CA1266800A - Rolling station for food processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A novel mechanism is provided herein for a machine to manu-facture overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food products. Such apparatus generally includes a supporting frame, a plurality of stations disposed in seriatim with respect to the frame, i.e., a dough sheet feeding station, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough, a loaded sheet dough folding station and a loaded, folded sheet of dough rolling station. The improvement is in the nature of a combined tuck/rolling apparatus including means for supporting the loaded, folded sheet of dough product during its manufacture; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to grip that loaded, folded sheet of dough and for depositing such loaded, folded sheet of dough on the support means: means adapted to be mechanically actuated to arrange such deposited loaded, folded sheet of dough on the support means;
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 associated with the supporting means, 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.

Description

~26ti8~0 'rhi~ inventi.on relate~ to im~rovement in a rolling mechanism in an apparatus for the making o~ novel, overlapped-folded~
filled rolled food products.
The invention described and claimed in applicant'~ copend-ing Canadian Patent Application Serial Number 571,001 filed June 30, 1988 provided several embodiment~ of an automatic machine for producing folded and rolled food products of uniformly high quality at a high rate of æroduction.
In one embodiment, the food production apparatu~ de~cribed in the above-identified patent application comprised: a) a ~upporting elongated frame ~tructure; b) a continuous conveyor ~ystem mounted longitudinally therewithin; c) means for intermit-tently moving the conveyor longitudinally along the ~upporting elongated frame structure; d) a dough sheet loading and unloading mechanism at the front end of the conveyor, the mechani~m having means thereon for intermittently loading a ~quare ~heet of dough at a diamond orientation onto a di~crete region of the conveyor while the conveyor wa~ stationary; e) at least one food~tuff loading mechanism operable to load foodstuff onto di~crete regions of the sheet of dough while the sheet of dough was resting on the conveyor and while the conveyor wa~ ~tationary; f) a dough-folding mechanism having longitudinally-spaced-apart, mutually-oppo~ed mean~ which were operable to hold the diamond-~haped filled dough sheet in place, and transver~ely ~paced-apart mutually-opposed mean~ which were operable to rai~e the diametri-cally-opposed tran~verse corners of the diamond-~haped filled ~h 12668~
;~
piece of dough and to fold them inwardly to meet and overlap slightly at the centre, thereby to provide a hexagonally-~haped, overlapped folded, filled ~heet of dough, while the canveyor was stationary; 9) a rolling mechani~m having fir~t means operable to raise a trailing edge of the so-formed hexagonally-shaped, over-lapped-folded, filled ~heet of dough, and second mean~ operable to roll that raised ~heet of dough and to rotate it at least 2 l/2 turns, thereby to provide a generally, cylindrical, over-lapped folded, filled product, while the conveyor was stationary;h) means for discharging the product from the conveyor; and i) means to synchronize the forward intermittent movement of the conveyor with the seguential operation of the dough sheet loading and unloading mechanism, with the foodstuff loading mechanism, l~ and with the discharge means.
In another embodiment of the food production apparatus des-cribed in the above-identified patent application, the rolling mechanism preferably included mean~ to raise the trailing corner of the dough sheet, means to insert a pair of spaced-apart rol-ling fingers astraddle the raised-up corner, and means to rotate the fingers by 2 1~2 turns. The means to raise the trailing edge preferably included a vacuum pick-up means secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. The means to insert the rolling fingers preferably included a carriage, within which the rolling fingers were mounted, the carriage being actuatable to move transversely i26f~800 from a position where the rolling fingers were at one ~ide of the conveyor, to a position where the rolling fingers were over the conveyor.
Another embodiment of the apparatus di~closed in the above-identified patent application also included a rolling-as~isting mechanism compri~ing a flap which was actuatable to press down on the dough sheet as it was being rolled. The means to rotate the fingers included an upstanding frame carrying a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which were tied to a chain entraining a sprocket, whereby alternate power and return strokes of the cylinders caused rotation of the sprocket. Such mechanism also included a second series of sprockets providing a rotation speed reducer, whereby the rolling fingers were rotated through 2 1/2 turns. ~uch mechanism also included 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, whereby the rolled product was permitted to drop onto the conveyor.
The food production apparatus disclosed in the above-iden-tified patent application could alternatively include a rolling mechanism comprising means to raise the trailing 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. The means to raise the trailing edge preferably included a vacuum pick-up means secured to the . . . ~ .
' ' ,, : ' ; ' .

~Z6ti8~0 rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. The means to in~ert the rolling finger preferably included a carriage, within which the rolling finger was mounted, the carriage being actuable to move transver-~ely from a position where the rolling finger was at one ~ide ofthe conveyor, to a position where the rolling finger was over the conveyor. The apparatus preferably included a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which was actua-table to pres~ down on the dough sheet as it was being rolled. The means to rotate the finger included a depending, tiltable frame carrying a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod ends of which were tied to a chain entraining a sprocket, whereby alternate power and return strokes Gf the cylinders caused rotation of the sprocket. Such means included a second series of sprockets providing a rotation speed reducer, whereby the rolling finger was rotated through 5 turns. The rolling finger included a central rod to which spring wires were obliquely mounted, and an outer casing having apertures therein, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the casing, the wires may either be withdrawn to be flush with the casing or be extended to project obliquely out-wardly from the casing. The apparatus included a discharge mechanism comprising a pair of spaced-apart fingers, means to insert the spaced apart fingers transversely astride the single rolling finger, and mean~ to withdraw the rolling finger, whereby the rolled product was permitted to drop onto said conveyor.

126~ 30 The rotary table provided in that embodiment included a plurality of tiltable tray~, each tray being mounted within an associated well which wa~ arranged around the circumference of the rotary table. Each ~uch tiltable tray wa~ a rectangular tray, hingedly connected at its radially-inward edge to a cor-re~ponding radially-inwardly po~itioned edge of the well, the tray being disposed slightly below the rotary table in its at-rest po~ition. The radially-extending edges of each rectangular tray were separated Erom 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 another embodiment of the invention in the aforesaid patent application, in order to produce that product automatical-ly, the apparatus comprised a supporting elongated frame struc-ture having a continuous conveyor system mounted thereto. Sequ-entially arranged along the length of the frame structure were a plurality of assemblies or stations the first of which served to place the square-shaped dough sheet on the conveyor in a par-ticular orientation, ie, as a diamond-shaped sheet of dough.
Subsequent assemblies of stations served to dispense the required food ingredients onto the dough sheet. Still other assemblies or stations then sequentially served to fold and overlap the filled dough sheet to an approximate hexagonal shape and then served to roll the overlapped-folded, filled dough sheet into a substan-tially-cylindrical roll. All these operations were performed on lZ66~3~0 the dough ~heet while it was temporarily stationary, as the dough sheet was intermittently moved from the forward end to the rear-ward end of the apparatus. The finger roll was then dischargea from the apparatu~ to a further pre~sing apparatus, preferably a deep fryer.
The following is a description of the various stations, A -E, wherein a particular action or step took place in the use of one of the various embodiments of the invention disclosed in the above-identified patent application.
Station A represented the beginning of the operation and was known as the forward or front end of the frame structure and station E represented the rear or back end thereof.
Once the apparatus was started, the conveyer moved forward lS where the thin, square shaped sheet of dough, which was stacked in guantities on the stacking and dispensing apparatus at station A was removed from station A and was individually placed on the continuous conveyer in a particular orientation. The conveyer moved forward and stopped at station B and a first set of foodst-uff ingredients, e.g. egg mixture and tomato paste were dispensedon the dough sheet, by means of a dispensing device).
The conveyor again moved forward, pas~ing the dough sheet with the first ~eries of foodstuff ingredients thereon, and stopped upon reaching station C. At this station, a second series of foodstuff ingredients, e.g. pepperoni, was sliced and loaded onto the dough sheet by means of a pepperoni slicing and loading device.

