Abstract Apparatus for making frozen edible articles, such as frozen ice cream cones of the type comprising a pastry container or cone having frozen ice cream filling and extending from the mouth end thereof, with a coating of chocolate and nuts on the protruding ice cream. The apparatus includes an endless conveyor which receives the upright cones to be filled with ice cream, and progressively moves the upright cones to a filling station where they are filled with ice cream that extends from the upper mouth end thereof; moves the filled cones through an elongated freezing chamber from which they emerge in inverted position on the conveyor fully frozen; moves the filled cones while inverted to successive stations where they are coated with syrup and edible particles, such as chocolate and nuts or the like; and finally discharges the frozen inverted coated cones at a wrapping station.
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the freezing tunnel has means for maintaining it at a temperature at least as low as -20* F. and has means for circulating the cold air therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the filling unit includes a nozzle for supplying an edible substance in the upright containers carried by the conveyor and in which said coating unit includes a syrup trough in which the inverted filled containers are dipped.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 in which an additional unit is provided in cooperation with the lower run of the conveyor beyond the coating unit for applying solid edible particles to the syrup coating, said unit being in the form of a tray for receiving and retaining a supply of the edible particles in which the filled and syrup-coated containers are dipped.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the tray has a resiliently compressible bottom for supporting the layer of particles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the conveyor is provided with longitudinally spaced gripper bar units, each having a row of container-receiving sockets in which the containers are inserted upright, means in cooperation with said sockets for gripping the containers and holding them in The sockets, and actuating means for said gripping means adapted to produce gripping of the container before they pass onto the lower run of the conveyor and for releasing them after they are subjected to said coating unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus of the type described comprising an endless conveyor mounted for movement in a vertical plane, longitudinally spaced gripper bar units on the conveyor, each having a row of container-receiving sockets in which the containers are inserted upright as the units move along the upper run of the conveyor, means in cooperation with said sockets for gripping the containers and holding them in the sockets and actuating means for said gripping means adapted to produce gripping of the containers before they pass onto the lower run of the conveyor and for releasing them after they pass onto the lower run of the conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said sockets are formed in a bar, a gripper bar mounted in cooperation with the first bar for reciprocation relative thereto and having sockets corresponding to the container-receiving sockets, the second bar having impaling points projecting into each of its sockets for engaging with containers supported in the first sockets.