Nabisco Brands, Inc.

Other

William J Simelunas

Nicholas R Polifroni

Henry N Shoiket

Agostino J Aquino

Celso Espejo

Albert A Pinto

Robert J Albrecht

Daniel Ignatuk

Joseph T Deloy

Stefan M Meyer

An apparatus useful for continuous pan coating of edible cores which includes a coating drum arranged for rotation around an inclined axis and having an inlet opening at the upper axial end of the coating drum for reception of the edible cores, and a discharge opening at the lower axial end of the drum, so that the force of gravity urges the cores through the drum. The apparatus also includes a means for continuously driving the drum, means for providing coating material to the cores at a controllable rate, and means for delivering drying gas, such as air, to the cores also at a controllable rate while the cores are in the drum. The present invention has at least one after-treatment drum likewise arranged for rotation around an inclined axis and having an inlet opening at the upper axial end of the after-treatment drum and a discharge opening at the lower axial end, as well as a means for continuously driving the cores from the coating drum to the first after-treatment drum. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus also includes a second after-treatment drum similar to the first after-treatment drum.

Apparatus for continuous pan coating

Methods and apparatuses are described for manufacturing, from a coextrusion, food pieces wherein an inner food is fully or partially enrobed by an outer food. In one embodiment the inner food is a dough that is enrobed by an outer dough by severing the outer dough with a blunt severing edge on a severing element which, as it enters the coextrusion, simultaneously draws the outer dough over the inner dough on both sides of the element to form the food piece. A coextrusion of an inner dough inside an outer dough is formed below a die with the extrusion of the inner dough periodically interrupted to form a region in the coextrusion where there is a greater amount of outer dough. A pair of severing elements are operatively located at a predetermined distance below the die where convergence of the severing elements cuts the extrusion in a region having a greater amount of outer dough while simultaneously drawing the outer dough over the inner dough above and below the severing elements. Several embodiments are described.

Method and apparatus for severing a coextrusion for making an enrobed

A method and apparatus for producing laminated products, such as candy, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of continuously forming a semifluid sheet of a first material on a longitudinally extending conveyor, depositing a semifluid second material on the sheet of the first material, continuously rolling the sheet from the edges thereof inwardly to form a double roll extending longitudinally along the conveyor, and flattening the roll into a laminated sheet product. The method further includes the steps of forming the sheet into a 'rope' of substantially smaller width than the sheet by folding the sheet over itself from the edges of the sheet and allowing the rope to move transversely across a slower moving conveyor so that the rope bunches up on the conveyor. The rope is then flattened by a roller. The method also includes the step of causing the sheet to longitudinally fold over itself so as to form laminations. Additionally, the method includes the steps of dividing the laminated sheet product into longitudinally extending strips and transversely dividing the strips into individual product pieces. Apparatus for achieving the method is also disclosed.

Apparatus for producing laminated products

A continuous confectionery product having discrete articles, such as peanuts or raisins, applied to the outer surface is made by passing a continuous confectionery rope through a rotating drum applicator. The applicator includes a hollow rotating drum having a circumferential groove adapted to cooperate with the continuously moving confectionery rope. A plurality of air passages are provided in the groove and a vacuum is applied to the inner surface of the drum whereby the drum picks up peanuts or raisins as they pass by a hopper. A positive pressure is applied to the holes in the drum as the peanuts or raisin come into contact with the confectionery rope to release the peanut or raisin and allow it to adhere to the confectionery rope. The rope then passes to a cutting station where it is cut into uniform lengths and coated with a suitable confectionery coating.

Process of making a confectionery product

Relatively flexible cookie trays are supported on a rotatable mount. The cookie trays are not solidly supported, but rather are supported along portions beneath, and in between, regions where cookies are to be received. As the trays are relatively flexible, it is important that, for soft cookies, no rigid or hard surface be encountered during the relatively high speed loading operation. In connection with this invention, a cookie separating device is used which includes a pair of fingers holding cookies back and releasing them individually at time intervals. Also included is a conveyor belt feeding directly and selectively to one of two conveyor belts, each conveyor belt being fed having a far end which directly loads empty cookie trays by moving upward or downward relative to the cookie tray as well as extending toward and away from the tray. The cookie trays which are rotatably mounted may be mounted on a carousel-type of support, which automatically rotates and which can be automatically loaded and unloaded.

Automatic direct soft cookie loading apparatus

A conveyor for handling articles is disclosed. The conveyor has an endless belt movable about rollers. The endless belt has an upstream and a downstream end. There is a fixed pivot roller located at the upstream end, whereby the conveyor is pivotable upwardly and downwardly about the fixe pivot roller. There is a first movable roller located at the downstream end which is capable of moving upwardly, downwardly and horizontally. There is a fixed position roller located between the fixed pivot roller and the first movable roller for directing the belt downwardly towards the first movable roller to provide a downward sloped nose on the downstream end of the conveyor. There is a second movable roller for receiving the belt from the first movable roller. The second movable roller is spring biased for tensioning the belt.

