AU711864B2

AU711864B2 - Improvements in bread moulding machines

Info

Publication number: AU711864B2
Application number: AU55951/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Russell Edward Daunt
Original assignee: ROOY MACHINERY VIC Pty Ltd VAN
Current assignee: VAN ROOY MACHINERY (VIC) Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1995-07-04
Filing date: 1996-06-12
Publication date: 1999-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-12
Also published as: AU5595196A

Description

/UU/U11 285/91 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: 4

U

Invention Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAD MOULDING MACHINES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAD MOULDING MACHINES The present invention relates to improvements in bread moulders.

A known type of bread moulder shown in Australian Patent No. 548075 comprises infeed rollers through which dough is fed. The dough is fed onto these infeed rollers and rolled out flat. After passing through the infeed rollers it is conveyed upwardly between a front upwardly moving run of a first endless felt belt and a forwardly located curling chain or mat to roll the dough up. It then passes over the top of the front upwardly moving run of the first endless felt belt and drops in between a rear run of the first belt and a front run of a second endless belt which move at different speeds. These two runs generally converge downwardly and the dough receives further moulding while moving downwardly to a discharge point. There are several bread moulders of this :general type currently on the market and in the case of Patent No. 548075, the machine further includes a dough shaping device selectably locatable between 15 the two endless belt runs as the dough moves downwardly to the discharge point. In some situations it is desired to cut the dough into portions, for example, when it is desired to produce bread sticks (French sticks) rather than a loaf of bread. In such a situation Patent No. 548075 proposes the use of a plurality of parallel knives between the felt belts. In other machines of this type, it has been the convention to simply cut the dough manually after the dough reaches the discharge point. One problem with arranging dividing knives between the discharge felt belts is that these runs needs to have the spacing between them adjusted from time to time and if this is done when the knives are in an operative position, it is possible to cut and seriously damage the felt belts. These belts are very expensive to replace if such damage occurs.

The objective therefore of the present invention is to provide an arrangement in a bread moulder of the above mentioned type that can be used to safely cut the dough being discharged into desired portion sizes without risk of damage to the discharge felt belts.

Accordingly, the present invention provides, in a dough shaping device of the type comprising two driven endless belts through which dough passes to a discharge zone, a cutting device including one or more cutting blade means being releasably mounted at said discharge zone in a position spaced from said endless belts, whereby dough passing from said endless belts at said discharge point passes through said cutting device to be divided thereby, and protection means provided to ensure the cutting blade means of said cutting device are maintained out of contact with said endless belts.

Conveniently, the protection means includes at least one slide member having a slide surface adapted to contact one of said endless belts, said slide surface or surfaces extending beyond the cutting edge or edges of the cutting blade means whereby, in use, the cutting device is maintained out of contact with said endless belts.

In a particularly preferred arrangement, the cutting device comprises a frame supporting a plurality of said cutting blade means in spaced parallel configuration each having first and second end regions, frame support means being provided to support said frame whereby the first end region of each of said cutting blade means is located adjacent one of said endless belts and the second end region of each of said cutting blade means is located adjacent the other of said endless belts with said cutting blade means spanning at least a substantial part of said discharge zone, said protection means comprising at least one slide member having a slide surface adapted to contact the other of said belts whereby said cutting blade means are held out of contact with both of said endless belts. Advantageously, the frame support means includes lateral runner members adapted to be slidably engaged by guide elements fixed to the dough shaping device so as to enable releasable positioning of the frame at said discharge zone.

In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention also provides a cutting device for a dough shaping machine of the type including two driven endless belts through which dough passes to a discharge zone, the cutting device including a frame supporting a plurality of cutting blade means in spaced parallel configuration each having first and second end regions, said frame further including at least one slide member fixed to said frame and providing a slide surface outwardly spaced from cutting edges of the cutting blade means, said slide surface or surfaces, in use, being adapted to engage one of the i endless belts of the dough shaping machine whereby the cutting blade means are prevented from contacting either of said endless belts. Conveniently, the cutting blade means are held in tension.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a cutting device adapted for use in the present invention; Figure 2 is a section view along line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation and end view respectively of a guide runner to support the cutting device of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side elevation view showing the cutting device in a position of use.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings show a preferred form of cutting device for positioning in a bread moulder as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 of the drawings shows a general arrangement view of relevant parts of bread moulder machine 10 which includes a first endless felt belt 11 having a rear run 12 travelling downwardly around a bottom roll 13 and a second endless felt belt 14 with a front run 15 travelling upwardly from a bottom roll 15. The relative direction of movement and speeds of the belts 11 and 14 20 may be varied but the direction of dough movement is generally downwardly in the space 17 between the belt runs 12 and 15 to a discharge area 18. Within the discharge area 18 and preferably directly adjacent the rolls 13 and 16, a cutting device 19 is provided. As can be better seen in Figures 1 to 3, the cutting device 19 comprises a frame 20 having opposed lateral members 21, 22 whichform runners adapted to be slidably engaged in channel guides 23 fixed to opposed sides of the machine 10 in the discharge area 18 so that the cutting device can be located (when desired) in the position shown in Figure 4.

