US2987017A

US2987017A - Candy forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2987017A
Application number: US567833A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pearson Daniel; Walter H Ryan
Original assignee: PEARSON CANDY Co Inc
Current assignee: PEARSON CANDY Co Inc; PEARSON CANDY COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1956-02-27
Filing date: 1956-02-27
Publication date: 1961-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1978-06-06

Description

June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ETAL CANDY FORMING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 IIIHII!"ll 'I H in INVENToRs i/V/z Pfg/@50M m TER June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ETAL CANDY FORMING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 INVENTORS /V/ Pf H. RYA/V WALTER c mh. m @MNA m- .um mhp m w?,

June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ET AL CANDY FORMING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 INVENToRs 05W/z Pa/650% Wm me H. RVH/v 5y MW ,47'7- ,eA/94 June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ETAL CANDY FORMING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 Yoo June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ET AL CANDY FORMING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 27, 1956 INVENTORS June 6, 1961 D. PEARsoN ETAL 2,987,017

CANDY FORMING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 EL z.

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INVENToRs Aw/.a Pfesa/m Ww me H RVA/v BVM United States Patent O 2,987,017 CANDY FORMING APPARATUS Daniel Pearson and Walter H. Ryan, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Pearson Candy Company, Inc., Culver City, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 567,833 7 Claims. (Cl. 107-69) The present invention relates to candy production apparatus, and more particularly to apparatusfor automatically forming relatively hard candy into desired shapes.

An object of the invention is to provide'improved apparatus for producing relatively hard stick candy.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for producing relatively hard striped and twisted stick candy.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatically operable apparatus for continuously and progressively producing striped candy in stick form of the proper size, and for twisting the same.

An additional object of the invention is to provide automatically operable apparatus for continuously and progressively sizing striped candy in stick form, twisting the same, and then cutting the candy to the desired lengths.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for synchronously sizing striped candy to the desired cross-sectional dimension and twisting such sized candy.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for automatically producing candy canes.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatically operable apparatus capable of continuously and progressively sizing stick candy and cutting it to the desired lengths, and then bending the sticks into cane form.

Still another object of the invention is to provide automatically operable apparatus capable of continuously and progressively sizing striped candy in stick form, twisting the same, cutting it to the desired lengths, and bending the severed sticks into cane form.

An added object of the invention is to automatically shape hard candy sticks into canes.

A further object of the invention is to synchronously sever or cut candy sticks to the required length and then form the severed sticks into candy canes.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide apparatus capable of automatically producing candy canes in a comparatively rapid and economical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for automatically producing striped candy canes at a rapid rate from an initial mass of striped candy.

This inventionv possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is, best dened by the appended claims.

ReferringV to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for producingcandy canes;

lCC

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3--3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the chain conveyor for bending the candy sticks into a cane form;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken generally along the line 5 5 on FIG. 1, disclosing a portion of the drive mechanism for the apparatus;

FIG. `6 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 6 6 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevation, with parts shown in section, through a portion of the sizer station;

FIG. 8 is `a top plan view of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section taken along theline 9-9 on FIG. 7;

FIG. l0 is a section taken generally along the line 10-10 on FIG. 9, disclosing and constituting an elevation of the sizer station as seen from the side opposite the side elevation disclosed in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section taken along vthe line 11-11 on FIG. 7; I I

FIG. 12 is an enlarged top plan view, disclosed partly in section, of one of the sizer wheels and the electric heating element therefor; l

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevation, shown partly in longitudinal section, of the twister station of the apparatus; f

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of part of the apparatus disclosed in FIG.'13; l

FIG. 15 is a cross-section taken alongv the line 15-15 on FIG. 13; y p Y FIG. 16 is an elevation ofy the Opposite side of'the twister station from the-side elevation disclosed in FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along the line 17'-17 on FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a side elevation of the cutter stationY and the discharge conveyor leading therefrom; Y

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 18;

FIG. 2O is an enlarged section taken along the line 20-20 on FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a cross-section taken along the line 21-21 on FIG. 20.

