US1128308A - Dipping-machine. - Google Patents

Description

C. M. GREEN.

. DIPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED M11. 1a, 1913.

' Patented-Feb. 16-, 1915.

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Patnted Feb. 16, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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- 0. M. GREEN. v

DIPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,191S3. Patented Feb; 16, 1915.

6 SHEBTS-SFBET 4.,

mm fiLwWVW 4 av I 3 C. M. GREEN.

DIPPING MACHINE.

"APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1913.

' Patefited Feb. 16, 1915. I

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WI TPIEfE: F25:

G. M. GREEN.

DIPPINGMAGHIN-E. v APPLIGATIONTILBD'JAN.13, 191s.

1 1 28,308., Patented 6, i v V v 6 SHEETSS'HEET 6 TIN @1 NT nn.

CHARLES M. GREEN, or mannnnnnan, MASSACHUSETTS, nssrenon, T rnn WALTER MILOWNEY comr my, or Bos'ron, 'massacnnsnwrs, A CORPORATION or MASSA- CHUSETTS. 7

- of- Marblehead, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and "useful Improvement in Dipping-Machines,

of which the following is-a specification.

My invention is particularly useful in the making of chocolate bonbons, where centers nIPPmG-iuaomnn Specification of Letters'Patent. Application filed zranua as, 191s. Serial No. 741,629.

are usually dipped by hand into melted chocolate and are thus coated. My invention however may be used for dipping other articles if desired.

In machines for dipping centers hereto- B which is supported by a water jacket B atenteld Feb. 16,1915.

kept' atthe proper temperature. The dipplng process takes place in a pan.

bottom [and side walls of the tank are carried by suitable supports 0 from the frame C, which in .turn is' mounted on the tankA, as. will be more particularly described below. The pan-.B has a down-{p wardly projecting neck B which extendsco into and forms a passage from the tank A for the chocolate. The water jacket B is below the pan and surrounds its neck and fore constructed two difficulties have been' experienced, the first being the maintaining of the chocolate .with which the centers are {QTEOID air bubbles, and the other the ban 1 dling of the centers thems'el ves both. before and after they have been. dipped.) Y

My invention relateseto improvements in me is shown.

Figure 1' is an-elevation of -a machine einbodying my invention, the supporting frame being omitted. Fig. 2-is a vertical section,

the power shaft and its connection beingomitted. .Fig. 3. is an' enlarged section on .spectively an under and side View of the cam 2' disk, Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig-6 is a section showing 35 the air pumpconnection. Fig. 7 isa top view, and Fig. 8a sideview, both-full size,

of the center holding. means or finger mechanism. Fig. .9-is a section on line 9 -9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 isa section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. 1 e

The mechanism for maintaining the chocolate. at proper consistency may be .jutilizedfforother like. purposes, and com- -prises a tank i'A which is provided with a.

water jacket A3. Within" the water jacket may be 'introducedlhot water .orsteam ac- V to be coated, a t a proper consistency andfree Kline 33;of Fig. 2. Figs. 41' and 5 are recording to thelgtemperature desired, Whichis kept in constantcirculation gby means of pipes a a in:;the usual .WayQiThJs waterjacket surrounds the periphery of the tank A and. extends undenits bottom, .l so1;that the through it by means of pipes b b in order end of a sleeve d which sleeve passes'down through a 'stuiiing box (i in the chamber steam andhot water may be circu' ated to maintain. the contents of the pan B at a proper temperature. Within the neck orextension B of the pan I. mount a conveyer D. This conveyer comprises a cylinder resting on afhu'b and attached to the upper between the water jacket A and. tank A, and to'the. sleeve'is keyed a beveled gear (1 which is engaged by abeveled gear d mounted on-the end ofthe shaft'd carry- 3 'ing at its farther end a bevel gear (1%. This beveled gear d? is in mesh with a' beveled gear d on'the lower endof a vertical shaft a carrying at its upper end a beveled gear d" which meshes witha beveled'geard on the end of the power shaft "C carrying a pulley C These various shafts are mounted in bearings supported either on the frame C or jacket A as the-case may be, and by means of power applied to the pulley C the cylinder D is'rotated. The cylinderD is somewhat smaller. in diameter than the'extension B of the pan B,"so that a passage is left between the exterior of the cylinder D and the interior wall of the extension B Near the lower end of-the cylinder D and on the outside thereof'there is a spiral .conveyer D extending twoor three turns about the cylinder D. This conveyer being of sufficient width to substantially close the lower end of the passage formed between the outer wall of the cylinder D andthe inner wall: of the extension 13.. The water. jacket chambers being filled with hot water or 'steam' to. maintain the f .cZ and the exterior of the inlet 03". It will be perature, and the tank A being substantially filled with chocolate or other like material which is about to be lifted to the pan B, the cylinder D rotated insuch a direction that the lower end of the spiral conveyer D will move into the Chocolate and cause the chocolate to travel up the conveyor into the a chamber between the cylinder and the interior of the extension and graduallyto be lifted or conveyed up into the pan B. In

