Patents by Inventor John Michael Leadbeater

John Michael Leadbeater has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9400056
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid food product. The apparatus comprises a fixed volume chamber for receiving the food product under a positive pressure, the chamber being defined by chamber walls, one of the chamber walls being provided with an outlet orifice for depositing the food product, the outlet orifice being provided with a first sealing surface. The apparatus also comprises a valve spindle arranged for reciprocating movement within the chamber, the length direction of the valve spindle extending substantially perpendicular to the chamber wall in which the outlet orifice is provided, a first end of the valve spindle being provided with a second sealing surface. The second sealing surface of the valve spindle is arranged for abutting the first sealing surface of the outlet orifice to thereby close the outlet orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: John Howard Walker, John Michael Leadbeater, Jonathan Sutton
  • Patent number: 8795751
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the manufacture of a chocolate piece or tablet having a core or cavity passing through the thickness of the piece or tablet which comprises a mold (10) comprising a surrounding wall (11) and base (12), a central aperture having a predetermined cross-sectional shape passing through the base, and a former (14) having a cross-sectional shape conforming to that of the central aperture adapted to reciprocate through the central aperture between a retracted position where its upper surface is level with the base (12) of the mold to an advanced position where its upper surface lies at any level from above the base of the mold to the top of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: John Michael Leadbeater, Nicolas Christian Mickael Gomes, Mikael Rota, Thierry Denis Fiaux, Patrick Couzens
  • Publication number: 20120276187
    Abstract: A medicated chewing gum tablet comprising at least two layers, a first layer prepared by compressing a gum base material and tablet base material, and a second layer prepared by compressing a tablet base material, wherein the second layer further comprises an active ingredient being a mineral salt, wherein the mineral is calcium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: BAGGER-SORENSEN & CO. A/S
    Inventors: JOHN MICHAEL LEADBEATER, VICTOR HEALD, NICHOLAS ALAN COOPER
  • Publication number: 20120160160
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a liquid, semi-liquid or semi-solid food product. The apparatus comprises a fixed volume chamber for receiving the food product under a positive pressure, the chamber being defined by chamber walls, one of the chamber walls being provided with an outlet orifice for depositing the food product, the outlet orifice being provided with a first sealing surface. The apparatus also comprises a valve spindle arranged for reciprocating movement within the chamber, the length direction of the valve spindle extending substantially perpendicular to the chamber wall in which the outlet orifice is provided, a first end of the valve spindle being provided with a second sealing surface. The second sealing surface of the valve spindle is arranged for abutting the first sealing surface of the outlet orifice to thereby close the outlet orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: NESTEC S.A.
    Inventors: John Howard Walker, John Michael Leadbeater, Jonathan Sutton
  • Publication number: 20110262598
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the manufacture of a chocolate piece or tablet having a core or cavity passing through the thickness of the piece or tablet which comprises a mould (10) comprising a surrounding wall (11) and base (12), a central aperture having a predetermined cross-sectional shape passing through the base, and a former (14) having a cross-sectional shape conforming to that of the central aperture adapted to reciprocate through the central aperture between a retracted position where its upper surface is level with the base (12) of the mould to an advanced position where its upper surface lies at any level from above the base of the mould to the top of the mould.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: NESTEC S.A.
    Inventors: John Michael Leadbeater, Nicolas Christian Mickael Gomes, Mikael Rota, Thierry Denis Fiaux, Patrick Couzens
  • Publication number: 20110027415
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of preparing a wafer by baking a batter which comprises preparing a batter mix comprising at least flour and water, feeding the batter mix intermittently in a batter stream to a batter depositor (22) which deposits batter onto a heated baking surface (23) wherein at an injection point in the batter stream immediately upstream of the batter depositor, at least one further batter ingredient is added to the batter mix to form the batter, depositing a portion of the batter onto the heated baking surface (23) to bake the batter in contact with the heated baking surface for a period of from 20 seconds to 5 minutes, at 130° C. to 220° C. to form the wafer, and removing the wafer from the heated baking surface characterized in that the batter is fed through an in-line mixing device (19) fitted at or downstream of the injection point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: NESTEC S.A.
    Inventors: Rodolfo De Acutis, John Michael Leadbeater
  • Patent number: 6616956
    Abstract: A coated high-boiled confection and a method for making the coated high-boiled confection. The coated high-boiled confection includes a coating of a solid fat or fat derivative, having a melting point of from about 25° C. to 65° C., that is applied directly to the surface of the high-boiled confection. The coating is applied to the surface by melting the coating, applying the coating to the surface of the high-boiled confection, and cooling the high-boiled confection to solidify the coating on the high-boiled confection. The coating reduces the stickiness of the high-boiled confection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Cristiana Soldani, Andrew Steve Whitehouse, John Michael Leadbeater
  • Patent number: 6261620
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding and fast chilling food products, preferably confectionery products. The method involves sequentially depositing a solidifiable food substance into one or molds that are part of a plurality of molds radially attached to a chilled roller while the molds are in a substantially horizontal position. The chilled roller is then rotated to move the one or more molds filled with the food substance into contact with a conveyor belt sufficiently soon after the solidifiable food substance is deposited in the molds so as to avoid the exterior surface of the food substance from becoming distorted when the molds move away from the horizontal. The chilled roller at least partly solidifies the food substance in the molds. The at least partially solidified food substance is then separated from the molds onto the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: John Michael Leadbeater
  • Publication number: 20010003005
    Abstract: A coated high-boiled confection and a method for making the coated high-boiled confection. The coated high-boiled confection includes a coating of a solid fat or fat derivative, having a melting point of from about 25° C. to 65° C., that is applied directly to the surface of the high-boiled confection. The coating is applied to the surface by melting the coating, applying the coating to the surface of the high-boiled confection, and cooling the high-boiled confection to solidify the coating on the high-boiled confection. The coating reduces the stickiness of the high-boiled confection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Inventors: Cristiana Soldani, Andrew Steve Whitehouse, John Michael Leadbeater
  • Patent number: 6129940
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making food articles such as chocolate articles. The method comprises providing first and second surfaces with cavities that are capable of alignment, depositing a first food in the form of a solidifiable liquid into the cavities of the first surface, depositing a second food in the form of a solidifiable liquid into the cavities of the second surface, aligning the cavities by moving the first and second surfaces toward each other, thus contacting the first food in the first cavities with the second food in the second cavities, and separating the aligned cavities to obtain food articles, wherein the first food comprises a first part of each food article and is joined to the second food which comprises a second part of each food article. The invention also relates to an apparatus for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: John Michael Leadbeater