The apparatus disclosed in the drawings has been specifically designed to size striped candy to the proper crosssectional dimension at a sizer station A, the sized striped candy in continuous rod or stick form then passing through a twister station B,` wherev it is given'the desired twist, in order that the striped effect willappear in helical fashion on the candy. From the' twister station, the candy passes through a cutter station C, where it is severed to the desired length. The severed lengths are then conveyed, by a transfer conveyor D, to a bendingor forming station E, where each stick of candy isvautomatically bent or formed into a cane shape, from where the candy canes are conveyed to another location at the end of the apparatus. Y

The apparatus is supported on a suitable main frame 10 and also on an auxiliary frame 11. The main frame 10 carries the mechanism for`the sizer station A, twister station B and cutter station C, whereas the auxiliary frame 11, which extends substantially -at right angles tothe path of movement of the candy through the stations Al B, and C, carries the mechanism constituting the forming station E. Both fra-mes support the transfer conveyor D and the drive for the forming or bending station E.

The sizer station includes fa suitable supporting structure 12 mounted on the upper platform 13 of the main frame. Rotatably mounted in the supporting structure are sets of upper and lower sizer wheels or

rollers

14, 15 that have generally concave or toroidal peripheral grooves 16 therein (FIG. 11), the upper and lower sizer wheels of -a set `substantiallycontacting "each-other at their Yperipheries, their concave grooves 16 together forming a substantially circularshape .at the point -of contact, which will be the cross-sectional shaipe of the sized candy.

The upper and

lower sizer wheels

14, 15 of each set are mounted :for rotation about horizontal axes, the sets being longitudinally spaced fromy each other. Each

sizer wheel

14, 15 is secured-:ton .horizontal shaft 17 rotatably mounted in bearings 18 carried by the upper supporting structure or frame 12. The shaft `17 extends outwardly .to the other side of the frame 12, where a yspur vgear 19 is attached thereto, the 'spur gear 19 secured to the shaft for the upper sizer wheel 14 meshing with a spur gear 19A secured to the .shaft 17 of the lower sizer `wheel .15, in order that the upper and

lower wheels

14, 15 will rotate in opposite directions, to feed the candy :S `passing `through the opposed grooves, 16V in a forward direction.

The several sets of sizer wheels are simultaneously rotated at theproper speed byA a motor 20 which is suitably supported on a lower platform21 of the main frame (FIGS. 1 and 5). This motor .carriesarx expansible type of drive pulley 22 over which a belt 23 passes, which also passesover 4a driven pulley 24 secured to the drive shaft 25 of a gear reducer 26 oft-he proper transmission ratio. The driven shaft 27 of the gear reducer has a sprocket28 attached thereto over which a chain 29 passes, which also meshes with a driven spro'cltet30 mounted on a horizontal shaft 31 rotatably mounted in bearings 32 suitably `supported on the upper platform 13 ofthe frame 10. This shaft 31 has a bevel pinion 33 attached thereto meshing with a bevel gear-'34 attached :to one of the sizer shafts, such as the lower shaft 17 that drives a lower sizer wheel (FIGS. l0 and ll). As stated above, the upper and lower shafts 17 are interconnected by means lof spur gears 19, the lower spur gear 19, which is secured 4to the same shaft 17 as the bevel gear 34, meshing with an upper spur gear 19 to rotate the upper shaft 17 and -sizer wheel or roller 14. This upper shaft 17 lhas a pinion 35 xed thereto meshing with an idler gear 36 suitably supported on the frame 12, which `also meshes with another pinion 35 secured to the shaft 19 for the upper sizer wheel 14V of the intermediate set. The shaft forthis wheel has a spur gear 19 for the sizer wheel shaft 17 therebelow. The upper, intermediate pinion .35 also meshes with another idler gear 36 that meshes with another pinion 35 xed to the .end sizer wheel shaft 17. The .motion of this shaft is transferred `to Ithe shaft 17 immediately therebelow through the intermeshing upper and lower spur gears 19. n

From the gear arrangement disclosed, it is evident that all of

thesizer wheels

14, 15 are simultaneously rotated at the same speed, since .all of the intermeshing spur gears 19 are of the same size, which ifs also true of the pinions 35. The upper sizer wheels 14 of all sets rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. l, whereas the lower wheels 15 rotate in a clockwise direction.

