GB2318497A

GB2318497A - A jam manufacturing process

Info

Publication number: GB2318497A
Application number: GB9625428A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Dunne
Original assignee: Chivers Ireland R & D Ltd
Current assignee: Chivers Ireland R & D Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-24
Filing date: 1996-12-06
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-06
Also published as: GB9625428D0; IES72461B2; IE960748A1; IE960850A1; IES72948B2; GB2318497B

Abstract

Fruit jam is manufactured by vacuum cooking a jam precook and transferring the cooked jam mixture to a post heater/mixer. After sampling and any necessary adjustment the jam mixture is filled into jars in a jar filling machine, the number of jars at an inlet side and at an exit side being counted, compared and the jam filling machine being shut-down if the counts do not correspond. Capped jars are then stagewise cooled and washed and dried in a drying tunnel. The jars are then labelled and fed to first and second filled jar conveyors 71, 72 arranged in side by side relation. The first conveyor 71 delivers filled jars onto the second conveyor 72 on which the jars accumulate for delivery on demand to a tray erector/loader 30. Loaded trays are delivered to a separate in-line bar code conveyor on which a bar code is applied to the tray.

Description

"A Manufacturing Process" This invention relates to a process for manufacturing jam.

Introduction The manufacture of jam on an industrial scale involves a series of highly complex interrelated operations. The product is generally of relatively low value and must therefore be manufactured at a high level of efficiency to ensure that margins are retained.

There is therefore a need for improved manufacturing techniques which will optimise the manufacturing process while at least maintaining and preferably increasing manufacturing profit margins.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a process for manufacturing fruit jam comprising the steps of: making up a fruit mixture and delivering it into a premixer/precooker; adding glucose to the premixer/precooker; adding a weighed amount of sugar from a silo to the premixer/precooker; delivering the jam precook thus formed into a vacuum cooker; cooking the jam in the vacuum cooker at a cooking temperature of from 70"C to 800C; closing off cooking when the jam mixture is cooked; transferring the cooked jam mixture to a post heater/mixer; sampling the jam mixture in the post heater mixer to ensure that the mixture is within specification; adding additives to the jam mixture as necessary to meet specifications; presenting a plurality of jars for filing with jam to a jar filling machine; automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine; filling the jars with the jam mixture; automatically counting the number of filled jars at the outlet side of the jam filling machine; comparing the jar counts at the inlet and outlet of the jar filling machine; shutting down the jam filling machine if the inlet and outlet jar counts do not correspond; capping the filled jars; stagewise cooling/washing the capped jars from approximately 80 C to approximately 200C; conveying the jars through a drying tunnel at a residence time in the tunnel of from 10 to 30 seconds to dry off the label receiving surface of the jar; labelling the jars; delivering the labelled jars through a inlet lane to a first conveyor for delivery to a second conveyor arranged in side by side relation with the first conveyor, filled jars accumulating on the second conveyor for delivery on demand through an outlet lane to a tray loader; the tray loader erecting a tray around a batch of jars and wrapping the tray and jars.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the method includes the step of sensing the presence of filled jars on the second conveyor and controlling the feed of filled jars if excess jars are present on the conveyors until filled jars have cleared through the tray/ erector loader.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the method includes the step of delivering the loaded trays to a bar coder conveyer. Preferably the trays are indexed to the bar coder so that all trays pass the bar coder at the same rate.

In one embodiment of the invention the fruit mix is made up in a mobile trolley and the contents of the trolley are lifted and then tipped into the premixer/precooker.

Preferably the jars are cooled and washed in a first stage to approximately 6O0C, in a second stage to approximately 40"C and in a final third stage to approximately 20"C.

In this case preferably, after stagewise cooling/washing the jars are sprayed with a fine water mist.

Preferably after spraying on the fine mist the mist is blown off by a dryer prior to entry to the drying tunnel.

According to another aspect the invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing jam comprising a filled jar feed system for a filled jar tray erector/loader, the jar feed system comprising conveyor means having an inlet lane for feeding filled jars and an outlet lane for delivery of filled jars on demand to the tray erector/loader, the conveyor means comprising a first filled jar conveyor and a second filled jar conveyor arranged in side by side relation with the first filled jar conveyor, the conveyors having separate drive means and control means, the first conveyor being arranged for delivery of filled jars in single file to the second conveyor on which the filled jars accumulate for delivery on demand to the tray erector/loader. Preferably the apparatus includes a pair of plate means which are spaced-apart and shaped to define an outlet lane for delivery of the filled jars to the tray erector/loader, preferably the plate means being curved over the length thereof to provide a gradual transition for the filled jars. Preferably the apparatus includes means for sensing the presence of filled jars on the second conveyor and for controlling the feed of filled jars if excess jars are present on the conveyor system, preferably the means for sensing the presence of filled jars comprising sensor means in a back plate the second conveyor, the sensor means being activated by the presence of excess filled jars to control the feed of filled jars from the inlet lane until filled jars have cleared through to the tray erector/loader and the sensor means is deactivated. In one arrangement the apparatus includes an out feed conveyor from the tray erector loader for delivery of loaded erected trays of filled jars to a separate in line bar code conveyor and a bar coder mounted at the bar code conveyor for bar coding a tray on the bar code conveyor.

