DE2335524A1 - Dough panning - by moving pan laterally and longitudinally - Google Patents

Abstract

Two parallel sheets of dough are fed to a cutter which slices the dough into pairs of pieces which fall into a pan beneath the cutter. The pan is carried on a continuously moving belt conveyor but is halted by a peg at the loading station. While held in this position it is reciprocated transversely by a pair of guide plates which contact the longitudinal sides of the pan. This transverse movement allows a second pair of dough pieces to be placed in the pan adjacent the first pair. The pan holding peg is the released and a further peg downstream holds the pan while 2 further pairs of dough pieces are loaded.

Description

074-21.O82P July 12, 1973

Victor F. GUGLER, Sun Valley - Los Angeles (California)

Method and device for continuous processing

of · dough

The invention relates to a dough processing device which in bakeries and the like. Use, and in particular an improved method and a device for continuous Arrange a number of pieces of dough in bowls, troughs, on trays and other open containers, as follows generally referred to as "shell" or "shells".

One of the factors limiting the speed of dough processing in bakeries today is the speed with which pieces of dough are fed from a moving conveyor and precisely placed in a tray can. This process is commonly referred to as "dough laying" and is often done by hand.

. O74- (124 O52) -sch

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In an effort to speed up these dough laying steps, a device has been developed in which a number of trays along a tray conveyor under the front end a dough conveyor guided v / ird. The bowls are periodically stopped and started by means which attack either the bottom or the top of a respective front shell. Along the dough conveyor Pieces of dough that are fed in can then fall onto the front-lying areas on the foremost tray, and when the tray is full it is released for further movement with the tray conveyor. The dough laying step is then followed by the next Shell repeated, etc.

The previously developed dough laying devices are proportionate complicated, costly to construct and maintain, and limited to controlling one forward directional movement of the shells. This means that for each individual row of dough pieces, by known devices are to be placed, a separate row of dough pieces must be fed along the dough conveyor. this again requires duplication of the existing dough shaping equipment, which is very expensive.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for continuous Laying on pieces of dough to create, with both the forward and the lateral position of the trays on a moving Tray conveyor is controllable, so that it is possible that a number of rows of dough pieces from a single Series of dough pieces fed along a dough conveyor are precisely placed in a bowl.

The device according to the invention is intended to operate at higher speeds can work than is possible with known dough laying devices.

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The invention has a high speed operation Device for the automatic and precise placement of each piece a selectively actuatable stopping means, aas engages the foremost tray of a series of trays located on a moving tray conveyor and this heals, so \ tfie laterally movable shell guide means, which engage the front shell and control the lateral position of the same, and means for synchronous actuation aes shell stop means and the shell guide means, so that the foremost shell quickly and precisely step by step is moved from one side to the other as well as in the forward direction along the Schalent'örcierer to pick up pieces of dough in a predetermined arrangement as they fall from the front end of a dough conveyor.

An embodiment of the invention is set out below Described with reference to the figures. In the figures show:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a dough placing device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of part of the dough laying device shown in FIG. 1, wherein the front end of a dough conveyor together with a cutting device and means for Control of the positioning of trays on a tray conveyor under the 'fig conveyor moving are shown;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of what is illustrated in FIG Contraption;

FIG. 4 shows a partial plan view similar to FIG. 3, wherein the dough conveyor and the cutting device

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are far away, so leave the tray conveyor and the mechanisms for controlling the forward and reverse lateral movement of a row of trays on the tray conveyor are visible;

FIG. 5 shows a partial side view of the stopping means the device according to the invention shown in Figures 1-4; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of one on the Shell conveyor located shell, with the points of impact by successive numbers ι are illustrated for two rows of dough pieces and with the shell located under the front end of the dough conveyor moved forwards and sideways.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Generally in the method according to the invention, dough is in the form of one or more relatively narrow parallel strips IO and 12 transported along the top of a dough conveyor 14 in the forward direction to the front end 16 thereof. At the front end 16, the dough strips 10 and 12 are periodically cut by a cutting device 18 so that relatively short Pieces of dough fall down from the front end 16 onto a front tray 20 resting on a tray conveyor 22 below the dough conveyor 14 and the cutting device 18 is positioned. The tray conveyor 22 moves continuously in the forward direction, while the position of the foremost tray 20 is controlled by stopping means 24 and tray guide means 26 will; the stop is designed so that it engages the foremost shell 20 and these in different positions stops on the tray conveyor, and the tray guide means 26 are adapted to engage the foremost tray and their lateral position on the tray conveyor