practice it is desirable that this lifting proc- I ess shall convey to the pan the chocolate in greater quantities than is needed. It will benoticed that the pan B is of less diameter than the tank A, and if the tank receives more chocolate than can be used chocolate will overflow all around from the pan B and fall back into the tank A. Thus there will be a constant circulation of chocolate through the apparatus, and the chocolate will have no opportunity to settle or thicken and because of this constant mixing or agitation .the entire mass will be maintained at substantially the same condition.

noted that the lower end of the sleeve d is mounted in a stuffingbox bearing d on top of the exhaust casing d supported fromthe underside of the jacket A by means of brackets d. Thus the sleeve and the cylinder- D mounted upon it maybe rotated independently of the *casing (Z from which the outlet al leads.

The jacket B and neck B should havea water; tight joint where they join below-and for'this purpose'l prefer that each should have a lateral extension, which should overlap'as shown at b in Fig. 2. T have also'shown an agitator to assist in (keeping the chocolate in proper condition. It comprises the hub 0 resting on the bottom of the tank A and adapted to turn about the sleeve (6. From this hub project horizontal-arms 6 having upturned ends 6 and also having vertical arms e which connect it with the gear E. The gear E surrounds an asbestos casing E which. is outside of the jacket B and which serves, as a heat insulator. To-rotate this agitatorthe gear E is inmeshwi'th a gear E mounted on a stud E supported on the'tank A and in mesh with a. pinion mounted onthe hub ofthe of which carries a beveled gear F shaft (2. Thus upon the rotation of the conveyer or lifter D D the agitator is also retated so thatthe entire mass is kept in constant agitation, both While in the tank A g and during its lifting and overflowing processes, and by virtue of the. various chambers around the various parts, with their various inlets and outlets, the temperature of the chocolate is maintained constantly at any desired degree.

The center dipping mechanism is mounted upon a rotary head supported in the frame 0 over and concentric with the pair B. During the dipping operation the centers are held by fingers of which two sets only are shown, but it is intended that the machine shall be provided with such a number of fingers as may be convenient according to the size of the machine. In the drawings the fingers are located at nearly opposite sides of the machine, and the arrangement is such that duringone rotation of the head each set .of fingers will go twice through the operations of g ;rasping a center and dipping and releasing' it, the mechanism for operating the fingers being duplicated on the head. In a smaller machine this process might take place but once, While in a larger machine themechanism might be triplicated, etc, according to circumstances.

The head itself comprises a stationary part and a movable part.v The movable part consists of a disk F which is mounted on' the lower end of a sleeve F-Kthe upper gnd he sleeve F has a series of openings f, equaling in number the number of sets of-center gripping fingers. And from'each opening leads a tube 7 the mouth of which terminates just over one of the sets' of fingers. Within this sleeve is a tube F which passes up through a bearing C in the frame 0 and is made fast by a nut f and setnut f. This tube E is stationary and has in. it two openings 7 in position to register with each peningf as the sleeve rotates, and the uper end of this sleeve is similarly connected .vith a blower C sothat-a blast of air is constantly passing into the tube F and out through whichever of the openings f happens to register with the openings f Within this tube F is an inner tube F through which electric wires Z pass down to the rotary portion of the head for purposes below described. The beveled gear Fflbymeans of which rotation is given to the rotary head, meshes with the beveled gear F on the shaft F, supportedby hangers F carried by the frame C and having a gear F in mesh with the pinion F on theend of the shaft F carrying suitable pulley connections so that the rotation of the shaft F will cause the rotation of the rotary head.

The stationary. head G is supported upon me se brackets G and from it depends a cam'disk H which will be described below.

