GB2264854A

GB2264854A - Method and apparatus for conditioning thin-walled shaped items

Info

Publication number: GB2264854A
Application number: GB9301144A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Enior Franz Hass; Unior Franz Hass; Johann Hass
Original assignee: Haas Franz Waffelmaschinen Industrie GmbH
Current assignee: Haas Franz Waffelmaschinen Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1992-01-31
Filing date: 1993-01-21
Publication date: 1993-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-21
Also published as: AT404088B; DE4301921A1; ATA16792A; GB2264854B; GB9301144D0

Description

-I- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THIN-WALLED SHAPED ITEMS 2264854

The present invention relates to the conditioning of perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, for example, of preferably edible shaped items baked in closed moulds.

The conditioning of thin-walled shaped items baked in closed moulds from baking compositions is employed, for example, in the wafer or sweets industry to establish a predetermined moisture content in readily broken crispy brittle wafers. The conditioning may also compensate for any production-related stresses in the finished-baked wafers or for a controlled enriching of the wafers with moisture. In this way, during subsequent further processing of the wafers, such as for example coating, filling or the like, the differences in moisture content between the wafer and the coating or filling composition can be kept within defined limits. The generally rectangular wafer sheets or wafer slabs are produced or baked in a wafer-baking oven in closed moulds from a wafer dough consisting for the most part of water and a cereal flour (mostly wheat flour but also other flours and mixtures of flours). In order to adjust the wafer sheets or wafer slabs to a predetermined moisture content they are placed in a closed insulated conditioning room for a predetermined period of time and moist air of a predetermined atmospheric humidity and a predetermined temperature is passed around them. This conditioning takes place, for example, in a conditioning apparatus through which the wafer sheets or wafer slabs are passed in an upright attitude, the conditioning apparatus being a part of a substantially automated production line in which wafer sheets or wafer slabs are produced and are further processed to a definite end product.

In most cases, the conditioning apparatus is an elongate, generally horizontally extending conditioning tunnel in which there is a horizontal conveyor with successive substantially vertically disposed receiving compartments for the wafer sheets or wafer slabs. The length of the conditioning tunnel is generally considerable and is determined by the throughput per unit of time which is predetermined for the production line and by the dwell time of the wafers which is needed for them to absorb the necessary moisture. The moist air used for conditioning flows through the conditioning tunnel in a direction which, depending upon the design, may be the same as, opposite to, or crosswise relative to the direction in which the vertically disposed wafer sheets or slabs move through the conditioning tunnel.

During conditioning, the wafer slabs grow due to moisture absorption. Differences in the surface structure of the wafer slabs, e.g. locally differing pore sizes, cause moisture absorption within the wafer slab to vary such that the wafer slab becomes distorted during its absorption of moisture. The extent of the resulting distortions can be limited if the ability of the wafers to undergo spatial deformation is hampered by the receiving compartments in the horizontal conveyor, until the desired moisture content in the wafer slab has been attained.

For conditioning wafer sheets it is also known for the wafer sheets to be placed on a lattice belt conveyor and for moist air to be drawn through the wafer sheets by suction so that the moist air enters the wafer sheet at its top and emerges from the underside of the wafer sheet. The very finely porous surface structure with locally irregular pore sizes of the top and bottom of the wafer sheet results in an irregular absorption of moisture by the wafer sheet. For example, in an area of larger surface pores more 3- moisture is absorbed than in an area where the pores are small and through which the moist air has difficulty penetrating to the interior of the wafer sheet.

It is an object of the invention to propose a method and apparatus for improving the conditioning of thin-walled baked shaped items.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of conditioning perishable, thin-walled, shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, the method comprising the step of applying water directly to at least a part of the surface of each individual shaped item by means of at least one applicator element.

A method of the invention is preferably used to condition rottable and preferably edible th-in-walled shaped items baked in closed moulds, and moisture is introduced into the baked shaped items from outside.

The direct application of water to the surface of the shaped items by means of one or a plurality of applicator elements, for example, such as rollers, stamps, belts or- the like, makes it possible for relatively large quantities of water to be so finely distributed over the surface of the applicator element prior to application, that during application of the finely dispersed water, the fact that the applicator element is contacting and/or applying pressure to the surface of the shaped item does not result in any localised detachment or softening of the surface structure of the baked shaped item. By reason of the direct application of finely dispersed water onto the surface of the baked shaped item, which is usually finely porous as a result of the baking process, the baked shaped items absorb a far greater quantity of water or moisture per unit of time than is possible by means of the application of moist air. In this latter case, the quantity of water which can be drawn from the moist air by the shaped item depends upon the moisture content of the air and it diminishes with a falling air/shaped item moisture gradient with a simultaneously increasing time span. With the direct application of finely dispersed water, the quantity of water in the shaped item passes along its solid structure over a very short path directly into the inner regions of this solid structure so that the moisture content in the interior of the baked shaped item rises more rapidly than is possible with moisture air conditioning.

The application of the water by a contact process using applicator elements such as rollers, belts, stamps or the like, makes it possible to achieve a far more accurate and more even distribution of moisture over the entire surface area of the shaped item. Furthermore, it makes it possible, if required or necessary, to limit the moisture absorption to individual parts of the shaped item or intentionally to provide for different moisture content levels in predetermined parts of the surface area of the shaped item.

For the rapid and integral conditioning of the thin-walled baked shaped items, it is preferred that the water is applied as a thin film.

For baked shaped items which are cut into parts, water may be applied at least to those partial zones of the shaped items' surface which are adjacent to the subsequent cutting locations. Thus, in these moistened partial areas, the shaped items attain a higher moisture content and thus a more resilient solid structure. During cutting or stamping of the shaped articles in these areas cleaner cut edges and less cutting waste will therefore result without the structure of the shaped item being unfavourably affected at the cut or stamped surfaces by, for example cracking, break-up or crumbling of the cut surface.

In the case of baked shaped articles which are cut into individual parts along cutting lines which are at right-angles to one another, the corresponding partial zones of the shaped articles may be humidified in two successive stages. If this is the case, water is first applied, for example, rolled on, in only one first direction onto the surface of the shaped article, in fact only onto those parts of the shaped article surface which are adjacent the cutting lines which extend in this direction. In the second stage, water is applied, for example, rolled onto, only those parts of the shaped article surface which are associated with the cutting lines which extend at right-angles to the first direction.

For shaped items with an intensely organised spatial structure, for example, for rectangular slabs with integrated hollow body parts in which the edges of the hollow body parts lie in one plane and are connected to one another by plane webs, the water may be applied by means-of an applicator element such as for example a shaped roller or a shaped stamp adapted to the surface relief of the area to which the water is to be applied. For the all-over application of finely dispersed water, the surface relief of the applicator element or shaped roller or shaped stamp may correspond to the negative shape of the shaped article surface. In the case of very deep hollow body parts, for example, cups, the use of shaped stamps as the applicator elements is preferred.

In an embodiment, the water is applied to both sides of the thin-walled shaped item, at least over a part of the surface of the respective sides. In this way, a very rapid rise in moisture content is achieved in those areas of the shaped articles to which water has been applied from both sides. This can happen, for example, in the region of what will subsequently be the cutting or stamping lines or locations, in order to impart to the respective baked shaped item the elasticity necessary for a clean cutting through of the shaped article without substantially increasing the average moisture content in the shaped article as a whole.

For the more rapid and whole conditioning of the baked thin-walled shaped articles, it is preferred in an embodiment to apply finely dispersed water to both sides of the shaped article by means of one or more applicator elements such as rollers, belts or stamps which are applied directly and all over the surface of the shaped article.

An embodiment of the invention may further provide for the water to be applied by means of a porous applicator element having a predetermined moisture content. The applicator element may be, for example, a roller, a belt, a stamp or the like. In this way, the particular quantity of water which is applied is regulated by way of the moisture content of the applicator element.

In an embodiment, the water is applied by means of an applicator element, such as for example a roller, a belt or a stamp, which has a flexible surface. By this means, the applicator element is better able to adapt to deviations of form within the production tolerances of the shaped articles.

According to a further feature of the invention, the water is evenly distributed over the relevant area when it is applied thereto. This can be achieved, for example, using an applicator element, such as, for example, an applicator roller, a belt or a stamp which has a porous outer surface, the pores being approximately evenly distributed over the outer surface. For example, the applicator element may be a foam rubber roller or a foam rubber belt or a foam rubber stamp, such that the water is applied in evenly and finely dispersed form without forming a cohesive film on the applicator roller, belt or stamp.

In an embodiment, the baked shaped items are passed one after the other between two rollers which bear against both sides of the relevant shaped item, at least at parts of the surface thereof, the roller surface of at least one of said two rollers which comes in contact with the surface of the shaped item being wetted with water. In this way, the same quantity of water is applied to the same locations on the shaped items and on one shaped item after another.

In a further development of the invention, it is proposed to add a disinfectant to the water prior to its application to the surface of the shaped items. Preferably, the disinfectant is alcohol, and for example, is in a 30% solution. As a disinfectant, it is also possible to use a hydrogen peroxide, for example, as a 3% solution, or one or more of the known disinfectants or preservatives noted below. These are, for example, sorbic acid, sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate, calcium sorbate, heptile-PHB-ester, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate, calcium benzoate, ethyl-p-hydroxy benzoate, sodium-ethyl-PHB-ester, propyl-p-hydroxy benzoate, sodium propyl-PHB- ester, methyl-p-hydroxy benzoate, sodium-methyl-PHB-ester, sulphur dioxide, sodium sulphite, sodium hydrogen sulphite, sodium metabisulphite, potassium metabisulphite, potassium sulphite, calcium sulphite, calcium hydrogen sulphite, potassium hydrogen sulphite, formic acid, sodium formiate, calcium formiate, acetic acid, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, calcium acetate, ammonium acetate, dehydracetic acid, sodium dehydroacetate, propionic acid, sodium propionate, calcium propionate, potassium propionate.

