US3477393A - Variegator for ice cream and the like - Google Patents

Description

yVNCW. 11, 1969 K, BELL ET AL Y' VARIEGATOR FORv ICE CREAM AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, v1967 INVENTOFZS A/wA/f'r/ 55u /Azey h/eassav MM dwg/1. wf, fmt .fm

I ATTOIZN E YS Nov. 11, 1969 K. BELL ET Al.` 3,477,393

VARIEGATOR FOR ICE CREAM AND THE LIKE 9 Filed Mayr15 1967 s sheets-sheet a Mid/lay, fa/la f' 742m ATTQIZNEY 'Nov.11,19691 BELLETAL y @2,477,393I

VARIEGATOH FOR I'CE CREAM AND THB LIKE Filed May 15. 1967 1 5 sheets-sheet s United States Patent() 3,477,393 VARIEGATOR FOR ICE CREAM AND THE LIKE Kenneth Bell, Marengo, and Harry W. Grossen, Chicago, Ill., assignors to National Dairy Products Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 462,486, June 9, 1965. This application May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 633,427

Int. Cl. A23g 3/20 U.S. Cl. 107--1 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A variegator for spirally entwining at least two or more continuously flowing streams of materials, such as ice creams, ilavorings or a combination thereof, in which each of the streams is introduced into the hollow interior of an elongated casing having a rotatable unit. The latter has discrete passageways for isolating and conveying the streams longitudinally of the casing. The streams are rotated with the unit about an axis in the casing and are discharged at the terminal end of the rotatable unit and are spirally entwined to form a variegated product. In a rst embodiment, one stream forms an outer exterior Wall about an interior spiral stripe or stripes issuing from the rotatable unit. In another embodiment, each of the streams is rotated to form a product having each of the materials distinctly visible on the exterior of the product.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of copending S.N. 462,486, tiled June 9, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a variegator for spirally entwining two or more streams of materials such as different colors or flavors of ice cream, sherbet, water ices, ilavorings or the like, and more particularly to a variegator having a rotatable nozzle for entwining and discharging the combined streams to a container of a packaging machine.

Accordingly, a general object f the invention is t0 provide a variegator of the foregoing kind which is capable of producing on a commercial scale large quantities of extruded, spirally entwined streams.

A more specific Object of the invention is to provide a variegator `in which two or more streams of ice cream or the like are all spirally entwined with each other as the streams are discharged from a common rotating nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide streamlined, discrete passages in a variegator to facilitate the flow and the entwining in a spiral manner of relatively wide streams of a viscous material such as ice cream.

Another object is to provide a novel and simple apparatus for transferring secondary materials such as flavorings or ice cream into the stream of a primary ice cream material while controlling the llow of the secondary materials.

A more detailed object is to provide a novel arrangement of concentric, hollow shafts and a cooperating discharge head to perform the combined functions of delivering the secondary materials into the primary material and, at the same time, spiraling the streams of secondary material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a variegating apparatus with parts broken away along a vertical diametrical plane;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the discharge head taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a variegator constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the spirally enwined product produced by the variegator of FIGURE FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing one side of the rotatable discharge nozzle of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE S is a fragmentary perspective view of the rottable discharge end of the variegator of FIGURE 3; an

FIGURE 9 is an exploded, fragmentary view of the rotatable discharge end of the variegator of FIGURE 3.

The variegator shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to illustrate the present invention is especially adapted for spirally entwining one or more streams of different secondary fluid materials into another stream of material. Although it is contemplated that the apparatus is suitable for use with other materials, its principal intended use is with ice cream which constitutes the primary material and Syrups or other llavorings which constitute the secondary materials in this iirst embodiment of the invennon.

In a second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 3 9, the secondary materials are usually different flavors or colors of ice cream although Syrups or flavorings may be used as the secondary materials as will be described in detail in connection with these iigures.

In general, the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises a casing 10 having a mixing chamber 11 with spaced inlet and outlet openings 12 and 13, a second chamber 14 disposed adjacent but separated from the first chamber, and a third chamber 15 separated from` the first two chambers. The primary material is delivered to the mixing chamber through the inlet opening and ilows through the chamber to the outlet opening. Different secondary materials are delivered to the respective second and third chambers through inlet openings 16 and 17 provided in these chambers.