'ihe rotary head carries hinged to its periphery a series of fingers J. ,These fingers are shown in detail .in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, and are constructed as follows: Each grasping and dipping unit comprises threefingers 9:, j, vj The outer'ends of the fingers'j and 9 are alike, each comprising prongs 7' and a screw j. The fingers j are shown loop shape at the end, as at 7' and aid in .finishing the coating as. described. below. L'The' 'fingers jandy' fit into the, sides of the-sen ters, the steadyingpins 9' being adjustable according to'the general style ofthe centers being covered. I prefer to make the end. 1' .Of the finger 7' easily removable so-that it may be. changed if desired. This finger is also provided with a pin J for-purposes below described. Thesefingers must begiven proper movements in order that they may openand receive the center and may close again about the center and'hold thecenter during the dipping Operation and afterward at the proper time release it. The opening and closing operationiis due primarily to the way in which the fingers are mounted, and, secondarily, to certain. mechanism brought tobear upon the fingersfor this purpose. Each finger j 7" is mounted on the end of a lever 7070 which is pivoted at [s l-: in a cylindrical block K mounted to turnin a'holder K. This holder K-is hinged to a plate K carried-by the rotary head F and is normally held in nearly horizontal position by the springkv, one end of.

which is connected to the plate K -andthe other to theholder K. Intherear-end of the block K slides a .bntten-K -which is suitably centered so as to movedirectly in and out therefrom and is slotted as at K I \Vithin this button aretwo'pinsK which :the block will cause the opening or-spread- 1 pass through slots 70 70 -inthe-rear ends of the levers ls'lc As a result itwill be seen that the compression of the button against ing of the fingers j j (see-:Fig. .7). Y The .of the center.

finger 7' is also pivoted in the block K at 70 and held normally in its lowerposition bymeans of a spring k When the parts are in the position shown in Fig; 7," the fingers j i are held against accidentalseparation, which would result in the dropping The holder K also carries an electric heater L of ordinary construction,

which need not be described,. as any electric I heater will answer thepurpose. Current-1s brought to it by ineanstof wires Z43 which are connected with the wiresP' the tube- F. The upper end of this tube is 'provided with suitable connections 1 and theparts' are insulated in a .way which will be readily.

understood. r

The cam disk referred to above as fc0nnected with the statiohary portiomG -of Zthe heafloasqshown in side elevationinFig. 5,

Fig. ,iis'howing an ,under view offthe cain disk.v The purposeof this cam disk isto give thef necessary movements to the fingers j j q' as Well :as .to'the holder K byv which all these partsare carried. 'For' this purpose the holder is f provided with a lever K fulcruined on athe button K the lower end ofwhich lever-isgloosely;attached to the arm K by means ofwhich the holder 'Kjzis pivoted to't'he: part K on the disk F. The'fca'm disk G is provided a set of c am surfaces to engage the pins rKfl'iand another set of surfaces G ,=to.-engage the levers K. A'third se't, Gflisfa-l'so provided .to engage thepi'n J (seeFig. ;-'1l'). A s has-been'stated-above,

the cam surfaces are repeated so that-jthe holders ..will dip two centers during "one rotationof the rotar'y -head.-- In .additio'h the block-K is given apartial rotationjwhile the center is in the'ch'ocola'te; its rotation being. completed later. For this pu-rpos'e :'the

block K is providedwith a gear K gfast thereto, and the cam disk G is -provided with racks K K to engageandturnithe gearas occasion requires. 1

, In describing theinovements of theholder and-the .various parts connected thereto, I shall describe the 'movement of each part separately for thesake of clearnessgandftheln briefly describe how these various {parts cooperat'e fin the:purpose for whiclrthey-are designed. i

The holder'K X y be given a vertical oscillation in order'that with its various parts must it may grasp the center which is fed to it at a level above thej levelrdf the' top'o'f'the pan-E and then lower 'the center' into the pan and turnit therein tqeoat it thoroughly; and thereafterlift it from' the pan and give it a shaking to shake off the superfluouschocolate, and then lower it to :fpla'ce' it :upon

tion is repeated. j

The cam surface to engage the pinK a 'prhper receptacle; after which the opera which may be termed the 'level con'trolling pin, is partially an edge cam and partlyfa ments' given to' the holder by this cam are around the pivot bywhich it is hinged to the plate K. The operation begins atapproximately the point marked a" (see Fig.

groove of irregular shape, and the 11love time the upper endef the lever K strikes,

60 v with chocolate, and lateryjust before the as i V areasoe ing dragged through the chocolate pan.

