Chapter 9

Fig. 25.

Attempts have recently been made to introduce a machine combining mill and roller. Its value lies in the fact that with a relative increase in the grinding rapidity, it does not involve a greater than requisite heat, and on emerging from the machine the cacao shows no deficiencies as to flavour, and is withal much finer than that produced in other processes.

Fig. 26.

Fig. 26 shows such a machine. The mill on this serves merely to reduce the hard kernel to a pulp, and this admits of the grinding stones being placed farther apart, and so occasions no heat. Trituration is then effected by a roller apparatus, for which operationmachines with four rollers have been proved most satisfactory. As such roller machines are furnished with water-cooling systems, it is possible for the cacao to be kept cool even on these.

Fig. 27.

A thorough mixing with sugar can only be effected when the cacao paste is heated to a temperature rather above the melting point of cacao butter, that is to say, as high as from 35° to 40° C., and consequently the incorporating machine in which that operation is carried on is provided with a steam jacket. For this process it is advisable to have the chocolate in a semi-liquid condition, wherefore the ground cacao issuing from the mills is transferred to steam-heated vessels (fig. 27) fitted with taps suitable for drawing off the mass as it is required. Formerly the cacao mass was fed into the melangeur in lumps and there liquefied. But as this necessitated the application of heat to the melangeur, attended with the risk of cracking its under-plating, and also a postponement of the mixing processes, whereby considerable time was lost, this method no longer obtains to-day. It is at present usual not only to warm thecacao mass beforehand, but the sugar also, by storing it in warm chambers, so that the whole paste possesses a uniform temperature, lowering of temperature in the melangeur is avoided, and there is consequently no waste of the heating steam.

In some large factories the actual incorporation of cacao and sugar is preceded by a preliminary mixing of large quantities, which considerably relieves the strain on the melangeur, whilst it keeps the machine rooms as far as possible free from superfluous dust.

Fig. 28.

The mixing machine shown in fig. 28 can here be used with advantage. As will be seen on comparing the illustration, it is provided with a shifting trough. Such a machine, when closed down, is capable of mixing from 100-500 kilos of chocolate. The mixing is effected by means of two suitably shaped blades, and the heating by a steam jacket. After the operation is completed, the mixed material is turned out into portable troughs, and after having been kept in a warm chamber for some length of time, transferred to the melangeur for further treatment.

It has been found advantageous to keep the chocolate mass so obtained in suitable receptacles for several days114, at a temperature of not less than 20° C. and between that figure and 40° C. So the sugar is enabled to penetrate the entire mass, which now proceeds to the rolling processes carried out in the melangeur and rolling machines. Shortly before its discharge from the latter, it is mixed with spices, vanillin, eatherial oils and so forth.

Fig. 29.

In describing the mixing machines, we do not intend to enter into details regarding the machines formerly in use, but merely to give a brief outline of the principles illustrated in their construction.

Trituration was formerly produced;

1. by rollers running backwards and forwards on a grinder;2. by several cones rotating in a circle on a disc-shaped bed;3. by means of rotating stones running in a trough;4. by means of several cylindrical rollers;5. by means of grooved cone moving in a grooved casing.115

At the present time only the type mentioned under 1. and 4. are in general use. 3. is met with less frequently, and will be described at greater length in a subsequent paragraph.

The machines 1. and 3. are put into operation prior to the cylinder rolling mills, which finish off the incorporation of chocolate and sugar and the levigation process only begun in the first-named.

The machines constructed in the manner described under 3., to which we now turn, were introduced by G. Hermann of Paris, but are at present almost obsolete. Since they have some historical interest and are typical of the development of the melangeur, we annex a rough sketch showing their general construction in fig. 29.

The ellipsoid runnersamade of granite work in the troughiwhich is also of granite and is fitted with the casingh. The runners rotate on their axlesbso as to move in a circle. The two arms of the axisbhave at the centre an elliptical ring with a quadrangular opening, into which fits the similar shaped part of the vertical shaftcfitted with the toothed wheels,dandd′, which are set in motion by power transmitted to the shaft and its connections. The armbhas some play downwards, so that it can adjust itself vertically according to the greater or less quantity of material in the mill. The two steel blades,eande′, are shaped to fit the cavity of the trough; being connected with the shaftcthey revolve with it and sweep down the cacao mass adhering to the sides of the mill. Between the foundationkand the troughithere is a spacelinto which steam can be introduced throughf, the condensed water passing away byg.

