Stiff Dough Make-Up Machine and Method of Using Same

This invention relates generally to machines for handling plastic material such as dough, and more particularly, for feeding such material which is to be divided into volumetrically scaled portions.

Conventionally, dough is scaled or divided into equal volumetric portions which thereafter are rolled into balls and deposited into baking pans by make-up equipment as is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,775 which was granted Nov. 4, 1958 to F. D. Marasso. The make-up equipment of the Marasso patent is based on the batch feed process wherein dough is loaded into a funnel hopper for a predetermined period of operation. This, however, causes a sufficiently long development time to create or produce measurable differences in the properties between the first and last portions of dough of a batch since the dough continues to ferment while in the hopper.

One approach to eliminate the foregoing is to provide a continuous flow of dough directly into the dough divider, while another approach, is to provide an auger type degasser to feed essentially deaerated dough into the hopper at a rate coincidental with the scaling rate. Although, the foregoing will substantially reduce or negate the effects of the rest or development time of the dough in the hopper, problems arise in coordinated feed and scaling rates while the auger creates a shearing action within the dough tending to break down the gluten structure which was purposely developed during dough mixing. It should be appreciated that such problems are present with various types of dough and are amplified or are of particular concern when making hard rolls and some types of bread loaves because of the stiffness of the dough.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improved dough degassing and positive feed means for the scaling or dough dividing portion of dough make-up apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing dough degassing and positive feed means with an automatic control.

And, another object of the present invention is to retain degassed dough under a minimum pressure while in the hopper prior to scaling.

Still, another object of the present invention is to coordinate the rate of degassing and feeding dough into the hopper to the rate of scaling.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for illustration purposes only, and is not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

The single FIGURE is an elevational view, with portions thereof broken away, illustrating the scaling means of dough make-up apparatus embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a dough make-up machine 10 (shown in part) is provided with frame means 11 supporting a rotating drum 12 with a line of through bore scaling cylinders 13 (only one shown) with double acting pistons 14 (only one shown) reciprocal in the cylinders, substantially as disclosed in the aforementioned Marasso U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,775. The frame means 11 includes a table 15 having an endless belt type conveyor 16 and rounder bars 17. In normal operation, as the drum 12 rotates, the reciprocating pistons 14 will draw dough from a hopper into corresponding ends of the cylinders 13 while simultaneously discharging volumetrically equal dough portions from the opposite ends of the cylinders on to the endless belt conveyor 16 for the dough rounding operation by rounder bars 17. When the ends of the cylinders 13 are completely filled they will contain volumetrically equal dough portions.

Although this type of scaling equipment efficiently handles dough for soft rolls, buns and the like, until the present time dough for hard rolls and some types of bread loaves was too stiff and bucky to be efficiently and economically scaled in this manner. Because of the character of the dough, filling of the cylinders has been erratic during normal operation of this equipment. Reducing the speed of the equipment is uneconomical and greatly increases or amplifies the weight differences of volumetrically equal dough portions at the beginning and end of a run because of the extended rest period or development time of the dough in the hopper.

In accordance with the present invention, a closed feed hopper 20, with its discharge in communication with the drum 12, is provided with a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls 21 and 22, and a pair of spaced upper walls 23 and 24 extending upwardly from the vertical walls. The upper walls 23 and 24 converge to form a throat 27 at the top of the hopper 20.

An open funnel hopper 30 is provided above the closed hopper 20 and has a pair of converging walls 31 and 32 extending downwardly to a spaced pair of nip or feed rollers 33 and 34 forming the bottom of the funnel hopper. A pair of wipers or doctor blades 25 and 26 for the rollers 33 and 34 are suitably mounted at the upper ends of the walls 23 and 24.

As indicated, manual control means 37 is provided to adjust the interspace between the rollers 33 and 34 which are rotatably driven oppositely to one another by a motor 35 through suitable drive means 36. To control the operation or feed rate of the rollers 33 and 34 in accordance with the scaling rate the motor 35 is provided with a control 42 having switch or similar means 41 responsive to pressure in the hopper 20 as sensed by means 40. The pressure in the hopper 20 is maintained at a minimum level or within an acceptable range, as established by the pressure responsive means 41, sufficient to keep the dough in contact with the drum 12. Motor 35 preferably is a variable speed motor which increases or decreases the speed of rollers 33 and 34 as the pressure varies in the hopper 20. Alternatively, motor 35 can be a constant speed motor which starts and stops rollers 33 and 34 as required.

In operation, the rollers 33 and 34 apply a mild degassing action, which does not break down the gluten structure, to the dough they feed from a batch in the funnel hopper 30 through the closed hopper 20 to the cylinders 13 of the drum 12. The positive dough feed by the rollers 33 and 34 not only permits normal operation of the scaling equipment which limits the rest period or development time of the dough in the hoppers 20 and 30, but also tends to retard and maintain the dough at a desired level of development as a result of the mild degassing action resulting from compression between the rollers which does not break down the gluten structure.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.