iZ6~3UO

The conveyer moved forward again and stopped upon reaching ~tation ~. At this station, a third serie~ of foodstuff in-gredients, e.g. cheese, wa~ sliced and loaded onto the dough sheet by means of a chee~e slicing and loading device.
The conveyer moved forward again, and stopped at station E.
Station E was a dough folaing station where the diamond-shaped piece of dough, filled along it~ long transver~e axis was fir~t held down at its oppo~ed longitudinal corners, and then its two diametrically-opposed exposed transverse corners were folded over so that their apices overlapped slightly at the centre of the dough sheet, and so that the folded-over portions adopted a slightly-tapered, but generally hexagonally-shaped, configura-tion.
~ollowing this operation, the conveyer was then moved and stopped at station E, where the folded-over dough sheet was gripped and rolled by the two fingers or the single finger of rolling devices.
Then the novel product ie, the finger roll 80 formed was discharged, and preferably, was fed to a second conveyor, and then to a deep frying apparatus.
Various synchronizing means were included 80 as to provide the necessary sequence of start-and-stop movement of the con-veyor, coordinated with the actuation of each of the devices at each of the processing stations. ~uch synchronization means could be in the form of limit switches, or, preferably included 126~ 0 various motor~ controlled by a specially written com~uter program in a microproce~sor.
In another embodimen~ of tlle invention provided in the above-identified patent application, a food production apparatus was provided 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 stru-cture, 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 station~; c~
intermittent rotatins means for intermittently rotationally mov-ing the rotary table and hence at least one 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 at least one first discrete location on the rotary table while the rotary table was stationary; e) at least one foodstuff loading mechanism located at least one work s-tation downstream from the dough sheet feeding mechanism, the foodstuff loading mechanism being operable to load foodstuff onto discrete regions of a sheet of dough while the sheet of dough was resting on the rotary table and while the rotary table was sta-tionary; f~ a loaded dough sheet folding mechanism at a work station downstream from the fooastuff loading work station, the dough sheet folding mechanism being operable to provide a sub-stantially-hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of ~Z66~0 dough, while the rotary table was stationary; g~ a loaded, folded dough sheet rolling mechanism at a work station downstream from the loaded dough ~heet folding work ~ta-tion, operable to provide S a generally-cylindrical, over~apped-folded, loaded, rolled pro-duct, while the rotary table wa~ ~tationary; h~ discharging means at the dough ~heet rolling mechani~m work ~tation for discharging that product from the rotary table; and i~ means to synchronize the intermittent rotary movement of the rotary table with the ~equential operation of the dough sheet feeding mechanism, with the food~tuff loading mechanism, with the loaded dough sheet folding mechanism, with the folded, loaded, dough sheet rolling mechanism and with the discharge means.
The rotary table provided in that embodiment included a lS plurality of tiltable trays, each tray being mounted within an associated well which was arranged around the circumference of the rotary table. Each such tiltable tray wa~ a rectangular tray, hingedly connected at its radially-inward edge to a cor-responding radially-inwardly positioned edge of the well, the tray being dispo~ed slightly below the rotary table in its at-rest po~ition. 1'he radially-extending edges of each rectangular tray were separated from the corre~ponding, vicinal radially-extending edge~ of its a~ociated well, thereby providing a pair of spaced-apart radially-extending slots between the tray and its associated well.

~Z66~3~0 The intermittent rotation means provided in that embodiment to provide partial rotation of the rotary table comprised a vertically-oriented shaft connected to a sprocket or pulley, which wa~ 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 ~pring. The rotary table wa~ rotationally supported on the frame ~tructure by guide wheel~ ~ecured either to the rotary table or to the frame structure, the guide wheel~ roll.ingly supporting the underface of the rotary table with respect to the frame.
The food production apparatus disclosed in the above-iden-tified patent application also included means cooperating with the rotary table for indexing the rotary table to stop at a plurality of pre-set position~. Such indexing means includea a rocking arm actuatable by a T-shaped cam to engage and disengage an indexing lug depending from the rotary table.
The embodiment of the food production apparatus disclosed in the above-identified patent application also included means associated with the rotary table and with the receiving and lift tray~ to raise the outboard end of each tray to a pre-set eleva-tion when such tray had reached a pre-set position. Such means included a scroll plate mounted on the frame, the scroll plate included a lower, upstream end leading to an upper, downstream end, and a leg depending from each lift tray, the leg being lZ66~3~0 adapted to ride on the scroll plate a~ the rotary table wa~ being partially rotated, thereby to rai~e the lift tray.
The rolling mechani~m in that embodiment as de~cribed in the above-identified patent application was associated with a raised lift tray which operated to rai~e a hexagonally-shaped, over-lapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, which was resting on the lift tray. Such rolling mechani~m include~ mean~ operable to roll the raised hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded 0 sheet of dough and to rotate it at lea~t two and one half turns, thereby to provide a generally-cylindrical, overlapped-folded, loaded rolled product, while the rotary table was stationary.
Such rolling mechanism also included means to insert a pair of spaced-apart rolling fingers astraddle the raised-up sheet of dough, and also preferably included a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which was actuatable to press down on the loaded, folded sheet of dough as the loaded, folded sheet of dough was being rolled.
One embodiment of the dough sheet feeding apparatus at the dough sheet feeding station in that embodiment comprised two rotatable dough trays, each being divided into a plurality of e~ual 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 in that , .

~Z6t;~ 0 embodiment comprised: a pair of dough trays adapted to be rotated in oppo~ite directions, each rotatable dough tray being divided into a plurality of equal ~ectors: 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 e~ually-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, 80 as to stop the rotation of each dough tray at an exact predetermined position. Each dough tray was preferably divided into quarters.
Each dough sheet lifting means preferably comprised a vacuum pick-up plate secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder.
Such pneumatic cylinders were each preferably secured to a car-riage, the carriage being adapted to be reciprocated radially between the dough tray and the rotary table from a first posi-tion, where the vacuum pick-up plates were each disposed verti-cally over each associated dough tray, and a second position, where the vacuum pick-up plates were each disposed vertically over an associated tiltable tray which was secured to the rotary table, 80 that two tiltable trays could be loaded simultaneou~ly.
Another embodiment of the dough sheet feeding apparatus at the dough sheet feeding station in that embodiment comprised a dough tray table, operative to reciprocate across the frame adja-cent the rotary table, the dough tray table being provided with . ' -~ ' ' .
:: ',' ' . - ' ' : -~ . ` .

lZ6~;8~0 two arcuately movable dough tray~, and means for lifting a single sheet of dough from an associated dough tray and for depositing the lifted ~heet of dough onto one of respective pair of adjacent empty -tiltable trays which were secured to the rotary table.
Each such dough sheet lifting means preferably compri~ed a vacuum pick-up plate secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder.
Such pneumatic cylinders were each secured to a carriage, the carriage being adapted to be reciprocated arcuately between the dough tray table and the rota~y table, from a first position where each vacuum pick-up plate was disposed vertically over an associated dough tray on the dough tray table, and a second position where each vacuum pick-up plate was dispo~ed vertically over an associated tiltable tray which was secured to the rotary table, 80 that two tiltable trays could be loaded simultaneously.
Preferably the pneumatic cylinders were each vertically mounted on a plate which was 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.
A viscous foodstuff product dispenser in that embodiment was located at the foodstuff loading station, such dispenser prefera-bly included a spreader nozzle, secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder and adapted to dispense a band of viscous foodstuff product along a selectea region of the sheet of dough ; while the sheet of dough was disposed in a diamond-shaped orien-tation. Preferably, a pneumatic cylinder was aligned along a , ~

~ ' ~266~0 tran~verse axi~ o~ the diamond-~haped ~heet of dough, thereby to dispense a band of tomato paste along a tran~verse axis of the ~heet of dough. ereferably~ al~o, a pair of pneumatic cylinders S is disposed at right angles to one another/ the cylinders being dispo~ed along the leading edges of -the diamond-shaped sheet of dough, thereby to dispen~e a band of egg mixture along each of the leading edges of the sheet of dough. The viscous foodstuff dispenser al~o included reservoir~ for each of the viscous food-stuff products, each reservoir belng connected to a valved inletchamber, which in turn was connected to a valved outlet chamber which was 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.
A pepperoni slicing and spreading mechanism in that embodi-ment was also 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 was sliced by the rotatable blade by transv-erse movement of the rotating blade across the stationary pep-peroni. The rotatable slicing blade was mounted on a swingable carriage, whose movement providea the transverse movement of the rotating blade, whereby pepperoni of a selected thickness was sliced by the rotatable blade by transverse movement of the ~266~()0 rotating blade acros~ the ~tationary pepperoni. The ~torage facility included a pneumatically-operable brake flap to hold the pepperoni at a pre-set vertical po~ition. The rotatable slicing blade was preferably rotated by a pneumatically-operated motor driving a rotation-reducing gear arrangement.
A chee~e ~licing and ~preading mechani~m, in tha-t embodiment wa~ also included at the food~tuff loading station, that mechani-~m included a ~torage facility for the cheese, a tran~versely-~lidable cheese slicing wire, a manually-operable depth gauge associated with the chee~e slicing wire, and a cheese loading tray associated with the cheese slicing wire, whereby cheese of a selected thickness was sliced by sliding movement of the cheese slicing wire across the stationary cheese. The storage facility preferably included a pneumatically-operable brake flap to hold the cheese at a pre-set vertical position. The cheese loading tray was pivotally mounted to the storage facility and was opera-ble to pivot and thereby to dump the loaded cheese ~lices onto the sheet of dough.
Alternatively or additionally in that embodiment, a ground or minced product production and spreading apparatus could be included at the foodstuff loading station, such apparatus includ-ed 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 ' 1~66~