The present invention makes it possible to moisten the shaped items with water at room temperature. Consequently, alcohol or other disinfectants can be added to the water without completely evaporating during humidification, as would be the case with conditioning using water vapour. Thus, when the shaped articles are being moistened in accordance with the invention, a disinfectant added to the moistening water will reliably retain its effect.

The invention also extends to an apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, said apparatus comprising supporting means for supporting the shaped items, at least one moistening means having an applicator element arranged to be brought into contact with at least one area of a shaped item supported on said supporting means, and water supply means for supplying water to said applicator whereby moisture can be applied to said shaped items.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, by incorporating moisture from outside into said shaped items as they are transported through the apparatus, wherein for one-sided moistening of at least parts of the surface of each shaped item said apparatus comprises at least one moistening or humidifying means which has at least one applicator element, for example, a roller, stamp, belt or the like, arranged to be brought into contact with at least one area to which moisture is to be applied, and to which water is fed from a water supply tank, and a supporting means for supporting the shaped items.

In its length, in the direction of the passage of the shaped items, an apparatus of an embodiment of the invention need only be designed to handle the passage of one single shaped item and therefore requires far less space compared with a conditioning tunnel which operates with moist air. The applicator elements such as rollers, stamps, belts or the like may, according to the invention, be comprised of an absorbent elastic sponge-like material which can be pressed out and of which the water or moisture content can be adjusted by complete saturation with water and then controlled partial expression of water.

In an embodiment, the applicator elements may also be produced from porous non-elastic materials in which the quantity of water transferred will be determined by the size and number of pores on the relevant surface of the applicator elements which is intended for transmission of water.

In an embodiment, the moistening or humidifying means has for unilateral moistening of the shaped items applicator elements constructed as shaped stamps, which have contact surfaces corresponding to a negative impression of the shaped item and which are arranged to be brought into engagement with the surface of the shaped item, and the humidifying means has a water storage container for immersion of the shaped stamps and a squeezing apparatus for expressing the shaped stamp to a predetermined water content. In the case of deep cups, high and narrow beakers and similar shaped bodies, this arrangement is particularly advantageous.

For the more rational, for example, for rhythmic humidification of shaped items or groups of shaped items, it is possible with the invention for the shaped stamps to be fixed in groups on an endless conveyor along which is located a placing station for placing the shaped stamps having a predetermined water content on the shaped items, together with a water accommodating station which has a water storage container, and a dispensing station which is provided with a squeezing apparatus, for example, a squeegee device.

For accurate dispensing of the quantity of water to be transferred to the shaped items by the shaped stamps, by a controlled expression of the water-soaked shaped stamps, it is preferred for the squeezing apparatus to have cages which can be applied to the contact surface of the shaped stamps and which correspond to the shape of the surface of the shaped articles.

In a further embodiment, the invention extends to a conditioning apparatus in which for bilateral humidification of baked shaped items, two mutually oppositely disposed humidifying means are provided, each of which has at least one applicator element, such as for example a roller, stamp, belt or the like, arranged to be brought into contact with that area of the surface of the shaped body which is to be moistened and to which water is fed from a water storage container, the applicator elements of the two humidifying means being disposed opposite to one another for alternately supporting the shaped items. This embodiment permits of shorter passage times for constant moisture absorption or greater moisture absorption for constant passage times of the shaped items.

In a further embodiment of the invention a conditioning apparatus for bilateral moistening of the is baked shaped items comprises two humidifying means for moistening the respective underside of the shaped items which are serially disposed, and wherein a turnover device is provided for turning over the shaped items between the two humidifying means, each said humidifying means having at least one applicator element, such as, for example, a roller, stamp, belt or the like, which can contact the top or bottom surface of the shaped body, or that portion thereof which is to be moistened and to which water is fed from a storage container, and which also has a supporting means for supporting the shaped items.

In an embodiment, the turnover apparatus for reversing the shaped articles may be constructed as a turnover star.

Preferably, for humidifying the or each applicator element a moistening roller is provided which partially projects into the water storage container and which engages the applicator element. This moistening roller transmits an accurately measured quantity of water in finely dispersed form to the surface of the applicator element which applies the finely dispersed water to the surface of the shaped item. Such a construction is advantageous, for instance, if the moistening means or apparatus has to be.

disposed above the transport path of the baked shaped items which are to be moistened from above.

In an embodiment, the moistening roller has an inner hard core and an outer porous shell of elastic material, and wherein for adjusting the water content of the porous outer shell, a squeegee roller may be provided which is in engagement with the outer shell and is adjustable relative to the'core of the moistening roller. With this embodiment, the quantity of water to be applied to the applicator roller can easily be accurately measured.