The mass of striped candy is disposed lon a suitable counter. surface 38 to therear of .the first set of

sizer rollers

14, 15. It is manipulated by the hands of an operator, being fed; intothe opposed groovesvlti of the first set of

opposedsizer wheels

14, 15. These wheels reduce the size of the striped candy stick xanclfeed it onto an intermediate guide trough 39 extending between the rst set of sizer wheels and the second or intermediate sizer wheels.14, 15, kthe horizontal trough or guidev 39 being mounted ona suitable'vertical support-40 carried'bythe upper platform 13. The striped candy stick then passes between the intermediate set of

sizer wheels

14, 15, the concave surfaces 16 acting upon it to produce a generally cylindrical form of :candy stick to ya greater extent. The intermediate set of wheels also feeds the candy stick in a forward direction along another intermediate guide or trough 41 carried on a suitable vertical support 42 mounted on the upper platform 13. The candy slides along this intermediate guide 41 into the space between the third set of

sizer wheels

14, 15, which gives it a final sizing and assures that the candy'mlass has been reduced to .the desired cross-.sectional dimension.

The candy being fed into the sizer station A is in a semi-plastic condition. To insure Yits retention in such condition, the sizer wheels 14, A1'5 rare preferably electrically heated. As disclosed rnost clearly in FIGS. 7, 8, ll and 12, each sizer wheel has a suitable electrical heating element 43 contacting .a side face of the-wheel. One terminal of the heating elementisconnected through a suitable lead 44 to ia slip Aring 45 -mounted upon an insulated disc 46 rotatable with the sizer wheel shaft 17, the other terminal of the heating element being connected to -a lead 47 running to another and Vseparate slip ring 48 mounted on the insulated disc 46. Spring-like electric contacting strips or brushes V49 engage the slip rings 45, 48, current being fed from a suitable source (notshown) through suitable leads (not shown) to the slip rings, and from the slip rings .to the heating-element 43. The sizer t wheels 14, V1,5 gare thereby heated, to insure the maintenance of the continuous stick or .rod of candy ina semiplastic and workable state during its passage through the sizer station A.

Although three sets of lsizer wheels or

rollers

14, 15

have been disclosed, it is evident that a lesser or greater number of sets can be used, as desired.

From the forwardset of

sizer wheels

14, 15, the formed striped candy passes along a short horizontal guide section or trough 50 into a tubular shaftfSl rotatably mounted lin a bearing 52 xed to the sizerfname .of the machine, this tubular shaft constituting the entryportion of the twister station B. This guide tube extends into a carrier 53 for a pair of opposed twister wheels or

rollers

54, 55 that are shaped substantially like the sizer wheels, the forward end ofthe guide'tube or shaft 51 having opposed curved portions 56 to conform to the peripheries .of the twister wheels (see FIGS. 13 to 17, particularly). The candy passes through the opposed grooves 57 in the twister wheels and intoa forward guidetube 58 secured to the carrier 53, which is rotatably mounted inA a suitable bearing 59 carried by a standard 60 attached to the upper platfor1n13 of the frame 10. The rearward end of the guide tube 58 also has oppositel'y curved portions 61 conforming to the peripheries of the twister rollers or wheels 54, 5S.

The twister rollers orwheels 54, 55 vare .rotated .in opposite directions about their ownaxes to feed the length of striped candy in aforward directionthrough the

guide tubes

51, 58. They .are alsorevolved about the horizontal axis of the guide tubes .at a certain speed in relation to the linear feed of the Vcandy therebetween, to give the candy a predetermined twist, and thereby cause the candy stripes to provide 1a helical or twisted representation with a comparatively large pitch.

