US1932158A - Method and means of applying partial coatings to articles - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1933- E GR|EVE 1,932,158

METHOD AND MEANS OF APPLYING PARTIAL COATINGS TO ARTICLES Filed Aug. 5, 1951' GOO GOO

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THO/ms E GR/EVE Patented Oct. 24, 1933 METHOD AND MEANSY'OF APPLYING PARTIAL COATINGS 'roARTIcLEs Thomas E. Grieve, Corning, N. 1 assignor to The Gorton Chocolate Company, Corning, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 5, 1931. Serial No. 555,305

2.2 Claims.

This invention relates to article coating, with reference more especially to candy manufacture and is intended to provide a commercially practical method or process and means of applying a mere partial or part-way coating to such articles in large-quantity production.

The manufacture of coated candies and confections has of course been common for a long time and there is nothing new per se in a partially coated product nor in a wholly coatedproduct. Moreover, various machines have been developed to perform the work of coating these articles, some with considerable efiiciency, but most of such machines are adapted to coat the articles either all over or else on top (or bottom) only and no really satisfactory way of accomplishing a mere partial coating thereof has heretofore been devised, other than the tedious meth- 0d of hand-dipping which is too slow and expensive for practical commercial purposes. In providing a way to accomplish this partial coating at a rate and at a cost comparable to that of present machine practice in full or mere bottom coating, as will appear, the invention is believed to be a distinct advance and desirable contribution in the art.

It will be best understood by further description with reference to the attached drawing,

illustrating the method along with one practicable embodiment of means for carrying it into effect, the latter being shown in the form of an attachment to an ordinary known type of coating machine.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view representation of a conventional type of machine with attachments embodying and adapted to perform the method of the invention;

fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of a portion of this machine better illustrating certain of the principal features involved; and p Fig. 3 is a plan view representation of the same portion of the machine, with parts broken away.

Briefly stated, the method consists in passing the articles through a puddle or wash of the coating substance at a depth covering them the desired extent, while supplying and counter-draining the puddle in a manner to maintain it at such depth and to cause 'a circulation or flowage trend "thereof in direction and with force to counteract flotation or dislodgment influences upon the ar- 1 forced jet or stream discharge of the coating subticles during the passage therethrough.

This and very simple means by which it may The mediumpf passing the articles through said treatment is advantageously provided by a moving reticular surface, such as an endless driven open-mesh wire belt 4, on which the articles illustrative example constitute the main conveyor element of an ordinary coating; machine 5 to which the invention is shown applied, in which case its utilization for the purpose of the different method involved would-require a shut-off of feed to the machines normal discharge head (not shown). 7

As common to machines of the kind, a cooperating endless feed b'elt 6 at the forward end, upon which the articlesare desirably pre-arranged in longitudinal rows provides for continuous suc cessional depository thereonto. A similar belt 7 at the other end may receive the articles therefrom after coating for conveyance to a packing or gathering table (not shown). tioned belt is advantageously passed through or deliverable to a. cooling chamber, represented by the hood'8, for the purpose of settling or hardening the coatings before final delivery to said table;

are placed. This surface or belt may as in the The last-men- Passagej as aforesaid through a puddle or ,wash, deepenough'for the desired coating is ordinarily liable to float or dislodge the articles from the conveying surface. According tothis method however, such happening is prevented by supplying and draining the puddle in manner generating a flowage thereof overbalancing these forces. For such purpose, it is veryap'propriate- 1y formed byan overflow from a tr'oughlike wire belt, preferably between supporting rollers ll) therefor, so that the overflow will occur through the belt to the desired level thereabove.

'Packing '11 extending around the top edge of the receptacle serves to close any gap spaceand compel the overflow above rather than below the belt as also to minimize wear, while belt-supsented by x. The escape or drain of this overflowis of course taught and returned into the supply system of the apparatus or machine, in this instance by a pan and part of the casing shown under the receptacle.

The supply to said overflow is preferably by stancethereinto. This is shown effected through a single line series of nozzles 12 pending from a head '13: directly over, the receptacle above receptacle 9 supported close under the aforesaid I the conveying belt and therethrough expelling into the former. These nozzles, having flowregulatory means represented at 14 and elevation adjustment means indicated at 15 are spaced apart sufficiently for the articles moving in rows on said belt to pass therebetween or between the jets of substance discharging therethrough. Associated means such as illustrated by the wires 16 may advantageously be provided to guide the articles all the way through the puddle or overflow area.

