US956684A - Pie-filling machine. - Google Patents

Description

I 0.00LBORNE.

PIE FILLING MAGEINB.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 3, 1909.

956,684. Patented Mal s, 1910.

2 SEBETB-SHEET 1.

O. UOLBORNE.

I PIE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. s, 1902.

956,684. Patented May 3, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"1 & ?I 1 inaiinn erases PATENT @EFIGE.

. OLIVER COLBORNE,- OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIE-FILLING- MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Omvnn CoLnonNn,

a citizen of the United States of America, and a residentwof Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pie-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification. I The main objects of this invention are.to provide an improvedconstruction of pie filling machines adapted to automatically fill the pie crust with a filling material; to provide improved means for measuring the filling material and delivering it to the pie crust; to provide a machine in which the operating mechanism in the tank may be quickly removed or replaced; and to provide a device of this class which is particularly adapted for filling pies which are being carried along by a continuously moving conveyer.

A specific construction embodying this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts removed, of a pie filling device'embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan'view of one of the nozzles and its controlling valve plate. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device with parts in section. Fig. l is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of one of the nozzles.

In the construction shown in the drawings, a bearing sleeve or pedestal l is rigidly secured to the floor or other support 2,

and journaled therein is the drive shaft 3 which extends below said floor and is rotated by any suitable means, not shown. 'lheneceptacle or tank 4-, which is adapted to contain the filling material to be delivered to the pies, is provided on its bottom 5 with an upwardly directed axial sleeve or hub 6 through which theupper end of said shaft extends, and is rigidly secured to said shaft by news of the pin 7 extending there jtihrougli andthrough the shaft, so that said tank is caused to rotate with the shaft. The

tank is provided in its bottom 5' and near the periphery thereof with a plurality of openings in which are rigidly but removably securedthe measuring nozzles S, which are of a size to contain the desired quantity of filling material for a single pie. lac-h of said nozzles, as shown more clearly in Fig.

7 Specification of Itetters Patent. Application filed April 3,

Patented May 3, 1910. 1909. Serial No. 487,739.

at, is provided at its upper end with a reduced portion 9 which fits tightly in one of the openings in said bottom, and a eripheral shoulder 10 is provided at the liase of said reduced portion and is adapted to abut against the lower side ofthe bottom when the top of the reduced portion is flush with the upper surface of the bottom. For the purpose of holding the nozzles in'place, each is provided on one side with a hook 11 adapted to engage a bolt 12 projecting downwardly from the bottom of the tank, and

which may be provided with a nut or other means, not shown,'on which the hook rests 'to prevent the nozzle from falling. Means are provided for controlling the outlet'openings in said nozzles and permitting the filling material to be discharged into the tins at the proper intervals. For this purpose each nozzle is provided with alaterally swinging valve gate or closure 13 adapted to fit closely to the lower end thereof and having an inwardly directed lever'arn 14 t by means of whiclnit is operated. Each of said arms is pivotally supported on the bottom of the tank to permit the closure to travel with the nozzles, and is mounted extends and which acts to hold the closure truly seated against the nozzle.

A cam roller'lS) is journaled on a bearing stud 20 on the inner endof each arm 14, and is adapted to travel on the sleeve 1. On one side of said sleeve is a cam 21 which lies in the paths of said rollers and acts to turn the arms on their pivots and swing the valve closures from beneath the nozzles to open the latter. Each of said arms is provided with a coiled spring 22 which is secured at one end to the arm and at the other end to the bottom of the tank and normally acts to hold the closure in closed position. A stop 23 is carried on the bottom of the nozzle for the closure to abut against when in closed-p0 sition. At one side of said tank is a standof said standard and is adapted to be turned outwardly from the tank until it rests on a stop 26 on the standard. The upper portion of said arm is bent at a right angle to the lower portion thereof, and when the arm is in operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, said upper portion extends inwardly over the tank. ()n the inner end of said arm is an apertured head 28, the bore of which is in axial alinemcnt with the shaft 3 when the arm is in operative position, and a shaft 29 is rigidly secured in said head and extends downwardly in alinement with and into close proximity to said shaft 3. Bigidly secured on the lower end of said shaft 29, above the lower end thereof, is an annular spider 30 on which is rigidly secured a cam track 31 preferably of sheet metal. On the inner side of the tank, above each of said nozzles and in axial alinement therewith, is a guide sleeve or cylinder 32, and slidably mounted in each cylinder is a plunger 33 which is adapted to control communication between the tank and the nozzle below the same and to eject the filling material from the nozzles when the valves are open. To

. prevent the plungers from rotating in the guide cylinders and to permit them to reciprocate, a pin 34 is secured in the side of each plunger and projects outwardly through a slot 35 in the tank.

