Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 159718
FROZEN CONFECTION REFO~ING METHOD AND EQUIPMENT
Background of the Invention
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the formation of thxee
dimensional frozen confections from an already formed frozen
confection product. The final shape of the reformed confection
can be of almost any desired configuration without regard to
whether or not the topmost portion of the confection is wider
than the bottom or whether there are undercut portions in the
reformed confection. The present invention can be used
with frozen confections made of water ice, ice cream, aerated
ice cream, ice milk, fudge, puddings, sherbert, frozen yogurt
or the like.
Specifically, in the method and apparatus of this
invention a slug of frozen confection is molded in a generic
or elemental shape in the first position of a conventional
high speed frozen confection forming machine. The frozen slug
~ 20 is then reformed by a split mold which defines a cavity that
;~ ` substantially encloses the molded slug causing the froæen
material to flow to form the shape of the closed split mold
cavity. By careful control of the slug size and shape in
relation to the mold cavity and the slug temperature, the
finally shaped confection can be produced substantially as
the result of the flow of froæen slug material without significant
melting and refreezing.
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2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is specifically adapted to be
practiced in conjunction with a conventional frozen confection
forming machine which is modified to include a reforming station
in tlle finishing section of the machine which reforms the finished,
generically shaped, molded elemental slugs of frozen confection.
Conventional confection forming machines are well known in the
frozen confection industry and are sold under the trademarks
"VITALINE" and "~RAM".
Specifically, the Vitaline machine has a first molding
section wherein a first group of side-by-side mold cavities are
filled with liquid or semi-solid confection and the mold
strips are advanced through a brine tank thereby freezing
the confection. During the freezing process, a stick is
inserted into the confection and at the end of the first
section of the machine, the-frozen confections are extracted
upwardly from the mold cavities by their respective sticks.
In the second section of the machine, the confections are
advanced to subsequent stations where a coating or coatings
are applied, i desired, and the completed confections are
ultimately individually packaged and are available or
removal from the machine in their individual packages.
A Gram machine operates in a manner similar to the
Vitaline machine, except the first section contains a circular,
rather than an elongated brine tank and the mold cavities
are carr~ied in a circular path.
Since the frozen confection is removed from the mold
in both the Vitaline and Gram machines by simply drawing the
stick upwardly, the molds must be shaped such that the molded
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frozen confection is a~ially strippable. Such requirement
greatly limits the shapes into which the finished products manu-
factured on sucn machines can be formed since there can be no
undercut surfaces that would interfere with the withdrawal
of the frozen confection.
One suggested method of increasing the variety of
shapes of frozen confection products produced from machines of
the foregoing construction is described in British Patent
No. 2,005,125, published April 19, 1979. This patent discloses
a method of decorating frozen confections and ap~aratus for
carrying out the method in conjunction with a Gram confection
forming machine. The '125 patent recognizes that the shape
in which a frozen confection may be formed on such machine
is limited by the requirement that the molded confection be
axially strippable and teaches a method of applying undercut
decorations to the surface of a frozen confection after removal
from the mold by "branding" or stamping the frozen confection with
opposed heated stamping tools. Significantly, and contrary to
the present invention, the British patent teaches that it is
~20 not possible to use unheated stamping tools without crushing
the frozen confection. This is consistent with the long held
belief by those skilled in the art that frozen confections and
particularly quiescently frozen confections are incapable of
being compressed to form a shape.
British Patent No. 2,005,124 discloses
a method for merely adding decorations to the surface of a
frozen confection and an apparatus for practicing such
~; method. The apparatus is similar to the apparatus disclosed
in British Patent No. 2,005,125, however, in the '124 patent
~30 lnstead of utilizing heated stamping tools, high pressure
,
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1 15g718
nozzles held away from the surface of the frozen confection are
used to spray a predetermined pattern of contrasting colored
liquid against the surface of the frozen confection to
form a pattern in the frozen confection. The surface and outline
of the axially strippable frozen confection is neither undercut
nor changed.
An early attempt to manufacture frozen confection
products in shapes having undercut surfaces is disclosed in
U. S. Patent No. 1,891,230. This patent relates to a method
of stamping ice cream shapes from a continuous strip of frozen
confection rather than from an axially strippable mold shape.
The method of the '230 patent also requires that the strip
of ice cream be heat treated in a complex manner to form a crust
or slightly hardened outer surface which will allow the strip
of ice cream to be advanced to a cooperating pair of stamping
dies. The temperature of the strip of ice cream must also be
carefully controlled to assure that the stamping process
will operate satisfactorily. The necessity for precise
temperature treatment prevents this process from being
either commercially or economically feasible.
U. S. Patent No. 4,104,411 discloses another method
; of forming shaped frozen confections. The method of this patent
however, utilizes a strippable rubber mold. Liquid confection
mix is poured into the rubber mold, a stick is inserted and the
confection is frozen in a bath. The mold must then
be manually stripped off the shaped frozen confection. Such a
method does not lend ltself to high speed production. Further, it
can only be used to produce confections of one particular
shape at a time because differently shaped confections would
,
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1 159718
require varying amounts of time in the fr`eèz`ing bath.
Another manner of producing frozen confections in
more interesting shapes from an axially strippable mold is
disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3,996,760. This patent teaches
a method and apparatus for producing a frozen confection in
a tapered, spiral shape having helical fluting that is
rotationally, axially strippable. The apparatus utilizes a
modified extracting means that both lifts and turns the confection
incident to its removal from the mold. Necessarily, such
apparatus is complex and can nevertheless only produce a frozen
confection having a spiral form in a particular spiral configuration
with a predetermined pitçh corresponding to the pitch of the
extractor. It cannot successfully demold a frozen confection
having undercut surfaces or a nonuniform, three dimensional shape
such as an animal.