To accomplish the simultaneous rotation of the

twister rollers

54, 55 about their respective axes, as well as their revolution about the horizontal .axis of the

guide tubes

51, 58, and of the candy passing therebetween, the carrier 53 is rotated, as well as the

rollers

54, 55, at a speed corresponding to the feed rate of the

sizer rollers

14, 15 and in synchronization with the latter. Thus, the drive for the carrier 53 and the

twister rollers

54, 55 emanates from the same source as thedrive for the

sizer wheels

14, 15 of the sizer station A. As specifically disclosed (FIGS. 8 to 16, particularly), a pinion 62 is mounted on and lixed to the 'shaft 31 to which the sprocket 30 is secured, and thereby. derives its motion of interrneshing spur evident that ,the rotation of the motor ape'aow from the same motor 20 or power source as the gearing and wheels of the sizer station. This pinion 62 meshes With-an idler gear 63 suitably rotatably mounted on the sizer station frame 12, this idler gear, in turn, meshing with a gear 64 attached to the hollow shaft or guide tube l51 to which the earlier 53 is secured. Accordingly, the carrier -53 is rotated by means of the gearing about the horizontal axis of the

guide tubes

51, 58, the gear 64 attached thereto constituting a driven sun gear. The guide tube and hollow shaft 51 extends through a supporting standard 65 suitably secured to the upper platform 13 of the apparatus, which carries a stationary sun gear 66 suitably secured thereto, as by means of screws 67. Meshing with the stationary sun gear 66 is a planet gear 68 rotatably mounted -on the carrier 53 and attached to another planet pinion 69 meshing with another planet gear 70, which is secured to a shaft 71 rotatably mounted in the twister carrier 53. 'Ihis shaft has a bevel pinion 72 tixed thereto meshing with a bevel gear 73 secured to a shaft 74 carrying one of the twister wheels 55. The shaft 74 of the twister wheel 55 has a spur gear 75 attached thereto meshing with another spur Vgear 76 fixed to the shaft 77 to which the other twister wheel y54 is secured. The rotating gear mass predominantlyon one side of the carrier 53 is counterbalanced by weights 78 on its other side, suitably secured to the carrier, as by the screws 79.

It is apparent that the carrier 53 is rotated directly from the motor 20 through the belt and pulleys 23, 22, 24, transmission gear reducer 26, chain and

sprockets

29, 28, 30, pinion 62, idler gear 63, and sun gear 64, to revolve the

twister wheels

54, 55 about the horizontal axis of the guide tubes 51, l58. Such revolution of the carrier 53 causes the planet pinion 68 to roll around the stationary sun gear 66, to rotate the planet pinion about its axis, which rotation will be transferred through the planet gear 69 attached thereto to the planet gear 70 attached to the shaft 71 on which the bevel pinion 72 is mounted, the motion of the latter being transmitted vthrough the bevel gear 73 to one of the twister wheels 55, to rotate it about its own axis, the intermeshing spur gears 75, 76 causing simultaneous relation of the other twister wheel 54 about its own axis and in the opposite direction, to'feed the candy passing therebetween in a forward direction. While such forwarding vfeeding action is occurring, the revolving of the twister wheels 54, '5 will cause them to impart a twist to the candy, by virtue of their frictional contact therewith, the twisting being due to the fact that the rearward portion of the candy, as the portion of the candy held between the last set of

sizer wheels

14, 15, is prevented from turning.

From the twister station B, the twisted, striped candy passes along the'horizontal guide trough 80, suitably supported on a standard 81 attached to the upper platform 13, to the cutter station C, where the candy is severed into sticks of the desired length. `The candy passes betweena pair of opposed upper and lower rotatable cutter members 82, 83 (FIGS. 18 to 21, particularly) which are secured to shafts porting frame 86 mounted on the upper platform 13. The cutters are rotatable in kopposite directions by virtue gearing 87, 88, each gear being -attached to a cutter shaft.