In an embodiment, the applicator roller has an inner core and an outer porous shell which partially protrudes into the water storage container and the outside of which constitutes the contact surface for moistening the shaped articles. In this embodiment, the quantity of water to be transferred from the applicator roller to the surface of the shaped article can be altered by the porosity and thickness of the porous shell in that another porous sleeve can be pushed onto the inner core of the applicator roller to serve as a shell, the porosity of the sleeve being determined by the quantity of water to be transferred.

A further feature of the invention provides for the applicator core to have an inner hard core and an outer porous shell of elastic material whereby for adjusting the water content of the porous outer shell a squeegee roller is provided which engages the porous outer shell and is adjustable in relation to the core of the applicator roller. With this squeegee roller, the outer shell which is completely saturated with water is pressed out again between the core of the applicator roller and the squeegee roller to an extent which corresponds to the setting of the squeegee rollers so that when the surface of the shaped body which is to be moistened is applied against the outer surface of the applicator roller a specifically and accurately measured quantity of water is applied to the surface of the shaped item. This quantity of water can be altered or adjusted by varying the distance between the squeegee roller and the core of the applicator roller without anything changing in terms of the finely dispersed application to the surface of the shaped article.

A further feature of the invention provides for the applicator element, such as for example a roller, stamp or the like, to have an outer surface relief which may engage with the surface relief of that part of the surface of the shaped article which is to be moistened and which corresponds to the negative of at least one part of this surface relief on the shaped article. In this embodiment, an all-over application of the finely dispersed quantity of water onto that area of the shaped article which corresponds to the surface relief is achieved. This area of the surface of the shaped article which is depicted on the outer periphery of the applicator roller or on the outside of the applicator stamp can, in the case of apparatus of the invention through which the shaped items pass in two directions which are at right-angles to one another, be so chosen that those surface areas of the shaped items which are moistened are partially or completely overlapping or are mutually supporting to embrace the whole surface of the shaped item. Furthermore, this embodiment makes it possible in the case of thin-walled shaped items with an intensely organised surface relief, e.g. rectangular shaped item slabs with adjacently and serially disposed cup-shaped depressions, to construct the applicator roller simultaneously as a feed roller for feeding the shaped items through the conditioning apparatus.

According to a further feature of apparatus of the invention, the supporting means may have opposite the applicator element a bracing element such as for example, a roller, stamp or the like, with an outer surface relief which can be brought into engagement with the surface relief on the surface of the shaped item and which corresponds to the negative of at least one part of this surface relief on the shaped item. This embodiment makes it possible, for instance, to use a bracing roller as a driven feed roller for the shaped items.

According to a further embodiment, the applicator roller has an outer surface which may be brought into contact with the surface of the shaped item and which extends over the entire longitudinal extent of the shaped items, substantially parallel to the applicator roller axis.

A further feature of the invention provides for the applicator element to be constructed as an endless belt, strap or the like with an outside surface designed for humidifying the shaped items and which passes over two rotating deflecting rollers of which one deflecting roller partially projects into the water storage container while the other deflecting roller is disposed opposite the supporting means for the shaped items which bear on the applicator element.

According to an embodiment, the applicator element which is constructed as an endless belt, strap or the like is composed of porous elastic material while for adjusting the water content of the applicator element, a squeegee roller is provided which engages the latter and is adjustable in respect of and is disposed opposite the deflector roller which projects partially into the water storage container.

A further feature of the invention provides that for damping the applicator element, a drip bar is provided which controls water feed to the applicator element. By way of the dripper bar, the supply of water to the applicator element is discontinued when the supply of shaped items to the conditioning apparatus is discontinued.

In order to allow the water to act for a relatively long time on the surface of the shaped items, the once moistened shaped items may be left to rest before being moistened again. Where the conditioning of wafer slabs is concerned, such a prolonged action of, for example 10 to 60 -isminutes, can be assured if the wafer slabs, after being humidified, are placed above one another to form stacks of wafers and are left to stand as wafer stacks so that after the corresponding rest period or storage time but certainly after the wafer stack has been turned over, they are again isolated from the wafer stack and subjected to another humidifying process. During this inactive or storage time, the shaped articles or wafer slabs may grow in size due to the absorption of humidity.

With regard to the humidification of substantially plane shaped items, such as, for example, wafer sheets or the like, the two sides are usually moistened simultaneously or immediately one after another in order to is prevent distortion.

The invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying d-rawing-s in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of conditioning apparatus for baked thin-walled cup-shaped items including humidifying means for one-sided humidification, Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of a conditioning apparatus for the bilateral moistening of baked thin-walled cup-shaped items, Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of conditioning apparatus for the bilateral 30 moistening of baked thin- walled plate-shaped articles, Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of conditioning apparatus for the unilateral moistening of baked thin-walled cup-shaped items, Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 6 shows a view of a drive side of the apparatus of Fig. 4, Fig. 7 shows a view of the side of the apparatus in Fig. 4 opposed to the drive side shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of a conditioning apparatus for the one-sided moistening of baked thin-walled cup-shaped items, Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically a section through a moistening apparatus for an applicator element, Fig. 10 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of a conditioning apparatus for bilateral moistening of baked thin-walled plate-like shaped bodies by two serially disposed moistening means, Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically a side view of an embodiment of conditioning apparatus for moistening the inside of cup-shaped articles, and Fig. 12 shows diagrammatically a side view of a conditioning apparatus for moistening the outside of cupshaped items.