All machines of this kind have now been displaced by the melangeur which is capable of turning out a much larger quantity of material with a relatively smaller expenditure of power. The operation of mixing chocolate is not a mere mixing, for thepressureexerted by therunnersis also an indispensable factor. On that account the ordinary mixing machines have not proved serviceable, especially in the case of chocolates containing a small amount of fat, such as the cheaper kinds, while the addition of cacaobutter to facilitate the working of the machine would considerably increase the cost of production. Melangeurs are generally constructed on the same principle as the edge runner grinding mills which are so much used; but they differ from them in so far as the bed-stone revolves, while the runners merely rotate on their axles without revolving.

Fig. 30.

The melangeur with travelling bed-stone, as constructed by Lehmann, is shown at fig. 30; it is fitted with an arrangement for lifting out the runners.

Fig. 31.

The bed-stone as well as the runners are made of granite. Each runner has an axis working in plummer blocks, so that it can belifted out independently of the other one. By that construction the runners are prevented from taking an oblique position as was the case with the mills formerly made, since one runner would be forced downwards or tilted on its outer edge whenever the other one was raised up somewhat. The bed-stone of this machine revolves and it is easily heated by steam pipes from below. One important advantage of this machine is that being low it can be very easily charged and emptied. The contrivance for lifting out the runners prevents them thumping upon the bed-stone that might otherwise readily happen when starting the machine, and it also lessens the wear of the driving bands; moreover, large lumps of sugar or cacao are very readily crushed down and, so, the working is much facilitated. The emptying of the melangeur is readily and safely effected, while the bed stone is revolving, by holding a shovel so that the cacao is thrown up against the shovel. A melangeur of this construction is represented by fig. 31; it has three runners and underneaththe bed-stone is fitted a steam engine which supplies driving power, the exhaust steam being used for heating the machine.

Although this emptying by hand is not attended with any serious drawbacks, yet it involves loss of time and is rather inconvenient, so that the demand for mechanical automatism in this operation was very considerable. It is now some years since Messrs. J. M. Lehmann patented an apparatus for the mechanical discharging of the chocolate mass from these machines, but their invention still holds good. A melangeur provided with such apparatus is shown on fig. 31. Here a vertically moving shovel is sunk behind the outlet, gradually damming the material, and causing it to rise above the edge of the tank and fall through the opening. A second but horizontally working arrangement, which in this case as in the last is controllable by means of a crank, conducts the remainder of the material to the same shovel. So the material is discharged within a few minutes.—These melangeurs are built for varying outputs. Fig. 32 illustrates one of the largest yet constructed. Its base has a diameter of 2 metres, and the machine itself has a capacity of 5 cwts. To avoid the mixing of dust with the sugar as far as possible, the whole melangeur is provided with a dust-proof protector.

An extreme fineness and homogeneity of the chocolate mass is obtained in the employment of cylindrical rolling machines, for the construction of which we are indebted to G. Hermann of Paris. Every kind of chocolate must be passed through the rolling machine at least once or twice even when finely powdered sugar is used, though in this case it is less a question of sub-division than of incorporation and intermixture. The best qualities are passed through the machine from six to eight times, or even more. The mass is finally fed into the machine in cold blocks and so ground off. Granite is the material chiefly employed in making the rollers, although it is not every variety which can be adapted to this purpose. Apart from the fact that granite, or indeed any other mineral stone, seldom occurs in compact masses and free from flaws, neither porphyry nor the stone generally described as granite is suitable for employment in the construction of mill rollers. A kind is generally preferred which intermediates between granite and porphyry as to hardness and possesses excellent grinding capacities, and which goes by the name of diorite. No other stone can compare with this diorite in respect to the above qualities, and the chief firms engaged in the construction of roller machines possess their own quarries. But we shall return to this later, for recently experiments with case-hardened casting rollers (Krupp steel) and hard porcelain have yielded very flattering results.

Fig. 32.

Fig. 33 a.

Fig. 33 b.

