Method and apparatus for continuously forming center-filled gum

A method of continuously producing pieces of liquid-filled gum material comprising the steps of:

• supplying a rope of liquid filled gum material to a cooling member;
• cooling said rope of liquid filled gum material;
• introducing said rope of liquid filled gum material into circular cylindrical die cavities formed between a rotating drum mechanism and a moving continuous chain mechanism;
• cooling and forming said rope of gum material into separate pieces of sealed gum material in said die cavities, said cooling being supplied by compressed air through tubular members;
• compressing said separate pieces of gum material in said cavities into their final product shapes;
• and
• ejecting said separate pieces of gum material from said cavities.

An apparatus for continuously producing pieces of liquid-filled gum material from a rope of liquid-filled gum material comprising:

• a rotating drum mechanism, said drum mechanism comprising a first plurality of die groove members positioned around the periphery of said drum mechanism, a plurality of plunger members positioned adjacent said first plurality of die groove members, and cam members for directing said plunger members into said die groove members for compressing said pieces of gum material;
• a continuous chain mechanism, said chain mechanism comprising a second plurality of die groove members;
• and
• a plurality of cooling members;
• said drum mechanism and said chain mechanism being positioned adjacent one another such that said first plurality of die groove members and said second plurality of die groove members mate to form circular cylindrical die cavities;
• said cooling members being positioned adjacent said drum mechanism and said chain mechanism in order to direct cooling air toward said first and second plurality of die groove members.