Apparatus For Making And Dispensing Aerated Food Products

Abstract

The apparatus includes a motor-driven pump having an inlet connected both to an air intake and to an unpressurized liquid product container, whereby the liquid product and air are simultaneously drawn into the pump. The pump outlet is connected to a static homogenizer which emulsifies the liquid and air mixture. The aerated product is then fed to a flexible tube having a dispensing device at its outlet end. Various dispensing devices are a forcing bag, a decorating head, or a hollow spear. Pneumatically operated means is provided for automatically discharging the aerated product from a forcing bag.

Description

The method includes operating a pump to draw in liquid food product and air simultaneously and discharge them through a static homogenizer to emulsify the same, directing the aerated food product through a flexible hose to a dispensing device, and dispensing the aerated food product on a succession of confectionery or into a sachet or closed cake.

One method of depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product, such as whipped cream, on or into a succession of units of pastry, cakes or other confectionary to decorate or fill them is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,202. This method consists of pumping a continuing flow, that is a continuous or continual flow, of the product through a flexible hose to a collapsible forcing bag having an open discharge tip. The tip is moved over a unit to deposit the product on or into it in a prescribed pattern by alternately compressing the bag to cause it to collapse partially and reduce the capacity of the bag, so that the material is extruded from the tip, and then at least partially releasing the compression on the bag to interrupt the flow of product from the tip without interrupting the supply of product to the bag while moving the tip to the next unit, and so on.

In a particular example described in the earlier patent the pump which pumped the product along the hose to the bag consisted of a reciprocating pump which pumped the already whipped product out of an open hopper to which the whipped emulsion was fed from a whipping machine. This was necessary until the advent of the latest new concept, because at that time the emulsion produced by all whipping machines was unstable and there was inevitably a separation leading to air voids in the product. If the product with these air voids was pumped directly through the hose to the bag, it would result in an enormous amount of spluttering when the air voids irregularly reached the bag outlet and this resulted in the production of unacceptable unsalable cripples. Also the use of the special apparatus incorporating a hopper and pump in addition to the whipping machine, caused the requirement of the two machines (see for example my U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,906) and caused the overall apparatus to be expensive, to take a lot of room, and a lot of labor time to clean.

I now appreciate that the development of a new kind of whipping machine which has a pump which simultaneously draws in liquid product and air and discharges them through a static narrow orifice homogenizer has eliminated the need for the use of the two separate and thus expensive whipping and pumping apparatus. An improved version of this type of machine is shown and described in my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 883,867, filed Dec. 10, 1969. The new machine produces a whipped emulsion product which is uniquely and extremely stable and substantially air void free and can be piped directly from the whipping machine outlet into and through both the tube, and the savoy bag and directly onto or into cakes, pastries, doughnuts, cream puffs, and the like, thus eliminating waste in the form of unusable goods. All this results in the following advantages of the present invention: (1) a reduction in cost of equipment, (2) the elimination of sanitation difficulties, (3) a saving in labor and (4) a reduced price to the consumer.

I also appreciate that the product piped from the new machine need not be dispensed through the collapsible bag previously referred to but may be dispensed through other kinds of dispensing devices, such as a hollow spear, which can be mounted in a fixed position relative to the machine or hand held as a probe, a multiple outlet decorating head, or a hand-held dispensing gun. A hollow spear may also be coupled to a bag outlet so that manipulation of the bag controls the flow of product through the spear.

In accordance with the present invention therefore a method of depositing stiff fluent aerated food product on a succession of units of pastry, cakes, or other confectionary, or into, for example, a sachet or closed cake, to decorate or fill them, comprises operating a pump so that liquid product from an unpressurized container and air are simultaneously drawn into the pump and are discharged under pressure through a homogenizer in which the mixture of liquid product and air is emulsified and then directly through a flexible hose, which is connected in series with the homogenizer, to a dispensing device outlet at the end of the hose remote from the homogenizer.

The invention also includes broadly apparatus for depositing such stiff fluent aerated food product the apparatus comprising a pump which is driven by a motor and which has an inlet connected both to an air intake and through a suction tube to an unpressurized liquid product container whereby in use liquid product and air are simultaneously drawn into the pump, the pump having an outlet connected to an inlet of a homogenizer which causes emulsification of the mixture and an outlet of which is connected to an end of a flexible hose the other end of which is provided with a dispensing device.

I find that the best results are produced if the homogenizer is a static homogenizer providing a large number of labyrinthine flow passage ways through a large number of small orifices or interstices in the homogenizer.

The pump is preferably associated with a portioning system whereby a predetermined portion of product is automatically deposited in each cycle of operation.

The product flowing from the homogenizer may be divided so that it passes equally through two, three, four, or more separate hoses in parallel. The division of the product into the various hoses may be produced by means of a common header into which the homogenizer discharges the product. Preferably however an adapter is used, the adapter having one or more internal webs which divide the product flow without appreciably changing its direction of flow, and means for directing the divided flows to separate outlet connections to which the upstream ends of the hoses are arranged to be connected. The adapter is fitted as closely as possible to the homogenizer and its internal dimensions and outlet connections are such that the divided flows enter the separate hoses before any appreciable expansion of the product takes place after whipping in the homogenizer. Thus the aggregate cross section of the divided flows should be substantially the same as that of the product flow before division.

In order that the machine may be able to supply a minimum to maximum flow rate of product to a different number of hoses, the machine preferably has a variable output rate. Most simply this involves the use of a pump with a variable speed.

If thin walled, the hose may be reinforced to prevent kinking by means of a spring wire helix as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,202. Alternatively and preferably the flexible hose may have a comparatively small internal diameter, for example between 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch, and a comparatively large wall thickness, for example 1/16 of an inch. Such a hose can be twisted and snaked without fear of kinking and has the additional advantage that its comparatively small bore ensures a "first in, first out" condition for the product passing through the hose. Also the comparatively large wall thickness of such a hose gives it sufficient rigidity for a dispensing device, such as a thin walled collapsible bag, to be clamped directly around the downstream end of the hose.