We shall now enter into more detail respecting the principle illustrated by these rolling machines. The plasticity of the chocolatemass necessitates a rotation of the cylinder surfaces in opposite directions with dissimilar velocities. Accordingly two or more rollers are caused to work against each other, and in compliance with this principle of sub-division with differential velocities, their axles are fitted with wheels, of which each has a different number of cogs.

So those rollers furnished with the greater number of teeth revolve more slowly, whilst in opposite instances there is a corresponding acceleration.

Fig. 34.

The construction of the machines now in use differs more or less from that of the type first invented by Hermann, plan and elevation of which appear in figs. 33 a and 33 b respectively.116

The granite rollers ata1,a2,a3are fitted with an octagonal iron axle that is somewhat thicker at the interior part and they are mounted upon a frame as shown in the drawing. The sockets of thecentral rollersa2are fixed and each one is held in position by three sets screws; those of the two other rollers can be shifted along grooves in the frame and when the cylindersa1anda3have been brought into proper position relatively to the cylindera2they are held fast by the set screwsp.

Fig. 35.

Fig. 36.

For the purpose of this adjustment, there is at each end of the machine a horizontal wrought iron shaftfthat can be turned by the winche, and these shafts are fitted with two endless screwsdworking in the corresponding wheelsc. These occur on the spindlesa, which screw in and out of the bearing blocks of the rollersa1anda2, but turn only in the fixed collarsbwithout being shifted from their place. The result is that on turning the cranksethe corresponding cylindera1ora3is moved nearer to, or further from, the central cylindera2, while the position of all of them always remains parallel. The shaftQis set in motion by the driving wheelLfitted with the loose wheelL1. It acts first upon the cog wheelKwhich works in the larger wheelJon the axle of the central rollera2.That works in the cog wheelOand the wheelPfitted to the rollera1driving them as well as the wheelMand the pinionNof the rollera3The result is that the axlea2makes 1¾ revolutions anda36-1/8 revolutions whilea1in the same time makes only one revolution.

Fig. 37.

The cacao or chocolate is supplied to this machine by the hopperRwhich is placed between the rollersa1anda2. The pasty mass adhering to the rollers is carried forward by the quicker moving rollera2and it is ground finer between the rollersa2anda3, after which the material is removed froma3at the outer side by an adjustable bladeggand then falls down into a receptacle below.

Figs. 38 and 39.

On the design fig.3434 we see a machine of more modern construction ready mounted. The receptacle parts of the same are arrangedand connected in full agreement with the above mentioned except that the motion is effected by the driving power fitted to the machine on the ground on the left side.

Fig. 40.

The principle of this roller machine has long been applied in the building of other types, and we find that these, variously altered, renovated and improved, are to-day an indispensable equipment in every chocolate factory. In the following pages we give a description of some of the best-known constructions of refiner.

The so called battery rolling mills constitute a remarkable innovation. It is apparent that the more rollers a cylinder machine contains, and the greater their length and diameter, all the more efficacious will the working of the machine be. Batteries have accordingly been constructed, whereby two, three or more roller systems are combined, one to every three rollers, and rising one above the other, so that they slant upwards much as shown in Fig. 40.

As the battery rolling mills possessed the disadvantages that they took up too much room and could not be well fed and regulated, they are generally replaced by rolling machines of from 6 to 9 rollers, first constructed by J. M. Lehmann. These rolling machines of 6 to 9 rollers which we see before us in Figs.3535 and3636 are really systems of 3 rollers fitted one over the other. They therefore take up the room of a 3-roller machine and are quite as easy to work.

Fig. 41 a.

As will be seen from the design of a nine-roller apparatus, fig. 37, the chocolate mass descends from one roller system to the other, and is fine rolled in a third of the time otherwise required, and at one operation, with corresponding saving of labour. The nine roller apparatus are provided with landing stage and steps, and fed either by means of elevators, or from above.

Fig. 38 shows a recent construction, three roller apparatus(case castings, cf. below) standing vertically, which accordingly takes up little room. The hopper is low-lying, whilst the discharging is effected from the upper roller, and accordingly admits of the occasional use of a somewhat larger size of transport trolley. This type also occurs with 6-9-12 rollers, as apparent from fig. 39.

Fig. 41 b.