One of the cutter shafts 84 is rotated by a suitable drive motor .89 (FIGS. l, 2 and 5) that has a drive pulley 90 attached to its shaft 91, ,over which a belt 9'2 passes, the belt also `passing over a driven pulley 93, that may be of the expansible, variable speed type, connected to the drive shaft 94 of a gear reducer 95, the driven shaft 96 of which has a sprocket 97 secured thereto. A chain 98`passes over this sprocket and also over a driven sprocket 99 secured to one of the cutter shafts 84. It is -89 in the proper direction is transmitted through the belt and

pulley transmission

90, 92 93, and the gear reducer 95 to the

drive

84, 85 rotatably mounted in a snpsprocket 97from where the motion passes through the chain 98 to the driven sprocket 9-9 yand the upper cutter 82, to rotate the same in the properdirection, which will preferably be in a counter-clockwise direction as disclosed in FIG. l. At the same time, the lower cutter member 83 is rotated in a clockwise direction because of the intermeshing spur gearing 87, 88.

'

l'he cutter members

82, 83 each has a cutter blade 100 mounted on its periphery, as by means of screws 101, the blades preferably being disposed at an angle, with the upper blade 100 inclined in the opposite direction from the lower blade 100, but to the same angular extent. The blades 100 are locatedon the

cutter members

82, 83 so that they are opposite and aligned with each other, and will almost contact, when placed in confronting relation at the point of severing the candy passing therebetween. Thus, as the candy moves between the

cutters

82, 83, the severing action will only occur when the upper blade 100 penetrates the upper portion of the candy simultaneously with penetration of the lower portion of the candy by the lower blade 100. 'Ilhe blades 100 are rotated at a proper speed with respect to the rod of candy passing therebetween, asV to sever the candy at intervals and to the desired length.

The striped a-nd twisted candy passes between the

cutters

82, 83 and onto a transfer conveyor D which is constantly rotatingy and at a comparatively rapid speed, for theV purpose of conveying the severed candy sticks to the forming station E. The transfer conveyor- (FIGS. l, 2, 1'8 and 19) includes a horizontally disposed belt 102 which passes over a rearward pulley 103 located immediately in advance of the cutter stationC and over a forward pulley or roller 104 at the forming or bending station E. The forward pulley is suitably rotatably supported by the auxiliary frame 1:1, while the rearward pulley 103. is rotatably carried by the cutter frame 86,.

The belt conveyor 102 is rotated by an electric motor 105, the shaft 106 of -which has a driving-sprocket 107 attached thereto, over which a transmission chain 108 extends, the chain also passing over a driven sprocket 109 secured to a shaft 110 secured to the rear conveyor pulley or roller 103. rlhe upper run of the conveyor belt 102 moves in a forward direction, and will shift each severed length of twisted candy rapidly onto the counter surface 111 of the forming station E, the counter surface extending substantially at right angles to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. The forward end of each length of candy S is driven against a stop member 112, which is secured, as by bolts or screws A113, 114 to the horizontally disposed counter 115 of the forming station. The stop member l17112 canV be adjusted, as by having one of the screws 1'114 pass through a transverse slot 116 in the horizontal iiange 117 of the stop member, which will permit shifting of the stop member about the axis of the other screw 113 to a desired position, after which the screw 1=1g4rpassing through the slot can be tightened, to clamp the stop member 112 against the counter 115.

In order to prevent the candy S from striking the stop member 112 and then bouncing back, or from being deflected upwardly, each severed candy stick -S is caused to pass under a -retarding brake 120 at the discharge end of the conveyor belt v102,. This brake structure 120 includes Va bracket 121 suitably secured to the auxiliary frame 1 1, there being an upper plate 122 xed to the bracket. A brake arm 123,is pivotally mounted on the support or vbracket 121, as by means of a -screw or pin 124, the brake arm terminating in a brake 'shoe 125 urged in a downward direction by a helical spring 126, which engages the shoe and the upper plate or spring seat 122. The shoe 'i eal height of the candy stick S.

