GB692192A - Improvements relating to enrobing machines for use in the production of coated confectionery - Google Patents

Abstract

692,192. Enrobing machines. TELMA ENGINEERING, Ltd., and HUSLER, N. W. Nov. 15, 1950 [Nov. 15, 1949], No. 29159/49. Class 28 (i). [Also in Group XXX] An enrobing machine comprising two aligned conveyers for carrying articles of confectionery, e.g. choc-bars, in turn below a drenching device and over a bed plate 24 flooded with chocolate, whereby the articles are coated above and below; has the conveyer supporting and driving rollers mounted in bearings in a removable frame and the driving means for the rollers located externally of the frame. As shown, wire link conveyers 19, 23 are carried respectively by a driving roller 16 and idle rollers 17, 18 and by a driving roller 22 and a curved end of bed plate 24, all the supporting members being mounted on a frame, comprising side plates 13 and transverse tie bars 14, removably supported on side members 12 of a structure 11 which also supports a trough 10 for liquid chocolate. The idle rollers 17, 18 and one end of roller 16 are mounted on conical bearings on side plates 13 while the other end of roller 16 and both ends of roller 22 have dog clutch connections with stub axles rotatably mounted in the respective side plates, the stub axle at one end of roller 22 being connected by chain and sprocket gearing 35, 36, 33 to the stub axle of roller 16 and by similar means to an adjustable roller 371 which is also mounted on the frame. The stub axle at the other end of roller 22 has a dog clutch section 223 extending outwardly of the frame for releasable engagement with a complementary clutch section 381 on the output shaft 382 of a fixed reduction gear box 38, the input shaft of which is driven by a belt 385 from an electric motor. The shaft 382 also carries a sprocket 41 for driving the roller 502 of an article transferring conveyer 50 and a sprocket 40 for driving a gauging roller 44 which, through another gauging roller 45, drives a roller 471 of a feeding conveyer 47. In operation, articles to be coated are fed on to conveyer 19 by conveyer 47 and rollers 45, 44 and drenched with liquid chocolate supplied under pressure by spraying device 21, the articles then passing on to conveyer 23 where the under surface is coated with molten chocolate flooded on to bed plate 24 by means of a conduit 243. Ribs 242 are provided on the bed plate 24 to restrict the lateral flow of the liquid chocolate. Surplus chocolate is removed and the layer of chocofate cut off by leading and tailing air jets 54, 51 respectively and the underside of each article is calendered by roller 371 before being passed on to a conveyer 50 which may carry the coated articles through a hardening tunnel. If desired, the upper run of conveyer 19 may be disposed horizontally and the trailing end of conveyer 23 may pass round an idle roller. When it is desired to clean the conveyers 19, 23, the connections of pipelines 213, 214, 511 and 541 are broken to remove the spraying device and the conveyer carrying frame may then be lifted clear of the supporting structure, using bars 14 as handles.