The aforesaid nozzles of course connect with a source of coating substance supply while the discharge therethrough is preferably by force-pump action. In this instance the connection is made by piping 17 between their head (13) and the supply-circulating system or feed line 18 of the machine (5) to which the invention is applied. A continuous feed by action of said machines circulating pump 19 is accordingly assured. Its shut-off through normaldischarge channels is conveniently effected by a valve 20 placed in the feed line beyond the tap connection thereonto.

It will be obvious that the depth'of the puddle formed by the overflow from the receptacle will depend upon the volume and force of discharge thereinto. Accordingly, the extent of the article coating may be controlled by regulation of the pump action andnozzle flow, a variation being obtainable through either.

While the drainage is laterally over the edges of the receptacle above the belt level, the force of discharge from above will create a downward currenttrend with lateral component stronger than the upward escape flow, thereby overbalancing or counteracting any flotation or dislodgment influences upon the articles passing through the puddle and so hold them down upon the conveying surface. This current trend or circulation within the body of the puddle is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The jets of substance discharging through the nozzles and striking the sides of the articles will assist in thus holding them down upon the conveying surface as also to assist in the coating thereof. The height of the articles to be coated will suggest the distance at whichsaid nozzles should be elevated above the belt. Generally,

their ends should extend down below the tops of the articles. If elevated too high thereabove, the articles are likely to'and may be coated all over. On the other hand, only the bottoms thereof will receive a coatingif the nozzles are lowered close to the conveying belt and the discharge therethrough is moderated to create a very shallow puddle.

A commercially practical method of applying a mere partial or part-way coating to articles in large-quantity production is thus provided. Its advantages will be readily apparent to those familiar with industrial candy manufacture.

V 1 Obviously moreover, the invention may be carried out in various ways and by various instrustance in the puddle in direction and force to hold the articles down on said surface while passing through the puddle.

2. The process of coating the bottoms and sides 'of articles with a liquid substance, which consists during passage through the pool.

3. The process of coating the bottoms and sides of articles with a liquid substance, which consists in passing the articles on a moving surface through a puddle of the substance of a depth to only partially submerge the same and supplying the substance to the puddle in a manner to maintain it at said depth and cause a circulation or flowage trend thereof in direction and forcev to counteract flotation or, dislodgment influences upon the articles, during the entire passage through the puddle. f I 7 l. A process of coating the bottoms and sides of articles with a liquid substance, characterized by passing the articles. on a moving surface through a puddle of thesubstance at a depth less than the height or thickness of the articles, and holding the articles undislodged upon the surface by currents of supply'and counter discharge of the substance in the puddle during the passage therethrough.

5. A process of coating the bottoms and sides of articles with a liquid substance, characterized 6. In a method of partially coating articles with a liquid substance, the expedient of passing the articles on a moving surface between discharging jets of the substance impinging there against below their tops holding the articles firmly on the surface during such passage by force of the jet discharge and currents of downward flow of the substance maintained in a counterwithdrawal thereof below the jets. i

l. A process of coating articles with a liquid substance, characterized by conveying the articles on a moving surfacethrough a puddle of the;

substance while discharging jets of the same thereagainst and holding the article firmly on said surface during the passage through the puddle by force of the jet discharge and flowage of the substance therebelow in-predominately down- -21 ward currents maintained by a simultaneous drainage of the, puddle in counter-balance with such discharge. I v i 8. In a method of coating candy articles and the like, the improvement which consists in pass- 1 ing the articles on a moving surface through a pool of the coating substance ata depth for the v desired extent of coating the same, and maintaining currents of supply and drain-flowage of the substance in the pool in direction and withforce to counteract floatationor dislodgment influences on the articles during the entire passage therethrough. V

9. In a method of coating candy, the improvement which consists in passing the candy. on amoving surface through a puddle of the coating substance at a depth for the desired extent of coating, while supplying and vcounteredraining the puddle so as to maintain currents therein in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences on the candy during the entire passage therethrough. 1

10. A process of coating onlythe bottoms and sides of articles with a liquid substance, char= aoterized by placing the articles .on a movable surface, moving the surface with the articles thereon through a puddle area,'and.maintaining a puddle of the substance within said area at a depth to only partially submerge the articles and with currents of supply and drainage in direction and force to hold the articles undislodged upon said surface while moving through the puddle. 1

11. A process of coating articles with a liquid substance, which consists in placing the articles on a movable surface, passing the surface with the articles thereon through a puddle area, and maintaining a puddle of the substance within said area at a predetermined depth according to the extent of coating desired by a counter-balanced supply and drainage setting up currents of flow therein in direction and force to hold the articles against floatation or dislodgment on the surface while passing entirely through the puddle.

