Abstract: The specification discloses an apparatus for making confectionary or other shell goods by the method of filling a mold with a desired media and then inverting the mold to drain the media from the mold while leaving the mold coated by a layer of the media, thereby forming a hollow shell inside the mold. The mold travels through the apparatus on a conveyor. A sliding table is used to provide a turning point which defines the mechanism by which the mold is inverted. The sliding table receiprocates back and forth between extended and retracted positions along the direction of travel of the conveyor so that the speed of inverting the mold can be increased as the sliding table is retracted or decreased as the sliding table is extended.

Abstract: The invention relates to confectionery moulding apparatus through which moulds, each containing at least one mould cavity having minute holes in its base, are traversed successively by a conveyor. After filling with confectionery and subsequently cooling the moulds pass in inverted relation beneath a demoulding unit which blows air through the holes in the bases of the mould cavities to eject the confectionery from the cavities. To reduce the force required for demoulding each mould has a backing plate spaced from the perforated base of the mould cavity or each mould cavity to define an air chamber and the demoulding unit includes an air pipe which is brought into sealing engagement with a hole in the backing plate of each mould to deliver air into the chamber and so effect demoulding.

Abstract: Center-filled bars of confectionery are made by making successive deposits of shell and filling materials into adjoining cavities of moulds moved in succession beneath coaxial depositing nozzles. The cavities in each mould are separated by webs over which shell material overflows so that successive deposits join together to form in each mould a bar having a flat base.

Abstract: A depositor for effecting simultaneous deposition of two different confectionery materials into a mold beneath it to form in the mold a deposit consisting of a center surrounded by shell material, the depositor comprising separate hoppers disposed out of contact with one another and serving respectively for the reception of the two materials, an independently controllable heater associated with each hopper, conduits extending from the hoppers to a nozzle assembly constituted by coaxially disposed inner and outer nozzles disposed beneath the hoppers, and pumping mechanism for discharging material from one hopper through one conduit to the inner nozzle and from the other hopper through the other conduit to the outer nozzle, the inner nozzle being thermally insulated from the surrounding components and having an upper portion which extends above the nozzle assembly to provide a heat-dissipating surface.

Abstract: A depositor for effecting simultaneous deposition of two different confectionery materials into a mould beneath it. The depositor includes separate hoppers disposed out of contact with one another for the reception of the two materials, an independently controllable heater associated with each hopper, coaxially disposed inner and outer nozzles disposed beneath the hoppers, pumping mechanism for discharging material from one hopper to the inner nozzle and from the other hopper to the outer nozzle, and thermal insulation between the two nozzles.

Abstract: A mould for use in a confectionery moulding plant and consisting of a thin flexible sheet of plastics material which is vacuum or pressure formed with at least one moulding cavity extending downwardly from it and has at its sides downwardly extending flanges whereby it may be detachably secured to a supporting carrier frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for moulding confectionery, comprising a series of moulds, each of which is divided into a fixed half and a hinged half which is normally aligned with the fixed half, a conveyor for traversing the moulds in sequence past a filling station, through a cooling zone to a discharge station and back to the filling station, a depositor at the filling station which is arranged to deposit different materials into moulding cavities in each half of each mould, mechanism disposed at a folding station beyond the cooling zone for folding the hinged half of each mould about its hinge against the fixed half and effecting deposition of the contents of the moulding cavities thereof into the moulding cavities of the fixed half, mechanism disposed at a following unfolding station for returning the folded hinged half of each mould into alignment with its fixed half, and means for inverting the moulds prior to arrival at the discharge station and turning them right way up during their return to the filling station.