FR2790368A1 - Machine for grinding, refining and mixing of chocolate or other food products comprises cylindrical drum with textured inner wall and rotating flexible vanes inside drum - Google Patents

Abstract

Ingredients for making a batch of chocolate are ground, refined and mixed in a cylindrical drum (2). The drum is textured on its inner wall (2.2), which acts with flexible vanes (13) rotating inside the drum to grind the materials. The vanes are T-shaped, with a narrow support (13.1) leading to a wide cross piece (13.2) which extends the length of the drum. The pressure applied can be varied in different phases of operation.

Description

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL MACHINE FOR OBTAINING

  FOOD PRODUCTS REQUIRING OPERATIONS

  GRINDING, REFINING AND MIXING OF MATERIALS

FIRST.

  The invention relates to the technical sector of grinding, refining machines, mixers, which can be used for the manufacture of

  food products, from raw materials.

  The purpose of these machines is to ensure processing of raw materials in the raw state for the design of food products in semi-finished or semi-worked state, with a view to subsequently manufacturing

final food products.

  In particular, pastry-chocolate makers who use a low tonnage of chocolate, praline or similar, buy from chocolate manufacturers batches of chocolate, in the state of raw material, which they then transform according to their need. The chocolate is thus delivered in the form of a mass or large tablet of 1 to 3 kilos called chocolate cover, then the pastry chef-chocolate maker cuts all or part of it to

  ensure the manufacture of these products.

  The problem lies in the fact that said purchases of lots of chocolate are often costly, dependent on the commercial policy of the company manufacturing the chocolate, and the tonnages ordered annually. Very often also, the pastry cooks-chocolate makers are subject to sales having a very variable amplitude, according to the seasons, and can arise a

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  supply problem and / or storage problem with batches of

chocolate considered.

  To the best of the applicant's knowledge, there are no machines capable of meeting the needs of pastry and chocolate makers for the

  treatment of the quantity of chocolate corresponding to their volume of use.

  It was proposed, many years ago, a machine intended to grind and refine chocolate, but for very considerable volumes, not adapted to the needs of the profession. Furthermore, said machine provided a simple grinding and refining function, but later required

  and independently an additional operational mixing phase.

  A very limited number of pastry-chocolate makers make their chocolate blankets from cocoa beans, which nevertheless requires large investments in machinery, in place, and energy. The following equipment is indeed required: - a roaster for roasting the beans, a step which requires a great deal of know-how. - a tarare cocoa breaker to crush the bean and rid it of its skin and

shell and its germ.

  - a mill which crushes the crushed bean and the sugar in order to obtain a paste.

  - a grinder-refiner which includes 3 to 5 rollers and which laminates the chocolate paste and refines it until obtaining shavings with a thickness of

a few microns.

  - a conche, that is to say a kneader heating the refined cocoa mass and which by its kneading, and using a turbine, sucks the volatile acidities of the chocolate. This mixing can last from 48h to 72h, after which the chocolate

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  is finished and can be molded into breads of 1 to 3 kilos. These are used for

  preparations of chocolate candies and pastry in various desserts.

  It is thus understood that all of this equipment involves investment costs that are too high for most pastry-chocolate makers. A first aim sought after, according to the invention, resides in the design of a multifunction machine adapted to the low volumes of use of pastry-chocolate makers, in particular capable of processing production capacities.

on the order of 100 to 500 liters.

  Another desired object, according to the invention, was to produce a machine allowing grinding, refining and kneading of food products, adapted to the needs of pastry-chocolate makers, and capable of operating in a working time conferring flexibility of use. Another goal was to design a low cost machine

  returns, resulting in a low investment for the user.

  According to a first characteristic of the invention, the machine for obtaining food products requiring the grinding and refining of raw materials of the type comprising a drum arranged on a frame, said drum being arranged to receive a load of products, and including a device for stirring and grinding said products, said drum having, over its entire lower periphery, projecting zones participating in grinding, remarkable in that said drum is arranged to internally receive a device allowing the stirring of raw materials, grinding , refining and kneading, said device being

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  mounted rotating using drive means associated with the power unit

  reduction gear of the machine, and in that the device comprises a distributor member receiving a plurality of blade support arms, said blades being subjected to elastic stress against the internal cavity of the drum during grinding and refining operations, said blades being mounted at

  flush against said cavity during the mixing operation.

  These characteristics and others will emerge clearly from the rest of the

description.

  To fix the object of the invention illustrated in a nonlimiting manner in the figures of the drawings o: - Figure 1 is a front view of the multifunction machine, with section

  illustrating the different components of it.

  - Figure 2 is a side view, according to Figure 1, along the line A.A thereof. - Figures 3 and 4 are partial views in section, illustrating a device controlling in position the location of the grinding blades of

  raw materials for obtaining the food product.

  - Figures 5 and 6 are partial views in section illustrating the positioning of the blades inside the machine during the phases of

  grinding and refining, then kneading.

  - Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the end of a blade holder arm. - Figure 8 is a partial view in section illustrating the positions

  different blades on the same support arm.

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  In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described

  in a nonlimiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

  The multifunction machine for grinding, refining, and mixing of raw materials to obtain food products, is referenced as a whole by (1). It allows the manufacture of chocolate, praline, mustard, and in general, all products

  natural for food and requiring the above three phases.

  The application of the invention to the invention will be described in the following description.

chocolate making.

  The machine (1) thus comprises a drum (2) whose axis of rotation (x. X) is horizontal. This drum, which forms a tank, is mounted in a fixed position on a frame (3), arranged in any suitable manner. A geared motor unit (4) is disposed on said chassis, and comprises a transmission shaft (4. 1)

of a rotational movement.

  In its upper part, the drum receives one or more hoppers (5), allowing the introduction of the load of raw materials (cocoa, sugar,

  vanilla ...) needed to make chocolate.

  Said drum has over its entire inner periphery (2.1), projecting areas (2.2), forming grooves or teeth, participating in the grinding as will be described later. Internally, said drum receives a device (6), allowing the mixing of raw materials, grinding, refining and kneading. This device (6) is rotatably mounted on a bearing assembly (7), mounted fixed relative to one of the lateral flanges (2.3) of the drum. This

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  bearing assembly is very long, so that it allows the device to be held, guided and rotated from a plane (y. y), substantially

  median, relative to the length of the drum.

  The bearing assembly (7) is capable of internally receiving a cylinder (8), constituting the aforementioned device, this cylinder being rotatably mounted by bearings (9) mounted on the bearing. The drive of said cylinder by the engine block (4) disposed on the chassis, is carried out using a device with

  belts (10) or other equivalent means of transmission.

  The cylinder (8), of great length, projects beyond the bearing assembly and is integral, at its end, with a distributor member (11) receiving a plurality of arms (12) supporting the blades (13). The connection is made by all

appropriate means.

  Said distributor member (11) is designed and arranged in a star with n branches

  (11.1) and for example 6 branches as shown in the drawing.

  Each branch has an internal bore (11.2.) For receiving, with guide and controlled sliding, the arm (12) supporting the blades (13) corresponding. According to a provision of the invention, each arm opens into the central part (11.3) of the dispensing member, so as to be opposite the opening part (8.1) of the cylinder. Each arm is arranged with a sloping part (12.1), forming a cam and oriented opposite the

through part of the cylinder.

  Said cylinder internally receives a pusher (17) whose front part (17.1) is profiled in the shape of a nose, complementary to the corresponding profile

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  arms, to come, if necessary and in certain operating phases, into contact with the sloping part of said arms, by pushing them outwardly in a radial expansion and according to a predetermined stroke. The pusher is suitably guided by any means in the cylinder using appropriate guide means (14), of the bearing type, and allowing it to slide. The rear part (17.2) of the pusher (17) projects beyond the drum, on the motor drive side. The pusher is requested to move by any suitable means (15) actuated to

from the machine chassis.

  According to another important arrangement of the invention, said arms have their second end (12.2), projecting outwardly from the branches (1.1) of the dispensing member (11). The ends (12.2) of said arms are then arranged to receive one or more scraper blades (13), oriented in different planes to come into contact or flush with the

inner cavity of the drum.

  More precisely, and in an advantageous implementation, each end of the arm receives n blades, and preferably 3 blades, which are held in a

  sandwich arrangement, with connecting and blocking means (16).

  Each blade (13) has a T-shaped configuration with a long central strip (13.1), receiving at the end and in a perpendicular plane, a blade in the form of a flat strip forming a scraper (13.2). The central strip is advantageously made of a material offering a certain elastic capacity for deformation and bending. The scraper part (13.2) is very long, and advantageously corresponding to the length of the drum, so as to allow scraping throughout the interior volume of said drum. As shown in the drawing,

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  the blades (13.2) are arranged from the same arm, at non-parallel angulations to allow, from a group of blades, to ensure the desired effects of grinding, refining and kneading, during

  contact with the inner part of the drum.

  It is now necessary to explain the operating mode of the machine.

  In a first phase, the drum is filled with raw materials, such as cocoa, sugar, vanilla and other possible ingredients for making chocolate. These raw materials, in their raw and natural state,

  must be subjected to a grinding and refining operation.

  The second phase consists in ensuring the grinding and refining function by putting the machine into operation. In this phase, the pusher (17) is urged to move forward in the cylinder (8) to come into abutment against the ends (12.1) facing the arms (12) of the member

  distributor (11), causing their partial exit in radial expansion.

  The blades (13), under the effect of displacement of the arms, undergo a bending absorbed by elasticity and the blades (13.2) forming a scraper bear against the inner periphery of the drum. The rotation of the device, inside the drum, causes a succession of shocks between the blades and the interior cavity of the drum, making it possible to obtain the effect of grinding and

  sought refining of raw materials, resulting in their mixing.

