Food Production Apparatus for the Production of Food and Novel Food Product

(a) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for the making of a novel, over-lapped folded, filled rolled food product and to the novel over-lapped folded, filled rolled food product so produced.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Many patents are now directed to the manufacture of various rolled food products mechanically rather than by hand.

For example, Canadian Patent 586,999 patented Nov. 17, 1959 by Paul Wolf provided a method and apparatus for the manufacture of filled wafer sandwiches of oblong shape. The patented method included aligning the baked pastry strips in a layer end-to-end, moving the aligned strips, and spreading a filling substance in a layer onto the aligned pastry strips. Then another plurality of baked pastry strips were applied in an offset end-to-end layer over the top of the spread filling substance. The upper baked pastry strips were then pressed into contact with the filling substance.

Canadian Patent No. 1,006,050 patented Mar. 1, 1977 by H. W. H. Hai related to apparatus and method for the making of filled pastry rolls, especially spring rolls. The patented invention provided such apparatus including: a cutter adapted to cut a square of pastry from the leading end of the strip; means for feeding a filling onto the square; a first folding station adapted to fold one corner of the square over the filling; a second folding station to fold the two adjacent corners so that they overlap; a rolling station to form the folded pastry into a roll; and means for conveying the pastry from each station to the next. The folding of the square was performed by movable deflectors, each comprising a group of fingers.

Canadian Patent 1,024,825 patented Jan. 24, 1970 by E. Trostman et al, and its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,953 patented Feb. 14, 1978 provided a method and apparatus for the production of rolled food products, e.g. chinese spring rolls. The invention provided an apparatus constructed in such a manner that the front portion of the wrap and the opposite side portions thereof were caught by mechanical devises and were successively folded onto the filler substance. Subsequently, the filler substance and the folded portions of the wrap were mechanically rolled towards the rear edge of the wrap. A support was provided for supporting a flat wrap and a filler substance was placed atop the flat wrap. Means were provided for successively folding the front portion and the opposite side portions of the wrap onto the filler substance. Means for generating a superatmospheric pressure below the portions of the wrap, or for generating a vacuum above those portions of the wrap, or combinations thereof were provided for rolling the folded wrap.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,950 patented Oct. 12, 1971 by M. Battaglia provided a manicotti-making machine. The patented manicotti-forming machine included means for forming a continuous sheet of dough from a mass thereof and conveying the dough sheet past a filler dispenser for depositing a controlled quantity of filler material onto the dough sheet. Means were provided for cutting the dough sheet and deposited filler into increments of predetermined dimensions. Means finally were provided for folding the cut dough sheet about the deposited filler to form a completed manicotti unit ready for packing and shipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,245 patented Mar. 29, 1977 by N. O. B. Kawa provided a device for wrapping sheets around food in rolled form. The essential feature of the invention was embodied in a device having a horizontal and a vertical cylinder with pistons by which a certain amount of the mixture was pushed out on a precut dough sheet which was bent along with the back and both sides of the mixture by a bending arm and by bending vanes, respectively.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,007 patented June 13, 1972 by L. Pulici provided a method and apparatus for rolling and tucking filled foodstuffs. Examples of such foodstuffs are Mexican foods, such as burritos and enchiladas, Chinese egg rolls and foods of European origin, such as cabbage rolls, blintzes and canneloni. The method and apparatus involved placing an outer food wrap or envelope upon one of a plurality of continuously moving platens, each of which is provided with a hinged section, upon a conveyor and moving each platen with its wrap beneath an automatic filler tank. The hinged portion of the platen was then folded to make a first transverse fold in the wrap about the filler, and then the filled wrap was rolled upon itself about a line transverse to the conveyor travel. The rolled foodstuff was then sprayed with a binder liquid and was passed between compression belts which compressed the outer wrap edge to the first outer roll layer. Foodstuffs which are tucked as well as rolled may, after the first partial fold is made, be passed between converging guides which ploughed the longitudinal edges of the wrap upwardly and inwardly to form side tucks which then were also rolled with the body of the wrap and filler.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,433 patented Oct. 14, 1975 by K. C. Ma provided an automatic egg roll making machine. The patented method and apparatus included a skin feeding device for feeding the egg roll dough skins in individually cut sections on to a conveyor. The conveyor included a plurality of connected plates, each of which provided a semi-cylindrical mold cup that was used to form the egg roll skin in the desired shape around the food stuffing contained therein. Each section of egg roll skin moved on a conveyor plate to a position beneath a rotary turntable. The rotary turntable received the food stuffing material from a food injector which deposited portions of food stuffing on to the egg roll skin as it passed beneath the rotary turntable. Each conveyor plate included a mold cavity formed by the mold cup. As the food stuffing was transferred from the rotary turntable on to the egg roll skin, the food stuffing was pressed by a compactor against the egg roll skin at the location of the mold cavity so as to compress the food stuffing in a compact form in the mold cavity. After the food was pressed into the mold cavity, two side folding plates on the conveyor plate were activated to fold the two opposite corners of the egg roll skin over towards the centre of the skin. Once the side folding plates have been retracted away from the egg roll, the mold cup was activated from its position below the conveyor plate so that it pivoted on to the top of the conveyor plate, leaving the egg roll in a partially formed condition whereby the food stuffing and its surrounding egg roll skin are folded over on top of the conveyor plate. The conveyor moved the semi-formed egg roll to a spraying station where a spray device directed a bonding agent, such as egg yolk or glucose, on to an expose portion of the egg roll skin. The final rolling operation of the egg roll was performed by a rolling device which contacted and rolled the egg roll until the skin formed a cylindrical shape around the food stuffing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,027 patented Nov. 29, 1977 by D. J. Jenny provided an apparatus for applying ingredients to an edible product. That patented apparatus included a stepwise advancing conveyor band, and work stations arranged along the conveyor band where the ingredients were applied. One of the work stations was equipped with a carriage mounted to be displaceable transversely with respect to the conveyor band. The carriage, when in a first terminal position, was adjacent such conveyor band and was over a discharge slide or chute of a receiving container for the ingredients. The carriage was provided with a number of individual suction heads which could be switched-on and switched-off. These suction heads engaged into the chute in the second terminal position of the carriage.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,493 patented Apr. 18, 1978 by E. D. Quinlana provided an apparatus for producing foodstuff products, namely a food product known as a "burrito", which comprises a flat sheet of wheat dough (known as a "tortilla") having a generally circular configuration. The patented apparatus comprised a conveyor system arranged to pass the tortilla placed thereon through a series of stations whereby the flour sheet was sequentially wrapped about the foodstuff ingredients to encapsulate the foodstuff therein. The stations included ones for depositing the foodstuff on the flour sheet, folding the side edges of the sheet by a folding chute, folding the leading edge of the sheet back over the food stuffing and folded side edges, rolling the sheet and stuffing back over itself a first time, and again rolling the sheet and stuffing therein a second and final time, after which the stuffed tortilla was discharged from the conveyor as a completed burrito ready for packaging.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,834 patented Sept. 12, 1978 by G. A. Thing provided a food processing apparatus. The patented apparatus deposited pepperoni slices and grated cheese on a series of pizza pie shells made of pastry. The apparatus included a main conveyor which was continuously operated sequentially to move pizza pie shells along a path extending through a food processing station. A carriage at the food processing station moved a stick of pepperoni relative to a rotational blade to slice pieces of pepperoni from the stick. A secondary conveyor received the slices of pepperoni and positively moved the slices of pepperoni toward a pastry shell being moved by the main conveyor. The secondary conveyor included surfaces which applied forces to opposite sides of the pepperoni slices to grip the slices and positively to move them toward the main conveyor. At another food processing station, a body of cheese was sliced into elongated pieces by a grater. A second cutter severed the elongated pieces of cheese into relatively short lengths. The short lengths of cheese were deposited on a pizza pie shell being moved by the main conveyor. The bodies of cheese were advantageously gripped between a pair of walls which are movable to release the body of cheese after each slicing operation so that the body of cheese can fall by gravity into correct position for a next succeeding slicing operation.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,643 patented December, 1973 by Papai provided an apparatus designed for the automatic assembling of pizza pies. According to the basic concept of that patent, a conveyor was intermittently driven sequentially to index pastry shells to each of a plurality of food processing stations at which an appropriate foodstuff (e.g. tomato sauce, pepperoni, cheese) was associated with the pastry shell. In the associating of pepperoni with the pastry shell, a plurality of bodies of pepperoni and a cutting blade were movable relative to each other in order to sever pieces of the pepperoni from the pepperoni bodies. A chute was provided for receiving the slices of pepperoni, which then slid along the bottom of the chute and were discharged onto the pastry shell.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,059 patented June 14, 1987 by K. C. Ma provided an automatic egg roll making apparatus. The patented apparatus included an intermittently moving transmitting device and a plurality of forming assemblies on the transmitting device. Each forming assembly included folding devices for folding three side portions of an egg roll dough and an egg roll stuffing therein. The apparatus further comprised a device for feeding the egg roll dough successively on each forming assembly, a device for supplying the egg roll stuffing on the egg roll dough, a device for actuating the folding means of the forming assembly to fold three side portions of the egg roll dough over the stuffing in the mold device to thereby form a partially folded egg roll, and a device for wrapping the partially folded egg roll to form a cylindrical egg roll product. In the supplying device, the necessary amount of the stuffing to be disposed in one egg roll product was prepared, and the stuffing was put into the mold device to deposit the stuffing and a part of the egg roll dough therein. In the wrapping device, the stuffing portion in the mold device was pushed up therefrom and was turned for wrapping the remaining side portion of the egg roll dough. Thereafter, the wrapped product was transferred.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,758 patented July 19, 1983 provided a food processing apparatus for certain rolled food products such as burritos, enchiladas, egg rolls, cabbage rolls, blintzes and the like. The patented apparatus included an endless conveyor upon which the outer food layer, or tortilla, was placed, a dispenser station for controllably dispensing a precise amount of food filler onto the tortilla, a plurality of shaped forming wheels adapted to cooperate with the conveyor to fold the tortilla over and about the filler so as to encapsulate the filler within the tortilla and a mechanism for inverting the product thus formed for automatic packaging and shipment.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,124 patented Mar. 27, 1984 by H. Watonabe provided a machine for automatically making rolled food products such as spring rolls, crepes or the like. The patented machine included means for rolling a food stuffing in a generally rectangular edible skin having first and second diagonally opposite corner areas and third and fourth diagonally opposite corner areas. The machine included a filing device for filling the food stuffing in the edible skin at a location on one side of the diagonal line of the shape of the skin adjacent the first corner area while the skin was placed on a support table. The machine also included a folding device effective to fold the first corner area of the skin, which has been filled with the food stuffing, so as to overlay the food stuffing and then turn backwards and also to fold the third and fourth corner area on respective sides of the food stuffing so as to overlay the food stuffing at a location opposite to the portion of the food stuffing where the first corner area had overlaid, and a rolling device for rolling the second corner area of the skin up around the food stuffing to complete the formation of the egg roll, spring roll, crepe or the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,670 patented Feb. 3, 1987 by A. G. Svengren et al provided an apparatus for the preparation of a rolled pastry product. In the patented apparatus a sheet of pastry material advanced on a conveyor belt and was cut and folded into discrete pieces of a predetermined size and then rolled. The cutting and folding operation was carried out by an oscillating knife positioned above the conveyor belt and having a cutting edge extending laterally across the width of the conveyor belt, which immediately after contacting and cutting through the advancing pastry sheet by means of its cutting edge, ascended and rotated in a direction such that the motional vector of the cutting edge was counter to the conveying direction, thereby causing the forward edge of the pastry sheet to be lifted up and folded over. The knife then descended and rotated in the reverse direction so that the cutting edge contacted and cut through the advancing pastry sheet behind the folded position to separate a folded piece from the remainder of the pastry sheet.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,635 patented Mar. 24, 1987 by S. A. Ally provided an apparatus for making pastries such as those known as "samosas". The invention provided a method of producing a multilayered folded pastry comprising the steps of: forming dough into a thin sheet; cutting a leaf of dough from the end of the formed sheet; depositing the leaf onto a folding table comprising a plurality of movable plate elements disposed adjacent one another; and folding the leaf of dough from one or both ends thereof through pivotal movement of the plate elements to form a multi-layered folded pastry. The invention also provided pastry machinery for forming a multi-layered pastry comprising a dough extruder which formed dough into sheet form, a pre-cooking station for the sheet of dough, a moistening station, a cutting station and means for transporting a cut leaf of dough onto a folding device. The folding device folded the pastry through a series of folds once a charge of filling has been deposited on the leaf of dough.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,627 patented Sept. 8, 1987 by G. F. Roberts provided apparatus for making food products, such as burritos, having fillings, wrapped or enrobed in dough sheets, such as tortillas. Dough sheets were conveyed to a first station of the apparatus wherein a rotatably reversing crease-forming roller operated in conjunction with the discharge end of a dough sheet conveyor and its non-reversing end roller to form a downward crease or groove in each dough sheet while simultaneously a predetermined quantity of filling was deposited into the crease or groove. Each dough sheet having a crease or groove with a filing deposited therein was conveyed through a series of stations wherein the dough sheet was folded and formed into a wrapper encasing or enrobing the filing.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,821 patented Jan. 5, 1988 provided a line for assembling stuffed proteinaceous patties. All components of the line were mechanically synchronized to maintain a consistent pitch throughout the assembling procedure. Included was a patty forming means that deposited proteinaceous patties, such as ground meat patties, onto a moving conveyor assembly thereby to define the desired pitch: Edible filling materials, such as sauces, condiments and/or cheeses were deposited onto this patty at the given pitch. Another patty was deposited thereover while the product being formed continues to flow on the generally straight-line conveyor assembly. Thereafter, a knitting station impresses projections or pins through the outer periphery of the upper patty and into the lower patty such that, after removal of the pins by the device, the patties were knitted together, and the filing was encapsulated therewithin.

In spite of these many patents there is still a need for an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality at a high rate of production.

The principal object of the present invention is therefore to provide a machine for automatically producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality and at a high rate of production.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel pepperoni slicer that does not suffer from the deficiencies of the comparable slicers of the prior art. Thus, in the prior art, with pepperoni of relatively high fat content, the pepperoni slices tended to get jammed in the chute after a short period of operation. This was because the high fat content of the pepperoni resulted in a high frictional engagement between the pepperoni slices and the surface of the chute. After short periods of time the pepperoni slices began to stick to the surface of the chute.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel pepperoni slicer which does not suffer from the deficiencies of the prior art where, after a slice of pepperoni had been cut from next to the end of a stick of pepperoni, the remaining or butt end piece of pepperoni may have had a thickness which was less than the designed thickness of a slice of pepperoni. This thin piece of pepperoni could not be gripped and in sliding between the various plates tended to jam the pepperoni station. In fact, during operation of a pepperoni station constructed in accordance with the prior art for an extended period of time, the leftover pepperoni slices have jammed the pepperoni station to such an extent that the pepperoni processing equipment was inoperative.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel cheese slicer that does not suffer from the disadvantages of comparable slicers of the prior art. Thus, in the prior art, cheese was designed to be automatically grated and deposited on a pastry shell which had been indexed to a position below the grater. Bodies of cheese were vertically supported between the walls of a holder with their bottom edges resting on a fixed planar surface. Movement of the cheese holder slid these bottom edges along the fixed planar surface and into engagement with a series of cusps for grating the cheese. The holder was then returned to its original position and depended upon the bodies of cheese falling by gravity to bring their bottom edges in engagement with the planar surface.

