1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an apparatus for producing frozen confections without the use of molds, and more particularly concerns an improved transfer conveyor for use in such apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,223 issued to Peter W. Forcella et al on Oct. 12, 1976, a conveyor for transferring frozen confections is described as including a large number of articulated confection gripper mechanisms, hereinafter referred to as pickup carriages. The pickup carriages are interconnected to form an endless chain, and such endless chain of carriages is driven in timed relation to the freezer conveyor of the confection producing system. A pair of gripping tongs are detachably mounted to each carriage. The tongs are made in several configurations adapted to the different types of frozen confections to be produced, such as, for example, cones, stickless bar confections, and stick-type bar confections. More particularly, the tongs have either prongs at their outer ends adapted to cooperate to seize a stickless bar confection therebetween, or they have yolk type abutments at their outer ends for grasping cones, or they have interdigitating teeth for handling stick type confections. As shown in the Drawings in the Forcella et al patent, the prior art tongs which are adapted to handle stickless novelty bars of ice cream or the like have staple-like wire configurations which terminate in tips of reduced diameter adapted to penetrate into the sides of the bar confection.
As disclosed in the aforementioned Forcella et al patent, flanged mounting members are affixed to the inner ends of the gripping tongs, and two dowel pins are attached to the flange of each mounting member. The ends of the arms of the carriages to which the tongs are detachably mounted have two apertures formed therein for receiving the dowel pins that are affixed to the tongs. One of the two pins extends upwardly of each tong flange, and a spring clip is pivotally secured on such projecting pin. The spring clip has a C-shape which enables it to be rotated on the projecting pin to a position where it clamps the tong and the arm together and retains the tong on the arm. The spring clips of the opposed tong members are of opposite geometrical configurations, that is to say, they are not interchangeable from side to side on each carriage.
The primary shortcoming of the confection pickup conveyor shown in the Forcella et al patent is that it is relatively time consuming and difficult to replace the tongs of each carriage to enable the pickup conveyor to handle a different type of confection, such as, for example, to remove the tongs adapted to handle stick-type bar confections and then reinstall tongs adapted to handle stickless bar confections. More particularly, it has been found that the removable spring clips used to engage the tongs on the tong receiving arms of the carriages must be relatively stiff in order to rigidly fasten the tongs to the arms, and such stiffness makes it necessary for one to use a screwdriver to pry off such spring clips. Furthermore, since the spring clips are of opposite geometrical configurations, it is necessary that such clips be stored separately, because otherwise one might have some difficulty in finding the appropriate spring clip for the appropriate side of the carriage. Such problem in changing from one type of tong to another is particularly serious because a frozen confection transfer conveyor may have from 100 to 150 carriages, each of which has a pair of tongs which must be removed and replaced with a new pair of tongs.