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steer. The operation of the suspension means 24 and the guide means 26 is synchronized by the actuation of the cutting device 18 in such a way that the front shell 20 is selectively gradually moved from side to side and in a forward direction under the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 is used to receive the dough pieces in a predetermined arrangement as they fall from the dough conveyor. the The arrangement of the dough pieces received by the front shell 20 can correspond to the arrangement shown in FIG. which comprises four rows and three rows of dough pieces. When the front shell 20 is filled according to FIG. 6, it is filled with the tray conveyor 22 and passed through the next tray 20a of a row of those on the conveyor 22 Shells replaced. The tray 20a then becomes the foremost tray and is selective from side to side and moved in the forward direction by actuating the stopping means 24 and the tray guide means 26 to be picked up a similar arrangement of dough pieces.

From the foregoing brief description it can be seen that the method and the device for placing pieces of dough according to the invention are simple and yet fully automatic. In addition, the fact that the device allows the front shell 20 both side-to-side and also selectively stepped in a forward direction, the front shell completely filled with a plurality of rows of dough pieces from a single or a pair of strips of dough, wherein the dough strips are severed by actuating the cutting device 18. This means there is no need to to double the device for forming strips of dough for each row of dough pieces to be placed in the tray.

Since the dough processing device according to the invention is synchronized with the operation of the cutting device, it can do a lot

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are precisely controlled, so that they cut dough pieces precisely corresponding vacancies are positioned in each successive tray. This allows others, * with the movement of the tray conveyor, devices synchronized other ingredients such as nuts and the like on the dough pieces in a precise manner release, thereby further manual processing steps in the baking process to which the device according to the invention is assigned is to be eliminated.

According to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the dough conveyor 14 has a first, upwardly sloping section 28 and a second, downwardly inclined section 30. The first paragraph 28 includes a continuous belt 32 which extends between a pair of horizontal, substantially parallel Shafts 34 and 36 extending around them. The shafts can be rotated about their respective longitudinal axes by means of side parts 38, which extend in the forward direction along opposite sides of the belt. The shaft 34 is at a front upper end of the side part 38 is supported, and the shaft 36 is supported at a lower rear end of the side parts 38, the lower end of the side members being connected to vertical legs 40 which form the first conveyor section 28 carry over the tray conveyor 22.

Like the first section, the second section 30 also has a continuous band 42 which extends between horizontal, substantially parallel shafts 44 and 46 runs around them. The shafts can be rotated about their respective longitudinal axes supported by side members 48 and 49 which extend along opposite sides of the belt 42 in the forward direction. The shaft 44 is supported at a front end of the side parts 48 and at the front end 16 of the conveyor 14, and the Shaft 46 is supported at the rear upper end of the side parts 49, which is fastened to the front upper end of the side parts 38 are. Next, the side parts 49 are vertical

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Leg 50 supported extending from the top of a table 52 which supports the tray conveyor 22, so that the dough conveyor 14 over a rear portion of the Tray conveyor is with the front end 16 of the cutter 18 adjacent.

The side panels 49 also support a pair of dough strip guides 54 and 56. These are of the same construction, Figs each consists of a pair of vertically extending parallel plates 58 with outwardly diverging front and rear ends. The plates are connected to a cross arm 60 which is held by vertical legs 62 which extend extend from the tops of the side parts 49 and are spaced apart for receiving and guiding the Dough strips 10 and 12 as they extend along the top of the belt 42 onto the front end 16 of the dough conveyor to move.

The top of the conveyor 14 moves continuously in the forward direction. This is achieved by a motor drive 64, the output of which is coupled to a gearwheel 68 on the shaft 36 via a chain 66. Actuation of the motor drive 64 causes the sprocket 68 to rotate, thereby continuously moving the top of the belt 32 forward 74 extends on the shafts 34 and 46 around the gears. Thus, the strips of dough 10 and 12 placed on the belt 32 move with the belt up to the belt 42 and then down between the dough guides 54 and 56 to the front end 16 of the conveyor 14 where they are periodically cut by the cutter 18.