Such a cheese grating station often did not function for long periods of time in its intended manner. The dragging of the cheese along the planar surface created a retarding frictional force against that lower end portion of the cheese. This retarding force urged the cheese body against at least one of the vertical walls of the holder. The cheese body thus developed a high frictional engagement with the vertical walls of the holder and this frictional engagement sometimes resisted falling of the cheese by gravity into correct position against the planar surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved conveyor systems for use in an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide and improved dough sheet loading and unloading mechanism for use in an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality at a high rate of production.

A still further object of this invention is to provide novel and improved folding loaded dough sheet rolling mechanisms for use in an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality at a high rate of production.

A still further object of this invention is to provide novel and improved rolled product unloading mechanisms for use in an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality at a high rate of production.

The present invention provides a food production apparatus comprising: a) a supporting frame structure; b) a conveyor system supported thereon, the conveyor system passing a plurality of work stations; c) intermittent moving means for intermittently moving the conveyor system from one work station to the next work station downstream therefrom; d) a dough sheet feeding mechanism, the mechanism having means thereon for intermittently loading a square sheet of dough at a diamond orientation onto at least one discrete region of the conveyor system while the conveyor system is stationary; e) at least one foodstuff loading mechanism at one work station downstream from the dough sheet feeding mechanism and operable to load foodstuff onto discrete regions of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is resting on discrete region of the conveyor system and while the conveyor system is stationary; f) a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at another work station downstream from the previously referred-to work station, and operable to provide a substantially-hexagonally-shaped, loaded folded, sheet of dough, while the conveyor system is stationary; g) a loaded, folded dough sheet rolling mechanism operable at another work station downstream from the previously referred-to work station and operable to provide a generally, cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the conveyor system is stationary; h) means for discharging the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled dough product from the conveyor system; and i) means to synchronize the intermittent movement of the conveyor system with the sequential operation of the dough sheet feeding mechanism, with the foodstuff loading mechanism, with the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, with the loaded, folded, dough sheet rolling mechanism and with the discharge means.

The present invention also provides such an apparatus comprising: a) a supporting elongated frame structure; b) a continuous conveyor mounted longitudinally within the elongated frame structure, the continuous conveyor passing a plurality of work stations; c) intermittent moving means for intermittently moving a selected area on the continuous conveyor longitudinally along the supporting elongated frame structure from one station to a subsequent station downstream thereof; d) a dough sheet feeding mechanism at the front end of the continuous conveyor, the mechanism having means for intermittently providing a substantially-square shaped sheet of dough at a diamond orientation on the selected area of the conveyor while the conveyor is stationary; e) at least one foodstuff loading mechanism at another work station downstream from the dough sheet feeding mechanism and operable to load foodstuff onto a discrete region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is resting on the conveyor and while the conveyor is stationary; f) a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at another work station downstream from the previously referred-to work station, the folding mechanism having longitudinally-spaced apart, mutually-opposed means which are operable to hold a loaded sheet of dough which is in a diamond-shaped configuration in place, and transversely-spaced apart, mutually-opposed means which are operable to raise opposed transverse corners of the loaded diamond-shaped sheet of dough and to fold them inwardly to meet and overlap slightly at the centre, thereby to provide a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, while the conveyor is stationary; g) a loaded, folded dough sheet rolling mechanism operable at another work station downstream from the previously referred-to work station and operable to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the conveyor is stationary; h) means for discharging the generally-cylindrical overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product from the continuous conveyor; and i) means to synchronize forward intermittent movement of the continuous conveyor with the sequential operation of the dough sheet feeding mechanism, with the dough sheet loading mechanism, with the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, with the loaded, folded, dough sheet rolling mechanism and with the discharge means.

The present invention also provides such an apparatus comprising: a) a supporting elongated frame structure; b) a continuous conveyor mounted longitudinally within the elongated frame structure, the continuous conveyor passing a plurality of work stations; c) intermittent moving means for intermittently moving a selected area on the continuous conveyor longitudinally along the supporting elongated frame structure from one station to a subsequent station downstream thereof; d) a dough sheet feeding mechanism at the front end of the continuous conveyor, the mechanism having means thereon for intermittently providing a substantially-square-shaped sheet of dough at a diamond orientation on the selected area of the conveyor while the conveyor is stationary; e) at least one foodstuff loading mechanism at another work station downstream from the dough sheet feeding mechanism operable to load foodstuff onto a discrete region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is resting on the conveyor and while the conveyor is stationary; f) a loaded dough sheet-folding mechanism at another work station downstream from the previously referred-to work station operable to provide a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, while the conveyor is stationary; g) a loaded, folded, dough sheet rolling mechanism having first means operable to raise an unfolded portion of the hexagonally-shaped, loaded overlapped-folded sheet of dough, and second means operable to fold the raised hexagonally-shaped, loaded overlapped-folded, sheet of dough and to rotate it at least two and one half turns, thereby to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the continuous conveyor is stationary; h) means for discharging the generally-cylindrical, loaded, overlapped-folded rolled dough product from the continuous conveyor; and i) means to synchronize forward intermittent movement of the conveyor with the sequential operation of the dough sheet feeding mechanism, with the dough sheet loading mechanism, with the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, with the loaded folded dough sheet rolling mechanism and with the discharge means.

The present invention also provides such an apparatus comprising: a) a supporting frame structure; b) a conveyor system supported thereon, the conveyor system comprising a rotary table rotationally mounted on the supporting frame structure, the rotary table being adapted to convey material thereon at a discrete location along the circumference of the rotary table along a circular path past a plurality of work stations; c) intermittent rotating means for intermittently rotationally moving the rotary table and hence the discrete location from one work station to the next, downstream, work station; d) a dough sheet feeding mechanism, the mechanism having means thereon for intermittently loading a square-shaped sheet of dough at a diamond orientation onto a first the discrete location on the rotary table while the rotary table is stationary; e) at least one foodstuff loading mechanism at one work station downstream from the dough sheet feeding mechanism, the foodstuff loading mechanism being operable to load foodstuff onto discrete regions of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is resting on discrete location on the rotary table and while the rotary table is stationary; f) a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at a work station downstream from the foodstuff loading work station, the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism being operable to provide a substantially-hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough at the work station, while the rotary table is stationary; g) a loaded folded dough sheet rolling mechanism at a work station downstream from the loaded dough sheet folding work station, and operable to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the rotary table is stationary; h) discharging means at the loaded folded dough sheet rolling work station for discharging the product from the rotary table; and i) means to synchronize the intermittent rotary movement of the rotary table with the sequential operation of the dough sheet feeding mechanism, with the foodstuff loading mechanism, with the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, with the loaded folded dough sheet rolling mechanism and with the discharge means.

The present invention also provides an improved combined tuck/rolling station for a machine for the manufacture of overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food products, comprising: support tray means for supporting a loaded sheet of dough folding station and a loaded, folded sheet of dough rolling station, the improvements in the sheet of dough rolling station comprising: a support tray for supporting the loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to grip a loaded, folded sheet of dough and for depositing the loaded, folded sheet of dough on the support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to arrange the deposited loaded, folded sheet of dough properly on the support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to release the loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to provide a tuck in the loaded, folded sheet of dough; and fabric means operatively associated with means on the supporting tray, adapted to be mechanically actuated to roll the tucked, loaded, overlapped-folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide the overlapped-folded filled rolled food product; and fabric means operatively associated with a carriage rollable on the support tray means, the carriage being adapted to be mechanically actuated to roll the tucked-overlapped loaded, folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide the overlapped-folded filled rolled food product.

The present invention also provides an improvement in a food production apparatus including a supporting frame, a plurality of stations disposed in seriatim with respect to the frame, the stations including a sheet of dough feeding station, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff onto the sheet of dough, a loaded sheet of dough folding station and a loaded, folded sheet of dough rolling station, the improvements in the sheet of dough rolling station comprising: a support tray for supporting the loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to grip a loaded, folded sheet of dough and for depositing the loaded, folded sheet of dough on the support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to arrange the deposited loaded, folded sheet of dough properly on the support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to release the loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to provide a tuck in the loaded, folded sheet of dough; and fabric means operatively associated with means on the supporting tray, adapted to be mechanically actuated to roll the tucked loaded, overlapped-folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide the overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food product.

The present invention also provides an improvement in a food production apparatus including a supporting frame structure, a rotary table mounted for rotation thereon, a sheet of dough feeding station at a discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded sheet of dough folding mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, and discharge means at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, the improvements comprising: a rolling tray provided with a transverse semi-cylindrical trough therein; a rolling fabric secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of the rolling tray, the rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of the rolling tray; means to cause the carriage to roll across the rolling tray in an actuating direction towards the trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge the front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; a rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

The present invention also provides improvements for use in such food production apparatus which apparatus includes a supporting, elongate frame structure, a conveyor means mounted longitudinally therewithin, a dough sheet feeding station at the front end of the conveyor, at least one foodstuff loading mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough, a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, a loaded, folded, dough sheet rolling mechanism, and discharge means for discharging a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product. Such improvements include the following: (a) the dough sheet feeding station is in the form of a dough sheet loading and unloading station which comprises at least one rotatable dough tray, divided into a plurality of equal sectors, and means for lifting a single sheet of dough from the dough tray and depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto the conveyor; (b) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a spreader nozzle, secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder and adapted to dispense a band of viscous foodstuff product along a selected region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is disposed in a diamond-shaped orientation; (c) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a pepperoni slicing and spreading mechanism including a storage facility for the pepperoni, a rotatable slicing blade, and a manually-adjustable depth gauge disposed below the rotatable slicing blade, whereby slices of pepperoni of a selected thickness are sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the rotatable blade across stationary the pepperoni; (d) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a cheese slicing and spreading mechanism including a storage facility for the cheese, a transversely-slidable cheese slicing blade, and a manually-operable depth gauge disposed below the cheese slicing blade, whereby slices of cheese of a selected thickness are sliced by sliding movement of the blade across stationary the cheese; (e) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a ground or minced product production and spreading mechanism including a funnel leading to a grinding or mincing chamber fitted with a grinding auger and terminating in an apertured outlet disc, and a reciprocal blade disposed across the mouth of the apertured outlet disc to spread ground food product effluent emerging therefrom; (f) the loaded, folded, dough sheet folding mechanism has longitudinally spaced-apart mutually-opposed means which are operable to hold the diamond-shaped sheet of dough which is loaded with foodstuff in place, and transversely spaced-apart mutually-opposed means which are operable to raise the diametrically-opposed transverse corners of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough which is loaded with foodstuff and to fold them inwardly to meet and overlap slightly at the centre; thereby to provide a substantiall hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, filled sheet of dough, while the conveyor is stationary; (g) the mechanism for rolling a loaded, overlapped-folded dough product has first means operable to raise an unfolded portion of an hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded filled sheet of dough, and second means operable to engage the raised hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, filled rolled sheet of dough and to rotate it at least two and one half turns; thereby to provide a generally, cylindrical, overlapped-folded, filled rolled product, while the conveyor is stationary; and (h) the mechanism for rolling a loaded, overlapped-folded, dough product is associated with a raised lift tray secured to an associated well of the rotary table, to raise a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough which is resting on the lift tray, and this mechanism includes means operable to roll the raised hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough and to rotate it at least two and one half turns, thereby to provide a generally, cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled product, while the rotary table is stationary.

The present invention also provides improvements which are specifically adapted for use with a food production apparatus, which apparatus includes a supporting frame structure, a rotary table mounted for rotation thereon, a dough sheet feeding station at a discrete site along the circumference of the rotary conveyor, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded folded dough sheet rolling mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, and discharge means at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof. The improvements are provided by the following: (a) the dough sheet feeding station is in the form of a dough sheet loading and unloading apparatus which comprises at least one rotatable dough tray, divided into a plurality of equal sectors, and means for lifting a single dough sheet from the dough tray and depositing the lifted dough sheet onto the conveyor; (b) the dough sheet feeding station is in the form of a pair of dough trays adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, each the rotatable dough tray being divided into a plurality of equal sectors; means for lifting a single sheet of dough from each of the dough trays and for depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto one of a respective pair of adjacent tiltable trays secured to the rotary table; and a plurality of equally-spaced-apart lugs depending from the bottom of each of the dough trays, the lugs being adapted to abut an oscillating rod end of an indexing pneumatic cylinder, so as to stop the rotation of each the dough tray at an exact predetermined position; (c) the dough sheet feeding station is in the form of a dough sheet loading and unloading apparatus which comprises a dough tray table operative to reciprocate across the frame adjacent the rotary table, the dough tray table being provided with two arcuately movable dough trays, and means for lifting a single sheet of dough from the dough tray and for depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto one of respective pair of adjacent tiltable trays which are secured to the rotary table; (d) the foodstuff loading mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a spreader nozzle, secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder and adapted to dispense at least one band of viscous foodstuff product along at least one selected region of the dough sheet while the dough sheet is disposed in a diamond-shaped orientation; (e) the foodstuff loading mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a pepperoni slicing and spreading mechanism including a storage facility for the pepperoni, a rotatable slicing blade and a manually-adjustable depth gauge disposed below the rotatable slicing blade, whereby pepperoni of a selected thickness is sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the rotating blade across stationary the pepperoni; (f) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a cheese slicing and spreading mechanism including a storage facility for the cheese, a transversely-slidable cheese slicing wire, and a manually-operable depth gauge disposed downstream from the cheese slicing wire, whereby the cheese of a selected thickness is sliced by sliding movement of the cheese slicing wire across the stationary cheese; (g) the mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough includes a ground or minced food product production and spreading mechanism including a funnel leading to a grinding or mincing chamber fitted with a grinding auger and terminating in an apertured outlet disc, and a reciprocal blade disposed across the mouth of the apertured outlet disc to spread ground food product effluent emerging therefrom; (h) the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism comprises a dough sheet folding apparatus associated with a well in the rotary table, which includes: a pair of arms, each arm being hingedly connected at a respective shoulder thereof to the lower surface of the rotary table adjacent an associated radially extending edge of each well, and each arm being hingedly connected at an elbow thereof to an associated forearm, the elbows being adapted to be urged upwardly, to cause the forearms to be extended upwardly above the well and then to be folded downwardly atop an associated tiltable tray secured to an associate the well, thereby to provide a substantially hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough; (i) the mechanism for rolling a loaded, folded dough sheet is associated with a raised lift tray secured to an associated well of the rotary table, to raise a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough which is resting on the lift tray, and including means operable to roll that raised hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough and to rotate it at least two and one half turns, thereby to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled dough product; and (j) the means for discharging the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled dough product from the rotary table includes a bracket secured at one end to a flap of a rolling assisting mechanism, and secured at the other end to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, the pneumatic cylinder being adapted to urge the bracket in a direction whereby the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled product is urged to drop onto a second conveyor.

