WO1991015956A1

WO1991015956A1 - Improvements relating to the extrusion of pastes

Info

Publication number: WO1991015956A1
Application number: PCT/GB1991/000530
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raymond Worsnop
Original assignee: Acrivarn Limited
Priority date: 1990-04-12
Filing date: 1991-04-05
Publication date: 1991-10-31
Also published as: AU7553691A

Abstract

Apparatus for the extrusion of pastes comprising a reservoir (1) in which paste can be stored at a predetermined temperature and an extraction means (2) connected to the reservoir (1), for extracting paste from the reservoir and directing said paste to one or more outlet tubes (3). Dispensing of paste from one or more outlet tubes (3) being controlled by a compression means (6) whereby at least one compression means (40) selectively compresses and releases one or more outlet tubes (3) to dispense the paste substance.

Description

Improvements Relating to the Extrusion of Pastes

The present invention relates to apparatus for the extrusion of pastes and particularly, but not exclusively, to the insertion of pastes such as flavoured butter into a bread loaf or baguette which has previously been sliced.

In the past the process of applying garlic or other flavoured butters to french bread has been carried out industrially by extremely complex machines incorporating a large number of internal valves and other moving parts. The disadvantages of such machines are that because of their complexity they tend to be extremely expensive, they are difficult to maintain and they may be unreliable.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide an apparatus which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages when used to apply butter or similar paste substances to bread or other foods.

In the present invention therefore there is provided an apparatus for extruding paste food substance the apparatus comprising a reservoir containing^' said food substance and a means of extracting said food substance from said reservoir whereby the food substance is directed towards one or more outlet tubes, each of said outlet tube or tubes being formed from a flexible material, and wherein dispensing of the food stuff is controlled by a compression means which selectively compresses and releases the outlet tube or tubes.

Preferably the extracting means comprises a reciprocating member adapted in a first action to enter the reservoir and in a second action to leave the reservoir and wherein the member is provided with a plate means adapted to remove the food substance when the member leaves the reservoir. Preferably the said member is contained with a channel positioned below the reservoir.

Preferably the outlet tubes are in fluid connection with the extracting means whereby extracted paste may be delivered to the outlet tubes.

Preferably the compression means comprises two co-operating compression members.

Preferably a said first compression member is pivotly mounted, preferably at its centre, such that pivoting of the member results in either a first or second end of the member being brought into operational contact with the tubes and thus compressing the tubes. It will be understood that the first and second ends will therefore operate out of phase with respect to each other.

Preferably the compression of tubes by the said first compression member will be limited by at least one stopping device.

Preferably a second member comprises a dispensing compressor whereby operation of the second member results in compression of the outlet tube and dispensing of the contents of the outlet tube.

Preferably the compression means may be driven by pneumatic means and more preferably still the extraction means may be driven by pneumatic means.

Preferably the foodstuff substance is butter which may be maintained at a temperature of about 24°C such that the butter is soft but not liquid. Preferably there may be a water jacket around the reservoir in order to maintain the butter at a constant temperature.

It will be understood that the aforementioned apparatus may be connected to a bread slicing and supplying apparatus.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures wherein

Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention

Figure 1A is an end view of a food substance resevoir

Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the compression apparatus included in the apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

Turning firstly to Figure 1 the apparatus comprises a reservoir 1 an extraction means 2 and a number of plastic outlet tubes 3.

As shown in Figure LA reservoir 1 is preferably funnel shaped and opens into an extracting channel 5. Within extracting channel 5 is a reciprocating extraction means 6. Extraction means 6 comprises an end plate 7 attached to a rod 8. Rod 8 is in turn attached to a pneumatic cylinder 9 such that activation of cylinder 9 results in reciprocation of rod 8 and end plate 7. It will be understood that a paste 10 contained in reservoir 1 will fall, under gravity, into channel 5 and be removed therefrom by means of movement of plate 7 in an extracting direction has indicated by arrow 12. It can also be seen by reference to Figure 1 that channel 5 is provided with an end portion 5A which comprises an additional leg portion 5B. This is to ensure that when paste occupying channel 5 is pushed- in a direction indicated by arrow 14 towards the farthermost end 60 of reservoir 1, the paste is not trapped behind the plate 7 but instead returns underneath plate 7 in leg 5B of end member 5A as indicated by arrow 20.

Paste extracted from channel 5 by means of extraction means 6 is transferred to connecting channel 18 and flows there along towards outlets 25. Channel 18 is provided with a valve means 19 in order to prevent the back flow of paste towards reservoir 1.

In order to facilitate the flow of paste 10 towards outlets 25 channel 18 is provided with a pressurizing means 30. Pressurizing means 30 comprises a moveable plate 32 attached to a rod 34. Rod 34 is in turn attached to pneumatic means 70 such that rod 34 may be moved inwards towards channel 18 and thus increase the effective extrusion pressure within channel 18 and at outlets 25.

A plan view of the reservoir illustrated in Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2 and it can be seen from this figure that channel 5 is of a smaller cross section than the lower end of the reservoir 1.

Turning now to Figure 3 an outlet tube 25 is illustrated in combination with a compression means 40.

