GB428607A - Improvements in and relating to the discharging of biscuits or the like from wires, pans or trays and to associated operations - Google Patents

Abstract

428,607. Endless conveyers. MACFARLANE, R. F., Imperial Biscuit Works, Osterley, Middlesex, and BAKER PERKINS, Ltd., Westwood Works, Peterborough. Nov. 10, 1933, No. 31416. [Class 78 (i)] [See also Group XII] Biscuits or like articles arranged on pans, trays, or reticulated supports are discharged therefrom by passing the pans around a triangular, square, or polygonal roller whilst being enfolded by a travelling web which receives the biscuits in inverted position. As shown, the roller 10 is square and is rotated by means 11. The facets 13 of the roller 10 are recessed at 14 to receive the pans, which lie substantially flush with the surfaces of the facets, the recesses and/or the facets being padded to accommodate bulged pans. A feeding-conveyer comprises a band 24 arranged in inclined manner and supported, by bars 60, 61, slightly above the level of chains 16 which run, at a slightly faster speed, at the sides of the band 24. An attendant at A places the pans on the band 24 which carries them forward and deposits them gently on the chains 16, dogs 23 on the chains overtaking the pans and continuing the drive. To avoid free swinging or vibration of the chains, due to the corners of the roller 10, the chains are supported in guide channels 25 on a frame 26 which is pivoted near the position A. Arms 27 are secured to the upper end of the frame 26 and carry rollers 18 which run in cam grooves 17 in the roller 10 whereby the channels 25 rise and fall with the chains 16. The weight of the frame 26 is relieved by counterweights 29. The tension of the chains is maintained by sliding jockeys 19 controlled by weights 20. The enfolding web 32 is maintained in tension by a jockey 50 controlled by a weight 52. As the pans reach their lowest horizontal position, the web 32 leaves the roller 10 at a slight downward inclination, this part of the web being supported by an oscillating frame 39 having rollers 28 which engage the cam grooves 17 in the roller 10, the rollers 28 being kept in the cam grooves by weights 40 and chains 41, or by spring means. The bottoms of the inverted pans are tapped, to release sticking biscuits, by spring fingers 43 on a shaft 42 carried by the frame 39 and oscillated by an arm 62 connected by a rod 63 to a crank disc 64. The margins of the web 32 are troughed to support the lateral edges only of the pans, so that breakage due to tapping is avoided. As the web 32 passes around the end roller 33, the biscuits drop over a shoot or fingers 45 which deposits them right-way up on a conveyer 46. The empty tins pass over a conveyer 34 to a transverse conveyer 35 and from thence to spaced bands 36 and to springy inclined arms 37 over which they fall to stack themselves either horizontally or against an inclined back-board 38. The biscuits on the conveyer 46 are delivered to a slow conveyer which receives them in overlapping relationship, i.e. in an inclined stack which facilitates collection by hand. The conveyer 46 may be associated with springy fingers, as described in Specification 428,775, to prevent the front edges of the biscuits from dropping too early. Alternatively, the fingers may be formed by long flexible metal strips having small weights on their ends.