' As the candyv stick Sis moved by the conveyor belt 102 under the -shoe '125, the latter frictionally engages the stick and will prevent it from moving upwardly upon striking the stop member 112, or bouncing in a rearward direction as a result of striking the latter.

`When the severed candy stick S arrives at the cane forming station E, its forward portion rests upon the two spaced apart sides 130 of the horizontal counter 115 which is suitably mounted on the auxiliary frame 11. The separated sides 130 define a Vslot 131 therebetween to permit passage of a chain conveyor 132 having forming dogs 133 attached to the chain links y134 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Fixed to the spaced sides 130 of counter 115 are opposed guide rails 135 which may be of angle form, with their horizontal anges 136 resting upon and attached to the counter by screws 137, and with their vertical llanges 138 spaced apart a distance substantially equally the width of a formed candy cane S. The portions 139, 139a of the guide rails or anges 138 adjacent the stop member 112 are curved in an outward direction, to form an entry space `140 between the guide rails for each twisted candy stick S, which is still in a somewhat plastic and pliant state.

The lforming action occurs as a result of the conveyor 132 and its dogs 133 engaging the candy stick S and then moving it against the curved ends 139,` 139a of the guide rails 138. Such action will bend the forward portion of the stick S around the outer curved end 139a of one guide rail 138, and the rearward lportion of the stick around the opposite curved portion 139 of the rail, to produce the cane shape. The conveyor dogs 133 continue moving between and along the rails 138, causing the handle portion H of the candy cane to be formed, with its short depending portion P generally parallel to the rails 139, the leg portion L of the cane also being formed generally parallel to the rail, as disclosed in FIG. 2.

The chain conveyor 132 for forcing each stick S between the guide rails 138 to produce the candy cane, and for then conveying it between the guide rails to a point of discharge from the apparatus, includes an endless chain 132 passing over a driving sprocket 150 at one end of the counter 1115 and a driven sprocket 151 at the other end of the counter. This chain has spaced sets 152 of forming dogs 133 secured thereto, such as disclosed most clearly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. Each set 152 includes individual dogs 133 that are connected by pins 153 to the upwardly extendingv portions 154 of opposed sets of links 134, the dogs 133 of each set being closely adjacent each other when traveling horizontally, but being capable of having their outer portions separate when the chain passes over one of the sprockets (right portion of FIG. 4). The chain 132 itself does not extend above the upper surface .111 of the counter members 130, but the dogs 133 project upwardly a sufficient distance above the counter 115, as well as above the candy sticks S, to insure that the dogs will engage the latter.

Each set 152 of dogs is of a length to substantially conform to the length of the final candy cane S. The sets of dogs are spaced from one Aanother by a suicient extent to permit the transfer conveyor D to shift a severed, twisted stick into engagement with the stop 112, after a preceding set of dogs and formed candy cane have been removed from the region of the stop, and before the next set of dogs will arrive at the location of the straight candy stick engaging the stop.

The conveyor chain 132 is operated in sychronism with the cutters 82, l83, which will insure appropriate transfer of a straight stick S to the forming station E and against the stop member 112, and the movement of the conveyor chain y132 and the dogs 133 attached thereto against each stick, to form the caneS and convey the formed cane between the opposed guides 139. The dogs =133 also form a lengthwise guide or support for the candy cane S (as is Vclear from FIG. 2), to insure the straight disposition of its leg portion L and also of its terminal handle portion P. `To effect the synchronous drive, the drivenshaft 96 of the`

gear reducer

9,5, to whichthe drive sprocket 97 for the cutters is secured, has a bevel pinion 160 attached thereto meshing with a bevel gear 161 secured to a shaft 162 rotatably mounted in bearings 163 carried by the lower platform 21 of the main frame 10 and by the auxiliary frame 11. A drive sprocket 164 is secured to this counter shaft l162., there being a chain 165 passing over this sprocket and also over a driven sprocket 166 secured to the shaft 167 on which'the drive sprocket 150 of the chain conveyor 132 has been fixed, this shaft being suitably rotatably mounted in spaced bearings 168 carried by the auxiliary frame 11.

