GB2088275A - Dough Folding Device - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for overturning sideflaps of a slab of dough onto its central part, said apparatus having folding elements comprising free rotating rollers (8) arranged to define a non-friction guide path whose configuration exhibits a twisted dough engaging surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dough Folding Device This invention relates to a device for folding over at least one sideflap of a slab of dough, comprising at least one conveyor means for supplying such slab of dough, and at least one folding element arranged in a stationary position in the vicinity of said conveyor means in the path of the sideflap of the slab of dough to be folded and forming a guide for folding over the sideflap through 1800 on to the central portion of the slab of dough as said sideflap moves over said guide.

Dutch patent specification No. 87,680 discloses a folding device employing such folding elements in the form of strips of metal of synthetic plastics material twisted through approximately 1800. It is clear that the operation of a folding device of this type is greatly affected by the friction experienced by the dough during its movement on the folding element. As this friction is mainly determined by the consistency of the dough, which varies greatly in practice, it is difficult, if not impossible, to effect good and constant sideflap overturning movements with the prior device.

According to the invention, this disadvantage is overcome by forming the or each folding element with an array of rotatable rollers.

As, in that arrangement, dough sideflaps no longer slide on the folding element, but are guided over the rotating rollers as they are folded, this eliminates dependency 6n dough consistency, and constant overturning movements, even with larger folding edges, can be realized.

The rollers may be cylinders journalled for free rotation on shafts whose spatial positioning is such that the cylinder surface define a guide track of twisted configuration.

For feeding a dough slab sideflap to the guide track, use can be made of a short ramp whose only function is to lift the sideflap of a supplied slab of dough out of its plane of supply.

In one embodiment of the invention, which provides a structurally simple solution, said ramp is the boundary surface of a wedge-shaped member, with which the cylinder shafts of the rollers may be connected, possibly in an adjustable manner. The folding element then forms a unit that can be mounted and adjusted with facility and, although any contamination is minimal as it is, can be easily cleaned.

It is noted that Dutch patent specification No.

47,639 discloses a dough folding device in which use is made of rollers. These, however, are driven rollers rather than freely rotating ones and in addition have a special cross-sectional configuration and must be able to engage with a slab of dough before the latter reaches the conveyor means which carries the slab of dough further through the dough folding device.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a dough folding device according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation, taken on the line Il-lI of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a dough folding device comprising a conveyor roller 1, a dough supply conveyor 2, and a roller 3 for adjusting successive slabs of dough to the desired thickness, a folding element 4 and a roller 5 for compressing the overturned sideflaps of the slabs of dough.

As shown, the two folding elements 4 are axially adjustable relatively to conveyor roller 1 and equipped with a wedge-shaped block 6, a surface 7 of which forms a ramp for sideflaps of slabs of dough to be overturned. A sideflap lifted off conveyor roller 1 by ramp 7 comes into contact with an array of cylindrical rollers made of synthetic plastics material, said rollers being journalled for free rotation on shafts connected to a carrier 9 secured to block 6, and this in such a spatial orientation that cylinders 8 define a guide track of twisted configuration, which overturn the sideflaps Z of slabs of dough supplied on ramp 7 on to the central portion M of said slabs. Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows sideflaps Z of a slab of dough being folded over on to its central portion M.

Claims

1. A device for folding over at least one sideflap of a slab of dough, comprising at least one conveyor means for supplying such slab of dough, and at least one folding element arranged in a stationary position in the vicinity of said conveyor means in the path of the sidefiap of the slab of dough to be folded and forming a guide for folding over the sideflap through 1 800 on to the central portion of the slab of dough as said sideflap moves over said guide, characterized in that the or each or folding element is formed with an array of rotatable rollers.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said rollers are cylinders journalled for free rotation on shafts whose spatial positioning is such that the cylinder surfaces define a guide track of twisted configuration.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized by a short ramp for feeding sideflaps of dough slabs to said guide track.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said ram is a boundary surface of a--wedge- shaped member with which the cylinder shafts of the rollers may be connected.