The present invention also provides an improvement in an apparatus for use with a rolling tray provided with a transverse semi-cylindrical trough therein; a rolling fabric secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of the rolling tray, the rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of the rolling tray; means to cause the carriage to roll across the rolling tray in an actuating direction towards the trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge the front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; a rear crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated to urge the rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

The present invention also provides an improved rolling tray provided with a transverse semi-cylindrical trough therein; a rolling fabric secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of the rolling tray, the rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of the rolling tray; means to cause the carriage to roll across the rolling tray in an actuating direction towards the trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge the front crimp finger forwardly front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; a rear crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated to urge the rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

The present invention also provides a method for the production of a generally-cylindrical overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough food product comprising: a) providing a substantially square sheet of dough at a diamond orientation at a first discrete stationary zone; b) advancing the sheet of dough at its diamond orientation from the stationary zone to at least one foodstuff dispensing zone downstream thereof, where at least one foodstuff is loaded onto a discrete region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is stationary; c) advancing the sheet of dough which is loaded with at least one foodstuff to a loaded dough sheet folding zone downstream thereof where opposed transverse corners of the diamond-shaped loaded sheet of dough are folded inwardly to meet and overlap slightly at the centre, thereby providing a substantially-hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, while the sheet of dough is stationary; d) advancing the substantially hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough to a loaded, folded dough sheet rolling station downstream thereof where the sheet of dough is rolled at least 21/2 revolutions, thereby providing a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the filled sheet of dough is stationary; and e) discharging the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product to a discharge zone.

The present invention also provides a method for the production of a generally-cylindrical overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough food product comprising: a) providing a substantially square sheet of dough at a diamond orientation at a first discrete zone in an endless circular path; b) advancing the sheet of dough at its diamond orientation to at least one foodstuff dispensing zone at a second discrete zone in the endless circular path, and stopping the advancing and actuating selected mechanism at the second discrete zone, whereby at least one foodstuff is loaded onto a discrete region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is stationary; c) advancing the sheet of dough which is loaded with at least one foodstuff to a folding zone at a third discrete zone on the endless circular path, and stopping the advancing and actuating selected folding mechanism at the third zone, whereby opposed transverse corners of the diamond-shaped loaded sheet of dough are folded inwardly to meet and overlap slightly at the centre, thereby providing a substantially-hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, while the sheet of dough is stationary; d) advancing the substantially hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough to a rolling station at a fourth discrete zone on the endless circular path, and stopping the advancing and actuating selected rolling mechanism at the zone, whereby the substantially hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough is rolled at least 21/2 revolutions, thereby providing a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the loaded, folded sheet of dough is stationary; and e) discharging the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product to a discharge zone.

The present invention also provides a method for the production an overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food product comprising: a) placing a square-shaped sheet of dough at a first zone in a diamond-shaped orientation; b) advancing the square-shaped sheet of dough in its diamond-shaped orientation along a longitudinal path to at least one foodstuff dispensing zone where at least one foodstuff is loaded onto discrete different regions of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, while the sheet of dough is stationary, thereby providing a loaded, diamond-shaped, sheet of dough; c) advancing the loaded diamond-shaped sheet of dough along the longitudinal path to a folding zone downstream thereof where opposed lateral corners of the loaded diamond-shaped sheet of dough are folded inwardly until their apices meet and overlap, thereby providing a generally-hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, while the sheet of dough is stationary; d) advancing the hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough along the longitudinal path to a loaded, folded dough sheet rolling station downstream thereof where the hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough is gripped and rolled at least 21/2 revolutions, thereby providing a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product, while the hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough is stationary; and e) discharging the generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled dough product to a discharge zone.

The present invention also provides a finger roll comprising a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded, rolled, edible dough food product.

The continuous conveyor previously-described may comprise an impervious, interlinked belt formed of rigid metal elements or it may comprise a non-metallic, non-rigid belt. The continuous conveyor preferably entrains a fore over-ride-clutch, drive sprocket and an aft idler and tensioner sprocket. The intermittent moving means preferably comprises a controlled, intermittent-operable motor means driving the drive spocket, preferably by driving the drive sprocket by a chain drive. The motor means may comprise two pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which are linked to the drive sprocket, the pneumatic cylinders being operated in tandem to provide a rotary motion to the drive sprocket.

The dough sheet loading and unloading station in one embodiment may comprises at least one rotatable dough tray, divided into a plurality of equal sectors, and means for lifting a singal dough sheet from the dough tray and depositing the lifted dough sheet onto the conveyor. Preferably that station has a pair of such dough trays which are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions. The dough trays in one embodiment include a plurality of equally-spaced-apart lugs depending from the bottom of each dough tray, the lugs being adapted to abut the oscillating rod end of an indexing pneumatic cylinder, so as to stop the rotation of each dough tray at an exact predetermined position. Each such dough tray is preferably divided into quarters. Each dough sheet lifting means in one embodiment preferably comprises a vacuum pick-up plate secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. The pneumatic cylinders in one embodiment are secured to a carriage which is adapted to be oscillated transverse to the table and across the continuous conveyor, whereby one vacuum pick-up plate is vertically-disposed over one dough tray while the other vacuum pick-up plate is vertically-disposed over the central longitudinal axis of the continuous conveyor.

The foodstuff loading mechanism in one embodiment includes a spreader nozzle, secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder and which is adapted to dispense a band of viscous foodstuff product along a selected region of the dough sheet while the dough sheet is disposed in a diamond-shaped orientation. In such apparatus, a pneumatic cylinder is aligned along the central transverse axis of the diamond-shaped dough sheet, to dispense a band of tomato paste along a transverse axis of the dough sheet. A pair of pneumatic cylinders is disposed at right angles to one another and such pneumatic cylinders are disposed along the leading edges of the diamond-shaped dough sheet, to dispense a band of egg mixture along the leading edges of the dough sheet. Such apparatus also includes a reservoir for the viscous foodstuff product, which is connected to a valved inlet chamber which in turn is connected to a valved outlet chamber, which is adapted to dispense a premeasured volume of the viscous foodstuff product, the valve to the inlet chamber being closed, and correspondingly, the valve from the outlet chamber being open during dispensing action, and vice versa.

The foodstuff loading mechanism in one embodiment also includes a pepperoni slicing and spreading mechanism, which preferably includes a storage facility for the pepperoni, a rotatable slicing blade and a manually-adjustable depth gauge disposed below the rotatable slicing blade, so that pepperoni of a selected thickness is sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the blade across the stationary pepperoni. Such apparatus also includes pneumatically-operable, brake flap means to hold the pepperoni at a preset vertical position. In such apparatus, the rotatable slicing blade and the manually-adjustable depth gauge are secured to a framework which is pivotally movable with respect to the storage facility.

The foodstuff loading mechanism in one embodiment also includes a cheese slicing and spreading mechanism, which preferably includes a storage facility for the chesse, a transversely slidable, cheese slicing blade, and a manually-operable depth gauge disposed below the cheese slicing blade, so that cheese of a selected thickness is sliced by sliding movement of the blade across the stationary cheese. Such apparatus also includes a pneumatically-operable brake flap means to hold the cheese at a present vertical position. In such apparatus, the cheese slicing blade is mounted within a carriage which is reciprocally movable on wheels in a track which is disposed transversely across the conveyor and is downwardly rearwardly tilted.

The foodstuff loading mechanism in one embodiment may also include an optional ground product production and spreading mechanism including a funnel leading to a grinding chamber fitted with a grinding auger and terminating in an apertured outlet disc, and a reciprocal blade disposed across the mouth of the apertured outlet disc to discharge and spread effluent emerging therefrom. In such apparatus, the grinding mechanism is preferably mounted on a frame which is pivotally mounted with respect to the frame and actuatable to swing arcuately across the conveyor as the effluent is emerging from the apertured outlet disc.

The food production apparatus in one embodiment includes a dough folding mechanism, which preferably comprises a pair of longitudinally-spaced-apart pads mounted at the rod ends of pneumatic cylinders and actuatable to hold the longitudinal corners of the diamond-shaped piece of dough, and a pair of transversely-spaced-apart facing hands provided with two spaced-apart fingers, the hands being secured to a first operating mechanism to insert the fingers under the transversely spaced-apart corners of the diamond-shaped piece of dough, then to raise the corners and to a the second operating mechanism to push the raised-up corner towards each other to merge and slightly overlap at the centre of the diamond-shaped piece of dough. In such mechanism, each hand is secured to an arm which is pivotally mounted to a first member to be operated to rotate arcuately outwardly, the first member being itself pivotally mounted to a second members to be operated to rotate arcuately inwardly and downwardly. In such mechanism, one of the pads includes an indicia thereof, whereby it acts as a stamp to identify the diamond-shaped piece of dough.

The food production apparatus in one embodiment includes a rolling mechanism, which preferably includes means to raise the trailing corner of the dough sheet, means to insert a pair of spaced-apart rolling fingers astraddle the raised-up corner, and means to rotate the fingers by 21/2 turns. In this embodiment, the means to raise the trailing edge preferably includes a vacuum pick-up means secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. In this embodiment, the means to insert the rolling fingers preferably includes a carriage, within which the rolling fingers are mounted, the carriage being actuable to move transversely from a position where the rolling fingers are at one side of the conveyor, to a position where the rolling fingers are over the conveyor. Such apparatus also preferably includes a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which is actuatable to press down on the dough sheet as it is being rolled. In such apparatus, the means to rotate the fingers preferably includes an upstanding frame carrying a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which are tied to a chain entraining a sprocket, whereby alternate power and return strokes of the cylinders causes rotation of the sprocket. Such mechanism also preferably includes a second series of sprockets providing a rotation speed reducer, whereby the rolling fingers are rotated through 21/2 turns. Such mechanism also preferably includes a discharge mechanism comprising a single finger, means to insert the finger transversely into the space between the rolling fingers, and means to withdraw the rolling fingers, so that the rolled product is permitted to drop onto the conveyor.

The food production apparatus may alternatively preferably include a rolling mechanism comprising means to raise the traling corner of the dough sheet, means to engage the dough sheet with gripping means in a single rolling finger, and means to rotate the rolling finger through five revolutions. In such embodiment, the means to raise the trailing edge preferably includes a vacuum pick-up means secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. In such embodiment, the means to insert the rolling finger preferably includes a carriage, within which the rolling finger is mounted, the carriage being actuable to move transversely from a position where the rolling finger is at one side of the conveyor, to a position where the rolling finger is over the conveyor. In such apparatus, the apparatus preferably includes a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which is actuatable to press down on the dough sheet as it is being rolled. In such apparatus, the means to rotate the finger includes a depending, tiltable frame carrying a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which are tied to a chain entraining a sprocket, so that alternate power and return strokes of the cylinders causes rotation of the sprocket. Such means preferably includes a second series of sprockets providing a rotation speed reducer, so that the rolling fingers are rotated through 5 turns. The rolling finger preferably includes a central rod to which spring wires are obliquely mounted, and an outer casing having aperture therein, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the casing, the wires may either withdrawn to be flush with the casing or be extended to project obliquely outwardly from the casing. Such apparatus also preferably includes a discharge mechanism comprising a pair of spaced-apart fingers, means to insert the spaced apart fingers transversely astride the single rolling finger, and means to withdraw the rolling finger, whereby the rolled product is permitted to drop onto the conveyor.

In this first embodiment of the invention, the synchronizing means preferably is a computer program, controlled by a microprocessor.

In a second embodiment of this invention where the conveyor is a rotary table, the rotary table includes a plurality of tiltable trays, each tray being mounted within an associated well which is arranged around the circumference of the rotary table. Each such tiltable tray is a rectangular tray, hingedly connected at its radially-inward edge to a corresponding radially-inwardly positioned edge of the well, the tray being disposed slightly below the rotary table in its at-rest position. The radially-extending edges of each rectangular tray are separated from the corresponding vicinal radially-extending edges of its associated well, thereby providing a pair of spaced-apart radially-extending slots between the tray and its associated well.

In this second embodiment of the invention, the intermittent rotation means to provide partial rotation of the rotary table preferably comprises a vertically-oriented shaft connected to a sprocket or pulley which is partially-entrained by a chain or drive belt, one end thereof being attached to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, the other end thereof being attached to one end of an anchored coil spring. In this second embodiment of the invention, the rotary table is rotationally supported on the frame structure by guide wheels secured either to the rotary table or to the frame structure, the guide wheels rollingly supporting the underface of the rotary table with respect to the frame.

In this second embodiment of this invention, one embodiment of the dough sheet feeding apparatus at the dough sheet feeding station preferably comprises two rotatable dough trays, each being divided into a plurality of equal sectors, and means for lifting a single sheet of dough from each of the dough trays and for depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto one of respective pair of adjacent empty tiltable trays secured to the rotary table. Preferably such dough sheet feeding apparatus at the dough sheet feeding station comprise: a pair of dough trays adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, each rotatable dough tray being divided into a plurality of equal sectors; means for lifting a single sheet of dough from each dough tray and for depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto the associated tiltable tray secured to the rotary table; and a plurality of equally-spaced-apart lugs depending from the bottom of each dough tray, the lugs being adapted to abut an oscillating rod end of an indexing pneumatic cylinder, so as to stop the rotation of each dough tray at an exact predetermined position. Each such dough tray is preferably divided into quarters. Each such dough sheet lifting means preferably comprises a vacuum pick-up plate secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. Such pneumatic cylinders are each preferably secured to a carriage, the carriage being adapted to be reciprocated radially between the dough tray and the rotary table from a first position where the vacuum pick-up plates are each disposed vertically over each associated dough tray, and a second position where the vacuum pick-up plates are each disposed vertically over an associated tiltable tray which is secured to the rotary table, so that two tiltable trays may be loaded simultaneously.

In this second embodiment of this invention, another embodiment of the dough sheet feeding apparatus at the dough sheet feeding station comprises a dough tray table, operative to reciprocate across the frame adjacent the rotary table, the dough tray table being provided with two arcuately movable dough trays, and means for lifting a single sheet of dough from an associated dough tray and for depositing the lifted sheet of dough onto one of respective pair of adjacent empty tiltable trays which are secured to the rotary table. Each such dough sheet lifting means preferably comprises a vacuum pick-up plate secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. Such pneumatic cylinders are each secured to a carriage, the carriage being adapted to be reciprocated arcuately between the dough tray table and the rotary table, from a first position where each vacuum pick-up plates is disposed vertically over an associated dough tray on the dough tray table, and a second position where each vacuum pick-up plate is disposed vertically over an associated tiltable tray which is secured to the rotary table, so that two tiltable trays may be loaded simultaneously. Preferably such pneumatic cylinders are each vertically mounted on a plate which is secured to an arm, the arm being adapted to be partially rotated in an arcuate path, to place each vacuum pick-up plate alternately over an associated dough tray and over an associated tiltable tray.

In such second embodiment of this invention, a viscous foodstuff product dispenser is preferable located at the foodstuff loading station, such dispenser preferably including a spreader nozzle, secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder and adapted to dispense a band of viscous foodstuff product along a selected region of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough is disposed in a diamond-shaped orientation. In such embodiment, a pneumatic cylinder is preferably aligned along a transverse axis of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, thereby to dispense a band of tomato paste along a transverse axis of the sheet of dough. In such embodiment, a pair of pneumatic cylinders is preferably also disposed at right angles to one another, the cylinders being disposed along the leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, thereby to dispense a band of egg mixture along each of the leading edges of the sheet of dough. In such embodiment, the viscous foodstuff dispenser also preferably includes reservoirs for each of the viscous foodstuff products, each reservoir being connected to a valved inlet chamber, which in turn is connected to a valved outlet chamber which is adapted to dispense a premeasured volume of the viscous foodstuff product, the valve to the inlet chamber being closed during dispensing action, and the valve from the outlet chamber being open during dispensing action, and vice versa.