Yet another known method for forming shaped frozen
confections is the process of extrusion. In such method, the
confection in a semi-solid state is forced through a shaped nozzle
under pressure onto a moving belt or similar advancing means. The
~20 freezing process is completed by high velocity cold air directed
against the semi-solid confection. Such a process results in a
frozen aonfection product that has a uniform cross-section and
cannot produce frozen confections having undercut portions or three
dimensional shapes simulating animals.
As is apparent from the foregoing discussion of the
prior~art~until now~workers in the art have failed to
recognize~the possibility that frozen confections could be
caused to flow, without significant melting and refreezing to
; form~a deslred shape and;~have resorted to a variety of complicated
30~ processes and~equipment variations to produce shaped frozen
confections.
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3~ Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a method and apparatus
for reforming a molded slug of frozen confection having a
generic shape into a finished three dimensional frozen con-
fection having any desired shape including shapes having
variable cross-sections and undercut portions and is particularly
well suited to the reforming of frozen confections on a stick
from an axially strippable, molded, quiescently frozen confection.
As generally understood, quiescently frozen confections are
sweetened, flavored products which have not been processed or
mixed prior to freezing in a manner that develops physical
expansion of the confection mix in excess of ten per cent (10%).
Such confection mix is then frozen without being stirred or
agitated. The finished product contains not less than seventeen
per cent (17~) by weight of total food products under normal
United States practices, but may contain less total food solids.
As previously noted, heretofore, it was believed that a quiescently
frozen confection could not be reformed due to the low flowability
of such products and the difficulty in applying and directing the
substantial force required to reform the confection while it
is maintained in the frozen state.
Additionally, it was heretofore believed that it would
not be economically feasible to utilize split molds to form
frozen confections from liquid confection mixes since such
liquid would leak out of the split mold unless complex and
expensive split molds were utilized to keep the liquid con-
fection within the mold and the cooling brine out of the mold.
The method of the present invention involves
controlling the tem:erature of the molded slug prior to
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reforming and correlating the size and shape of the molded
slug to the size and shape of a reforming mold cavity such
that the molded confection slug is reformed substantially by
the cold flow of confection material while in the frozen
state. Fracturing of the frozen confection slug is avoided
by a combination of proper core temperature of the confection
slug and shaping of the opening in the mold cavity to substantially
circumscribe the outline of the molded confection slug. The
reforming step is performed without significant loss of
material and without substantial melting and refreezing of
the frozen confection. Upon completion of the reforming step,
the reformed confection is substantially the same weight and
volume as the frozen confection slug and substantially fills
the reforming mold cavity assuming the shape thereof.
An important feature of the invention is the
temperature of the first-formed frozen confection slug. It
has been found,that the temperature of the core of the
frozen slug should be maintained in a range of -10 to
+L0 F. in order to prevent ejection or crushing of the stick.
~20 ~Reference is made to the core temperature since it is inherent
in a molding process utilizing a cooling brine, that the
frozen confection slug is cooled from the outer surface
inwardly thereby creating a temperature gradient throughout
thé slug such that the outer surfaces of the slug are at
lower temperatures. In one embodiment of the invention, the
reforming mold cavity may also be provided with a relief in
the area of the~stick to allow displaced frozen confection
to~move upwardly without increasing the incidence of stick
ejection.
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It is broadly an object of the present invention to
provide a method o reforming frozen confection slugs to a
three dimensional frozen confection of nonuniform cross-
section including undercut portions and to provide an
apparatus for practicing such method which is specifically
adapted to produce such frozen confections in a high-speed,
economical operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a method and apparatus of thë type described to produce
frozen confection in a wide variety of three-dimensional shapes
by reforming a commonly shaped, molded slug of frozen confection
material thereby utilizing a common set of molds for forming
the slug of frozen confection and a single set of more
complex reforming molds.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a method and apparatus that can be utilized to reform
quiescently frozen confections into three dimensional shapes
without substantially melting the frozen confection.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided an improved method of reforming
a shaped frozen confection which comprises compressing a frozen
confection slug having an elemental shape between the opposed
halves of a split mold under a pressure sufficient to cause
the frozen confection to assume the shape of the cavity defined
by said mold halves without significant melting or refreezing
of said slug. The temperature of the core of the molded con-
fection slug is in the range of -10 to +10 F. and the medial
cross~section of the slug is of such size that it is substantially
circumscribed by the opening in each of the mold halves. The
volume of the slug is substantially the same as the volume of
the cavity.
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1 1~9718
In accordance with the apparatus of the present
invention, there is provided an improved machine for manufacturing
shapled frozen confections on a stick having a first machine
section including elemental slug molding means for forming
molded elemental slugs of frozen confection with sticks
projecting therefrom and a second machine section including at
least one work station and a second conveyor means for advancing
the slugs of molded confection by the sticks to the work station
wherein the improvement comprises frozen confection slug re-
forming means at the work station. The frozen confection slugforming means has a pair of corresponding mold halves movable
from an open position to a closed position encompassing the
elemental slugs of confection when in the closed position. Each
mold half includes cooperating mold cavities having an opening
that substantially circumscribes the medial cross-section
of the confection slug and the mold cavities are of substantially
the same volume as the volume of the slug so that when the
mold halves are closed with sufficient pressure, the reformed
confections assume the shape of the mold cavities.