Adjustably secured on the upper end of veach plunger is a horizontally directed axle 36, on which is journaled a roller 37 adapted to travel on the cam track 31 and raise and lower the plunger.; Said cam track is provided with a high horizontal portion 38 which is situated on the side of the shaft 3 opposite from the valve operating cam 21, and when the roller 37 is traveling thereon the plunger is held retracted from the nozzle and at a distance above the bottom of the tank. Leading downwardly from said portion 38, in the direction of the travel of the tank, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, is a short inclined part 39 'hich terminates in an intermediate horizon 1 part 40. An inclined part 41 extends d wnwardly from said intermediate part 40 to a low horizontal part 42. Above said parts 39, 40, and 41 is a second track 43 which cbnforms' to said parts and acts-to hold the rollers thereon and forge the plungers downwardly. Said second track may be supported in any desired manner, but, as shown, is carried by arms 44 secured to the cam 31. A long inclined portion 45 leads upwardly from said low portion 42 to said high portion 38.

For the purpose of dlrecting the filling material in the tank toward the nozzles, a deflecting arm 46 has an apertured inner end 47 through which the sleeve extends and the outer end thereof projects toward the wall of the tank. A. bar 48 is carried on said spider, and the lower end thereof projects into a socket in said arm and prevents the arm from traveling with the tank. The rear side of said arm is inclined forwardly from the inner end of the arm, and as the,

tank is rotated the material on the bottom 5 is moved thereby toward the nozzles. Said arm lies flat on the bottom of the tank and acts to scrape the material from said bottom as the tank becomes em ty. Detiecting blades 49 are also supported rom said spider by means of rods 50, and are inclined to the direction of rotation of the tank and serve to move the material toward the periphery of the tank.

The operation of the construction shown is as follows: Any preferred construction of conveyer adapted to carry the pie tins may be provided to travel beneath the nozzles along the path indicated by the dotted line 51 in Fig. 1. This conveyer should, of course, travel at a speed equal to that of the nozzles 8 during the rotation of the tank. The conveyer should also be provided with pie tin supports, not shown, spaced at suitable intervals to re ister with the nozzles when assing aroun the axis of the tank. The filling material is placed in the tank, and when the shaft 3 is rotated the tank is caused to rotate therewith and carry the rollers along the cam track 31. When said rollers are on the high portion 38 01 said track, the plungers are withdrawn'from the nozzles, and the filling material flows into said nozzles and is retained therein by'the valve closures 13. When the roller descends from the high portion to the intermediate portion 40, the lower end of the plunger just enters the top of the nozzle in which it fits closely, and cuts off communication between the tank and the nozzle. As the roller 37 travels along said portion 40, the roller 19 contacts with the cam 21, which causes the inner end of the arm to swing rearwardly and thereby move the valve closure from beneath the nozzle. The roller 37 then doscends the inclined portion 41, and the pluncr travels downwardly in the nozzle and forces all of the material therefrom. When said valve is open, it is prevented from being raised above the bottom of the nozzle by the sprin 17 by means of a ard arm 52 on the side of the nozzle. s the roller 37 travels along the low portion 42, the arm 14 passes the' cam 21,. and.the spring- 22-retracts the valve closure which in closing wipesthe bottom of the plunger. The roller 37 then ascends the inwardly inclined por tion 45 and retracts the plunger from the nozzle, which again fills with material. As the tank revolves, the deflector blades 49 work the material toward the-nozzles, and as the tank becomes nearly empty, the arm 46 scrapes the material from the bottom and works it toward the nozzles. A sleeve 53 rests on the top of the sleevefi and overlaps rollers 37 clear of the cam tracks.