The cutting device 19 further includes bar members 24, 25 connecting ends of the lateral runners 21, 22 to form the frame 20 in a generally rectangular configuration. A plurality of blades 26 are positioned across the space between the bar members 24, 25 with the laterally outer blades 26 being adapted to cut dough edges to form a substantially straight edge with the other blades 26 being i adapted to cut the remainder of the dough into desired portion sizes. Each blade is conveniently maintained in tension by a tension spring 27 so as to improve the cutting efficiency of the blade. As will be apparent from Figure 4, the blades 26 conveniently have a scalloped section 28 partially conforming to the shape of the bottom roll 13 so that the blade configuration projects into the discharge zone 18 as shown in Figure 4. The frame 20 further includes intermediate cross frame members 29, 30 with upwardly projecting skid members 31, 32 each having an upper curved section 33 which is adapted, in operational use, to engage with a surface of the felt belt 11 on the bottom roll 13 so that the blades 26 are physically prevented from coming closer to the belts 11, 15 than is shown in Figure 4. The skid members 31, 32 may be formed from Nylon or some other similar material that does not obstruct movement of the felt belt 11.

In use, when it is desired to cut the dough into desired portion sizes, the 15 frame 20 is positioned as shown in Figure 4. The dough travels down along the run 12 of the belt 11 and is forced through the blades 26 to form the desired portion sizes. If cutting of the dough is not required, the frame 20 can be simply removed so that no cutting of the dough occurs. It will of course be apparent that positioning of the cutting device 19 does not affect the ability to move the belts ~20 11, 15 towards or away from one another as may be required during any bread moulding procedure.

Claims

2. In a dough shaping device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said protection means includes at least one slide member having a slide surface adapted to contact one of said endless belts, said slide surface or surfaces extending beyond the cutting edge or edges of the cutting blade means whereby, in use, the cutting device is maintained out of contact with said endless belts.
3. In a dough shaping device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises a frame supporting a plurality of said cutting blade means in spaced parallel configuration each having first and second end regions, frame support means being provided to support said frame whereby the first end region of each of said cutting blade means is located adjacent one of said endless belts and the second end region of each of said cutting blade means is located adjacent the other of said endless belts with said cutting blade means spanning at least a substantial part of said discharge zone, said protection means comprising at least one slide member having a slide surface adapted to contact the other of said belts whereby said cutting blade means are held out of contact with both of said endless belts. 6
4. In a dough shaping device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said frame support means includes lateral runner members adapted to be slidably engaged by guide elements fixed to the dough shaping device so as to enable releasable positioning of the frame at said discharge zone. In a dough shaping device as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein each of said cutting blade means is held in tension.
6. In a dough shaping device according to any one of Claims 3, 4 or wherein the or each said slide surface is curved to conform with the shape of a return roll section of the other of said endless belts. S7. In a dough shaping device according to Claim 6, wherein each of the cutting blade means includes a scalloped section located below the slide surface of the or each said slide member.
8. A cutting device for a dough shaping machine of the type including two driven endless belts through which dough passes to a discharge zone, the cutting device including a frame supporting a plurality of cutting blade means in 00 spaced parallel configuration each having first and second end regions, said frame further including at least one slide member fixed to said frame and providing a slide surface outwardly spaced from cutting edges of the cutting blade means, said slide surface or surfaces, in use, being adapted to engage one of the endless belts of the dough shaping machine whereby the cutting blade means are prevented from contacting either of said endless belts.
9. A cutting device according to Claim 8, wherein said cutting blade means are held in tension. A cutting device for a dough shaping machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A dough shaping machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 7TH DAY OF JUNE, 1996 VAN ROOY MACHINERY (VIC) PTY. LTD. WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA SKP:JC DOG 4 AU000PN3967.WPC #*Gas: 0*e0 "So" of4 %fee: