GB371179A - Improvements in moulding machines for plastic materials, such as chocolate - Google Patents

Abstract

371,179. Moulding chocolate &c. ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS A. SAVY, JEANJEAN, ET CIE, Avenue Dubonnet, Courbevoie, Seine, France, and BAKER PERKINS, Ltd., Hythe Road, Willesden, London. May 12,1931, No. 14071. Convention date, May 12, 1930. [Class 87 (ii).] In continuous moulding machines for plastic material such as chocolate, comprising an endless conveyer 1 for the moulds passing through a cooling chamber 4 and over a delivery conveyer 7 adapted to receive articles from the moulds, the delivery conveyer comprises a number of separate pans adapted to register with inverted moulds on the lowest section 6 of the main conveyer 1, the delivery conveyer 7 moving in the cooling chamber under the section 6 of the main conveyer in the same direction and at the same speed as the latter and adjacent thereto. The moulds receive the material and then pass over a tapping device 3 and by a zig-zag path 5 through the cooling chamber, and the articles finally drop out of the inverted moulds along the section 6 on to trays placed upon plates 8 pivoted to the delivery conveyer 7. They are then transported to a conveyer which delivers them to a wrapping machine. The delivery conveyer, Fig. 3, may consist of plates 8 supported by two parallel chains 9 by journals 16, 17, at opposite diagonal corners so that the plates remain horizontal. Each plate is formed with two slots 15 and a notch 18 for facilitating removal of the trays. The chains pass over toothed wheels 10 .. 13, the axes of each of a pair of the wheels being spaced so that the trays remain horizontal at the bend. Alternatively, journals may be provided on a transverse axis of the plate with counterweights to retain the horizontal position. In this case the wheels of each pair are coaxial. A horizontal partition 19 is placed between the upper and lower runs of the delivery conveyer 7 and the space below the partition is heated as by electric lamps so that the temperature there may be intermediate those of the cooling chamber and of the outside atmosphere. The moulded articles are thus in a condition to be packed as they issue at the end of the conveyer whereat the wheels 12, 13 are placed. As they pass round the bend of these wheels, fingers 34 on cross members 33 take into the notches 15 and remove the trays from the plates. The cross members are attached to a conveyer system for transporting them to the wrapping machine. In one form of such system, Fig. 4, the cross members are mounted on two parallel chains 30 which move in a vertical plane at right-angles to the direction of movement of the conveyer 7. The cross members are supported in a horizontal position during movement by means such as rollers thereon engaging in guiding elements. In another form the cross members remove the trays at rightangles in a horizontal plane. Chains whereto the members are pivoted pass round wheels whose axes are parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyer 7. In another form one chain only is provided and rigid brackets wherefrom the cross members depend are attached to the chain and kept in position by rollers on them and on the chain engaging a guideway. At a bend in the guideway, fingers on the cross members remove the trays, and rollers at each end of the cross members engage guides or inclined surfaces in order that they remain horizontal at the turn.