5. A device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Dough Folding Device This invention relates to a device for folding over at least one sideflap of a slab of dough, comprising at least one conveyor means for supplying such slab of dough, and at least one folding element arranged in a stationary position in the vicinity of said conveyor means in the path of the sideflap of the slab of dough to be folded and forming a guide for folding over the sideflap through 1800 on to the central portion of the slab of dough as said sideflap moves over said guide. Dutch patent specification No. 87,680 discloses a folding device employing such folding elements in the form of strips of metal of synthetic plastics material twisted through approximately 1800. It is clear that the operation of a folding device of this type is greatly affected by the friction experienced by the dough during its movement on the folding element. As this friction is mainly determined by the consistency of the dough, which varies greatly in practice, it is difficult, if not impossible, to effect good and constant sideflap overturning movements with the prior device. According to the invention, this disadvantage is overcome by forming the or each folding element with an array of rotatable rollers. As, in that arrangement, dough sideflaps no longer slide on the folding element, but are guided over the rotating rollers as they are folded, this eliminates dependency 6n dough consistency, and constant overturning movements, even with larger folding edges, can be realized. The rollers may be cylinders journalled for free rotation on shafts whose spatial positioning is such that the cylinder surface define a guide track of twisted configuration. For feeding a dough slab sideflap to the guide track, use can be made of a short ramp whose only function is to lift the sideflap of a supplied slab of dough out of its plane of supply. In one embodiment of the invention, which provides a structurally simple solution, said ramp is the boundary surface of a wedge-shaped member, with which the cylinder shafts of the rollers may be connected, possibly in an adjustable manner. The folding element then forms a unit that can be mounted and adjusted with facility and, although any contamination is minimal as it is, can be easily cleaned. It is noted that Dutch patent specification No. 47,639 discloses a dough folding device in which use is made of rollers. These, however, are driven rollers rather than freely rotating ones and in addition have a special cross-sectional configuration and must be able to engage with a slab of dough before the latter reaches the conveyor means which carries the slab of dough further through the dough folding device. One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a dough folding device according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation, taken on the line Il-lI of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a dough folding device comprising a conveyor roller 1, a dough supply conveyor 2, and a roller 3 for adjusting successive slabs of dough to the desired thickness, a folding element 4 and a roller 5 for compressing the overturned sideflaps of the slabs of dough. As shown, the two folding elements 4 are axially adjustable relatively to conveyor roller 1 and equipped with a wedge-shaped block 6, a surface 7 of which forms a ramp for sideflaps of slabs of dough to be overturned. A sideflap lifted off conveyor roller 1 by ramp 7 comes into contact with an array of cylindrical rollers made of synthetic plastics material, said rollers being journalled for free rotation on shafts connected to a carrier 9 secured to block 6, and this in such a spatial orientation that cylinders 8 define a guide track of twisted configuration, which overturn the sideflaps Z of slabs of dough supplied on ramp 7 on to the central portion M of said slabs. Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows sideflaps Z of a slab of dough being folded over on to its central portion M. Claims

1. A device for folding over at least one sideflap of a slab of dough, comprising at least one conveyor means for supplying such slab of dough, and at least one folding element arranged in a stationary position in the vicinity of said conveyor means in the path of the sidefiap of the slab of dough to be folded and forming a guide for folding over the sideflap through 1 800 on to the central portion of the slab of dough as said sideflap moves over said guide, characterized in that the or each or folding element is formed with an array of rotatable rollers.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said rollers are cylinders journalled for free rotation on shafts whose spatial positioning is such that the cylinder surfaces define a guide track of twisted configuration.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized by a short ramp for feeding sideflaps of dough slabs to said guide track.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said ram is a boundary surface of a--wedge- shaped member with which the cylinder shafts of the rollers may be connected.

5. A device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.