FR2815818A1 - Machine for shaping dough balls has contrarotating parallel rollers with matching hemispherical cavities in contacting surfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine for making dough balls based on wheat flour, water, salt and vegetable oil has two or more contrarotating parallel rollers (1a, 1b) with hemispherical cavities in their contacting surfaces, positioned so they meet as the rollers rotate, forming spherical balls by compressing the dough between them. The number of cavities in the rollers is variable; they are fed with dough mixture from a hopper, and each one contains a cam-actuated piston with a concave head for compressing and ejecting the dough balls. The balls, e.g. 2 cm in diameter and 5 g in weight each, are dropped onto a conveyor (3) that is driven, like the rollers by a continuous drive belt (4) and motor (5). After shaping, the balls can be frozen and packed.

Description

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 Device for the production of food pellets, such as in particular shaded.

 The invention relates to the field of food preparations, in particular based on cereal flours. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for the industrial manufacture of food constituted by a dough, and a manufacturing process intended to produce food pellets inspired by the shadows of the West Indian cuisine.

 Dombré is a culinary product, traditional in the West Indies, made from wheat flour. Besides tropical tubers, cereal flour products have developed in these regions to cope with the vagaries of the weather. Today, the dombré is used in the preparation of a certain number of cooked dishes, such as baby beef.

 In its most frequently encountered version, dombré is obtained from a dough composed of flour, water, salt and vegetable oil. The dough obtained is shaped manually between the palms of the hand so as to obtain a circular or ovoid ball, with a diameter ranging from 1 to 3 centimeters.

The traditional product can also contain ingredients of animal origin (butter, lard, eggs, ...).

 Raw dumplings are therefore obtained, intended to be consumed fresh after cooking, generally as an accompaniment to a cooked dish.

 As indicated, the manufacturing of shadows is carried out manually. This type of manufacturing therefore limits the possibilities of large-scale production. In addition, the multiplication of human manipulations is likely to generate health quality problems not compatible with the requirements of an industrial type food distribution.

 In addition, the manual production of dombrés is likely to result in products of variable quality, both in terms of their composition and their presentation (shape and diameter of the pellets). These production hazards can also lead to products with behavior

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 different cooking, which can cause inconvenience for the cook, whether at the level of individuals or communities.

 The invention particularly aims to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

 More specifically, the invention aims in particular to propose a device for the manufacture of medium or large series of shaded, or more generally food pellets.

 Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which limits human handling of food products.

 The invention also aims to propose such a device which makes it possible to obtain food pellets, and in particular shaded, having a constant or almost constant composition.

 Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a device which makes it possible to calibrate the dimensions and the weight of food pellets.

 The invention also aims to allow the production of food pellets having homogeneous behaviors during a subsequent cooking step.

 The invention also aims to provide such a method which is simple to use and inexpensive to implement.

 These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved with the aid of a device for the shaping of food pellets such as in particular the shaded ones, comprising at least two rollers each provided at their periphery with at least one substantially hemispherical cavity, means for placing said rollers in parallel counter-rotation so that said cavities can come opposite one another, and provided with means integrated in said cavities to form said pellets by constriction .

 According to a preferred solution, said means for setting in rotation cooperate with only one of said at least two rollers, the rotational movement imparted thereto being transmitted by contact to the other roller.

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 It is thus possible to synchronize the rotational movements of the rollers, without resorting to complex means.

 According to an advantageous solution, said rollers each have a plurality of cavities.

 In this way the productivity of the device is increased in order to manufacture food pellets in medium or large series.

 Preferably, said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction include for each of said cavities a constriction and ejection piston movable between a standby position at the bottom of said cavity and an ejection position in which said piston enters said cavity .

 The pellets are thus easily and automatically ejected from the cavities without requiring human intervention.

 Advantageously, said pistons include a concave head.

 According to a preferred solution, said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction are designed to allow said head of each of said pistons to assume, in the standby position, a position substantially tangent to the surface of said cavities.

 This preserves the shape given to the dumpling in the cavity, the head of the pistons matching the shape of the dumplings during their ejection.

 According to another characteristic, said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction include at least two cams for actuating said pistons.

 In this way, the pistons of each roller are actuated successively and in a scheduled fashion between two extreme positions.

 According to a preferred solution, said pistons are actuated by said cams so as to assume, in the contact area of said rollers, an intermediate position, so as to compress said pellets.