Whilst these systems were exclusively supplied with rollers made of granite or hard porcelain up to a few years ago, it has been found that good results are obtained by the use of cast rollers, and they have been for some time employed on machines of three, four and five rollers. (Figs. 38, 40, 41 a-c.) In consequence of the non-porous surface of these steel rollers, it is possible to grind to a finest powder,merely in one operation, without passing the chocolate through the machine several times; and the so-called “Burning” of masses which have not been properly mixed cannot arise in this case, though it is true that the apparatus must be provided with water cooling arrangements to avoid a too excessive heat. They are specially adapted to the preparation of the more ordinary qualities, and are even occasionally employed for finer chocolates, for obviously these must be again submitted to a rolling process, when granite or porcelain rollers are preferred.

Fig. 41 c.

For this reason the 6, 9 or even 12 roller mills have been more discarded since the last grinding process has been performed by granite rollers (cold process).

In order to avoid the disadvantages of the pulley drive, it is in certain cases advisable to drive each machine direct from an electric motor. Fig. 42 illustrates a refining machine driven in this manner.

Fig. 42.

The relative proportions of cacao, sugar, and spices, as well as of starch as in the manufacture of the cheaper sorts, vary considerably. Generally speaking 50 or 60 parts of sugar are added for 50 or 40 parts of cacao mass; the following are a few formulae applicable for the production of those kinds of pure chocolate that are most used.

A. Hygienic chocolate.Cacao mass}equal parts of each.Powdered sugarB. Spiced chocolate.a)b)Cacao mass4 kgCacao mass4 kgSugar6 kgSugar6 kgCinnamon72 gCinnamon130 gCloves38 gCoriander8 gCardamoms16 gCloves88 gOil of lemons2 gCardamoms16 gc)d)Cacao mass5 kgCacao mass5 kgSugar5 kgSugar5 kgCloves80 gCinnamon100 gCinnamon220 gVanilla100 gMace8 gor Vanillin2·5 gMace2 gCardamoms4·2 ge)Spanish spiced chocolate.Cacao mass5 kgCardamoms82 gSugar5 kgMace44 gCinnamon116 gVanilla40 gCloves50 gor Vanillin1 gOil of lemons1 gC. Vanilla chocolates.a)Cacao mass5 kgSugar5 kgCinnamon160 gVanilla50 g(or Vanillin1·2 g)b)c)Cacao mass4½ kgCacao mass4 kgSugar5½ kgSugar6 kgCinnamon150 gCinnamon120 gVanillin1·5 gCloves20 gVanillin1·6 g

The powdered spices as given above may be replaced by corresponding essential oils, but see page237for remarks on this point.

If the chocolates made from beans rich in oil contain too much fat to mould properly, a small percentage of their constituent cacao mass can be replaced by cocoa powder made from the same kind of bean, but defatted, in the case of the finer qualities; and when inferior varieties are under consideration, the same result may be attained by a sufficient increase in the proportion of their other constituent, sugar, as e. g. 55-60 parts of to 45 or 40 parts of cacao mass, so disturbing the usual equality of the two ingredients mixed together. Very cheap chocolates in particular are prepared from a smaller percentage of cacao mass and show a corresponding increase in their sugar content. But if the sugar exceeds 65 percent, it is no longer possible to mould these chocolates, and the addition of fresh cacao butter becomes a necessary preliminary to this operation, cf. also the first part in section IV. Such varieties would have a composition somewhat like the following:

Cacao mass25partsSugar67"Cacao butter7"Spices and vanillin as above1"

In the experimental preparation of samples of chocolate mass it is not advisable to employ large quantities of ingredients, when a waste of material is bound to ensue, but to begin with mixing small quantities of one or two kilos. The small Universal Kneading and Mixing Machines, Patent Werner & Pfleiderer, Type 1, Class BS, can here be used with advantage. They are specially intended for small outputs and experimental work; but we shall return to their description later, after stating that they are furnished with heating apparatus, stuffing boxes and air-tight lid, and can easily be taken to pieces, greatly facilitating the removing of the mass.

Fig. 43.

