GB673878A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for the production of wrapped articles - Google Patents

Abstract

673,878. Chocolate wrapping machine. SOC. CELLOPHANE. Aug. 25, 1950 [Nov. 9, 1949], No. 28767/49. Class 94(i). [Also in Group VIII]. Apparatus for producing wrapped bars of chocolate as described in Specification 656,535 includes modified indenting mechanism which comprises a pair of spacedapart arms between which the band of chocolate is adapted to pass, means to move the arms towards and away from the opposite edges of the band of chocolate, a connection between the arms constraining them to move together both towards and away from the band and to the same extent, and an indenting means carried by each arm to engage the opposite edges of the band and form grooves therein. A strip 29, Fig. 1, of wrapping material is fed into a folding device 35, where it is wrapped around and sealed over a nozzle 36 through which chocolate, in a warm, plastic condition, is extruded. The filled tube, or band 38, then passes under a smoothing roller 39, and through a cooler 40 to indenting means 41, which indent the edges of the band at spaced positions along the band, where it is to be pressed by rollers 42. These are formed with flat topped ridges which co-operate to press the flat surfaces of the tube together and separate the chocolate into wrapped bars connected by closure strips 96 of wrapping material. The chocolate then passes through smoothing means 43, to cutting means 44, [Group VIII] for severing the individual wrapped bars from the chain, and on to a discharge conveyer 45. The indenting means 41 comprises, Fig. 4, two U-shaped arms 50, each carrying a grooved wheel 55 formed with an indenting ridge 62, moved towards and from the band 38 by a pinion 57, oscillated by cam means 59, 60, engaging racks 56 formed at the other ends of the arms. The smoothing means 43 comprises, Fig. 3, two cooperating endless smoothing bands 72 driven by rollers 70 and pressed on the faces of the chocolate bars by a series of resiliently supported rollers adjustably carried by upper and lower frame members 75 and adjusted so that the pressure on the chocolate increases from the entry to the discharge end of the smoothing means. Endless chains 78 pass over the frames 75 and carry pressing bars 79 adapted to pass through slots in the bands 72 and to nip the closure strips 96 between them during passage of the chocolate through the device.