GB930884A - Improvements in and relating to machines for making crumpets and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

930,884. Crumpet-making machines. C. W. FORRESTER. March 17, 1961 [March 25, 1960], No. 9788/61. Class 28 (1). In a machine for making crumpets, muffins, drop scones &c., of the type comprising an endless hot-plate conveyer which passes through a cooking zone on its upper run, a second conveyer is positioned above the hot-plate conveyer carrying detachably mounted mould rings and is adapted to deliver the mould rings on to the hot plate at the end preceding the cooking zone and retrieve them at the other end of the cooking zone, the mould ring conveyer being deflected upwards over the cooking zone to give a clearance which allows the mould rings to travel out of contact with other parts of machinery during the passage through the cooking zone. The mould rings are held loosely on the conveyer and are kept in position on the vertical parts of the run by guide rails 19, Fig. 3. The rings, carried by channel-shaped members on the conveyer are released by gravity on to the hot plates 6, Fig. 1A, at the beginning of the cooking zone, the mould ring conveyer is then directed by guide rails 18 to run above and clear of the hot plates. Dough is fed into the rings from an automatic feeding means 21. A top browning plate (Fig. 1B, not shown) is situated near the end of the cooking zone. After browning the mould rings 17 are guided by lead-off guides 26, Fig. 5, and pass upwards over sprocket 15 held by pins 23 provided on the sprocket which assist members 16 in lifting the mouldrings. Scrapers 27, Fig. 3, remove the cooked articles which drop on to a removal conveyer. If the conveyers are driven intermittently the dough-dispensing means, browning and greasing operations take place in a no-motion period. If the drive is continuous these parts of the apparatus are mounted to move with the conveyer and on completion of the operations are reciprocated by a Whitworth drive. Alignment and holding means are provided for the mould rings during the greasing operation.