therefr~m. The ~rinding mechanism was mounted on a carriage which was rollably mounted on a track extending radially across the rotary table, and was 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 was emerging from the apertured outlet disc.
The loaded dough sheet folding mechani~m at the loaded dough sheet folding station included a loaded dough sheet folding apparatus associated with a well in the rotary table. Such apparatus comprised: 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 being hingedly connected at an elbow thereof to an as~ociated 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 til-table tray ~thereby to overlap fold the loaded sheet of dough~.
An operating mechanism was included which was 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 was preferably a pneumatic cylinder, the end of the rod end of which was secured to the plate.

' . ~ :
, . ' :'. . . ' : ', '` ' ` . . ' ' ~`' '' ' `
.
.

~Z6~300 The food production apparatus in thi~ embodiment also included mean~ cooperating with the rotary table for in~exing the rotary table to ~top at a plurality of pre-set po~itions. Such indexing mean~ included a rocking arm actuatable by a T-~haped cam to engage and di~engage an indexing lug depending from the rotary table.
The food production apparatus in this embodiment also included means cooperating with the rotary table for indexing the rotary table to ~top at a plurality of pre-set positions. Such indexing means included a rocking arm actuatable by a T-shaped cam to engage and disengage an indexing lug depending from the rotary table.
The food production apparatus in this embodiment also in-cluded means associated with the rotary table and with thereceiving and lift trays to rai~e the outboard end of each tray to a pre-set elevation when such tray had reached a pre-set position. Such means included a scroll plate mounted on the frame, the scroll plate included 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 was being partially rotated, thereby to raise the lift tray.
In this embodiment, a rolling mechanism was assaciated with a raised lift tray which operated to raise a hexagonally-shaped, overlapped-folded, loaded sheet of dough, which was resting on ~ ' lZ66~(~0 1~
the lift tray. Such rolling mechanism includes mean~ operable to roll the raised hexagona~ly-~haped, 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 was stationary.
Such rolling mechanism also included means to insert a pair of spaced-apart rolling fingers astraddle the raised-up sheet of dough, and also preferably included a rolling-assisting mechanism comprising a flap which was actuatable to press down on the loaded, folded sheet of dough as the loaded, folded sheet of dough was being rolled.
The means to rotate the rolling fingers in this embodiment included an upstanding frame carrying a pari of tandemly operated pneumatic cylinders, the rod end~ of which were tied to a chain or belt entraining a sprocket or pulley, whereby alternate power and return strokes of the pneumatic cylinders caused rotation of the sprocket or pulley. The mechanism also preferably included a second serie~ of sprockets or pulleys, associated with entraining chains or belts, ~or providing a rotation speed reducer.
In this embodiment, a discharging means was provided which included a bracket, secured at one end to the flap, and secured, at t~e 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 was urged to drop onto a second conveyor.

.~

~Z66~3(10 Thi~ embodiment al~o included a synchronizing means which preferably wa~ a ~oftware program, controlled by a microproces-sor.
The principal object of the present invention i8 to provide an improved rolling mechanism particularly adapted for, but not neces~arily restricted to, u~e in the above-described embodiments of food proces~ing machines.
By one broad a~pect of the present invention an improvement is provided in a food production apparatus including a supportlng frame, a plurality of stations disposed in seriatim with respect to the frame, such stations including a object of dough feeding station, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on the sheet of dough, a loaded ~heet of dough folding station and a loaded, folded sheet of dough rolling station, the improvements in such 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 electronically 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 ':

i .
.~. .
..
: . .
' , ~

lZ66~3()0 to roll the tucked-overlapped loaded, folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide the overlapped-folded filled rolled food product.
By another broad aspect of this invention an improvement i8 provided in a food production apparatu~ 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 such rotary table, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of such rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded sheet of dough folding mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of such rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling mechanism at another discrete ~ite along the circumference of such rotary table down~tream 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 such rolling tray, the rolling fabric pa~sing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of such rolling tray; means to cause the carriage to roll across such rolling tray in an actuating : 25 direction towards the trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge the front crimp : .
. . : -1266~300 finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; a rear crimp finger a~sembly adapted to be actuated to urge the rear crimp finger rearwardly acro~s a portion of ~uch rolling fabric in sliding engagement with the trough; and mean~ to grip a folded, loaded ~heet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.
By yet another a~pect of this invention, an improvement is provided for use with a food production apparatus including a supporting, elongate frame ~tructure, a continuous conveyor mounted longitudinally therewithin, a sheet of dough feeding stat.ion at the front end of the conveyor, at least one foodstuff loading station for loading food~tuff on a sheet of dough, a loaded sheet of dough folding station, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling station, and a discharge station for discharging the rolled overlapped folded loaded sheet of dough, the improve-ment comerising: 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 oppo~ite longitudinal edge of the rolling tray: means to cau~e 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 ' i26~

crimp finger a~embly adapte~ to be actuated to urge the rear crimp finger rearwardly acro~ a portion of such rolling fabric in ~liding engagement with ~aid trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded ~heet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.
By still another aspect of this invention, an improved tuck/rolling apparatus is provided for the manufacture of over-lapped-folded, filled, rolled food products, comprising: 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 mechan-ism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table downstream lS thereof, a loaded sheet of dough folding mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of the rotary table down~t-ream thereof, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling mechani~m 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, said rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite lon-gitudinal edge of the rolling tray: means to cause the carriage .

~Z66~ 0 to roll acros~ the rolling tray in an actuating direction towards the trough: a front crimp finger as~embly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge the front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in ~liding engagement with the trough; a rear crimp finger as~embly adapted to be actuated to urge the rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in ~liding engagement with the trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded ~heet of dough.
The front crimp finger means preferably comprises a pneumat-ic 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, and/or the rear crimp finger means 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 it~ front, at rest position, to its rear operative po~ition 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.

-~266~ 0 The main rolling cylinder preferably comprises a cylinderprovided with a longitudinally-o~cillatable plunger provided with an aperture therethrough, and a longitudinally-extending rod within the cylinder and passing through the aperture, whereb~ the plunger i8 prevented from rotating during it~ o~cillation.
In the accomp~nying drawings/
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the food proauction apparatus of one embodiment of the invention described and claimed in the above-identified patent application;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of the embodiment of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention described and claimed in the above-identified patent application;
Figure 4 i~ a ~ide elevational view of the food production apparatus of this second embodiment shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 i8 a top plan view of the food production apparatus of a third embodiment of the invention described and claimed in the above-identified patent application;
Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the food production apparatus of the third embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the food production apparatus of one embodiment of this invention showing the improved rolling apparatus;

~LZ6f~00 Figure B is a ~ide elevati.onal view of the rolling apparatus at the rolling station of an embodiment of the pre~ent invention:
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the front crimp finger a~embly of the rolling apparatu~ of the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a ~ide elevational view of the rear crimp finger assembly of the rolling apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8; and Figure 11 is a longitudinal ~ection through the main rolling cylinder.
The present invention is directed specifically to the 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 fol-lowing processing ~tations which are mounted above the conveyor:

Station A Dough Sheet Loading, Unloading and Feeding Station;

20Station B First (Egg Mixture & Tomato Paste) Foodstuff Ingredient Station;

Station C Second ~Pepperoni Loading) Foodstuff Ingredient Station;

Station D Third (Cheese Loading) ~oodstuff Ingredient Station;
Station E Filled Dough Sheet Folding Station;
and Station F Filled, Folded Dough Sheet Rolling Station;

i 2 6 6 ~3 0 The conveyor and proces~ing stations may be those shown in Figures 1 and 2; or tho~e ~hown i~ Figures 3 and 4; or those shown in Figure~ 5 and 6. The particular conveyor and proce~sing ~tations ~elected are not critical to the present invention.
However, to provide a proper environment for the present inven-tion, the ancillary invention~ shown in Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4 and Figures 5 and 6 and which are de~cribed more fully and claimed in the above-identified patent application will be described briefly.
As seen generally in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus is built around a main frame which includes a pair of upper, spaced-apart parallel longitudinal beams, a pair of lower, spaced-apart longi-tudinal bases, resting on a floor, a front vertical leg, a rearvertical leg and an intermediate vertical leg, a pair of upper, transverse, spaced-apart connecting fore and aft 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 in the upper table supported on the top of the main frame is a controlled, intermittently driven conveyor, entrained around a fore over-ride clutch, chain-driven, drive sprocket and an aft idler and tensioner sprocket.
The main frame serves not only to support the conveyor, and to provide a base table for the superposed processing stations ~to be described in detail hereinafter), but also to provide a site below table for the operating mechanisms.

