What was the full-time profession of the man that invented the first machine to automate the production of candy canes?

queproblema

He was a priest. "In the 1950s,... Gregory Keller, a Catholic priest, invented a machine to automate candy cane production." http://www.candyusa.org/Candy/candycanes.asp You couldn't buy candy canes before the 50's? More research needed by Doubting Thomas, who's too busy right now. Dec 20 08, 7:29 PM

Boycie75

Catholic priest. http://www.starstuffs.com/xmas/candycane_meaning.html Dec 20 08, 7:31 PM

looney_tunes

Candy canes have a long history in Europe and North America, with different claims being made as to their development. This site seems to be in agreement with the majority of others. According to it, the development of the cane shape to replace earlier stick candies was made in 1670 by the choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral. Around 1900 stripes appeared, along with mint flavoring. Production was seasonal, and not automated until the 1950s. http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/candy_canes.htm "In 1919 Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia left his job at a biscuit company to start a candy making operation. He had been making candy canes as special treats at Christmastime for his children and friends, and for sale at local shops. That was a labour-intensive process with pulling, twisting, cutting and bending the candy by hand. With financial backing of his former boss, two friends, and his uncle he established the company, now known as Bobs Candies, Inc. They made a large variety of candies and snack foods, but it was their mass production of the candy cane that ensured its place as part of Christmas tradition. McCormack's brother-in-law, Catholic priest Gregory Keller, invented a machine in the 1950s that automated the twisting of the soft candy into the defining spiral look. With the invention, the usual laborious process of creating the treats was eliminated and the popularity of the candy cane grew." http://historicalresources.suite101.com/article.cfm/candy_cane_history Dec 20 08, 9:49 PM

queproblema

I found innumerable sites with the Gregory Keller story, including that of the candy maker. http://www.oldtimecandy.com/bobs-candy.htm I also found reference to a patent published in 1961 naming Bob's Candies as the assignee, but naming Earnest [sic] Driskell and James T. Spratling as the inventors. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2982232.html But here's a United States Patent 1762327 entitled, "Shaping machine for candy canes and the like" published 06/10/1930 and naming other persons. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1762327.html?query=candy+cane&stemming=on It's nearly impossible for me to believe all candy canes were hand made until the 50's. Dec 21 08, 12:38 AM

queproblema

Considering that possibly the 1930 patent made straight canes, for some nutty reason I created an account and signed in so I could see the patent itself--6 pages of drawings and 4 of the most incredibly redundant explanations. Here is point 9 of 13 almost identical points, most of which refer to forming the crook: 9. In a candy forming machine, a strip receiving means, strip forming means carried by said receiving means, means cooperating with said forming means for forming a crook adjacent one extremity of a strip on said receiving means, and means for tilting said receiving means to effect the displacement of the strip from said forming means. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1762327.pdf Dec 21 08, 11:56 AM