4. Description of the ~rawings
The above brief description as well as other objects
and features and advantages of the present invention will be
more fully understood by reference to the following detailed
description of the presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative
.
improved equipment and method for forming the shaped frozen
confections on a stick of the present invention when taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagramatic representation of a conventional
frozen confection forming machine of the Vitaline type incorpor-
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1 159718
ating the improved reforming apparatus of thè present inventioni
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a frozenconfection molded in the shape of a typical elemental slug;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the
frozen confection of the present invention which has been reformed
into a three dimensional shape having undercut areas and a
vaxying cross-section;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the reforming station of the
present invention;
lOFIG. 5 is a side elevational view of t~e-reforming
station as installed in a conventional Vitaline type machine with
part of the machine broken away showing the reforming molds in the
open position;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the reforming
station showing the reforming molds in the closed positioni
FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view through a medial
: plane of the reforming station along the line 7-7 in FIG. 5,
looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
2~0 conveying means in the second portion of the machine in partial
section, taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7, looking in the
~ ~ ,
direction of the arrows;:
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of one of the
: reforming assemblies taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 7, looking
in:the direction:of the arrows;
FIG. lO is a side elevational view of the heat exchanger
u:tilized at the reforming station with portions broken away;
~ ~,
FIG. l1 is a cross-section of the heat exchanger taken
along:the line ll-ll in FIG. lO, looking in the direction of the
- ~ ~
~:30 : ~ arrows;
FIG. 12 is a cross-section through the central plane
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1 159718
of a single mold cavity formed by the pair of cooperàting mold
halves at the reforming station;
FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view at the intersection
of the mold halves, along the line 13-13 in FIG. 12, looking in
the direction shown by the arrows;
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken transversely
through the mold cavity in the reforming mold halves;
FIG. 15 is a partial sectional view at the intersection
of the mold halves, along line 15-15 in FIG. 14, looking in the
direction shown by the arrows; and, ,_
FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view taken along the line
1~-15 in FIG. 15, looking in the direction shown by the arrows.
5. Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodiments
Reference will first be made to FIG. 1 for a generalized
description of the frozen confection-forming machine modified in
accordance with the present invention 10 to manufacture three
dimensional frozen confection C, as generally illustrated in
FIG. 3, from an elemental or generically shaped frozen slug FS
carried by a stick S. Basically, the improved frozen confection
;20 machine 10 includes a first section 12 in which standard shaped
;~ ~ mold strips are filled, the elemental frozen slugs FS partiall~
frozen and sticks S inserted. After stick insertion the freezinq
is completed and the elemental frozen confections FS are removed
f~Qm the first section 12, and transferred to the second section
, :
14 where the shaped frozen confections C are reformed from the
elemental frozen slugs FS illustrated in FIG. 2 to any one of a
:
varlety of three dimensional shapes as illustrated by FIG. 3
~ ~ and thereafter further processed (e.g., coated, caked, crumbed,
; etc.) and finally packaged.
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1 1~9718
Referring first to the first section 1? of the machine
10, since this section is essentially conventional and is
commercially available from various ma`nufacturers, it is only
illustrated schematically and diagrammatically. First section
12 includes a continuous first belt conveyor 26 which has an .-
upper course and a lower course and is mounted on the
usual end pulleys to be intermittently advanced in the counter-
clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. Mounted on the first
conveyor belt 26 are the usual mold strips 28 which include a
common support for a plurality of side-by-side mQld cavities.
Typically, six, eight, twelve or more mold cavities can be included
in a mold strip 28 thereby providing a corresponding number of
confection forming cavities which extend across the width of
the conveyor belt 26. As the conveyor belt 26 moves stepwise,
the mold strips are correspondingly advanced stepwise through
first section 12. At a first conventional station, hopper 30
which feeds the appropriate number of nozzles 32, dispenses a
predetermined charge of an appropriate mixture for the desired
~ confection into the registering mold cavities which are disposed
therebeneath. The mixture can be widely varied to create a wide
~,
range of products including water ice, semi-frozen ices, sherbert,
~pudding, ice cream, ice milk, yogurt mixes, fudge mixes, etc.
After filling of a particular mold strip 28, it is
then~advanced through the elongated brine tank 36 which includes
the usual brine solution BS, which is maintained at a sufficiently
`~reduced~temperature~to cause the charges of the ultimate product
in ~he~mold~strip 28 to completely freeze before the corresponding
mold~strip 28 is lifted out of the brine tank 36 at the exit
èn~ of~the conveyor 26, yet maintain the temperature of the core or
3~0~center of the frozen slug FS at approximately the range of +10F to -10F.
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Obviousl~, the rate of travel of the strips through the brine
tank 36 or residence time coupled with the appropriate temperature
of the brine solution BS will achieve the requisite freezing of
the elemental frozen confection slugs FS and maintain the
temperature of the core in the appropriate range.
As the mold strips ~8 move stepwise through the brine
tank, they pass beneath a conventional stick inserter 38 which
inserts the sticks S into the frozen slugs FS during a dwell
period of the first conveyor 26. The stick inserter 38 is
positioned along the length of the brine tank such that the stick
S is inserted into the frozen slug FS when the temperature of the
core of the frozen slug is in a partially frozen confection (i.e.,
approximately in the range of 30 to 32 F.). Thus, the stick S
can be readily inserted into the frozen slug FS and when the mold
strip 28 reaches the exit end of the brine tank 36, the fully frozen
slug FS will rigidly maintain the stick S within the slug.
In order to avoid subsequent ejection of the stick S
during the reforming operation, it has been found that the depth of
stick insertion is critical. For example, when conventional
sticks 4 1/2 inches long are used, insertion of the stick to a
depth of 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches is a minimum range for conventionally
sized frozen confection products approximately 4 inches long or
2 1/2 fluid ounces claimed volume. Prior practice was to insert
the 4 1/2 inch long stick to 50~ of its length; however, the
present invention is best practiced when the stick is inserted more
than 50% provided, of course, that a sufficient length of stic~
extends from the ~rozen slug FS to allow removal from the mold by
the extractor bar. The maximum amount of stick insertion is dependent
upon the level of the confection slug FS below the top of the
3~0 confection forming mold cavities in the mold strip 28. Additionally,
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the core temperature o~ the frozen slu-~ FS should not be below
-10 F. or deforming or crushing of the stick S may result during
the reforming operation. Core temperatures above ~10 F. tend to
prod~ce reformed products with poor definition and tendency to
slip off the stick during finishing operations subsequent to
reforming (e.g., coating, packaging, etc.).
At the exit end of first conveyor belt 26, the mold
strips 28 are moved upwardly out of the brine solution BS and
suspended over a hot water defroster tank 40. Defroster tank 40
is caused to move upwardly during the dwell period of first
conveyor belt 26 to facilitate the removal of the-frozen confection
22 from the mold cavity.