As mentioned above the dispensing device may be a collapsible forcing bag having an open discharge tip. The tip is moved over a unit to deposit the product on or into it in a prescribed pattern by alternately compressing the bag to cause it to collapse partially and reduce the capacity of the bag, so that the product is extruded from the tip, and then at least partially releasing the compression on the bag to interrupt the flow of product from the tip without interrupting the supply of product to the bag while moving the tip to the next unit, and so on.

The hose and bag may be coupled together by means of an adapter piece, for example as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,202, or the upstream neck of the bag may be clamped directly around the downstream end of the hose. Alternatively the hose and bag may be shaped and formed integrally with one another, either as a single integral moulding or by welding.

The bag may take a number of different shapes. For example the bag may be substantially tubular of larger diameter than the hose. Preferably however the bag diverges from its connection with the hose and tapers to the discharge outlet. This latter shape is particularly convenient since the larger diameter portion of the bag can be readily compressed at intervals to control the intermittent extrusion of the product through the discharge tip.

The liquid product before emulsification will normally be withdrawn from a refrigerated container and it is important that the product after emulsification remains cold right up to the outlet of the dispensing device. Particularly if the bag is being manipulated manually, there will be a tendency for the heat of the operator's hand to be conducted through the thin wall of the bag to the product passing through the bag and in order to minimize this heat conduction some form of insulation is desirable. Such insulation may be provided by making the bag double walled, the inner wall forming the bag proper and the outer wall providing an insulating air space between the two bags. The outer wall is then preferably perforated to encourage an airflow through the space. Another solution is for the operator to wear a loose-fitting glove, such as a synthetic plastic glove, which preferably has the tips of its fingers open and an opening in the back of the glove to promote airflow through the glove.

Although the bag may be manipulated and intermittently compressed manually as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,202, the capacity of the bag may be adjustable by selectively inflating a part fitted to the bag so that the extrusion of the product from the bag is automatically varied accordingly. The inflatable part may be an inflatable ring surrounding the bag or an inflatable inner bag inside the bag. The inflation of the part may be controlled on an automatic cycle programmed into the apparatus or it may be controlled by the operator either through a fingerpiece or pedal. When the bag is fitted with such an inflatable part it may still be manually manipulated over the confectionary but this is then unnecessary and it may be mounted on a fixed support to work in conjunction with a conveyor on which the confections are carried past the apparatus.

In order completely to avoid the danger of sputtering from the dispensing device, as a result of an isolated air void separating from the product passing down the hose, as a result perhaps of an unusually long stoppage, the wall of the bag, or of the hose, or of a coupling piece interconnecting the hose and bag, may be provided with a minute venting hole or holes leading outwardly into an expansion space at atmospheric pressure. Preferably the venting hole or holes lead into an expansion chamber which is at atmospheric pressure and which is arranged to contain any product escaping with the air.

When, instead of being a collapsible forcing bag, the dispensing device is a hollow spear, the spear preferably has a valve at its downstream end which opens against a resilient loading when aerated product is forced by the pump through the spear.

The spear is a very useful and adaptable piece of equipment. It may be temporarily or permanently fixed on a mounting so that it extends horizontally, vertically downwardly, or at any other angle relative to the machine, or it may be held in the hand and, utilizing the flexibility of the hose, used as a maneuverable probe. The tip of the spear can be inserted into so-called closed cakes, such as choux buns, puffs, eclairs, or doughnuts. This provides the possibility of filling closed cakes with for example whipped cream by means of a single apparatus which takes in liquid cream and dispenses the whipped cream directly into the cake. The spear may also be used to fill insulated or noninsulated containers and opens up the possibility of filling at a retail outlet for the household users convenience and novelty, a squeezable flexible plastic or other sachet with aerated products so that the sachet can be taken home by the customer, and the aerated product extruded from the sachet for cake decorating or filling purposes.

In use a closed cake or the neck of a sachet is placed over the end of a spear so that the tip of the spear extends into the cake or sachet whereupon the pump is started and the aerated product is discharged through the spear into the cake or sachet. When the cake or sachet is full the pump is stopped and the spear and cake or sachet are removed from one another. As soon as the pump is stopped and the pressure causing discharge of the aerated product diminishes, the valve closes, and prevents the product from continuing to ooze or drip out of the tip of the spear. This important action leaves the spear tip clean and prevents messing up the succeeding cakes or sachets when being filled. In the case of a cake, the dispensing of a predetermined portion of the product as previously mentioned is important. In the case of a sachet, as the sachet fills up it is slowly pushed or drawn off the spear and when the sachet is full the neck of the sachet is capped or otherwise sealed. For this purpose the apparatus may be provided with a heat sealing device. At home the customer removes the cap or unseals the neck of the sachet and using the neck of the sachet as is, or after applying an auxiliary decorating adapter, squeezes the sachet to extrude the aerated product from the sachet again.

Although the sachet filling use of the apparatus is suitable for use in a shop where a customer can see his sachet filled with freshly prepared product, it may equally well be used for factory preparation of filled sachets or other containers, since the machine produces an aerated product which is extremely stable and provided the sachet or other container is sealed in an airtight manner, the filled units are fit for use over a long period.

The spear is most simply a long thin metal tube having a screw or clamp coupling at one end for connection to the downstream end of the hose. The tip of the spear is preferably formed with outlet apertures which discharge the product with a lateral, and preferably both a lateral and forward component, of flow. This is important when filling a closed cake since the product discharged laterally in different directions will tend to rupture the thin internal membrane webs within the cake and ensure that the cake is well filled with cream or other product. It also simplifies the filling of a sachet without the retention of any unwanted air pockets at the bottom of the sachet. One way in which these apertures can be formed is by making for example two, three, or four circumferentially spaced inclined cuts across the end of the tube from which the spear is formed so that axially extending pointed tongues are formed, the tongues then being towards one another at the narrow points.

The valve at the tip of the spear may consist of an annular seating facing downstream and a closure member, for example in the form of a ball or a body of lozenge or projectile shape in axial section, which is urged backwards toward the seating to close the valve but which opens by moving downstream away from the seating when product is forced under pressure through the seating. The urging may be provided for example by a filament, such as a wire, which is connected to the closure body and extends through the seating inside the spear to an anchorage at the upstream end of the spear, the wire being part of or fitted with a tension spring. Alternatively a helically coiled compression spring may be provided on the downstream side of the closure member. In this case the spring would be located in a tip portion of the spear in which the outlet apertures are formed and which is integral with or fixed or screwed or otherwise coupled to the end of the spear in which the seating is formed. Easing of the tip portion, either by bending the tongues or removing the tip, would then enable the closure member and spring to be readily removed for cleaning purposes.

The spear may be provided with a short extension in the form of a resilient tube which is expanded as the product is forced through it. If the tube tends to close completely under its own resilience when the pump is stopped it may form the valve proper but alternatively it may be used in addition to another valve in the tip of the spear and act as an extra safeguard against dripping or oozing.

When the spear is manipulated manually and used as a probe, it is preferably surrounded by a handle of thermally insulating material, to minimize conduction from the operator's hand to the product passing through the spear. When used as a probe the spear may be used to fill closed cakes within containers without the need to lift them out of the containers, thus avoiding rehandling several times as has previously been necessary. This creates an enormous saving in labor costs.

The spear may be provided with an off-loading device which surrounds the spear and incorporates a helically coiled compression spring whereby when the tip of the spear is inserted into an open cake, the spring is compressed and tends to push the cake off the tip of the spear again. This enables the spear to be withdrawn from one cake without the danger of the cake remaining on the tip of the spear.

The new kind of machine may not have sufficient product output rate to enable its outlet to be fitted with a multiple star decorating head so that a pie, cake, gateau, trifle, or other confection having a diameter in excess of say 4 inches can have its whole upper surface decorated by a single pulse discharge from the machine. I conceive however that, provided the appropriate relative motion can be provided between a confection and the bag, spear or other tool at the end of the hose, the whole of the top of the confection can be decorated by the machine in a single uninterrupted operation.

For this purpose I provide the machine with a turntable which is arranged to support a confection and is rotatable about a vertical axis, and a tool with one or more outlet nozzles which are arranged to discharge product from a machine downwardly onto a confection on the turntable throughout a range of positions differently spaced from the axis of rotation of the turntable.

With this arrangement discharge of the product from the nozzle or nozzles onto the confection, coupled with the rotation of the confection will enable the product to be laid in rings throughout the whole of the top of the confection. If there is a single outlet nozzle, uniform relative translational movement between the nozzle and turntable in the radial direction of the turntable as the turntable rotates uniformly will cause the product to be laid on the confection in a spiral configuration. On the other hand if there are a number of nozzles differently spaced from the axis of the turntable, both the nozzles and the axis of rotation of the turntable may be fixed and the product will be laid on the confection in concentric rings as the turntable rotates.

When there is a single nozzle, the relative translation movement may be provided by moving the nozzle over the turntable or by moving the turntable radially relative to the fixed nozzle. In the former case the flexible hose enables manipulation in the radial direction relative to the turntable by hand, or the tool at the end of the hose may be mounted on an arm which swings over the turntable in the substantially radial direction. In the latter case the turntable may be rotatable on a carriage which slides in the radial direction relative to the fixed nozzle. The relative translational movement is preferably synchronized with the rotation of the turntable. For example, when the tool is mounted on an arm which swings over the turntable the turntable may be connected to the arm by a simple gear train. When the turntable moves relative to the fixed tool the turntable may carry a pinion which follows a fixed linear rack to provide the translational movement.

The rotation of the turntable, and the relative translational movement when provided, may be produced by a motor but they may alternatively be produced by hand operation. Whether driven by motor or by hand, the cycle of product discharge from the machine is preferably also synchronized with the rotation of the turntable or the relative translational motion. If the machine is driven automatically it will be programmed to produce a cycle in which the appropriate turntable, or turntable and tool, movements, are provided while product is discharged for a corresponding period. If the operation is manual, trip switches may be provided to start and stop the discharge of product, the switches being tripped by the corresponding movement of the turntable or nozzle.

When there is a single fixed tool projecting downwardly from the front of the machine, it is immaterial whether the turntable moves laterally from side to side or forward and backwards, between its limiting positions although the first alternative is preferred since it requires less clearance of the front of the machine. In either case the tool must be positioned at least as far forward of any obstruction of the machine, such as the front panel of its casing, a distance equal to half the diameter of a maximum sized confection to be decorated. Otherwise it will not be possible to position the confection on the turntable with the center of the confection and turntable beneath the nozzle. The normal maximum diameter for a confection is 12 inches and the nozzle will then need to be at least 6 inches from any obstruction at the front of the machine.

The turntable may also be adjustable in height and be arranged to be set at a particular height to accommodate the corresponding height of confection beneath the nozzle.

In order that the product does not form an unsightly blob on the confection at the end of a decorating cycle, provision is preferably made for vertical relative movement between the or each tool nozzle and the turntable such that at the beginning of a decorating cycle the nozzle moves downwardly relative to the turntable and upwardly again at the end of a cycle.