The drive motor 89 operates through the belt and pulleys 92, 90, 93, gear reducer 95, chain 98 and

sprockets

97, 99 to rotate the

cutters

82, 83 at a certain speed, to sever the candy S into the proper lengths. At the saine time, the same drive mechanism is driving the conveyor 132, the dogs 133 of the conveyor being appropriately located with respect to the

cutter blades

82, 83, in order that a candy stick, when severed, will be transferred by the transfer belt 102 very rapidly against the stop 1|12, and in a position where it can immediately thereafter be engaged by a set 152 of dogs 133 and forced between the curved guide rails 139, 139a into the cane form, the formed cane then being moved fully within the opposed guides 138 to assume the shape disclosed in FIG. 2.

To insure the flat position of the candy cane upon the counter 115 as it is being formed, the terminal portion P of the handle H of the cane is caused to pass under a roller 170 (FIGS. 2 and 3) rotatably mounted in a suitable support 171 mounted on the counter 115 and overlying the path of the terminal portion P of the handle. If such terminal portion P of the handle H tends to be deilected upwardly, then its movement under the roller 170 will cause it to be shifted back down against the surface of counter 115.

In the loperation of the entire apparatus, a mass of striped candy is disposed to the rear of the sizer station A. The forward portion of this mass will have been reduced in size by an operator for insertion between the irst set of

sizer rollers

14, 15 which are being rotated at the proper speed by the drive mechanism. The sizer rollers 14, l15 form the semi-plastic candy mass to the desired rod shape as the latter is passed between the `opposed rollers or wheels of each set, the sizer rollers `also carrying the formed candy in the forward direction into the twister station B, where they will be continuously fed in a forward direction by .the twister rollers l54, 55, the latter being driven by the planetary gearing, while the carrier 53 revolves the twister rollers to impart the appropriate twist tothe candy. Such appropria'te twist is assured in view of the synchronous rotation of the carrier '53 and of the

twister rollers

54, 55 with respect to the feed of the candy by the sizer rollers or

wheels

14, 15.

From the twister station B, the continuous length of twisted, striped candy passes between the

cutter members

82, 83, which are rotating at a proper speed with respect to the linear speed of the candy, to sever the latter into lengths. When severed, most of the severed candy stick has been transferred onto the conveyor belt 102, which travels at a much faster speed than the linear speed of the sized candy through the sizer and twister stations A, B, to convey the severed candy stick to the forming station E and against the stop 112. Inasmuch as the forming station E is operating synchronously with the cutter station C, the candy stick S will engage the stop 112 with assurance that there will be no interference to such movement v'against the stop by a set 152 of forming dogs 133, the latter being to the rear of the candy stick, but in a position to promptly engage it. The moving dogs 133 force the candy sticks between the curved guide rails 139, ,139e to produce the cane shape, conveying the cane along the guide rails 138 to insure the straight configurationl of the candy leggi.,

which is held between a set 152 of dogs and one guide rail '1 38, while the terminal portion P of the handle is held between the saine set of dogs and the other guide rail 13.8. The conveyorl 132 progressively carries the formed candy cane S to the discharge end of the counter 111, where it normally passes through a cooling tunnel (not shown), to enable it to harden from itssemiplastic state.