 The shaping operation by constricting the pellets is thus carried out, the two portions of dough disposed in the cavities being welded to one another at the end of this operation.

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 Preferably, the device comprises complementary ejection means.

 Advantageously, said complementary ejection means comprise brushes.

 In this way, it is possible to obtain an advantageous arrangement making it possible to ensure that a cavity is well emptied of its content before a new supply thereof. Risks of malfunction are thus avoided.

 According to a preferred solution, said means for rotating the rollers include at least one motor.

 According to another advantageous solution, the device comprises a device for feeding said cavities, including at least one dosing hopper.

 This type of equipment contributes on the one hand to limiting human manipulation of the dough, and on the other hand to effectively calibrate the quantity of food material delivered in each of the cavities.

 Preferably, the device comprises means for transferring said pellets to a deep-freezing device.

 Thus, the organoleptic qualities of the products obtained will be preserved throughout the duration of transport and storage in food distribution establishments.

 The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing food pellets using the device as described above, comprising the steps of: - preparing a dough; - introduction of dough into said cavities; - shaping by constriction of pellets.

 Preferably, said preparation of said food dough comprises the steps of: - mixing of ingredients, - kneading of said mixture, so as to obtain a homogeneous, grainy, crumbly and not very elastic dough.

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 Advantageously, the manufacturing process comprises the steps of: - freezing said pellets; - conditioning of said pellets.

- la figure 3 représente en coupe axiale un rouleau du dispositif ; la figure 4 représente en coupe axiale un exemple de montage de deux rouleaux ; la figure 5 illustre un atelier incluant le dispositif selon l'invention ; la figure 6 fournit un schéma synoptique du procédé de fabrication de boulettes selon l'invention. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings among which: - Figures la and lb schematically illustrate the device according to the invention; 2 shows in cross section an embodiment of the rollers incorporating the device according to the invention;

- Figure 3 shows in axial section a roller of the device; Figure 4 shows in axial section an example of mounting two rollers; FIG. 5 illustrates a workshop including the device according to the invention; Figure 6 provides a block diagram of the process for manufacturing pellets according to the invention.

 The general principle of the invention is based on an efficient technique for shaping food dumplings, consisting in particular in dosing and depositing half-portions of dumplings in the cells of a mechanism which, by a succession of automatic steps, soda the two half-portions by constriction to give them their final shape, spherical or ovoid.

 Figure la provides a schematic representation of the device taken as a whole. As shown, the device for shaping food pellets, such as in particular shaded, comprises two rollers 1a and 1b which can be put into counter-rotation. The structure of the rollers will be explained in more detail below.

 The roller 1a is rotated by a wheel 2, coupled by a belt 4 or any other means similar to a drive member 5.

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 The pellets ejected from the rollers 1a and 1b fall on transfer means including an endless belt conveyor 3 as shown in FIG. 1b and are then conveyed to a deep-freezing tunnel. The belt 3 also incorporates a distributor 32 animated by a sinusoidal movement so as to space the pellets from one another.

 The rollers 1a and 1b are arranged on the device so that they are in contact with each other as will be seen below. In this way, insofar as it is the roller 1a which is coupled to the motor member, the roller 1b is driven in rotation by the roller 1a.

 In addition, when mounting or adjusting the device, it is ensured that the cavities of one of the two rollers come successively opposite the cavities of the other of the two rollers.

 The device further comprises transfer means 3, such as an endless belt conveyor for example. The cylinder 31 of the treadmill is supported on the belt 4 coupled to the drive member, for its rotation drive.

Figure 2 illustrates in detail the rollers la and lb, in a cross section. For reasons of clarification of the description, only the detail of the roller 1a will be described below. The description which will be made with the indices "a" of the roller 1a can be applied to the roller Ib by changing the indices "a" to "b".

The roller 1a is mounted movable in rotation about an axis 11a, integral with the frame of the device. The roller has a plurality of cavities 12a at its periphery. As shown, the rollers include eighteen cavities at their periphery, on three different levels (Figure 3), which brings to fifty four the number of cavities on the same roller. It is understood that the number of cavities can vary as a function of the diameter of the desired pellets and / or of the diameter of the rollers themselves, that is to say as a function of the size of the device to be integrated in a given space. .

 In addition, the number of cavity levels that can be provided over the height of the rollers can be adapted according to the desired productivity.

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 for the device. It is moreover quite possible that the cavities of the different levels have different dimensions in order to provide pellets of different predetermined diameters.

