Method and apparatus for controlled molding of chocolate shell goods and the like
AssigneeAPV Baker Inc.
InventorsRoss S. Bainbridge, Gordon Steels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The specification discloses an apparatus for making confectionary or other shell goods by the method of filling a mold with a desired media and then inverting the mold to drain the media from the mold while leaving the mold coated by a layer of the media, thereby forming a hollow shell inside the mold. The mold travels through the apparatus on a conveyor. A sliding table is used to provide a turning point which defines the mechanism by which the mold is inverted. The sliding table receiprocates back and forth between extended and retracted positions along the direction of travel of the conveyor so that the speed of inverting the mold can be increased as the sliding table is retracted or decreased as the sliding table is extended.
Claims31
In an apparatus for making shell goods, said apparatus having at least one mold means for molding at least one generally hollow shell, having conveyor means for conveying said mold means through said apparatus, having filling means for at least partially filling said mold means with a molding media and having means for inverting said mold means to drain said media from said mold means after said mold means is at least partially filled therewith by said filling means to thereby leave said mold means at least partially coated by a layer of said media to form a shell, the improvement comprising means for controlling the thickness of said layer and shell by changing the speed of inverting said mold means.
An apparatus for making confections comprising;
- at least one mold means for forming at least one confectionery shell;
- conveyor means for conveying said mold means through said apparatus;
- means for depositing a confection into said mold means;
- turning means for turning said mold means over to drain a portion of said confection from said mold means in a manner leaving at least portions of said mold means coated with a layer of said confection;
- and
- means for controlling the thickness of said layer by controlling the speed of turning said mold means over.
A sliding table for use in an apparatus for making confections, said apparatus having at least one mold means for molding at least one confectionery shell, having conveyor means for conveying said mold means through said apparatus, and having means for depositing confection material upon said mold means, said sliding table comprising turning means for turning said mold means to drain said confection therefrom so that said mold means remains coated by a layer of said confection material after being so drained.
A method of controlling the speed of turning a confectionery shell mold in an apparatus for making confections, the apparatus having a conveyor for conveying the mold through the apparatus and having means for depositing confection material into the mold, comprising the steps of:
- turning the conveyor in a manner causing inversion of a mold containing said confection material to drain said material from the mold while leaving a layer of the material coating the mold to form a confectionery shell;
- reversing the conveyor to return the mold to an upright position after said turning and during the course of travel of the conveyor;
- and
- moving the location where said turning occurs between a first position and a second position upstream along the direction of travel of the conveyor with respect to said first position when the conveyor has conveyed the mold to a location near said first position and the conveyor is about to be turned to cause inversion and draining of said mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.