The spiral efect is achieved by transferring the secondary materials from their chambers: 14 and 1S to a discharge head 18 rotatably mounted within the mixing chamber 11 between the inlet and outlet openings 12 and 13 thereof and having angularly spaced discharge openings 19 and 20 spaced from its axis of rotation and opening towards the outlet opening of the mixing charnber so that material owing from the discharge openings has the same direction as the primary material flowing from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of the mixing chamber. Communication between the second and third chambers and the openings in the discharge head is provided by hollow tubular members 21 and 22 which preferably are shafts and perform the additional function of rotatably supporting the discharge head. These shafts conveniently are arranged concentrically with respect tol each other and the axis of rotation of the head.

In the present instance, the casing 10 is of generally cylindrical shape with the chambers defined by axially aligned portions of the casing and separated` from each other by radially disposed walls 23 and 2.4, the outlet The end portion of the casing defining the mixing charnber 11 is a tube 26 of generally cylindrical shape tapering slightly toward the outlet opening 13. The inlet opening 12 is defined by a radially projecting tubular portion 27 formed integral with the main portion of the section. The adjacent portion of the casing defining the second chamber 14 is a T having a cylindrical portion 28 of the same size as the tube for the mixing chamber and a radially extending tubular section 29 defining the inlet opening 16. The second chamber section abuts the adjacent end of the mixing chamber section and the two are secured together in this relation by a shouldered nut 30 threaded on the exterior of the second section and abutting a shoulder on a flange 31 projecting radially from the first section.

, vA third section of the casing defining the third chamber is a T having a cylindrical portion 32 of the same size as the other two sections with a radially extending tubular part 33 defining the inlet opening 17 and with the outside end wall extending radially across the end portion remote from the second section. The second and third sections are held in axial abutment by a shouldered nut 34 threaded on the third section and engaging a flange 35 on the second section. The radially disposed wall 24 separating the second and third chambers is disposed in the end portion of the second section adjacent the third section. Similarly, the radially disposed wall 23 separating the second chamber from the mixing chamber is mounted in the end of the first section adjacent the second section.

The shaft 22 for delivering material from the third chamber to the discharge head 18 is coaxial with the various casing sections and extends from the exterior of the third section 32 through the radial walls 25, 24 and 23 and terminates at a point intermediate the inlet and outlet openings 12 and 13 of the mixing chamber 11. The end portion 36 extending through the end wall to the exterior of the casing is solid and is journaled in a bearing 37 in the end Wall with a suitable seal such as an O-ring 38 preventing fluid ow between the bearing and the shaft. The end portion on the exterior extends into and is connected to a universal coupling 39 through which a rotary driving motion is transmitted to the shaft. The other end portion of the shaft extending from the third chamber into the mixing chamber is a hollow tube telescoping over and welded to the solid end portion of the shaft. This tube is closed throughout its length except for a radial opening 40 within the third chamber, material in the chamber flowing through this opening and along the length of the tube to the discharge head 18.

The second shaft 21 for material in the second chamber 14 is acomposite member including a hollow tube 41 which is concentric with and radially spaced outwardly from -the first shaft. At its end remote from the discharge head 18, thetube of the second shaft is threaded into a sleeve 42 which, in turn, is threaded into a collar 43 having a hub 44 welded to the exterior of the first shaft 22 and having radial openings 45 providing communication between the second chamber and the interiors of the collar, sleeve and tube of the second shaft. The collar is in axial abutment with one end of a bearing ring 46 which rotatably receives the sleeve and is rotatable within a ring 47 Welded to the inner side of the first casing section. An outwardlyV projecting radial flange on the bearing ring abuts with an axially facing end of the casing ring to locate the parts axially, the casing ring and bearing rings cooperating to form the wall 23 between the mixing and second chambers.

The two shafts 21 and 22 are positioned axially by abutment nof the collar 43 of the second shaft with the bearing ring 46. To maintain such abutment, a coiled compression spring 48 encircling the first shaft within the second chamber abuts at one end against the hub 44 of the collar and, at its other end, against the adjacent side of Ythe wall 24 separating the second and third chambers 14 and 15. The first shaft 22 extends loosely through a central aperture in such wall and the flow of fluid between the two is prevented by a seal such as an O-ring 49 engaging the shaft and fitting into an inwardly opening groove formed in the Wall and opening inwardly into the aperture.

