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: Apparatus for transferring batches of biscuits (11) in succession from a magazine (10) to the infeed conveyor (28) of a wrapping machine which includes a transfer unit which includes a platform (15), a support (17) for the batch (12) of biscuits to be transferred, a jaw (21) and side clamps (24). After transfer of a batch of biscuits to the transfer unit at a loading station, the jaw and the clamps are applied to the batch. The transfer unit then moves to a discharge position at which the jaw and the clamps are withdrawn to allow the biscuits to fall onto a deadplate (26).

Abstract: In order to improve the thermal efficiency of a multi-zone, indirect-heated, travelling baking oven, with a closed-circuit gas heating system which heats at least the major part of the length of the oven and which includes at least two heaters which are spaced apart in the direction of gas flow in the heating system, the gas flow is passed along the bottom of the oven to adjacent the delivery end of the oven and then back along the top of the oven, the temperature generally falling throughout the circuit so that the maximum bottom heat is adjacent the input end of the oven and the maximum top heat is adjacent the delivery end of the oven.

Abstract: Apparatus for turning over a procession of articles of generally rectangular shape and having opposite longer and shorter sides, comprises a feed conveyor including pushers which engage successive articles in the procession to advance them in an upright condition along a dead plate, a support platform, disposed beyond the end of the dead plate, for supporting the undersurfaces of the articles as they leave the dead plate and continue to be advanced by the pushers, the support platform and the pushers having a relative movement effective to cause the articles to topple forwardly in succession from the support platform, and a support positioned to receive in a lying condition the articles toppling forwardly from the support platform at a level permitting further conveyance along it of the articles by the pushers.

Abstract: An apparatus for inhibiting the gross build up of a cold setting foundry sand mixture in a mixing machine in which a fluid inhibitor is discharged into the machine while the machine is substantially empty to prevent or retard the setting of the foundry sand mixture.

Abstract: A processor has a working receptacle with a part-spherical internal wall. There is a working element which can execute either simple rotary motion about a single axis or planetary motion about two axes which intersect at the geometric center of the part-spherical internal wall. There are control means for enabling simple rotary motion or planetary motion to be effected.Dough is worked by hydrating the mix and then completing development at a substantially greater energy input rate. The hydration stage can be considered as being carried out at such an energy input rate that substantial relaxation of the dough occurs, the development completion stage being considered to be carried out at an energy input rate at which no substantial relaxation of the dough occurs. Alternatively, in a more specific idea, the hydration stage is carried out using a working element with a planetary motion and the development completion stage is carried out using a working element with simple rotary motion.

Abstract: In the manufacture of sweets from a continuous rope of toffee or like confectionery material and the wrapping thereof in suitable wrapping material, it is customary to ensure that the feed of the rope is interfered with in the event of any interference with the supply of wrapping material. The present invention provides such interference by substantially instantaneously removing driving contact between the rope and the rope-driving surface, thus substantially preventing unwrapped sweets from coming into contact with the wrapping elements.

Abstract: A sweet-forming and wrapping machine includes feed rollers for feeding a rope of candy to a cutting mechanism and mechanism for transferring sweets cut from the leading end of the rope to a wrapping wheel, a wrapper being fed into the path of transfer of each sweet to the wrapping wheel. A detector operates in response to failure of the wrapper feed to stop the machine and also to divert the rope instantaneously out of its normal path of travel towards the cutting mechanism.

Abstract: A skin package wherein an article is enclosed between layers of thermoplastic film joined by heat sealing around the perimeter of the article and including at one side a strip, enclosed between the layers and projecting from them, which is heat sealed to one layer only and is non-adherent or only lightly adherent to the other layer.

Abstract: A rotor has a coaxial hollow casing with a plurality of concentric radially spaced sieves or screens therein. At least one light phase liquid inlet tube has communication with the radially outer portion of the rotor chamber, and at least one heavy phase liquid inlet tube has communication with the radially inner portion of the rotor chamber to supply light and heavy phase fluids, respectively to the chamber casing. The heavy phase liquid moves radially outward and is removed from the outermost portion of the rotor chamber while the light phase liquid moves radially inwardly and is removed from the radially inner portion of the rotor chamber. The machine is constructed with concentric, radially open distributor or dispersing trays within the rotor chamber communicating directly with each of the light and heavy phase liquid inlet tubes.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding a number of wrapping machines with chocolate bars or the like, produced continuously and advancing end-on in a procession in more or less regular files and rows comprising a series of successive modules which feed the individual wrapping machines. The modules are preceded by a separator which channels the procession into separate lanes. The modules form part of a conveyor system which advances the articles continuously along a horizontal path. The modules operate in succession to lift the articles in the associated lane from the horizontal path and deliver them to an intermittently travelling cross conveyor leading to one of the wrapping machines. When any packaging machine is unable to accept articles, the articles lifted by its module are returned to the horizontal feed path and the cross conveyor of that module is stopped.