The second section 14 of machine 10 contains a second
conveyor belt 42 which advances intermittently in phase with the
first conveyor belt 26. The second conveyor belt 42 advances a
plurality of extractor bars 44 in a clockwise direction as shown
in FIG. 1. Each extractor bar 44 contains a stick lock device 46
corresponding to the number of frozen slugs FS in the mold strip
28. When an extractor bar 44 is positioned directly above mold
strip 28 in defroster tank 40, extractor bar 44 is caused to move
downwardly during the dwell period of second conveyor belt 42 so
that each stick lock device 46 (see FIG. 7) engages a stick S
projecting from each frozen slug FS in the mold strip 28.
Extractor bar 44 then moves upward rapidly while both the first
;~ conveyor belt 26 and the second conveyor belt 42 are still in
their synchronized dwell periods thereby extracting the frozen
~slug assembly FS (see FIG. 2) from each mold cavity in mold strip 28.
As in a conventional Vitaline machine, the first conveyor
belt 26 continues to move intermittently in a counterclockwise
direction as shown in FIG. 1 causing mold strips 28 to be inverted
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and to move past washing and rinsing stations 50 where the mold
strips 28 are sterilized and are subsequently presented below
hopper 30 where they are refilled with confection mix as the
operation of the first section 12 of machine 10 continues.
In the second section 14 of machine 10, each frozen
slug FS is suspended from a stick lock device 46 in ex-tractor bar
44 with the frozen slug FS hanging downwardly rom stick S and
advanced intermittently therethrough by the second conveyor belt
Extractor bar 44 is advanced to a position directly above
the lateral medial plane of reforming station 20 of the present
invention. During a dwell period of the second conveyor belt 42,
extractor bar 44 is caused to move downwardly locating the frozen
slug FS precisely between first and second mold halves 52, 54.
~s more fully described below, mold halves 52, 54 are caused to
move together by hydraulic cylinders 56, encompassing each of
the frozen slugs FS suspended from extractor bar 44, reforming
each frozen slug FS into a shaped confection C (FIG. 3) on a
stick S in any of a wide variety of three-dimensional shapes.
~20~ The reforming process is completed and extractor bar 44 and
suspended shaped confections C are caused to move upwardly back
nto horizontal alignment with the other extractor bars 44 carried
by second conveyor belt 42. As more fully described below, the
entire reforming operation is accomplished during the dwell period
of second conveyor belt 42.
Subsequent to the reforming operation, shaped confections
C~are advanced to one or more dLpping and/or coating stations 62
where extractor bar 44 again moves through the downward and upward
30~ cycle back into alignment with the other extractor bars 44 during
a subsequent dwell period of second conveyor belt 42.
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Finally, second conveyor belt ~2 advances extractor bar
44 to a bagging station 64 where the shaped confections C are
packaged and a ccmpleted frozen confection product P is delivered
to the end of second section 14 of machine 10. Second conveyor
belt 42 continues to advance intermittently in a clockwise
direction until it reaches a portion directly above defroster
tank 40 and the operation of second section 14 of machine 10 is
repeated.
The present invention can be incorporated within an
otherwise conventional frozen confection forming;machine 10 such
as the Vitaline type by merely lengthening the second section.14
of the machine 10 to accommodate the apparatus of reforming
station 20. The diagramatic representation of a Vitaline type
machine in FIG. 1 shows the relative orientation of the reforming
station to the remainder of an otherwise conventional machine.
The reforming station 20 operates in synchronization to the
movement of the first and second conveyor belts 26, 42 with
the reforming operation occurring during the short dwell
period in the motion of the conveyor belts 26, 42. During this
dwell period, the apparatus described below associated with
the second conveyor belt 42 must also lower and raise the
extractor bar 44. At the same time, the respective extractor
bars 44, located directly above the other work stations, such as
the dipping and/or coating station 62, are also lowered and
raised.
The improved apparatus of the present invention relies
upon the existing mechanisms in the second section 14 of the
machine 10 to lower the extractor bar 44 to place the frozen
slugs FS into operative relationship with reforming station 20
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1 159718
during t~le dwell peLiod in the operation of second conveyor belt
i2. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 r second conveyor belt 42 is
formed from a plurality of individual links 82, 83 (see FIG. ~)
connected by pins 111. Rollers 110 are rotatably mounted to
links 82, 83 on pins 111. Each link 82, 83 contains a pair of
bar engaging pins 84 which extend laterally inward from links 82,
83 and engage the upstanding portion 86 of e~tractor bar 44. The
outermost portion of each e~tractor bar 44 has a horizontal
portion 88 and an upstanding portion 86 e~tending from horizontal
portion 88 to form an L-shaped cross-section for a short distance
~-om the outer ~nds of each e~tractor bar 44.
Second conveyor belt 42 advances the plurality of
e~tractor bars 44 by the contact of engaging pins 84 against up-
standing portion 86 of extractor bar 44. The ~ottom portion of
the extractor bar slides along an L-shaped bracket 90 mounted
to the inside surface of housing 92 of second section 14 of
machine 10.
A conventional Vitaline machiné has a master air cylinder
94 which is mounted for horizontal actuation and causes horizontal
rack 96 to move fore and aft once during each dwell period of
second conveyor belt 42. The horizontal motion of horizontal
rack 96 is translated to reciprocating vertical motion of vertical
rack 98 through pinion gears 100, 102 journaled to shaft 104.
By the use of a single horizontal rack 96 in conjunction with
the appropriate number of pinion gears 100, 102 and associated
: : vertical racks 108, it is possible to precisely synchronize the
vertical motion of the respective vertical racks located at each
work station.
