Corporation - Applicants: Freund-Vector Corporation - Inventors: NICHOLAS DECKER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210078034A1 ## CPC - B05C 19/06: Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material - A23G 3/26: Apparatus for coating by tumbling {with a liquid or powder, spraying device-associated, drum, rotating pan} - A23P 20/18: by spray-coating, fluidised-bed coating or coating by casting (combined with breading A23P20/12) - B05B 13/0257: {in a moving container, e.g. a rotatable foraminous drum} - B05B 16/90: {comprising conveying means for moving objects or other work to be sprayed in and out of the booth, e.g. through the booth} - B05C 1/08: using a roller {or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line} - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract A spray coating machine and process accommodates coating pans of various sizes and simplifies cleaning after particulate material in the pan is coated. A selected pan is supported on a trolley carried by a wheeled cart. After the cart is positioned adjacent the coating machine, the trolley and pan are extended into the machine, and then the pan lifted for support by a rotatable drive shaft and castors. The trolley is then removed from the machine, and the door is closed so that the coating process can commence. When coating is complete, the door is opened, and the trolley extended into the machine under the pan and raised for removal of the castors. Then, the trolley and pan are withdrawn from the machine. The trolley does not need cleaning after spraying, since the trolley is outside the machine during spraying of the coating solution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coating machine for particulate material, comprising: a housing with an opening and a door for the opening; a cart; a trolley rollable along the cart; a drum for holding particulate material and being removably supported on the trolley without rotation; the cart being movable to a position adjacent the housing opening; and the trolley being extendable from the cart and through the housing opening to position the drum within the housing and then being retracted along the cart for removal from the housing while the drum remains in the housing for a coating operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coating machine of claim 1 wherein the housing has casters for rotatably supporting the drum, the casters being independent from the trolley. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The coating machine of claim 2 wherein the casters are removably mounted in the housing and are installed in the housing after the drum is positioned in the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The coating machine of claim 1 wherein one of the trolleys and the cart has wheels for rollably supporting the trolley on the cart. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coating machine of claim 1 wherein the trolley includes a jack for lifting the drum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The coating machine of claim 1 wherein the trolley is configured to be removed from the housing before the coating operation begins. ### Claim 7 A coating machine for particulate material, comprising: a housing having an inlet opening; a drum for holding particulate material; a trolley to support the drum; and the trolley being movable from a first position outside the housing for product loading and unloading and a second position inside the housing for positioning the drum for product coating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 further comprising a cart to rollably support the trolley. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The coating machine of claim 8 further comprising indexing members on the cart and on the housing to align the trolley with the inlet opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 further comprising rollers inside the housing to support the drum for rotation about a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 further comprising a drive connection in the housing to engage with the drum and rotate the one drum about a substantially horizontal axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 wherein the drum is removed from the trolley inside the housing before product coating begins. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The coating machine of claim 12 wherein the trolley is removed from the housing before product coating begins. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 wherein the trolley includes a jack to adjust the vertical position of the drum. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 wherein the trolley supports the drum for horizontal and vertical movement relative to the trolley. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 wherein the drum is interchangeable with a second drum on the trolley. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The coating machine of claim 7 wherein the trolley rolls between the first and second positions. ### Claim 18 A coating machine for particulate material, comprising: a product coating chamber; a drum for containing particulate material; a trolley supporting the drum and being rollable into and out of the coating chamber; and the drum being removable from the trolly inside the coating chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The coating machine of claim 18 wherein the trolley is removed from the coating chamber while particulate material in the drum is coated in the coating chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The coating machine of claim 18 wherein the trolley is rollably supported on a cart for horizontal movement into and out of the coating chamber.