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US 6,182,914 B2Granted
Method and device for pre-milling a confectionery material
AssigneeCarle & Montanari S.p.A.
InventorGiovanni Marco Carle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A desired consistency for particulate confectionery material is obtained by adjusting the spacing of a nip between two rotary milling cylinders in dependence upon a measured force exerted by the confectionery material on the cylinders during passage of the confectionery material through the nip.
Claims20
A method of pre-milling particulate confectionery material, comprising the steps of:
- a) feeding the confectionery material through a nip between two rotary milling cylinders having an adjustable position relative to each other, the nip having a variable spacing as the confectionery material passes through the nip and exerts a force on the cylinders;
- b) measuring the force on the cylinders to obtain a measured force;
- c) comparing the measured force to a reference force to obtain a force differential;
- d) defining a desired spacing for the nip based on the force differential;
- and
- e) adjusting the position of the cylinders based on the desired spacing to pre-mill the confectionery material at the desired spacing for the nip and obtain a desired consistency for the confectionery material.
3 more elements
An arrangement for pre-milling particulate confectionery material, comprising:
- a) two rotary milling cylinders having a nip therebetween and an adjustable position relative to each other;
- b) a feed conveyor for feeding the confectionery material through the nip, the nip having a variable spacing as the confectionery material passes through the nip and exerts a force on the cylinders;
- c) a force transducer for measuring the force on the cylinders to obtain a measured force;
- d) a first comparator for comparing the measured force to a reference force to obtain a force differential;
- e) a processor for defining a desired spacing for the nip based on the force differential;
- and
- f) a drive for adjusting the position of the cylinders based on the desired spacing to pre-mill the confectionery material at the desired spacing for the nip and obtain a desired consistency for the confectionery material.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.