GB2135863A

GB2135863A - Apparatus for applying food spread to bread products

Info

Publication number: GB2135863A
Application number: GB08403312A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Fraser Clarke
Original assignee: QUEENSLAND AGGREGATES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: QUEENSLAND AGGREGATES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1983-02-09
Filing date: 1984-02-08
Publication date: 1984-09-12
Also published as: DE3404288A1; GB8403312D0; JPS59192078A; GB2135863B

Abstract

Apparatus for applying a food spread to bread products, in particular elongated bread sticks 11 which have been at least partially slit transversely, includes an arcuate support member 18 for supporting the bread sticks so that the slit portions 12 thereof open, and a dispensing bead 16 having a plurality of outlet nozzles 28 each aligned with a respective slit portion of the bread sticks. The dispensing head communicates with a source of food spread so that food spread can be applied through the nozzles to the respective slit portions of the bread sticks. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for applying a food spread to bread products This invention relates to apparatus for applying a food spread to bread products and in particularto apparatus for applying garlic flavoured butter to elongated bread sticks or the like.

Garlic bread is a popular food which is normally prepared by initally combining a mixture of garlic and butter and subsequently partially or fully slitting a bread product such as an elongated bread stick or the like so that the garlic butter mixture can be applied thereto. This method is obviously timeconsuming and tedious and not suitable for preparing large quantities of garlic bread say for commercial applications.

The present invention aims to overcome or at least alleviate the above disadvantages by providing apparatus which is suitable for applying a food spread to bread products and in particular for applying garlic butter to elongated bread sticks or the like. The apparatus of the present invention enables large quantities of garlic bread to be produced in an efficient and economical manner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in apparatus for applying a food spread to a bread product, said bread product having a portion which is at least partially slit; said apparatus including a support member for said bread product, said support member being adapted to support said bread product in such a manner that said slit portion opens, and a spread dispensing head adjacent said support member, said dispensing head including at least one outlet nozzle aligned with said slit portion of said bread product and means to inject said food spread through said nozzle whereby said spread is applied to said slit portion of said bread product.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the food spread applying apparatus according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing the spread dispensing head and bread product in an operative spread receiving attitude.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated food spread applying apparatus 10 according to the present invention which is adapted to apply a food spread preferably garlic flavoured butter to a bread product such as an elongated bread stick 11. Prior to the application of the food spread, the bread sticks 11 are transversely and partially slit at spaced positions 12 by a slitting apparatus (not shown) and the slit bread sticks are conveyed from the slitting apparatus to the spread applying apparatus 10 on a conveyor 13 on which they are arranged transversely.An elongated guide member 14 including a downwardly projecting elongated flange 15 extends from the conveyor 13 to a spread dispensing head 16 and is aligned with the central slit portion of the bread product so that in use the flange 15 is located in the central slit portion to permit the bread to be guided centrally towards the spread dispensing head 16.

Disposed adjacent the conveyor 13 is a substantially planar support plate 17 which extends forwardlyto an arcuate support member 18 disposed beneath the spread dispensing head 16. As shown, the forward extending portion of the support plate 17 extends downwardly to merge with the support member 18 and defines a guide 19 for the bread sticks. Preferably the plate 17, guide 19 and support member 18 are formed in one piece preferably of stainless steel.