The present invention relates to the conditioning of perishable thin-walled shaped items baked in closed moulds from baking compositions based on flour and/or starch. The term thin-walled shaped items embraces both thin-walled containers such as for example plates, beakers, tub-shaped containers with a stacking edge, ampoule trays, trays for sweets and the like and which are produced from edible and/or perishable materials which are starch-based, and also the wafers known in the wafer industry and baked in closed moulds, such as for example rectangular wafer sheets, and rectangular wafer slabs referred to as hollow wafers or flat wafers and with hollow halves which project from one side of a plane wafer sheet, and like products.

The baked thin-walled shaped items may consist of edible wafers of the following composition: carbohydrates 62% to 94%, and preferably 75% to 89%, protein 3% to 16% and preferably 7.5% to 15%, water 0.8% to 16% andpreferably 1% to 6%, other ingredients 2% to 11.5% and preferably 2.5% to 8% (e.g. lipids, mineral substances).

Furthermore, the baked shaped items may consist of starch-based perishable material of the following composition: carbohydrates 58% to 98%, and preferably 76% to 92%, protein less than 3%, preferably less than 1%, water 0.8% to 22%, and preferably 6% to 18%, other ingredients 1% to 23%, and preferably 2% to 6% (e.g.

lipids, mineral substances, fillers).

Thin-walled shaped items baked in closed baking moulds from baking compositions, immediately after removal from the relevant baking mould, have a moisture content which is markedly below the optimum moisture content for the appropriate use or further use. In order to bring these shaped items to their optimum moisture content, according to the invention a quantity of water is applied directly to the surface of the shaped item. If only a locally limited increase in moisture content in the shaped item is required, then the quantity of water needed to raise the moisture content may be applied to the local area only in finely dispersed form, for example, by means of rollers, belts, stamps or the like.

Fig. 1 shows a conditioning apparatus for slabs of shaped items in which only those areas of the shaped body slabs along which the slabs are cut or stamped are moistened. The substantially plane slabs 1 of shaped items may comprise cups 2 having tub-like depressions which are disposed in three rows one behind another and in two rows beside one another, such that in each case six cups 2 form a one-piece shaped slab 1. The slab 1 is baked in its entirety in an oven, (not shown), in a baking mould which can be opened and closed and, after conditioning, the six cups 2 can be cut or stamped from the slab 1. These slabs 1 of shaped articles are transferred by a horizontal conveyor belt 3 to an obliquely disposed guide surface 4 along which they slide down to a moistening or humidifying 5 means 5.

The moistening means 5 has an applicator roller 6 having a cylindrical roller core 7 and an outer shell 8 of porous material. The applicator roller 6 lies on the top of the slab 1 resting on the oblique guide surface 4 and its elastic porous shell 8 dips into a water supply tank 9 disposed laterally beside the path of movement of the slab 1. Above the water supply tank 9 and parallel with the applicator roller 6 is a squeegee roller 10 which is arranged for displacement in a roller holder 11, radially in relation to the roller core 7. The squeegee roller 9 presses the porous elastic shell 8 against the roller core 7.

Furthermore, the moistening means 5 has a supporting roller 12 which is arranged parallel with the applicator roller 6 and maintains the slabs 1 of shaped items against the applicator roller 6. The peripheral shell of the supporting roller 12 rests on the underside of the slabs-1. The surface of the shell or the outer periphery of the supporting roller 12 has a surface relief which corresponds to the negative of the development of the underside of the slabs 1 of shaped items. Thus, a cylindrical area 13 of the surface relief of the supporting roller 12 corresponds to the plane undersides of the cup rims, whilst recesses 14 in the surface relief of the supporting roller 12 correspond to the undersides of the cup bottoms.

Fig. 2 shows a conditioning apparatus for the complete conditioning of the slabs 1 of shaped items and it has two mutually opposed moistening means 15 and 16 disposed on both sides of the path of movement of the slabs 1 of shaped items. The first moistening means 15 is associated with the top face of the slab 1 of shaped items and has a water supply tank 17 into which dips an applicator roller 19 dips. The applicator roller 19 has a resilient porous shell 18 and is disposed parallel to a squeegee roller 20 which is disposed above the water tank 17. The squeegee roller 20 presses the shell 18 of the applicator roller 19 against a core 19' thereof. The outer periphery of the applicator roller 19 is provided with a surface relief which corresponds to the negative of the surface relief present on the top of the shaped item 1 so that whilst it is rolling over the top of the shaped item 1, the entire surface of the applicator roller 19 bears thereon. The outer periphery of the squeegee roller 20 is provided with a surface relief which corresponds to the development of the surface relief of the applicator roller. The squeegee roller 20 is disposed in a roller holder 21 for displacementradially in relation to the applicator roller 19.

