Method for producing printed confectionery products

A method of printing multiple color indicia on confectionery products comprising: a) providing a continuous sheet of confectionery product; b) cutting the continuous sheet of confectionery product into a plurality of separately divided discrete sheets of confectionery product; c) cooling the sheets to a temperature and for a time sufficient to temper and harden the sheets; d) successively retaining the sheets on a conveyor bed in a fixed position relative to the conveyor; e) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing position in registration with a first printing device at which a first color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of confectionery product; f) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of confectionery product; and g) removing the multiple colored printed confectionery sheets from the conveyor bed.

A method of printing multiple color indicia on chewing gum comprising: a) forming a mass of chewing gum into a continuous sheet; b) cutting the continuous sheet into a plurality of separately divided discrete sheets of chewing gum having a thickness of approximately 0.054 inches to about 1 inch; c) cooling the sheets of chewing gum to a temperature and for a time sufficient to temper and harden the sheets; d) feeding the sheets of chewing gum from a magazine feeder onto a moving conveyor bed, the conveyor bed including recesses; e) removing excess dusting compound from the sheets of chewing gum on the conveyor bed using a rotating brush while a plurality of hold down fingers hold the sheets in the recesses on the conveyor bed; f) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing position in registration with a first printing device at which a first color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process; g) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process; and h) removing the multiple colored printed chewing gum sheets from the conveyor bed.

A method of printing multiple color indicia on chewing gum comprising: a) forming a mass of chewing gum into a continuous sheet; b) cutting the continuous sheet into a plurality of separately divided discrete sheets of chewing gum having a thickness of approximately 0.054 inches to about 1 inch; c) cooling the sheets of chewing gum to a temperature below approximately 56.degree. F. for a time sufficient to temper and harden the sheets; d) feeding the sheets of chewing gum from a magazine feeder onto a moving conveyor bed, the magazine feeder being sloped compared to the conveyor bed and the conveyor bed including recesses having a depth of about 1/16 inch; e) removing excess dusting compound from the sheets of chewing gum on the conveyor bed using a rotating brush while a plurality of hold down fingers hold the sheets in the recesses on the conveyor bed; f) advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a first printing position in registration with a first printing device at which a first color, corresponding to a first portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process; g) further advancing the conveyor bed to bring the sheets to a second printing position in registration with a second printing device at which a second color, different from said first color and corresponding to a second portion of the multiple color indicia, is printed on the sheets of chewing gum by a rotogravure process; and h) removing the multiple colored printed chewing gum sheets from the conveyor bed.