 In the same way, the invention is exposed according to a preferred mode in which the device comprises two rollers. Without departing from the scope of the invention, such a device may comprise n rollers, n being greater than or equal to two and generally even.

 The cavities 12a have a substantially hemispherical shape in order to give an approximately spherical final shape to the pellets.

 They may have, similarly, an ovoid shape or any other shape such as to give the meatballs a shape of which at least one section is rounded.

 The cavities 12a have an extension 12 flared, reducing to lead to a substantially cylindrical conduit 122a.

 In each of the hollow assemblies composed of the cavities 12a, extensions 12aa and conduits 122a, there are integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction. These means include in each cavity a piston 13a having a head 13a and a rod 132a.

 The rod 132a of the piston is guided in translation in the conduit 122a, between a standby position and a position for ejecting the pellet.

 The head 13 has a concave shape, preferably suitable for assuming a position tangent to the surface of the cavity 12a in the standby position. This concave shape can therefore be adapted and modified as a function of the shape of the cavity, or more generally of the shape that it is desired to give to the pellet. In this case the cavities 12a are preferably hemispherical in the embodiment described, the concave shape of the head 131a of the piston is a portion of a sphere.

 On axis 1 1a of the roller is fixedly mounted a cam 14a, or a set of cams if the roller has several stages of cavities over its height.

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This cam 1a is shaped and positioned so as to constitute a ramp 14 against which the pistons 13a bear, at least after the pellet has been formed by constriction, to penetrate into the space of the cavity 12a so that the dumpling is ejected therefrom, the roller being driven in a rotational movement according to arrow Fa.

 The adjustment of this cam can also provide for the pistons 13a to translate slightly at the time of shaping by constriction so as to contribute to it. After reaching an extreme position by pressing on the part 142a of the cam, the pistons are free to resume a waiting position at the bottom of the cavities.

 The return to this position can be obtained using return means (not shown) according to a conventional assembly per se, or else when a new dose of dough is deposited in the cavity, under the effect of the weight of the dose of dough.

 The device further comprises additional ejection means, in the form of brushes 20, located near an area in which the pistons are in an extreme position corresponding to the phase of ejection of the pellets.

 Figure 3 corresponds to a sectional view of one of the two rollers, in this case the roller la. A roller comprises a body 152a secured at each of its ends to a crown 15 la. Each ring 151a has a shoulder 151 la for the establishment of bearings 16a, these also coming into abutment against a shoulder 11 la of the axis 11a.

 The axis 1a is fixedly mounted on the frame 100 by means of rings 153a, spaced from the bearings 16a by spacers 154a.

 On one of the rings 15 la is mounted coaxially a ring 155a, in a fixed manner, the latter having at its periphery teeth 155 la.

 As shown in FIG. 4, the teeth 155a1 of the crown 155a mesh with each other with the teeth 1551b of the crown 155b. In this way, the roller transmits its rotational movement to the roller lb.

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 Other types of driving the rollers together can be envisaged, for example by friction, by belt or notched strip ...

 Figure 5 shows, in its streamlined form, a workshop integrating the device according to the invention.

 The cavities of the rollers integrated into the subassembly 8 are supplied with dough by a dosing hopper 6, including at least two distribution conduits 61 (in alignment with one another in FIG. 5), that is that is, a conduit opposite each roller.

 Again the number of conduits can be variable depending on the number of rollers and the number of stages of cavities that each of the rollers has.

 The distribution of the dough by the dosing hopper can be timed by a time delay indexed to the speed of movement of the cavities. Other types of servo-control of the dosing hopper can be envisaged so as to be able to automatically adjust the dispensing rate to the speed of rotation of the rollers.

 At least one of the rollers of the sub-assembly 8 is coupled to a motor integrated in the sub-assembly 9, the latter being able, for obvious practical reasons, to be made mobile thanks, for example, to rollers 91.

 At the outlet of the sub-assembly 8, the pellets are conveyed by the conveyor belt 3 to a freezing tunnel 7.

 The operation of the device and the method of manufacturing dumplings (diagram of FIG. 6), in particular shaded will now be explained.

 First a dough is prepared (step 1). For meatballs in the manner of West Indian dombrés, for example, 50 kg of wheat flour will be mixed with 16 1 of water, 1 kg of salt and 1.5 1 of vegetable oil.

