Decorating head

Claim 2

A hollow decorating head for use in depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product onto units of confectionery to decorate them, comprising: means defining top, bottom and peripheral side walls; the top wall having an inlet through which product is supplied into the head under pressure; an array of outlet nozzles in the bottom wall; the entrance to each nozzle being provided by an opening through which the product passes into the nozzle; a deflector between the top and bottom walls and mounted below the inlet and in the path of the product entering the head through the inlet; the deflector having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly from the peripheral side wall so that a first position of the product is caused to flow outwardly over the deflector and then downwardly to the nozzles in the bottom wall through the gap between the peripheral edge of the deflector and the peripheral side wall of the head; the deflector having an opening in a central portion thereof allowing another portion of the product to flow through the deflector; and a static distributor operatively connected to the deflector opening and arranged to direct said other portion of the product to flow outwardly across the bottom wall.

Claim 3

A decorating head according to claim 1, in which the entrance opening to each nozzle is provided by a constriction the cross-sectional area of which is not greater than 25% of the effective cross-sectional area of the dowstream end of the corresponding nozzle.

Claim 4

A decorating head according to claim 2, in which each constriction is provided by an orifice in a thin plate.

Claim 5

A decorating head according to claim 2, in which each constriction is provided by an orifice having a convergent entrance.

Claim 6

A decorating head according to claim 4, including a common restricter plate in which all the orifices are provided and which overlies the nozzles at the bottom wall of the head, with one orifice in alignment with each nozzle.

Claim 7

A decorating head according to claim 5, including a lower plate having apertures, the nozzles having tubular bodies extending downwardly through the apertures in the lower plate, and the nozzles having larger upstream ends clamped between the lower plate and the restricter plate in which the orifices are formed to mount the nozzles in position.

Claim 8

A decorating head according to claim 3 in which the nozzles are supported from a single plate having apertures from which the tubular bodies of the nozzles extend downwardly, and including a thin disc mounted across the entrance to each nozzle, and the orifice for each nozzle being located in the disc.

Claim 9

A decorating head according to claim 7, in which each nozzle and disc is held in position in the plate by a swaged element extending over each disc around the nozzle.

Claim 10

A decorating head according to claim 1, in which the array of nozzles is non-circular so that some nozzles are remote from the static distributor, and the static distributor has exit holes for the product which are positioned so that the product is preferentially directed across the bottom wall toward the nozzles most remote from the distributor.

Claim 11

A decorating head according to claim 1, in which the static distributor is removably mounted on the deflector for easy replacement by another distributor.

Claim 12

A decorating head according to claim 10, wherein the static distributor has a hollow spigot, and the deflector incorporates a central bush into which the hollow spigot is received.

Claim 13

A decorating head according to claim 11, including means for locating the spigot in position in the bush in a predetermined angular orientation.

Claim 14

A decorating head according to claim 1, in which the deflector is a horizontal plate having a tubular portion which projects downwardly from the center of the plate, the distributor is mounted at the bottom of the tubular portion, and the inner top wall of the head has a peripheral edge which curves downwardly to assist in directing the first portion of the product smoothly down around the peripheral edge of the deflector plate.

Claim 15

A decorating head according to claim 1, wherein the top and side walls of the head are integrally formed; and including a ring surrounding the side wall of the head and having a radially inwardly projecting annular flange, and the bottom wall of the head in which the nozzles are mounted is clamped between the lower edge of the side wall of the head and said annular flange.

Claim 16

A decorating head according to claim 1 including a partition dividing the interior of the head into a number of compartments each communicating with a separate part of the array of nozzles in the bottom wall of the head, and the walls having an inlet communicating with each compartment.

Claim 17

A decorating head according to claim 1 including a blanking plate mounted in the head on top of the bottom wall, the blanking plate being provided with a configuration of openings providing communication between the interior of the head and the entrances to some of the nozzles but covering and closing the entrances to others of the nozzles.

Claim 18

A decorating head according to claim 16, in which the configuration of openings provides communication with a peripheral line of nozzles and at least one other line of nozzles within the peripheral line so that the product will be deposited in a manner to provide dams between which other fillings may be placed.

Claim 19

A decorating head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall includes a lower plate having aperatures, and the nozzles have tubular bodies disposed in and extending downwardly through the aperatures in the lower plate; and including a peripheral mounting member surrounding the side walls and having an inwardly-projecting flange which underlies and supports the lower plate, a plurality of studs extending upwardly from the top of the mounting member to a level above the top wall, and means associated with each stud for supporting the mounting member on the top wall.

Claim 20

A decorating head as set forth in claim 18 including a plurality of upstanding posts depending to a level below the nozzles, and each post proximate to one of said studs and having means for attachment thereto.