In this second embodiment of this invention, a pepperoni slicing and spreading mechanism is also preferably included at the foodstuff loading station, that mechanism including a storage facility for the pepperoni, a rotatable slicing blade and a manually-adjustable depth gauge associated with the rotatable slicing blade, whereby pepperoni of a selected thickness is sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the rotating blade across the stationary pepperoni. In such embodiment, the rotatable slicing blade is preferably mounted on a swingable carriage, whose movement provides the transverse movement of the rotating blade, whereby pepperoni of a selected thickness is sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the rotating blade across the stationary pepperoni. In such embodiment, the storage facility preferably includes a pneumatically-operable brake flap to hold the pepperoni at a pre-set vertical position. In such embodiment, the rotatable slicing blade is preferably rotated by a pneumatically-operated motor driving a rotation-reducing gear arrangement.

In this second embodiment of this invention, a cheese slicing and spreading mechanism, is also preferably included at the foodstuff loading station, that mechanism preferably includes a storage facility for the cheese, a transversely-slidable cheese slicing wire, a manually-operable depth gauge associated with the cheese slicing wire, and a cheese loading tray associated with the cheese slicing wire, whereby cheese of a selected thickness is sliced by sliding movement of the cheese slicing wire across the stationary cheese. In such embodiment, the storage facility preferably includes a pneumatically-operable brake flap to hold the cheese at a pre-set vertical position. In such embodiment, the cheese loading tray is pivotally mounted to the storage facility and is operable to pivot and thereby to dump the loaded cheese slices on the dough sheet of dough.

In this second embodiment of this invention, alternatively or additionally, a ground or minced product production and spreading apparatus may be included at the foodstuff loading station, such apparatus preferably including a funnel leading to a grinding or mincing chamber fitted with a grinding auger and terminating in an apertured outlet disc, and a blade operable to reciprocate across the mouth of the apertured outlet disc to spread ground food product effluent emerging therefrom. In such embodiment, the grinding mechanism is mounted on a carriage which is rollably mounted on a track extending radially across the rotary table, and is actuatable to roll radially partially across the rotary table to a position over a sheet of dough disposed atop a tiltable tray as the food product effluent is emerging from the apertured outlet disc.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at the loaded dough sheet folding station preferably includes a loaded dough sheet folding apparatus associated with a well in the rotary table. Such apparatus preferably comprises: a pair of arms, each arm being hingedly connected at a respective shoulder thereof to the lower surface of the rotary table adjacent an associated radially-extending edge of each well, and each arm being hingedly connected at an elbow thereof to an associated forearm, the elbows being adapted to be urged upwardly to cause the forearms to be extended upwardly above the well (thereby to raise opposed edges of the loaded sheet of dough) and then to be folded downwardly atop the tiltable tray (thereby to overlap fold the loaded sheet of dough). In such embodiment, an operating mechanism is preferably included which is adapted to urge the elbow upwardly, such mechanism comprising a plate adapted to be reciprocated upwardly and downwardly by an operating mechanism. Such operating mechanism is preferably a pneumatic cylinder, the end of the rod end of which is secured to the plate.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the food production apparatus also includes means cooperating with the rotary table for indexing the rotary table to stop at a plurality of pre-set positions. Such indexing means preferably includes a rocking arm actuatable by a T-shaped cam to engage and disengage an indexing lug depending from the rotary table.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the food production apparatus also includes means associated with the rotary table and with the receiving and lift trays to raise the outboard end of each tray to a pre-set elevation when such tray has reached a pre-set position. Such means preferably includes a scroll plate mounted on the frame, the scroll plate including a lower, upstream end leading to an upper, downstream end, and a leg depending from each lift tray, the leg being adapted to ride on the scroll plate as the rotary table is being partially rotated, thereby to raise the lift tray.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the rolling mechanism is associated with a raised lift tray which operates to raise a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, which is resting on the lift tray. Such rolling mechanism preferably includes means operable to roll the raised hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough and to rotate it at least two and one half turns, thereby to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled product, while the rotary table is stationary. Such rolling mechanism also preferably includes means to insert a pair of spaced-apart rolling fingers astraddle the raised-up sheet of dough, and also preferably includes a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which is actuatable to press down on the loaded, folded sheet of dough as the loaded, folded sheet of dough is being rolled.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the means to rotate the rolling fingers preferably includes an upstanding frame carrying a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which are tied to a chain or belt entraining a sprocket or pulley, whereby alternate power and return strokes of the pneumatic cylinders causes rotation of the sprocket or pulley. In such embodiment, the mechanism also preferably includes a second series of sprockets or pulleys, associated with entraining chains or belts, for providing a rotation speed reducer.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the discharging means preferably includes a bracket, secured at one end to the flap, and secured, at the other end, to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, the pneumatic cylinder being adapted to urge the bracket in an axially-outwardly direction, whereby the rolled overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough product is urged to drop onto a second conveyor.

In this second embodiment of this invention, the synchronizing means preferably is a software program, controlled by a microprocessor.

In a third embodiment of the invention, an improvement is provided in a food production apparatus including a supporting frame, a plurality of stations disposed in seriatim with respect to the frame, such stations including a sheet of dough feeding station, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough, a loaded sheet of dough folding station and a loaded, folded sheet of dough rolling station. The loaded, folded, sheet of dough rolling station includes front crimp means which preferably comprises a pneumatic cylinder hingedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of the cylinder being attached to the front crimp finger, the cylinder being actuatable to cause the front crimp finger to be rotated about an end-point pivoted lever from its rear, at rest position to its front operative position engaging the rolling fabric at the front edge of the trough. It also includes rear crimp finger means which preferably comprises a pneumatic cylinder fixedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of the cylinder being attached to the rear crimp finger, the cylinder being actuatable to cause the rear crimp finger to be rotated about a mid-point pivoted lever from its front, at rest position, to its rear operative position engaging the rolling fabric at the rear edge of the trough. The gripping and release means preferably comprises a pinch bar fixed to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, the cylinder being actuatable to oscillate the pinch bar longitudinally along the length of the rolling tray.

In this embodiment of this invention, the main rolling cylinder preferably comprises a cylinder provided with a longitudinally-oscillatable plunger provided with an aperture therethrough, and a longitudinally-extending rod within the cylinder and passing through the aperture, whereby the plunger is prevented from rotating during its oscillation.

In one embodiment of the method of the invention, step (b) may include applying a band of egg mixture along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough. In such embodiment, step (b) may also include one or more of the following steps, namely in step (b) a band of tomato paste is applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; and/or in step (b) pepperoni is sliced and deposited atop the tomato paste which had previously been applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; and/or in step (b) cheese is sliced and deposited atop the pepperoni which had previously been applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough. In such embodiment, step (b) may alternatively also include the following step, namely, in step (b) a band of minced foodstuff is applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

In one preferred embodiment of the method of this invention, in step (b) a band of egg mixture is applied along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, a band of tomato paste is applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, pepperoni is sliced and deposited atop the tomato paste which had previously been applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, and cheese is sliced and disposed atop the pepperoni which had previously been applied along a longest transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

In another preferred embodiment of the method embodiment of this invention, in step (b) a band of egg mixture is applied along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough and a band of minced foodstuff is applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

In another embodiment of the method of this invention, in step (b), the following alternative steps may be carried out: a band of egg mixture is applied along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; a band of tomato paste is applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; pepperoni is sliced and pepperoni slices are deposited atop the tomato paste which had previously been applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; cheese is sliced and cheese slices are deposited atop the slices of pepperoni which had previously been sliced and deposited atop the tomato paste which had previously been applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; a band of minced foodstuff is applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough; a band of egg mixture is applied along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough and a band of minced foodstuff is applied along a transverse dimension of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

The finger roll of this invention preferably is in deep fried form, and in preferred embodiments, may be filed with tomato paste, pepperoni and cheese or filled with ground beef.

The present invention in one embodiment comprises an apparatus for producing a foodstuff product known hereinafter as a "finger roll" formed in a manner to be particularly described hereinafter from a thin sheet of flour dough that is used to wrap and encapsulate various selected food ingredients therewithin. This produces a novel form of heretofore conventional edible food products, such as, egg rolls, spring rolls, manicotti, burritos, enchiladas, blintzes and canneloni. The sheet of dough is generally formed as a square-shaped sheet but is oriented as a diamond-shaped sheet of dough, which then has the food ingredients deposited centrally and transversely thereon in an elongated manner so as to allow the opposite corners of the sheet first to be folded towards and overlap slightly with one another and then to be rolled into the finger roll.

In order to produce that novel edible food product automatically, the apparatus comprises a supporting elongated frame structure having a continuous conveyor system mounted thereto. Sequentially arranged along the length of the frame structure are a plurality of assemblies or stations the first of which serves to place the square-shaped dough sheet on the conveyor in a particular orientation, i.e., as a diamond-shaped sheet of dough. Subsequent assemblies of stations serve to dispense the required food ingredients onto the dough sheet. Still other assemblies or stations then sequentially serve to fold and overlap the filled dough sheet to an approximate hexagonal shape and then serve to roll the overlapped-folded, filled dough sheet into a substantially-cylindrical roll. All these operations are performed on the dough sheet while it is temporarily stationary, as the dough sheet is intermittently moved from the forward end to the rearward end of the apparatus. The finger roll is then discharged from the apparatus to a further pressing apparatus, preferably a deep fryer.

To simplify the summary of the apparatus aspect of the present invention the following description relates to various stations wherein a particular action or step takes place.

Station A represents the beginning of the operation and will be known as the forward or front end of the frame structure and station E will represent the rear or back end thereof. Once the apparatus is started, the conveyer moves forward where the thin, square shaped sheet of dough, which is stacked in quantities on the novel stacking and dispensing apparatus (to be described in greater detail hereinafter) at station A is removed from station A and is individually placed on the continuous conveyer in a particular orientation. The conveyer moves forward and stops at station B and a first set of foodstuff ingredients, e.g. egg mixture and tomato paste are dispensed on the dough sheet (in a manner to be described hereinafter), by means of a novel dispensing device (to be described in greater detail hereinafter).

The conveyor again moves forward, passing the dough sheet with the first series of foodstuff ingredients thereon, to stop upon reaching station C. At this station, a second series of foodstuff ingredients, e.g. pepperoni, is sliced and loaded onto the dough sheet by means of a novel pepperoni slicing and loading device (to be described in greater detail hereinafter).

The conveyer moves forward again to stop upon reaching station D. At this station, a third series of foodstuff ingredients, e.g. cheese, is sliced and loaded onto the dough sheet by means of a novel cheese slicing and loading device (to be described in detail hereinafter).

The conveyer moves forward again, to stop at station E. Station E is a dough folding station where the diamond-shaped piece of dough, filled along its longest transverse axis is first held down at its opposed longitudinal corners, and then its two diametrically-opposed exposed transverse corners are folded over (by a dough folding device to be described in greater detail hereinafter) so that their apices overlap slightly at the centre of the dough sheet, and so that the folded-over portions adopt a slightly-tapered, but generally hexagonally-shaped, configuration.

Following this operation, the conveyer is then moved to stop at station E, where the folded-over dough sheet is gripped and rolled by the two fingers or the single finger of novel rolling devices (to be described in greater detail hereinafter).

Then the novel product i.e., the finger roll so formed is discharged, and preferably, is fed to a second conveyor, and then to a deep frying apparatus (which does not form a part of the present invention).

Various synchronizing means are included herein so as to provide the necessary sequence of start-and-stop movement of the conveyor, coordinated with the actuation of each of the devices at each of the processing stations. Such synchronization means can be in the form of limit switches, or, preferably includes various motors controlled by a specially written software program in a microprocessor.

The novel product, i.e. the finger roll, is a dough sheet, originally oriented as a diamond shape, having a core of edible foodstuff ingredients as a filling distributed along its longest width, then having its opposed corners at its longest length folded over to overlap slightly at the centre of the dough sheet, and then being rolled at least 21/2 times, to form the overlapped-folded, rolled filled food product. Such product is then preferably deep fried.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the food production apparatus of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view (with the fluid foodstuff tanks omitted for clarity) of the first foodstuff loading station of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the first foodstuff loading station shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the lowermost level of the first foodstuff loading station shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pepperoni slicing and loading station of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the pepperoni slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the pepperoni slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a cheese slicing and loading station of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the cheese slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the cheese slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a dough folding station of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a transverse section through the table and the conveyor of the dough folding station shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the dough folding station shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a longitudinal section through the table and the conveyor of a dough folding station and a downstream rolling station of the food production apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 19 is a transverse section through the table and the conveyor of the rolling station shown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the rolling station shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a longitudinal elevational view of a product unloading station;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a roller carriage forming part of a second alternative rolling station of the food production apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 23 is a side elevational longitudinal view of the end of the conveyor and of the carriage shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a side elevational transverse view of the second alternative rolling station shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged view partially sectionalized of the single rolling finger of FIG. 23;

FIG. 26 is a transverse section showing a second alternative foodstuff loading station of a food production apparatus of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 27 is a longitudinal elevational view of the foodstuff loading station of FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a side elevational view of the food production apparatus of this second embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a bottom plan view (looking up) of a spring drive for the rotary table of this second embodiment of this invention, with the rotary table shown in phantom;

FIG. 31 is a transverse section of the spring drive for the rotary table shown in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a plan view of one embodiment of the dough sheet loading and unloading mechanism of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 33 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the dough sheet loading and unloading mechanism of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 34 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the egg and tomato paste station of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 35 is a top plan view of the egg and tomato paste station shown in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the pepperoni slicing and loading station of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 37 is a side elevational view of the pepperoni slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the cheese slicing and loading station of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 39 is a top plan view of a portion of the cheese slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 38;

FIG. 40 is a side elevational view of the cheese slicing and loading station shown in FIG. 38;

FIG. 41 is a side elevational view of a lock and indexing device of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 42 is a transverse section through a portion the rotary table showing one embodiment of the dough folding mechanism of the second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 43 is a top plan view of one hinged receiving and lift tray with a scroll plate used in its operation shown in phantom;

FIG. 44 is a transverse section of the operating mechanism for the drive of the rotary table;

FIG. 45 is a transverse section through the rotary table showing the scroll plate mechanism for raising the hinged receiving and lift tray, and a portion of one embodiment of a rolling apparatus of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 46 is a plan view of one embodiment of the rolling apparatus of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 47 is a front elevational view of the drive mechanism of one embodiment of the rolling apparatus of the second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 48 is a side elevational view of the drive mechanism shown in FIG. 47;

FIG. 49 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of a third embodiment of this invention, showing a variation of the dough sheet feeder;

FIG. 50 is a side elevational view of the food production apparatus of the third embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 49;

FIG. 51 is a plan view of another embodiment of the dough sheet feeder of the third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 52 is a transverse view of the dough sheet feeder shown in FIG. 51;

FIG. 53 is a partial side elevational view of the dough sheet feeder shown in FIG. 51;

FIG. 54 is a transverse section showing the drive mechanism for the shiftable table of the dough sheet feeder of this third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 55 is a detail of the vacuum shoe of the dough sheet feeder of this third embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 56 is a transverse section showing the swing arm drive of the dough sheet feeder of this third embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 57 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of a fourth embodiment of this invention showing another embodiment of a rolling apparatus;

FIG. 58 is a side elevational view of the rolling apparatus of FIG. 57 at the rolling station of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 59 is a side elevational view of the front crimp finger assembly of the rolling apparatus of a fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 57;

FIG. 60 is a side elevational view of the rear crimp finger assembly of the rolling apparatus of a fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 57; and

FIG. 61 is a longitudinal section through the main rolling cylinder of a fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 57.