1 159718
Bracket 90 extends throu~h th~ entire len~th of second
section 14 of machine 10 alon~ each side housing 92, 92 and pro-
vides a path along which rollers 110 move through the second
section 14. Side rail 91 is located directly below bracket 90 along
each side housing 92, 92. At each work station and, in particular,
directly above the lateral medial plane through reforming station
20, each side rail 91 contains a cut out portion 106 of width
substantially equal to the width of horizontal portion 88 of
extractor bar 44. An extractor bar carrier block 108 is mounted
to the bottommost portion of vertical rack 98. Carrier block 108
extends from vertical rack 98 through a vertical slot formed in
housing 92 into engaging relationship with horizontal portion 88
of extractor bar 44 as the extractor bar is advanced to a position
directly above reforming station 20. Projecting pins 84 of
second conveyor belt 42 engage the upstanding portion 86 of
extractor bar 44 causing the extractor bar to slide along side
rail 91 into notch 11~ formed in carrier block 108. When the
second conveyor belt 42 reaches a dwell period, horizontal portion
88 of extractor bar 44 remains stationary within the notch 112
~20 of carrier block 108. In this orientation, as vertical rack 98
~: ~ and carrier block 108 connected thereto move downward, extractor
bar 44 is also caused to move with the carrier block 108.
FIG. 5 shows the portion of a particular extractor bar
having a frozen slug FS suspended therefrom in the orientation at
:
the beginning of the dwell period of second conveyor belt 42. In
FIG. 6r extractor bar 44, carried by carrier block 108, is at
the bottom extent of vertical travel, its orientation at approx-
imat-ely the mid-point of the dwell period of second conveyor
: ~ :
~ belt 42. In this position, -the first and second mold halves 52,
, ~
~3~0 5-4 are in encompassing relationship to the frozen slug FS suspended
from stick S thereby forming frozen confection C.
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I 159718
Referl^ing more specifically to the construction of the
reforming station 20 of the present inven~ion, as shown in FIG. 4,
reforming station 20 has a mounting plate 68 upon which four
hydraulic cylinders 56 are fixedly mounted. When confection
slug FS is lowered by extractor bar 44 to the proper orientation
relative to first and second mold halves 52, 54, all four hydraulic
cylinders 56 are simultaneously actuated causing first and second
mold backing plates 70, 72 to move toward each other. Mold
backing plates 70, 72 move along guide bars 74, 74. Each guide
bar 74 is supported by a pair of guide bar blocks 75, 75. As
mold backing plates 70, 72 move toward each other, circular bores
76, 76 in mold backing plates 70, 72 slidingly encompass guide
bars 74, 74 to prevent lateral motion of first and second mold
backing plates 70, 72 relative to mounting plate 68. Hydraulic
cylinders 56 are dual action cylinders to allow rapid compression
and release of first and second mold backing plates 70, 72 and
the associated first and second mold halves 52, 54 mounted thereon
to accomplish the reforming operation during the dwell period in
the motion of second conveyor belt 42.
Each mold half 52, 54 contains a plurality of mold
:~ cavities 78 corresponding to the number and spacing of side-by-
side confection slugs FS suspended from stick loc~ devices
46 in extractor bar 44. Consequently, when vertical racks 98,
98 carrying an extractor bar move downwardly and the frozen
slugs FS come into operative relationship with first and second
mold halves 52, 54, each frozen slug FS is aligned with an
indlvldual mold cavity 78.
FIG. 7 lS a lateral sectional view through the medial
: plane of reforming station 20 looking upstream at the second
~30~ section 14 of machine 10. The topmost portion of FIG. 7 has
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been offset downstream and a small distance to show a view of
a segment of e~tractor bar 44 and the associated structure for
raisi~g and lowering the extractor bar~ The solid lines of FIG. 7
show e~tractor bar 44 in the position of FIG. 5 and the phantom lines
show the extractor bar 44 in the orientation of FIG. 6 at the
lower extent of its vertical travel.
During the reforming operation at reforming station 20,
some frozen confection material may exceed the capacity or con-
figuration of the corresponding mold cavity 78, 78. This e~cess
configuration, known as flashing, falls to the bottom of reforming
station 20. A flashing removal conveyor belt 80 carries the
flashing from directly beneath the first and second mold halves
52, 54 to a pick up area at the side of molding plate 68 from
where the flashing is recycled into the process for reintroduction
by the hopper 30 in first section 12 of machine 10.
As shown in the lower portion of FIG. 7, flashing removal
conveyor belt 80 rotates clockwise relative to mounting plate 68
over a pair of conveyor rollers 114, 114 (only one shown). ~
segment of second mold half 54 containing three mold cavities 78
~20 is shown.
In order to prevent the entrapment of flashing and to
facilitate the removal of flashing that may otherwise prevent
the complete closure of the first and second mold halves 52, 54,
the surfaces of the mold halves can be provided with reliefs
or recessed areas. Such reliefs allow flashing to be more readily
~-~ recycled without interfering with the operation of the mold
:
halves. The surfaces of the mold halves are maintained at
sufficiently elevated temperatures relative to the product by
; the heat exchanger to facilitate removal and rec~cling of ~lashing.
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~ s shown in FIG. 4, second mold half 5il is not directly
mounted to second mold backing plate 72, but~instead is first
placed in contact ~ith heat exchanger assembly 116 which is
separated from second mold backing plate 72 by thermal insulator
118.
The partial section view of FIG. 10, shows a typical
construction for heat exchanger assembly 116. The heat exchanger
is constructed of first and second heat exchanger body portions
120, 122, respectively, having smooth outer surfaces 124, 126.
The inner surfaces of first and second heat exchanger body portions
120, 122 each contain a plurality of corresponding semi-cylindrical
grooves which receive a plurality of hollow tubes 128. The rate
of heat transfer between the tubes 128 and heat exchanger body
portion 120, 122 is enhanced by the use of temperature conducting
cement 123 such as the type sold under the trademark "Thermon"
between all surfaces. Temperature conducting cement 123 may also be
applied between the mating surfaces of first and second heat
exchanger body portions 120, 122 (FIG. 11~. One end of heat
exchanger assembly 116 contains inlet header 130 and the other
~20 ;~ end outlet hea~ter 132. The entire assembly is fabricated by
brazing, dip soldering or another conventional means of assembly.