A number of the rotatable turntables may be mounted on a conveyor which moves past the machine. A confection on which product is to be deposited is then placed (automatically or manually) on a turntable remote from the machine and is carried to the machine along the conveyor. Preferably the conveyor is indexed discontinuously so that each turntable carrying a confection is stopped adjacent to the machine where it is rotated while the product is deposited on it (automatically or manually). The topped confection may then be carried on to an unloading station on the conveyor or may be removed from the turntable by the operator as soon as the topping operation has been completed.

The conveyor should be an endless one either extending in a horizontal plane around the machine in which case confections can be placed on and removed from turntables on the conveyor behind the machine; or it may have two horizontal runs one upon the other, perhaps in the manner of a ferris wheel.

When the turntable is rotated by a motor adjacent to the machine, a clutch may be provided for coupling each turntable to a common motor when it reaches the decorating position adjacent to the machine.

Some examples of apparatus for carrying out the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation with parts in section of one apparatus incorporating a forcing bag;

FIG. 2 is a part sectional elevation of a coupling at the upstream end of the hose of the FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a section through the discharge tip of the bag of the FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a part sectional elevation illustrating the manipulation of the bag of another apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a part sectional elevation of the bag of a further apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a part sectional elevation of the hose and bag of a further apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line VII--VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan of an adapter for use with two hoses;

FIG. 9 is an elevation of an alternative form of forcing bag;

FIG. 10 illustrates the FIG. 9 bag fitted to a hose and with a decorating nozzle;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the use of another apparatus incorporating a multiple outlet decorating head;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but of an apparatus incorporating a dispensing device in the form of a hollow spear;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the tip of a spear;

FIG. 14 is a section through another form of spear taken on the line XIV--XIV in FIG. 15;

FIG. 15 is an axial elevation of the tip of the spear of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a part section taken on the line XVI--XVI in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 14 but of a spear incorporating another tip.

FIG. 18 is an elevation of a spear fitted with a resilient extension;

FIG. 19 is an elevation of a sachet which may be filled by means of a spear;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another form of sachet; and

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the neck of a further form of sachet.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 incorporates a machine 22 identical to that described in detail in my copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 883,867, filed Dec. 10, 1969. The machine 22 has a pump 23, driven by a motor 24, the pump drawing in liquid product through an inlet 25 either from a container 26 via a pipe 27 in a refrigerated compartment 28, or from a remote bulk container through a flexible pipe. Simultaneously with the sucking in of the liquid product, the pump 23 sucks in air through an adjustable valve controlled by a rotatable plug 29 and the mixture of liquid product and air is pumped through a homogenizer 30 containing a series of static discs which provide a labyrinth of channels. The mixture is whipped into an emulsion by the homogenizer 30 and passes through a solenoid operated shutoff valve 31 to the machine outlet and hence through a coupling 32 to a flexible hose 33. The connection between the hose 33 and the coupling 32 is illustrated in FIG. 2 which shows that the end of the hose 33 is clamped between a conical surface of the coupling 32 and a gland nut 34 which is screwed up onto the coupling 32.

In this example the hose 33 is shown moulded or otherwise formed integrally with a forcing bag 35 from a translucent synthetic plastic material of suitable hygienic characteristics. Owing to the small wall thickness of the bag and hose, which may be about eight-thousandths of an inch, the hose 33 is shown surrounded by a helical supporting spring 36 which prevents kinking of the hose when it is twisted and bent in use. The downstream discharge tip of the bag 35 is provided with a star-shaped decorating nozzle 37 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus a tubular body 38 is inserted upwards into a cylindrical outlet throat of the bag 35 and has at its lower end a flange 39 on which the nozzle 37 is supported. A gland nut 40 screws onto the outside of the body 38 clamping the bag material between itself and the body.

In this example the bag 35 diverges from its junction with the hose 33 to a maximum diameter portion from which it tapers to the outlet throat. The maximum diameter portion is spaced approximately twice as far from the outlet throat as from the end of the hose. Typical dimensions for the bag are: length 9 inches and maximum diameter between 3 and 5 inches. The hose 33 may be for example between 2 and 4 feet long.

The upper portion of the bag adjacent to its connection with the hose 35 is provided with a small puncture hole around which the lower end of a sausage skinlike tubular expansion chamber 41 is sealed by means of a self-adhesive washer 42. The chamber 41 is located against the side of the hose 33 by means of a strap 43 and has an open upper end 44. This feature ensures that any air voids separating from the whipped product passing down through the hose 33 into the bag 35 are able to escape through the perforation and expand immediately to atmospheric pressure within the chamber 41 which also acts to contain any inevitable worms of product extruded through the perforation.

Analogously to the method described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,202, the aerated product is continuously (or continually) pumped by the machine 22 through the hose 33 into the bag 35 so that the bag remains at least partially full of product. The product is extruded from the nozzle 37 onto for example a pie 45 on a conveyor 46 by periodically compressing the bag 35 to reduce its capacity and subsequently releasing the pressure thus allowing the bag to fill up without any product being extruded from the nozzle 37, while the nozzle is moved from pie to pie. In this way the pump 23 does not have to be operated in synchronism with the depositing of product from the nozzle 37.

In subsequent examples to be described the bag is compressed manually to reduce its capacity. However in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the bag is provided with an inflatable ring 47 of flexible material surrounding the bag adjacent to its maximum diameter portion. The inflatable ring 47 is mounted within a rigid outer ring 48. An air pump 49 within the machine 22 provides a constant supply of compressed air through a hose 50 which is located adjacent to the hose 33 by means of straps 51, the hose 50 leading into the inflatable ring 47 through a valve 52 which is opened upon pressing a fingerpiece 53. It is intended that the bag will be manually held over a pie 45 or other confection to be decorated or filled and, in order to relieve the operator of the intermittent need to compress the bag with his fingers to reduce its capacity, he simply has to intermittently press the fingerpiece 53 so that the valve 52 is opened and the ring 47 is inflated thus compressing the bag as illustrated in FIG. 1. Product will then be extruded from the nozzle 37. Extrusion of the product will be stopped temporarily so that the nozzle 37 can be moved to another confection, upon release of the fingerpiece 53 whereupon the ring 47 is vented to atmosphere through another way of the valve 52 and the bag 35 can fill up again.

FIG. 4 illustrates another form of hose 33A formed integrally with a bag 35A, for example as a dip moulding. In this case the bag 35A is substantially tubular and its discharge tip is rolled back and then rolled forward again onto the outlet nozzle 37A. FIG. 4 also illustrates the use of a plastic glove 54 which an operator may wear when manipulating a bag manually, and particularly when squeezing the bag intermittently manually. The glove has no tips to its fingers and a hole 55 in its back which promotes an air flow inside the glove around the operator's hand with a view to minimizing heat conduction between the operator's hand and the product passing down through the bag.

FIG. 5 illustrates another example in which the hose 33B is separate from the bag 35B although the bag has divergent and convergent portions similar to the bag 35 in FIG. 1. The downstream end of the hose 33B is clamped by means of a band 56 around a smaller diameter portion of a plastic coupling piece 57 and a throat at the bag inlet is clamped around a larger diameter portion of the coupling piece 57 by means of a band 58. A passageway 59 through the coupling piece 57 allows the flow of product from the hose into the bag. A hose and bag interconnected by means of a coupling piece in this way may be manipulated and intermittently squeezed manually but in FIG. 5 the coupling piece 57 is shown fitted with wings 60 each provided with a downwardly extending leg 61 which carries a spring and terminates in a head 62. The two legs 61 cooperate by a slight angular rotation about the vertical axis of the coupling piece with arcuate bayonet slots 63 in a rigid support 64 so that the coupling piece 57 and bag 35B are rigidly mounted above the conveyor 46.

The operation of this example is entirely automatic. The capacity of the bag 35B is periodically increased and decreased by periodically inflating and deflating an inner bag 65 within the bag proper 35B. In this way as before the product is intermittently extruded through a decorating nozzle 37A, which nests in the frustoconical lower portion of the bag 35B after having been inserted through the inlet throat of the bag before fitting to the coupling piece 57, onto confections 45 on the conveyor 46. The inflatable bag 65 has its neck clamped around a tubular spigot 66 depending from the bottom of the coupling piece 57. A hose 50B, equivalent to the hose 50 in FIG. 1, has its end clamped around a hollow spigot 67 extending laterally from the midportion of the coupling piece 57 and the hose 50B is in communication with the interior of the bag 65 through a passageway 68 within the coupling piece 57. In this case the hose 50B will alternately be supplied with compressed air and vented to atmosphere so that the bag 65 is alternately inflated and free to deflate as the product enters the bag. The cycle may be controlled manually by means of a hand or foot control but the system may be automated in which case the inflation and venting of the bag 65 will be programmed in a cycle corresponding to indexing of the conveyor 46.

FIG. 6 illustrates the use of two hoses 33C which are both supplied with product from the machine 22 through an adapter 69 forming part of the coupling 32. The adapter 69 has a tubular body along which the product is forced, the body incorporating a web 70 having an upstream edge perpendicular to the flow and dividing the flow equally into two parts the aggregate cross section of which is substantially no greater than the cross section of the flow before division. The subpassageway on each side of the web 70 leads the separate divided flows into separate outlet nozzles 71 around which the ends of the hoses 33C are clamped by means of jubilee clips or other means 72. It is apparent that by providing more than one web 70 of suitable configuration the product flow may be divided into three, four or any number of separate flows so that a corresponding number of hoses may be supplied with equal quantities of product in parallel with one another.

In this example each hose 33C has a comparatively thick wall of say one-sixteenth of an inch which gives the hose sufficient rigidity to avoid kinking when twisted and snaked in use without the need for a supporting spring 36. It also enables the inlet throat of a forcing bag 35C to be clamped directly around the downstream end of the hose by means of a jubilee clip or other means 73. The bag 35C like the bag 35B of FIG. 5, is formed in a laid flat condition by joining together two overlapping sheets of thermoplastic material by means of opposed heat welded seams 74. In both cases the inlet throat of the bag 35B and 35C has parallel sides with laterally projecting ears similar to the bag 35D shown in FIG. 9. The ears are gripped and wrapped tightly around the coupling piece 57 or hose 33C, respectively, for clamping.

The bag 35C is provided by the inner wall of a double-walled construction the outer wall of which forms an outer bag 75 also formed by connecting two sheets of thermoplastic material together by means of opposed heat-welded seams 76. The upper and lower extremities of the bags 35C and 75 may also be connected together in the heat-welding operation. The outer bag 75 is formed with a number of perforations 77 which promote a flow of cooling air through the annular space between the two bags for insulating the product passing down through the inner bag from the heat of an operator's hand.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative form of adapter for dividing the product flow into two or more hoses. In this example, instead of being positioned downstream of the electromagnetic valve 31, the adapter consists of a plate 78 which is clamped directly against the end disc within the homogenizer 30 by means of a C-clamp 79. The plate 78 is formed with two or more holes each of which leads directly into a spigot 80 onto which the corresponding hose 33C is fitted. In this manner the product is divided immediately after is has been whipped.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate another form of forcing bag 35D which is somewhat of a compromise in shape between the bags 35A and 35B. Thus it is comparatively narrow for promoting a "first in, first out" control of the product through the bag while having divergent and convergent portions providing a maximum diameter portion which simplifies handling and squeezing of the bag manually. The bag is made of two overlapping sheets of thermoplastic material, joined by opposed heat welded seams 74D, similarly to the bag 35C. The bag has a parallel-sided inlet throat 81 terminating in laterally projecting ears 82 and a cylindrical outlet throat 83 terminating in laterally projecting ears 84. The inlet throat 81 is arranged to be clamped around the end of a hose 33D by means of a clamp 73D, the hose 33D having an outside diameter of one-half inch and an internal diameter of a quarter of an inch. The ears 82 assist in pulling the inlet end of the bag over the end of the hose. The outlet throat 83 is arranged to receive a frustoconical decorating nozzle 37D having a larger diameter end of 3/4-inch diameter. The ears 84 assist in wrapping the downstream end of the throat 83 around the body of the nozzle 37D so that a resilient band or adhesive strip 85 can be secured around the bottom of the bag positively to locate the nozzle within the bag. Typical dimensions for the FIGS. 9 and 10 bag are a length of 81/2 inches, and a laid flat maximum width of 3 inches. The throat 81 may be approximately 11/2 inches long and the throat 83 approximately 2 inches long. The detailed dimensions of the inlet and outlet throats may be varied to meet different conditions of use without appreciably affecting the use of the bag.