The discharge head 18 in this instance is of generally cylindrical shape at one end portion and is threaded onto the adjacent end of the tube of the second shaft 21. The interior of the tube is connected to one discharge opening 19 through a suitable cross-passage 50. The adjacent end of the first shaft 22 is pressed into a central aperture in the head and communicates with the other discharge opening 20 through another cross-passage 51. Preferably, tubes 52 and 53 are welded to the head to form extensions of the respective discharge openings. It will be seen, from the foregoing, that the hollow interior of the shafts 21 and 22 afford a shaft means having first and second passageways for conveying the streams from the chambers 14 and 15 to the discharge openings 19 and 20. A third passageway is dened by the annular space between the exterior of the discharge head 18 and the facing, inner wall of the tube 26. As the shafts rotate, the streams issuing from the first and second passageways are spirally entwined as they combine with the stream from the third passageway.

It will be apparent that, when the parts are assembled and the primary material is flowing from the inlet opening 12 and through the mixing chamber 11 to the outlet opening 13, one or more spiral streams of different materials may be introduced into the primary stream by rotating the shafts 21 and 22 through the coupling and, at the same time, causing secondary materials to flow through the second and third chambers 14 and 15 and along the interiors of the respective shafts to their discharge openings 19 and 20. The materials in the two chambers'may be the same or different as desired and the particular pattern of the spirals may be varied by adjusting the speed of rotation of the shafts or the rate of flow of the primary material.

The above described embodiment of the invention is primarily suited for, but not limited to, the spiral entwining of less viscous avorings into a more viscous ice cream. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 3-9 is particularly adapted for spirally er1- twining two or more streams of viscous ice cream, although one or more of the streams may be a less viscous material such as a fiavoring. In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, three streams of separate and distinct materials such as different colors of ice cream or a combination of ice cream or flavorings are admitted through a wall of a vertical elongated casing at each of three separate inlet openings 111, 112 and 113. Generally, the variegator functions with each of these inlet openings in fluid communication with an associated one of these internal annular chambers 114, 115 and 116 and, from each chamber, the respective streams of ice cream flow down through separate and distinct passageways to a rotatable discharge head or nozzle 121 having at its lower end three separate and distinct discharge ports or openings 113, 119 and 120 (FIGURE 6).` As the three streams discharge from the rotating nozzles they flow downwardly together and are spirally entwined due to the rotation of their common discharge head.

As in the first embodiment of the invention, the casing 110 is of generally cylindrical shape with the respective chambers 114, 115 and 116 defined `by axially aligned portions of the casing separated byV radially disposed walls indicated by general reference characters 122, 123 and 124. At the upper end of the casing is a radial end wall 125 closing the top of the casing and the lower end of the casing is open at a cylindrical outlet opening 126 through which exits a continuous cylindrical stream of spirally entwined ice cream or the like. The inlet openings 111, 112 and 113 are connected to three separate sources of supply such as, for example, three ice cream making machines (not shown) and the casing is adapted to be mounted and connected by a nut, encircling the discharge casing and, to an ice cream pack aging machine (not shown).

In the present instance, the casing 110 is formed from three axially abutted sections with the upper section for the chamber 114 in the form of an integral T having an integral, vertically disposed cylindrical portion 127 and a radially extending tubular portion 128 defining the first inlet opening 111. The upper radial wall 125 defines the upper end of the first chamber and the radial wall 122 denes the lower end of the first chamber and separates the latter from the second chamber 115 therebeneath. A'butting the lower end of the cylindrical vertical portion 127 of the T and constituting the second section of the casing 110 is an Offset cross 130 with a vertical cylindrical portion 129 at its upper end and an upper and radially extending tubular portion 131 defining the second inlet open 112. To secure the T section to the upper end of the offset cross, a shouldered nut 132 is threaded on the exterior of the lower end of the T and a shoulder 134 on the nut abuts a rigid collar 135 projecting radially from the upper end of the vertical cylindrical portion 129 of the offset cross 130. The radial end wall 122 separating the first and second sections is mounted in the interior of the second section adjacent the lower end of the first section and will be described more in detail hereafter.

