Apparatus and method for enrobing confections

Claim 1

A METHOD OF APPLYING AN UNBROKEN COATING OF THERMOPLASTIC ENROBING MATERIAL OVER ALL EXTERNAL SURFACES OF A CONFECTION COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) SUPPORTING A CONFECTION ON AT LEAST ONE SPIKE PARTIALLY INSERTED INTO THE CONFECTION; (B) FROM EACH OF AT LEAST TWO OPPOSITELY SPACED POSITIONS SPRAYING SAID ENROBING MATERIAL IN LIQUID FORM TOWARD THE OPPOSITE POSITION TO FORM A CONVERGING CURTAIN OF SPRAY; (C) CARRYING SAID CONFECTION SUPPORTED ON SAID SPIKE THROUGH SAID CONVERGING SPRAY CURTAIN, WHEREBY ALL EXTERNAL SURFACES OF THE CONFECTION ARE COVERED WITH SAID ENROBING MATERIAL; (D) WITHDRAWING SAID SPIKE FROM THE CONFECTION AFTER SAID ENROBING MATERIAL HAS HARDENED, THEREBY LEAVING A SMALL PUNCTURE HOLE IN THE HARDENED LAYER OF MATERIAL; AND (E) COVERING SAID PUNCTURE HOLE BY MOMENTARILY APPLYING HEAT TO THE MATERIAL AROUND SAID PUNCTURE HOLE TO LOCALLY LIQUIFY SAID MATERIAL AND CAUSE IT TO FLOW OVER SAID HOLE.