The bag may also be used the other way up to that illustrated, i.e. with its larger width throat secured around a hose and with a decorating nozzle inserted through its larger throat and resting within its smaller throat, similarly to the nozzle 37A in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 10 the upstream end of the hose 33D is shown as a push over a ribbed spigot 121 of a connector having a flange 122 which is clamped to the machine outlet 123 by a gland nut 124, with an interposed gasket. The hose can be expanded onto the spigot 121 after being heated and is then a tight fit.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative tool which can be used at the downstream end of a hose 33E. The tool comprises a multiple nozzle decorating head 86 having a size approximating to the area of the surface of a cake 45E on a conveyor 46E, or other confection to be decorated. When necessary the head 86 may be replaced by another head having a different size and if necessary a different number of outlet orifices. In use the head is manipulated so that it overlies a confection to be decorated whereupon the pump 23 is started and stopped after an appropriate quantity of product has been extruded through the separate orifices onto the confection 45E. Particularly when using a tool such as the decorating head 86, it is useful if the machine 22 is programmed so that when it is manually or automatically started, its pump 23 runs only for a predetermined time so that only a predetermined portion of product is dispensed.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 12 incorporates a machine 22F substantially identical to the machine 22 of FIG. 1 except that the air pump 49 is omitted, a remote foot switch 87, connected to the machine by means of a flexible cable 88, is provided for controlling the machine instead of the usual press button in the front panel of the machine, and a heat sealing device incorporating two heated jaws 89 is mounted on the front of the machine. In this example the machine 22F feeds aerated product through a flexible hose 33F to a hollow stainless steel spear 90. The spear 90, or two or more spears if adapters similar to the adapters 69 and 78 are used, may be permanently or temporarily mounted in supports so that they extend in any suitable direction. As illustrated however the spear 90 in FIG. 12 is intended to be hand held and to be used as a maneuverable probe for insertion into a closed cake such as a doughnut 91 passing the machine on a conveyor 92. In use the tip of the spear 90 is inserted into the doughnut 91 to an extent determined by an adjustable stop 93 and the foot switch 87 is operated so that the pump 23 works either for a predetermined time or until the pedal 87 is reoperated, during which time whipped cream or other product is forced into the hollow interior of the doughnut.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 with one modification illustrate in more detail the spear 90 on the FIG. 12 example. The spear 90 has an externally screw-threaded coupling 94 which receives a gland nut 95 securing the coupling to a flanged spigot 96 over which the hose 33F is a push fit. A tip of the spear is pointed and is formed by cutting away the end of the spear to form four tongues 97 which are bent inwardly toward one another. This provides four equi-angularly spaced outlets facing laterally and forwardly, that is in the illustrated case, downwardly.

A conical annular seating 98 is machined inside the bottom of the spear adjacent to where the tongues 97 are formed. The seating 98 cooperates with a closure member 99 of frusto diamond or lozenge section which is contained within the tip and is urged upwardly into engagement with the seating 98 by means of a wire 100 incorporating a tension spring 101. The lower end of the wire 100 screws into or is otherwise fixed to the closure member 99 and the upper end of the wire is looped over an anchoring pin 102 which rests on cutout shoulders in the coupling 94. The body 99 is guided in its movement relative to the seating 98 by means of prongs 103 or other guides which extend upwardly from the body and slide in complementary grooves in the wall of the spear 90. When the machine pump is started, the pressure of the product forced down the spear forces the body 99 off the seating 98 against the action of the spring 101 and the product passes around the body 99 and out through the outlets between the tongues 97 into the cake to be filled.

If necessary the body 99 and wire 100 can be removed for cleaning or replacement by unlooping the end of the wire from the anchor pin 102, bending the tongues 97 outwardly and withdrawing the body and wire through the tip. If the spear 90 is made of substantially rigid plastic material, the material may have sufficient resilience to allow the tongues 97 to be flexed outwardly for this purpose.

The modification lies in replacing the adjustable stop 93 by means of an annular off-loader plate 104 which is axially slidable along the spear and is urged downwardly toward the tip by means of a helically coiled compression spring 105 which takes its reaction from an adjustable abutment ring 106 surrounding the spear. When the tip of the spear is pushed into a closed cake, such as the doughnut 91, the plate 104 is forced to slide up the spear against the action of the spring 105. However when the spear is to be removed from the cake again the spring 105 urges the plate 104 downward to effect a pushing of the cake off the spear tip. The spring force can be adjusted by moving the ring 106 one way or the other along the spear.