Claim 21

A decorating head as set forth in claim 19 including means defining a guide for engaging the confectionery and locating it below the nozzles, and a supporting apparatus connected to said studs for holding the guide and nozzles in position relative to each other.

Claim 22

A hollow decorating head for use in depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product onto units of confectionery, comprising: wall means defining top, bottom and peripheral side walls: the wall means having an inlet through which the aerated food product is supplied into the head under pressure; an array of outlet nozzles at substantially atmospheric pressure in the bottom wall; the entrance to each nozzle being a thin plate orifice through which the product passes into the nozzle and providing an appreciable pressure differential between the pressurized interior of the head and the interior of the nozzle; each orifice having an area not greater than 25% of the effective cross-sectional area of the downstream end of the corresponding nozzle; the thin plate orifice and the nozzle being constructed and arranged to provide flow through each orifice equivalent to ideal flow; and a deflector between the top and bottom walls and mounted below the inlet and in the path of the product entering the head through the inlet; the deflector having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly from the peripheral side wall so that a first position of the product is caused to flow outwardly over the deflector and then downwardly to the nozzles in the bottom wall through the gap between the peripheral edge of the deflector and the peripheral side wall of the head; the deflector having an opening in a central portion thereof allowing another portion of the product to flow through the deflector.

Claim 23

A hollow decorating head for use in depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product onto units of confectionery, comprising: wall means defining top, bottom and peripheral side walls: the wall means having an inlet through which the aerated food product is supplied into the head under pressure; an array of outlet nozzles at substantially atmospheric pressure in the bottom wall; the entrance to each nozzle being a thin plate orifice through which the product passes into the nozzle and providing an appreciable pressure differential between the pressurized interior of the head and the interior of the nozzle; each orifice having an area not greater than 25% of the effective cross-sectional area of the downstream end of the corresponding nozzle; the thin plate orifice and the nozzle being constructed and arranged to provide flow through each orifice equivalent to ideal flow; and a deflector between the top and bottom walls and mounted below the inlet and in the path of the product entering the head through the inlet; the deflector having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly from the peripheral side wall so that a first position of the product is caused to flow outwardly over the deflector and then downwardly to the nozzles in the bottom wall through the gap between the peripheral edge of the deflector and the peripheral side wall of the head; the deflector having an opening in a central portion thereof allowing another portion of the product to flow through the deflector.

Claim 24

A hollow decorating head for use in depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product onto units of confectionery, comprising: wall means defining top, bottom and peripheral side walls: the wall means having an inlet through which the aerated food product is supplied into the head under pressure; an array of outlet nozzles at substantially atmospheric pressure in the bottom wall; the entrance to each nozzle being a thin plate orifice through which the product passes into the nozzle and providing an appreciable pressure differential between the pressurized interior of the head and the interior of the nozzle; each orifice having an area not greater than 25% of the effective cross-sectional area of the downstream end of the corresponding nozzle; the thin plate orifice and the nozzle being constructed and arranged to provide flow through each orifice equivalent to ideal flow; and a deflector between the top and bottom walls and mounted below the inlet and in the path of the product entering the head through the inlet; the deflector having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly from the peripheral side wall so that a first position of the product is caused to flow outwardly over the deflector and then downwardly to the nozzles in the bottom wall through the gap between the peripheral edge of the deflector and the peripheral side wall of the head; the deflector having an opening in a central portion thereof allowing another portion of the product to flow through the deflector.

Claim 25

A hollow decorating head for use in depositing a stiff fluent aerated food product onto units of confectionery, comprising: wall means defining top, bottom and peripheral side walls: the wall means having an inlet through which the aerated food product is supplied into the head under pressure; an array of outlet nozzles at substantially atmospheric pressure in the bottom wall; the entrance to each nozzle being a thin plate orifice through which the product passes into the nozzle and providing an appreciable pressure differential between the pressurized interior of the head and the interior of the nozzle; each orifice having an area not greater than 25% of the effective cross-sectional area of the downstream end of the corresponding nozzle; the thin plate orifice and the nozzle being constructed and arranged to provide flow through each orifice equivalent to ideal flow; and a deflector between the top and bottom walls and mounted below the inlet and in the path of the product entering the head through the inlet; the deflector having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly from the peripheral side wall so that a first position of the product is caused to flow outwardly over the deflector and then downwardly to the nozzles in the bottom wall through the gap between the peripheral edge of the deflector and the peripheral side wall of the head; the deflector having an opening in a central portion thereof allowing another portion of the product to flow through the deflector.

Claim 26

A decorating head according to claim 21 in which the nozzles are supported from a single plate having apertures from which the tubular bodies of the nozzles extend downwardly, and including a thin disc mounted across the entrance of each nozzle, and the orifice for each nozzle being located in the disc.