US916753A - Cake-icing machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. H. MITCHELL.

CAKE ICING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY a, 1908.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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PWNESSES 410M J. H. MITCHELL.

CAKE ICING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 190B.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

WITNESSES 5 JAMES H. MITCHELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAKE-ICING momma] Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March so, 1905.

Application filed July 3, 1908, Serial No. 441,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. MrroHELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Cake-Icing Machines, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, whic form a part thereof.

The resent invention relates to-machines for app ying a'thic-k semi-fluid material such as icing to cakes or the like pastry and it is particularly adapted for use in icing relatively thin flat cakes each on one side or a portion of one side only.

One object of the invention is to provide mechanism relatively simple in construction and operation by which t 1e icing can be applied to the cakes quickly and uniformly, and in which the icing operation is so carried on that breakage 'and consequent wastage of the cakes iced is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention. is the provision of a machine which can. be used without any modification or with but simple and easily made modifications to operate on cakes of different size and shape.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointedaout with particularity in the claims annexed to and orming: a part of this specification For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described forms in which the invention may be utilized.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembled machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the machine Fig. 4 is va perspective view of one of the conveyer carrying members which I may use. Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified construction, and Fig. 6 is another view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, showing a third form ofthe carrier member which I may use.

In the drawings, A represents the frame work of the machine as a whole. On the frame work and at opposite ends are secured pairs of brackets A and A. As shown, the two brackets A may be adjusted toward and away from the brackets'A by means of frame work lugs A and adjusting screws A. The brackets A and A have journaled in them shafts Band B, respectively, each of which has secured to it a pair of gear wheels C, over which runs an endless eonveyer formed by the two sprocket chains D and the carrier, members E, which extend parallel to. the'shafts B and B, and which are re movablyfastened at regular intervals to the chains D by small bolt-s secured tothe chain and passing through 0 enings E formed. in the ends of the mem ers E, and thumb screws E for clam -ing the members D in place. The shafts and B have secured to them adjacent each end a hexagonal hub B against which the corresponding ends of the carrier members E hear when passing the shafts B and B. The ends of the carrier members E, while traveling between the upper sides of the hubs B rest upon and are supported by guides formed by the u per edges of auxiliary frame members A w rich are supported from the main frame work by brackets A.

The members E in the form shown in Figs.

1, 2, 3 and 4 are each in the form of a plate having a slot or pocket E formed in it and extending len thwise of the plate. he walls of this slbt form the upper side of a cake receiving recess or pocket which is provided with .a skeleton or ca -e like bottom formed by yoke shaped mom ers E formed of small diameter wire. The ends of the legs of these members E are secured ,to the members Ewitlf the body portions extending parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyer belt.

One or more icing rolls F are journaled in the side members A In the form shown, there are three of these rolls which are similar to each other and are similarl placed. The supporting shafts for the rofls' F are;

each provided at one side of the machine with a sprocket gear F The gears F are driven by a sprocket chain F which runs over a driving sprocket gear F 4 carried by the shaft B, and over an idler sprocket gear F mounted in a-bearing F adjust-ably mounted in the adjacent side frame member A The rolls F turn in a bath G of the semifiuid icing material contained in a trough G, supported between side frames A and receiving icing material as necessary through a conduit G which, preferably, is provided with distributed openings at its, lower end and extends across the machine and isconnected at one end with the hopper G The shaft B is provided at one end with the fast and loose driving pulleys B and B and forms the main driving shaft of the machine. It will be observed that the direction of rotation of the rolls F is such that the upper sides of the rolls travel in the same direction as the adjacent conveyer members E, and the parts are timed so that the adjacent surfaces of the rolls F and the members E have substantially the same linear velocity. Scrapers F which are preferably adjustable, are provided adjacent the rolls F and serve to regulate the thickness of the icing layers carried into proximity to the members E by the rolls Ft In order to insureuniformity of the thickness of the icing layer imparted to the under side of the cakes in the members E, one or more scraping devices, which are preferably in the form of taut wirl Y, of small diameter, are located beneath the upper run of the conveyer.

This serves to smooth off the surface of the icing layer and to remove any excess of icing material. The material scraped off by the taut wires does not adhere to the wires on account of their small diameter, but drops into the rece tacle G.

Any'suita le provision may be made for conveying the cakes to be iced into the members E. In practice, I prefer to have the cakes fed in manually, since the fragile nature of thematerial handled and the great diversity in size and shape of the cakes which it is usually desired to ice with any one machine,'make it inadvisable to provide mechanism for automatically feeding the cakes into the members E.