The spear illustrated in FIG. 17 differs from the FIG. 14 example in that the closure member 99G is a ball which cooperates with an annular part-spherical seating 98G. The ball is urged toward the seating by means of a compression spring 107 which is trapped in the tip between the point of the tip and the ball. The spring and ball may be removed for cleaning or replacement if necessary, again by bending or flexing the tongues 97.

The spear 90G of FIG. 17 has an integral spigot 96G at its upstream end over which a hose may be push fitted. The spear is also shown with a synthetic plastic thermally insulating handle 108 resiliently embracing the spear and providing thermal insulation for the spear when held in an operator's warm hand.

The spear of FIG. 17 may be fitted to the downstream outlet throat of a bag, such as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this case the bag outlet throat will be clamped around the spigot 96G and the product flow through the spear will be controlled by squeezing the bag. The valve at the tip of the spear may then be omitted.

FIG. 13 illustrates a modification of the FIG. 17 example wherein the spear tip is provided by a rigid part 109 which contains the ball 99H and spring 107H and is screwed onto the end of the spear 90H.

FIG. 18 illustrates diagrammatically a spear 901 having a resilient self-closing tube 110 pushed over its free end. The tube 110 is, in its relaxed state, closed or substantially closed and acts to prevent oozing of the product when the machine pump stops. It may be used instead of or in addition to the valves in the tips of the previously described spears.

As previously mentioned the spear tool may be used for filling containers such as domestic sachets with whipped cream or other product. A typical sachet is illustrated in FIG. 19 and is formed from a tube of flexible plastic material 111 which is flattened and closed at one end by means of a heat welded seam 112. The other end is cut and sealed by means of a heat welded seam 113 leaving a narrow outlet in which a bush 114 is heat-sealed. When the sachet is to be filled it is offered to the spear so that the tip of the spear extends through the bush 114 to the other end of the sachet. The machine pump is started and as the product is extruded into the bag, the air is vented through the bush 114 and the sachet is slowly pushed off the spar. When the sachet is full a sealing cap is fitted to the bush 114. Subsequently the cap is removed when the product is to be extruded from the filled sachet. The extruded product may be given the usual star-shaped cross section either by screwing an appropriately shaped nozzle over the bush instead of the cap, or by providing a ring of internally projecting teeth within the bush 114. In this case the teeth will need to be resilient so that they are bent out of the way when the bush is pushed over the spear during filling of the sachet.

Another novel form of sachet is illustrated in FIG. 20. This is a modification of the bag 35B shown in FIG. 5 and is formed by two sheets of thermoplastic material placed face-to-face and sealed together around the opposed edges by a heat welded seam. At least one face of the bag is printed with a simulated chef's figure or other figure or appropriate design, such as a moon probe device.

The bag or sachet has, before filling, an open neck 115 through which a frustoconical decorating nozzle 116 is inserted, the nozzle then resting within the lower pointed closed tip of the bag. Holes 117 may be provided through the neck of the bag so that the bag may be supported on a bar at the retail shop prior to use by the housewife. In use the bag is filled through a spear in the manner in which the sachet of FIG. 19 is filled and the filled bag is sealed by making a heat welded seam 118 between the two plies across the neck of the bag utilizing a heat sealing device such as the device 89 illustrated on the machine in FIG. 12. When the housewife wishes to use the product in the bag sachet, she moves the nozzle 116 upwardly from the lower tip of the bag by manipulation through the wall of the bag, and cuts off the tip of the bag by applying scissors to a transverse line 119 marked on the bag. The nozzle 116 is then manipulated down into the opening and the bag is squeezed to extrude the product through the nozzle.

FIG. 21 illustrates another modification in which the neck of a bag sachet similar to that illustrated in FIG. 20 may be formed from a single sheet of thermoplastic material folded over to form a double ply about a line 120, and provided with an opening through which the bag can be sealed in the form of a tubular bush 114J which, like the bush 114, is heat-sealed into the sachet wall.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination with an unpressurized container for holding a whippable food material such as animal or vegetable fat cream, a whipping tube having inlet and outlet ends, a pump, means defining an air inlet upstream of the pump, and static whipping means in the whipping tube to intermix the material and gas and provide a whipped food product; the improvement comprising:

means operatively connecting the pump to the container, the air inlet, and the inlet of the whipping tube;

the pump being operable for drawing in the whippable food material and air simultaneously and pumping the same to the whipping tube;

a check valve between the pump and the whipping tube for preventing backflow of the material and gas from the whipping tube when the pump is stopped;

an outlet valve at the outlet of the whipping tube to control flow of whipped food product therefrom;

control means for starting the pump simultaneously with opening the dispensing valve so that the whippable food material is pumped from the container and the material and gas is forced through the static whipping means, and the control means including means for stopping the pump simultaneously with closing the outlet valve so that the material and gas mixture is held under pressure in the whipping tube between the outlet valve and check valve whereby the pump is intermittently operable;

an elongate flexible hose having an internal diameter substantially smaller than the internal size of the whipping tube and having an inlet end connected downstream of the outlet valve for receiving the whipped food product when the pump is started; and

a dispensing device connected to the downstream end of the flexible hose.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the control means is operative for operating the pump for a predetermined time so that a predetermined portion of the product is dispensed, and the control means including an actuating member for starting the cycle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including at least two flexible hoses connected to the outlet of a common homogenizer, and means between the homogenizer outlet and the hoses for dividing the flow of the whipped food product equally between the hoses.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, in which the means for dividing the flow comprises an adapter having a cylindrical body and at least one axial web dividing the body into a number of parallel passageways of equal cross section, and each passageway having an outlet with means for coupling to a hose.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the means for dividing the flow comprises a plate closing the outlet from the outlet valve, the plate having at least two holes of equal section, and means defining an outlet for each hole and having means for coupling to a hose.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the dispensing device is a collapsible forcing bag having an open discharge tip.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the dispensing device is a hollow spear having a resiliently loaded check valve at its downstream end which opens when the whipped food product is forced through the spear under pump pressure.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the dispensing device is a decorating head having a multiplicity of outlets.

