GB2069616A

GB2069616A - Piston and cylinder dispensing device

Info

Publication number: GB2069616A
Application number: GB8000100A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mike and Kremmel Ltd
Current assignee: Mike and Kremmel Ltd
Priority date: 1980-01-02
Filing date: 1980-01-02
Publication date: 1981-08-26
Also published as: IT1194015B; IT8027018A0; FR2472947A1; DE8006278U1; GB2069616B

Abstract

A syringe type extruding device for pasty or semi-liquid food or other edible mixtures, which can extrude two different components, one being in the form of straitions along the a length of the other, comprises a barrel 12 along which a piston 14 can be forced towards an outlet 22 from the barrel. The outlet includes a tubular portion 26 which extends partway back up the barrel and which has an opening 26a where it terminates through which the said other component passes and at least one additional opening 30 adjacent the effective lower end of the barrel through which the said one component passes. Preferably a bowl-shaped cap 20 is provided for attachment to the end of the barrel and the tube 26 is provided in that cap and terminates at about the end of the barrel. The cap then defines an extra reservoir for the said one component. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to extruding devices This invention relates to a press or extruding device for pasty or semi-liquid food or other edible mixtures.

It is often required to extrude a length of food or other edible mixture, usually in the form of an uncooked product so as to give a decorative effect. One example of such an extruder or press is an icing bag from which icing is extruded through a shaped nozzle by applying pressure to the bag. Another instance where extrusion is required is in respect of pasty mixtures for conversion into biscuits or the like and in this case it is usually necessary to apply very high extension forces since the paste to be extruded is usually quite thick and stiff. An icing bag or the like is therefore not usually suitable and extruders are used consisting of a barrel containing the paste and a piston which is forced along the barrel to extrude the pasty mixture through a shaped outlet from the barrel.

Such a press cannot extrude two different components such as two differently coloured components except possibly as a random mixture of the two placed in the barrel. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an extruding or press device where two components of, for example, different colours or consistencies can be extruded to give an extruded product containing portions of each component! According to the invention there is provided a press or extruding device for pasty or semiliquid food mixtures comprising a barrel along which a piston can be forced to extrude the pasty mixture from an outlet from the barrel, the outlet including a tubular portion through which the mixture is extruded and which has a portion extending part-way back up the barrel with an opening at the position where it teminates part-way up the barrel and at least one separate additional opening adjacent the lower end of the barrel, whereby one component can be placed in the lower end of the barrel below the opening where the outlet terminates part-way up the barrel and so be forced through the opening adjacent the lower end of the tubular portion whilst another component can be placed above the first component in contact with the piston and so be forced through the opening where the outlet terminates part-way up the barrel, and means for forcing the piston down the barrel so as to place the components under pressure and extrude them through the outlet. Such a device can therefore extrude lengths of, for example, icing which will have a separate component such as differently coloured icing as one or more striations or lines extending along it and whilst sufficient or each component remains in the barrel, the resulting extruded product will be of substantially consistent appearance.

An important advantage of the invention is that existing extruders of the type having a barrel and a piston can readily be modified or adapted to conform to the invention by providing an extra fitting for the lower end of the barrel to replace the existing die. This fitting can comprise a cup or bowl-shaped cap for the barrel and a tube which is arranged to terminate at approximately the end of the barrel when the fitting is in place on the end of the barrel. In this way, the cap defines an extra reservoir beyond the end of the barrel in which a pasty mixture of a different nature from that contained in the barrel can be placed. One or small holes are provided in the wall of the tube adjacent the outlet end of that tube, these openings providing communications between the cap and the inside of the tube.Thus, whilst one component can be extruded axially along the tube of the barrel, the other component can enter the lower end of the tube and so form striations in the wall of the extruded product.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cut-away perspective view of the lower end of an extruding device according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an axial section through the lower end of the device shown in Fig. 1.

The extruding device 10 shown in the drawings includes a cylindrical barrel 1 2 along the length of which a piston 1 4 is slidable. A piston rod 1 6 is attached to the piston 14 and extends along the barrel and suitable means (not shown) and forming no part of this invention are provided to force the piston along the barrel and so cause extrusion of pasty and semi-liquid foods or edible products placed within the barrel 1 2.

An end cap 20 is a screw fit over the end of the barrel 1 2 and closes the end of the barrel. This cap has an outlet nozzle 22 which is externally screw-threaded and screwed onto this outlet is an outlet extrusion tube 24.

Within the cap is provided an upstanding open-ended tube 26, the open end 26a of this tube terminating at a position approximating the end of the barrel 1 2 when the cap is in position on the barrel. Extending from the tube 26 to the walls of the cap are four radial fins 28 which divide the cap 20 into four compartments 29 and also act to support the tube 26. The tube has four axial slits or openings 30 at its lower end and each opening provides communication between a respective compartment 29 and the interior of the tube 26.

In use, the cap 20 is unscrewed from the end of the barrel and the piston 14 withdrawn to the top of the barrel. A first pasty edible component is placed in the barrel through its open lower end. For example. this could be white icing. Then a second pasty edible component Is placed within the compartments 29 in the cap. The same second component could be placed in each component 29 or alternatively a different second component could be placed in each or a number of the compartments 29. By way of example, a single second component could be placed in each compartment 29 and could be coloured icing.

Next. the cap 20 is screwed onto the end of the barrel 1 2 and the piston forced downwardly to extrude the two components. The first component in the barrel will pass through the open end 26a of the tube 26 and pass along the tube 26 and down and out through the tube 24. Pressure will also be applied to the second component in the compartments 29 and some of this will be forced through the openings 30 into the tube 26 and so will pass down it and out of the tube 24 together with the first component. The second component will, however, be in the form of striations or lines extending along the outer wall of the extruded icing and so can give an attractive and reproducible decorative effect.

As will be appreciated, the device of the invention is very simole and in particular, the cap 20 can be provided as an extra fitting for a conventional extruder barrel 1 2. Also, the cap 20 can readily be made from synthetic plastics material and therefore can be kept clean and has no areas which cannot readily be cleaned.

Claims

1. A press or extruding device for pasty or semi-liquid food mixtures comprising a barrel along which a piston can be forced to extrude the pasty mixture from an outlet from the barrel, the outlet including a tubular portion through which the mixture is extruded and which has a portion extending part-way back up the barrel with an opening at the position where it terminates part-way up the barrel and at least one separate additional opening adjacent the effective lower end of the barrel, whereby one mixture can be placed in the lower end of the barrel below the opening where the outlet terminates part-way up the barrel and so be forced through the opening adjacent the lower end of the tubular portion whilst another mixture can be placed above the first mixture in rftontact with the piston and so be forced though the opening where the outlet terminates part-way up he barrel, and means for forcing the piston down the barrel so as to place the mixtures under pressure and extrude them through the outlet.

2 A press as claimed in Claim 1 in which a cup jr bowl-shaped cap fits over the end of and extends the barrel and contains the tubular portion which is arranged to terminate approximately the limit of advance of the piston.

3. A press as claimed in Claim 2 in which a number of radial fins extend across the cup or bowl-shaped cap to support the tubular portion.

4. A press as claimed in any preceding claim in which the tubular portion has an outlet nozzle removably attached to it.

5. A press as claimed in any preceding claim in which the separate additional opening is formed by an axial slit in the wall of the tubular portion.

6. A press or extruding device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.