Ackley Machine Corporation

Mars, Incorporated

Samuel J Louden

Neil A Willcocks

James M Suttle

Michael E Webster

Michael S Wozniak

E Michael Ackley, Jr

John T Hayes

Multicolor image, formed from at least two component images, are printed on non-planar surfaces of edible pieces by maintaining registration of the pieces from one printing station to another. The registration is maintained by firmly securing the pieces to the transporting surface by applying a pressure differential, by a combination of a pressure differential with a resilient surface, or by trapping the pieces between a retaining member and a recess portion.

Method for printing multicolor images on edible pieces

Apparatus for printing multicolor images on edible pieces

Method to print multicolor images on edible pieces

An article conveying system includes a conveyor belt including a plurality of carrier bars, a drive mechanism for driving the conveyor belt and a quick-release pin for releasably fastening the carrier bars to the drive mechanism. The quick-release pin includes an upper body portion, an upper body portion recess formed in the upper body portion and a flexible member positioned within the upper body portion recess. The flexible member has a compressed diameter (or dimension) no greater than a diameter of the upper body portion and an uncompressed diameter greater than the diameter of the upper body portion. The conveying system may also include a carrier hold down member that cooperates with a retractable roll capable of urging the carrier bar away from the quick-release pin. Furthermore, a method for releasably attaching the carrier bar and the quick-release pin includes guiding the quick-release pin into a blind or through hole of the carrier bar and sliding the quick-release pin along the hole until the flexible member mates with a recess of the carrier bar.

Method and apparatus for releasably fastening a bar-like member to a

Growing community of inventors

Moorestown, NJ, United States of America

Samuel J Louden