9. Apparatus for making and dispensing stiff fluent aerated food product comprising, in combination: an unpressurized container for holding a whippable liquid food product, a pump having an outlet and an inlet operatively connected to the container, means defining an air intake upstream of the pump and so arranged that the pump draws in liquid food product air simultaneously, a motor for driving the pump, a homogenizer having an outlet and an inlet connected to the pump outlet, the homogenizer operative for emulsifying the liquid food product and air to produce an aerated food product, a collapsible forcing bag having an open discharge tip at one end, and a flexible hose having one end connected to the homogenizer outlet and the other end connected to the forcing bag for feeding the aerated food product thereto.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the forcing bag includes an inflatable part expansion of which reduces the capacity of the forcing bag, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the inflatable part whereby the dispensing of the product from the bag is automatically varied accordingly.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the inflatable part is an inflatable ring surrounding the bag.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the inflatable part is an inflatable inner bag inside the forcing bag.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, including a coupling piece for interconnecting the flexible hose and forcing bag and having a passageway therethrough communicating with the inner bag, and wherein the means for supplying fluid under pressure includes a supply duct connected to the passageway.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the forcing bag is double walled to provide an insulating space between the walls.

15. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the forcing bag diverges from its connection with the hose and then tapers toward the discharge tip.

16. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the forcing bag is substantially tubular and of larger diameter than the hose.

17. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the forcing bag is made of a flexible translucent synthetic plastic material.

18. Apparatus according to claim 9 including a tubular star nozzle fitted at the open discharge tip of the forcing bag.

19. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the bag has a substantially cylindrical throat at one end thereof.

20. Apparatus according to claim 9 including a hollow spear fitted at the open discharge tip of the forcing bag.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which the hollow spear has a check valve at its downstream end.

22. In combination with an unpressurized container for holding a whippable liquid food material such as animal or vegetable fat cream, a whipping tube having inlet and outlet ends, means defining an air inlet, and static whipping means in the whipping tube to intermix the material and air and provide a whipped food product; the improvement comprising:

an intermittently operable pump operatively connected to the container, the air inlet, and the inlet of the whipping tube for drawing in the whippable food material and air simultaneously and pumping the same to the whipping tube;

a check valve between the pump and the whipping tube for preventing backflow of the material and gas from the whipping tube when the pump is stopped;

an outlet valve at the outlet of the whipping tube to control flow of whipped food product therefrom;

control means for starting the pump simultaneously with opening the outlet valve so that the whippable food material is pumped from the container and the material and gas is forced through the static whipping means, and the control means including means for stopping the pump simultaneously with closing the outlet valve so that the material and gas mixture is held under pressure in the whipping tube between the outlet valve and check valve;

a hollow spear having an internal diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the whipping tube, the hollow spear having an inlet end operatively connected to the whipping tube to receive the whipped food product therefrom and an outlet end; and

a resiliently loaded valve at the outlet end of the hollow spear which opens under pump pressure when the pump is started.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, in which the spear is a long thin metal tube.

24. Apparatus according to claim 22, in which the tip of the spear is formed with lateral outlet apertures which discharge the product with a lateral component of flow.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, including a plurality of pointed tongues at the tip of the spear and which extend axially and radially inwardly so that their points are adjacent one another adjacent the axis of the spear, and wherein the outlet apertures are located between the adjacent tongues.

26. Apparatus according to claim 22 in which the resiliently loaded valve comprises an annular seating facing downstream, a closure member which cooperates the seating, and resilient means for urging the closure member toward the seating to close the valve but which allows the closure member to move downstream away from the seating under pump pressure.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26, in which the resilient means comprises a filament which is connected to the closure member and extends through the seating inside the spear, and a tension spring connected to the filament and anchored at the upstream end of the spear.

28. Apparatus according to claim 26, in which the spring means is a helically coiled compression spring provided on the downstream side of the closure member.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28, including means on the spear for selectively releasing the spring and ball from the tip of the spear for cleaning purposes.

30. Apparatus according to claim 22, including an elongate tube circumjacent the hollow spear tube which is expanded as the product is forced through it.

31. Apparatus according to claim 22, including an off loading device comprising a helically coiled compression spring surrounding the spear whereby when the tip of the spear is inserted into an open cake, the spring is compressed and tends to push the cake off the tip of the spear again.

32. Apparatus according to claim 22, including an elongate flexible hose having an inlet end operatively connected to the whipping tube to receive whipped product therefrom, and an outlet end connected to the inlet end of the hollow spear; and a handle of thermally insulating material surrounding the spear; whereby the spear can be manually maneuvered for dispensing.

33. Apparatus for making and dispensing stiff fluent aerated food product comprising, in combination: an unpressurized container for holding a whippable liquid food product, a pump having an outlet and an inlet operatively connected to the container, means defining an air intake upstream of the pump and so constructed and arranged that the pump draws in liquid food product and air simultaneously, a motor for driving the pump, a whipping tube having an outlet and an inlet connected to the pump outlet, static whipping means in the whipping tube to intermix the food product and air to emulsify the same and produce an aerated food product, a hollow spear having an internal diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the whipping tube, the hollow spear having an inlet end and an outlet end, means for operatively connecting the inlet end of the hollow spear to the whipping tube to receive the aerated food product therefrom, and a resiliently loaded valve at the outlet end of the hollow spear which opens under pump pressure when the pump is started.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33, in which the means for operatively connecting the inlet end of the hollow spear to the whipping tube includes an elongate flexible hose having an inlet end operatively connected to the whipping tube and an outlet end connected to the inlet end of the hollow spear.