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As FIGS. 2 and 3 best show, the cutting device 18 shows a generally rectangular flat knife 76 with a sharp edge 78. Opposite pages of the knife run in channels (not shown) which are formed in horizontal knife guides 80. The knife guides are attached to side members 48 which are held above the table 52 by vertical legs 84. The knife 76 is held between support plates 86 and is pivotally connected at 88 to one end of a drive rod 90. The opposite End of the drive rod 90 is pivotally connected at 92 to a flywheel 94 which is on the drive shaft a motor drive 98 is attached. While the drive shaft rotates as a result of the actuation of the motor 98, the Drive rod 90 reciprocates and pushes the knife 76 in the knife guides 80 back and forth, wherein the Periodically cut 78 sever strips of dough 10 and 12 as they extend down over front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 roll. This is achieved without the knife severing or otherwise damaging the tape 42 caused during its movement about the shaft 44.

When the knife 76 cuts through the strips of dough 10 and 12, pieces of dough fall from below the knife onto the foremost one Tray 20 selectively positioned below the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 on the tray conveyor 22.

As best shown in Figure 1, the tray conveyor 22 is one continuous belt 100 extending between shafts 102 and 104 around them. Opposite ends of the Shafts are supported by parallel side members 106 of table 52 so that they are rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes are. The shaft 102 is supported at the rear end of the side panels 106, and the shaft 104 is at the front end of the side panels held. Further horizontal waves extend between the side parts 106 and provide an additional vertical bracket of the tape 100.

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The tray conveyor 22 is continuously moving in the forward direction driven. For this purpose, the drive shaft of a motor 108 is connected to the shaft 102 via a chain * 110, which extends between gears on the motor drive shaft and shaft 1θέ and around these gears. One Actuation of motor 108 thus produces rotation of shaft 102 and continuous forward movement of the top of the belt 100 so that the row of trays including the foremost tray 20 is below the front end of the dough conveyor 14 is moved.

As mentioned earlier, the foremost shell 20 is selectively stepped from side to side and in a forward direction moved under the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 to pick up the dough pieces as they fall from the front end 16, in an arrangement similar to that shown in FIG. The stop 24 and the shell guide 26 ensure · a selective control of the step-by-step movement of the front shell 20 from side to side and in a forward direction

As FIG. 4 shows, the shell guide 26 consists of a pair of laterally displaceable shell guide arms 112 and 114. These extend in the forward direction over the top of the shell order 22, run parallel to one another and are designed to be on opposite sides of the front shell Attack 20. Rear ends of the slidable guide arms are pivotally connected at 116 and 118 to the front ends of fixed horizontal tray guide arms 120 and 122 which extend over the top of conveyor 22 and guide the row of trays forwardly along the tray conveyor. A control arm 124 extends over the top of the tray conveyor and is slidably supported in vertical legs 126 attached to the side members 106 and connected to the sliding tray guide arms 112 and 114. The tax

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arm holds the miter arms 112 and 114 parallel to each other and transmits a lateral displacement movement to the arms and thus to the front tray 20 when this is on the tray conveyor 22 is to be moved from side to side.

Various means can be used to selectively translate the sliding tray guide arms 112 and 114 across the top of the tray conveyor 22 such that the front tray 20 is incremented between a variety of lateral positions. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, these control means consist of a disk 128 which is rotatably arranged on a vertical shaft 130. In the top of the disk a closed loop control cam slot 132 is formed in which a scanning plunger 134, which is connected to one end of the control arm 124, slides. The cam slot 132 may have different shapes depending on the number of lateral positions to be assumed by the front shell 20. When using two strips of dough to produce the arrangement of dough pieces shown in FIG. 6 on the tray 20, two lateral positions are required for the front tray. This is achieved by a cam slot, the general shape of which is similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4, with an arc 136 of about 160 ° having a relatively small radius connected to an arc 138 of about 160 ° and having a relatively large radius. As the cam follower 134 moves in the cam slot 132, it causes the control arm 124 to move back and forth between first and second positions. In the first position the cam follower 134 is in the arch 138 and in the second position it is in the arch 136. This movement of the control arm 124 creates a lateral pivoting of the sliding cup guide arms 112 and 114 between first and second positions, as shown in FIG 4 shows, so that the front shell 20 is moved stepwise in a lateral direction between corresponding first and second lateral positions according to FIG. 409886/0039