In the apparatus shown, a feed table L is provided, which is located above and inclined toward the upper surface of the conveyer. with trough like portions L at its upper end, in which stacked up piles of cakes may be deposited, as desired, and the attendant feeds these cakes from the stacked u piles down the inclined portion of the table into each member E, as the latter pass beneath the lower edge of the table. As ordinarily used, the travel of the conveyer is not rapid enoughto make it difficult for an operator to manually feed the cakes into the machine. A receptac e I is supported between the side members A, adjacent the lower end of the table L, into which crumbs and broken fragments of the cakes collect. These crumbs and fragments may be removed through an opening I formed in one of the side frame members A.

At the right hand end of the machine, as

As shown, the table L is formed shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3', frame brackets A are provided, which sup ort at their upper ends a cross rod J, to w ich the upper end of an apron J, of flexible material, is secured. The lower end of the a ron J is secured to a cross bar J located eneath the shaft B. The a ron J 1 prevents the cakes from falling out o the open tops of the pockets formed in themembers E, as the latter are rotated about the shaft-B. As each member B passes beyond the member J the cakes within it drop-onto a conveyer belt or endless apron N, which runs over a roll M driven through gear wheel M secured to it and the meshing gear wheel B secured to the shaft B. The upper side of the apron N runs on a table A having an u per horizontal portion and a lower inclined portion. Adjacent the lower end of the inclined portion of the member A the apron N runs over a knife edge or guide N, which is adjustable to take up the tension of the belt by means of adjustable screws N and frame work brackets N It will be observed that the upper side of the a ron N travels in the same general direction and with substantially the same velocity as the members E, while the latter will travel through the lower portion of their path. By this arrangement the cakes are discharged easily and without injury from the members E onto the apron N, resting on the latter with their iced sides u As each row of iced cakes discffarged from one member E onto the apron N is carried to the lower edge of the knife edge guide N the row of cakes slide onto a suitable receiver, which, in the form shown, is one of a set of trays or pans R, which are carried beneath the knife edge guide E b means of a flexible conveyer belt or apron The belt P runs over guide rollsQ and Q at the end of the machine, over intermediate idler rolls Q and Q and over an adjustable belt tightener roll Q Belt N is driven normally by means of a s rocket chain Q connecting sprocket whee M on a shaft of the roll M and a sprocket gear Q on the shaft-Q, of the roll Q. The roll Q is not fastened on the shaft Q but is normallyturned with the shaft through a gear wheel Q secured to the shaft Q and a pawl Q secured to the roll This, while insuring that the roll Q will turn with the shaft Q permits the roll Q to be turned independent of the shaft Q to advance the apron P when desirable. This advancing movement of the a ron P may be had by rotating a hand whee Q secured to the shaft Q to which the roll Q is se cured. The purpose of this arrangement is to permit the attendant to advance the apron P and adjust each tra R-deposited on it at the right hand end 0 the machine, so that the initial row of cakes will be p roperly placed on each tray and will not be deposited ,on the adjacent edges or between the adjacent pair of trays. As the speed of travel of the conveyer P should be such that the rows of cakes deposited on each tray will be close together, provision should be made for ade justing the speed of the conveyer P to correspond to thesize of the cakes iced. This may conveniently be done by 9 having different numbers of teeth. As each filled tray on' which the iced cakes will be deposited in regular rows and columns, ap- 1 proaches the left hand side of the machine,

it is removed.

To insure that the skeleton or cage like bottom of the pockets in the members E are cleaned and free from icing material from previous icing o 'erations a cleaning mechan lSIIl is provide In the form shown, the

cleaning mechanism comprises a pair of where it is desired to stencil an icing brush rolls K, which are located between th side frame members A and dip in a water ba h K K. The shafts of the brush rolls K carry gears K which mesh together so that the rolls K turn in opposite directions. The shaft supporting one of the rolls vided with a pulley K, which may conveniently be driven from an overhead eountershaft. 'lhese brushes insure that the skeleton frame work forming the bottom of thepockets in the members E is thoroughly cleaned before passing into the position to receive cakes from the table.

The construction illustrated is simple in operation and is effective for the purpose for which it is designed. With it.a large number of cakes may be iced uniformly and with'a minimum of wastage and breakage in] a comparatively short time. The construction shown in Figs. 1 'to 4 inclusive is particularly adapted for operation without change on cakes of difierent size and shape, though it'will of course be understood that the table L may be removed and replaced by another having the grooves L of different shape when it'is desired to ice cakes difl'ering greatly in size and shape...

Instead ofiusing a main conveyer, in which each member E is rovided with a single longitudinal pocket E the members E may be formed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with a plurality of pockets E each of which is intended to hold but a single cake at one time. Instead of forming the skeleton or cage like bottom for the conveyer pockets as shown in Fig. 4, I may form each ocket bottom as shown in Fig. 5, of a piece id of sheet metal or the like, having an opening in it through whichthe icing is applied to the cake. This form of pocket bottom is particularly useful 7 design In Fi 6 T have on one side of the cake.

providing a 10 series of interchangeable gears contained in a tank or receptacle A is pro- A shown the pocket bottom as formed of small diameter wire E bent into a loop.