In a further aspect the invention provides apparatus for manufacturing jam comprising: a depalletiser unit for depalletising empty jars; a jar conveyor for delivery the empty jars to a jar filling machine; means for automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine; means for automatically counting the number of jars filled with jam at an outlet side of the jam filling machine; and control means for comparing the jar counts at the inlet and outlet of the jam filling machine and for shutting down the jam filling machine if the inlet and outlet jar counts do not correspond.

Preferably the apparatus includes alarm means operated by the control means if the number of filled jars at the outlet of the jam filling machine does not correspond to the number of empty jars counted in to the jam filling machine. In one arrangement the means for automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine comprises an inlet jar sensor connected to the control means and the means for automatically counting the number of filled jars at an outlet side of the jam filling machine comprises an outlet jar sensor connected to the control means. Preferably the apparatus includes a cleaning/screening unit mounted in a jam delivery line for cleaning/screening jam prior to filling into an empty jar, the cleaning/screening unit having a lower outlet cap with a baffle extending upwardly from the cap for removing any large pieces in the fruit jam mixture, preferably the cleaning/screening unit having magnet means for removing any metal particles.

Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of cooking apparatus used in the process of jam manufacture according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of further steps in the process of the invention; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of fruit loading apparatus used in the process of the invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a mobile trolley for fruit loading; Fig. 5 is a side, partially cross sectional view of a vacuum cooker and condenser used in the process; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of a cleaning unit used in the process; Fig. 7 is a side view of jar cooling apparatus used in the process; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an inlet end of the jar cooling apparatus of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the jar cooling apparatus of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a detail of the jar cooling apparatus; Fig. 11 is a plan view of an inlet conveyor system for a tray loader used in the process of the invention; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of part of the inlet conveyer system of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a drying tunnel used in the process of the invention; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a bar coder unit used in the process of the invention.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof there is illustrated various steps in the process for fruit jam manufacture according to the invention. A fruit mixture is first made up in a mobile trolley 1 which is tipped into one of two premixer/precookers 2. Glucose in a heated form, typically at approximately 50 C is then delivered into the premixer/precooker 2 and a weighed amount of sugar is delivered from a silo into the premixer/precooker 2.

The mixture is partially cooked and mixed to form a jam precook which is delivered into one of two vacuum cookers 5, each with an associated condenser 6. The jam is cooked in the vacuum cooker 5 at a cooking temperature of from 70 to 800C. When cooking is complete the cooked jam mixture is transferred to one of two associated post heater/mixers 9. The jam mixture in the post heater/mixer 9 is sampled to ensure that the jam mixture is within specification.

Various additives may be added to adjust the mixture.

The jam mixture is then passed through a cleaning/screening unit 10 (see Fig. 6) fitted with a lower removable outlet cap 11 with an upwardly extending baffle 12. Magnet means provided by a bank of magnets 13 in the unit 10 are used to remove any metal particles and the baffle 11 extracts any large pieces in the fruit jam mixture. These may be removed by opening the outlet cap 11 which also provides access for cleaning of the unit 10.

Empty jars are delivered from a depalletiser unit 15 along a jar conveyor 16 to a jar filling machine 17. Fruit jam is delivered to the filling machine 17 along an inlet line 18. The number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine 17 are automatically counted using an inlet jar sensor 20. The jars are filled with the jam mixture and the number of filled jars are automatically counted using a filled jar sensor 21. The jar counts at the inlet and outlet of the filling machine 17 are compared by a control unit which sends a signal to shut down the jam filling machine 17 and provide an alarm if the inlet and outlet jar counts do not correspond. The monitoring of the jars in the jar filling machine is essential in determining the absence of any jars at the outfeed side. If a jar is found to be missing at the out feed side there is a risk that the jar may have become broken in the machine with possible cross contamination to other jars passing through the machine.

The filled jars are then capped in a capping machine 25 and the jars are stagewise cooled/washed in a cooling/washing unit 26 from approximately 80"C to approximately 20 C. The jars are then conveyed through a drying tunnel 27 at a residence time in the tunnel of from 10 to 30 seconds to dry off the label receiving surface of the jars. The jars are then labelled in a gluing/labelling machine 28. After labelling, the jars are delivered along an inlet conveyor system 29 to a tray erector/loader/wrapper unit 30. The loaded trays of filled jars are then bar coded using a bar coder/conveyor 31.