Heat exchanger fluid 134 enters the heat exchanger assembly
; 116 through inlet pipe 136 leading to inlet itting 140 and exits
from heat exchanger assembly 116 through outlet pipe 138 and
outle~t~ fitting 142;. The temperature of heat exchanger fluid 134
is ~reg~ulated and adjusted by a conventional system heat exchanger
144,~:~:shown schema~ically in FIG . 1. The purpose of the heat
exchanger assembly 116 is to insure that the surfaces 146 of mold
cavities 78 in first and second mold halves 52, 54 are main-
3~:0~ ;tained~at a proper:temperature to accomDlish release of the
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reformed frozen confection C from the mold without undue melting
of the surface of frozen confection 60.
It has been found that just prior to the remolding step
the average core temperature of the frozen confection ~lug FS
should be approximately in the range +10F to -10F.
The tem~erature of mold cavity 78 should be sufficiently
high to form a thin layer of liquid confection along the
surface 146 of mold cavity 78 which will enhance the release of
the reformed frozen confection C from mold cavity 78. However,
it is critical that this thin layer of liquid be prevented from
refreezing prior to the opening of mold halves 52, 54.
The temperature of the surface of cavity 78 is main-
tained in the proper range by the heat exchanger fluid 134 which
supplies sufficient heat to the first and second mold halves 52,
54 to replace the amount of heat taken out of the mold by the
frozen confection and to maintain the surface of cavity 78 at a
high enough temperature to prevent refreezing of the thin layer
of melted confection during reforming.
One example of an operative construction of a heat
exchanger assembly 116 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The dimension
of such heat exchanger 116 and the operating parameters of the
equipment using such heat exchanger are provided below. The
inside diameter of each tube 128 is .276 inch and each heat exchanger
~: .
~ body portion is formed of an aluminum plate 3/8" thick, the
~: ":
appropriate temperature on the surface 146 of mold cavity 78
is~ obtained by a fIow rate of 14 to 20 gallons per minute of heat
exchanger fluid 134. The input temperature of heat exchanger fluid
134 is dependent upon the type of frozen confection that is being
reformed. For high solid content confection such as ice cream,
3n tbe temperature of heat exchanger fluid 134 is adjusted so that
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the tem~erature of the heat exchanger fluid 134 e~iting the
heat exchanger assembly 116 through the pipe 138 is approximately
50 to 60 F. When quiescently frozen confection is used, best
results have been obtained by introduc~ng heat exchanger fluid 134
into heat exchanger assembly 116 at a temperature that will result
in the heat exchanger fluid 134 exiting from the heat exchanger
assembly 116 at 90 to 100 F. The actual temperature that will
result in the optimum production of reformed frozen confection C
will also be dependent upon other variables including film
resistance between the surface 146 of mold cavities 78 and the
frozen confection C, heat loss or gain through thermal insulator
118, or heat loss or gain through the piping connecting the
system heat exchanger 144 to heat exchanger assembly 116. Under
some circumstances, the system heat exchanger 144 will be required
to cool the heat exchanger fluid 134 if, for example, heat
pick-up from ambient air is greater than the heat removed by
the frozen confections. Also, it may be necessary to reduce the
temperature of the heat exchanger fluid 134 during production
start-up to lower the temperature of the surface of the mold
;~20 cavities 78.
An alternate construction of mold halves 52, 54 is .
shown in FIG. 4. This construction incorporates the heat exchanger
into the structure of mold halves 52, 54. In such configuration,
the tubes are located within the solid portion of the mold halves
52;, 54
; A sufficient flow rate of heat exchanger fluid 134 is
required to a~ssure:that there is a uniform temperature or only a
;: very~small temperature gradient along the length of heat exchanger
ass~embly 116 between inlet pipe 136 and outlet pipe 138. It is
~:~30:: ~important to avoid a significant temperature gradient to assure
that all reformed:confections C will be ~ubstantially uniform in
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surface det~il and ease oE removal from the mold cavities 78
throughout the entire length of first and second mold halves
52, 54.
The heat exchanger fluid 134 can be a water solution
containing 10% propylene glycol or any other conventional solution.
Heat e~changer fluid 134 is pumped through heat exchanger assembly
116 by a pump having a flow rate and pumping pressure that is
correlated to the configuration of the actual heat e~changer
assembly utilized to assure that the change in temperature of the
heat e~changer fluid 134 between the inlet and the outlet of the
heat e~changer assembly 116 is small enough to avoid difference ~
in effectiveness of the reforming operation between the leftmost
and rightmost cavities the first and second mold halves 52, 54.
A large temperature difference could result in excessive melting of
the confection on the inlet end of the mold halves 52, 54 and re-
freezing and sticking of the confection reformed at the outlet end
of the mold halves.
For most effective operation of the reforming station
20, the frozen confection slug FS, whose outline is shown by the
dotted lines in FIG. 12, has a vertical dimension less than the
vertical dimension of mold cavity 78 within first and second mold
halves 52, 54 tshown by the solid line in FIG. 12). Similarly,
the periphery of mold cavity 78 in each mold half 54, as shown by
the solid line in FIG. 13, substantially circumscribes the cross section
of the transverse medial plane of the elemental shape of frozen con-
fection slug FS, whose outline is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 13.
Consequently, as first and second mold halves 52, 5~ close
~around frozen confection slug FS during the reforming process, a
:
~ minimum amount of frozen confection will be outside the mold
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cavities 78, 78 thereby minimizing the amo^unt`of flashing formed
during remolding.
To the extent that any flashing is formed, the flashing
will enter into the relief area of the die face and then drop off
the mating faces of first and second mold halves 52, 54 onto
flashing removal conveyor belt 80. As best shown in FIG~ 4,
flashing removal conveyor belt 80 transports flashing to a flashing
recycling receptacle 148 where it is collected and directed back to
hopper 30 for recycling through the first section 12 of th`e
machine 10.
To assure that the remolded frozen confection C has a
smooth surface appearance with a minimum of inclusions, the combined
volume of mold cavity 78, 78 in first and second mold halves 52,
54 must be approximately the same as the volume of frozen confection
in frozen slug FS prior to reforming. It has been found, however,
that due to the presence of air or "overrun" in some confections
such as ice cream or sherbert, the weight of the confection in the
frozen slug FS prior to remolding will be substantially equal to
the weight of the reformed confection C although there may be a
~20 difference in the respective volumes. If the volume of frozen
confectlon of the frozen slug FS is too much greater than the
volume of mold cavity 28, 28, an excess of flashing will be formed ,
in some cases interfering with the complete closure of mold halves
52, 54. Conversely, if the volume of the frozen confection in
frozen slug FS is substantially less than the volume of mold
cavities 78, 78, the refoxmed frozen confection 60 will have some
undesirable inclusions or air spaces.
~,
,
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~ 25-
1 15g718
In older to make the most attractive reformed frozen
confection products, it is desirable to control the overall thickness
or depth of the mold cavities 78 relative to the configuration of
the frozen slug FS. Specifically, it has been found that the
most desirable product is produced by assuring that the thickness
of the reforming mold cavities 78 are generally less than the
thickness of the frozen slugs FS.
It has been found that ejection of the stick S is also
avoided by the inclusion of a recessed area at the top portion of
each mold cavity 78. As best shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the stick
recess 160 is formed in each of the first and second mold halves
52, 54. ~he stick recess 160 may be elliptical in cross-section so
that when first and second mold halves 52, 54 are closed, a
cylinder of substantially eliptical cross-section is formed
communicating between the top surfaces of the first and second
mold halves 52, 54 and the inside of mold cavity 78. The depth or
; circumference of stick recess 160 is smaller than the depth or
circumference of the top portion of mold cavity 78 adjacent the
~20 stick recess 160 so that an annular, upper cavity shoulder 162
defines the upper boundary of each mold cavity 78 (see FIG. 16).
Dur:ing the reforming operation, upper cavity shoulder 162
caus;es the confection comprising the frozen slug FS to be
retained within mold cavlty 78 and only allows a small
:portion:of excess confection to be displaced or reformed
:,around stick S in the area of stick recess 160. It has been
found that the~use of such stick recess 160 minimizes the
LnstanCeS of~ejection o~ stick S during the reforming process
and, at~:the same time, causes a pedestal P to be formed at
~ :
.
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~ ~ ,
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,, ~ . . ,
1 15~7~B
the base of the shaped confection C which-is pleasing in
appearance.
In order to prevent the excess build-up of flashing
during the reforming process, each of the first and second mold
halves 52, 54 may alternatively be constructed in the manner best
shown in FIGS. 14 and 16 to include large relief areas 164 on the
outermost or mating surfaces or the first and second mold halves
52, 54. When forming first and second mold halves 52, 54, it is
possible to remove appro~imately one-half the thickness of each
of the first and second mold halves 52, 54. When a heat exchanger
116 is utilized in eonjunction with first and second mold halves
52, 54 and the heat exchanger fluid 134 is at the typically elevated
temperature, the thinner section of material in each of the
first and seeond mold halves 52, 54 will have a slightly
elevated surface temperature thereby enhaneing the removal
of flashing from the area of the first and seeond mold
halves 52, 54.
It has been found that the mold cavities 78 retain
suffieient rigidity as long as the wall 166 of the mold cavity
78 is at least approximately 1/8" thick around the eircumferenee .
of mold cavity 78.
For the sake of illustration, the right-most mold
eavity 78 in FIGS. 15 and 16 is shown only partially filled with
frozen confection.
. The maehine of the present invention is partieularly
useful beeause only a single set of-eomplex molds is required.
The mold strips 28 in the first section 12 of machine 10 are of
conventional configuration. There is no requirement that special
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mold cavities be used to form the elemental slugs of frozen con-
fections FS. Instead, the volume of configuration of mold
cavities 78 in first and second mold halves 52, 54 are sized in
accordance with the guidelines set forth above to assure that they
are coordinated with the dimension of the frozen confection slugs
FS formed from mold strips 28 to reform shaped confections C with
a minimum of surface irregularities and flashing.
It is desirable to produce a variety of reformed shapes
on the same machine, it is possible to utilize first and second
mold halves 52, 54 containing a plurality of different shaped
mold cavities 78. In order to produce substantially identical
confections, the first and second mold halves 52, 54 will contain
mold cavities 78 shaped alike. In either case, the same mold
strips 28 are utilized in the first section 12 of machine 10 to
produce uniform frozen confection slugs FS.
In operation, the method of the present invention is as
follows:
First, a plurality of side-by-side frozen confection
slugs FS are formed in the first section 12 of a conventional
frozen confection forming machine in mold strips 28. The mold
strips 28 are moved through a brine solution BS and prior to
freezing of the confection slugs FS, sticks S are inserted therein
to form frozen confection slug assemblies. The frozen confection
assemblies FS complete their travel through the first section 12
of the machine 10 and become fully frozen. Next, an extractor bar
44 containing a plurality of stick lock devices 46 and advanced
~; by a second conveyor belt 42 engage the sticks S projecting from
the side-by-side frozen confection slugs FS and removes the slugs
FS from mold strips 28 by withdrawing thereby transferring the
confection assemblies from the first section 12 of machine 10
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to ihe second section 14. The plurality of side-by-side frozen
confection slugs FS, each suspended by its respective stick S,
are advanced to a position directly above the lateral medial
plane of reforming station 20. During the dwell time of the
second conveyor belt 42, the vertical racks 98, 98 and carrier
blocks 108, 108 cause the extractor bar 44 carrying the side-by-
side confection slugs FS to move downwardly until the frozen con-
fection suspended from each stick S is directly between first and
second mold halves 52, 54. While the vertical racks 98, 98 dwell
in the lowered position, hydraulic cylinders 56 cause first and
second mold halves 52, 54 to move toward each other and each pair
of mold cavities 78, 78 in first and second mold halves 52, 54
encompass a separate frozen slug FS and reform the frozen slug
into reformed frozen confection C.