12. The method of coating articles with a liquid substance, which consists in conveying the articles on a surface over an open receptacle caused to overflow a supply of the substance in formation of a puddle thereabove at a level to which the coating is desired and supplying and draining the puddle in a manner to maintain currents of flow therein in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment of the articles in the entire passage through the puddle.

13. The method of coating articles with a liquid substance, which consists in conveying the articles on a reticular surface between spaced' downwardly discharging nozzles and over an open ended receptacle therebelow caused to overflow a supply of the substance to a level above said surface forming a paddle of a depth for the desired coating through which the articles are passed, supplying the substance through said nozzles and simultaneously draining the puddle so as to keep it at said level and maintain currents of flowage therein in direction and force to counteract flotation or dislodgment influences on the articles during the passage therethrough.

14. The method of coating the bottoms and part of the sides of articles with a liquid substance,

which consists in conveying the articles on a moving surface through a puddle of the substance while supplying the puddle through spaced dis-' charge nozzles thereover between which the articles are passed with an assisted or certain amount of coating therefrom and draining the puddle in substantial equalization with the supply rate so as to maintain currents of flowage therein in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences on the articlesduring passage therethrough; the extent or height of the side coating of the articles being dependent essentially upon the depth of the puddle and the depth of the puddle being governable by the volume and rate of its supply and counterdrainage.

15. The method of applyinga mere partial or partway coating of a liquid substance to articles,

which consists in passing the articles through a puddle of the substance at a depth to cover them the desired extent, while supplying and counterdraining the puddle in a manner to keep it at such depth and maintain currents of flowage therein in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences upon the articles during the passage therethrough.

16. In an article coating machine including a flat-surface conveyor for the articles to be coated, a receptacle having an open end supported under theconveyor and adapted to overflow thereabove in formation of a puddle of the coating substance, means for supplying the receptacle with the substance at a rate to cause its overflow and maintain a puddle at the desired level above said conveyor passing the articles therethrough, and means for maintaining currents of the substance supply and drainage in the puddlein direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences on the articles during the entire passage through the puddle.

1'7. In an article coating machine, means for conveying the articles along a straight path, means for forming a puddle of the coating substance over the surface'of the conveyor through which the conveyed articles must pass with coating by submergence therein, means for supplying the substance so as to form and maintain a puddle of the desired depth upon said surface, and

means for maintaining currents of the substance supply and drainage in the puddle in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences on the articles during their entire passage therethrough.

18. In an article coating machine, a reticular conveyor for thearticles, an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of nozzles arranged over said receptacle and above the conveyor so as to discharge through the latter into the former, means for forcing a supply of the coating substance through said nozzles and means maintaining an overflow of the supply from the receptacle throughand to a level above the con-' veyor in formation of a puddle with currents of said supply and overflow in direction and force to counteract floatation orldislodgment influences upon the articles while passing with the conveyor entirely through the puddle.

19. In an article-coating machine, a reticular conveyor for the articles, an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of nozzles arranged over said receptacle and above the conveyor so as to discharge through the latter into the former, means for forcing a supplyv of the coating substance through said nozzles and means adapting the receptacle to overflow through and to a level above the conveyor so asto form a puddle in which currents of the supply and overflow are maintained in direction and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influences on the articles during passage entirely therethrough, the depth of said puddle being governable by the volume and rate of supply force through said nozzles.

20. In combination with an article coating machine having a reticular conveyor for the articles and means for forcing a supply of the coating material to a discharge point; an attachment for coating only the bottoms and part of the sides of the articles, comprising an open recep tacle supported under the conveyor, a series of nozzles arranged above the conveyor to discharge therethrough into said receptacle, means for diverting the force of coating substance supply into and through said nozzles, and means for maintaining an Overflow of the receptacle through and to a level above the conveyor in formation of a puddle with currents. of the supply and overflow therein in direction and force to counteract flotation or dislodgment influences on the articles during passage therethrough with the conveyor. j

21. In combination with an article coating machine having a reticular flat-surface conveyor for the articles and means for forcing a supply'of the coating material to a discharge point; an attachment for coating only the bottoms and part of the sides of the articles, comprising an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of spaced nozzles arranged above the conveyor to discharge therethrough into said receptacle, means for diverting the force of coating submachine. l

. 22. An article-coating machine attachment according to claim 19, wherein the nozzles are adjustable in end elevation above the conveyor and include means for regulating the flow therethrough.

. i THOMASE; GRIEVE.

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