.~

6~

Thus, the frame provides a site near the fore end to accom-modate a pair of over-ride clutch chain-driven sprockets, each driving a respective shaft for a respective dough tray to be described later. This drive shaft mechanism is supported within a depending framework. It provide~ a site for the cylinder for indexing the dough trays. It also provides a site for the two tandemly-operated, pneumatic cylinders ~only one of which i~
seen), the rod ends of which are tied to a chain, 80 that opera-tion of the cylinders re~ult in rotation of the pair of sprock-ets, one sprocket in a clockwise direction, the other sprocket in a counter clockwise direction, to result in corresponding rota-tions of the respective dough trays. Finally, it 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 de~cribed later).
At the aft end, it provides the ~ite for the 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). There is also provision for a depending carriage which moves the operating members at the product rolling station ~to be described later). There is also provision for the main junction box and the plugs connected by line to the console for the preferred microprocessor which controls the synchronized operation of the apparatus. At the aft end of the framework are a pair of tandemly operated pneumatic :~266l3~0 cylinderg, the rod ends oE which are tied to a chain entraining a sprocket controlling the idler and tensioner sprocket. For aesthetic appearance, the main frame is also enclosed by a skirt (not seen) at the two lateral sides and at the fore and aft ends.
A~ mentioned before, the main frame provides the base for the frames (to be described later) ~upporting the variou~ proce~-sing stations (to be described later).
The dough sheet loading, unloading and feeding station A
includes a pair of identical, rotatable dough trays, which are each divided into a plurality of equal sections, e.g. in quarters by di~iders. Each dough tray is supported on a shaf~t which extends upwardly through the upper table. The shaft is rotatably mounted between conventional bearings and i~ driven by an over-ride clutch, intermittently-rotated chain driven sprocket, and a chain drive by a pneumatic cylinder drive arrangement, which includes a drive chain tied to the rod end of the pneumatic cylinder. Each dough tray i8 provided with an indexing means comprising a pneumatic cylinder, controlled by a control box, the rod end of which is adapted to abut an associated lug ~of four equally spaced lug~ on the bottom of the dough tray), 80 as to stop the rotation of the dough tray at an exact predetermined position. To continue the rotation of the dough tray, the rotation drive arrangement is actuated at the same time as the rod end is withdrawn from abutment with the lug during the return stroke of the cylinder. As soon as the rotation of the dough tray begins again, the cylinder is actuated to its power stroke ~26~300 ~ 9 to rai~e the rod end lJpwardly into contact with the bo-ttom of the dough tray. When the rod end abuts the next lug, the rotation of the dough tray is braked to a ~top as the rotation drive arrange-ment is deactivated.
Each quarter of each dough tray is loaded, e.g. manually by an operator, with square-shaped sheets of dough, in quantitie~
of, e.g., eighty.
A support frame is disposed completely above one of the pair of dough trays. The support frame supports a transver e track extending across the width of the table from one dough tray to the other dough tray. A carriage is rollably mounted within the track on rollers to traverse the width of the conveyor and the width of the table. The carriage ~upports a pair of vertically-mounted pneumatic cylinders, operated from a respective box, therod ends of which are each fitted with a vacuum pick-up head, which are operated through line from vacuum cylinder. Each cyl-inder is actuatable to reciprocate its a~sociated rod end between an upper position ~as ~hown~ and a lower dough sheet pick-up and discharge position. The carriage is actuatable by means of a pneumatic cylinder fixed to the support frame to reciprocate intermittently ~as shown by an arrow) in the following sequence:
firstly, over the first dough tray with the fir~t pick up head over the fir~t dough tray while the secona pick-up head, to which a sheet of dough is gripped, is disposed over the conveyor with the respective cylinder~ in their return ~troke; then the first pick-up head can be activated to pick-up a sheet of dough, while ~6~

the second pick-up head can be deactivated to release the dough sheet onto the conveyor; then both pick-up head~ are raised, by the as~ociated cylinder in the return stroke, and the pick-up heads are moved tran~ver~ely ~by transverse movement of carriage~
80 that the first pick-up head i~ now over the conveyor, while the second pick-up head i~ now over the dough tray; then, the pick-up head~ are dropped, by the respective cylinders in their power stroke, 80 that the fir~t 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.
lS The square-shaped sheets of dough are placed on the conveyor in a particular orientation, e.g. they are diamond-shaped when viewed from above.
The tomato paste and egg-mixture loading Station B includes a main frame which supports an upper ~ub-station, an intermediate sub-station and a lower sub-station. The upper sub-station includés a tank 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, connected by a line to the tank, e.g., the tank in the upper sub-station above for tomato paste or sauce. Each entry chamber is connected by its associated T-union to an outlet chamber connected to a dispensing plunger mechanism ~L~6~ 0 in a dispensing chamber which i9 operated by a pneumatic cylind-er. The power stroke of the plunger mechanism is pre-set to dispen~e the exact amount of the tomato paste sauce or the egg-mixture re~pectively, through it~ associated dispensing chamber.Each of the entry chambers and the outlet chambers is provided with a valve, operated in synchronism by respective valve cylind-ers. When the dispensing mechanism is operating to dispense tomato paste or egg-mixture re~pectively through the dispensing chamber, the entry valve to the entry chamber which i~ operated by the entry cylinders i~ closed, while the dispensing valve from the outlet chamber which is operated by the dispensing cylinders is open; and vice versa.
The tomato paste premeasuring station has a feed line from its associated dispensing chamber to a tomato paste spreader which is secured to the rod end of a transversely-mounted pneuma-tic cylinder. The power stroke of the rod end which is transver-sely across the conveyor is sufficient to spread the tomato paste from the lower corner to the upper corner of the aiamond-shaped sheet of dough, i.e. across the longest dimension of the sheet of dough, while the conveyor is stationary.
The egg-mixture premeasuring station has an associated feed line which runs from its associated dispensing chamber to each of two egg solution spreaders. Each spreader is at the rod end of a respective one of two mutually perpendicularly-oriented pneumatic cylinders. The cylinders are oriented along the two leading ~:6~ 0 edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough. The power stroke of each of the two egg mixture ~preading cylinders i~ sufficient to spread the egg mix-ture across the entire Eront or leading edges of the diamond-shaped sheet of dough.
The diamond-shaped sheet of dough now has a rectangular area o 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 ~tation C includes a three dimensional frame which includes a pair of side frame members constituted by a fore brace, a rearwardly and downwardly slopping longitudinal support member and an aft shorter brace, the two side frame members being secured at their lower ends to the table~ and being interconnected at their fore and aft upper ends by a pair of fore and a single aft cross members, respectively.
An elongated holding tray is secured to the side frame members, the holding tray being for the purpose of supporting a plurality, e.g. three pepperoni sticks. A power-operated brake flap is hingedly secured by transverse pivot to a mid portion of the holding tray and is actuated to open ~to allow entry of the pepperoni sticks) and to close (to allow gripping of the pep-peroni sticks in an upright position) by means of a bar secured - to the rod end of a pneumatically-operated cylinder which iB
secured to a support member of the frame. The cylinder is operated by air lines, from a junction box.

