A machine for preparing snacks based on puffed cereals and the like

A machine for preparing snacks based on puffed cereals and the like, having a load-bearing structure and a processing assembly which includes at least one processing unit and a feeding system, to feed cereal doses to the processing unit,

• wherein the processing unit comprises an upper mould plate with at least one upper die, a lower mould plate with at least one lower die, an intermediate mould plate, defining at least one through opening in which the upper die and the lower die are at least partially receivable,
• wherein the processing unit further comprises actuator means controllable for causing relative linear displacements among the upper mould plate, the lower mould plate and the intermediate mould plate, to compress a cereal dose between the upper die and the lower die,
• wherein at least one of the upper mould plate, the lower mould plate and the intermediate mould plate has heating means associated thereto,
• wherein the load-bearing structure includes a plurality of upright structural elements connected in a lower region thereof by means of a plurality of lower transverse structural elements and connected in an upper region thereof by means of a plurality of upper transverse structural elements,
• wherein the upright structural elements are also connected, in an intermediate region thereof, by means of a plurality of intermediate transverse structural elements, which obtain an anchoring and supporting structure,
• wherein the processing unit has a respective load-bearing structure which is fixed to the anchoring and supporting structure and is configured in such a way that the processing unit is suspended with respect to the anchoring and supporting structure,
• and wherein a plurality of substantially closed peripheral panels is associated to the load-bearing structure, in a position corresponding to at least one of:
• a lower zone, substantially comprised between the lower transverse structural elements and the intermediate transverse structural elements,
• an upper zone, substantially comprised between the upper transverse structural elements and the intermediate transverse structural elements,
• wherein the plurality of peripheral panels comprises lower panels at said lower zone, the lower panels being designed to contain dispersion of cereal scraps and/or powders produced during operation of the processing unit,
• wherein the machine further comprises a lower collecting drawer, for accumulating the cereal scraps and/or powders, which is arranged in the lower zone underneath the processing unit,
• and wherein deflector elements are associated to the load-bearing structure, configured for conveying the cereal scraps and/or powders towards the inside of the collecting drawer, each deflector element defining a chute or an inclined plane and being mounted higher than the collection drawer.

A machine for the preparation of snacks based on puffed cereals and the like, having a load-bearing structure and a processing assembly which includes at least one processing unit and a feeding system, to feed a cereal to the processing unit,

• wherein the processing unit comprises an upper mould plate with at least one upper die, a lower mould plate with at least one lower die, an intermediate mould plate, defining at least a first through opening in which the upper die and the lower die are at least partially receivable,
• wherein the processing unit further comprises first actuator means controllable for causing relative linear displacements among the upper mould plate, the lower mould plate and the intermediate mould plate, to compress a dose of cereal between the upper die and the lower die,
• wherein at least one of the upper mould plate, the lower mould plate and the intermediate mould plate has heating means associated thereto,
• wherein the processing unit further comprises a dosing plate, defining at least one second through opening, the dosing plate being displaceable between:
• a backward position, in which the second through opening receives a dose of cereal from the feeding system, and
• a forward position, in which the second through opening is axially aligned with the first through opening of the intermediate mould plate, to position the dose of cereal therein,
• wherein the processing unit also comprises second controllable actuator means to cause to-and-fro linear displacements of the dosing plate between the backward position and the forward position,
• wherein the second actuator means comprise a linear actuator having a stem to which the dosing plate is constrained by means of a mechanical-coupling device,
• wherein the dosing plate is of a replaceable type, and the mechanical-coupling device comprises a quick-change device.

A machine for preparing snacks based on puffed cereals and the like, having a load-bearing structure and a processing assembly which includes at least one processing unit and a feeding system, for feeding cereal doses to the processing unit,

• wherein the processing unit comprises an upper mould plate with at least one upper die, a lower mould plate with at least one lower die, and an intermediate mould plate defining at least one through opening in which the upper die and the lower die are at least partially receivable,
• wherein the processing unit has an actuation system comprising a source of compressed gas and pneumatic actuator means, controllable to cause relative linear displacements among the upper mould plate, the lower mould plate and the intermediate mould plate, to compress a cereal dose between the upper die and the lower die,
• wherein, for at least one of the upper mould plate and the lower mould plate, the pneumatic actuator means, comprise:
• a displacement pneumatic-cylinder having a first plunger which is displaceable within a first cylinder casing and which is connected to a first stem, and
• a compression pneumatic-cylinder, having a second plunger which is displaceable within a second cylinder casing and which is connected to a second through-stem,
• wherein the first stem has a proximal end connected to a distal end of the second through-stem, to a proximal end of the second through-stem there being connected the upper mould plate or the lower mould, respectively,
• wherein the displacement pneumatic-cylinder is controllable to cause a displacement of the second plunger of the compression pneumatic-cylinder between a retracted position and at least one advanced position,
• wherein the compression pneumatic-cylinder is controllable to exert a compression on a cereal dose after the second plunger has been brought into said advanced position,
• wherein the first stem of the displacement pneumatic-cylinder is a through-stem and has a distal end portion which protrudes with respect to a distal end surface of the first cylinder casing irrespective of the operating position of the first plunger,
• wherein on the distal end portion of the first stem a mechanical stop element is mounted in a displaceable way, by means of an adjustable coupling,
• and wherein the adjustable coupling is prearranged for enabling to vary a working position of the mechanical stop element in an axial direction of the distal end portion of the first stem, to thereby enabling adjustment of a maximum forward stroke of the first stem among a plurality of possible maximum forward strokes, and hence enabling adjustment of an advanced position of the second plunger of the compression pneumatic-cylinder among a plurality of possible advanced positions.