Various means can also be used to selectively position the front shell 20 in different positions Forward direction under the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 to stop. As FIGS. 4 and 5 best show, in the embodiment of the invention shown, the tray stop emitt el 24 on a control plate 140 which carries a pin carrier 142. The control plate 140 is pivotable at 146 connected to the sliding tray guide arm 112 and extending laterally across the top of the tray conveyor 22 via the tray guide arm 114 to form a Place immediately outside the side part 48 of the table. There the control plate 140 is bent downwards at a right angle and at the lower end carries a guide member 148 with a lower surface which slopes upwards in the forward direction. The pen carrier 142 consists of a plate 150 having a plurality of downwardly extending from the plate Pins 152, 153 and 154. The pins are spaced equidistantly from one another in the forward direction. The number the pin depends on the number of positions that the front tray 20 is below the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 should be stopped. In the embodiment of the invention shown, it is desirable that the tray 20 stopped in three different front positions. Hence, three extend at equal distances from each other lying pins down from the support plate 150, and each pin can be selectively attached to the rear edge 21 of the front shell Attack 20, as Figure 5 shows. The pin carrier 142 is attached to the control plate 140, for example with a bolt 156, which extends upwards from the carrier plate 150 through an opening 158 in the control plate 140 for receiving a wing nut 160 extends. The opening 158 is elongated in the forward direction and thus allows selective pre-positioning the support plate 150 by loosening the wing nut 160 and relative to the plate in the desired position the control plate 140 is pushed and then the wing nut is tightened.

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As Figure 5 shows, it is apparent that lifting the support plate 150 a release of the front shell 20 from the Pin * 152 allowed so that the tray * 20 is with the tray conveyor 22 can move forward under the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14. When the pin carrier plate 150 is lowered, the rear edge 21 of the front shell 20 engages the next pin 153, so that the front shell in stopped in a second position. The same step is followed with the subsequent raising and lowering of the carrier plate 150 the same is repeated so that the pin 154 engages the rear edge 21 of the front shell. This takes place in a third stop position instead. The three holding positions are shown diagrammatically in FIG.

Various means can be provided for selectively lifting the support plate 150 so that the front shell is advanced between the three holding positions. In the embodiment of the invention shown, this control is achieved by a horizontal disc 162 attached to a vertical shaft 164. Rollers 166 and 168 are attached to the peripheral surface of disk 162 and rotate with it. As the disc rotates, the roller 166 engages the inclined surface of the pad 148 and causes the control plate 140 and thus the support plate 150 to rise, so that the pin 152 is clear of the rear edge 21 of the front shell 20 and the shell with the moving trays conveyor 22 is advanced. The lifting of the carrier plate 150 is only momentary as the disk 162 continues to rotate. Whilst the roller 166 moves away from the cushion 143, the control plate 140 again falls down and engages the top of the sliding guide arm 114 . This takes place before the front shell 20 reaches the pin 153 which engages the rear edge 21 of the shell and stops the shell in its second holding position. This process is as derholt when the roller 168 engages the pad 148 so

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that the carrier plate 150 is raised again.

As already mentioned, the operation of the Sdhalen are guide means 26 and the stopping means 24 synchronized; preferably they are such with the operation of the cutting device 18 synchronizes that the front shell 20 is selectively incremented from side to side and in a forward direction and picks up the dough pieces in a predetermined arrangement as they come from the front end 16 of the dough conveyor 14 falling down. When, by operating the cutting device, two pieces of dough are produced, as in the one shown Example of the Pail, the front shell 20 is preferably first to one side, then to the front, then to the opposite side, moved forward again and then again to the first side. With reference to Figure 6 takes place the preferred step-by-step movement of the front shell from the side position # 1 to the side position # 2, to holding position No. 2, to side position No. 1, to holding position No. 3, to side position No. 2, etc.