.' .

lZ6~ 0 A swingable carriage is mounted to the fore end of the side frame member~. ~urh swingable carriage is secured to a rod, which is supported on an upper and lower pair of bearing mounts.
The carriage is adapted to be intermittently swivelled by means of connec~ion to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder.
A slicing arrangement is ~ecured to the swingable carriage, the slicing arrangement includes a pneumatic motor which is activated intermittently to rotate a cutter blade. The thickness of the pepperoni sliced by the cutter blade is controlled by a blade depth gauge plate. The cylinder is operated by air lines, from a junction box.
The carriage/cutter blades are synchronized in the following manner: The three pepperoni sticks rest on the blade depth gauge plate and are gripped by the brake flap to maintain such pep-peroni sticks in position. The cutter blade and carriage are then swung on the pivot axis of the rod while the cutter blade is rotating to move the cutter blade across the bottom of the holding tray to slice the three pepperoni sticks at the pre-set thickness. Since the blade depth gauge plate is attached to the carriage, the blade depth gauge plate is also moved forwardly along with the cutter blade. This allows the three ~lices of pepperoni to be dropped onto different, discrete areas of the ~heet of dough a~ 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 ~Z66~3~0 ~arriage i~ now ~wung back to it~ ori~inal po~ition by mean~ of actuating the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder, the brake flap is opened, and the pepperoni sticks then drop down again to rest on the blade depth gauge plate. The above-described slicing procedure is then repeated.
The cheese slicing and loading station D includes a three dimensional frame including a pair of side frame members, each constituted by a fore upright leg, a longitudinal support member and an aft upright leg, the two ~ide frame members being secured at their lower ends to the table, and being interconnected at their fore and aft upper end~ by fore and aft transverse cross members, respectively.
An elongated holding tray i~ secured to the ~ide frame members, the holding tray being for the purpose of supporting a square-cross section bar of chee3e ~not seen). A power operated brake flap is hingedly secured at transverse pivot to a mid portion of the holding tray 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 secured to the rod end of a pneumatically-operated flap cylinder secured by brace to an intermediate transverse cross bar of the frame. The cylinder is operated by air lines, from a junction box, connected by an air line to the air conduit.
A pair of spaced-apart transverse tracks, namely a fore, upper track and a rear, lower track is secured to the leading and :~LZ66~300 trailing edge~ re~pectively of a rearwardly downwardly slopping transverse carriage. A tran~verse cutter blade is reciprocally-and rollably-mounted in the track~, by mean~ of rollers. The blade is reciprocated across the transverse width of the conveyor by mean~ of connection to the rod end of a pneumatical cylinder.
The cylinder is operated from an air line, which runs from a junction box connected by an air line connected to the air con-duit. A manually-adjustable, thickness-adjusting plate is disposed below the cheese slicing blade.
The carriage/cutter blades are ~ynchronized in operation 80 that as a slice oF cheese is sliced by the blade, it is placed atop the pepperoni on the sheet of dough. The brake flap is then released, and the cheese block falls down to rest on the thick-ness-blade adjusting plate. The carriage is reciprocated back to its "at rest" position. The pneumatic cylinder operate~ the blade which is actuated and the carriage i8 again reciprocated across the conveyor to allow the sliced piece of chee~e to be deposited atop another portion of the pepperoni on the dough, The dough folder station E includes an open top and open bottom housing which includes an upstream wall and a downstream wall as well as two lateral and transverse walls disposed atop the table and straddling the conveyor. Within the housing are a pair of vertically-disposed pneumatic cylinders, which are disposed vertically above the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor. The rod ends of each cylinder carry a holddown plate while the aft plate only also carries an impression stamp ~not :~266~300 shown).
On each ~ide of the conveyor and at the marginal side edges of the hou~ing is a hingedly-mounted plate, to which the cylinder S end of a pneumatic cylinder, is secured. The rod end, of the cylinder, is secured to a downwardly extending folder arm, to which are attached lower, inwardly-extending spaced-apart folder fingers. The upper end of the folder arm is pivotally securea to an outboard pivot bearing, which i8 mounted on a mounting plate, which itself i~ pivotally secured to an inboard pivot bearing.
The hold down cylinders, are actuated to engage the diamond-shaped sheet of dough inboard of the up~tream and downstream longitudinal corners, but near such diametrically-opposed lon-gitudinal corners and to hold the diamond-shaped sheet of dough in a stationary position on the conveyor. A designated identify-ing marking stamp ~not seen) is also placed thereon by the aft plate. Actuation of the pneumatic cylinders now causes the fingers, which are disposed under the triangular, transverse outboard ends of the foodstuff- covered diamond-shaped sheet of dough to be raised and folded over 80 that their apices meet and overlap slightly at the centre of the sheet of dough. The sheet of dough is now generally hexagonally-shaped.
As seen in Figures 3 and 4 which show another embodiment of food processing this appa`ratus, a rotary table replaces the linear endless conveyor as a conveyor system in the above-descri-bed embodiment. Disposed around the outer circumference of the .. .. . ........

, ...
.
, .

~ ~ .

1~6~i~10C) 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 chee~e slicer and loader at STATION D; a loaded dough sheet folder at STATION E;
and a loaded folded dough sheet roller at STATION F.
The above-described second embodiment of this food process-ing apparatus, is built around a main rectangular parallelepiped frame. Such frame is provided by a side frame which includes an upper, longitudinal beam, resting on a floor, a lower longitudin-al base beam and a mid-longitudinal beam which i8 midway between, and parallel to the longitudinal beam and the base beam. The side frames are connected together by transverse beams and a leg.
Mounted atop main frame is an upper framework including plates, cross pieces, longitudinal pieces and bracing pieces. Mounted within a bore in a support table which is supported on the framework of the main frame is an intermittently-rotationally-driven, rotary table, driven as will be described hereinafter.
The main frame serves not only to support the rotary table, and to provide a base to support the superposed proce~sing stations (to be described in detail hereinafter), but also to provide a site for the operating mechanisms.
Thus, the main frame provides a site to accommodate a pair of over-ride clutch, chain-driven sprockets, which each drive a respective ~haft for a respective dough tray to be described later. This drive shaft mechanism is supported between lon-gitudinal and mid-longitudinal beams and a vertical cro~s piece.

~'' ' ~Z66~ 0 The main frame provide~ a ~ite for a cylinder for indexing the dough trayY. The drive for the dough trays is provided by two tandemly-operated, longitudinally-oriented pneumatic cylinders ~only one of which is seen), the rod ends of which are tied to a drive chain r ~0 that operation of the cylinders results in rotation of the pair of sprockets, one sprocket in a clockwise direction, the other sprocket in a counter-clockwise direction, to result in corre~ponding rotations of the re~pective dough trays. The main frame also provides the site for vacuum cylin-ders, 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).
The main frame 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 des-cribed later). The main frame also provides a site for a com-puter and valve enclosure for the microprocessor, which is the preferred mechanism to con~rol the synchronized operation of the apparatus. For aesthetic appearance, the main frame 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 includes a verti-cally-oriented axle which is secured to the rotary table at connecting bushing, an~ which is secured at its lower end to an override clutch and thence to a drive sprocket. The axle is ' ~ ~

~ ~ ' `' .

~L26~ 0 rotationally mounted to the frame members and by bearings. The drive sprocket is partially entrained by a drive chain, which is secured at one end to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, connected by a bracket to the frame member, and at the other end to a coil spring which i~ secured to an ear attached to the main frame. Thus, the power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder causes the drive sprocket to be partially rotated and the coil ~pring to be expanded. The return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder, which completes the revolution of the drive sprocket, is assisted by the contraction of the coil spring.
The rotary table is supported by the main frame, the lon-gitudinal beam of which is provided with a plurality ~only two of which being seen) of upstanding ears within each of which is rotatably mounted a guide wheel. The location of the ears and guide wheels is such that the guide wheel~ are inboard of the eight hinged receiving and lifting trays which, in their "at rest" position are just slightly below, but parallel to, the upper surface of the rotary table. These guide wheels thus provide a suitable support for the rotary table. It is seen, moreover, that the support shaft of the rotary table is supported on the bushing block, and then passes through supporting bearings which are fixed within support frame and secured to framework mounted on longitudinal beams. The upper end of shaft is secured to the underface of the rotary table at the securing bushing.