the abutting ends of the shafts 3 and 29, and when itis desired to remove the cam track from the tank for the purpose of cleaning the tank, or for any other reason, the studs 34 are removed from the plungers, and the plungers-are lifted out of their guide cylinders or are turned so as to move the The sleeve 53 is first raised clear of the end of the shaft 3, and the arm is then swung outwardly and carries the track therewith. Each of said nozzles holds sufiicient filling material for one pie, and it the quantity is to be changed for different kinds or sizes of pies, the nozzles may be quickly replaced by larger or shorter ones, as desired.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown, it Will be understood that numerous details of the con struction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

1. A pie filling machine, comprising a ro tary tank, a measuring nozzle in the bottom thereof, means adapted to open and close the outlet end of said nozzle,and means adapted to close the inlet end of said nozzle and to force'material from the outlet end When said outlet end thereof is open.

2. A pie filling machine, comprising a rotary tank, a measurin nozzle opening therefrom and adapted to lie filled from the contents of the tank, means adapted to normally close the outlet end of said nozzle, and

means adapted to close the inlet end of said;

nozzle and force the contents of the nozzle to flow out when said outlet end is open.

3. A pie filling machine, comprising a rotary tank adapted to contain filling material, a nozzle removably mounted in said tank flush with the bottom thereof, and adapted ,to receive filling material from said tank, a plunger adapted to be moved into and out of the nozzle, a valve controllin the outlet end of said nozzle, and means For opening said valve when the plunger enters the nozzle. v

at. A pie filling machine, comprising a rotary tank, a measuring nozzle communicating therewith, a plunger supported in the tank in almementwith said nozzle and ger mounted in the tank and adapted to control communication between the tank and nozzle, and means operated through the rotation of thetank and adapted to operate said said nozzles pivoted on the bottom of the j tank and adapted to be. operated by said cam, reciprocating plungers mounted in the tank, one above each nozzle, a stationary cam track, and means connected with saidplungers andadapted through engagement with 'said track to move the plungers into and out of said nozzles.

7. A pie filling machine, comprising a rotatable shaft, a tank mounted on said shaft and adapted to rotate therewith, a plurality ot measuring nozzles removably secured in the bottom of the tank, a closure for each nozzle, an arm on each closure and pivoted" to the bottom of the tank, a stationary cam adapted to engage said arms and operate the closures through the rotation of the tank, and means in said tank adapted to enter the inner ends of said nozzles and force material from the nozzles when the closures are open.

8. A pie filling machine, COII IPIlSIIIg' a tank, means for rotating the same, a .plu-

rality of measuring nozzles in thebottom of said tank, valve mechanism adapted to:

open and close the outer ends or said nozdischarge predetermined quantities of. said material from the tank, a stationary cam in the upper portion of said tank adaptedto operate said means, and a jointed support for said cam adapting it to be swung clear of the tank.

10. A. pie filling machine, comprising a tank, means 'for rotating said tankg -measuring devices in the bottomot said tank, guides in the tank above said measuring devices, a plunger in each guide adapted to force material from the measuring devices, a standard adjacent said tank, an arm" hinged thereon,"a stationary cam supportedfon said arm above the tank, and means on each plunger adapted to travel on saidcain and operate such plunger. i

11. A pie filling machine, comprising a tank adapted to contain filling material, means for rotating said tank, valve controlled measuring nozzles in said tank, operating means adapted. to discharge measured from said nozzles 11 of the tank, adapt cl through the move the material 0- omprising a vertical axis,

d tzmlg and he inlet and nozzla; means sperzi'ierl anti a sweep extending into zi'ptzed through the IOtfltlOIl Ellfll therein tomac-hing cemprising a 2 E'Glfli'e on a vertical axis, "timing: flowmvanl from said tank. Mil i 201w: 1 ilwreifom clesures 101 the inlet and m. t ends of said nozzle, means opez aixxl iln'ougli the rotation of said tank for opening and clorsing said closures alternately and adapted to cause said nozzle 0 (ii charge n'ieaisnrerl quantities of nmlel'izil from said 12ml: at pi'evletciminccl ini'ervals of the mml'ion thereof, and a Stud-31132:? sweep exi'ending into said tank and inclinei'l to a radial dii'ectimi so as to urge the material in 110 tank toward said nozzle iln'ougli ilm rotation of the tank.

Signed at (fihimgo this 1st day of April, 1909.

OLKVEE COLBORNE.

Witnesses:

EUGENE A. T MA Y .M. .Di'

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