Abstract: An apparatus (1) for coating articles (5) includes an endless conveyer belt (4) for transporting the articles (5) to be coated through the apparatus (1). The liquid coating material circulates in a circulation direction in surplus through the apparatus (1) and freely flows in a downward direction to coat the articles (5). A tub (7) includes a run-off plate (9) being located below the endless conveyer belt (4) and being designed and arranged to collect the surplus coating material. A driven unit (17) is designed and arranged to assist the circulation of the surplus coating material being located on the run-off plate (9), and it includes a plurality of doctor blades (18) having lower edges. The doctor blades (18) are arranged above the run-off plate (9), and they extend in a transverse direction with respect to the surface of the run-off plate (9).

Abstract: A method of cleaning a coating apparatus for coating articles with chocolate masses and the like with hot water includes the steps of: filling water into a tub of the coating apparatus, wherein the coating apparatus includes a driven grating conveyer belt for receiving the articles to be coated including an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein the coating apparatus includes at least one aggregate being arranged in the upper region of the tub; pumping water out of the tub with at least one pump; and directing the substantially unpressurized water onto the grating conveyer belt and onto the at least one aggregate to be cleaned, the water having a temperature being higher than the melting temperature of the mass, the water flowing over the grating conveyer belt and the at least one aggregate and back into the tub in a substantially unpressurized manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying articles, especially sweets to be covered with a chocolate mass or a similar mass, includes a grid belt (1) including a plurality of straight bar portions (8) extending in a transverse direction with respect to a conveying direction (2). A plurality of meshes (9) interconnects the straight bar portions (8). A drive shaft (3) includes a plurality of gear wheels (4) being designed and arranged to engage the straight bar portions (8) and including disk-like enlargements (11) being located in a transverse direction with respect to the conveying direction (2) and in the region of the meshes (9). The disk-like enlargement (11) are designed and arranged to support the meshes (9). A motor is operatively connected to the drive shaft (3), and it is designed and arranged to drive the drive shaft (3) and to move the grid belt (1) in the conveying direction (2).

Abstract: A cooling tunnel (1) includes a driven conveyor belt (4) being designed and arranged to support articles of candy (6) and to convey them through the cooling tunnel (1) in a moving direction (5). A treating region (11) for articles of candy (6) is surrounded by an insolating plate (9) and by a cover (10). An upper cooling unit (13) is arranged in a region above the conveyor belt (4). The upper cooling unit (13) includes a channel being designed and arranged for cooling air to flow therethrough. A bottom cooling unit (12) is arranged in a region below the conveyor belt (4). The bottom cooling unit (12) includes a cooling plate (14) being designed and arranged for cooling liquid to flow therethrough. The cooling plate (14) in the treating region (11) is designed and arranged to be spaced apart from the insolating plate (9) in a vertical direction. A free space (16) is formed between the cooling plate (14) and the insolating plate (9).

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously tempering chocolate masses and the like includes a plurality of tempering chambers (17) including tempering surfaces (18) and being interconnected for the flow of a tempering medium. A plurality of mass chambers (7) is interconnected for the flow of the mass to be tempered, each of the mass chambers (7) being arranged between the tempering surfaces (18) of the tempering chambers (17). A plurality of driven mixing discs (6) has a radius, a circumference, an outer diameter, an inner diameter, a top side (10) and a bottom side (11). The mixing discs (6) are arranged inside the mass chambers (7), and they include openings (22) allowing for a passage of the mass to be tempered from the bottom side (11) toward the top side (10). A majority of mixing blades (12) is arranged at the top sides (10) and at the bottom sides (11) of the mixing discs (6) without continuous channels being formed between the mixing blades (12).

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously tempering chocolate masses and the like includes at least one tempering column (1) including a plurality of liquid chambers (17). The liquid chambers (17) include tempering surfaces (18), and they are interconnected for the flow of a tempering medium. A plurality of mass chambers (7) is arranged between the tempering surfaces (18) of the liquid chambers (17). The liquid chambers (17) and the mass chambers (7) form a cylinder. A plurality of mixing tools (6) is provided, each mixing tool (6) being arranged in one of the mass chambers (7), and each mixing tool (6) being connected to a driving shaft (3). A plurality of mass passages (26) is provided, each mass passage (26) interconnecting two adjacent mass chambers (7) for the flow of the mass to be tempered. Each of the mass passages (26) has the shape of an annular gap being connected to and surrounding the driving shaft (3).