Abstract: A depositor deposits cooked toffee into a series of advancing moulds by means of a pump which pumps the toffee through the outer nozzle of a pair of concentric nozzles. After each discharge stroke of the pump, a pulse of heated compressed air is blown through the inner nozzle to separate the deposited portion of toffee from the toffee remaining in the nozzle.

Abstract: Apparatus for drying printed web material comprises a chamber housing a fan disposed within a casing, the casing having a fan inlet open to the interior of the chamber. An outlet duct is provided for discharging drying flow of air from the fan to outside the chamber. A heater is provided for heating said flow, and means are provided for directing the heated air on to the printed web. A collector hood is provided for collecting the solvent mixture resulting from the web-drying operation. First and second outlet ducts allow outflow of the collected solvent mixture from the collector hood, the first outlet duct being connected to the inlet of the fan by way of the chamber interior. A fresh air inlet duct is also connected to the chamber interior, and separate valves in the form of louvres are provided for controlling flow through the first and second outlet ducts as well as the fresh air inlet duct.

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 wrapping machine comprising an intermittently rotating wrapping wheel having individual pockets for receiving in succession an article to be wrapped and a wrapper, the wrapping wheel being operative during its rotation to fold the wrappers partially around the articles and to bring the pockets, each containing a partially wrapped article, in succession to a transfer station, and a continuously moving conveyor carrying a series of pushers, said pushers being arranged to move through the pockets of the wrapping wheel in succession as they reach and while they are stationary at the transfer station, to withdraw the partially wrapped articles from the pockets and traverse them in succession through a final wrapping station at which the wrap is completed.

Abstract: A wrapping machine having feed rollers for introducing a web of wrapping material into a wrapping mechanism and including a reel changing device comprising a support mounted on the machine frame, mountings on the support for two reels of wrapping material, guiding means on the support for guiding the webs from the two reels to respective separate draw-off points, the support being movable with respect to the machine frame between alternative positions, in one of which the draw-off point of one web is close to the feed rollers and in the other of which the draw-off point of the other web is close to the feed rollers, and means for locking the support to the machine frame in each of its two alternative positions, the mountings for the reels and the guiding means for the reels being so disposed that, when one reel is feeding wrapping material, a replacement reel placed on the other mounting is accessible to enable the web thereon to be fed through its guiding means to its draw-off point.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the gross build up of a cold setting foundry sand mixture in a mixing machine in which a fluid inhibitor is discharged into the machine while the machine is substantially empty to prevent or retard the setting of the foundry sand mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of lollipops or like sweets directly from a rope of toffee or the like which briefly comprises feeding the toffee rope into register with successive pockets of a forming conveyor for a leading portion of the rope to be severed and received by each pocket in turn to form an individual sweet, sticks being inserted successively into the sweets thus formed to complete the individual lollipops. An object of the invention is to ensure that the positional relationship between the stick and the sweet is accurately maintained during the various steps in the formation of the lollipop. This object is achieved according to the invention by resiliently nipping each stick against a guiding surface at each stage in the formation of the lollipop from the stick-inserting position to the delivery of the completed lollipop.

Abstract: A rotary moulding machine for biscuit dough of the kind comprising a pair of co-operating rolls defining the bottom of a dough hopper, one roll having an embossed surface for feeding dough downwardly and into contact with the surface of the other or moulding roll which is formed with moulding recesses, and a scraper blade mounted to bear against the surface of the latter roll so as to press dough into the moulding recesses and remove excess dough from the remainder of the surface, includes the improvement that the scraper blade is carried by a pivoted mounting capable of infinitely variable adjustment along a path which guides the mounting in a direction having at least a substantial vertical component and a biasing arrangement is provided which exerts a turning moment on the mounting about the pivotal axis so as to press the scraper blade against the surface of the moulding roll.