Recently the creams sometimes described as in the heading have enjoyed a vast popularity, and are sold as eatable chocolates in ever-increasing quantities. As far as can be ascertained, they were first manufactured in Switzerland, melt readily, and have a correspondingly large amount of fat, resulting from the addition of cacao butter, which distinguishes them from ordinary chocolates. When readily melting chocolates were first introduced, it was a prevailing opinion that the required property could only be obtained by increasing the amount of fatty content. Now the excessive evidence of fat in chocolates is very objectionable, both as regards taste and digestibility. To avoid this, therefore, the chocolates are treated mechanically, to attain the required character of readily melting. The machines used for that purpose are termed “Conches”, because the trough, in which the chocolate is rubbed into a long cylinder, has somewhat the shape of a long shell. For the working up of chocolates in conches, the necessary conditions are;

1. that the chocolate should have been ground perfectly fine,2. it must contain such an amount of fat as to become glucose on warming, not indeed so thin as that used as coating material, but nevertheless softer than the ordinary cake-chocolate of good quality.

1. that the chocolate should have been ground perfectly fine,

2. it must contain such an amount of fat as to become glucose on warming, not indeed so thin as that used as coating material, but nevertheless softer than the ordinary cake-chocolate of good quality.

Fig. 43 a.

Fig. 44.

The machine can be heated by means of steam, hot water pipes, gas or charcoal stoking, according as they are available in the place of installation, and the temperature should rise above 70-80° C. for fondants, and 50° C. for milk chocolates. In factories with water power or electricity, continuous fondant machines can be worked day and night, but when only worked during the day, must be kept warm overnight. Constant tending of the machine is unnecessary, as it works automatically. After a treatment of from 40-48 hours, the chocolate attains the requisite character (i.e. it melts readily), and a rounding off of taste, which are the properties of all good brands. Milk chocolates can also be advantageously prepared in the conche, as also covering or coating cacaos of all kinds, which harden considerably in consequence of this treatment.

Figs. 43 and 43 a show quadruple conches of the modern type with hot water, wherein four troughs are arranged in pairs, and one opposite the other. Conches with only 1 and 2 troughs are also constructed, and in various sizes, the troughs sometimes having a capacity of 125 and 200 kilos, so that the quadruple conche is capable of holding five or eight hundred kilograms in all. The curved bottom of the troughs, as well as the rollers fitted in them, are made of granite, and the front wall strongly bent in at the corner, so that the mass is forced over the border of the front wall, where there are openings for its discharge as well. To prevent radiation as far as possible, it is best that the troughs be walled in, the troughs are either walled. Fig. 44 shows the room of a modern chocolate factory, with 15 conches.

“Chocolats fondants” are from a gastronomic point of view, the finest chocolate product on the market, and it is not remarkable that this branch of the chocolate manufacture has witnessed a considerable extension, and is likely to extend still more.

The manufacture of chocolate has been very considerably facilitated by the introduction of heating chambers and closets, which have now become an indispensable feature of every factory in the industry. In these chambers the chocolate which has still to be rolled, as well as that already submitted to this operation, is stored and kept at a temperature of 60° C. until it can be further treated (moulded). This manner of heating involves an appreciable cheapening of the production, for masses which are dry and apparently requirean addition of fat recover in such a manner during a twenty four hours’ storing in the heating chambers that such addition becomes unnecessary. But especially when chill casting rollers are employed, which the mass leaves in a very dry state, the use of these heating chambers is indispensable. They should be available in every factory to such an extent as to find room for the total output of one day, though even twice or three times this amount might very well be provided for. Closets heated by steam are best adapted for small factories, such as are illustrated in Fig. 45. They possess double doors, are walled in, and are capable of holding from 300-400 kilos of chocolate mass for each metre of length. Larger factories should furnish themselves with chambers, which are more open to access and on the walls of which iron shelves can be introduced, heated by steam pipes arranged underneath. A typical chamber, measuring 2·8 metres in breadth (including passage) and 5 metres in length would hold about 2,500 kg of chocolate.

Fig. 45.

Fig. 46.

After emerging from the final rolling process, the chocolate is stored up in heating chambers until it is ready to succeed to the moulding, prior to which, however, it must be freed from air and cut up into small portions. Until recently, it usually came next in a melangeur provided with a dish-shaped bed-stone made of granite, as illustrated in fig. 46, where it was kneaded and reduced to a uniform plasticity and heated to the temperature required for moulding. The melangeurs devoted to this purpose are now superseded by special tempering machines.