As seen generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus 100 of this invention is built around a main frame 101 including a pair of upper, spaced-apart parallel longitudinal beams 102, a pair of lower, spaced-apart longitudinal bases 103, resting on a floor 104, a front vertical leg 131, a rear vertical leg 132 and an intermediate vertical leg 133, a pair of upper, transverse, spaced-apart connecting fore 105 and aft 106 end transverse beams and a pair of lower, transverse, spaced-apart, connecting fore and aft end transverse beams (not seen). Mounted within a longitudinal slot 107 in the upper table 108 supported on the top of the main frame 101 is a controlled, intermittently driven conveyor 109, entrained around a fore over-ride clutch, chaindriven, drive sprocket 110 and an aft idler and tensioner sprocket 111.

The main frame 101 serves not only to support the conveyor 109, and to provide a base table 108 for the superposed processing stations (to be described in detail hereinafter), but also to provide a site below table 108 for the operating mechanisms.

Thus, the frame provides a site near the fore end to accommodate a pair of over-ride clutch chain-driven sprockets 112, each driving a respective shaft 113 for a respective dough tray to be described later. This drive shaft mechanism is supported within a depending framework 114. It provides a site for the cylinder 115 for indexing the dough trays. It provides a site for the two tandemly-operated, pneumatic cylinders 116 (only one of which is seen), the rod ends 117 of which are tied to a chain 118, so that operation of the cylinders 116 result in rotation of the pair of sprockets 112, one sprocket in a clockwise direction, the other sprocket in a counter clockwise direction, to result in corresponding rotations of the respective dough trays. It provides the site for vacuum cylinders 119, driven by pneumatic cylinders 120, to supply the vacuum to the vacuum pick-up heads (to be described later) of the dough pick-up cylinders (to be described later).

At the aft end, it provides the site for the air supply manifold 121 for the pneumatic cylinders (to be described later) which operate the various processing stations, as well as the vacuum cylinders 122 to supply vacuum to operate the vacuum pickup pads (to be described later). There is also provision for a depending carriage 123 which moves the operating members at the product rolling station (to be described later). There is also provision for the main junction box 124 and the plugs 134 connected by line 125 to the console 126 for the preferred microprocessor which controls the synchronized operation of the apparatus. At the aft end of the framework 101 are a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders 127, the rod ends 128 of which are tied to a chain 129 entraining a sprocket 130 controlling the idler and tensioner sprocket 111. For esthetic appearance, the main frame is also enclosed by a skirt (not seen) at the two lateral sides and at the fore and aft ends.

As mentioned before, the main frame 101 provides the base 108 for the frames (to be described later) supporting the various processing stations (to be described later).

The processing stations mounted above the conveyor are:

As seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station A includes a pair of identical, rotatable dough trays 301, which each divided into a plurality of equal sections, e.g. in quarters by dividers 302. Each dough tray 301 is supported on a shaft 303 which extends upwardly through the upper table 108. The shaft 303 is rotatably mounted between conventional bearings 304 and is driven by an over-ride clutch, intermittently-rotated chain driven sprocket 112, chain drive by a pneumatic cylinder drive arrangement, which includes a drive chain 118 tied to the rod end 117 of the pneumatic cylinder 116. Each dough tray 301 is provided with an indexing means comprising a pneumatic cylinder 309, controlled by control box 310, the rod end 311 of which is adapted to abut an associated lug 312 (of four equally spaced lugs on the bottom of the dough tray 301), so as to stop the rotation of the dough tray 301 at an exact predetermined position. To continue the rotation of the dough tray 301, the rotation drive arrangement is actuated at the same time the rod end 311 is withdrawn from abutment with the lug 312 during the return stroke of the cylinder 309. As soon as the rotation of the dough tray 301 begins again, the cylinder 309 is actuated to its power stroke to raise the rod end 311 upwardly into contact with the bottom of the dough tray 301. When the rod end 311 abuts the next lug 312, the rotation of the dough tray 301 is braked to a stop as the rotation drive arrangement is deactivated.

Each quarter of each dough tray 301 is loaded, e.g. manually by an operator, with square-shaped sheets of dough, in quantities of, e.g., eighty.

A support frame 313 is disposed completely above one of the pair of dough trays 301. The support frame 313 supports a transverse track 314 extending across the width of the table 108 from one dough tray 301 to the other dough tray 301. A carriage 315 is rollably mounted within the track on rollers 316 to traverse the width of the conveyor 109 and the width of the table 108. The carriage 315 supports a pair of vertically-mounted pneumatic cylinders 323, operated from respective box 317, the rod ends 318 of which are each fitted with a vacuum pick-up head 319, operated through line 320 from vacuum cylinder 119.

The square-shaped sheets of dough are placed on the conveyor in a particular orientation, e.g. they look like a diamond when viewed from above.

Station B, shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 includes a main frame 601 supporting an upper sub-station 602, an intermediate sub-station 603 and a lower sub-station 604. The upper sub-station includes a tank 605 for tomato paste or sauce, and a tank (not seen) for a beaten egg mixture. Each tank leads to a premeasuring unit including an entry chamber 606, connected by a line 607 to the tank, e.g., 605 above. Each entry chamber 606 is connected by its associated T-union 608 to an outlet chamber 609 connected to a dispensing plunger mechanism in a dispensing chamber 611 which is operated by a pneumatic cylinder 610. The power stroke of the plunger mechanism is pre-set to dispense the exact amount of the tomato paste sauce or the egg mixture respectively, through its associated dispensing chamber 611. Each of the entry chambers 606 and the outlet chambers 609 is provided with a valve, operated in synchronism by respective valve cylinders 612. When the dispensing mechanism is operating to dispense tomato paste or egg mixture respectively through dispensing chamber 611, the entry valve to the entry chamber 606 operated by the entry cylinders is closed, while the dispensing valve from the outlet chamber 609 operated by the dispensing cylinders is open; and vice versa.

The tomato paste premeasuring station has a feed line 613 from its associated dispensing chamber 611 to a tomato paste spreader 614 which is secured to the rod end 615 of a transversely-mounted pneumatic cylinder 616.

The egg-mixture premeasuring station has an associated feed line 617 from its associated dispensing chamber 611 to each of two egg solution spreaders 618. Each spreader 618 is at the rod end 619 of a respective one of two mutually perpendicularly-oriented pneumatic cylinders 620. The cylinders 620 are oriented along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

The diamond-shaped sheet of dough now has a rectangular area of tomato paste spread across its longest transverse axis, and also has a band of egg mixture solution along its two front or leading edges.

The pepperoni slicing loading station C shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 includes a three dimensional frame 901 including a pair of side frame members 902 constituted by a fore brace 903, a rearwardly and downwardly slopping longitudinal support member 904 and an aft shorter brace 905, the two side frame members being secured at their lower ends 906 to the table 108, and being interconnected at their fore and aft upper ends by a pair of fore 907 and a single aft 908 cross members, respectively.

An elongated holding tray 909 is secured to the side frame members 904, the holding tray 909 being for the purpose of supporting a plurality, e.g. three pepperoni sticks. A power-operated brake flap 910 is hingedly secured by transverse pivot 911 to a mid portion 912 of the holding tray 909 and is actuated to open (to allow entry of the pepperoni sticks) and to close (to allow gripping of the pepperoni sticks in an upright position) by means of a bar 913 secured to the rod end 914 of a pneumatically-operated cylinder 915 secured to a support member 916 of the frame 901. The cylinder 915 is operated by air lines 917, 918 from box 920.

A swingable carriage 921 is mounted to the fore end of the side frame members. Such swingable carriage 921 is secured to a rod 922, which is supported on an upper 923 and lower 924 pair of bearing mounts. The carriage is adapted to be intermittently swivelled by means of connection to the rod end 925 of a pneumatic cylinder 926.

A slicing arrangement 930 is secured to the swingable carriage 921, the slicing arrangement 930 including a pneumatic motor 931 which is activated intermittently to rotate a cutter blade 932. The thickness of the pepperoni sliced by the cutter blade 932 is controlled by a blade depth gauge plate 933. The cylinder is operated by air lines 927, 928, from box 929.

The cheese slicing and loading station D shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 includes a three dimensional frame 1201 including a pair of side frame members 1202, each constituted by a fore upright leg 1203, a longitudinal support member 1204 and an aft upright leg 1205, the two side frame members being secured at their lower ends 1206 to the table 108, and being interconnected at their fore and aft upper ends by fore 1206 and aft 1207 transverse cross members, respectively.

An elongated holding tray 1208 is secured to the side frame members, the holding tray 1208 being for the purpose of supporting a square-cross section bar of cheese (not seen). A power operated brake flap 1210 is hingedly secured at transverse pivot 1211 to a mid portion 1212 of the holding tray 1208 and is actuatable to open (to allow entry of the cheese) and to close (to allow gripping of the cheese in an upright position) by means of a bar 1213 secured to the rod end 1214 of a pneumatically-operated flap cylinder 1215 secured by brace 1216 to an intermediate transverse cross bar 1231 of the frame 1201. Cylinder 1215 is operated by air lines 1217a, 1217b from box 1218, connected by air line 1219 to air conduit 121.

A pair of spaced-apart transverse tracks, namely a fore, upper track 1220 and a rear, lower track 1221 is secured to the leading and trailing edges respectively of a rearwardly downwardly slopping transverse carriage 1222. A transverse cutter blade 1223 is reciprocally- and rollably-mounted in the tracks 1220, 1221 by means of rollers 1224. The blade 1223 is reciprocated across the transverse width of the conveyor 109 by means of connection to the rod end 1225 of a pneumatical cylinder 1226. Cylinder 1226 is operated from air line 1227, from box 1228 connected by air line 1229 connected to air conduit 121. A manually-adjustable, thickness-adjusting plate 1230 is disposed below the cheese slicing blade.

The dough folder station E, shown in FIG. 15, FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 includes an open top and open bottom housing 1501 including upstream wall 1502 and downstream wall 1503 as well as two lateral and transverse walls 1504 disposed atop the table 108 and straddling the conveyor 109. Within the housing 1501 are a pair of vertically-disposed pneumatic cylinders 1505, 1506 disposed vertically above the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor. The rod ends 1507 of each cylinder carry a holddown plate 1508 while the aft plate only also carries an impression stamp (not shown).

On each side of the conveyor 109 and at the marginal side edges 1504 of the housing 1501 is a hingedly-mounted plate 1509, 1510 to which the cylinder end of a pneumatic cylinder 1511, 1512 is secured. The rod end 1513, 1514 of the cylinder 1511, 1512 is secured to a downwardly extending folder arm 1515, 1516 to which are attached lower, inwardly-extending spaced-apart folder fingers 1517, 1518. The upper end of the folder arm is pivotally secured to an outboard pivot bearing 1519, 1520 mounted on a mounting plate 1521, 1522, which itself is pivotally secured to an inboard pivot bearing 1523, 1524.

In one alternative of a rolling station F, shown in FIG. 18, FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, an upwardly standing three dimensional frame 1801 is provided including a pair of lateral frameworks 1802, each including a fore (not seen) and aft 1804 upright column and an upper longitudinal cross-piece 1805, the pair of lateral frameworks 1802 being erected on one side of the conveyor with the base 1806 of the upright columns 1804 being secured to the table 108, and with the upper ends of the upright columns 1804 interconnected by fore 1807, and aft 1808 upper transverse bars.

A forward and aft longitudinally-spaced-apart pairs of upper and lower transverse, vertically-spaced-apart rails 1809 extend transversely across the lateral framework 1801 near the bottom thereof. A vertically-upright carriage 1810 is rollably mounted between the rails 1809 by means of rollers 1850 and is reciprocally-movable transversely along the rails 1809 by means of a pneumatic cylinder 1811, the end of the rod end 1812 thereof being secured to the outboard one of the lateral frameworks 1802.

Mounted on the carriage 1810 is a driven mechanism comprising a pair of tandemly-operated, vertically-oriented, pneumatic cylinders 1812, 1814, the rod ends 1816 of which each being tied to a chain 1817 which entrains a sprocket 1818 and also entraining a speed-reduction sprocket 1819, that sprocket 1819 being provided with an over-riding clutch 1820 for indexing the rolling fingers 1830. The speed-reduction sprocket 1819 is keyed into a shaft 1815 which is freely rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced-apart bearings 1821, 1822. That shaft 1815 also has keyed thereon a second sprocket 1823, which, in turn, is entrained by a second drive chain 1824 which entrains a finger-drive sprocket 1825. The finger drive sprocket 1825 is keyed to a shaft 1826 which is freely rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced-apart bearings 1827, 1828. The inboard end of the shaft 1826 (which is adapted to extend over the conveyor 109) is provided with a mounting cylinder 1829 fitted with a pair of rolling fingers 1830 which are adapted to be moved laterally by means of the carriage 1810 to extend over the conveyor 109.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 18, secured to the downstream end of the dough folder housing 1501 but upstream of the rolling station F is a vacuum pad cylinder 1831, the rod end 1832 of which is provided with a vacuum lift-up pad 1832 actuatable by being connected to vacuum line 1834 from vacuum cylinder 1835 operated by the rod end 1836 of a pneumatic cylinder 1837, fed with air through line 1838, 1939 from box 1840 via air conduit 121. This actuation cause the lift-up pad 1833 to lift the trailing longitudinal edge of the overlapped-folded, foodstuff-containing dough sheet 1525.

Also connected to the downstream end of the dough folder housing 1501 is downwardly and rearwardly extending pressure plate 1841, biased downwardly by cylinder 1842, the rod end 1848 of which is connected to an ear 1844 on the pressure plate 1841 to hold the overlapped-folded dough sheet while it is being rolled by the rolling fingers 1830.

Also at the downstream end of the rolling station E (as seen in FIG. 21) and secured to the table 108 on one side of the conveyor 109 is an unloading cylinder arrangement 1845 including an unloading cylinder 1846, which is secured to the table 108, with the rod end 1847 thereof being secured to an unloading finger 1848.

In a second alternative of the rolling station, F, shown in FIG. 22, and FIG. 23, FIG. 24 and FIG. 25, an inverted carriage 2201 is provided. The carriage 2201 includes a pair of lateral frameworks 2202, each including a force 2203 and aft 2204 upright column, an immediate upper longitudinal cross-piece 1205, and an upper longitudinal cross-piece 1206.

A fore and aft pair of longitudinally-spaced-apart rails 2207, 2208 extend transversely across the conveyor 109 thereof. This vertically-depending carriage 2201 is thus rollably mounted by means of wheels 2209 below the table 108 between the rails 2207, 2208 and is reciprocally movable transversely across the conveyor by means of a pneumatic cylinder 2210.

The rotation drive mechanism in this second embodiment includes an upper, drive sprocket 2211 keyed to a shaft 2212 extending transversely across the conveyor 109, the shaft 2212 being rotationally mounted between spaced-apart bearings 2213 and being provided with a mounting cylinder 2214 fitted with a pair of fingers 2215. The upper sprocket 2211 is entrained by a drive chain 2216 which also entrains a lower drive sprocket 2217, whose shaft 2218 is rotationally mounted on its associated bearing. The drive sprocket 2217 is driven by an drive mechanism operated by two tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders 2218, 2215 driven in tandems by being connected to air lines 2220, 2221 at box 2222 and air line 2223 and 2244 at box 2225. The free end of the rod 2226 of each cylinder 2218, 2219 is tied to a drive chain 2227 entraining a master drive sprocket (not shown) also keyed to the same shaft 2218 as the lower drive sprocket 2217. As stated, the cylinders 2218, 2219 are operated in tandem, with the power stroke of one cylinder being synchronized with the return stroke of the other cylinder.

This embodiment of a finger rolling station F is provided with the same finger-rolling assisting and discharging stations described above with respect to FIGS. 18 and 21.