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the condenser 6 includes an inner baffle 40 on which any jam 41 which is carried over from the vacuum cooker 5 is collected. The baffle 40 is angled towards a return line 42 along which the jam 41 is returned to the vacuum cooker 5. In this way jam losses in cooking are minimised.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 10 at an infeed end 50 of the cooler/washing unit 26 at least two conveyors 51,52 driven at different speeds are used to load filled jars 53 into the cooler. This arrangement ensures that the flow of jars 53 to the cooler is optimised. In this case there are three cooling stages 55,56,57 in each of which the jars 53 are sprayed with cooling water. The water flow in the three stages is optimised by weirs 58,59 with a water flow inlet 60 at an inlet end of the cooler 26 and a water flow outlet 61 at an outlet end of the cooler 26. In the first stage the jam is cooled down to approximately 60"C.

In the second stage it is further cooled to about 35"C and in the final third stage to approximately 200C. At an outlet 65 of the cooler 26 the jars 53 are delivered by conveyors 66 to a delivery conveyor 67 to the tunnel heater/dryer 27 which is illustrated in Fig. 13.

After labelling, and referring in particular to Figs. 11 and 12 the flow of filled jars 53 to the tray erector/loader 30 is optimised by a jar feed system 70.

The jar feed system 70 includes a main driving conveyor 71 which delivers filled jars 53 away from an outlet lane 68 from the labeller. A feed conveyor 72 in arranged in parallel side-by-side relation with the main driving conveyor 71 along its length. The conveyors 71, 72 are separately driven and controlled. The conveyor 72 is wider than and is driven at a slower speed than the main conveyor 71 for delivery of filled jars 53 through a delivery lane 79 to a tray/erector loader 30. The delivery lane 79 is of a width to accommodate the requirements of the tray/erector loader 30. For example, the arrangement may facilitate the simultaneous feed of three jars 53 arranged side-by-side. The conveyor 72 defines a hold-up area in which the jars 53 delivered from the labeller may accumulate until required by the operation of the tray/erector loader 30.

A first cornered stop plate 73 is arranged at the end of the main conveyor 71 adjacent to the tray/erector loader delivery lane 79. The stop plate 73 diverts the jars 53 from the main driving conveyor 71 onto the feed conveyor 72. A second stop plate 75 directs the jars 53 from the feed conveyor 72 to the tray erector loader 30, as required. In this way the feed of jars 53 to the tray erector/loader 30 is under the control of the feed conveyor 72 and the operation of the loader 30 is optimised. The stop plates 73, 75 are shaped and spacedapart for smooth delivery of the jars 53 to the tray erector loader 30 by the conveyor 72.

First and second sensors 80a, 80b on a back plate 81 of the conveyor 72 are activated if the second conveyor 72 fills up with jars 53. The sensors 80a, 80b are used to temporarily shut off the flow of the jars 53 until the hold up of jars has passed through the tray erector/loader 30. On activation of the first sensor 80a the flow of jars 53 from the labeller is slowed until the sensors 80a is deactivated. On activation of the additional second sensor 80b the feed system 70 is substantially filled with jars 53 and the feed from the labeller is stopped until the sensor 80b is deactivated.

We have found through extensive research and development that this feed system ensures that the operation of the high speed tray erector loader is optimised and throughput is maximised. By providing an infeed conveyor system to the tray loader the production process has been significantly speeded up as jars for loading are always available on demand by the tray loader. Without such a system it was found that the flow of jars was fragmented leading to downtime while the flow of production was corrected. In addition, such an infeed conveyor system facilitates ease of change from one production run to another giving substantial savings in variable production costs.

Loaded trays 90 from the tray erector/loader 30 are delivered along a conveyor 91 to the bar coding station 31. The bar coding station 31 comprises an individual bar code conveyor 95 and an associated bar code head 96 and control unit 97. The bar code head 96 is mounted on a bar code arm 98 which is hingedly mounted for movement from an inactive position as illustrated by full lines in Fig. 14 to a bar coding position illustrated by interrupted lines at which a bar code is applied to a tray 90 on the bar code conveyor 95. The indexing of the loaded trays to the bar coder ensure that all loaded trays receive a correct bar code without interruption in the flow of trays and hence operating efficiency is optimised.

