MACHINE FOR DISPENSING AND DISTRIBUTING DRY FLOWABLE MATERIALS

• US 3,788,529 A
• Filed: 07/14/1971
• Issued: 01/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Christy Machine Company
• Original Assignee: Daniel Lamar Christy
• Inventors: Christy, Daniel Lamar
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Samuel F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handren, Frederick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/162,337
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 222/314,317,342,352,414
• US Class Current: 222/314
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/2076 Apparatus for coating with powders or granules, e.g. sprinkling

Abstract

A machine for dispensing comminuted, granular, powdered, flaked, or otherwise divided dry flowable edible or non-edible materials onto the upper surfaces of edible or non-edible articles or products, with an adjustable material discharge flow, onto a rotatable roll which, in turn, carries the material thereover and discharges such material downwardly onto and over the articles or products therebelow in a substantially evenly disseminated and uniform manner.

Claims

1. A machine for dispensing and distributing flowable particulated material onto and over a receiving body comprising a hopper for the material, said hopper having a bottom outlet for discharge of the material therefrom, a pair of relatively converging generally planar chute plates extending downwardly from said hopper in communication with said hopper outlet, a roll rotatably supported below and offset laterally from said chute plates, the chute plate furthest from said roll having an upturned lip on the lower end thereof lying generally in the plane of the chute plate closest to said roll to define a lateral discharge way therebetween for the material adjacent the upper portion of one side of said roll, said upturned liP having an upwardly disposed inner side closely adjacent the outer periphery of said roll along such upper portion of one side thereof, said upturned lip providing a substantially constant and level reservoir of material to be supplied to said roll through said lateral discharge way, and means for rotating said roll in a direction causing the material to flow laterally outwardly through said lateral discharge way and onto said roll for discharge from the opposite side of said roll.

2. The machine of claim 1 further comprising a material receiving and dispensing chute below said roll for receipt of the material discharged from the opposite side of said roll, said material receiving and dispensing chute being formed with a laterally directed discharge way having an angled lip on the lower side thereof for deflecting the material impinging thereupon outwardly and downwardly for thoroughly dispersing or spreading the material in its downward passage.

3. The machine of claim 1 wherein means are provided for moving the chute plate closest to said roll toward and away from the upturned lip on the other chute plate for decreasing and increasing the size of said lateral discharge way for decreasing and increasing the flow of material laterally onto the periphery of said roll.

4. The machine of claim 3 wherein the bottom edge of said movable chute plate facing said roll is beveled to permit said movable chute plate to be moved closely adjacent the periphery of said roll when a minimum lateral outflowing of material is desired without damaging or causing frictional drag on the periphery of said roll.

5. The machine of claim 3 wherein said means for moving the chute plate closest to said roll toward and away from the upturned lip on the other chute plate comprises a stationary bracket, an adjusting screw rotatably supported by said stationary bracket, a movable bracket carried by said movable chute plate, said adjusting screw having threaded engagement with said movable bracket whereby rotation of said adjusting screw causes movement of said movable chute plate toward and away from said upturned lip, and spring means surrounding said adjusting screw between said brackets which provides a resistance to turning of said adjusting screw.

6. The machine of claim 1 further comprising a rotatable brush mounted in apposed and bristle contacting engagement with the roll periphery immediately below said upturned lip, and means for rotating said brush to maintain the periphery of said roll clear of the material being dispensed.

7. The machine of claim 6 wherein said means for rotating said brush comprises drive means between said roll and brush, whereby rotation of said roll causes rotation of said brush.

8. The machine of claim 1 further comprising a material receiving and dispensing chute below said roll for receipt of the material discharged from the opposite side of said roll, and an inwardly inclined wall adjacent the opposite side of said roll for directing the roll dispensed material into said material receiving and dispensing chute.