Patents Assigned to Otto Hansel GmbH
  • Patent number: 5167981
    Abstract: A method of continuously producing hard-candy masses from an aqueous solution of starting ingredients by boiling and condensing the solution, subjecting it to a vacuum, condensing it further and cooling it, adding flavorings, dyes, etc., and finally cooling it again and shaping it into candy. The starting ingredients are sugar substitutes and the solution is subjected to a vacuum as early as while it is being boiled and while it is being condensed and will accordingly have a temperature that is low enough for conventional flavorings, a viscosity that is high enough for conventional cooling and tempering, and a low enough residual-water content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Mergelsberg, Joe De Vilchez-Kehr, Jurgen Schluter, Klaus Markwardt
  • Patent number: 5109650
    Abstract: A method of distributing articles (10), especially such pieces of candy as slabs and bars of chocolate, pralines, etc., that are constantly arriving in transverse rows on a continuous conveyor to several packaging machines (1), whereby the articles are transferred one row at a time by means of a shunt (5) to either an upstream or a downstream packaging machine, arrayed in a row on an outtake belt (7) upstream of each packaging machine, and packaged in each packaging machine. The articles are when necessary supplied to and temporarily stored one row at a time in a buffer (2) in the vicinity of one or more operational or non-operational packaging machines by way of another shunt (6) that is independent of the first shunt and in that, when the capacity of the buffers is exceeded, they are unloaded in sequence by supplying their contents to operational packaging machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Hogenkamp
  • Patent number: 5030469
    Abstract: A method for producing an aerated confectionery foam from a sugar solution and a foam-promoting solution. The aerated confectionery foam is produced batch by batch using a boiler and a beater. The sugar solution is boiled in the boiler and transferred to the beater. The aerated confectionery foam is formed from the foam-promoting solution and the boiled sugar solution, and removed from the beater through pressure application. The foam-promoting solution is beaten in a vacuum either by itself or along with the boiled sugar solution. The pressure in the beater during the beating procedure is sub-atmospheric. The aerated confectionery foam is produced with small and finely distributed bubbles. The pressure during beating the foam-promoting solution differs from the pressure at which the aerated confectionery foam solidifies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Mergelsberg
  • Patent number: 4960198
    Abstract: A conveyor with one belt (10) that is operated at one speed (V.sub.1) and advances pieces of candy (3) distributed in rows (5) at one interval (6) across the direction (2) of travel and with another belt (26) that is operated at a speed (V.sub.2) that differs from the first speed and with the rows of candy deposited on it at an interval (7') that differs from the first interval. The facing points (24 and 30) of deflection of the first and second belt are positioned on a driven carriage (15) and create a migrating transfer point. An auxiliary belt (20) is positioned on the carriage between the two deflection points and has a drive mechanism that can be shifted between two auxiliary speeds in accordance with the direction that the carriage is moving in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Hogenkamp
  • Patent number: 4924764
    Abstract: An arrangement for batchwise production of aerated sugar masses, in which a separate cooker is connected to a pressure beating machine for boiling a sugar solution to be aerated at atmospheric pressure without subsequent vacuum treatment in the cooker. The boiled solution is transferred into the pressure beating machine where it is vacuumized by an additional boiling under vacuum to obtain a substantially viscous sugar mass. The solution in the pressure beating machine is then mixed after vacuumizing with added whipping agent solution. Thereafter, the mixed solution is beat in the pressure beating machine, and compressed air is added to produce an aerated sugar mass that consists substantially of cooked and vacuumized sugar solution, whipping agent solution, and air. The vacuumizing and the beating are carried out only in the pressure beating machine. The vacuumizing reduces the water content of the sugar mass through vaporization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Markwardt, Reinhard Mergelsberg
  • Patent number: 4897983
    Abstract: A wrapper for tabular products, especially chocolate bars. The wrapper consists of a one-piece blank wrapped asymmetrically around the bar to create a facing and of a tube of wrapping material established by a longitudinal sealing seam adjacent to one side of the bar and closed at the ends of the bar by a bellows. The bellows encompasses the longitudinal sealing seam as part of the tube of wrapping material and is wrapped around onto the lower surface of the bar to create an inner flap. The facing covers up areas of the bellows and is secured to the portion of the tube of wrapping material adjacent to the lower surface of the bar. The blank (7) is rectangular. The facing (25) is created by folding in the inner flaps (24) in such a way that both the facing and the inner flap are free of any part of the longitudinal sealing seam (11). The bellows is bridged by a transverse sealing seam (21) located in one area of the bellows that is wrapped against the lower surface (3) of the bar (1) and covered by the facing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hogenkamp, Gert Wostbrock
  • Patent number: 4892181
    Abstract: A method of and a device for aligning products like slabs and bars of chocolate or pastries on a conveyor belt by a retainer rod. The retainer rod descends from a raised position to between two adjacent rows of confections, travels along with the conveyor belt but at a lower speed, and, once the rows of confections have been aligned, accelerates, rises, and returns to its initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Hogenkamp
  • Patent number: 4874076
    Abstract: Method of and device for transferring packages like bags, blister packs, etc. from a packaging machine to a further-processing mahcine, a box-packing machine for example, wherein a small portion of the packages released by the packaging machine are automatically transferred to a supply shaft by a transfer device and most of the packages are provided to the downstream further-processing machine by the transfer device, whereby the packages diverted upstream of the transfer device are replaced with packages obtained from the supply shaft by the transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Kaplan, Gerhard Grube
  • Patent number: 4867999
    Abstract: Method of and device for heat-treating candy masses with heat exchangers. A gas, compressed air for instance, is injected subject to regulation of its pressure and volume into the mass before the latter enters the heat exchanger. The result is a regulated turbulence inside the heat exchanger that makes the heat transfer more efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Mergelsberg, Jose de Vilchez, Klaus Markwardt, Jurgen Schluter
  • Patent number: 4774100
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the batchwise production of aerated sweets in a pressure-beating machine, wherein--according to the invention--the sugar mass to be aerated is boiled with the omission of an underpressure treatment, is conducted to the pressure-beating container and brought in this to the required residual water content and the required further processing temperature at underpressure before the beating, whereupon a beating of the mass takes place in the pressure-beating machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Markwardt, Reinhard Mergelsberg
  • Patent number: 4724997
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of manufacturing packaging for bar-shaped articles, especially chocolate bars, whereby a blank of wrapping material that is to be wrapped around both longitudinal sides of the bar is cut out in accordance with the invention at one longitudinal side of the bar at both ends of the bar to match its length and wrapped around the bar along with the remaining part of the blank and welded or glued along one lateral edge of the bar to create a tube of wrapping material, subsequent to which the tube of wrapping material extending beyond the ends of the bar is closed in a face fold at both ends, wrapped over the wrapped face folds (6) leaving white-line matter (3) over one complete side of the bar, and secured to the wrapper by gluing or welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hogenkamp, Gerd Wostbrock
  • Patent number: 4670279
    Abstract: Methods and devices for wrapping essentially flat products of the luxury-comestibles or foodstuffs industry, especially squares or bars of chocolate, in packaging foil or film. The object is tubular packaging, especially the inner wrapping of squares or bars of chocolate at high machine output without especially stressing the particular packaging foil while maintaining a low level of packaging-material consumption. This is attained in that the webs of foil are transported by means of an intermittently direct connection between foil web and pushers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Lesch
  • Patent number: 4666730
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for continuously processing boiled and vacuumized confectinery masses, especially bonbon masses like hard and soft caramel masses, fondant masses, etc., in a mixer, which the mass being processed travels through while simultaneously being supplied with compressed air, whereby the inside of the mixer is kept pressurized in accordance with the invention by regulating the mixer outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Mergelsberg
  • Patent number: 4660350
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for synchronizing a series of packaging machines positioned along a chain conveyor, expecially in the confections industry, that is intended for use when articles are to be packaged individually in one packaging machine and supplied to a downstream packaging machine for packaging as a set, characterized in that a chain-and-pusher buffer is interposed in the chain-conveyor section (C) connecting two (A & B) of the packaging machines and carrying the pushers (6) for the individually packaged articles (1) and in that each packaging machine (A & B) has its own chain-drive mechanism (8 and 9 respectively), both of which are connected to one set of electronic controls that carry out the synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Firma Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Hogenkamp
  • Patent number: 4624100
    Abstract: A device for continuously feeding (synchronizing) essentially flat articles of the luxury-food or food industry, especially bars or strips of chocolate, to a packaging machine, in which carriers in a transport assembly introduce the articles into a tube of wrapping material and shape them into individual packages with it, characterized in that an infeed (25) for the articles (1) that operates transversely with respect to and is synchronized with a transport mechanism (3a) that operates at a constant speed and is equipped with carriers (3) is positioned upstream of the transport mechanism and in that buffers (30) for the articles arriving on the infeed are positioned between the carriers and controlled in such a way that the articles will enter the tube (5) of wrapping material in sequence and in a direction derived from the infeed and transport directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Lesch
  • Patent number: 4615890
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of constructing a plastic rope used in the manufacture of hard bonbons with a stratified core that is made out of multiple layers of plastic sugar and plastic filling. The ropes are brought independently of one another to a predetermined thickness and width. Plastic filling is constantly applied to at least one of the ropes and rolled into it from the side in such a way as to produce a tube that is closed into itself and that, after being dimensioned, is pushed along laterally into the rope of plastic coating with the edges overlapping in such a way that they adhere together. The accordingly prepared ropes are then introduced together into a rope shaper (conical roller), stretched farther horizontally if necessary, and supplied to the cutting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Jose Vilchez, Reinhard Mergelsberg, Jurgen Schluter, Harmut Hagen
  • Patent number: 4615164
    Abstract: Packaging machine in which the introduction of wrapping material is shaped in such a way that the material can be conveyed to the lower plunger of the packaging machine at minimal expense and over the shortest possible tong path. This object is attained in that the device for supplying the articles and the equipment for introducing the wrapping material operate toward each other in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hogenkamp, Manfred Schumann
  • Patent number: 4352265
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for producing bar packages from individually wrapped sweets. The apparatus comprises a sweets holder extending into the path of movement of the sweet grippers of the packing head and revolving continuously at the same speed as the packing head, a stack former with bar packing means adjacent thereto and transfer means disposed between sweets holder and stack former and which forms from the individually wrapped sweets which are fed continuously and one after another to the sweets holder a rod of sweets in the stack former, the rod or bar of sweets then being enclosed in an outer wrapper in the bar packing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1982
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Hansel, Hans Lesch, Hans-Bernd Lesch
  • Patent number: 4282964
    Abstract: A device for transferring articles arriving in transverse rows on a feed conveyor, especially confectionery goods, such as chocolate bars or wafers, pralines, etc., to at least two processing sites. The transfer device includes a transfer belt pivotably mounted for alignment with the plane of a delivery belt and the plane of a removal belt, and thereby transfers articles between the two belts. The removal belt is at a level different from that of the delivery belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Otto Hansel GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Hogenkamp, Gert Wostbrock