  When this operation is completed, the machine must continue to operate to ensure mixing of the chocolate obtained. To this end, the pusher (17) returns to the initial position, removing the pressure exerted on

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  the blades, these then rotating while coming to be flush with the interior cavity of the drum. During this operation, there is heating of the chocolate and of the fluid mass of the chocolate obtained, at a temperature of the order of 50 centigrade. It is then necessary to evacuate the acidities in the form of particles or gases coming from the chocolate mass, and a ventilation circuit (1 8) is

  provided in the machine to allow said evacuation outside.

  A complete chocolate manufacturing operation is carried out over approximately 48 hours and allows processing between 10O0 and 500 liters of chocolate. The machine includes, in the lower part of the drum, a drain valve

  (19), with escape hatch (20).

  The machine according to the invention operates continuously to provide grinding, refining and kneading, and meeting the needs of

  pastry-chocolate makers. The chocolate obtained is then used by the pastry chef-

  chocolatier according to his needs.

  The machine, object of the invention, is particularly suitable for pastry-chocolate makers or anyone wishing to make fine chocolates from roasted beans according to their personal recipes and with

moderate quantities.

  The machine can be used to process other raw materials in order to

  obtaining various food products.

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Claims (2)

CLAIMS -1 - Machine for obtaining food products requiring the grinding and refining of raw materials of the type comprising a drum (2) arranged on a frame (3), said drum being arranged to receive a load of products, and including a device for stirring and grinding said products, said drum having, over its entire lower periphery, projecting zones participating in grinding, characterized in that said drum is arranged to receive internally a device (6) allowing the stirring of materials raw materials, grinding, refining and kneading, said device being mounted rotating using drive means associated with the motor-reduction unit of the machine, and in that the device comprises a distributor member (11) receiving d 'a plurality of blade support arms (12) (13), said blades being subjected to elastic stress against the interior cavity of the drum l during grinding and refining operations, said blades being mounted flush against said cavity during the mixing operation. -2- Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the device is rotatably mounted on a bearing assembly (7) fixed to the drum, said bearing assembly being of great length and allowing the maintenance, guidance and rotation of the device, from a substantially median plane relative to the length of the drum. -3- Machine according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the device (6), mounted on a bearing assembly (7), comprises a cylinder (8) rotatably mounted relative to said bearing, said protruding cylinder to it 2790368 one end and being integral with a distributor member (11), arm receiver (12), blade support (13). -4- Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the distributor member (11) is designed and arranged in a star with n branches, each branch having an internal bore (11.2) for guiding and controlled sliding of an arm (12) blade support. -5- Machine according to claim 4, characterized in that each arm opens into the central part (11.3) of the dispensing member, so as to be opposite the opening part (8.1) of the cylinder, each arm being arranged with a sloping part (12.1), forming a cam and oriented opposite the emerging part of the cylinder. -6- Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the cylinder internally receives a pusher (17) whose front part (17.1) is shaped like a nose, complementary to the corresponding profile of the arms, to come, if necessary and in certain operating phases, in contact with the sloping part of said arms, by pushing them outwardly in a radial expansion and according to a predetermined stroke, the pusher being suitably guided by any means in the cylinder using guide means suitable (14), bearing type, and allowing its sliding. -7- Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the rear part (17.2) of the pusher (17) projects beyond the drum, motor drive side, the pusher being urged to move by any suitable means (15) actuated from the machine chassis. 12 2790368   -8- Machine according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized   in that said arms have their second end (12.2), projecting outwardly from the branches (11.1) of the distributor member (11), the ends (12.2) of said arms being arranged to receive one or more scraper blades (13), oriented in different plans to come in   contact or flush with the interior cavity of the drum.   -9- Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that each arm end receives n blades, and preferably 3 blades, which are held in a sandwich arrangement, with a connecting means (16) and blocking.   - 10- Machine according to claim 9, characterized in that each blade (13) has a T configuration with a median strip (13. 1) of great length, receiving at the end and in a perpendicular plane, a blade in the form of flat strip forming a scraper (13.2), the middle strip being advantageously made of a material offering a certain elastic capacity of deformation and bending, the scraper part (13.2) being of great length, and advantageously corresponding to the length of the drum, and that the blades (13.2) are arranged from the same arm, at non-parallel angulations to allow, from a group of blades, to ensure the desired effects of grinding, refining and   mixing, upon contact with the interior of the drum.   - 1 - Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized   in that it includes a ventilation circuit (18) to allow 13 2790368   removal of particles or gases from the bulk of the products kneaded food.   -12- Use of the machine according to any one of claims 1 to   11, characterized for the manufacture of chocolates, pralines, mustards, and other products derived from raw materials requiring operations of   grinding, refining and kneading, to obtain food products.