It will, of course, be understood by those skilled in the art that other changes than those indicated may be made in the form of the invention disclosed without departing from the s irit of the invention and 1 do not wish the c aims, hereinafter made, to be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed more thanis necessary by the state ofv the art.

While with the wire pocket bottoms of the members E, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the cakes when discharged from the pockets have the marks of the wires formed in them. These marks, whichare notlarge on account of the smallness of the wires, disappear on account of the fluidity of the still undried icing material.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to -secu re by Letters Patent is:

1. A cake icing machine comprising in combination a conveyer formed with cake receiving pockets having skeleton bottoms, and

'a rotating supplying roll or rolls located ad j acent the path of said skeleton bottoms, in position to apply icing to the cakes supported by said bottoms.

2. A cake icing machine comprising in combination one or more rotating icing supplying rolls, and a cake conveyer provided with skeleton supports for cakes, said conveyer runmng over said rolls and in such proximity thereto as to move the bottoms of the cakes into contact with the icing on said roll or rolls.

3. A cake icing machine comprising in combination one or more rotating icing supplying rolls, means for applying an icing layer of regulated thickness to each of said rolls, and a cake conveyer provided with skeleton supports for cakes, said conveyer running over said rolls and in such roximity thereto as to move the bottoms of t 1e cakes into contact with the icing on said rolls.

at. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer comprising members hinged together and formed with cake receiving pockets open at the top and provided with s (eleton bottoms, one or more icing rolls located within said endless conveyer and ad acent the path of said skeleton bottoms.

5. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer comprising members hinged together and formed with cake receiving ockets open at the top and rovided with s eleton bottoms, an icing roll ocated adjacent the path of said skeleton bottoms, and means for applying an icing layer of regulated thickness to said roll.

6. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer formed of a pair of spaced apart sprocket chains and plate like members the ends of which are secured at regular intervals to said chains,

said members being formed with cake re-' hering icing material into the line of travel of the skeleton bottoms of the conveyer pockets.

7. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer formed of a pair of spaced apart sprocket chains and plate like members the ends of which are secured at regular intervals to said chains, said members being formed with cake receiving pockets at the outer ends and provided at their inner ends with skeleton bottoms, rotating guides about which said conveyer turns an icing containing trough located below the portion of said conveyer running between the upper sides of said guides, one or more rotating rolls dip ing into said trough and arranged to carry tiie adhering icing material into the line of travel of the skeleton bottoms of the conveyer pockets, and means for regulating the thickness of the icing layer on each roll.

8. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer formed of a pair of spaced apart sprocket chains and plate like members, the ends of which are secured at regular intervals to said chains, said members being formed with cake receiving pockets at the outer ends and provided at their inner ends with skeleton bottoms, rovtating guides about which said conve er turns an icing containing trough located elow the portion of said conveyer running between the upper sides of said guides, one or' more rotating rolls' dip )ing into said trough and arranged to carry t e adhering icing material into the line of travel of the skeleton" bottoms of the conveyer pockets, a trough for a cleaning liquid supported beneath said conveyer portion, and a rotating cleansing brush the lower edge of which dips into said trough and the upper edge of which ex:

tends into the path of travel of said skeleton bottoms.

9. A cake icing machine comprising in combination an endless conveyer provided with" skeleton supports for the cakes to be iced, a roller guide about which said conveyer turns; one or more rotating icmg rolls cakes in contact with said first conveyer un-' til the cakes are above said horizontal portion of said secondconve er.

10. In a cake icing mac ine an endless conveyer provided with skeleton cake supports, one or more icing supplying rolls adapted to apply icing to the under side of cakes resting on said cake supports, and mechanism for cleaning said-cake supports after each icing o eration.

1 1. n a cake icing machine an endless conveyer provided with skeleton cake supports, icing rolls adapted to apply icing to the under side of ca es resting on said cake su ports, and mechanism for cleaning said ca e supports after each icing operation, said mechanism comprising a pair of brushes arranged in the line of travel of' said skeleton supports and means for rotating said brushes in opposite directions.

12. In a cake icing machine an endless conveyer provided with skeleton cake supports, means for applying icing to the under sides of the cakes supported on said supports, and means for smoothing the icing and regulating its thickness comprising one or more taut wires of small diameter stretched below the line of travel of said supports.

, JAMES H. MITCHELL.

VVitnessesi ARNOLD KATz, S. STEWART.

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