Yeast cake tumbler

Abstract

A yeast cake device for reorienting yeast cakes by a tumbling operation has a single reciprocating part. The reciprocating part is a reciprocating ram having an upper arm and a lower arm. The upper arm serves to push articles to be tumbled across a first shelf. The tumbling occurs from the first half and onto the lower arm of the reciprocating ram. Upon retraction during a backstroke of the reciprocating ram, the article supported by the lower arm brings the article into engagement with the first shelf such that the article remains stationary while the lower arm moves beneath the article. During retraction, the center of gravity of the article lies beyond a free edge of the lower arm such that the article tumbles for a second time through a 90 degree revolution and onto a second shelf. During another stroke, the lower arm again engages the article so as to push the article onto a conveyor belt. In another embodiment, the upper arm is sufficiently longer to need no other articles present to tumble any other articles. In still another embodiment, the lower arm and the second shelf are not present, instead the conveyor belt is located under the first shelf and either a 90 degree rotation or a 180 degree rotation is caused.