A third embodiment of a finger rolling and product unloading station F is shown in FIG. 24 and FIG. 25. This station includes an upper carriage 2401 provided with wheels 2402 adapted to roll along a bed 2403 provided in a transverse extension 2404 of the table 105. The carriage 240 is provided with an operating system namely pneumatic cylinder 2405 which is actuated to roll an extension of the carriage 2401 transversely across the conveyor 109. The carriage 2401 also includes an extension 2406 connected to an outer sleeve 2407/inner rod 2408 combination. The inner rod 2408 is provided with a plurality of high tension wire prongs 2409 which are adapted to lie flush with the outer surface 2410 of the outer sleeve 2407 at a like plurality of holes 2411 drilled at an angle through the outer sleeve 2407 when the outer sleeve 2407 is extended, and to project completely out through those holes 2411 (as shown) when the outer sleeve 2407 is retracted. A pneumatic cylinder 2412 is mounted in the carriage 2401, and the rod end thereof 2413 is provided with an operating mechanism 2414 to extend and retract the outer sleeve.

The finger-rolling assisting stations (not shown) used with this embodiment is the inverse of the one used with the first two embodiments and shown in FIGS. 18 and 20. The pressure plate assembly 1841 and the dough sheet lifter assembly 1831 are all the same. However, the unloading assembly 1845 shown in FIG. 21 differs in that, instead of a single unloading finger 1848, there are two spaced-apart unloading fingers, looking much like rolling fingers 1830 shown in FIG. 19 or unrolling fingers 2215 shown in FIG. 22.

If it is desired to produce a meat-filled, rolled-up, overlapped folded-over, dough product, e.g. a taco, or an egg roll, then the processing stations for loading tomato paste, pepperoni, and cheese are replaced by an egg mixture, leading edges-coating station and by a ground product, e.g. ground or minced meat loading station. The station B for applying the egg mixture to the leading edges of the diamond-shaped dough sheet is still required and operates as previously described.

The meat loading station G shown in FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 includes a main frame unit 2601 including a pair of lateral frames 2602 consisting of a pair of lateral upright legs 2607, an intermediate transverse cross member 2608 an upper transverse cross member 2609. The lateral frames 2602 are disposed astraddle the conveyor 109, with the legs 2607 secured to the table 108. A pair of mid, internal, longitudinal tracks 2610 are also provided.

Disposed within the framework is a transversely-rollable carriage 2611 provided with wheels 2612 rollable on the tracks 2610. A pneumatic cylinder 2613 is secured to one lateral side frame 2607, and the free end of the rod end 2614 thereof is secured to an end of the carriage 2611 to cause the carriage 2611 to oscillate transversely across the conveyor 109.

The carriage 2611 supports a meat grinder or mincer assembly 2615. The meat grinder assembly 2615 includes a vertical funnel 2616 leading to a horizontal, transverse cylindrical auger chamber 2617 provided with a rotatably driven auger 2618. The auger 2618 is driven by means of a pneumatic motor 2619. The downstream end of the auger chamber 2617 is provided with a discharge plate 2620 provided with a plurality of apertures 2621. The discharge plate 2620 is traversed by a cutting blade assembly 2622 including a blade edge 2623, the assembly being mounted within upper 2624 and lower tracks 2625 by means of rollers 2626 secured to the assembly 2622. The assembly 2622 includes a bracket 2227 to which is secured the free end of the rod end 2628 of a pneumatic cylinder 2629 secured to one of the longitidinally-extending lateral side frame members 2630.

The remaining stations for folding and rolling the filled product are part of the modified apparatus and constituted as previously described and are operated in the same fashion as previously described.

As seen in FIGS. 28-46 which show two other embodiments of this invention, a rotary table 2809 replaces the linear endless conveyor 109 as a conveyor system. Disposed around the outer circumference of the rotary table 2809 are: a pair of tandemly-operated dough sheet feeders 2810 at STATION A; an egg mixture and tomato paste feeder 2811 at STATION B; a pepperoni slicer and loader 2812 at STATION C; a cheese slicer and loader 2813 at STATION D; a loaded dough sheet folder 2814 at STATION E; and a loaded folded dough sheet roller 2815 at STATION F.

As seen more clearly in FIGS. 28 and 29, the above-described second embodiment of the invention, is built around a main rectangular parallelepiped frame 3001. Such frame 3001 is provided by a side frame which includes an upper, longitudinal beam 2902, resting on a floor 2905, a lower longitudinal base beam 2904 and a mid-longitudinal beam 2903 which is midway between, and parallel to beam 2902 and base beam 2904. The side frames are connected together by transverse beams 2912, 2913 and leg 2910. Mounted atop main frame 3001 is an upper framework including plates, cross pieces, longitudinal pieces and bracing pieces, all numbered 2819. Mounted within a bore 2920 in a support table 2902 supported on framework 2903 of the main frame 3001 is an intermittently-rotationally-driven, rotary table 2809, driven as will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 30.

The main frame 3001 serves not only to support the rotary table 2809, and to provide a base to support the superposed processing stations (to be described in detail hereinafter), but also to provide a site for the operating mechanisms.

Thus, the main frame 3001 provides a site to accommodate a pair of over-ride clutch, chain-driven sprockets 2922, each driving a respective shaft 2933 for a respective dough tray 2924 to be described later. This drive shaft mechanism is supported between beams 2902 and 2903 and vertical cross piece 2925. The main frame 3001 provides a site for a cylinder for indexing the dough trays 2924, which, while not shown in FIG. 30, has been described in detail with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. The drive for the dough trays is provided by two tandemly-operated, longitudinally-oriented pneumatic cylinders 2926 (only one of which is seen), the rod ends 2927 of which are tied to a drive chain 2928, so that operation of the cylinders 2926 results in rotation of the pair of sprockets 2922, one sprocket in a clockwise direction, the other sprocket in a counter-clockwise direction, to result in corresponding rotations of the respective dough trays 2924. While not seen in FIGS. 28 and 29, the main frame 3001 also provides the site for vacuum cylinders, driven by pneumatic cylinders, to supply the vacuum to the vacuum pick-up heads (to be described later) of the dough pick-up cylinders (to be described later).

While not seen in FIGS. 28 and 29, the main frame 3001 provides the site for an air supply manifold for the pneumatic cylinders (to be described later) which operate the various processing stations, as well as the vacuum cylinders to supply vacuum to operate the vacuum pick-up pads (to be described later). The main frame 3001 also provides a site for a computer and valve enclosure 2929 for the microprocessor, which is the preferred mechanism to control the synchronized operation of the apparatus. For aesthetic appearance, the main frame 3001 is also enclosed by a skirt (not seen) at the two lateral sides and at the fore and aft ends.

The drive mechanism for the rotary table 2809 is shown in FIGS. 30 and 44, and includes a vertically-oriented axle 3010 which is secured to the rotary table 2809 at connecting bushing 3055, and which is secured at its lower end to an override clutch 3052 and thence to a drive sprocket 3011. Axle 3010 is rotationally mounted to the frame members 2808 and 2809 by bearings 3053. Drive sprocket 3011 is partially entrained by a drive chain 3012, which is secured at one end 3013 to the rod end 3014 of a pneumatic cylinder 3015, connected by bracket 3018 to the frame member 2808, and at the other end 3016 to a coil spring 3017 which is secured to an ear 3018a attached to the main frame 3001. Thus, the power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 3015 causes the drive sprocket 3011 to be partially rotated and the coil spring 3017 to be expanded. The return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 3015, which completes the revolution of the drive sprocket 3011, is assisted by the contraction of the coil spring 3017.

As seen in FIG. 31, the rotary table 2902 is supported by the main frame 3001, the longitudinal beam 2902 of which is provided with a plurality (only two of which being seen) of upstanding ears 3150 within each of which is rotatably mounted a guide wheel 3151. The location of the ears 3150 and guide wheels 3151 is such that the guide wheels 3151 are inboard of the eight hinged receiving and lifting trays 2816 which, in their "at rest" position are just slightly below, but parallel to, the upper surface of the rotary table 2809. These guide wheels 3151 thus provide a suitable support for the rotary table 2809. It is seen, moreover from FIG. 31, that the support shaft 3010 of the rotary table 2809 is supported on bushing block 3052, and then passes through supporting bearings 3053 fixed within support frame 3054 secured to framework 2903 mounted on longitudinal beams 2903. The upper end of shaft 3010 is secured to the underface of the rotary table 2809 at securing bushing 3055.

The dough sheet feeders at STATION A are of the same general construction as the dough sheet feeders specifically described previously with respect to FIGS. 1-5.

The dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station A includes a pair of identical, rotatable dough trays 2924, which are each divided into a plurality of equal sections, e.g. in quarters, by dividers 3230. Each dough tray 2924 is supported on a shaft 2923 which extends upwardly from the main frame 3001. The shaft 2923 is rotatably mounted between conventional bearings and is driven by an over-ride clutch, intermittently-rotated, chain-driven sprocket, chain drive 2922, which is operated by a pneumatic cylinder drive arrangement, which includes a drive chain 2928 tied to the rod end 2927 of the pneumatic cylinder 2926. These have all been described previously with reference to FIG. 29. Each dough tray 2924 is controlled by means of an indexing means as described with reference to FIG. 4 and a pneumatic cylinder 309, controlled by control box 310, the rod end 311 of which is adapted to abut an associated lug 312 (of four equallyspaced lugs on the bottom of the dough tray 2924), so as to stop the rotation of the dough tray 2924 at an exact predetermined position. To continue the rotation of the dough tray 2924, the rotation drive arrangement is actuated at the same time the rod end 311 is withdrawn from abutment with the lug 312 during the return stroke of the cylinder 309. As soon as the rotation of the dough tray 2924 begins again, the cylinder 309 is actuated to its power stroke to raise the rod end 311 upwardly into contact with the bottom of the dough tray 2924. When the rod end 311 abuts the next lug 312, the rotation of the dough tray 2924 is braked to a stop as the rotation drive arrangement is deactivated.

Each quarter of each dough tray 2923 is loaded, e.g. manually by an operator, with square-shaped sheets of dough, 3201, in quantities of, e.g., eighty.

A support frame 2819 is disposed completely above each of the pair of dough trays 2924. (See FIG. 29) Each support frame 2819 supports a respective transverse guide provided by parallel tracks track 3232, which extend radially inwardly from the centre of the dough tray 2924 to the periphery of the rotary table 2809. A respective carriage 3233 is rollably mounted between associated parallel tracks 3232 of the respective transverse guides on rollers 3234, to enable extending the carriage to the periphery of the rotary table 2809. Each respective carriage 3233 supports a respective vertically-mounted pneumatic cylinder 3235, operated as previously described, the rod ends 3236 of which are fitted with a vacuum pick-up head 3237, operated as previously described. Each pneumatic cylinder 3235 is actuatable to reciprocate its associated rod end 3236 between an upper, at rest, position and a lower, dough sheet pick-up and discharge position. Each respective carriage 3233 is actuatable by means of the rod end 3239 of a pneumatic cylinder 3238 which is fixed to the support frame 2819 to reciprocate the carriage 3233 intermittently in a radial direction.

The square-shaped sheets of dough 3201 which are placed on hinged receiving and lift trays 2816 of the rotary table 2809, are so placed in a particular orientation, e.g. they look like a diamond when viewed from above.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to the next pre-set position and stopped there, with the sheet of dough 3201 at the egg mixture and tomato paste dispenser 2801 at STATION B.

The egg mixture and tomato paste dispenser 2801 at STATION B is the same as the similar apparatus described heretofore with respect to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

Main frame 3001 supports a main framework 2819 which supports an upper sub-station 3401, an intermediate sub-station 3402 and a lower sub-station 3403. The upper sub-station 3401 includes a tank 3410 for tomato paste or tomato sauce, and a tank 3411 for a beaten egg mixture. Each tank leads to an associated pre-measuring unit 3412 within intermediate sub-station 3402, the pre-measuring unit 3412 including an entry chamber connected to the respective tank 3410, 3411 above by lines 3413, 3414 respectively. Each entry chamber is connected by its associated T-union to an outlet chamber connected to a dispensing plunger mechanism in a dispensing chamber which is operated by a pneumatic cylinder (all seen in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8). The power stroke of the plunger mechanism is pre-set to dispense the exact amount of the tomato paste sauce or the egg mixture, respectively, through its associated dispensing chamber. Each of the entry chambers and the outlet chambers is provided with a valve, operated in synchronism by respective valve cylinders. When the dispensing mechanism is operating to dispense tomato paste or egg mixture, respectively, through the dispensing chamber, the entry valve to the entry chamber operated by the entry cylinders is closed, while the dispensing valve from the outlet chamber operated by the dispensing cylinders is open; and vice versa.

As seen in FIGS. 34 and 35, the tomato paste premeasuring station has a feed line 3415 from its associated dispensing chamber to a tomato paste spreader 3416 which is secured to the rod end of a transversely-mounted pneumatic cylinder 3427. The power stroke of the rod end 3428 thereof transversely along a chord of the rotary table 2809 is sufficient to spread the tomato paste from near the lower corner to near the upper corner of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough 3201, i.e. across a long diagonal dimension of the sheet of dough 3201, while the rotary table 2809 is stationary.

The egg mixture premeasuring station has an associated feed line 3417 from its associated dispensing chamber to each of two egg mixture spreaders 3418. Each spreader 3418 is secured at the rod end 3419 of a respective one of two mutually perpendicularly-oriented pneumatic cylinders 3420. The cylinders 3420 are oriented along the two leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough 3201. The power stroke of each of the two egg mixture spreading cylinders 3420 is sufficient to spread the egg mixture across both the entire front or leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough 3201.

The diamond-shaped sheet of dough 3201 now has a rectangular area of tomato paste spread across a long diagonal dimension thereof, and also has a band of egg mixture spread along its two front or leading edges.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to the next pre-set position, and stopped there, with the loaded sheet of dough 3201 at the pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus 2812 at Station C. The above described viscous food product loading procedure is then repeated when the next sheet of dough 3201 on the next hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 arrives at Station B.

The pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus 2812 at STATION C will now be described in the following terms:

The pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus 2812 includes a supporting framework 2819 to which an elongated holding tray 3609 is secured, the holding tray 3609 being for the purpose of supporting a plurality, e.g. three, pepperoni sticks side by side. A power-operated brake flap 3610 is hingedly secured by transverse pivot 3611 to a mid-portion 3612 of the holding tray 3609 and is actuated to open (to allow entry of the pepperoni sticks) and to close (to allow gripping of the pepperoni sticks in an upright position) by means of a bar 3613 secured to the rod end 3614 of a pneumatically-operated cylinder 3115, which is secured to a support member 3613 mounted on the holding tray 3609. The cylinder 3615 is operated by air lines as previously described.

A swingable carriage 3621 is mounted on the machine frame 3001. Such swingable carriage 3621 is secured to a pivot rod 3622, which is secured to a plate 3623 mounted on the main frame 3001. The carriage 3621 is adapted to be intermittently swivelled by means of its connection to the rod end 3625 of a pneumatic cylinder 3626.

A slicing arrangement 3630 is secured to the swingable carriage 3621, the slicing arrangement 3630 including a pneumatic motor 3631 which is operable to rotate a cutter blade 3632. The cutting blade 3632 is secured to a rotatable shaft 3634 which is mounted within spaced-apart bushings 3635 secured to the swingable carriage 3621. The cutting blade 3632 is indirectly driven by drive gear 3637 through gearing mechanism gear 3636 which is secured to motor drive shaft 3635, gear 3637 thereby rotating cutter blade shaft 3134. The thickness of the pepperoni sliced by the cutter blade 3632 is controlled by a blade depth gauge plate as previously described with reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to its next pre-set position, and stopped there, and above-described pepperoni slicing and loading procedure is then repeated when the next sheet of dough 3201 on the next hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 arrives at Station C.