Next, first and second mold halves 52, 54 are moved apart
by the retraction of hydraulic cylinders 56 and vertical racks
98, 98 raise the plurality of shaped assemblies 58 suspended from
the respective sticks S in extractor bar 44. When extractor bar
44 is restored to its position in second conveyor belt 42 and
the dwell period of second conveyor belt 42 ends, the conveyor
belt 42 advances extractor bar 44 to a new position and the side-
by-side confection slugs FS suspended from the next adjacent
; extractor bar are then located directly above reforming station 20.
;~ The reforming operation is then repeated.
When the frozen confection forming machine 10 is operated
at its normal speed of 14 to 20 operations per minute, the advance
and dwell of each extractor bar 44 is approximately three seconds.
As the second conveyor belt is advanced rapidly, each extractor
bar 44 remains positioned over the lateral medial plane of reform-
ing station 20 for a dwell period of just under three seconds.
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1 1597~8
During this dwell period, the fro~en confection slug FS must be
lowered, the mold halves 52, 54 must be closed and opened and
the extractor bar 44 containing the reformed frozen confection be
restored to its normal position for advance to the next position
at the end of the dwell period.
During operation of the equipment of the present
invention, it has been found that certain ranges of times are
required for the various sequences of operations, depending upon
the material comprising the confaction mixture.
The amount of time required to close t~e mold halves
is a function of the material comprising the confection and the
-amount of hydraulic pressure provided to hydraulic cylinder 56.
It has been found that ice cream containing more solids, e.g.,
butterfat, sugar solids, etc. require less time to reform than
low solid frozen confections such as quiescently frozen water ice.
Similarly, products including overrun require less time to reform
than non-aerated or quiescently frozen products. Typical times
required for the various operations on ice cream, fudge, and on
quiescently frozen water ice are set forth in the following table:
~20 Quiescently Frozen
Step Ice Cream Fudge Water Ice
; Total time
available for
one complete
cycle 4.00 seconds 4.25 seconds 4.50 seconds
Lowering of
frozen con-
fection
slugs 0.80 seconds 0.80 seconds 0.80 seconds
30~ Closing and
dwell of mold
halves 0.90 seconds 1.15 seconds 1.40 seconds
: ~ : :
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Quiescently Frozen
~ Ice Cream Fudqe Water Ice
Opening of
mold halves0.50 seconds 0.50 seconds 0.50 seconds
Raising of
reformed
confection0.80 seconds 0.80 seconds 0.80 seconds
Advance
stroke 1.00 seconds 1.00 seconds 1.00 seconds
In order to assure that reforming occurs within the
preferred dwell time, the hydraulic pressure delivered to the
hydraulic cylinders is varied. For example, in order to compress
frozen confection comprised of ice cream with normal overrun in
a machine having eight side-by-side mold cavities, it has been
found that a total compressive force of 24,000 pounds or 3,000
pounds per confection produces acceptable product. When
quiescently frozen water ice, as an example, is reformed in equip-
ment of the same configuration, higher operating pressure is
utilized to provide a compressive force in the range of 3,000
to 5,000 pounds per confection. Such additional force is
required to overcome the high resistance of quiescently frozen
water ice to reshaping.
Since the actual time required to close the reforming
mold halves is a function of several factors including the
hydraulic pressure utilized, the temperature of the frozen con-
~:
fection, the nature of the confection, the interrelationshipbetween the shape of the confection slugs FS and the mold cavities,
etc., and may vary from one reforming stroke to the next, two
mechanisms are provided to initiate the opening of the reforming
mold halves in ample time to assure that the reformed confection
can be advanced at the completion of dwell time of the second
conveyor belt. First, a limit switch (not shown) responsive to
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the complete closing of the reforming mold halves is utilized to
cause the mold halves to reopen as soon as the mold halves have
closed completely. Additionally, a timer is provided to reverse
the motion of the mold halves in the event that the mold halves
have not closed completely (and activated the limit switch) approx-
imately .25 seconds before the end of the dwell period.
Typical specifications for liquid confection mixes that
can be utilized in conjunction with the equipment and method of
the present invention to produce the novel reformed frozen con-
fection products are sèt forth below. Unless otherwise stated,the specifications are given as percentages by weight of the
liquid confection mix.
Quiescently Frozen Confection
Density of Mix 8.92 lbs/gal.
Total Solids 17.94%
Sugar Solids 11.94%
Corn Syrup Solids 5.11%
Citric Acid Solids 0.32~
Overrun 0% to 10%
Flavors All Natural
Color All Natural
Volume of Final ProductNot less than 2.5 fl. ~z.
Quiescently Frozen Fudge Confection
Density of Mix 9.54 lbs./gal.
Total Solids 34~13Po
Sugar Solids 13.30%
Corn Syrup Solids 3.35%
Non~fat Milk Powder 10.44%
Whey Powder 3.48%
Overrun 0% to 10~
Flavors All Natural
Volume of Final Product 2.5 fl. oz.
..
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Vanilla Ice Cream Confection
Density of Frozen Ice Cream 4.5 to 4.6 lbs./gal.
~about 100~ overrun)
Butterfat content 10% minimum
Nonat Milk Solids 10% minimum
(Whey substitution for the total Nonfat Milk Solids may not
exceed 25% by weight.)
Flavors Pure 3/Fold Vanilla
Volume of Final Product Not less than 2.5 fl. oz.
It is possible to operate the equipment^and practice
the method of the present invention without utilizing temPerature
-control means associated with the mold halves.
Although the inventions herein have been described with
reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that
these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles in
application of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that
numerous modifications may be made in the illustrative embodiments
and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the
spirit and scope of the i~nvention.
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