The second moistening means 16 associated with the underside of the slab 1 of shaped items is similarly constructed to the first moistening means 15 associated with the top face of the slab 1 of shaped items. The second moistening means 16 differs from the first only in that the surface relief of an applicator roller 22 thereof is adapted to the underside of the slab 1 of shaped items.

Fig. 3 shows a conditioning apparatus for plane slabs 24 of shaped items, such as, for example, wafer sheets. The plane slabs 24 are disposed on a sloping guide surface 23 which extends as far as the conditioning apparatus, and on both sides of the path of movement of the plane slabs 24 there are two similar moistening means 25, 26. In their construction, the two moistening means 25, 26 substantially correspond to the moistening means 5 of the apparatus of Fig. 1, differing therefrom only in that the width of applicator rollers 27, 28 of the moistening means 25, 26 corresponds to the length of the slab 1 of shaped items measured parallel to the roller axis or at right-angles to the direction of movement.

Figs. 4 to 7 show a further embodiment of conditioning apparatus of the invention in which plane slabs 1 of shaped items, for example, comprising cups 2 connected to one another at their edges, are moistened at their top whilst they are disposed on a conveyor belt 29. Disposed above the conveyor belt 29 is a moistening means 30 which has an applicator roller 31 provided with an outer porous resilient shell, a moistening roller 32 engaged therewith, a water supply tank 33 containing water into which the moistening roller 32 dips, and a water tank 34 for supplying water to top up the water supply tank 33 by way of a pipe 35. The applicator roller 31 rests on the top of the slabs 1 and is engaged by the moistening roller 32.

These rollers 31, 32 are driven in synchronism with the conveyor belt 29 via a chain transmission 36. The chain drive 36 has a drive chain 37 which meshes with a chain wheel 38 of a drive roller of the conveyor belt 29, with a chain wheel 39 on the spindle of the moistening roller 32, with a chain wheel 40 on the spindle of the applicator roller 31, and with a tensioning wheel 41 for the drive chain 37. The moistening roller 32, like the applicator roller 31, is displaceable in a frame 42 of the moistening means 30 and can be locked in the appropriate position.

The moisture content of the outer porous resilient shell of the applicator roller 31 is adjusted by varying the distance between centres of the moistening roller 32, which is constructed as a squeegee roller for the outer shell, and the applicator roller 31. By means of the moistening roller 32, not only is water transferred from the water 21- supply tank 33 to the applicator roller 31 but also the shell of the applicator roller 31 is compressed more or less in accordance with the particular moisture content which is desired.

Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of a moistening means 43 in which an endless water absorbing elastic belt 44 is provided as the applicator element. The moistening means 43 has a water supply tank 45 containing water in which a rotating moistening roller 46 dips. A rotating applicator roller 47 is disposed above the conveyor path of the slabs 1 of shaped items. The endless belt 44 is passed around the moistening roller 46, and around the applicator roller 47, and is tensioned by a tensioning roller 48. Above the water supply tank 45, a squeegee roller 49 is provided which is adjustable in position relative to the moistening roller 46. The squeegee roller 49 compresses the belt 44 between itself and the moistening roller 46 and so determines the moisture content of the belt 44 and thus 20 the quantity of water which is applied to the slabs 1 of shaped items.

Fig. 9 shows an alternative way of moistening a applicator roller or applicator bet in which water is applied by a drip bar 50 directly to the applicator roller or applicator belt.

Fig. 10 shows an embodiment of a conditioning apparatus for the bilateral moistening of baked thin-walled slab-shaped items using two serially disposed moistening means between which there is a turnover device to cope with plate shaped articles. The conditioning apparatus comprises a first moistening station 51 with a delivery conveyor belt 52, a moistening means 53, and a removal conveyor belt 54. A second moistening station 55 has a delivery conveyor belt 56, a moistening means 57 and a removal conveyor belt 58. Disposed between the two moistening stations 51 and 55 a star-shaped turnover means 59 is provided for turning over the slablike shaped items.

In each of the two moistening stations 51 and 55 only the underside of the slab-shaped items is moistened. However, in the first moistening station 51 the underside of the slab-like shaped items is underneath and is moistened, whilst in the second moistening station 55, the slab-shaped items have been turned over by the star-shaped turnover device 59, so that the top thereof is now on the underside, and it is therefore the top surface which is then moistened. Adjacent to the second moistening station 55 is a stacking device 60 for the slab-like shaped items, from which a stack of shaped items is transferred to a conveyor belt 61 for intermediate storage.

Figs. 1 to 10 show embodiments of conditioning apparatus for conditioning baked thin-walled shaped items in a continuous process. Where baked thin-walled shaped items are concerned, particularly deep and narrow beakers or cups or the like, an all-over moistening of the surfaces of the shaped items may also be carried out individually in a rhythmic or periodic process by means of correspondingly shaped stamps having an absorbent surface which are exposed to controlled moistening via moistening rollers or belts or moistening means.

