GB274923A - Improvements in and relating to biscuit-making machines - Google Patents

Abstract

274,923. Green, T. L. Feb. 22, 1926. Panning-mechanism. - Relates to biscuit machines of the type involving a reciprocating panner blade and consists in reciprocating the blade at unequal speeds, e.g. a quick advance and slow return, to allow adequate time for the panning stroke while permitting high speed of operation. The invention is particularly designed for use with the high-speed cutting-mechanism described in Specification 275,123. Preferably the former blade is reciprocated by a cam so shaped as to reduce the return speed to one-fourth or less of the forward speed; to co-ordinate the movements of the pans and blade, the pan carrier is driven from the cam shaft through a differential gear. As shown, the continuously-driven dough apron 13, Figs. 1 and 18, on which the biscuits are formed by cutting-mechanism 14, passes at the panning point 19 around a blade 352 carried by a bar 354 mounted in side frames 353 carrying a roller 359 embraced by the apron. A brush 365 holds down the biscuits and a plate 367 protects the apron from engagement by the pans or pan carrier lugs. The frames 353 are supported at the rear end in guides 357 and at their forward end are provided with blocks engaging guides 375 in brackets 374 pivotally connected by a shaft 372 to the upper ends of rocker arms 370 pivoted on a shaft 371 at the base of the machine. Longitudinal adjustment of the presser blade blocks in the guides 375 is effected by screws operated through bevel gear by a shaft 475. A cam 420 oscillates the arms 370 through a member 383 connected to an arm 385 of a hollow shaft 378 which is furnished with a pair of arms carrying blocks adjustable radially by bevel and screw gear operable from a shaft 397 through chain gear 394, 395, 396, the blocks pivotally engaging slide blocks in the arms 370. The pans 21 are fed forward by dogs 403 on carrier chains 20 driven by sprockets 404 on a shaft 405 which is driven through a chain 411 from a sprocket on a sleeve on the shaft 418 of the cam 420; the sleeve is driven from the shaft 418 through a differential gearing the housing 437, 315, of which is adjustable by a hand wheel 470 and worm 468 to position the pans correctly. The housing 437 is also oscillated through a link 453 adjustably connected at 459 to an arcuate lever 452 carried by a shalt 454, Fig. 1, which is rocked from the member 383 through a link 456 and lever 455 adjustably secured to the shaft 454 by a screw 455<1>. By appropriate adjustment of the lever 455 and link 453, the movement of the pan carrier and panner blade are properly co-ordinated. The cam 423 is formed as a gear 419 and is driven from the cutter shaft 152 through change-speed gear comprising a set of gears 427 on a shaft 426 geared directly to the cam shaft and a tumbler gear 482 movable longitudinally of a shaft 481 adapted to be driven from the shaft 152 through alternative gear pairs 503, 504 or 505, 506. The shaft 481 is movable longitudinally by a hand-wheel 507, Fig. 4, to bring either pair of gears into mesh, or to an intermediate neutral position, and is held by a pivoted cover 509 engaging a collar. The tumbler frame is raised and lowered by a pinion 489 engaging a segment 490 and is traversed longitudinally by a screwed shaft 493 operated by a crank 498. To ensure that the tumbler is raised before a change of gear is made, the pinion 489 is operated by a crank 491, Fig. 8, on a plate 492 which partly overlies an indicator disc 514 driven by a gear 517 on the shaft 493 and is furnished with an aperture or window 518 adapted to register with the indications only when the tumbler is raised; further, to ensure that the shaft 481 is not in the neutral position the pivoted cover 509 carries a cam plate 525 controlling through a lever 524 a, second window 522. The gears 503, 504 have a ratio twice that of the gears 505, 506 so that the panner may be set to deal with a full or a half cut. Pans are inserted laterally into a holder comprising a fixed rear bracket and a front bracket 533, Fig. 18, pivoted at 531 and adapted to be deflected against the action of a spring 534 by engagement of the pan carrier lugs with a depending trigger 535 so as to drop a pan at the correct time. A bracket 533 serves as a guide for inserting the pans.