~66~3VO

The dough sheet feeders at STATION A are of the same general construction as the dough sheet feeders specifically described previously with respect to Figures 1 and 2.
The square-shaped sheets of dough which are placed on hinged receiving and lift trays of the rotary table, are 80 placed in a particular orientation, e.g. they are a diamond-shape when viewed from above.
The rotary table is now partially rotated to the next pre-set position and stopped there, with the sheet of dough at the egg mixture and tomato paste dispenser at STATION B.
The egg mixture and tomato paste dispenser at STATION B is the same as the similar apparatus described heretofore.
The diamond-~haped sheet of dough now has a rectangular area of tomato paste spread across a long diagonal dimension thereof, and also haY a band of egg mixture spread along its two front or leading edges.
The rotary table is now partially rotated to the next pre-set position, and stopped there, with the loaded sheet of dough at the pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus at Station C. The above described viscous food product loading procedure is then repeated when the next sheet of dough on the next hinged receiv-ing and lift tray arrives at Station B.
The pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus at STATION C is similar to, but somewhat different in structure than, the pep-peroni slicing and loading apparatus as described hereinbefore.

; ~, ` ` :

. `

iZ66~3~0 The pepperoni slicing and loading apparatus includes a supporting framework to which an elongated holding tray i~
secured, the holding tray being for the purpo~e of supporting a 5 plurality, e.g. three, pepperoni sticks side by side. A power-operated brake flap is hingedly secured by transverse pivot to a mid-portion of the holding tray 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 10 secured to the rod end of a pneumatically-operated cylinder, which is secured to a support member mounted on the holding tray.
The cylinder is operated by air lines as previously described.
A swingable carriage is mounted on the machine frame. Such swingable carriage is secured to a pivot rod, which is secured to 15 a plate mounted on the main frame. The carriage is adapted to be intermittently swivelled by means of its connection to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder.
A slicing arrangement is secured to the swingable carriage, the slicing arrangement includes a pneumatic motor which is 20 operable to rotate a cutter blade. The cutting blade is secured to a rotatable shaft which is mounted within spaced-apart bush-ings is secured to the swingable carriage. The cutting blade is indirectly driven by a drive gear through a gearing mechanism gear which is secured to a motor drive shaft, and a gear thereby 25 rotating cutter blade shaft. The thickness of the pepperoni sliced by the cutter blade is controlled by a blade depth gauge ' " ' :~Z66~3VO

plate a~ previou~ly de~cribed with reference to Figures 9, 10 and 11 .
The operation of carriage/cutter blade is synchronized in the following manner: Three pepperoni sticks rest on the blade depth gauge plate and are gripped by the brake flap to maintain such pepperoni sticks in such pre-~et position. The cutter blade and carriage are then swung on the pivot axis of the pivot rod by actuation of the power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder while the cutter blade i8 rotating, thereby to move the rotating cutter blade acroYs the bottom of the holding tray 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 as the swinging travel proceeds, while the sheet of dough rest~
on the receiving and lift tray which is hingedly secured to the now-stationary rotary table. At this time, the sheet of dough i~
now loaded both with the tomato paste and with the pepperoni slices along a long diagonal dimension. The carriage is now swung back to its original position by means of actuating the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder, the brake flap 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.
The rotary table i8 now partially rotated to its next pre-set position, and stopped there, and above-described pepperoni .
', ` .

.

~266i3~0 slicing and loading procedure iB then repeated when the next ~heet of dough on the next hinged receiving and lift tray arrives at Station C.
The rotary table i~ now stopped at the chee~e slicing and loading apparatus at STATION D.
The cheese slicing and loading apparatus at STATION D is supported on the framework which supports an elongated holding tray, the holding tray being for the purpose of supporting a rectangular-cross section bar of cheese ~not seen). A power operated brake flap i8 hingedly secured at the transverse pivot to a mid-portion of the holding tray 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 secured to the rod end of a pneumatically-operated flap cylinder which is, in turn, secured to the holding tray. The cylinder is operated by air lines in the manner previously described.
The actual cheese slicer mechanism is provided by a wire cheese cutter. The wire cheese cutter is stretched across a cutter assembly, the frame at its inboard end being attached to the rod end of the pneumatic cylinder. The cutter assembly is longitudinally actuatable within an assembly holding frame and is provided by fore and aft cross pieces and parallel side pieces.
The thickness of sliced cheese is set by an adjustable gauge bar.
The wire cheese cutter is thus reciprocated across the block of cheese to slice the cheese. As each s1ice of cheese is sliced by , - ~ .. . .

lZ66~3~0 the wire cutter it i~ placed on a storage tray. The pneumatic cylinder is operated from an air line as previously aescribed.
When a desired number of slice~ of chee~e have been deposi-ted on the storage tray, the storage tray is dumped as follows:
storage tray is supported on the vertical arm of an inverted "Ln-shaped control arm, the mid-point of which is pivotally mounted to a bracket which i8 secured to the holding tray. The horizon-tal arm of the control arm is connected to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder at the pivot. The return ~troke of the cylinder pivots the storage tray in a clockwise direction, thereby dumping the cheese slices.
The rotary table now rotates to its pre-set position where the now loaded sheets of dough are to be overlapped folded by the folding mechanism at STATION E. The above described cheese slicing and loading procedure is then repeated when the next ~heet of dough on the next hinged receiving and lift tray arrives at STATION D.
The pre-set position is assured by means of a lock and indexing device. Disposed between the STATION D and STATION E, and situated beneath the rotary table, is a lock and indexing device, This device includes an indexing lug below the rotary table at each of stations A-F. Each such indexing lug descends from the bottom of the rotary table. The lug is adapted to be locked at its upstream face by the upstream end of the arm, which is pivoted near its downstream end to an ear which upstands from ~,:

~, ~::

:....
'' ' ' , :
., .
': ' ' . :
;" ' ~ -- .

~Z6~ 0 the longitudinal beam of main frame. A pneumatic cylinder i8 vertically mounted to an upright position between longitudinal beams of the main frame by means of a bracket. The rod end of a pneumatic cylinder i~ connected to a rod, which is itself en-circled by a coil ~pring and which pierces a "T"-shaped cam. One end of the rod i~ secured to the cam by a nut. The other end of the "T"-shaped cam abuts the bottom of the upstream end of the arm. The upright portion of the "T"-~haped cam i~ adapted to lock, by abutment, the other face of the lug.
In the operation of the indexing device, the power stroke and return stroke~ of the pneumatic cylinder are coordinated with the rotation of the rotary table by the pneumatic drive cylinder a~ previously described, 80 that the power stroke of the pneumat-ic cylinder is accomplished at the preci~e time when the respec-tive hinged receiving and lift trays are disposed at the respec-tive STATION when no rotation of the rotary table is to take place as food processing operations at the respective STATION
take place. Then, when the rotary table i~ to be rotated, the return stroke of the pneumatic cylinder takes place, thereby allowing the rotary table to rotate. The power ~troke of the pneumatic cylinder may then take place at any time prior to when the respective hinged receiving and lift tray is to be at the next STATION, 80 as to stop the rotary table at -that STATION.
Consequently, the rotary table is now partially rotated to its pre-set position where the loaded sheet of dough is at the loaded dough sheet folding station at STATION E.

.

~lZ66~3~V

The loaded dough folding apparatus at STATION E i8 substan-tially different from the loaded dough folding apparatus previou-~ly de~cribed. Such loaded dough folding apparatus in this embodiment includes a ~et of radially-oriented, hinged folding arms, each set comprising a pair of parallel ~uch arm~ secured below each radial edge of each of the eight well~ in the rotary table, each well ~upporting each a respective hinged receiving and lift tray.
The hinged receiving and lift tray, to be further described later, is disposed below, and ~paced radially from, radial edges of the well, to provide radial entry slots, for the hinged folding arm. The hinged folding arms each include an inner arm hingedly connected at its shoulder end to an ear descending from the rotary table and a folding forearm, hingedly connected at its elbow end by transverse pivot to the elbow end of the inner arm.
The outer free ends of the pair of forearms are each intercon-- nected by a respective cross rod.
An operating mechanism for such folding apparatus is dis-posed only at STATION E. The operating mechanism inaludes apneumatic cylinder, the cylinder end of which is secured to the longitudinal beam of the main frame, and whose rod end is secured to an operating plate. The operating plate is guided by rods ~; which slide in bores in the beam. The power stroke of the pneumatic cylinder urges the operating plate into engagement with the cam elbow uurface at the hingedly-connected elbow pivot end - , ' .

