US2525348A - Belt conveyer cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Oct. l0, 1950 E. M. GLASS 2,525,348

.BELT coNvEYER CLEANER Filed sept. 2o, 1946 2. sheets-shea? 1 FIN A I x@ IQ,

INVENTOR.

W ll( ATTORNEYS.

Edf/M 6705s BY MW Oct. l0, 1950 E M, GLASS 2,525,348

BELT CONVEYER CLEANER Filed Sept. 2O, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jy. 4 K55 JNVENToR.

Waff/jl. 6705s H ZM/Ma@ Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a cooling machine for doughnuts and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a doughnut cooler, including endless conveying means which are washed and dryed during each cycle of operation of the machine, and therefore maintained in a sanitary condition at all times. v

A further object is to provide a cooling machine for doughnuts, and the like, in which the conveying means are driven from a variable speed reduction unit, thereby affording variations in the cooling time.

A further object is to provide a cooling machine, in which it is unnecessary to disassemble the conveying means at each cleaning of the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a doughnut cooling machine which is highly sanitary, and in which the doughnuts need not be touched by hand at any time during the cooling operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line I I of Figure 2, parts in elevation,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 2--2 of Figure l, parts in elevation,

AFigure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the nozzles removed, parts sectioned.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a rectangular casing, including sides 'I and 3, ends 9, a bottom it, and a top cover I I. The casing 6 is provided with a horizontal rectangular partition I2, spaced above the bottom I6, and also with spaced vertical partitions I3, for forming with the partition I2, bottom IG, sides I and 8, and ends 9, end hot water tanks I4'.

Arranged within the tanks I4 are steam or hot water heating coils I5, having inlet and outlet branches I5 and Il, having inlet and outlet pipes I8 and I9.

suitably rigidly secured to the top cover II, and vertically inclined with respect thereto, and arranged within an elongated transverse opening formed in the cover I I, is an inlet baiile 2I.

2 The opening 20 and the baiiie 2i extend transversely, for substantially the entire width of the casing 6.

Arranged within thel casing 5 are pairs of vertically spaced rolls 22 and 23, near the ends 5 of the casing. The pairs of rolls 22 and 23 are vertically spaced and arranged in vertical alignment. The pairs of rolls 22 are vertically staggered in relation to the pairs of rolls Arranged near and inwardly from the pairs of rolls 22 and 23, are vertical groups lof vertically spaced rolls 2li and 25, Each of the rolls 2li and 25 is spaced vertically equidistantly from the rolls of each adjacent pair 22 and 23.

Arranged near and spaced outwardly from and slightly above the uppermost pair of rolls 22, is a single roll 26, Arranged near and spaced beneath the lowermost pair of rolls 22, is a single roll 2l. Arranged near and spaced outwardly from and slightly above the uppermost pair of rolls 23, is a single roll 28. Arranged above the roll 28 and in alignment with the roll 25 and the pairs of rolls 25, is a single roll 29. Arranged near and spaced outwardly from and slightly below the lowermostpair of rolls '23, is a single roll 30. Arranged inwardly from the roll and slightly below the same, and in alignment with the rolls 25 is a single roll 3 I. Arranged centrally within the tanks III are drive rolls 532 and All of the above mentioned horizontal rolls are suitably mounted upon' the sides l and. t of the casing 6.

Arranged within the casing t are two endless flexible foraminous conveyor belts 35 and 35, which are preferably formed of suitable stainless steel wire mesh.

The endless belt' 31% passes about the drive roll 32, through anfopening formed in the partition I2,'over the roll 25, about the roll 2S, about the uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the uppermost roll 25, about the second uppermost pair oi rolls 22, about the second uppermost roll about the third uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the third uppermost roll 25, about the fourth uppermost pair of rolls 22, about the lowermost roll 25, about the lowermost pair of rolls 22, about the roll 3l about the roll 2l', and through an opening formed in the partition I2. The endless belt 34, in passing about these rolls, forms a vertical upwardly moving run S5, and horizontal runs Si, 38, 39, iil, Il and @2, all of which move horizontally to the right, in Figure l of the drawings.

The endless belt 35 passes about the drive roll 33, through an opening formed in the partition I2, over the roll 28, about the uppermost roll Zii,

about the uppermost pair of rolls 23, about the second uppermost roll 24, about the second uppermost pair of rolls 23, about the third uppermost roll 24, about the third uppermost pair of rolls 23, about the fourth uppermost roll 24, about the lowermost pair of rolls '23, about the lowermost roll 24. about the roll 38, and through an opening formed in the partition I2. The endless belt 3'5, in passing about these rolls, forms a vertical upwardly moving run 43, and horizontal runs 44, 45, 46, 41, and 48, all of which move horizontally to the left in Figure 1 of the drawings.

It can thus be seen, that the horizontal runs of the endless belts 34 and 35, just described, travel in opposite horizontal directions, and due to the arrangement of rolls, the oppositely horizontally moving runs of the two endless belts are horizontally staggered. The horizontal runs which pass about the rolls 24 are spaced vertically between the horizontal runs which pass about the pairs of rolls 22; while the horizontal runs which |pass about the rolls 25, are spaced vertically between the horizontal runs which pass about the `pairs of rolls 23.

Rigidly secured within the casing 6, are vertical groups of vertically spaced and vertically inclined baffles '49 and 50. The inclined bales 49 are adjacent to the forward or discharge ends of the horizontally moving runs 4'4, 45, 46, 4l, and 48, while the inclined baffles 50 are adjacent to the discharge ends of the horizontally moving runs 3l, 38, 39, 4'0, and 4|. The lower ends of the bafes 49 extend slightly beneath the rolls 24, and the lower ends of the b-afes 50 extend slightly beneath the rolls 25 and the roll 29.

Arranged slightly beneath the roll 3|, and adjacent to the discharge end of the horizontal run 42 is an endless horizontal take-off 4conveyor belt 5 l, passing about a short horizontal roll '52, suitably mounted within the casing 6. The conveyor lbelt 5| is preferably formed of stainless steel wire mesh, and extends horizontally transversely of the endless belts 34 and 35, near one end 9 of the casing 6. The endless belt 5| has upper and lower runs which pass through an opening 53 in the side 8, and which pass about a drive roll, suitably arranged outside of the machine, and not shown in the drawings.

Rigidly secured to the sides and 8 of the casing 6, are horizontal air nozzles 55, disposed outwardly of and near the vertical runs 35 and 43, to dry the same after passing from the hot water tanks |4. One end of each nozzle 55 is closed, while its opposite end is provided with an air inlet extension 56, which leads into an air fran box 5l. Air is supplied to each fan box, under suitable pressure, by a rotary fan 58, driven by any suitable means. Disposed inwardly of and adjacent to the vertical runs 36 and 43, are vertical stationary bxaflles 59, disposed opposite the nozzles 55. Both the nozzles 55, and the baffles 59 extend throughout substantially the entire width of the endless belts 34 and 35.

The numeral 68 designates a motor which drives a variable speed reduction unit 6|, which drives a main transverse drive shaft 62, carrying a pulley 63. This pulley is engaged `by lbelts 64' and 65. The belt 64 engages a pulley 66, which drives the shaft 61 of the drive roll 32. The belt 65 drives a pulley 68, driving a gear 69, driving a reversing gear l0, which drives the shaft of the drive roll 33.

The operation of the doughnut cooling rna- :i5

chine is as follows:

Doughnuts, or the like, slide down the inlet baille 2|, through the opening 20 and onto the upper run 3'| of the endless conveyor belt 34. These doughnuts reach the end of the upper run 3l, and are discharged onto the upper inclined bafe 50 and onto the upper run 44 of the endless conveyor belt 35. The doughnuts are progressively carried by and dropped or discharged from the horizontal runs 4'4, 38, `45, 39, 46, 40, 41, 4|, 4'8, and 42, during which process the cooling of the doughnuts takes place. The doughnuts are discharged from the horizontal run 42, onto the take-off conveyor belt 5|, which conveys them outside of the machine, where they may be collected.

The endless belts 34 and 35 pass continuously through, and are subjected tothe washing action of the hot water in the tanks |4. This water is heated by steam or hot water in the coils As the endless belts 34 and 35 pass out of the tanks I4, they pass the transverse elongated air nozzles 55, which subject them to an air `blast to dry them, and remove any remaining particles of grease, or any crumbs still adhering. This continuous Washing land drying operation maintains the stainless steel belts in a sanitary condition at all times. The air blast from the nozzles 55 strikes the stationary baffles 59, and creates air turbulence within the casing 6, thus aiding in the cooling of the doughnuts. The stainless steel wire mesh conveyor belts do not tend to rust or corrode due to the continuous washing.

Through the variable speed reduction unit 6|, the cooling time for the doughnuts may be adjusted and varied.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A doughnut cooling machine, comprising a casing, hot Water tanks arranged within the casing near its bottom and opposite ends, drive rolls arranged within the hot Water tanks, spaced substantiallyfhorizontal rolls'mounted within the casing above the hot water tanks, flexible conveyor belts passing about the drive rolls and about the spaced rolls ,and including vertically spaced horizontally staggered runs moving in yopposite directions, and air nozzles mounted Within the casing near and above the hot water tanks for drying the flexible conveyor belts as Vthey pass from the tanks.

2. A doughnut cooling machine, comprising a casing including spaced -partitions forming hot Water tanks near the bottom and opposite ends of the casing, heating coils associated with the lcasing and arnanged within the tanks, drive rolls mounted within the tanks, spaced rolls mounted within the casing and arranged above the tanks, endless foraminous belts passing about said drive rolls and said spaced rolls and including horizontally staggered oppositely moving runs, inclined baflles adjacent to the discharge ends of the runs, a take-off conveyor adjacent to the discharge end of the lowermost run and arranged transversely of the endless foraminous belts, and air nozzles carried by the casing and arranged near and above the tanksY for drying the endless foraminous belts as they pass from the tanks.

3. A cooling machine for doughnuts, `comprising a casing having an inlet opening, hot Water tanks Within the casing and near the bottom of the same, heating coils arranged within the hot Water tanks, drive rolls mounted Within the hot Water tanks, variable speed driving means for the drive rolls and arranged outside of the casing, spaced rolls mounted within the casing and arranged above the tanks, endless flexible foralrninous conveyor elements passing about the drive rolls and about the spaced rolls and including oppositely moving vertically spaced horizontal runs, inclined bafes adjacent to the discharge ends of the spaced horizontal runs, take-off conveyor means adjacent to the discharge end of the lowermost horizontal run and passing outside of the casing, elongated air nozzles mounted Within the casing adjacent to the endless con -Veyor elements and near the tanks and adapted for drying the endless conveyor elements as they pass from the tanks, and fans associated with the casing for supplying air to the nozzles.

EARL M. GLASS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this .patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 764,435 Donaldson et al July 5, 1904 1,578,617 Van Houten Mar. 30, 1926 2,289,753 f Copstol July 14, 1942

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