A machine of this recent construction, used for working solid and semi-liquid material, is shown in fig. 47. The tank intended as a receptacle for the chocolate mass is in this case made of iron and, to facilitate cleaning, smooth in the interior. It runs in a water-bath, the supply in which can be controlled by steam or cold water. The granite runner is provided with a lifting device, admitting of the working up of material containing foreign ingredients like nuts, whole and fine-split.

Fig. 47.

The mass is taken out of the machine in lumps, and in order that it may be reduced to a temperature suitable for the removal of air (about 26-32 ° C. on the outside) it is laid to cool on wooden, marble or iron tables. When this temperature is arrived at, large lumps of chocolate are introduced either into the air-extracting or the dividing machines.

Fig. 48.

After the importance of the tempering processes had at length been recognised, inasmuch as the maintenance of the temperature prescribed is of immense influence on the chocolate subsequently produced, and it had on the other hand been ascertained that such machines as described above could not be absolutely relied upon, for the shaking tables involve an occasional excess of tempering, the idea of a machine which should completely and automatically perform this task was finally conceived. This new machine, given in fig. 48, and already differing from all other tempering machines in external appearance, ushers in an entirely fresh process respecting themodus operandiprevailing in the present manufacture of chocolate, which does not fail to satisfy the highest expectations. It may be said to work continuously, for no matter what the temperature of chocolate passing into it may be, the material leaves the machine at the temperature desired within a lapse of one minute. According as more or less chocolate has to be turned over in the moulding department, the machine can be stopped or set in motion without detriment to its efficacy. Besides this, it cleans almost automatically, so that a quick change of quality is always possible. Thespecial virtue of this machine is that it turns out the material with such a degree of homogeneity as has never before been known, making moulding at much higher temperatures a possibility. There is yet another side issue, namely a doubling of the life of the moulds, and finally, owing to the fact that the often considerable amount of waste material is done away with in this process, the moulding shop is spared to some extent. The series of rollers through which the chocolate passes is maintained at a proper temperature by means of automatic water apparatus. The daily output of the machine figures at 3000-4000 kilograms. The material is passed on out of this machine to the dividing and moulding processes.

The necessary extraction of air follows immediately on the tempering process, for the blades of the scraper then release the chocolate mass from the rollers in thin layers, between which air penetrates. The removal of air is effected by machines, an old type of which is shown in fig. 49 (in front elevation).

It can be warmed by means of a charcoal fire placed in the spacei, or by any other suitable means. The chocolate mass is fed into the cylindrical hoppera, at the base of which occurs an archimedian screwb, which is propelled by the shaft and cog-wheel systemc d ein the direction indicated by the arrow. Thus the chocolate mass is forced into the boxf, leaving which in cylindrical form, it succeeds to the travelling bandh. It is now almost entirely freed from air. As the material is pushed forward on the band, it is cut off either by a knifegfixed to the boxf, or divided as far as possible into equal parts by a double knife with adjustable blades corresponding to the weight required for a chocolate square. This manipulation presupposes a fair amount of skill on the part of the machinist, but this once attained, the division ensues as precisely and simply as can be desired.

Air-extracting machines of recent construction, although still partially built on the above principle, are at the same time generally developed as automatic dividing machines.

Fig. 49.

Fig. 50.

Fig. 50 shows such a machine for solid and semi-liquid chocolates. By means of this, the material is next conducted along a vertical screw path in even mass to the horizontal screw, and so a second filling with the hand is rendered unnecessary. After it has been freed from air in this, it enters a revolverlike cutter, which discharges the divided portions on a travelling belt. On the latter it is conducted to a table standing near, where it is laid into moulds. The machine isof very strong make, and puts out from 15-250 gr, divided into approximately 10-25000 squares, within a space of ten hours.

Fig. 51 a.

Figs. 51 a and b give finally two of the best known types which have a very extensive application, protected by patent imperial (Germany), and built by J. M. Lehmann, Herm. Baumeister, J. S. Petzholdt in Döhlen, G, near Dresden and others. With this patent dividing machine of J. M. Lehmann, solid and semi-liquid chocolate material, as also nut and almond chocolates are divided exactly, in any weight from 18 to 250 grammes, and then conductedin strips of equal size to the mould previously mentioned. As far as cleanliness, purity, and easy management are concerned, it fulfills all the demands which can be expected of the most modern machine.

