Patent US3907472A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3907472A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Machine for making snow cones
Assignee: Gold Bond Ice Cream Inc
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Filing: 1973-09-05
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1993-09-05
Abstract
Abstract Successive trays of cones are conveyed intermittently in stepped relation from a loading zone through a filling zone, a forming zone and a flavoring zone to an unloading zone. Successive forming bars are carried by an endless conveyor moved in synchronism with the tray conveyor to provide a vertical head for each cone in the filling zone. The cones are filled with snow in the loading zone and tamped to remove air pockets therefrom. The forming bars are cam lifted vertically from the filled cone as the same moves from the loading zone, thereby leaving a formed head of snow on each cone. A forming cap is applied to the head on the cone to shape it in the forming zone. The cap is rotated in one direction as it forms the head and reverse rotated as it is removed vertically from the cone. A lost motion weight carried by the cap retains the cone from lifting as the cap moves upwardly therefrom.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas H Lutsey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:40
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23G; A23G9/00; A23G9/04; A23G9/20; A23G9/22; A23G9/28; A23G9/281; A23G9/283; A23G9/288
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A machine for making snow cones supplied in successive trays of transverse tiers, comprising a loading zone, a filling zone having bulk feeding means with individual riser producing cavity means, a riser forming zone, a flavoring zone and an unloading zone; a straight line conveyor intermittently moving successive trays of cones from said loading zone to said unloading zone through said filling, forming and flavoring zones, and means moving said cavity means in alignment with corresponding cones in said filling zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
A machine for making snow cones supplied in successive trays of transverse tiers, comprising a loading zone, a filling zone having bulk feeding means with individual riser producing cavity means, a riser forming zone, a flavoring zone and an unloading zone; a straight line conveyor intermittently moving successive trays of cones from said loading zone to said unloading zone through said filling, forming and flavoring zones, and means moving said cavity means in alignment with corresponding cones in said filling zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
145 words
A machine for making snow cones comprising a loading zone, a filling zone, a forming zone, a flavoring zone and an unloading zone; and a conveyor intermittently moving successive trays of cones from said loading zone to said unloading zone through said filling, forming and flavoring zones, and in which said filling zone comprises an open bottom housing spaced above said conveyor and adapted to receive a quantity of snow therein for filling the cones as they pass therebeneath, and a series of substantially thick forming bars carried by a continuous endless chain having a course passing through said space beneath said housing in the direction of said conveyor and closing the bottom of the housing, said bars having vertical openings therein constituting the riser producing means adapted to register with the mouth of the corresponding cones and to move therewith through said filling zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
145 words
A machine for making snow cones comprising a loading zone, a filling zone, a forming zone, a flavoring zone and an unloading zone; and a conveyor intermittently moving successive trays of cones from said loading zone to said unloading zone through said filling, forming and flavoring zones, and in which said filling zone comprises an open bottom housing spaced above said conveyor and adapted to receive a quantity of snow therein for filling the cones as they pass therebeneath, and a series of substantially thick forming bars carried by a continuous endless chain having a course passing through said space beneath said housing in the direction of said conveyor and closing the bottom of the housing, said bars having vertical openings therein constituting the riser producing means adapted to register with the mouth of the corresponding cones and to move therewith through said filling zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The machine of claim 2 and means in said housing to guide the snow therein to fall through the openings in said bars into the corresponding cones.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The machine of claim 2 and means in said housing operative in synchronism with said conveyor movement to tamp the snow in the successive cones.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The machine of claim 4, and guide means for snow to enter the openings in said bars, and in which said tamping means is intermediate said guiding means To effect a primary filling of the cones prior to tamping and a secondary filling thereafter to provide a riser on the cones.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The machine of claim 2 in which the openings through said bars in effect increase the height of the cones to provide the formation of a riser thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The machine of claim 6 in which the openings through said bars are frusto-conical to facilitate lifting of the bars from the cones upon completion of the filling operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The machine of claim 7 and means to gradually lift said bars in succession vertically from the corresponding cones and to thereafter tilt the bars away from the cones.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The machine of claim 2 and hold down means disposed to hold the bars down upon corresponding tiers of cones in said trays during movement and positioning of the cones in the filling zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The machine of claim 9 and means to gradually lift each bar from its tier of cones as the same leaves the filling zone, and means to maintain the bars level during lifting thereof and until they have substantially cleared the risers on the cones.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The machine of claim 10 in which said lift means comprises a drive sprocket disposed to raise the chain from the level of its path through the filling zone, and said last named means comprises a pivotal mounting for each bar upon the chain, and a cam controlling the orientation of the bar relative to the chain as the latter rises in its course.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The machine of claim 11 and means to maintain said bars oriented with respect to said chain in the return course of the latter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
The machine of claim 1 in which said forming zone comprises a cap for the corresponding cone of each tier and having a die cavity therein and adapted to move down upon and form riser snow on successive cones into a final shape, and means to move said caps simultaneously downwardly into contact with corresponding cones of a tier to compress the risers beneath the caps and thereafter to retract the caps therefrom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The machine of claim 13 and means to partially rotate said cap as it engages and compresses the snow on the cone and to reverse the rotation of said cap as it lifts from the cone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The machine of claim 13 and means operable in synchronism with said caps to support the tray against flexing under the downward pressure of said caps.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine of claim 13 and means mounted upon each of said caps and operable in response to movement thereof to hold down said cone as said cap is lifted therefrom.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The machine of claim 16 in which said last named means comprises a weight to engage the rim of each cone and having a lost motion connection with said cap whereby the corresponding weight is lifted from the cone by said cap after said cap has released the crown of snow formed thereby.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The machine of claim 17 and means to partially rotate each said cap as it moves downwardly in engagement with the snow on the cone and to reverse the rotation of said cap as it lifts from the cone, said weight being free to accommodate said rotation of the cap.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
The machine of claim 13 in which the cones are arranged in cross tiers in said trays, and a cross head carrying a cap for each cone of a tier, said cap moving means comprising means to raise and lower said cross head; and means to support the tray against flexing under the downward forces of said caps.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
The machine of claim 18 in which the cones are arranged in cross tiers in said trays, and a cross head carrying a cap for each cone of a tier, said cap moving means comprising means to raise and lower said cross head, and means to support the tray against flexing under the downward forces of said caps.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The machine of claim 2 in which cones are arranged in cross tiers in said trays and said bars are provided one for each tier of cones with vertical openings through the bars registering with corresponding cones of the tier.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |