Patents Assigned to A.C. Machines Limited
  • Patent number: 5391387
    Abstract: Partially formed products (2) are placed in molds (8) and a fluid such as air or an edible filler is injected into the partially formed products (2), e.g. by needles 17[see FIG. 6], so as to cause expansion and thereby produce final products (2) having the shape of the molds (8). Each mold (8) may comprise an upper mold part (14) and a lower mold part (11). The lower mold parts (11) may be mounted on a chain conveyor (9, 9b, 9c) [see FIG. 1] or a rotating cylinder (28) [see FIG. 12] so that the partially formed products (2) are moved towards and the final products (2) are moved away from a reciprocating assembly (12, 13) which carries the upper mold parts (14). Preferably, the final products (2) are retained in the upper mold parts (14) and then ejected by a blast of air. The invention enables complicated shapes to be formed at high production rates while using an economical amount of chocolate or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: A.C. Machines Limited
    Inventor: Michael D. Peters