The present invention relates to an apparatus for making, from a continuous film material, coffee wafer elements, either of round or not round shape, for automatic espresso- coffee machines.
Apparatus for making, from a continuous film, round coffee wafers, for automatic espresso coffee making machines are already known.
These apparatus are mainly constituted by a chain supporting a plurality of plates which are evenly spaced from one another along said chain and are each provided, on a top face thereof, with a recess.
Along the path followed by the chain, is generally arranged a first station, in which a permeable film length is deposited on the top of each plate, so as to cover a related recess.
In the first station is provided a metering device which delivers, on the top of the permeable film length, at the recess respectively arranged in the first station, a set ground coffee dose.
Along the path followed by the chain are provided further processing stations, i.e.: a pressing station for pressing the delivered coffee dose, a covering station in which the supplied coffee dose is covered by a second length or portion of permeable film and in which the two film lengths are sealed to one another so as to embed therein the coffee dose, as well as an end station, in which the thus sealed film lengths are cut about the embedded coffee dose so as to provide round coffee wafers or discs.
The above mentioned apparatus for making coffee wafers, however, are affected by several drawbacks.
In fact, since each plate, coupled to the chain for driving the plate through the processing stations, is provided with a single dose receiving recess, it is necessary to use permeable film rolls of a comparatively small width, which are quickly exhausted so as to require frequent replacing operations, with a consequent very low yield of the overall machine or apparatus.
This will consequently increase the cost of the produced coffee wafer or disc elements.
Moreover, the above mentioned prior apparatus have a comparatively large size, with a consequent problem of properly arranging the apparatus in a production shop.