Process and apparatus for the manufacture of frozen desserts

Claim 2

Process for the mechanical production of frozen desserts known as ''''ITALIAN CASSATA'''' comprising the following steps: a. positioning a container having two open ends and a regular polygonal cross-section on a separable base; b. positioning said base and container on a rotating turret; c. rotating said turret to bring said container successively beneath at least three filler nozzles adapted to introduce three types of ice cream into said container; d. introducing said container and base into freezing means which brings it to a temperature at least 20* C below zero; e. removing said base, and f. slicing the container full of ice cream into as many triangular segments as there are sides of the regular polygon defined by the cross-section of the container.

Claim 3

Apparatus for producing frozen desserts known as ''''ITALIAN CASSATA,'''' saId apparatus comprising a rotatable turret adapted to bring containers having a polygonal cross-section and a separable metal base successively into each of a plurality of stations, said stations comprising sucessively means for introducing into said container a different type of ice cream; freezing means for uniformly hardening the cream in the container; heating means for heating said base to facilitate its separation and removal from said container, and means for cutting the filled container into segments after removal of said base.

Claim 4

Apparatus for producing frozen desserts known as ''''ITALIAN CASSATA,'''' saId apparatus comprising a rotatable turret adapted to bring containers having a polygonal cross-section and a separable metal base successively into each of a plurality of stations, said stations comprising sucessively means for introducing into said container a different type of ice cream; freezing means for uniformly hardening the cream in the container; heating means for heating said base to facilitate its separation and removal from said container, and means for cutting the filled container into segments after removal of said base.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which each filling station comprises a column, a support box mounted on said column for adjustment upward and downward, said box comprising two vertically aligned seats, a tube axially slidable in said seats and containing an axially slidable rod projecting from the top of the tube and carrying a stop member, a piston projecting downwardly from the tube, said tube terminating at its lower end in a cylindrical body provided with a lower nozzle and containing the piston, a feed tube for the ice cream under pressure projecting from the wall of said cylindrical body and so positioned that its inlet port into said cylindrical body is opened and closed by the piston, means in the box for causing simultaneous lowering of both the axially slidable tube and rod and successive lowering of the axially slidable tube only with respect to the rod to open the port for the introduction of ice cream into the cylindrical body.

Claim 6

A machine as claimed in claim 3 comprising a spring between the tube and rod which biasses the rod downward with respect to the tube.

Claim 7

A machine as claimed in claim 3, comprising a cylinder-piston assembly having a rod which extends into the support box and operates a rocker arm which causes vertical sliding of a slide member connected to the tube.

Claim 8

A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the stop member attached to the rod rests, during the descent of the tube and rod, against a stop rigid with the box.

Claim 9

A machine as claimed in claim 2 which comprises feed means adapted to pick up said container, while lying on one of its sides from a belt conveyor and to place it upright within a hole in an intermittently rotating disc above a support surface which lies beneath one half of said disc and which extends to a position diametrically opposite that of the feed means, and a cutting device positioned at the end of the support surface, said cutting device comprising a chamber having a vertical axis and substantially the same cross-section as the container, four transverse blades in said chamber which extend from its center toward its corners, and a vertical plunger intermittently driven to push the container through the blades, and provided with suitable slots into which said blades enter.

Claim 10

A machine as claimed in claim 7, in which the feed means comprises a box situated in alignment with a belt conveyor, said box being open on two adjacent vertical sides, and pivoted parallel to one of these sides at one of its lower edges, so as to be able to swing a container full of ice cream through 90* into one of the openings in the underlying disc.

Claim 11

A machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the box fixed to a pinion coaxial with the pivot, which pinion meshes with a rack which slides axially in suitable guides and is connected to a cylinder piston assembly, so that linear movement of the rack is transformed into rotation of the box housing.

Claim 12

A machine as claimed in claim 8, in which top of the box carries a cylinder piston assembly comprising a rod which extends into the box itself and supports a cap for clamping the container.

Claim 13

A machine as claimed in claim 7, in which the support surface situated below the disc is inclined with respect to the disc so as to lie at a maximum distance from it just less than the height of the containers at the feed device, and at a minimum substantially zero, distance from it at a diametrically opposite position immediately upstrEam of the cutting chamber.

Claim 14

A machine as claimed in claim 7, comprising an electric motor connected by suitable speed reduction means both to the drive element of ''''Maltese cross'''' gearing which drives the upper disc with intermittent motion, and to a crank mechanism whose connecting rod transmits its motion to the vertical pusher through a suitable rocker arm.