GB1561391A - Apparatus for rolling dough - Google Patents

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR ROLLING DOUGH (71) We, BAKER PERKINS HOLDINGS LIMITED, a British Company, of Westfield Road, Peterborough, PE3 6TA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to apparatus for rolling dough and particularly to apparatus for rolling dough into finger-shaped dough pieces for baking.

In known apparatus for rolling dough into finger-shaped dough pieces, sheeted dough pieces are received onto a moving conveyor and passed under a coiling chain to loosely curl or coil the sheet dough pieces. The conveyor then passes the coiled dough pieces beneath a fixed pressure plate where they are consolidated between the pressure plate, the moving conveyor and side guide plates, into generally finger-shaped dough pieces.

The finger-shaped dough pieces are then conveyed by the conveyor to a collecting pan prior to baking into finger rolls.

This procedure necessitates the employment of a long conveyor belt, a fixed pressure board and side guide p]ates, and these components require a large amount of space.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 and a method as set forth in claim 6. Claim 2 to 4 set forth preferred features of the invention.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows an elevational view of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention position to receive dough sheets from a pair of sheeting rolls.

The apparatus for moulding dough pieces shown in the drawing comprises an endless conveyor band 1 movable lia a roller la in the direction of the arrow A, and providing a horizontal conveying section 2.

The conveyor band 1 is shown disposed to receive flat dough sheets from a pair of sheeting rolls 3, onto its horizontal conveying section 2. A curling chain 4 is mounted above the conveying section 2 at its upstream end. The curling chain 4 coils each flat dough piece into a coiled dough mass 5 as the dough pieces are moved beneath it on the horizontal conveying section 2 and in the direction of arrow A.

A cylindrical pressure roller 6 is mounted above the conveying section 2 and downstream of the curling chain 4. The roller 6 is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis (but whose position is adjustable) in the direction shown by the arrow B and at a position such that a gap 7 is provided between its peripheral surface and the surface of the horizontal conveying section 2.

As the coiled dough mass 5 leaves the coiling chain 4 and moves on the conveying section 2, it is eventually received in the gap 7 and consolidated into a cvlindrical dough piece 5a. The thus consolidated dough piece then passes along the remaining portion of the conveying section 2 and is discharged into a collecting pan (not shown).

The roller 6 is provided with a preferably one inch thick peripheral layer of sponge rubber 8 which has a coating 9 of a nonstick material such as "Transilon" (Trade Mark). The roller 6 is rotated such that its peripheral surface moves at a lower speed than the movement of the surface of the band 1, the speeds being preferably in the ratio of 2 to 1. The outside diameter of the roller 6 is preferably 10" and is mounted above the conveyor band so as to be adjustable with respect thereto. This permits the size of the gap 7 to be varied as desired.

Since the roller 6 is rotated in an anticlockwise direction shown by the arrow B, and the horizontal section 2 of the band 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow A, the opposed surfaces of the roller 6 and the section 2 at the gap 7 move in opposite directions. This produces a resultant turning moment on the dough piece 5a and assists in its consolidation and shaping. The yieldability of the roller 6 when in contact with the dough pieces produces a uniform consolidating pressure on the dough pieces and the end result is the production of cylindrical dough pieces suitable for baking into finger rolls.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Apparatus for rolling dough, comprising: a conveyor for conveying flat dough sheets; coiling means for co-operation with the conveyor during movement thereof to coil the flat dough sheets on the conveyor; a roller mounted downstream of the coiling means for rotation about a fixed axis but having a yieldable peripheral surface, for co-operation during rotation with the conveyor during movement thereof to consolidate the coiled dough sheets carried thereon in a gap between the roller surface and the conveyor; and means for rotating the roller and moving the conveyor in respective directions such the opposed surfaces thereof at the gap move in opposite directions.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the roller is provided with a layer of sponge rubber.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the speed of rotation of the roller and the speed of movement on the conveyor are such that the opposed surfaces at the gap move at different speeds as well as in opposite directions.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the peripheral speed of the roller is less than the speed of movement of the conveyor.

5. Apparatus for rolling dough, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

6. A method of rolling dough, comprising using the apparatus of any one of the preceding Claims, feeding flat dough sheets onto the conveyor, using the coiling means in co-operation with the conveyor to coil the flat dough sheets on the conveyor, and using the roller in co-operation with the conveyor to consolidate the coiled dough sheets.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the end result is the production of cylindrical dough pieces suitable for baking into finger rolls. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Apparatus for rolling dough, comprising: a conveyor for conveying flat dough sheets; coiling means for co-operation with the conveyor during movement thereof to coil the flat dough sheets on the conveyor; a roller mounted downstream of the coiling means for rotation about a fixed axis but having a yieldable peripheral surface, for co-operation during rotation with the conveyor during movement thereof to consolidate the coiled dough sheets carried thereon in a gap between the roller surface and the conveyor; and means for rotating the roller and moving the conveyor in respective directions such the opposed surfaces thereof at the gap move in opposite directions.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the roller is provided with a layer of sponge rubber.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the speed of rotation of the roller and the speed of movement on the conveyor are such that the opposed surfaces at the gap move at different speeds as well as in opposite directions.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the peripheral speed of the roller is less than the speed of movement of the conveyor.

5. Apparatus for rolling dough, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

6. A method of rolling dough, comprising using the apparatus of any one of the preceding Claims, feeding flat dough sheets onto the conveyor, using the coiling means in co-operation with the conveyor to coil the flat dough sheets on the conveyor, and using the roller in co-operation with the conveyor to consolidate the coiled dough sheets.