The upper cylindrical portion 129 of the offset cross 130 is on the same diameter as that of the vertical cylindrical portion 127 of the T from an upper collar 135 at its upper end to another collar 137 at its lower end. Adjacent but above the lower collar 137 is the third inlet opening 113 which is defined by a radially extending tubular portion 139 integrally formed on the offset cross 130. The second -chamber 115 is separated from the lower third chamber 16 by the radial wall 123 which is disposed in the interior of the cylindrical portion Ibetween the second and third inlet openings 112 and 113 and which will be described more in detail. The radial wall 123 constitutes the upper end of the third chamber 116 which extends down to the radial wall 124 disposed adjacent an integral collar 137 at the lower end of the offset cross section 129.

Axially abutting the lower end of the offset cross and forming the third section of the casing 110 is a vertical cylinder 41 having a flange 142 extending radially outward at its upper end and abutting the collar 137 at the lower end of the offset cross. A shouldered nut 143 is threaded on the exterior of the collar 137 with an inwardly projecting flange 144 on the nut disposed and engaging the flange 142 on the upper end of the cylinder 141 to secure the cylinder to the lower end of the offset cross 130. At the lower end of the cylinder 141 is a similar radial flange 147 for supporting the nut for securing the casing 110 to the packaging machine.

In accordance with the present invention, novel means are provided within the casing 110 to provide separate and distinct passageways 145, 148 and 149 extending longtudinally of the casing from the respective chambers 114, 115 and 116 to the separate outlet openings 118, 119 and 120. The first passageway 145 for the first material is formed throughout the longitudinal length of one-half of an inner hollow shaft 146, the second passageway 148 for the second material being formed in the other half of the shaft 146, and the third passageway 149 for the third material being formed in the radial space between the inner shaft 146 and au outer coaxial shaft 150. Thus, the present invention contemplates the flow of continuous streams of viscous material through each of the respective inlet openings, their associated chambers and discrete passages to the openings 118, 119 and 120 at the bottom of the rotatable discharge nozzle 121.

To achieve the foregoing ends, the shaft 146 having the passageways 145 and 148 is mounted co-axially with the casing sections and extends longitudinally from the first chamber 114 at the upper end of the variegator downwardly to the discharged head 1121. An end plate 152 is fixed to the upper end of the first shaft 146 and a solid trunnion shaft 154 extends upwardly from the plate into an through a bearing 155 in the upper end wall 125 of the T section of the casing 110. An O-ring 156 surrounds the trunnion shaft and prevents the flow of the first material upwardly from the first chamber 114 to the exterior of the casing. The upper end of the trunnion shaft projecting above the casing is connected to a universal coupling 158 through which a driving torque is transmitted to rotate the trunnion shaft 154 and the hollow shaft 146. The latter is journaled for rotation in the casing by several bearings including an upper bearing 159 seated in an opening in the radial end wall 122 between the first and second chambers. An outer O-ring 160 encircles the outside of the bearing at its interface with a collar 163 fixed as by welding to the exterior wall of the first shaft 146 and a smaller diameter O-ring 161 encircles the exterior of the shaft to seal its interface with the bearing thereby blocking movement of material between the first and second chambers.

To form a pair of separate passageways 145 and 148 in the interior of the first shaft 146, a divider 162 (FIG- URE 5) in the form of a longitudinal plate is secured to and spans the diametrically opposite sides of the i11- terior wall of the shaft. Herein, the upper end of the divider 162 abuts the upper radial wall 152 of the first shaft and extends longitudinally throughout the entire length of the first shaft and terminates at a lower end 164 (FIGURE 3) within the lower end of the discharge head 121.

To provide fluid communication between the surrounding first chamber 114 and the passageway 145, radial openings 165 (FIGURE 3) are located at angularly spaced points in the exterior wall of the shaft 146 above the radial wall 122 and similar openings 166 are provided below said radial wall and on the opposite side of the cylinder wall for admitting the second material from the second chamber into the second passageway 148. As the openings 165 are located in the upper portion of the shaft 146 at the first chamber 114, the first material flows from this chamber through the openings 165 to abut the divider 162 and flow down in the passageway 145. In a similar manner, the openings 166 are in the intermediate portion of the shaft 146 at the second chamber and the second material flows from this chamber through the openings 166 to abut the divider 162 on the side thereof opposite the side abutted by the first material. Thus, the second material will flow down the second passageway 148.

