Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A21—BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS
  • A21C—MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH
  • A21C9/00—Other apparatus for handling dough or dough pieces
  • A21C9/06—Apparatus for filling pieces of dough such as doughnuts
  • A21C9/063—Applying a folding, wrapping, rolling action
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A21—BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS
  • A21C—MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH
  • A21C3/00—Machines or apparatus for shaping batches of dough before subdivision
  • A21C3/06—Machines for coiling sheets of dough, e.g. for producing rolls

Definitions

• Pastry-rolling machine in particular for pastrieswith fillings.
• the invention described herein relates to a machine for rolling pastries with fillings.
• Such a machine is intended for use by the patisserie industry, though not necessarily limited to such use, in the manufacture of pastries such as croissants and the like, which are rolled from flat pieces of sweetened dough cut to an appropriate size and shape.
• pastries such as croissants and the like
• rolling machines there are rolling machines currently used wherein pieces of dough carried along by a conveyor belt are flattened between two rolls and taken up by two conveyor belts, set at a given angle in relation to one another and running at different speeds, which coil up the flat pieces of dough turned out by the rolls.
• the piece of sweetened dough takes the shape of an isosceles triangle proceeding with its base foremost, disposed normal to the direction of movement of the conveyor.
• Machines of the type in question are not able, however, to accomplish the rolling process successfully where pastries are to be turned out with a filling, which generally will consist of a measured quantity of jam, cream or such like.
• Mechanical rolling produced by machines of the prior art type would be such as to squash and spread the filling due to the action either of the rolls or the angled conveyors.
• the filling would be squeezed out of the pastry and deposited, inevitably, on the components of the machine, rendering the machine itself useless.
• pastries with fillings, of the croissant type have been hand-rolled hitherto.
• the main object of the invention is that of setting forth a rolling machine capable of providing speedy, problem-free mechanized rolling of filled pastries.
• One advantage of the invention is that of its versatility; the machine can be used for any type of pastry with or without filling.
• fig 1 is the schematic representation of a first embodiment of the machine, seen in side elevation
• fig 2 is the view of fig 1 from above
• fig 3 is the schematic representation of a second embodiment of the machine, seen in side elevation
• fig 4A shows a detail of fig 3 in enlarged scale, and more exactly, the area between a first and a second conveyor belt, illustrating the moment in which the leading edge of the pastry begins to roll up
• fig 4B shows the same detail as in fig 4A, illustrating a moment immediately following that of fig 4A
• fig 5 is the detail of fig 4A seen from above.
• 1 denotes, in general terms, a conveyor belt loop on which pieces of dough 2 are carried forward prior to their ultimate formation into pastries 3.
• Each single piece of dough 2 is substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle proceeding with its base leading in and lying normal to the direction of movement of the conveyor 1.
• the pieces of dough 2 are rolled flat by a pair of rolls 4 and then conveyed beneath an automatic metering dispenser 5, which may be controlled electronically, for instance, and is designed to deposit a measured quantity of filling 10 such as jam, cream or the like, onto each triangle of dough 2 passing below on the conveyor.
• the machine comprises sensors 14 designed to signal proximity of the pieces of dough as they pass along the conveyor, thereby triggering operation of the metering dispenser 5 such that it may deposit the aforesaid measured quantity of filling 10 (jam, cream or whatever) directly onto the centre of the dough 2 during its passage therebeneath.
• the piece of dough 2 With a measured quantity of filling duly deposited, the piece of dough 2 continues forward urged against the conveyor 1 by two pressure wheels 5 the purpose of which is to maintain the dough 2 firmly in contact with the surface of the conveyor 1 as the pastry is rolled up.
• the force exerted by such wheels 6 can be adjusted, the wheels themselves being driven at the same surface speed as the conveyor 1 and disposed at either side of the central area of the dough such that no contact is made with the filling 10 deposited thereon.
• the elongated elements 8 in question take the form of rigi d laths 21 made fas t to one end of , and thus carried by, a pair of relative brackets 22 exhibiting a right angle profile.
• the remaining end of each bracket 22, located above and upstream of the lath 21, is hinged about a transverse horizontal axis 23 so that each lath 21 is able to swing through a vertical and longitudinal plane whilst remaining stationary, to all intents and purposes, through the direction of movement of the conveyor 1.
• Each lath 21 incorporates a downward-angled upstream section, and a downstream section which lies parallel with the top surface of the conveyor 1, and rests thereon.
• the laths 21 are disposed parallel with one another and with the outward-facing surfaces of the pressure wheels 6; thus, the laths 21 engage parts of the piece of dough 2 (the two outer edges) that are not occupied by the deposited filling 10.
• the undersides of the laths 21, which make contact with the piece of dough 2 being rolled, are embodied such that the dough will grip them when in movement and roll without any appreciable degree of slip; more precisely, the surface might be serrated, or otherwise roughened in such a way as to enhance grip with the dough.