Fig. 11 shows a conditioning apparatus 62 in which, in a rhythmic process, in each case three adjacently disposed beakers 83 with their apertures at the top are moistened simultaneously by shaped stamps 64. The shaped stamps 64 are fixed in groups of threes beside one another on an endless conveyor 65. Disposed along the bottom path of the endless conveyor 65 are a placing station 66, a dispensing station 67 and a water receiving station 68.

The placing station 66 is disposed above a conveyor means 69 for beakers 63, disposed at right-angles to the image plane. The beakers 63 are accommodated in receiving depressions 70 in the conveyor means 69 and are transported stepwisely through the placing station 66. Provided in the placing station 66 is a substantially vertically raisable and lowerable table 71 which lifts the beakers 63 for moistening and presses them so that their inside surface is against the downwardly directed contact surface 72 of the shaped stamps 64. After moistening, the table 71 is lowered again to the position shown in Fig. 11 and the conveyor means 69 is moved on by one step.

The shaped stamps 64 are, in the water receiving station 68, dipped into a water supply tank 73 which for the purpose is raised by a pressurised medium operated cylinder 73 and which, after the shaped stamps 64 have been dipped into the water supply in the tank 73, is lowered again. Then, the wet shaped stamps 64 are transported onwardly into the dispensing station 67 where, by means of vertically raisable and lowerable cages 74, they are expressed down to a predetermined water content. The expressed water flows away through a dripper cut 75. The shaped stamps 64, of which the water content is precisely measured in this way, are then conveyed onwardly to the placing station 66. Of course, the table 710 the water storage tank 73 and the cages 74 may be stationary and the endless conveyor 65 carrying the shaped stamps 64 may be moved vertically upwardly and downwardly in the frame of the conditioning apparatus 62 for moistening the beakers 63 or for wetting and expressing the liquid from the shaped stamps 64.

Fig. 12 shows a moistening means 76 similar to the moistening means 62 shown in Fig. 11 but intended for moistening the outside of the upturned beakers 63. This moistening means 76 differs from that in Fig. 11 only in the form of the shaped stamps 77 or the orientation of the cages 79 associated therewith in the dispensing station 78.

Whereas in the case of the shaped stamps 64 in Fig. 11, their contact surface 72 corresponds to the negative of the inside of the beakers 63, the contact surface 80 of the shaped stamps 77 in Fig. 12 corresponds to the negative of the outside of the beakers 63.

The cages 74, 79 used for expressing liquid from the shaped stamps 64, 77 respectively correspond in their spatial form essentially to the beaker 63 except that the cages 74 are disposed with their inside face directed upwardly (Fig. 11) whereas the cages 79 have their outside surface disposed upwardly (Fig. 12). The upwards and downwards movement of the cages 74, 79, like that of the raising table of the placing station and that of the water supply tank in the water receiving station, can be achieved by lifting cylinders or jacks, not shown. Furthermore, also with this embodiment, the cages 79, the table of the placing station and the water supply tank into which the shaped stamps 77 dip may be stationary and the endless conveyor carrying the shaped stamps 77 may be adapted for vertical upwards and downwards movement in the frame of the conditioning apparatus 76.

It will be appreciated that other modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments of the apparatus as described and illustrated within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of conditioning perishable, thin-walled, shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, the method comprising the step of applying water directly to at least a part of the surface of each individual shaped item by means of at least one applicator element.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the water is applied as a thin film.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 for shaped items baked in closed moulds and subsequently cut into parts, wherein water is applied at least to those partial zones of the shaped items' surface which are adjacent to what will subsequently be cutting points.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water is applied by means of an applicator element which is adapted to the surface relief of the area to which the water has to be applied.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein. the water is applied to both sides of the thin-walled shaped item, at least to a part of the surface of the respective sides.

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6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water is applied by means of a porous applicator element having a predetermined moisture content.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water is applied by means of an applicator element having a flexible surface.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water is evenly distributed when it is applied to the relevant area.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said shaped items are passed one after another between two rollers bearing against both sides of the respective shaped item, at least at parts of the surface thereof, the roller surface of at least one of said two rollers which comes in contact with the surface of the shaped item being wetted with water.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein prior to application a disinfectant is added to the water to be applied to the surface of the shaped items.

11. A method as claimed in Claim 10, wherein alcohol is added to the water to serve as the disinfectant.

12. Apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, said apparatus comprising supporting means for supporting the shaped items, at least one moistening means having an applicator element arranged to be brought into contact with at least one area of a shaped item supported on said supporting means, and water supply means for supplying water to said applicator whereby moisture can be applied to said shaped items.

13. Apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, by incorporating moisture from outside into said shaped items as they are transported through the apparatus, wherein for one-sided moistening of at least parts of the surface of each shaped item said apparatus comprises at least one moistening or humidifying means which has at least one applicator element, for example, a roller, stamp, belt or the like, arranged to be brought into contact with at least one area to which moisture is to be applied, and to which water is fed from a water supply tank, and a supporting means for supporting the shaped items.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, wherein said moistening means comprises shaped stamps for moistening one side of the shaped items, said shaped stamps having contact surfaces arranged to be brought into engagement with a surface of the shaped item and corresponding to the negative of the shaped item, a water supply tank into which the shaped stamps can be plunged, and a squeezing apparatus for expressing excess water from the shaped stamps down to a predetermined water content.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the shaped stamps are fixed in groups on an endless conveyor along which there are disposed a placing station for placing the shaped stamps having a predetermined water content onto the shaped items, a water-receiving station provided with the water supply tank, and a measured quantity dispensing station which is provided with the squeezing apparatus.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 or 15, wherein the squeezing apparatus has cages for the measured expressing of water from the shaped stamps, said cages corresponding to the surface configuration of the shaped items and being arranged to be pressed against the contact surfaces of the shaped stamps.

17. Apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, by incorporating moisture incorporated from outside into said shaped items as they are transported through the apparatus, wherein for bilateral moistening of the shaped items said apparatus comprises two moistening means arranged opposite to each other and each having, arranged to be brought into contact with the relevant area of the shaped item surface which is to be moistened, an applicator element, for example, a roller, stamp, belt or the like, to which water is supplied from a water supply tank, said applicator elements of the two moistening means being disposed opposite each other for alternately supporting said shaped items.

18. Apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, in which moisture is incorporated from outside into the shaped items which are transported through the apparatus, wherein for bilateral moistening of the shaped items said apparatus comprises two moistening means disposed serially each for moistening an underside of the shaped items, and a turnover device disposed between said two moistening means to turn each shaped item over, each moistening means having at least one applicator element to which water is fed from a supply tank, said applicator element being arranged to be brought into contact with the area of the surface of the shaped item to be moistened, and supporting means for supporting the shaped items.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18, wherein said turnover device for turning over the shaped items is constructed as a turnover star.

20. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 19, wherein for moistening the or each applicator element a moistening roller is provided which projects partially into a water supply tank and engages the applicator element.

21. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, wherein said moistening roller has an inner hard core and an outer porous shell of resilient material, and wherein for adjusting the water content of the porous outer shell a squeegee roller is provided which engages the porous outer shell and is adjustable relative to the core of the moistening roller.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 18, wherein the or each said applicator element is an applicator roller having an inner core and an outer porous shell which projects partially into a water supply tank, and wherein the outside of said outer porous shell forms a contact surface for moistening the shaped items.

23. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 22, wherein the applicator roller has an inner hard core and an outer porous shell of resilient material, and, wherein to adjust the water content of the porous outer shell a squeegee roller is provided which engages said outer shell and which is adjustable relative to the core of the applicator roller.

24. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 23, wherein said applicator element, for example, a roller, stamp or the like, has an external surface relief engageable with a surface relief of that part of the shaped item surface which is to be moistened and which corresponds to the negative of at least a part of said surface relief on the shaped item.

25. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 16, or 18, wherein the supporting means has opposite the applicator element a supporting element, such as for example a roller, stamp or the like, having an external surface relief which is engageable with the surface relief of the surface of the shaped item and which corresponds to the negative of at least a part of this surface relief of the shaped item.

26. Apparatus as claimed in Claims 12, 13, or 17 to 25, wherein the applicator element is an applicator roller having an outer surface which can be brought into contact with the surface of the shaped item, said outer surface extending over the entire length of the shaped-item which extends parallel to the axis of the applicator roller.

27. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12, 13, or 16 to 19, wherein the applicator element is constructed as an endless element, its exterior being arranged to moisten the shaped items, and the endless element passing over two rotating deflector rollers, one of said deflector rollers projecting partially into a water supply tank, and the other of said deflector rollers being disposed opposite the supporting means for shaped items which bear on the applicator element.

28. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 27, wherein the applicator element is constructed as an endless belt or strap and is made of porous elastic material, and wherein, for adjusting the water content of the applicator element, a squeegee roller is provided which engages the applicator element and is disposed opposite to and is adjustable relative to the deflector roller which projects partially into a water supply tank.

29. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, 13 or 16, wherein for moistening the applicator element, a drip bar is provided which controls the supply of water to the applicator element.

30. A method of conditioning perishable, thin-walled, shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, the method comprising the step of applying water to at least a part of the surface of each shaped item to establish a predetermined moisture content for the shaped item for controlling the brittleness of the shaped item and/or for compensating for stress in the shaped item.

31. A method as claimed in Claim 30, wherein the water is applied by at least one applicator element.

32. A method as claimed in Claim 31 further comprising any of Claims 2 to 11.

33. A method of conditioning perishable, thin-walled, shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

34. Apparatus for conditioning perishable thin-walled shaped items baked from compositions based on flour and/or starch, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.