The rotary table 2809 is now stopped at the cheese slicing and loading apparatus 2813 at STATION D.

The cheese slicing and loading apparatus 2813 at STATION D will now be described in the following terms:

Such cheese slicing and loading apparatus 2813 is supported on framework 2819 which supports an elongated holding tray 3808, the holding tray 3808 being for the purpose of supporting a rectangular-cross section bar of cheese (not seen). A power operated brake flap 3810 is hingedly secured at transverse pivot 3211 to a mid-portion 3812 of the holding tray 3808 and is actuatable to open (to allow entry of the cheese) and to close (to allow gripping of the cheese in an upright position) by means of a bar 3812 secured to the rod end 3814 of a pneumatically-operated flap cylinder 3815 which is, in turn, secured to the holding tray 3808. Cylinder 3815 is operated by air lines in the manner previously described.

The actual cheese slicer mechanism is provided by a wire cheese cutter 3823. The wire cheese cutter 3823 is stretched across a cutter assembly 3832, the frame 3833 at its inboard end being attached to the rod end 3825 of a pneumatic cylinder 3826. The cutter assembly 3832 is longitudinally actuatable within an assembly holding frame generally indicated by reference numeral 3834 provided by fore and aft cross pieces and parallel side pieces. The thickness of sliced cheese is set by an adjustable gauge bar 3807.

The rotary table 2809 now rotates to its pre-set position where the now loaded sheets of dough 3201 are to be overlapped-folded by the folding mechanism 2815 at STATION E. The above described cheese slicing and loading procedure is then repeated when the next sheet of dough 3201 on the next hinged receiving and lift tray 2810 arrives at STATION D.

The pre-set position is assured by means of a lock and indexing device 3300. Disposed between the STATION D and STATION E, and situated beneath the rotary table 2809, is the lock and indexing device 3300 shown in FIG. 41. This device 3300 includes an indexing lug 4101 below the rotary table 2809 at each of stations A-F. Each such indexing lug 4101 depends from the bottom 4102 of the rotary table 2809. Lug 4101 is adapted to be locked at its upstream face by the upstream end of arm 4103, which is pivoted at 4101 near its downstream end at 4105 to an ear 4106 upstanding from longitudinal beam 2902 of main frame 3001. A pneumatic cylinder 4107 is vertically mounted to an upright 4108 between longitudinal beams 2902 and 2903 of main frame 3001 by means of bracket 4109. The rod end 4110 of pneumatic cylinder 4107 is connected at 4111 to a rod 4112, which is itself encircled by a coil spring 4113 and which pierces a "T"-shaped cam 4114. One end of rod 4112 is secured to cam 4114 by nut 4115. The other end 4116 of the "T"-shaped cam 4114 abuts the bottom of the upstream end of arm 4103. The upright portion 4116 of the "T"-shaped cam 4114 is adapted to lock, by abutment, the other face of the lug 4101.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to its preset position where the loaded sheet of dough 3201 is at the loaded dough sheet folding station 2815 at STATION E.

The loaded dough folding apparatus 2815 at STATION E will now be described in the following terms:

As shown in FIG. 42, the loaded dough folding apparatus 2815 in this embodiment includes a set of radially-oriented, hinged folding arms 4210, each set comprising a pair of parallel such arms 4210 secured below each radial edge 4211 of each of the eight wells 2817 in the rotary table 2809, each well supporting each a respective hinged receiving and lift tray 2816. The hinged receiving and lift tray 2816, to be further described later, is disposed below, and spaced radially from, radial edges 4211 of well 2817, to provide radial entry slots 4230, for the hinged folding arm 4210. The hinged folding arms 3610 each include an inner arm 4212 hingedly connected at its shoulder end 4213 to an ear 4214 depending from the rotary table 2809 and a folding forearm 4215, hingedly connected at its elbow end 4216 by transverse pivot 4217 to the elbow end 4218 of the inner arm 4212. The outer free ends 4218 of the pair of forearms 4215 are each interconnected by a respective cross rod 4219.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to its preset position where the loaded folded sheet of dough 3201 is to be rolled by rolling mechanism 2815 at STATION F. The above described loaded dough sheet folding operation is then repeated when the next loaded sheet of dough 3201 on the next hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 is at STATION E.

Preparatory to the rolling operation, the hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 must be lifted, as follows: As shown in FIGS. 43 and 45, a scroll plate 4510 is disposed under STATIONS E and F to raise each hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 to a position (as shown in FIGS. 44 and 45) where the overlapped-folded dough sheet 3201 may be rolled. The scroll plate 4510 is arcuate in plan view, (See FIG. 43) and in elevation (See FIG. 45) includes an upstream post 4511 supporting the upstream end 4512, a gently-upwardly curved mid-portion 4513 and a downstream portion 4514 terminating in a flange 4515. The flange 4515 is supported by an outboard post 4516. Posts 4511 and 4516 are upstanding from longitudinal beam 2902 of main frame 3001.

The rotary table 2809 is now stopped at STATION F, so that the rolling mechanism 2815 may be operated. The loaded, folded dough sheet rolling apparatus 2810 at STATION F is similar to the loaded folded dough sheet rolling apparatus previously described and shown in FIGS. 18-21.

Such dough rolling apparatus 2815 includes an upwardly-standing, three-dimensional frame 4701, secured to upstanding framework 2819. Mounted within frame 4701 is a drive mechanism comprising a pair of tandemly-operated, vertically-oriented, pneumatic cylinders 4712, the rod ends 4716 of which each being tied to a chain 4717 which entrains a sprocket 4718. The other end 4714 of chain 4717 is tied to a coil spring 4722 whose other end is secured to ear 4731 mounted on frame 4701. The power stroke of cylinder 4712 causes sprocket 4718 to rotate one half turn and to extend spring 4722. The return stroke of cylinder 4712 is assisted by the return of spring 4722 and this completes the rotation of sprocket 4718. Sprocket 4718 is splined to shaft 4715 to which a speed-reduction sprocket 4719 is also splined. Shaft 4715 is freely rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced-apart bearings 4721. Sprocket 4719 is itself entrained by a second drive chain 4724 which entrains a finger-drive sprocket 4725. Finger drive sprocket 4725 is splined to a shaft 4726 which is freely rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced-apart bearings 4727. The inboard end of the shaft 4726 is provided with a mounting cylinder 4729 fitted with a pair of rolling fingers 4730. A finger unloading cylinder 4738 is mounted by its cylinder end to basket 4736, the rod end 4737 the cylinder 4738 being secured to a rolling guide plate and product discharge 4739.

The rotary table 2809 is now partially rotated to its preset position where the empty receiving and lift trays 2816 may be later moved into position to be loaded with a sheet of dough 3201. The above described loaded, folded dough sheet lifting and rolling operations are then repeated when the next loaded, folded sheet of dough 3201 arrives at the next rolling mechanism 2815 at STATION F.

If it is desired to produce a meat-filled, rolled-up, overlapped folded-over, dough product, e.g. a taco, or an egg roll, then the processing stations for loading tomato paste, pepperoni, and cheese are replaced by an egg mixture, leading edges-coating station and by a ground product, e.g. ground or minced meat loading station (not shown here) disposed around the rotary table 2809. STATION B for applying the egg mixture to the leading edges of the diamond-shaped dough sheet is still required and operates as previously described.

The remaining stations for folding and rolling the filled product are part of the apparatus of the present Supplementary Disclosure as previously described, and are operated in the same fashion as previously described.

A third embodiment of dough sheet feeder of the apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 49-55. The rotary table 2809 and STATIONS B-F are the same in this third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention as in the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention previously described.

In this third embodiment, the dough sheet feeder apparatus 2810 comprises two identical dough sheet feeder mechanisms 5010 mounted above a transversely-shiftable dough tray table 5011. Dough tray table 5011 is reciprocally mounted (see FIG. 54) by having a depending ear 5012 secured at the mid-point of table 5011 by bracket 5013 to the rod end 5014 of a pneumatic cylinder 5015, whose cylinder end 5016 is secured to an ear 5017 fixed to transverse beam 2902 of the main frame 3001. As shown in FIG. 54, the dough tray table 5011 is provided with a depending track 5018 which is supported to roll on rollers 5019 secured by brackets 5020 mounted on transverse beam 2902 of main frame 3001, to enable more smooth and facile transverse reciprocation thereof.

As seen in FIGS. 51 and 52, each dough sheet feeder 2810 includes a horizontal plate 5020 connected to a horizontally-cantilevered swing arm 5021 which is swingably and drivably mounted at 5022 within a hollow vertical post 5023, which itself is secured to the transverse beam 2902 of the main frame 3001 at bushing mount 5024. The horizontal plate 5020 supports the cylinder end 5025 of a pneumatic cylinder 5026, as well as the bushings 5027, which are guided by a pair of vertical guide rods 5028. The end 5040 of the rod end 5029 of the pneumatic cylinder 5026 and the ends 5041 of the guide rods 5028 are each fitted with a common vacuum shoe 5030, shown in greater detail in FIG. 54. Vacuum shoe 5030 is connected by fitting 5031 to a vacuum hose 5032. Below the vacuum shoe plate 5030 is a screen 5033 to provide a full surface pick up.

The structure of the swing drive mechanism is more fully shown in FIGS. 51, 52 and 56. The swing arm 5021 is secured to a shaft 5034 whose end 5035 is mounted in bushing 5036 which is fixed to main frame 3001. Below main frame 3001 is a drive mechanism for the swing arm 5021. (shown in FIG. 52), which is secured to shaft 5034 is a drive arm 5036. The end 5037 of drive arm 5036 is secured at 5038 to the rod end 5039 of a pneumatic cylinder 5042. The cylinder end 5043 of pneumatic cylinder 5042 is mounted to a bracket 5044 upstanding from transverse beam 2902 of the main frame 3001.

The dough tray table 5011 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart trays 5043, bounded by mutually perpendicular walls 5044, 5045 where a stacked supply of sheets of dough 3201, (see FIG. 53) is stored.

Before describing FIGS. 57-61, it is desired to reiterate that such embodiment is directed specifically to a rolling device to roll an overlapped-folded, filled dough sheet product into rolled form. The rolling device may be provided on a food processing machine which includes a conveyor, and the following processing stations which are mounted above the conveyor:

The conveyor and processing stations may be those previously shown and described hereinbefore. The particular conveyor and processing stations selected are not critical to the rolling device of this embodiment of this invention.

As shown in FIGS. 57-60, disposed around the outer circumference of the rotary table are a pair of tandemly-operated dough sheet feeders at STATION A, an egg and tomato paste feeder at STATION B, a pepperoni slicer and loader at STATION C, a cheese slicer and loader at STATION D and a loaded dough folding apparatus at STATION E, whose structures are the same as those of the same named stations previously described. The eight hinged receiving and lifting trays are altered to be fixed receiving trays, instead of hinged, and are depressed a predetermined level below the main surface of the rotary table. Moreover, the loaded folded dough sheet roller at STATION F, previously described, has been replaced by a loaded dough tucker and roller at STATION F, which will now be described.

As seen in FIGS. 57-60, the combined tucking and rolling apparatus 7010 at STATION F includes a support frame 7011 connected to the upper frame of the rotary table provided by an upper longitudinal, i.e., radially-extending beam 7012, from which two supporting legs 7013 depend, the legs 7013 serving to support a radially-outwardly extending rolling tray 7014 which is disposed longitudinally, i.e., radially, to the rotary conveyor. The frame 7011 is disposed adjacent the main turntable 7015 of the apparatus, previously described, although it may be associated with a longitudinal conveyor train, also as previously described. Secured to the top of beam 7012 is a guide rod 7044 from which a carriage support arm 7045 is suspended and guided. Support arm 7045 supports a transversely oscillatable carriage 7046 (see FIGS. 59 and 60) on which are mounted a front crimp finger assembly 7047 (see FIG. 59) and a rear crimp finger assembly 7048 (see FIG. 60). Transverse travel of carriage 7046 provided by a pneumatic cylinder 7049, the rod end of which is secured to the carriage 7046.

The lower ends 7016 of arms 7013 support both the inboard, i.e., front, end 7017 and the outboard, i.e., rear, end 7018 of rolling tray 7014. Rolling tray 7014 is provided with a transverse, semi-circular trough 7019. Rolling tray 7014 is also covered with a rolling fabric 7020, secured at the inboard end 7017 of the rolling tray 7014 at securement 7021 and at the outboard end 7018 of the rolling tray 7014 at securement 7022. Fabric 7020 follows the contour of rolling tray 7014, and is urged into the trough 7019 by front crimp finger 7023 and rear crimp finger 7024. It then passes over the front roller 7025 and the rear roller 7026 of a carriage 7027, which is secured by bracket 7028 to the rod end 7029 of a main rolling actuation cylinder 7030, whose construction will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 61. Also secured to the rod end 7031 of a pneumatic cylinder 7042 is a pinch bar 7043. Cylinders 7030 and 7042 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of rolling tray 7014, and so the respective rods 7029, 7031 oscillate between inboard 7017 and outboard 7018 ends of rolling tray 7014.

FIG. 59 specifically shows the front crimp finger assembly 7047. The front crimp finger 7023 is secured to one end 7051 of a front pivot arm 7052, the other end 7053 of front pivot arm 7052 being pivotably secured at pivot point 7054 to a carriage 7046. The front crimp finger 7023 is also secured to a yoke 7056 at the rod end 7057 of a pneumatic cylinder 7058. The front end 7059 of the cylinder end 7060 of cylinder 7058 is secured to upper hinge plate 7061a, pivotably connected at pivot point 7061b to lower hinge plate 7061c, which itself is secured to a support arm 7062.

The rear crimp finger assembly 7048 is specifically shown in FIG. 60. The rear crimp finger 7024 is secured to the upper end 7063 of a pivot arm 7064 which is pivotably secured at pivot point 7065 to carriage 7046. The lower end 7066 of pivot arm 7064 is secured to the rod end 7067 of a pneumatic cylinder 7068. The front end 7069 of the cylinder end 7070 of cylinder 7068 is rigidly secured to bracket 7070a secured to carriage 7046.

The structure of the main rolling actuating cylinder 7038 is shown in FIG. 61. The cylinder 7038 includes an originally open-ended hollow tube 7038a, preferably formed of aluminum, and capped by a front end cap 7071 and a rear end cap 7072. A guide rod 7073, preferably formed of stainless steel, extends the longitudinal length of the tube 7070 and is anchored at each of its ends, i.e., to cap 7071 at 7074 and to cap 7072 at 7075. The cylinder 7038 is provided with a plunger 7077 having a clearance hole 7078 therethrough through which guide rod 7079 passes. Leakage of gas is prevented by seals 7080. The plunger 7077 is secured to a piston rod 7082. The plunger 7077 is also provided with a magnetizable metal plug 7081. An adjustable magnetic "pick-up" limit switch 7083 is provided to limit the movement of plunger 7077. By this construction, cylinder 7038 becomes a non-rotating cylinder.