To form the third chamber 116, the second shaft 150, which is in the form of a hollow tube, is disposed in the lower end of the casing 110 concentric with and radially spaced outwardly from the first shaft 146. The third chamber is the cylindrical space between the casing 110 and the outer shaft 150 and extends axially from the upper radial wall 123 to the lower radial end wall 124, To admit the third material from the third chamber 116 into the third passageway 149, which is the cylindrical space` between the outer :and inner shafts, radial openings 167 are formed in the exterior wall of the second shaft intermediate its flanges. Thus, the third material flows into the interior of the second shaft and into the space around the exterior of the first shaft 146.

The first and second shafts are joined and rotate together as a unit and, for this purpose, flange 168 on the upper end of the second shaft 150 is threaded onto the exterior of a collar 169 welded on the exterior of the first shaft 146. A spacer block 172 of' limited circumferential extent is disposed in the annular space between the shafts 146 and 150 and is secured to one of the shafts to maintain their concentric relation. The joined shafts rotate in the upper bearing 159 and a lower flanged bearing 170, the latter encircling the shaft and resting on a ring 171 welded to the interior of the casing cylinder section 141. An outwardly projecting flange on the bearing 170 abuts the upper end of the ring 171 and disposed over this bearing flange is an outwardly projecting shoulder on the fiange 148 integral with the second shaft 150.

The flange 168 on the upper end of the second shaft 150 serves as the radial wall dividing the chambers 115 and 116. The cylindrical wall of the flange is spaced about one thirty-second of an inch from the inner cylinder wall of the casing when viscous ice cream streams are disposed in these chambers at approximately equal pressures and little migration of material is experienced between the chambers through this narrow annular gap. At the bottom of the lowest chamber 116, the fiange 140, the bearing 170 and ring 171 serve as the radial wall 124 and prevent the leakage of the third material downwardly from the third chamber 116 into the annular space between the wall of the cylinder section 141 and the adjacent wall of the lower end of the second shaft 150i.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, each of the three streams is a viscous ice cream and the volumes of the streams are substantially equal to each other. This is in contrast to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 in which reatively smaller volumes of ice cream or fiavoring are entwined with a primary stream of ice cream. To afford the capability of spirally combining two or more large streams of viscous ice cream, the respective passageways in the embodiment in FIGURES 3-8 are constructed in a manner to afford a streamlined fiow path particularly to and through the discharge nozzle 121, which is formed at the lower ends of the first and second shafts 146 and 150.

Herein, opposite sides of the lower end of the first shaft 146 are cut along planes which converge to a point 176. Along one side of this pointed end is fastened a plate 178 which closes this lower side of the shaft. Along the other side of the pointed shaft end 176 is fastened a partition plate 179 having a bullet-shaped opening 180 which opens into the bore of the shaft 46 allowing the streams to exit from the passageways 145 and 148 in the shaft. The upper end of the plate 179 is formed with a curled lip 181 which is welded to the inner wall 83 of the outer shaft 150. From the lip 181 the plate extends downwardly and radially inward to its lower end 184 which is bent to extend axially downward from the pointed end 176 of the first shaft. Side edges 185 and 186 of the plate 179 are abutted against the inner wall `183 of the outside shaft 150 so that the third stream of material fiowing down the interior of the shaft from above the lip 181 is diverted to the right and is isolated, i.e., partitioned, from the other two streams on the left side of the plate 179, as seen in FIGURE 4. The lower end 184 of the plate 179 extends down to the lower terminal end of the outer shaft 150 and constitutes a divider or partition wall for the nozzle 121.

To keep the first and second stream isolated, the lower end 164 of the divider plate 162 is shaped in the manner shown in FIGURE 4 and is radially offset from its upper portion to extend to and along the inner wall 183 of the outer shaft 150 to the lower end of that shaft. More specifically, the lower end 164 is adapted to iit into and through the bullet-shaped opening 180 at the offset with its longitudinally extending edge 188 abutted against the interior wall 183 of the second shaft. An opposite and downwardly slanted edge 189 on the divider plate is inserted into a slot in and is secured to the cap plate 178 (FIGURE 9) and extends to a lower axial edge 190 inserted into a slot 191 (FIGURE l0) in the lower end 184 of the plate 179.

