GB2088189A - Applying chocolate to irregularly-shaped objects - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to be coated with chocolate, irregularly-shaped objects (2) are placed on a perforated conveyor (1) which is driven to convey them below a roller (16) and above the surface of chocolate in an open- topped container (11). The roller (16) is mounted for rotation in a bottom outlet (15) of a top chocolate container (12) and is rotatably driven independently of the conveyor (1) so as to stir up chocolate in the top container and to extract chocolate therefrom. Two knives (18 and 21) are mounted respectively forward and behind the lowest point of the roller (16) in order to respectively limit the thickness of chocolate on the roller (16) and to remove it therefrom. Liquid chocolate is continuously pumped from the bottom container (11) to the top container (12). The undersides of the objects (2) are coated with chocolate before they reach the roller (16) by rotating brush (9). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects The invention relates to a method of applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects. In the context of this invention, the term "articles" is intended to mean confectionery, pastry, the centres of chocolates and the like.

The main object of the invention is to apply a uniform coating of chocolate, without pores, to objects having a very irregular surface. In the context of this invention "uniform" means that the coating has substantially the same thickness everywhere and "without pores" means that the surface of the coating is substantially completely smooth. A uniform, pore-free coating of the aforementioned kind is to be obtained even if the chocolate has to be applied from a stationary container to articles moving at a relatively high speed.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects, the method comprising the following steps: (i) A pump continuously takes liquid chocolate from a bottom container and conveys it to a top container; (ii) Liquid chocolate continuously flows into the bottom container from an outlet at the bottom of the top container; (iii) A roller rotating in the bottom outlet of the top container continuously takes chocolate from the top container and in the process makes it turbulent; (iv) A first knife disposed in front of the lowest point of the roller, relative to the direction of rotation thereof, adjusts the thickness of the chocolate adhering to the roller;; (v) A second knife behind the lowest point on the roller, as before relative to the direction of rotation thereof, scrapes the chocolate off the roller; (vi) Before reaching the roller, the underside of the articles to be coated are coated with chocolate; (vii) The articles coated on the underside, resting on a lattice-like conveyor belt, are continuously conveyed between the lowest point of the roller and the surface of the chocolate in the bottom container, the distance between the lowest point of the roller and the tops of the articles to be coated being not substantially greater than is necessary for the articles to move; and (viii) The roller and the conveyor belt are driven independently by separate motors.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided apparatus for applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual objects, comprising an upper chocolate chamber having a bottom outlet; a roller which is mounted for rotation within said bottom outlet and which has its lower portion projecting outwardly and downwardly from said bottom outlet, one motor which drivingly coupled to said roller whereby to drive said roller in one angular sense so that it takes chocolate from said upper container and in the process makes it turbulent; a first knife which, having regard to said one angular sense of rotation of the roller, is disposed in front of the lowest point of the roller so that it co-operates with the roller as the roller rotates in order to adjust the thickness of chocolate adhering to the rotating roller; a second knife which, having regard to said one angular sense of rotation of the roller, is disposed behind the lowest point of the roller so that it co-operates with the roller as the roller rotates in order to scrape chocolate off the rotating roller; a perforated conveyor belt which extends below the roller and above an open topped bottom chocolate container to which chocolate falls from the bottom outlet, which is adapted for continuously conveying objects to be coated between the lowest point of the roller and the surface of chocolate in the bottom container, and which is located relative to the roller such that the distance between the lowest point of the roller and the tops of objects to be coated is not substantially greater than is necessary for the objects to move; means for coating the undersides of objects to be coated before those objects reach the roller; another motor which is drivingly coupled with the conveyor to drive the conveyor, the two motors being independent; and a pump having an inlet connected to the bottom container and an outlet connected to the top container whereby liquid chocolate can be drawn continuously from the bottom container and conveyed to the top container.

By means of a method in which this invention is embodied, chocolate is taken from the top container with only a few air bubbles. It forms a uniformly thick but fairly thin film on the roller and also provides good preconditions for any remaining air bubbles to escape from the chocolate. The fact that the film of chocolate on the roller has a uniform thickness ensures that the chocolate uniformly reaches the articles to be covered and covers them with uniform thickness.

The effect is intensified by the second knife, which scrapes the chocolate from the roller, in that all the chocolate taken up by the drum is scraped off.

The scraping-off effect, in conjunction with gravity, results in very uniform removal of chocolate from the drum, so that the chocolate is efficiently applied to all parts of the article to be coated. The base of the article has previously been coated and sticks to the conveyor belt. The belt is lattice-shaped, so that any excess chocolate can drip off and, even at the bottom of the article, the coating is not thicker than on the rest of the article. Finally, the entire device can be adjusted in optimum manner, since the conveyor belt and roller are driven independently by separate motors.

An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically in the drawing.

Description of Drawing A number of articles 2, more particularly very irregular articles, are disposed on a lattice-like conveyor belt 1. The belt forms a closed loop guided over rollers 3, 4 and 5. Roller 5 is driven by a motor 6 and engages belt 1 so that belt 1 is driven by motor 6 via roller 5 and continuously rotates. The top part of the belt, which bears articles for coating, runs from left to right in the plane of the drawing. Articles for coating are supplied by a device 7 at the beginning of the belt.