An apparatus for handling articles has a rotatable table. A pivotable tray support is attached to the rotatable table. The tray support has a slab-like member for entering rear portions of trays to provide resilient support for the trays. The resilient supporting of the trays avoids damage to articles being loaded in the trays. The tray support has a lower surface for supporting the trays. The trays are unloaded by pivoting the tray support.

An apparatus for handling articles has an accumulator with a plurality of spaced apart conveyors to permit crumbs to drop between the conveyors. A plurality of separators are located between the conveyors to separate and guide the articles into columns on the conveyors. A movable stop member is located near a conveyor for conveying articles away from the accumulator. The stop member forms columns in the accumulator by preventing passage of the articles out of the accumulator. A sensor and a controller detects and releases a sufficient number of articles in the columns.

In a method of operating a co-extruder, a co-extrusion die used during a co-extrusion mode of operation is replaced by a simple extrusion die which is used during a simple extrusion mode of operation. The co-extruder has a pair of juxtaposed outlets one of which is blocked by the simple extrusion die during utilization thereof.

Method of changing die head for converting a co-extrusion apparatus

A method and apparatus for producing laminated products, such as candy, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of continuously forming a semifluid sheet of a first material on a longitudinally extending conveyor, depositing a semifluid second material on the sheet of the first material, continuously rolling the sheet from the edges thereof inwardly to form a double roll extending longitudinally along the conveyor, and flattening the roll into a laminated sheet product. The method further includes the steps of forming the sheet into a 'rope' of substantially smaller width than the sheet by folding the sheet over itself from the edges of the sheet and allowing the rope to move transversely across a slower moving conveyor so that the rope bunches up on the conveyor. The rope is then flattened by a roller. The method also includes the step of causing the sheet to longitudially fold over itself so as to form laminations. Additionally, the method includes the steps of dividing the laminated sheet product into longitudinally extending strips and transversely dividing the strips into individual product pieces. Apparatus for achieving the method is also disclosed.

Method for producing laminated products

A peanut applicator has a rotating cylindrical member with air passages therein. A vacuum pump draws air from an interior portion of the cylindrical member, air being drawn in through a plurality of air passages located between an inner surface of the cylindrical member and an outer surface having a groove therein. The groove has a generally semi-circular cross sectional shape. An extrudate rope passing beneath the cylindrical member in proximity to the groove will cause adhesion to articles which were retained by the vacuum of the air passageways in the groove. Upstanding walls are disposed in a fixed plate, the plate having an aperture therethrough communicating with the interior of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member being generally cup-shaped. The stationary member has two air passages therethrough for introduction of air into communicating air passageways in each of the upstanding walls; whereby introduction of air into the upstanding walls assists removal by applying air pressure to individual peanuts through said air passages so they will adhere to the extrudate rope.

Peanut applicator and process of making a confectionery product

Dough pieces for a baked product having an inner portion enveloped by a dissimilar outer portion are formed at a high production rate by continuously extruding two dissimilar materials to provide an extrudate rope composed of an inner core and an outer tube of different materials, depositing the extrudate rope on a continuously moving conveyor, cutting a double length section from the end of the rope with a blunt blade at one point along the conveyor, and on the same stroke dividing the double length section into individual dough pieces with a blunt blade.

High production method for forming filled edible products

A simple extrusion die is provided for converting a co-extrusion apparatus to a single-material extruder. The extruder has a pair of side-by-side outlets in a coupling member, an eccentric mounting plate of the die attaches to the coupling member, blocking one of the extruder outlets.

Die head for converting a co-extruder apparatus

A method and apparatus for producing laminated products, such as candy, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of continuously forming a semifluid sheet of a first material on a longitudinally extending conveyor, depositing a semifluid second material on the sheet of the first material, continuously rolling the sheet from the edges thereof inwardly to form a double roll extending longitudinally along the conveyor, and flattening the roll into a laminated sheet product. The method further includes the steps of forming the sheet into a 'rope' of substantially smaller width than the sheet by folding the sheet over itself from the edges of the sheet and allowing the rope to move transversely across a slower moving conveyor so that the rope bunches up on the conveyor. The rope is then flattened by a roller. The method also includes the step of causing the sheet to longitudinally fold over itself so as to form laminations. Addtionally, the method includes the steps of dividing the laminated sheet product into longitudinally extending strips and transversely dividing the strips into individual product pieces. Apparatus for achieving the method is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Glen Rock, NJ, United States of America

William J Simelunas