In this embodiment, the means partitioning the end of the second shaft 150 in the discharge nozzle affords dis- 8 i charge openings, which are substantially equal in size, with the opening being slightly larger than the openings 118 and 119 in this instance. The opening 12@ for the third stream, as seen in FIGURE 6, is at the space to the right of the lower partition end 184 of the plate 179 and between the latter and the oppositely facing arcuate wall of the shaft 150. On the left side of the plate 179, as seen in FIGURE 6, the lower partition end 164 of the divider plate 162 partitions the space into the openings 118 and 119 with the first stream leaving the opening 118 and the second stream leaving the opening 119. v

In operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 3-9, three streams of material such as ice cream may be admitted through the respective inlet openings 111, 112 and 113. The ice cream from the first inlet fiows into the chamber 114, and then radially inward through the radial openings 165 on one side of the first shaft 146 and then down the interior passageway along one half of the first cylinder. This first material flows the length of the shaft 146 to the bullet-shaped opening 18) and along the inner side of the cap plate 178 at the lower end of the first shaft and then iiows radially and downwardly along the inner wall 183 of the second shaft 150.

Simultaneously and in a similar manner, the second material iiows through its inlet opening 112 and into the second chamber 115 and through the radial openings 166 into the passageway 148 on the other side of the divider 162 in the first shaft 146 and then fiows downwardly to the end of the rst shaft at the cap 178 and through the bullet shaped opening 180 to the inner wall 183 of the second shaft while being separated from the first material by the lower partition end of the divider 162. The gradual, radial diversion of these streams by the cap plate 178 through the elongated opening 186 permits a continuous streamlined flow of viscous ice cream.

Simultaneously with the flow of the first and second materials, the third material moves through the inlet opening 113 and into the third chamber 116 and then through radial openings 167 into the radial space 149 between the first and second shafts and then flows down between the plate end 184 and the shaft wall 183 to the discharge opening 12@ at the lower end of the second shaft 150. This flow path also affords a gradual radial diversion of the third stream of ice cream to the third outlet opening 120.

As the three materials iiow continuously through the discharge openings 118, 119 and 12.0 the upper end of the first shaft is being driven through a coupling 158 and the first and second shafts 146 and 150 rotate together in the bearings 159 and 17 0 so that the three materials moving continuously down and out of the three discharge openings entwine to produce a product having a longitudinal wall showing three spiral stripes which is like a barger shop pole effect, as best seen in FIGURE 4.

It Will be appreciated that, if it is desired to obtain only a two strip material, the same variegator may be used except that one of the inlets will not be in use. Alternatively, two of the inlets may be reeciving the identical kind of ice cream or flavoring material for mixing with a third material introduced through one of the other inlets.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that in the first ernbodiment of the invention, the third stream of primary material forms an outer exterior wall about the interior spirally shaped streams, whereas in the second embodiment of the invention each of the streams of material is visible as a spiral stripe in the exterior wall of the product.

Thus the invention affords a continuous streamlined fiow for materials such as ice cream, flavorings or the like through two or more discrete passages to a discharge nozzle which is suitable for mixing a commercially desirable output fiow and of a consistent stripe in which the color or flavors are distinctly visible to afford a spiral stripe variegated product.

What is claimed is:

1. A variegator for ice cream and the like having in combination a generally cylindrical casing having a mixing chamber at one end portion terminating in an outlet opening and having a radially disposed inlet opening, a second chamber aligned with and disposed adjacent said mixing chamber and having a radially disposed inlet opening, a wall separating said mixing and second chambers, a third chamber aligned with and disposed adjacent said second chamber and having a radially disposed inlet opening, a second wall separating said second and third chambers, and a third wall spaced from said second wall and closing said third chamber adjacent the other end of said casing, a shaft coaxial with said casing and extending from the exterior thereof adjacent said other casing end through said walls and into said mixing chamber, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said casing, a discharge head secured to said shaft within said mixing chamber and between said openings theerof and having a first discharge opening spaced from a longitudinal axis of said mixing chamber, said shaft being hollow and providing communication between said third chamber and said discharge opening, and a second hollow shaft secured to and concentric with said first shaft and extending from said second chamber to said discharge head to provide communication between the second chamber and a second discharge opening in said head spaced from said first discharge opening, said discharge head, during rotation with said shafts, delivering different materials from said second and third chambers in spiral streams into other Imaterial flowing from said inlet opening to said outlet opening of said mixing chamber.

2. A variegator for ice cream and the like having, in combination, an elongated casing having a mixing chamber at one end portion terminating in an outlet opening and having an inlet opening, a second chamber axially aligned with and disposed adjacent said mixing chamber and having a second inlet opening, a well separating said mixing chamber and second chambers, a third chamber aligned with said first and second chambers and disposed adjacent the second chamber and having a third inlet opening, a second wall separating said second and third chambers, and a third wall spaced from said second Wall and closing said third chamber adjacent the other end of said casing, a shaft coaxial with said casing and extending from the exterior thereof adjacent said other casing end through said walls and into said mixing chamber, means rotatably supporting said shaft on said walls, a discharge head secured to said shaft and having a first discharge opening spaced from a longitudinal axis of said mixing chamber, the portion of said shaft between said third and first chambers being hollow and providing communication between the third chamber and said discharge opening, a second hollow shaft of greater diameter than said first shaft secured to and concentric with the first shaft and extending rotatably through said first wall and from said second chamber to said discharge head to provide communication between the second chamber and a second discharge opening in said head spaced from said axis and angularly spaced from said first discharge opening, said discharge head being disposed intermediate said inlet and outlet openings of said first chamber and said discharge openings delivering spiral streams of material from said second and third chambers in the same direction as material flows from said inlet opening to said outlet opening of the mixing chamber.

3. A variegator for ice cream and the like, the cornbination of a casing defining a mixing chamber having spaced inlet and outlet openings, a second chamber having an inlet opening, and a third chamber having an inlet opening, a hollow shaft extending from said second chamber into said first chamber and terminating in the first chamber in a discharge head located between said inlet and outlet openings of the first chamber and having a first discharge opening spaced from the axis of the shaft and communicating with said second chamber through the shaft, means supporting said shaft on said casing for rotation about the axis of the shaft, a second shaft coaxial with and secured rigidly to said hollow shaft and extending from said third chamber through said second chamber and to said discharge head, said second shaft being hollow and providing communication between said third chamber and a second discharge opening in said head, said second discharge opening being spaced from a longitudinal axis of said mixing chamber and angularly spaced from said first discharge opening, and means for rotating said shafts about said axis and relative to said casing to deliver into a fiuid material iiowing from said inlet opening to said outlet opening in said mixing chamber, spiral streams of dierent materials flowing through said second and third chambers and said shafts.

4. In a variegator for ice cream and the like, the combination of a casing defining a mixing chamber with an inlet opening for a first material of one flavor and an outlet opening spaced from the inlet opening, a second chamber having an inlet opening to receive a second material, and a third chamber having an inlet opening to receive a third material, discharge means mounted to rotate within said first chamber and about a longitudinal axis of the chamber and having angularly spaced first and second discharge openings located between said inlet and outlet openings of the first chamber and spaced from said axis, a first hollow member connecting said second chamber and said discharge means for the flow of said second material from the second chamber to said first discharge opening, and a second hollow member connecting said third chamber and said discharge means for the fiow of said third material to said second discharge opening, said discharge means delivering said second and third materials in spiral streams through said discharge openings and into said first material during rotation of the discharge means and the flow of the first material from said first chamber inlet opening to said outlet opening.

5. In a variegator for combining three streams of flowable materials, the combination of, an elongated casing defining axially spaced, first, second and third chambers each receiving one of the streams, shaft means rotatably mounted in the casing and providing passageways communicating with the respective first and second chambers and extending longitudinally of the casing for isolating and conveying at least two of the streams to discharge openings at the ends of the passageways, a third passage- Way extending between said third chamber and a location adjacent said discharge openings for conveying the third stream from the third chamber to combine with the first and second streams, and means rotating said shaft means to spirally entwine the first and second streams as the latter combine with the third stream.

6. The variegator of claim 5 in which said third passageway is annular in shape and is defined between an exterior wall of said shaft means and an interior wall of said casing, said third passageway being substantially larger than either said first or second passageway which deposits their respective streams in said third stream.

7. The variegator of claim 5 in which said third passageway is also a portion of said shaft means and rotates therewith, each of said passageways being substantially equal in cross-sectional area and spirally entwining said streams of substantially equal volumes together.

8. A variegator for spirally entwining two or three streams of fiowable materials comprising, in combination, an elongated material casing with a central bore, three separate inlets in said casing at least two of which will receive a separate stream of said materials, radial walls in said casing separating upper, middle and lower chambers each of which is connected to one of the inlets, means including a pair of coaxial, telescoped shafts providing three discrete passageways in the casing, means mounting said shafts for rotation in the casing about its longitudinal axis,

al terminal end o f the outer one of said coaxial shafts extending longitudinally down beyond a terminal end on the inner shaft and discharge nozzle means receiving said stream of flowable materials from said shafts and having discharge openings for delivering said materials in spiral streams.

9. The combination of claim 8 in which the discharge nozzle means includes a cap for a portion of the terminal end of the inner shaft and a divider plate extending across the bore of outer shaft and abutting the lower end of the inner shaft, and in which an opening at the terminal end of the outer shaft is axially elongated t provide a streamlined flow therethrough.

10. ln a variegator for fiowable materials, the combination of, an elongated casing defining axially spaced first, second and third chambers each adapted to receive a different fiowable material, a hollow shaft extending longi tudinally of the first and second chambers to a terminal end and mounted for rotation in said casing, a divider in said shaft extending longitudinally of the shaft and dividing the same into two discrete passageways, said shaft having angularly and axially spaced inlet openings providing communication between the first and second chambers and the respective passageways, a second shaft encircling and secured to said hollow shaft and having an inlet opening in communication with said third chamber, said second shaft extending beyond the third chamber and the terminal end of said first shaft, and means partitioning the terminal end of the second shaft to define three discrete outlets at the terminal end of the second shaft, said outlets each communicating with a different passageway and being spaced angularly about the axis of the shaft and causing the streams to entwine spirally as the shafts are rotated.

11. The combination of claim 10 in which the partition means includes a plate extending axially and radially to divert the rst and second materials to their respective outlets while facilitating their fiow as the materials issue from the first shaft.

12. The combination of claim 11 in which the partition means includes a longitudinally and radially offset extension of said divider, said extension being offset radially along one edge at the terminal end of the first shaft to axially abut the second shaft to maintain the first and second materials separated from each other and said extension having a downwardly and radially inward slanted edge to abut said plate.

13. The combination of claim 10 in which the second shaft is disposed substantially vertically and the terminal end of the first shaft tapers to a point, the partition means includes a plate capping one side of said pointed end, a second plate abuts the opposite side of the pointed end, extends to the interior wall of the second shaft, and has an aperture communicating with the passageways in the first shaft, a lower end of said second plate separates said third material from said first and second materials, and an extension of said divider extends through said aperture to abut the inner wall of the second shaft along one edge and to abut the lower end of the second plate thereby separating the first, second and third materials at the discharge end of the second shaft.

14. In a variegator for ice cream and the like, the combination of, an elongated, vertical casing defining a first chamber with an inlet opening for a first material, a second chamber adapted to receive a second material and having an inlet opening to receive the second material, and a third chamber adapted to receive a third material and having an inlet opening to receive the third material, a first hollow shaft extending vertically from said first chamber through said second chamber and terminating at a lower end, a divider in said hollow shaft cooperating with the shaft to form separate passageways in the shaft communicating with said first and second chambers respectively, means supporting said shaft on said casing for rotation about the axis of the casing, a second hollow shaft concentric with and secured rigidly to said first hollow shaft and extending downwardly from said third chamber, a discharge nozzle having a plurality of orifices in fiuid communication with each of said separate passageways of said first shaft, said second shaft having an inlet opening in said third chamber and communicating with a third discharge orifice in said nozzle angularly spaced from the other discharge orifices, and means for rotating said shafts about said axis and relative to said casing for the delivery of the materials in spiral form.

15. The combination of claim 14 in which the nozzle includes plates disposed in the lower end of said second shaft dividing the same into the three outlet orifices, said plates extending downwardly and radially to divert the first and second materials to their respective orifices while facilitating the fiow of these materials.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,951,694 3/1934 Goulstone 141-100 X 2,463,112 3 1949 Kipnis. 2,866,420 12/ 1958 Nutty. 2,917,008 12/1959 Kipnis. 3,267,971 8/1966 Mueller 141-105 X 3,347,287 10/1967 Geber 141-105 FOREIGN PATENTS 655,136 4/1965 Belgium.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner A. O. HENDERSON, Assistant Examiner

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