 The ingredients are introduced into a spiral type mixer, oblique arm or any other type (step 2). The main goal being to mix the ingredients together, the kneading time will generally be short. Of

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 in order to obtain a crumbly dough, the direction of rotation of the kneader will preferably be alternated.

 Visual and tactile control is carried out to ensure that the dough obtained has a grainy, brittle, homogeneous, not very elastic and non-stretchable character.

 Other kneading and cooking techniques are nevertheless also compatible with the invention. In particular, at the level of the composition of the dough, other ingredients, spices or spices can be introduced, preferably seeking to respect the final characteristics mentioned above.

 The dough thus prepared is then transferred to the feed hopper 6 (Figure 5). The device as a whole can be supplied continuously as well as discontinuously. The dosing hopper 6 successively delivers into each of the cavities of each roller, a predetermined quantity of dough, for example 2 to 3 grams.

 Each cavity thus filled goes towards the zone where the rollers are in contact, until it is perfectly opposite a cavity of the other roller. The pistons of two cavities facing each other can from this stage come to bear on their respective cams, so that the heads of the pistons push on the dough contained in each cavity (step 3).

 At the end of this position, the two half-portions of dough are welded and form the dumpling.

 As the rollers continue to rotate, the pistons engage more in the cavities, to an extreme position where the pellets are ejected from the cavities, the brushes (not shown) supplementing the ejection of the meatballs.

 The pellets are then collected by the conveyor belt 3 and conveyed to a freezing tunnel 7 (FIG. 5) whose operating parameters are conventionally used (step 4). In order to prevent the pellets from sticking to each other, especially during freezing, it is preferably

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 use of a carpet coupled to a distributor system with a sinusoidal movement, or any other similar means.

 The dumplings can then be packaged, for example using a bagging machine. In order to obtain substantially homogeneous weight packages, weighing is carried out during filling. When the predetermined weight is reached, the packages are closed for example by welding, then labeled (step 5). It goes without saying that other modes or techniques of packaging can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

 With a device as described, comprising for example fifty four cavities, and for a rotation speed of the rollers of about fifteen seconds per revolution, it is possible to obtain more than two hundred pellets per minute, for a unit weight of approximately 5 g, or balls of about two centimeters in diameter.

 The invention which has just been described therefore allows the production in small, medium or large series of food pellets, in particular shaded, traditionally made manually.

 Thanks to the invention, such products can be addressed to a wider audience, which until now has not been the case due to artisanal manufacturing techniques and confidential consumption patterns.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS 1. Device for the shaping of food pellets such as in particular the shaded ones, comprising at least two rollers (la) (lob) each provided at their periphery with at least one substantially hemispherical cavity (12a), of setting means in parallel counter-rotation of said rollers so that said cavities (12a) can come opposite one another, and provided with integrated means (13a) in said cavities to form said pellets by constriction. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that said rotation means (2) cooperate with only one of said at least two rollers (la) (lob), the rotational movement instilled therein being transmitted by contact to the other roller. 3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said rollers (la) (Ib) each have a plurality of cavities (12a). 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction include for each of said cavities (12a) a piston (13a) of constriction and mobile ejection between a position waiting at the bottom of said cavity and an ejection position in which said piston enters said cavity. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said pistons (13a) comprise a concave head (131a). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction are designed to allow said head (131a) of each of said pistons (13a) to assume, in the waiting position, a position substantially tangent to the surface of said cavities (12a). <Desc / Clms Page number 13> 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said integrated means for forming the pellets by constriction include at least two cams (14a) for actuating said pistons. 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said pistons are actuated by said cams (14a) so as to take, in the contact area of said rollers, an intermediate position, so as to compress said meatballs. 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises complementary ejection means. 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that said complementary ejection means comprise brushes (20). 11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said means for rotating the rollers (la) (lob) include at least one motor (5). 12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a device for feeding said cavities, including at least one dosing hopper (6). 13. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises transfer means (3) of said pellets to a deep-freezing device (7). 14. A method of manufacturing food pellets using the device according to claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - preparation of a dough; - introduction of dough into said cavities; - shaping by constriction of pellets. 15. The manufacturing method according to claim 14, characterized in that said preparation of said food dough comprises the steps of: - mixing of ingredients, - kneading of said mixture, so as to obtain a homogeneous, grainy, crumbly and not very elastic dough . <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  16. Manufacturing method according to any one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - freezing said pellets; - conditioning of said pellets.