It is apparent that a twisted candy cane forming apparatus has been provided which is capable of sizing the candy, eifecting its twisting, its severing into proper lengths, and its forming into the candy cane all in an automatic manner. The mechanism can be operated very rapidly and economically, there being a minimum of waste of materials as a result of its operation. In addition, its speed of operation can be varied, as by varying the effective diameters of the variable speed pulley 22 of the drive motor 20, which rotates the

elements

14, 15 of the sizer station A, and the

elements

54, 55 of the twister station B, and by adjusting the variable pulley or pulleys 90, 93 mounted on the other motor shaft 91 and the gear reducer shaft 94, and through which motion is transmitted to the cutter station C and the forming station E.

The inventor claims:

l. In candy forming apparatus: movable cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; opposed spaced forming members having an entry opening therebetween; stop means adjacent said opening for locating an end axial portion of a candy stick across said opening transversely of said members and in a. position to engage said members; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said stop means and across said entry opening; and means movable transversely of and engageable with the end axial portion of each stick for forcing the stick through said opening against and between said members to form each stick into a cane.

2. In candy cane forming apparatus: cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; opposed spaced forming members having an entry opening therebetween; means adjacent said opening for locating an end axial portion of a candy stick across said opening transversely of said members and in a position to engage said members; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at -a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said locating means and across said entry opening; and means engageable with each stick for forcing the stick through said opening against and between said members to form each stick into a cane.

3. In candy cane forming apparatus: cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; opposed spaced forming members having an entry opening therebetween; means adjacent said opening for locatng an axial end portion of individual sticks across said opening; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said locating means and across said entry opening; a conveyor adjacent `said forming members and having forming dogs secured thereto at intervals along its length, said dogs being movable into said opening and between said forming members, said dogs being successively engageable with the sticks for forcing the sticks against and between said members to form each stick into a cane and to convey each stick along said member; and means for moving said conveyor.

4. In candy forming apparatus: movable cutter means for severing candy'in elongate into individual sticks; opposed spaced forming members having an entry opening therebetween; stop means adjacent said opening for locating an end axial portion of a candy stick across said opening transversely ofk said members and in a-position to engage said members; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cuttermeans at apredetern-lined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and -against said stop means and across said entry opening; means engageable with the end axial portion of each stick for forcing the stick through said opening against and between said members to form each stick into a cane; and means yfor moving said cutter means and forcing means in synchronism with each other.

5. In candy forming apparatus: movable cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; opposed spaced forming members having an entry opening therebetween; stop means adjacent said opening for locating an end axial portion of a candy stick across said opening transversely of said members and in a position to engage said members; means `for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said stop means and across said entry opening; means engageable with the end axial portion of each stick for forcing .the stick through said opening against and between said members to form each stick into a cane; and retarding means engageable with each stick for preventing its return movement from said stop means.

6. In candy cane forming apparatus: cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; a supporting structure; opposed spaced forming members on said structure having an entry opening therebetween; means adjacent said opening for locating an end axial portion of a candy stick Ion said structure across said opening and transversely of said members and in a position to engage said members; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said locating means and across said entry opening; means engageable with the end axial portion of each stick for forcing the stick through said opening against and between said members to form each stick into a cane; and means for moving said cutter means and forcing means in synchro nism with each other.

7. In candy cane forming apparatus: cutter means for severing candy in elongate form into individual sticks; a supporting structure having two spaced apart side portions; opposed spaced forming members on said portions having an entry opening therebetween; means adjacent said opening for locating an axial end portion of individual candy sticks on said portions across said openings; means for feeding the candy in elongate form to the cutter means at a predetermined speed; means for conveying each stick from said cutter means at a substantially greater speed than said predetermined speed to and against said locating means and across said entry opening; a conveyor adjacent said `forming members and having forming dogs secured thereto at intervals along its length and movable into said opening and between said forming members, said dogs being successively engageable with the sticks for forcing the sticks against and between said members to form each stick into a cane and to convey each stick along said members; and means for moving said cutter means and conveyor in synchronism with each other.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hudson July 25, 1911 Lovelady et al. Ian. 4, 1916 Igou Sept. 16, 1919 Gendler Sept. 8, 1925 Westereld Aug. 14, 1928 Coiey June 10, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 14, 1925