Mogul machine for manufacturing starch molded products such as candy and apparatus and starch level adjuster

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing starch loss in mogul machines. Starch is lowered below the tray edge such that starch does not spill over the tray side walls when cavities are stamped into the starch for receiving liquefied candy material. The leveling device may include a brush and a resilient plastic blade. The leveling device recycles starch into a collection hopper.

1 . A mogul machine for manufacturing a plurality of starch molded products, comprising: 
 a plurality of trays for holding starch, the tray having a horizontally extending base and a vertically extending peripheral border wall adapted to contain starch in the tray, the border wall having a top edge;    a conveyor mechanism adapted to convey the trays with the top edge situated at a first vertical height;    a starch depositor disposed along the conveyor mechanism adapted to deposit starch into the trays;    a starch leveler disposed along the conveyor mechanism including at least one resilient member with a bottom leveling edge, the bottom leveling edge being disposed at a second vertical height below the first vertical height such that the bottom leveling edge engages the peripheral border wall when trays are conveyed past the starch leveler, the at least one resilient member being sufficiently resilient to deflect past the top edge of the tray without damage to the tray or the resilient member;    a recycling hopper disposed underneath the starch leveler adapted to catch starch removed via the starch leveler;    a stamping station disposed along the conveyor mechanism including a stamping plate adapted to press cavities into starch in the tray; and    a pumping station disposed along the conveyor mechanism adapted to pump liquefied starch molded product into cavities formed in starch.    
     
     
         2 . The mogul machine of  claim 1  wherein the starch leveler comprises: 
 a pair of mounts mounted to a frame of the mogul machine, one mount on each side of the conveyor mechanism;    a pair of support posts projecting vertically from the mounts, the posts projecting vertically above the conveyor mechanism;    a cross support extending horizontally between the posts and supported by the posts;    an elongate blade mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support; and    an elongate brush mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support in spaced relation to the elongate blade.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the support posts include threads, further comprising a threaded actuator mechanism for each support post, the threaded actuator mechanism engaging the threads and controlling vertical height of the cross support and thereby the elongate blade and the elongate brush.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein each threaded actuator mechanism comprises a pair of nuts threaded on the threads and sandwiching the cross support therebetween.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a height adjuster between the elongate blade and the elongate brush controlling the relative vertical positions of the elongate blade and the elongate brush.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the elongate blade includes a first bottom edge for engaging starch and the elongate brush includes a second bottom edge for engaging starch, the first bottom edge being vertically spaced above the second bottom edge by between 1 and 3 millimeters.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the elongate blade is comprised of resilient plastic material.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the mounts comprise flanges fastened to the frame.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one resilient member comprises a brush and a blade.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one resilient member is mounted in a fixed position along the conveyor mechanism, wherein the conveyor mechanism forces trays past the at least one resilient member.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for reducing starch loss in a mogul machine, the mogul machine including a starch depositor and a conveyor mechanism transporting trays in a downstream direction through the starch depositor wherein starch is deposited in the trays, the apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of mounts, the mounts being spaced apart a distance greater than a width of the conveyor mechanism but less than an overall width of the mogul machine for mounting the apparatus of the mogul machine;    a pair of support posts projecting vertically from the mounts, the posts projecting vertically above the conveyor mechanism when the mounts are mounted to the mogul machine;    a cross support extending horizontally between the posts and supported by the posts;    an elongate blade mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support; and    an elongate brush mounted to the cross support and extending vertically downwardly from the cross support in spaced relation to the elongate blade.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the support posts include threads, further comprising a threaded actuator mechanism for each support post, the threaded actuator mechanism engaging the threads and controlling vertical height of the cross support and thereby the elongate blade and the elongate brush.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein each threaded actuator mechanism comprises a pair of nuts threaded on the threads and sandwiching the cross support therebetween.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a height adjuster between the elongate blade and the elongate brush controlling the relative vertical positions of the elongate blade and the elongate brush.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the elongate blade includes a first bottom edge for engaging starch and the elongate brush includes a second bottom edge for engaging starch, the first bottom edge being vertically spaced above the second bottom edge by between 1 and 3 millimeters.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the elongate blade is comprised of resilient plastic material.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mounts comprise flanges for frame mounting.