The invention provides a highly optimised process for producing jars of fruit jam.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing fruit jam comprising the steps of: making up a fruit mixture and delivering it into a premixer/precooker; adding glucose to the premixer/precooker.

adding a weighed amount of sugar from a silo to the premixer/precooker; delivering the jam precook thus formed into a vacuum cooker; cooking the jam in the vacuum cooker at a cooking temperature of from 70"C to 80"C; closing off cooking when the jam mixture is cooked; transferring the cooked jam mixture to a post heater/mixer; sampling the jam mixture in the post heater/mixer to ensure that the mixture is within specification; adding additives to the jam mixture as necessary to meet specifications; presenting a plurality of jars for filing with jam to a jar filling machine; automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine; filling the jars with the jam mixture; automatically counting the number of filled jars at the outlet side of the jam filling machine; comparing the jar counts at the inlet and outlet of the jar filling machine; shutting down the jam filling machine if the inlet and outlet jar counts do not correspond; capping the filled jars; stagewise cooling/washing the capped jars from approximately 80"C to approximately 20"C; conveying the jars through a drying tunnel at a residence time in the tunnel of from 10 to 30 seconds to dry off the label receiving surface of the jar; labelling the jars; delivering the labelled jars through a inlet lane to a first conveyor for delivery to a second conveyor arranged in side by side relation with the first conveyor, filled jars accumulating on the second conveyor for delivery on demand through an outlet lane to a tray loader; the tray loader erecting a tray around a batch of jars and wrapping the tray and jars.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of sensing the presence of filled jars on the second conveyor and controlling the feed of filled jars if excess jars are present on the conveyors until filled jars have cleared through the tray/erector loader.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including the step of delivering the loaded trays to a bar coder conveyor.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the trays are indexed to the bar coder so that all trays pass the bar coder at the same rate.

5. A method as claim in any preceding claim wherein the fruit mix is made up in a mobile trolley and the contents of the trolley are lifted and then tipped into the premixer/precooker.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the jars are cooled and washed in a first stage to approximately 600C, in a second stage to approximately 40"C and in a final third stage to approximately 20"C.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, after stagewise cooling/washing the jars are sprayed with a fine water mist.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein after spraying on the fine mist the mist is blown off by a dryer prior to entry to the drying tunnel.

9. A method for manufacturing jam substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing jam comprising a filled jar feed system for a filled jar tray erector/loader, the jar feed system comprising conveyor means having an inlet lane for feeding filled jars and an outlet lane for delivery of filled jars on demand to the tray erector/loader, the conveyor means comprising a first filled jar conveyor and a second filled jar conveyor arranged in side by side relation with the first filled jar conveyor, the conveyors having separate drive means and control means, the first conveyor being arranged for delivery of filled jars in single file to the second conveyor on which the filled jars accumulate for delivery on demand to the tray erector/loader.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 including a pair of plate means which are spaced-apart and shaped to define an outlet lane for delivery of the filled jars to the tray erector loader, preferably the plate means being curved over the length thereof to provide a gradual transition for the filled jars.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11 including means for sensing the presence of filled jars on the second conveyor and for controlling the feed of filled jars if excess jars are present on the conveyor system, preferably the means for sensing the presence of filled jars comprising sensor means in a back plate the second conveyor, the sensor means being activated by the presence of excess filled jars to control the feed of filled jars from the inlet lane until filled jars have cleared through to the tray/erector loader and the sensor means is deactivated.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12 including an outfeed conveyor from the tray erector loader for delivery of loaded erected trays of filled jars to a separate in line bar code conveyor and a bar coder mounted at the bar code conveyor for bar coding a tray on the bar code conveyor.

14. Apparatus for manufacturing jam as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13 including: a depalletiser unit for depalletising empty jars; a jar conveyor for delivery the empty jars to a jar filling machine; means for automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine; means for automatically counting the number of jars filled with jam at an outlet side of the jam filling machine; and control means for comparing the jar counts at the inlet and outlet of the jam filling machine and for shutting down the jam filling machine if the inlet and outlet jar counts do not correspond.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 including alarm means operated by the control means if the number of filled jars at the outlet of the jam filling machine does not correspond to the number of empty jars counted in to the jam filling machine.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the means for automatically counting the number of empty jars at an inlet side of the jam filling machine comprises an inlet jar sensor connected to the control means and the means for automatically counting the number of filled jars at an outlet side of the jam filling machine comprises an outlet jar sensor connected to the control means.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16 including a cleaning/screening unit mounted in a jam delivery line for cleaning/screening jam prior to filling into an empty jar, the cleaning/screening unit having a lower outlet cap with a baffle extending upwardly from the cap for removing any large pieces in the fruit jam mixture, preferably the cleaning/screening unit having magnet means for removing any metal particles.

18. Apparatus for manufacturing jam, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. Jam whenever manufactured by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 or using an apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 18.