At the end of the belt the chocolate-coated articles are delivered to a container 8.

At the beginning of the belt, the bottoms of the articles are first coated with chocolate, e.g. by a rotating, roller-shaped brush 9, the lower part of which dips into a chocoiate-filled tank 10 whereas its upper part coats the undersides of the articles.

The bottom part of the conveyor belt bearing articles for coating is disposed in a bottom container 11, whereas the top part, which bears the articles, is conveyed between container 11 and a top container 12. Containers 11 and 12 are interconnected by a line 13 including a pump 14.

The pump continuously conveys chocolate from the bottom container 11 to the top container 1 2.

From the top container 12, chocolate flows into container 11 as follows: At the bottom end, container 12 has a relatively large outlet 15 containing a roller 1 6. About half the roller projects into the chocolate in the top container. Approximately the lower half of the roller is outside the container. At the right end in the drawing, a seal 1 7 is provided between the edge of outlet 1 5 and roller 1 6. The gap (at the left of the drawing) between the edge of outlet 1 5 and roller 1 6 is adjustable. To this end, a knife 1 8 is pivotably mounted in a joint 19 at the bottom end of the wall of the top container 11. If the knife is manually or mechanically pivoted, the gap crosssection alters.Immediately after the lowest point 20 of roller 1 6 there is a second adjustable knife 21 , the bottom edge of which is at a given distance from the roller, such that the bottom edge of the knife just bears on the roller but does not hinder the roller from rotating. A motor 22 drives the roller so that it rotates anticlockwise.

When roller 1 6 rotates anticlockwise, its top part entrains viscous chocolate from container 1 2.

The thickness of the layer of chocolate adhering to the roller after leaving container 1 2 is dependent on the adjustment of knife 1 8. Shortly after the lowest point of roller 16, the layer of chocolate begins to come loose from the roller, and this effect is assisted by knife 21 , which scrapes the chocolate off the roller, so that the roller behind knife 21 is free from chocolate. The chocolate flows on to the articles for coating and any excess chocolate runs through the belt into the bottom container. The result is a uniform chocolate coating on the articles, even if they are very irregular.

In the bottom container, which is substantially larger than the top container, the chocolate is heat-treated by an agitator 23 and a heating system 24 in the double wall of container 11 until it has the viscosity required for the desired processing.

Claims (5)

1. A method of applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects, comprising the following steps: (i) A pump continuously takes liquid chocolate from a bottom container and conveys it to a top container; (ii) Liquid chocolate continuously flows into the bottom container from an outlet at the bottom of the top container; (iii) A roller rotating in the bottom outlet of the top container continuously takes chocolate from the top container and in the process makes it turbulent; (iv) A first knife disposed in front of the lowest point of the roller, relative to the direction of rotation thereof, adjusts the thickness of the chocolate adhering to the roller; (v) A second knife behind the lowest point on the roller, as before relative to the direction of rotation thereof, scrapes the chocolate off the roller;; (vi) Before reaching the roller, the undersides of the articles to be coated are coated with chocolate; (vii) The articles coated on the underside, resting on a lattice-like conveyor belt, are continuously conveyed between the lowest point of the roller and the surface of the chocolate in the bottom container, the distance between the lowest point of the roller and the tops of the articles to be coated being not substantially greater than is necessary for the articles to move; and (viii) The roller and the conveyor belt are driven independently by separate motors.

2. Apparatus for applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual objects, comprising an upper chocolate container having a bottom outlet; a roller which is mounted for rotation within said bottom outlet and which has its lower portion projecting outwardly and downwardly from said bottom outlet; one motor which drivingly coupled to said roller whereby to drive said roller in one angular sense so that it takes chocolate from said upper container and in the process makes it turbulent; a first knife which, having regard to said one angular sense of rotation of the roller, is disposed in front of the lowest point of the roller so that it co-operates with the roller as the roller rotates in order to adjust the thickness of chocolate adhering to the rotating roller; a second knife which, having regard to said one angular sense of rotation of the roller, is disposed behind the lowest point of the roller so that it co-operates with the roller as the roller rotates in order to scrape chocolate off the rotating roller; a perforated conveyor belt which extends below the roller and above an open topped bottom chocolate container to which chocolate falls from the bottom outlet, which is adapted for continuously conveying objects to be coated between the lowest point of the roller and the surface of chocolate in the bottom container, and which is located relative to the roller such that the distance between the lowest point of the roller and the tops of objects to be coated is not substantially greater than is necessary for the objects to move; means for coating the undersides of objects to be coated before those objects reach the roller; another motor which is drivingly coupled with the conveyor to drive the conveyor, the two motors being independent; and a pump having an inlet connected to the bottom container and an outlet connected to the top container whereby liquid chocolate can be drawn continuously from the bottom container and conveyed to the top container.

3. A method of applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawing.

4. Apparatus for applying viscous chocolate to a number of individual irregular objects substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawing and as shown in that drawing.

5. Any other novel feature or combination disclosed hereinbefore or shown in the accompanying drawing.