From a to 5 the surface slopes. back to substantially the radius 'of the cam disk, and from 5 to 6 it is serrated so that as the holder is moved along it is -given. a final jog-' ging or shaking so that the superfluous chocolate is removed. From 6 to? the surface is again an arc to allow the rotation of the holder as below described, and at 7 the pin K enters an irregular groove which lifts the fingers sufiiciently high to enable them to place the covered center upon a suitable receptacle, and during the slight drop. al

lowed by the surface from 8 to 9 the covered center is placed on the receptacle or plaque. From 9 to 1.it lifts the fingers again and the operation is repeated, the fingers receiving their next center between the'points 1 and 2, as before. While the centers are being held in the chocolate bath, that is, while the holder s being operated by the cam surface 3 to l, it is desirable that they should be rotated somewhat so as to insure the complete covering of the center. For this purpose 1 provide a rack surface K whichengages the gear K In the form of'my invention shown the rack K has four teeth and the gear has 7, 8 teeth, so that the rack gives the holder half a revolution. After the shaking operation takes place a *further half revolution is given to the holder by means of the rack K this bringing the covered center into position to be laidu-pon its bottom on the recep? tacle. 4

The cam surface G engages the lever K by means of which the fingers .are opened and closed to releaseone covered center and to grasp a second center ready to be covered.

' For this purpose there is provided a surthe lever K isv gradually depressed so that the button K -is pushed inwardly toward face 10 toll against which at the'proper and as the holder continues'its movement the. holder and opens out the fingers y j, causing them to drop or become disengaged fromthe'covered center. They are then lifted by the cam G so as to ride over the top of the centerand then come down, and are carried farther along the sunface 12 to 13, when they are again suddenly opened by thesurface 13 to- 14 over anew center, and

vagain closed along the surface 14 to 15, at which time the fingers b gin their descent dipped center .is, placed on the plaque so that a finish shall be put on top of the chocolate, and for this purpose lf haveattached to the cam disk a surface G which engages with the pin J and lifts the finger 7' against the force of the spring and a second surface G hanging from-Gr for the same, purpose. By this means a string of chocolate is drawn up from the top of the coating 7 0 until it breaks and falls back upon the coating, thus making an ornamental or finishing strip which is purely accidental in shape so that it. forms a finish'on top of the. chocolate in substantially the same way that each hand-dipped bonbon-is at present finishedn During all this time the heaters L on the holders are kept snliiciently hot electrically to warm the fingers, so that the coating is maintained at atemperature similar to thatusual during hand dipping. The air blast openings f and f register at such times as torallow a blast of air,the temperature of which may be regulated if desired, to strike the covered center an instant before it is dropped, as will be understood from Fig. 6.

It will beunderstood that in such a machine as is shown inthe drawings when two sets of coating operations are going. on at the same time, there should be two sets of parts to feed'center's to the coating mechanism. and receive them when coated, located opposite each other.

The advantage of the chocolate lifting mechanism shown is dueto the fact that friction is largely eliminated, and the.temperature of the chocolate can be maintained at a predetermined degree. Moreover, there is no tendency forair bubbles to collect in the chocolate-in fact there is no opportunity. for air to collect in the chocolate on the lifter. The chocolate is thus lifted in a continuous solid stream of given ,temperature, which,-so far as I know, is not the case when chocolate is lifted by any of the pumps in use. This mechanism while described as a chocolate lifter, maybe used for other liquids, especially those of a similar character.

-While the end of the finger 3' is shown as il loop shaped it may be otherwise shaped, for

example, like a star or a fork, or otherwise,

and so change somewhat the finish of the goods. This finish will in anyevent be irregular and resemble the irregular finish on hand-dipped goods.