The dispensing head 16 includes a cylindrical chamber 20 which is arranged centrally of the support member 18 and substantially aligned with the guide member 14 and is adapted to receive respective charges of spread for application to the bread product. The chamber 20 communicates via an inlet tube 21 with a valve assembly 22 which carries a reciprocal valve member (not shown). The valve assembly 22 communicates via a supply pipe 23 with a vat which contains the spread and is also in communication with a reciprocal pump assembly 24 which includes a reciprocal piston 25. The valve assembly 22 is adapted to be controlled by a lever arm assembly 26 and both the lever arm assembly 26 and reciprocal pump assembly 24 are preferably actuated remotely by a fluid operated ram.The valve assembly 22 controls communication between the supply pipe 23, the reciprocal pump assembly 24 and the hollow chamber 20 so that in use the valve assembly 22 in a first attitude opens communication between the pump assembly 24 and supply pipe 23 and closes off the tube 21 so that retraction of the pump piston will draw in spread from the vat. In its second attitude, the valve assembly 22 closes off the supply pipe 23 and opens communication between the reciprocal pump assembly 24 and the tube 21 so that the drawn-in charge of spread is injected into the chamber 20 in the forward stroke of the pump piston 25. Preferably the fluid ram which drives the pump assembly 24 and controls the valve assembly 22 through the linkage 26 is adapted to be actuated by a manually operated switch.Alternatively, the ram may operate automatically by sensing means responsive to the placing of a bread stick 11 onto the support member 18.

Extending outwardly from the chamber 20 are a plurality of outlet tubes 27 which are preferably arranged in the manner shown in Figure 2 so that the outlet nozzle portions 28 of the tubes 27 are substantially equally spaced above and around the arcuate support member 18. Furthermore the outlet nozzle portions 28 are arranged to be in substantial alignment with each slit portion 12 of the bread stick 11. It will thus be seen that when a charge of spread is applied to the chamber 20 by the reciprocating pump assembly 24, the spread will be forced outwardly from the nozzle portions 28.

In use, the bread sticks 11 in turn on exiting from the conveyor 13 onto the plate 17 are grasped at both ends by the operator and slid down the guide 19 onto the arcuate support member 18 so that the stick 11 will open out at its slit portions 12 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The operator then depresses the manually operable switch to cause actuation of pump and valve assemblies 24 and 22 respectively so that the spread is drawn up from the vat and injected into the chamber 20 for subsequent passage through the tubes 27 and outlet nozzles 28 to the respective slit portions 12 of the bread stick 11.

The bread stick is then removed from the arcuate support member 18 for packing say in foil or the like for subsequent heating before use.

Of course, many other means may be used for supplying the spread to the chamber 20 and discharge tubes 27 and nozzles 28. In an alternative embodiment the guide 19 may be eliminated so that the bread sticks 11 may be manually lifted from the conveyor 13 onto the arcuate support member 18, however, this arrangement is iess efficient. The apparatus may be adapted for applying any type of food spread to bread products of any type or form, and of course the dispensing head 12 may be provided with any number of nozzles 2 to suit the number of slit portions in the bread product.

While the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention, many modifications and variations would be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying a food spread to a bread product, said bread product having a portion which is at least partially slit; said apparatus includ ing a support member for said bread product, said support member being adapted to support said bread product in such a manner that said slit portion opens, and a spread dispensing head adjacent said support member, said dispensing head including at least one outlet nozzle aligned with said slit portion of said bread product and means to inject said food spread through said nozzle whereby said spread is applied to said slit portion of said bread product.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said support member is substantially arcuate in form so that said bread product may be arcuately supported thereon to open said slit portion.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 and including a planar support means for receiving said bread product from slitting apparatus and guide means extending between said planar support means and said arcuate support member to guide said bread product therebetween.

4. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said bread product is slit at a plurality of spaced apart positions and wherein said dispensing head includes a plurality of said outlet nozzles each adapted to be aligned with respective slit portions of said bread product.

5. Apparatus according to Claims 2 and 4, and including upper elongated guide means extending rearwardly from said arcuate support member and engageable with a central slit portion of said product to guide said bread product centrally on to said arcuate support member.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein said dispensing head includes a chamber for receiving respective charges of said food spread and a plurality of outlet tubes extending outwardly from said chamber and defining at their free ends respective spaced apart outlet nozzles each adapted to be aligned with respective slit portions of said bread product.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a pump and valve assembly associated with said dispensing head and adapted to apply respective charges of spread to said dispensing head for application to said bread product.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said bread product is delivered to said planar support means from slitting apparatus by conveyor means which support said bread product in a substantially transverse attitude relative thereto.

9. Apparatus for applying a food spread to a bread product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.