Compression means 40 comprises a first compression head 42 which is pivoted about a mid point 44 such that ends 46 and 48 of head 42 operate, with respect to each other, out of phase and thereby compress the contents of tube 25 in an alternate manner. End 46 of head 42 is connected to a pneumatic means 50 which can exert a downward pressure on end 46. It will be understood that a compression means 40 as afore described will be located on either side of tube 25 or tubes 25 in spaced relationship and extending there between will be a rod 52. Pneumatic rod 50 will therefore be attached to rod 52 at a mid point such that downward movement of rod 50 will result in even downward movement of rod 52 across a single tube 25 or a series of tubes 25. This is best illustrated in Figure 4 where a number of tubes 25 are aligned in parallel relationship and extending across tubes 25 at a height thereabove is a rod 52 attached to a pneumatic means at a site 72.

Returning now to Figure 3, it can be seen that located adjacent compression head 42 is a restriction plate 60. Plate 60 is essentially a rectangular plate but on its upper edge 62 it is provided with two spaced U shaped depressions 64. Rods 52 sit within depressions 64 and moves vertically within a first U shaped depression 64 under the action of rod 50. It can therefore be seen that depression 64 restricts the downward movement of rod 52. From the foregoing description it will be understood that when rod 50 exerts a downward pressure on rod 52, rod 52 will move downwardly within depression 64 until it is restrained from doing so and as a result of the pivoting of head 42 about point 44, end 48 will be caused to move upwardly thus raising a second rod 58, resting in a second U shaped depression 64 and on head 42, upwardly and out of contact with tubes 25.

A second pneumatic member 70 is positioned between ends 46 and 48 of member 42 and is ideally mid way between ends 46 and 48. Member 70 comprises a pneumatically operated rod 76 which acts upon a dispensing plate 74. Plate 74 is adapted to extend across a series of tubes 25 and has a width 80 which is equal to the amount of paste to be dispensed from the ends of tubes 25.

In use, the apparatus functions as follows:

Paste 10 in reservoir 1 falls under gravity into channel 5 and is extracted therefrom by means of extraction means 6 as means 6 moves under pneumatic control towards channel 18. Paste 10 then flows along channel 18 towards outlet tubes 25 and is assisted in its migration by means of pressure supplied by the pressurizing means 30. Typically, a pressure of 25psi is exerted by way of pressurizing means 30. As the paste moves along outlets 25 it is acted upon by compression means 40. At a first point in the operating cycle of compression means 40 rod 50 is raised and so head 42 is pivoted about point 44 resulting in rod 58 being in contact with tubes 25 this results in paste 10 behind the compression means 40 being separated from paste 10A in front of the compression means 40, with respect to the directδion of movement of the paste. Rod 76 is then activated in order to move dispensing plate 74 downwards into contact with tubes 25 the subsequent compression of flexible tubes 25 results in paste being extruded from the ends of tubes 25 as indicated by arrow 100. Rod 72 is then raised in order to lift plate 74 clear of tubes 25. Finally, rod 50 is moved downwardly in order to move end 46 of head 42 downwards thereby raising rod 58 and bringing rod 52 into contact with tubes 25. When rod 52 is in contact with tubes 25 paste 10 is prevented from flowing out of tubes 25 at sight 100.

It will therefore be appreciated that the repetition of the afore described cycle results in sequential extrusion of a predetermined mount of paste. The amount of paste extruded will be determined by the size of plate 74 and the diameter of tubes 25.

The present invention therefore provides apparatus and a method which can supply butter or similar substances to bread or other food products without the need for complex internal valves or other moving parts. The apparatus is therefore much simpler than existing machinery and, as a consequence, it is much less expensive to manufacture and maintain. This is likely to bring the machinery within the price range of users who would not previously have been able to afford to carry out mechanically the task of preparing garlic or herb bread and may also contribute to bringing down the costs of the end products to the consumer.

Claims

1. Apparatus for extruding paste food substance, the apparatus comprising a reservoir containing said food substance and a means of extracting said food substance from said reservoir whereby the food substance is directed towards one or more outlet tubes, each of said outlet tube or tubes being formed from a flexible material, and wherein dispensing of the food substance is controlled by a compression means which selectively compresses and releases the outlet tube or tubes.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the means for extracting said food substance comprises a reciprocating member adapted in a first action to enter the reservoir and in a second action to leave the reservoir after having collected a fraction of food substance.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the member is provided with a plate means adapted to move the food substance outside of the reservoir when the member leaves the reservoir.

4. Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 wherein the member is contained within a channel positioned below the reservoir.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the channel is provided with a means to prevent food substance being trapped behind the plate when the plate moves to the furthermost end of the channel.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the outlet tubes are in fluid connection with the means for extracting the food substance.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the compression means comprises at least two co-operating compression members.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a first compression member is pivotally mounted such that pivoting of the member results in either a first or second end of the member being brought into operational contact with the said tube or tubes and thus compressing the tube.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the member is pivoted at its centre.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein compression of the said tube or tubes by the compression member is limited by at least one stopping device.

11. Apparatus according to claims 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein a second compression member comprises a dispensing compressor whereby operation of the second member results in compression of the outlet tube or tubes and dispensing of the contents of the outlet tube or tubes.

12. Apparatus according to claims 7 to 11 wherein the said compression means are controlled by a pneumatic means.

13. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the extraction means is controlled by a pneumatic means.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the food substance is maintained at an optimum temperature for dispensing of same.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein a water jacket is provided about the reservoir in order to maintain the contents of the reservoir at a predetermined temperature.

16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the reservoir is funnel shaped.