Fig. 51 b.

Fig. 52.

The pieces of chocolate, on emerging from the dividing processes, are placed separately in iron moulds, that is to say, as far as this has not already been done in the dividing machine. It isimportant that these should have the same temperature as the chocolate mass, in order to prevent the formation of spots on the surface of the cakes, and to obtain a good and non-greyish fracture. The temperature for moulding smaller objects can be fixed at between 27° and 32° C. and for the larger may be considerably lower. In summer also, moulding may be proceeded with at a lower temperature than in winter. According to a note in the Gordian (1895, No. 4) the moulding may be carried out in summer, when the atmospheric temperature is;

In cold weather, the cakes may be moulded at a temperature of from 32·5-35° C., according to their thickness. When not manufactured in the automatic machine shown in fig. 48, the mass should be otherwise controlled as regards temperature, which should be registered by a thermometer introduced therein. The moulds arefor the most part filled with plastic and liquid chocolates, and their depths determined and modified by the weight of material which they are destined to receive.

Fig. 52 shows a machine which conducts the semi-fluid mass to the moulds in the following manner. The moulds are automatically introduced under the apparatus, and filled from the small stirrer above. They then succeed to the shaking table and are finally transported to the cooling room. On this machine moulds of from 75-350 mm long and 75-225 mm broad can safely be employed.

There are two different forms in which chocolate is sold, namely, that intended for domestic purposes, and that which is to be consumed as an article of luxury. The kinds known as cake, rock and roll chocolate belong to the first class, the several pieces weighing 50, 100, 200, 250, 500 up to 5000 grammes. Tin-plate is the only material of which moulds are made; and these generally have a capacity rather greater than is necessary for holding the particular quantities to be moulded. The chocolate is therefore, as described above, divided into given weights, and generally deposited direct in the moulds by the dividing machine. The divided portions of chocolate are pressed down in the moulds by hand, equally distributed in the latter, and then transferred in the moulds to the shaking table or combination of shaking tables to be described later. On the shaking table the soft chocolate soon penetrates completely into all the corners and impressions of the stamped tin moulds. The removal of the cooled cakes from the moulds is easily effected by pressing.

These moulds are generally provided with from four to ten ridges or indentations, so that the chocolate can be conveniently divided, and as required for use. Others again have a similar number of compartments.

The compartments may be impressed with any kind of inscription, so that such information as the name of a firm can always be reproduced on the cakes.

Broken chocolate is generally of inferior quality, brought on the market without any protective covering.

In those kinds of chocolate which are known as articles of luxury a distinction is to be made between;

1. Those moulds which are in one piece and completely filled with chocolate, so that the superfluous mass can be removed by a knife. In such cases the weight of the cakes is exactly regulated by the capacity of the moulds.

2. Those intended for moulding various figures of fruit etc. in which two or three parts make a closed space which is of the form desired.

Among the moulds of the first type must be numbered those used in the preparation of small tablets and sticks, and the sweetmeats known as Napolitains and Croquettes.

The second class comprises moulds for making chocolate cigars and chocolate eggs, and also the double moulds.

The moulds for the smaller tablets, cream sticks, napolitains and croquettes are also made exclusively from tin-plate, and the separate parts are enclosed in a stout iron frame, the top of which is ground down smooth, so that any superfluous portion of the filling can easily be scraped away. In that way from six to thirty pieces can be cast in one mould at the same time: the cooled chocolate can be released from the moulds by gently tapping one corner against a table. In napolitain moulds protecting hooks are attached, to avoid their sustaining any injury in this operation.

Examples of the more frequent moulds.

1.Chocolate Cigars.

These are made either by introducing the chocolate mass between the two halves of a double mould, of which each corresponds to a half of the cigar shape to be moulded and which each fit exactly one on the other; or else by pouring it into hollow moulds stamped out of one complete piece. Moulding presses117are utilised in the manufacture of materialen masse. In these the cigars are filled into iron moulds, afterwards held together by means of iron combs, and so introduced in to the press. For each size and shape special moulds and plates are essential. Neither barium sulphate nor zinc white may be employed to produce an imitation of the ash on ordinary cigars, as both are objected to by health inspectors; nor are they necessary, for in phosphate of lime (tricalcium carbonate) we possess a perfectly harmless and at the same time efficient substitute, when it is mixed up with starch syrup.