• the piece of dough 2 proceeds along the conveyor 1 until its leading edge (i.e. leading in the direction of movement of the conveyor) comes up against the angled section of the laths 21. At this point, the underside of the piece of dough 2 adheres to the top surface of the conveyor 1, urged thereagainst by the pressure wheels 6, as its leading edge makes contact with the undersides of the laths 21 and is forced to grip them, curling upwards as a result and turning back on itself as illustrated in fig 1. With the conveyor loop still turning, the dough 2 is obliged to roll due to the action of the laths 21 which, during this rolling sequence, are caused to rise and pivot about the aforementioned horizontal axis 23 by reason of the increasing height of the rolled pastry.
• the conveyor belt loop 1 is replaced by two distinct conveyor belts: a first belt 1a, and a second belt lb located downstream of the first; the exit point 31 of the first belt la is l ocated in close proximity to the entry point 32 of the second belt 1b. It will be observed also that the entry point 32 of the second belt lies marginally higher than the exit point 31 of the first; such an arrangement causes the leading edge of a piece of dough 2 conveyed along the first belt 1a to curl upward on coming up against the entry point 32 of the second belt 1b, thereby ensuring the rolling action. The height of the entry point 32 in relation to the exit point 31 can be adjusted.
• the elements 8 again denotes a pair of longitudinally-extending elongated elements, located directly above the area occupied by the exit and entry points 31 & 32.
• the elements 8 each take the form of a strip 33 of flexible material (an elastomer for instance) the upstream end of which is made fast to a horizontal cross rail 15.
• the strips 33 in question incorporate an upstream section angled downward toward the conveyor belt lb following the direction of movement, and a further section which rests on the belt lb.
• the angle of the upstream section can be adjusted so as to alter the resilience of the strip 33 when bearing down on the pieces of dough 2.
• the inherent flexibility of the strips 33 is such that their movement occurs within a vertical and longitudinal plane whereas no such movement occurs, to all intents and purposes, through the direction of movement of the conveyor belts la & lb.
• the undersides of the strips 33 make contact with the pieces of dough 2 to the end of rolling them, and as such are serrated or otherwise roughened to enhance grip on the dough and thus limit any appreciable slip relative thereto.
• the strips 33 are disposed parallel with one another and with the outward-facing surfaces of the pressure wheels 6; thus, the strips 33 engage parts of the piece of dough 2 (the two outer edges) that are not occupied by the deposited filling 10.
• the piece of dough 2 proceeds along the first conveyor belt 1a until its leading edge (i.e. leading in the direction of movement of the conveyors) comes up against the entry point 32 of the second belt 1b which, it will be remembered, is raised marginally in relation to the exit point 31 of the first belt 1a.
• the leading edge is forced upward under the influence of the movement of the second belt lb, and caused to make contact with the undersides of the strips 33 (the position of the dough illustrated in unbroken line, in fig 4A).
• the undersides of the strips 33 are rendered rough by serration or similar means.
• the initial backward curl of the leading edge of the dough 2 and its subsequent rolling-up is thus brought about by a combined action of the two belts 1a and 1b and the strips 33 which, during the rolling sequence, bend upwards by reason of the increasing height of the rolled pastry beneath (the position illustrated in broken line, fig 4A).
• the weight and the resilience of the bent and lifted strips 33 as they bear down on the dough thus enhance grip between the pastry and their rough undersides. It will be observed that the strips 33 engage the two outer edges of the piece of dough, thereby leaving the central area relatively free from compression.
• the second embodiment differs further from the first in that the sheet which brings rolling of the pastry to completion is rigid, and fixed.
• the underside of the rigid sheet is lined with a soft material, such as foam rubber, this in turn being faced with a washable plastic covering disposed face down toward the conveyor belt 1b.
• the rigid sheet 12 is supported by two horizontal cross rails 13, and comes into contact with the partrolled pieces of dough 2 in order to bring rolling of the pastry to completion; the height and position of such a rigid sheet 12 is easily adjusted.
• Fig 4B illustrates a part-rolled piece of dough 2' about to pass under the rigid sheet.
• a machine for rolling filled pastr i es according to the de scr ip t ion and i l lus tra ti ons is fully automated, and no danger exists of the pastries being squashed such that the filling will be squeezed therefrom and foul parts of the machine. It will be observed that the same machine can be employed to roll unfilled pastries without there being any requirement for adaptations or modifications.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Manufacturing And Processing Devices For Dough (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26329139

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (20)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1985
  • 1985-11-11 WO PCT/IT1985/000047 patent/WO1986002808A1/en unknown
  • 1985-11-11 EP EP19850905873 patent/EP0202295A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1985-11-15 ES ES548959A patent/ES8704708A1/es not_active Expired

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events