GB359458A - Improvements in chewing gum and the methods of making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

359,458. Chewing gum ; moulding by rolling machines. MUSTIN, G. B., Herford Place, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. July 17, 1930, No. 21687. [Class 28 (i).] A piece of chewing gum is composed of a thin ply or layer of masticatable material interposed between and pressed hard into contact with two thin plies of layers of lozenge confectionery whereby material of the inner layer penetrates slightly into the material of the outer layers and the lozenge material which is normally brittle when dry remains flexible when united to the gum ; the main flavour of the chewing gum is put in the layer of lozenge material. The lozenge material comprises a doughlike mass of powdered sugar, flavouring, and a binding gum such as gum arabic or gum tragacanth. The masticatable material may have a relatively high insoluble content. The chewing gum may be made by interposing a relatively thick sheet of masticatable material 2 between two relatively thick sheets of lozenge material 1 and rolling the composite sheet until it is reduced to the desired thickness, e.g. by passing a narrow strip from the composite sheet through sets of coacting rollers 4a, 4b, Fig. 10, one roller of each pair being provided with flanges 11 to prevent any lateral flow of the material. The rolling may take place at a temperature at which the ductility of the masticatable material, the ductility of which increases with temperature, is substantially the same as that of the lozenge material, the ductility of which is not substantially changed by variation in temperature. While the rolled sheet is still in a soft and pliable condition it is scored, e.g. by means of knives 12, Fig. 11, so that when cool, the sheet may be broken into a number of small pieces. The plastic sheet may also be obtained in the form of small pieces by passing it between a pair of coacting rollers 4c, 4d, Fig. 14, each roller having in its surface a series of recesses 14, whereby the chewing gum is obtained in the form of small " pillows " 7a, Fig. 16, or the sheet may be passed between a pair of coacting rollers 4e, 4f, Fig. 19, each roller having a series of circumferential grooves 14a substantially semicircular in cross section, whereby the chewing gum is obtained in the form of cylindrical pencils 7b, Fig. 21. In both these methods of moulding the chewing gum the lozenge material is forced over the sides and ends of the masticatable material so that the masticatable material is completely enclosed. To ensure that the masticatable material of the pencils is completely enclosed the pencil may be rolled by hand on a hard surface while the lozenge material is still plastic.