In order to achieve the desired synchronization of the stopping means 24 and the To produce tray guide means 26 with the operation of the cutting device 18, the drive shaft 96 of the motor 98 for the cutting device 18 has two congruent gears 170 and 172 around which chains 174 and 176 are guided. The chain 174 runs around a slightly larger gear 178 which is arranged on a vertical shaft 180 which is on one side the cutting device, while the chain 176 runs around a similar, slightly larger sprocket 182 which is on a vertical shaft 184 provided on the opposite side of the cutter. The gears 178 and 182 are sized so that they each have one complete rotation while gears 170 and 172 on motor drive shaft 96 complete four rotations. the

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Shafts 180 and 184 are via chains 186 and 188 and are cooperative Gear wheels connected to the shafts 164 and 130 carrying the disk 162 and the cam disk 128, so that the disc and cam disc rotate 1: 1 with shafts 180 and 184.

The angular relationship between the cam 128 and the Disk 162 is preset. The default is such that roller 166 engages pad 148, the carrier plate 150 lifts, thus exposing the front shell 20 immediately after the cam follower 134 enters the arch 136, d. H. into the relatively small radius portion of the cam slot 132, and immediately after the cutter 18 was actuated to cut the strips 10 and 12 and place pieces of dough in the "2" in Figure 6 designated places. According to the presetting, the roller 168 thus engages the cushion 148 and lifts the carrier plate 150 and releases pin 153 from the front shell immediately after cam follower 134 enters arc 138 is, d. H. into the portion of the cam slot with a relatively large radius, and after the cutter actuates and has cut through the strips of dough and placed them in the places marked "4" in FIG. 6.

As a result of this synchronization, the dough pieces in the arrangement shown in FIG. 6 are placed in the following manner: Two dough pieces are placed in the positions marked with No. "2 * when the front tray 20 is in the lateral position No. 1; then the front tray is moved to the lateral position no. 2, and two pieces of dough are placed in the positions marked "2"; then the holding means 24 are released and the front tray is advanced to the holding position no. 3 "are placed; then the tray is moved to the side position no. 1, where two pieces of dough are placed in the places marked" 4 "

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the; the holding means are then momentarily released, "and the front tray is advanced to the stop position no. 3, where two pieces of dough in the places marked "5" be placed; then the front shell is in the side position Mr. 2 moved where two pieces of dough into the places marked with "6" are placed; then the holding means are momentarily released so that the front shell is continued together with the .Förderer 22, while the shell 20a moves on and engages the dome pin 152. The shell 20a then takes over the hulk of the front shell in the side position No. 2, and the above-described operation is continued.

From the preceding description it can be seen that the invention a very simple and yet extremely powerful device and a method for automatic and rapid Processing pieces of dough creates from the front end of a moving conveyor fall down. Due to the high accuracy with which according to the invention pieces of dough in a Shell are placed, as well as due to the operating speed of the method and the device allows the invention the mechanization of subsequent work steps occurring in a bakery, such as the orderly one Release of nuts, cinnamon and the like on the tops of the dough pieces, thus enabling a considerable increase in the The speed at which baked products can be processed in a bakery.

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Claims (8)