While I have described this'machine with considerable particularity, I do not mean to limit myself to the particular construction shown, as many alterations in the details of construction will doubtless occur to one skilled in the art which will not depart from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim-as my invention is 1. In a machine of the kind described, a tank, a pan. mounted concentrically there with above said tank and having a downward extensi n into Said tank, and a lifter means, and individual heating means attached to each center-holding and: dipping means. 1

13. In a machine ofthe kind described, a 5 gripper comprising a holder, arms pivoted thereto and slotted at their rear ends, and a button adapted to slide in and out from said holder and having'pinsadapted to engage said slots, whereby upon the movement of said button said arms will be moved toward or from each other. t

' ,4? 4. In a machine of the kind described, a

gripper comprising a holder, arms pivoted thereto and. slotted at their, rear'ends, and

a button adapted to slidein' and out from said holder and having pins adapted to engage said slots, whereby upon the movement of said button said arms will be moved to? Ward or from each other, in combination With means adapted to engage'and move said button. I

. 15. In a machine of the kind described, a

gripper comprising a holder, arms pivoted theretoand slotted at their rear ends, and

a button adapted. to slide in and out-from said holder and having pinsvadapted toengagesaid slots, whereby upon the movement, of said buttonsaid arms will be moved to ward or from each other, in combination with means adapted: to engage and move said button comprising a lever located' on said button andifa cam surface adapted .to engage said lever and means adaptedto bring saidlever and said cam surface into engagement.

lain a ma hine (if the kind described, a"

tank, "a pan of less dimensions than said tank and located above said tank and within I the projected walls thereof and concen- 40 trically therewith, said pan having side.

walls to maintain a predetermined depth of liquid material fed thereto, centrallylocated means for lifting the contents of saidtank' to said pan whereby said lifted contents will be distributed substantially equally over the surface of said pan and any excess of material will overflow the sides of said pan into said tank, the base of s'aidpan, said tank and said lifting means being jacketed, i'n combination with connections whereby said jacket may be'maintained at a corn stant tempeiature as desired.

17. In a machine of the kind described, a

tank, a pan of less dimensions than said tank and located above said tank and within the'i aprojected walls "thereof -and concentrically, therewith, said pan having side walls to maintain a predetermined depth of liquid material fed thereto, centrally-located means for lifting the contents "of said tank to said pan whereby said lifted'contents will be distributed substantially equally over the; surface of said pan and any ezicess of ;ma

masses terial will overflow the sides of said pan into said tank, in combination with means whereby articles may be submerged in the contents of said pan. v

I 18. In a machine of the kind described, a gripper comprising a holder, arms pivoted thereto and slotted at their rear ends, and

a button adapted to slide; in and out from said holder and having pins adapted to engage said slots, whereby upon the movement of said button said arms will be moved toward or from each other, in combination with. a, stationary head having a cam surface and a rotary (head, said gripper being .mounted on said rotary head and having a lever mounted on said button adapted to en gage with said cam surface whereby said lever will be operated and said button will be depressed. l9. Ina machine oi" the kind described, a

. gripper having three arms mounted thereon,

two'of said arms-being opposite each other and adapted to engage the sides of a center and the third arm being adapted to engage the top of the center, and. means whereby said-first named arms maybefopened to'receiveand also to release a center and means whereby the third arm may be moved independently of theother two.

20. In a'machine of the'kind described, a gripper having three arms mounted thereon, two ofsaid arms being. opposite each other and adapted to engage the sides of a center and the-third armbeing-adapted to engage the top of the center, and means whereby said .top engaging arm may be lifted oil" said center during the dipping operation and while said center is still held by the other arms. 1

f 21. In a machine of the kind described, a gripper having three armsmounted thereon, two of said arms being opposite each other aiid adapted to engage the sides of a center and the third arm being adapted to engage the top of the center, the outer end of said top-eng 'ging arm being loop-shaped as and for the purposes set forth. 4

22. In a coating mechanism, a pan, a gripper -me'chanism'located'over said pan and comprising 'a pair of gripping fingers and .has been rocked into and out, of said pan and while said gripping fingers'are in boldposition, whereby said finishing finger 1,128,308 I v 371i 9 will lift a portion of the coating of the arti' and having'a broadened end adapted t0 drew cle held by said gripping fingers and allow up and then drop a string of chocolate in 10 it to fall on said artlcle n the finishing operation.

- 23.111 a machine of the kind described,

gripping mechanism comprising a plurality C GREEN" of fingers adapted to grip-an article and a Witnesses: I finishing fingei" adapted to coiiperate-wit-h GEORGE O. G. COALE,

said gripping fingers in holding the article M. E. ELAI -IERTY.

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