Each cylinder 316 is actuatable to reciprocate its associated rod end 318 between an upper position (as shown) and a lower, dough sheet pick-up and discharge position. The carriage 315 is actuatable by means of a pneumatic cylinder 321 fixed to the support frame to reciprocate intermittently (as shown by arrow 322) in the following sequence: firstly, over the first dough tray with the first pick up head over the first dough tray while the second pick-up head, to which a sheet of dough is gripped, is over the conveyor with the respective cylinders in their return stroke; then the first pick-up head can be activated to pick-up a sheet of dough, while the second pick-up head can be deactivated to release the dough sheet onto the conveyor; then both pick-up heads are raised, by the associated cylinder in the return stroke, and the pick-up heads are moved transversely (by transverse movement of carriage 315) so that the first pick-up head is now over the conveyor, while the second pick-up head is now over the dough tray; then, the pick-up heads are dropped, by the respective cylinders in their power stroke, so that the first pick-up head is deactivated to release the dough sheet onto the conveyor, while the second pick-up head is activated to pick up a dough sheet; and the procedure is then repeated. The cylinders are synchronized to the same power stroke for the downward movement, and to the same return stroke for upward movement.

The power stroke of the rod end 615 transversely across the conveyor 109 is sufficient to spread the tomato paste from the lower corner to the upper corner of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, i.e. across the longest dimension of the sheet of dough, while the conveyor 109 is stationary.

The power stroke of each of the two egg mixture spreading cylinders 620 is sufficient to spread the egg mixture across the entire front or leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.

The carriage 921/cutter blade 932 are synchronized in the following manner: The three pepperoni sticks rest on the blade depth gauge plate 933 and are gripped by the brake flap 910 to maintain such pepperoni sticks in position. The cutter blade 932 and carriage 921 are then swung on the pivot axis of the rod 922 while the cutter blade is rotating to move the cutter blade 932 across the bottom of the holding tray 909 to slice the three pepperoni sticks at the pre-set thickness. Since the blade depth gauge plate 933 is attached to the carriage 921, the blade depth gauge plate 933 is also moved forwardly along with the cutter blade 932. This allows the three slices of pepperoni to be dropped onto different, discrete areas of the sheet of dough as the swinging travel proceeds. At this time, the sheet of dough is now loaded both with the tomato paste and with the pepperoni slices along its longest transverse axis. The carriage 921 is now swung back to its original position by means of actuating the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 926, the brake flap 910 is opened, and the pepperoni sticks then drop down again to rest on the blade depth gauge plate 933. The above-described slicing procedure is then repeated.

The carriage 1222/cutter blade 1223 are synchronized in operation so that as a slice of cheese is sliced by the blade 1223, it is placed atop the pepperoni on the sheet of dough. The brake flap 1280 is then released, and the cheese block falls down to rest on the thickness-blade adjusting plate 1230. The carriage 1222 is reciprocated back to its "at rest" position. The pneumatic cylinder 1226 operating the blade 1223 is actuated and the carriage 1222 is again reciprocated across the conveyor 109 to allow the sliced piece of cheese to be deposited atop another portion of the pepperoni on the dough.

The hold down cylinders 1505, 1506 are actuated to engage the diamond-shaped sheet of dough 1525 inboard of the upstream and downstream, longitudinal corners but near such diametrically-opposed longitudinal corners and to hold the diamond-shaped sheet of dough 1525 in a stationary position on the conveyor 109. A designated identifying marking stamp (not seen) is also place thereon by the aft plate. Actuation of the pneumatic cylinders 1511, 1512 now causes the fingers, 1517, 1518 which are disposed under the triangular, transverse outboard ends of the foodstuffcovered diamond-shaped sheet of dough to be raised and folded over so that their apices meet and overlap slightly at the centre of the sheet of dough. The sheet of dough is now generally hexagonally-shaped.

In operation, the carriage 1810 is actuated to move laterally over the conveyor 109 by means of pneumatic cylinder 1811. The two fingers 1830 then straddle the lifted-up edge of the dough sheet 1825. The vacuum pad cylinder rod 1832 then releases the vacuum lift-up pad 1833 and retracts. The shaft 1826 is actuated to rotate the fingers 1830 by 21/2 turns.

In its operation, a more positive gripping by the fingers is provided by the tilting carriage. The carriage 2201 is tilted out of verticality by swivelling at the swivel bearing 2228 actuated by the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder 2210 in order to have the fingers 2215 tilt downwardly. The rolling operation is the same as previously described. However, to unload the product the carriage is tilted to its vertical orientation.

To roll the overlapped-folded dough sheet, using the rolling finger of FIG. 24, the carriage 2401 is placed with the finger roller 2407, 2408 over the conveyor 109. The outer sleeve 2407 is retracted to expose the wire prongs 2409. Actuation of the rotation mechanism causes the single finger 2407/2408 to rotate and thus to roll the dough sheet by five turns. Now the two-spaced-apart fingers (previously described) constituting an unloading means extend transversely across and over and below the single rolling finger 2407/2408. The outer sleeve 2407 is then retracted, allowing the wire prongs 2409 to release the rolled-up dough sheet. This permits the finger roll to drop onto the conveyor 109. The carriage 2410 is then withdrawn transversely of the conveyor 109. The conveyor 109 then dumps the rolled-up product to another station (not shown) for further processing.

In operation, when the dough sheet is at the meat loading station, the auger 2618 is actuated to grind the meat. The carriage 2611 is actuated to move in discrete steps across the conveyor 109. At each step, the cutting blade 2623 is actuated to discharge ground meat at a discrete different location on the dough sheet.

The loading and unloading of the sheets of dough is as follows: Cylinders 3235 are operated in synchronism. Sheets of dough 3201 are stacked-up on the dough trays 2924. Each of cylinders 3235 is actuated to place its respective pick-up head 3237 in contact with one sheet of dough 3201 when the carriage 3233 is in the position as shown in FIG. 32, and the vacuum is actuated, thereby picking up a sheet of dough 3201. The respective pick-up heads 3237 are then moved upwardly by means of the respective cylinder 3235. Then the respective pick-up heads 3237 are moved by movement of respective carriages 3233 through operation of the power stroke of respective cylinders 3238, to a radially-inwardly position over two empty, adjacent, hinged receiving and lift trays 2816. The respective sheets of dough 3801 are then unloaded onto the respective trays 2816 by releasing the vacuum in vacuum pick-up heads 2837. The vacuum pick-up heads 2837 are then returned to their respective upper orientation by the return stroke of respective cylinders 2835, to a position where the sequence is started again. Thus, two sheets of dough 3201 are loaded onto the trays 2816 at the same time.

The operation of carriage 3621/cutter blade 3632 is synchronized in the following manner: Three pepperoni sticks rest on the blade depth gauge plate and are gripped by the brake flap 3610 to maintain such pepperoni sticks in such pre-set position. The cutter blade 3632 and carriage 3621 are then swung on the pivot axis of the pivot rod 3622 by actuation of the power stroke of pneumatic cylinder 3626 while the cutter blade 3632 is rotating, thereby to move the rotating cutter blade 3632 across the bottom of the holding tray 3609 to slice the three pepperoni sticks at the thickness which has been pre-set by the depth gauge plate. This allows the three slices of pepperoni to be dropped onto different, discrete areas of the sheet of dough 3201 as the swinging travel proceeds, while the sheet of dough 3201 rests on the receiving and lift tray 2816 which is hingedly secured to the now-stationary rotary table 2809. At this time, the sheet of dough 3201 is now loaded both with the tomato paste and with the pepperoni slices along a long diagonal dimension. The carriage 3621 is now swung back to its original position by means of actuating the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 3626, the brake flap 3610 is opened, and the pepperoni sticks then drop down again to rest on the blade depth gauge plate at which time the pepperoni sticks are secured in place by the brake flap 3610.

The wire cheese cutter 3823 is reciprocated across the block of cheese to slice the cheese. As each slice of cheese is sliced by the wire cutter 3823 it is placed on a storage tray 3231. Pneumatic cylinder 3826 is operated from an air line as previously described.

When a desired number of slices of cheese have been deposited on the storage tray 3831, the storage tray 3831 is dumped as follows: storage tray 3831 is supported on the vertical arm 3825 of an inverted "L"-shaped control arm 3624, the mid-point of which is pivotally mounted at 3827 to a bracket 3826 secured to the holding tray 3808. The horizontal arm 3828 of the control arm 3824 is connected to the rod end 3839 of a pneumatic cylinder 3840 at pivot 3841. The return stroke of cylinder 3840 pivots the storage tray 3231 in a clockwise direction, thereby dumping the cheese slices.

In the operation of the indexing device, the power stroke and return strokes of the pneumatic cylinder 4107 are coordinated with the rotation of the rotary table 2809 by the pneumatic drive cylinder 3015 as previously described, so that the power stroke of pneumatic cylinder 4107 is accomplished at the precise time when the respective hinged receiving and lift trays 2816 are disposed at the respective STATION when no rotation of the rotary table 2809 is to take place as food processing operations at the respective STATION take place. Then, when the rotary table 2809 is to be rotated, the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 4107 takes place, thereby allowing the rotary table 2809 to rotate. The power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 4107 may then take place at any time prior to when the respective hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 is to be at the next STATION, so as to stop the rotary table 2809 at that STATION.

An operating mechanism for such folding apparatus 2819 is disposed only at STATION F. The operating mechanism includes a pneumatic cylinder 4220, the cylinder end 4221 of which is secured to the longitudinal beam 2902 of the main frame 3001, and whose rod end 4222 is secured to an operating plate 4223. Operating plate 4223 is guided by rods 4224 sliding in bores 4225 in beam 2902. The power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder 4220 urges the operating plate 4223 into engagement with the cam elbow surface 4218 at the hingedly-connected elbow pivot end 4217 of each of the set of folding arms 4210. This causes a two-part motion of the folding forearm arm 4215: firstly to cause the transverse rod 4230 and the folding forearm 4205 to engage the side edges of the loaded dough sheet and to begin to fold the diametrically-opposed ends over towards each other; and secondly, to complete the folding of those edges, i.e. to cause the transverse rod 4230 and the folding forearm 4205 to reverse fold the edges which are beginning to fold to place them atop and overlapping at the central portion of the dough sheet 3201. This action is shown in broken lines.

As the rotary table 2809 rotates, a lifting arm 4517 hingedly-connected at 4518 to the lower face of each hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 (which is hinged by pin 4319 to hinge plate 4320, one plate 4320 of the hinge being secured to tray 2816, the other plate 4321 of the hinge being secured to rotary table 2809) contacts the upstream portion 4512 of the scroll plate 4510. Lifting arm 4517 rides along the mid-portion 4513 of the scroll plate 4510 and, as it does so, it raises the lift tray 2816 until, when the lifting arm 4517 arrives at the flange 4515, the hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 is raised to a precise correct height (as shown). At such height, the sheet of dough 3201 is so oriented that the rolling fingers 4730 can roll the loaded, overlapped-folded, sheet of dough 3201, previously described.

In operation, as the rotary table 2809 rotates the lifting mechanism previously described attached to the underface of the rotary table 2809 is acted upon by the scroll plate 4510 as previously described to raise the hinged receiving and lift tray 2816 also as previously described which also raises the overlapped-folded sheet of dough 3201 resting thereon to the correct pre-determined height. The two rolling fingers 4730 then straddle the lifted-up sheet of dough 3201. To roll the sheet of dough 3201, the finger roller drive mechanism previously described is actuated and the fingers 4730 are caused to rotate 21/2 turns. The rolling guide plate 4739 prevents upward movement of the dough sheet. Then the finger unloading cylinder 4738 is actuated to urge the rolling guide plate bracket 4736 against the proximal edges of the rolled dough sheet. This discharges the rolled dough sheet, i.e. the "finger roll" product and deposits it onto the conveyor 4740. The roller guide plate 4739 and the bracket 4736 are then retracted to their initial position, by means of cylinder 4738. Conveyor 4740 feeds the finger roll product to loading trays (not shown) and then to another processing station, e.g., a deep fryer (not shown).

In operation, the dough tray table 5011 is reciprocable to a first position (shown by broken lines) where the vacuum shoes 5030 are disposed over the dough sheet supply trays where sheets of dough 3201 are stacked (as seen in FIG. 52). The pneumatic cylinders 5026 are activated to urge the vacuum shoes 5030 downwardly towards, and to be in contact with, the uppermost dough sheet 3201. When the vacuum is applied, a sheet of dough 3201 is picked up and held by the vacuum shoe 5030. The pneumatic cylinders are then activated to raise the vacuum shoes 5030 upwardly.

The dough tray table 5011 is then reciprocated to a second position (as shown in full lines in FIG. 50), at the precise time when two empty hinged receiving and lift trays 2816 are at the position shown, with the rotary table 2809 stationary. Then each of the swing arms 5021, which are situated in abutting relation to the horizontal plate 5020, is activated to strike the transfer cylinder mechanism 5010 in an arcuate motion until the vacuum shoe 5030 of the dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism 5010 is over the associated empty hinged receiving and lift tray 2816. The vacuum is disconnected, allowing the previously-held sheet of dough 3201 to fall onto the respective hinged receiving and lift tray 2816. Then the swing arms 5021 are actuated in a reverse arcuate manner to return the respective dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism 5010 to a position over the shiftable table 5010.

The rotary table 2809 is then rotated and the dough tray table 5011 is also reciprocated to the first position (shown in broken lines), where the dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism 5010 is actuated to be reloaded, and the operation described above is repeated. Thus, when the two empty hinged receiving and lift trays 2816 are in the position as shown in the drawings, the rotary table 2809 loading cycle can be repeated, to load two hinged receiving lift trays 2816 simultaneously.

In operation, the folded loaded sheet of dough provided at STATION E is brought to STATION F. The pinch bar cylinder is actuated to its power stroke to cause the pinch bar to be urged radially-inwardly to release a rolled final product (if it exists within the trough) and to continue radially inwardly to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough situated on the depressed receiving tray. The pinch bar cylinder is then actuated to its partial return stroke to draw the gripped folded, loaded sheet of dough from the depressed receiving tray to the rolling tray. The folded, loaded sheet of dough is deposited within the trough on the rolling fabric. The front crimp finger cylinder is then actuated to cause the first crimp finger to rotate about an end point pivoted lever from its rear, "at rest" position to a position where it engages the folded, loaded sheet of dough. The thus deposited folded, loaded sheet of dough is thereby arranged to be fully within the trough and situated properly for the next step in the procedure.

The rear crimp finger cylinder is then actuated and simultaneously the pinch bar cylinder is actuated to its complete return stroke to bring the pinch bar to its "at rest" position, thereby releasing its grip on the folded, loaded sheet of dough. The actuation of the crimp finger cylinder causes the rear crimp finger to rotate about a mid-point pivoted lever from its "at rest" position to a position where it engages the folded, loaded sheet dough. This achieves a tucking-in of the folded, loaded sheet of dough which had been correctly arranged by the front crimp finger.

Then the carriage actuation cylinder is actuated its power stroke to cause the front and rear crimp fingers to release the thus-folded sheet of dough. The carriage actuation cylinder is then actuated to its complete return stroke to cause the front and rear crimp fingers to return to their original "at rest" position.

The main rolling actuating cylinder is then actuated to its power stroke which causes the rolling carriage to traverse the longitudinal length of the rolling tray, bringing the rolling fabric up and urging the rolling fabric to effect a rolling up of the sheet of dough which had been "tucked-in" as described above. Because the cylinder is a non-rotating cylinder, the rolling is accomplished accurately.

The above-described sequence of steps is then repeated, which simultaneously discharges one previously-folded product and rolls the next folded, loaded sheet of dough.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Consequently, such changes and modifications are properly, equitably, and "intended" to be within the full range of equivalence of the following claims.