Claims 1. Dough processing method, marked through the following process steps: Moving a strip of dough along a conveyor to a front end thereof, periodically severing the moving strip of dough so that pieces of dough are sequentially removed from the front end of the conveyor fall down Holding a tray under the front end of the conveyor, and Move the tray from side to side and in a forward direction synchronously with the cutting of the dough strip, so that dough pieces in a predetermined arrangement in the bowl to be ordered. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of the shell to one side, then forwards, then to the opposite side, forward again, etc., each movement being synchronized with the cutting of the strip of dough takes place so that a piece of dough falls down in each of the different positions of the bowl. 3. Apparatus for controlling the position of trays on an advancing substantially horizontal conveyor; characterized by tray stop means (24) attached to a front tray (20) of a number of trays attack and hold them in different positions along the moving conveyor (22), by laterally displaceable shell guide rails (26) which engage the front shell (20) on the conveyor (22), by first control means (162, 166, 168) for periodically and momentarily releasing the tray stop means (24) so that the the front shell (20) with the conveyor (22) is advanced between the stopping position, 409886/0039 by second control means (124) for periodically stepping Moving the tray guide means (26) laterally back and forth over the conveyor (22) between predetermined lateral positions and by synchronization means (170, 172, 174, 176) for operating said first and second control means in predetermined In succession, said first control means at regular intervals after carrying out a predetermined number of work steps of the above-mentioned times Control means are operated. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the shell guide means (26) have a pair of laterally displaceable guide arms (112, 114) _f which act on opposite sides of the front shell (20) that means (116, 118, 120, 122) are provided for pivotably supporting rear ends of the guide arms (112, 114) such that front ends of the guide arms (112, 114) are freely pivotable in a substantially horizontal direction around the front tray (20) on the conveyor (22). from side to side and in that the second control means comprises a control arm (124) connected to the guide arms (112, 114) for pivoting the same from side to side when the front tray (20) is on the conveyor (22) is to be moved sideways. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the stopping means (24) comprise a plate (140) which is pivotable (146) vertically movable on a first (112) of the guide arms (112, 114) adjacent one side of the conveyor (22) is arranged and extends laterally over the conveyor (22) to a second (114) of the guide arms (112, 114), and a plurality of vertically extending pins (152, 153, 154) carried by the plate (140) and in the forward direction mentioned at a distance of 409886/0039 lying on top of each other and successively attack a rear edge (21) of the front shell (20) as a result of a momentary Raising and lowering the plate (140 *) so that the front tray (20) on the conveyor (22) is stopped in different positions, and that the first Control means comprises means (162, 164, 166, 168) for periodically and momentarily lifting the plate (I40). 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the first control means comprise a disc (162), which carries a plurality of angularly spaced projections (166, 168) which periodically during one revolution of the disc (162) engage the plate (140) and lift it momentarily, that the second control means a cam (128) and a scanning plunger (134) for reciprocating the control arm (124) so that the Guide arms (112, 114) are moved from one side to the other with one revolution of the cam disk (128), and that drive means are provided for rotating the disc (162) synchronously with the cam (128) such that the front shell (20) is moved from one side to the other and in the forward direction to receive pieces of dough in a predetermined arrangement, when they fall from a front end (16) of a moving dough conveyor (14). 7. Device for continuous processing of dough, characterized by a first conveyor (14) for continuously feeding a strip of dough to a front end (16) of the conveyor (14), and through a Cutting device (18) for periodically cutting through the strip of dough moving along the first conveyor (14) such that from said front end (16) of the conveyor (14) Pieces of dough fall down and are loaded by one under the first conveyor (14) and under the cutting device (18) 409886/0039 sensitive second conveyor (22) with a continuous moving conveyor surface for transporting a series of trays in the forward direction under the front end (16) of the first conveyor (14), and by tray stop means (24) attached to a front tray (20) of the row of trays engage and stop the second conveyor (22), and by movable tray guide means (26) attached to the front Engaging the tray (20) on the second conveyor (22) and controlling its lateral position, and by first control means (162, 166, 168) for the periodic and momentary release of the tray stop means (24) in such a way that the front tray (20) stopped in various positions on the second conveyor (22) below the front end (16) of the first conveyor (14) is, and by second control means (128, 134) for periodically moving the tray guide means (26) so that the front Tray (20) on the second conveyor (22) and under the front end (16) of the first conveyor (14) from one side to the other another is moved, and by drive means for operating the cutting device (18) at a predetermined speed and for operating the first and second control means at predetermined speeds in synchronism with the cutting device (18) such that the front shell (20) passes under the front end (16) of the first conveyor (14) from side to side and is moved in the forward direction to receive pieces of dough in a predetermined arrangement while they are being removed from the Fall down the front end (16). 8. The device according to claim 7 »characterized in that the cutting device has a knife (76) and means (80, 86) for holding and guiding the knife (76) for horizontal movement at the front end (16) of the first conveyor (14) to Cutting the dough strips into a series of dough pieces while the dough strip arches down over the front end (16) and that the cutting device (18) 409886/0039 a drive rod (90) connected to the knife (76) and to the drive means for reciprocation of the knife (76) back and forth * "relative to the front end (16) of the conveyor (14). 409886/003 9 -JH. Blank