Other figures, such as fish etc., may also be produced in chocolate, by means of the moulding press, when it is furnished with stamped moulds, corresponding to the forms required.

2.Chocolate eggs.

These are generally made hollow, unless they are very small, by pressing chocolate in two halves of an egg-shaped mould and then uniting the two parts. Another method patented by Th. Berger of Hamburg118seems less practical. A mould is made of soft sheet caoutchouc blown out; this is dipped into liquid chocolate and, after the adhering coating has hardened, the air is let out of the mould. The use of caoutchouc moulds would render this method too costly, since the alternation of temperature soon makes the caoutchouc unserviceable.

3.Various figures, fruits, animals, and other small objects.

Double moulds are used for making these objects in chocolate, consisting sometimes of three or four parts; they are made either of sheet iron, tinned, or, for more complicated forms, the moulds are cast in tin, but these latter are not so durable as those of tinned sheet iron with strong iron frames.

The several parts of the moulds, after having soft chocolate mass pressed into them, are put together and excess of material is removed by requisite pressure by the use of a press of the kind made by A. Reiche in Dresden, which will admit of a large number of moulds being placed in it at a time. By the use of such a press the moulds are protected from injury, and the objects moulded have a better appearance, as a result of the uniform as well as strong pressure exerted.

After cooling, the moulded objects are readily detached from the moulds and they only require to be scraped clean, or further ornamented as may be desired. That is done in various ways, for example by painting with coloured cacao butter.

4.Crumb Chocolate.

This term is applied to the small pieces of chocolate of truncated conical shape, with from 4 to 5 smooth surfaces. They are made by a machine specially constructed for the purpose by A. Reiche (No. 1550); it consists of a four-cornered box with a removable bottom. Inside the box there is a false bottom, from 1 to 2 cm above the other bottom, which is fitted with a removable sheet iron plate, in which pentagonal holes are stamped. A knife can be introduced at one corner of the bottom of the box. After sufficient chocolate has been made to penetrate through the pentagonal holes by agitating the box on the table, the knife is rapidly drawn across the bottom and the box raised up. The sheet iron plate is then taken out, and by gently tapping one corner the small pieces of chocolate are shaken out.

5.Small tablets, sticks, fruits or figures filled with cream.

These are prepared by pouring the cream contents in either wooden or iron moulds, previously dusted with a little flour, and then moulding round them chocolate in whatever form is required, always taking care that this is kept as soft and plastic as possible, a suitable addition of cacao butter proving invaluable for the purpose.

In former times chocolate moulds were manufactured exclusively in France, where the firm Létang of Paris enjoyed what was to all intents and purposes a world monopoly. But since the year 1870 the oft-mentioned firm of Reiche in Dresden-Plauen has taken up the manufacture, and has succeeded in conquering the market in a remarkably short time. The moulds of this firm satisfy each and every possible requirement, although it would be no disadvantage if the old type of pattern mould were cleared away at one and the same time with the old routine, to make room for a little artistic skill and embellishment.

Recently Reiche has brought out a special machine intended as an easy and practical cleanser of his many moulds, which include bonbon cutters and cutting rollers, numbering stamps, chocolate slicers, roller machine boxes etc. He has lately brought on to the market a special machine for quickly and efficiently cleaning the moulds, which is illustrated in fig. 53.

In one end, a circular brush is introduced, and against this the moulds to be cleaned are firmly pressed. In consequence of the large number of revolutions which this brush passes through, the moulds are cleansed of still adhering masses of chocolate in a half or third of the time occupied when hand labour is employed. At the other end of the shaft occurs a duster, sprinkled with Vienna white (a lime), which polishes off the moulds previously and thoroughly cleaned by the circular brush. The great advantage of this machine is that the daily expenditure on polishing is considerably reduced One girl can do the work of two hand workers, when this machine is employed. In addition, it makes possible a continual touching upof the material used in the making of the moulds, a ventilating apparatus removing all traces of dust.

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