.
. ,: . :
,~ ., - . . , ' lZ6~ 0 of each of the set of folding arm~. This causes a two-part m~tion of the folding forearm arm: fir3tly to cau~e the transver-~e rod and the folding forearm to engage the side edge~ of the loaded dough ~heet and to begin to fold the diametrically-opposed ends over towards each other; and secondly, to complete the folding of those edge~, i.e. to cau~e the transverse roa and the folding forearm to reverse fold the edge~ which are beginning to fold to place them atop and overlapping at the central portion of the dough sheet. This action is shown in broken lines.
The rotary table is now partially rotated to its pre-set position where the loaded folded sheet of dough is to be rolled by a rolling mechanism at STATION F. The above described loaded dough sheet folding operation is then repeated when the next loaded sheet of dough on the next hinged receiving and lift tray is at STATION E.
Preparatory to the rolling operation, the hinged receiving and lift tray must be lifted, as follows: A scroll plate is disposed under 5TATIONS E and F to raise each hinged receiving and lift tray to a position where the overlapped folded dough sheet may be rolled. The scroll plate is arcuate in plan view, and in elevation includes an upstream post which supports the upstream end, a gently-upwardly curved mid-portion and a downstr-~; eam portion which terminates in a flange. The flange i8 ~Up-ported by an outboard post. The posts are upstanding from the longitudinal beam of the main frame. As the rotary table ro-tates, a lifting arm hingedly-connected at to the lower face of .
-: , . ,' ' ' , .
'` ' ~ ' ' ' -~Z6~ 0 each hinged receiving and lift tray (which is hinged by a pin to a hinge plate, one plate of the hinge being secured to tray, the other plate of the hinge being secured to the rotary table) contacts the upstream portion of the scroll plate. The lifting arm rides along the mid-portion of the ~croll plate and, as it does ~o, it raise~ the lift tray until, when the lifting arm arrives at the flange, the hinged receiving and lift tray i8 rai~ed to a precise correct height (as shown). At such height, the sheet of dough i~ 80 oriented that the rolling fingers can roll the loaded, overlapped-folded, ~heet of dough in the manner previously described.
The rotary table is now stopped at STATION F, 80 that the rolling mechanism may be operated, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
The rotary table is now partially rotated to its pre-set position where the empty receiving and lift trays may be later moved into position to be loaded with a sheet of dough. The above described loaded, folded dough sheet lifting and rolling operation~ are then repeated when the next loaded, folded sheet of dough arrives at the next rolling mechanism 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 ~266~3~1() minced meat loading ~tation. The station B for applying the egg mixture to the leading edge~ of the diamond-shaped dough sheet is still reyuired and operates as previously aescribed.
A third embodiment of dough sheet feeder of the apparatus of the pre~ent invention i~ shown in Figures 5 and 6. The rotary table and STATIONS B-F are the same in this third embodiment as in the secona embodiment previously described.
In this third embodiment, the dough sheet feeder apparatus comprises two identical dough sheet feeder mechanisms mounted above a transversely-shiftable dough tray table. The dough tray table is reciprocally mounted by having a depending ear secured at the mid-point of the table by bracket a to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, whose cylinder end is secured to an ear fixed to a transverse beam of the main frame. The dough tray table is provided with a descending track which is supported to roll on roller~ which are secured by brackets mounted on transverse beam of the main frame, to enable more smooth and facile transverse reciprocation thereof.
Each dough sheet feeder includes a horizontal plate con-nected to a horizontally- cantilevered swing arm whiah is swin-gably and drivably mounted within a hollow vertical post, which itself is secured to the transverse beam of the main frame at the bushing mount. The horizontal plate supports the cylinder end of a pneumatic cylinder, as well as the bushings, which are guided by a pair of vertical guide rods. The end of the rod end of the - ~ ' pneumatic cylinder and the end~ of the guide rods are each fitted with a common vacuum shoe, shown in greater detail in Figure 54.
The vacuum shoe iB connected by fitting 5031 to a vacuum hose.
Below the vacuum shoe plate is a screen which provides a full ~urface pick up.
The swing arm is secured to a shaft whose end is mounted in a bushing which is fixed to the main frame. Below the main frame is a drive mechanism for the swing arm, which is secured to a shaft which i~ ~ecured to a drive arm. The end of the drive arm iB secured to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder. The cylinder end of a pneumatic cylinder is mounted to a bracket and upstands from a transverse beam of the main frame.
The dough tray table is provided with a pair of spaced-apart trays, which are bounded by mutually perpendicular walls, where a stacked supply of sheets of dough, i8 stored.
In operation, the dough tray table is reciprocable to a first position (shown by broken lines) where the vacuum shoes are di~posed over the dough sheet supply trays where sheets of dough are ~tacked. The pneumatic cylinders are activated to urge the vacuum shoes downwardly towards, and to be in contact with, the uppermost dough sheet. When the vacuum is applied, a sheet of dough is picked up and held by the vacuum shoe. The pneumatic cylinders are then activated to raise the vacuum shoes upwardly.

lZ66~)0 The dough tray table i~ then reciprocated to a second position, at the precise time when two empty hinged receiving and lift tray~ are at the position ~hown, with the rotary table stationary. Then each of the swing arm~, which are ~ituated in abutting relation to the horizontal plate, i~ activated to strike the horizontal plate, thereby rotating the associated dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism in an arcuate motion until the vacuum shoe of the dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism is over the associated empty hinged receiving and lift tray. The vacuum i~
disconnected, allowing the previously-held sheet of dough to fall onto the respective hinged receiving and lift tray. Then the swing arms are actuated in a reverse arcuate manner to return the respective dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism to a position oyer the shiftable table.
The rotary table i~ then rotated and the dough tray table is also reciprocated to the first position ~shown in broken lines), where the dough sheet transfer cylinder mechanism is actuated to be reloaded, and the operation described above is repeated.
Thus, when the two empty hinged receiving and lift trays are in the position as shown in the drawings, the rotary table loading cycle can be repeated, to load two hinged receiving lift trays simultaneously.
Referring now to principal aspects of the present invention, ~igure 7 shows a modification of the invention of the above-identified aopending Canadian application and de~cribed in brief ' , ,' , i266~300 with respect to Figures 3 - 6. A3 shown in Figure 7, disposed around the outer circumference of the rotary table are a pair of tandemly-operated dough sheet feeders at STA~ION A, an egg and tomato pa~te 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 apparatu~ at STATION E, whose structure~ are the same as those of the same named stations in Figures 3-6. The eight hinged receiving and lifting tray~ are altered to be fixed receiving trays, instead of hinged, and are depressed a predeter-mined level below the main surface of the rotary table. Moreov-er, the loaded folded dough ~heet roller at STATION F described with reference to Figures 3-6 has been replaced by a loaded dough tucker and roller at STATION F, which will now be described.
A~ seen in Figures 7-lO, the combined tucking and rolling apparatus lO at STATION F includes a support frame ll connected to the upper frame of the rotary table provided by an upper longitudinal, i.e., radially-extending beam 12, from which two supporting legs 13 depend, the legs 13 serving to support a radially-outwardly extending rolling tray 14 which is disposed longitudinally, i.e., radially, to the rotary conveyor. The frame ll is disposed adjacent the main turntable 15 of the apparatus previously described with respect to Figures 3-6, although it may be associated with a longitudinal conveyor train, also as previously de~cribed with respect to Figures l and 2.
Secured to the top of beam 12 is a guide rod 44 from which a 1~66~3VO

carriage support arm 45 i~ ~u~pended and guided. Support arm 45 support~ a transver~ely oscillatable carriage 46 ~see Figures 9 and 10) on which are mounted a front crimp finger assembly 47 ~ee Figure 9) and a rear crimp finger assembly 48 ~see Figure 10). Transverse travel of carriage 46 provided by a pneumatic cylinder 49, the rod end of which i~ secured to the carriage 46.
The lower end~ 16 of arms 13 ~upport both the inboard, i.e., front, end 17 and the outboard, i.e., rear, end lB of rolling tray 14. Rolling tray 14 is provided with a transverse, semi-circular trough 19. Rolling tray 14 i~ also covered with a rolling fabric 20, secured at the inboard end 17 of the rolling tray 14 at securement 21 and at the outboard end 18 of the rol-ling tray 14 at ~ecurement 22. Fabric 20 follows the contour of rolling tray 14, and is urged into the trough 19 by front crimp finger 23 and rear crimp finger 24. It then passes over the front roller 25 and the rear roller 26 of a carriage 27, which i9 secured by bracket 28 to the rod end 29 of a main rolling actua-tion cylinder 30, whoYe construction will be described hereinaft-er with reference to Figure 11. Also secured to the rod end 31of a pneumatic cylinder 42 is a pinch bar 43. Cylinders 30 and 42 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of rolling tray 14, and 80 the respective rods 29,31 oscillate between inboard 17 and outboard 18 ends of rolling tray 14.

~6~

Figure 9 specifically ~hows the front crimp finger assembly 47. The front crimp finger 23 is secured to one end 51 of a front pivot arm 52, the other end 53 of front pivot arm 5~ being pivotably secured at pivot point 54 to a carriage 46. The front crimp finger 23 i~ also ~ecured to a yoke 56 at the rod end 57 of a pneumatic cylinder 58. The front end 59 of the cylinder end 60 of cylinder 58 i8 secured to upper hinge plate 61a, pivotably connected at pivot point 61b to lower hinge plate 61c, which itself is secured to a support arm 62.
The rear crimp finger assembly 48 is specifically shown in Figure 10. The rear crimp finger 24 is secured to the upper end 63 of a pivot arm 64 which is pivotably secured at pivot point 65 to carriage 46. The lower end 66 of pivot arm 64 is secured to the rod end 67 of a pneumatic cylinder 68. The front end 69 of the cylinder end 70 of cylinder 68 i8 rigidly secured to bracket 70a secured to carriage 46.
The structure of the main rolling actuating cylinder 38 is shown in Figure 11. The cylinder 38 includes an originally open-ended hollow tube 38a, preferably formed of aluminum, and capped~y a front end cap 71 and a rear end cap 72. A guide rod 73, preferably formed of stainless steel, extends the longitudinal length of the tube 70 and is anchored at each of its ends, i.e., to cap 71 at 74 and to cap 72 at 75. The cylinder 38 is provided with a plunger 77 having a clearance hole 78 therethrough through which guide rod 79 passes. Leakage of gas is prevented by ~eals :~X6f;~ 0 80. The plunger 77 is secured to a piston rod 82. The plunger 77 is also provided with a magnetizable metal plug 81. An adju~table magnetic "pick-up" li~it switch 83 i8 provided to limit the movement of plunger 77. By this construction, cylinder 38 becomes a non-rotating cylinder.
In operation, the folded loaded ~heet 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 receiYing tray. The pinch bar cylinder is then actuated to its partial return stroke to draw the gripped folded, loaded sheet of dough lS 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 ac- -tuated to cause the first crimp finger to rotate about an end point pivoted lever from its rear, "at rest" position to a posi-tion 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 simul-taneously 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.

:

lLZ6~800 The ac~uation of the crimp finger cylinder causes the rear crimp finger -to rotate about a mid-point pivoted lever from it8 "at re~t" po~ition to a position where it engages the folded, loaded ~heet dough. Thi~ achieve~ 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 ~troke 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 i8 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 stees is then repeated, which simultaneously discharges one previously-folded product and rolls the next folded, loaded sheet of dough.

Claims (11)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

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

2. An improved combined tuck/rolling station for a machine for the manufacture of overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food produc-ts, 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 said sheet of dough rolling station comprising: a support tray for supporting said loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to grip a loaded, folded sheet of dough and for depositing said loaded, folded sheet of dough on said support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to arrange said deposited loaded, folded sheet of dough properly on said support tray; means adapted to be mechanically actuated to release said loaded, folded sheet of dough; means adapted to be electronically ac-tuated to provide a tuck in said loaded, folded sheet of dough;
and fabric means operatively associated with means on said supporting tray, adapted to be mechanically actuated to roll said tucked-overlapped loaded, folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide said overlapped-folded filled rolled food product; and fabric means operatively associated with a carriage rollable on said support tray means, said carriage being adapted to be mechanically actuated to roll said tucked-overlapped loaded, folded sheet of dough within itself, to provide said overlapped-folded filled rolled food product.

3. 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 circum-ference of said rotary table, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of said rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded sheet of dough folding mechanism at another discrete site along the circumference of said rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling mechanism at another dis-crete site along the circumference of said rotary table downstr-eam thereof, and discharge means at another discrete site along said circumference of the rotary table downstream thereof, the improvements comprising: a rolling tray provided with a transv-erse semi-cylindrical trough therein; a rolling fabric secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of said rolling tray, said rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of said rolling tray; means to cause said carriage to roll across said rolling tray in an actuating direction towards said trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge said front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; a rear crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated to urge said rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

4. For use with a food production apparatus including a sup-porting, elongate frame structure, a continuous conveyor mounted longitudinally therewithin, a sheet of dough feeding station at the front end of the conveyor, at least one foodstuff loading station for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough, a loaded sheet of dough folding station, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling station, and a discharge station for discharging the rolled overlapped folded loaded sheet of dough, the improvement compris-ing: a rolling tray provided with a transverse semi-cylindrical trough therein; a rolling fabric secured at one end to one longitudinal edge of said rolling tray, said rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of said rolling tray; means to cause said carriage to roll across said rolling tray in an actuating direction towards said trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge said front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; a rear crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated to urge said rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

5. An improved tuck\rolling apparatus for a machine for the manufacture of overlapped-folded, filled, rolled food products, comprising: a supporting frame structure, a rotary table mounted for rotation thereon, a sheet of dough feeding station at a dis-crete site along the circumference of said rotary table, at least one mechanism for loading foodstuff on a sheet of dough at another discrete site along the circumference of said rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded sheet of dough folding mechan-ism at another discrete site along the circumference of said rotary table downstream thereof, a loaded folded sheet of dough rolling mechanism at another discrete site along the circum-ference of said 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 said rolling tray, said rolling fabric passing over a pair of spaced-apart rollers on a movable carriage and being secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of said rolling tray;
means to cause said carriage to roll across said rolling tray in an actuating direction towards said trough; a front crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated by cylinder means to urge said front crimp finger forwardly upon a portion of the rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; a rear crimp finger assembly adapted to be actuated to urge said rear crimp finger rearwardly across a portion of such rolling fabric in sliding engagement with said trough; and means to grip a folded, loaded sheet of dough and for releasing a rolled folded loaded sheet of dough.

6. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said front crimp finger means comprises: a pneumatic cylinder hingedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of said cylinder being attached to said front crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatable to cause said front crimp finger to be rotated about an end-point pivoted lever from its rear, at rest position to its front operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the front edge of said trough.

7. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said rear crimp finger means comprises: a pneumatic cylinder fixedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of said cylinder being attached to said rear crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatable to cause said rear crimp finger to be rotated about a mid-point pivoted lever from its front, at rest position, to its rear operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the rear edge of said trough.

8. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said gripping and releasing means comprises a pinch bar fixed to the rod end of a pneumatic cylinder, said cylinder being actuatable to oscillate said pinch bar longitudinally along the length of said rolling tray.

9. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said main rolling cylinder comprises a cylinder provided with a longitudinally-oscillatable plunger provided with an aperture therethrough, and a longitudinally-extending rod within said cylinder and passing through said aperture, whereby said plunger is prevented from rotating during its oscillation.

10. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said front crimp finger means comprises: a pneumatic cylinder hingedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of said cylinder being attached to said front crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatable to cause said front crimp finger to be rotated about an end point pivoted lever from its rear, at rest position to its front operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the front edge of said trough, and wherein said rear crimp finger means comprises: a pneumatic cylinder fixedly-mounted on a support. the rod end of said cylinder being attached to said rear crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatable to cause said rear crimp finger to be rotated about a mid-point pivoted lever from its front, at rest position, to its rear operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the rear edge of said trough.

11. The apparatus of claims 3, 4 or 5, wherein said front crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatable to cause said front crimp finger to be rotated about an end point pivoted lever from its rear, at rest position to its front operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the front edge of said trough, and wherein said rear crimp finger means comprises: a pneumatic cylinder fixedly-mounted on a support, the rod end of said cylinder being attached to said rear crimp finger, said cylinder being actuatab-le to cause said rear crimp finger to be rotated about a mid-point pivoted lever from its front, at rest position, to its rear operative position engaging said rolling fabric at the rear edge of said trough, and wherein said gripping and releasing means comprises a pinch bar fixed to the rod end of a pneumatic cylind-er, said cylinder being actuatable to oscillate said pinch bar longitudinally along the length of said support rolling tray.