GB2110982A

GB2110982A - Dough portioning device

Info

Publication number: GB2110982A
Application number: GB08233632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ferdinand Bodenstorfer
Original assignee: Werner and Pfleiderer GmbH
Current assignee: Werner and Pfleiderer GmbH
Priority date: 1981-11-26
Filing date: 1982-11-25
Publication date: 1983-06-29
Also published as: AT373758B; DE3241025C2; IT1156340B; DE3241025A1; NL8204492A; GB2110982B; IT8224417A0; ATA508981A

Abstract

A dough portioning device comprises a supply container (1) in the form of, for example, a funnel, for the dough, to which is connected a portioning part (3) with an entry opening (4) and an exit opening (5) for dough. A resilient expansion element (6) acting as a pump is arranged at the inside wall of the portioning part (3). A slide (11), which cuts off the dough, is arranged at the exit opening (5). A further such slide can be arranged at the entry opening (4). The expansion element (6) may be actuated by pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dough portioning device The present invention relates to a dough portioning device.

Finishing machines for dough are mostly unsuitable for greater volumes and therefore are confined to handling smaller pieces of dough for processing.

Devices with roller frames or bucket wheels are known for this purpose, but have the disadvantage that they mechanically stress the dough to a substantial degree. Piston dividers are also known, but although they stress the dough less, they entail considerable complication.

In DE-OS 25 21167 there is disclosed a doughdividing machine in which dough flows out of a vat under the influence of gravity, enhanced by compressed air, to a constricted exit stub pipe, in which a resilient expansion body is arranged. The expansion body is capable of throttling the throughflow opening up to complete closure, whereby the desired portion of the dough flowing therethrough is caused to drop off without the intermediacy of cutting elements. However, operational interruptions readily arise during the processing of doughs which tend to stick, because the dough portions fall off at very irregular intervals. The known machine is also not suitable for continuous operation because of the vat standing under pressure.

According to the present invention there is provided a dough portioning device comprising means defining a dough portioning chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, supply means connected to the chamber inlet for supply of dough to the chamber, a resilient element disposed at wall means of the chamber and deflectable to press dough out of the chamber, and a cutting element arranged at the chamber outlet and operable to cut off a portion of dough conveyed out of the chamber.

The resilient element can exert a pump effect, whereby the dough may be able to be conveyed without mechanical stressing. The cutting element, for example a slide, cutting off the dough can effect an immediate dropping-off of the cut dough portions. Reliable operation may thus be achievable with relatively sensitive handling of the dough.

Preferably, the resilient element is actuable hydraulically or mechanically. Expediently, this element extends around the entire circumference of the inside wall of the chamber.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views of a first dough portioning device embodying the invention in, respectively, two different operating positions; Figures 3 and 4 are schematic cross-sectional views of a second dough portioning device embodying the invention in, respectively, two different operating positions; and Figures 5 and 6 are schematic cross-sectional views of a third dough portioning device embodying the invention in, respectively, two different operating positions.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a dough portioning device comprising a supply container in the form of, for example, a funnel for dough 2. Connected by a flange to the underside of the container is a portioning member 3 which is, for example, substantially square, oblong or circular in cross-section and which has an entry opening 4 and an exit opening 5. A resilient expansion element in the form of a diaphragm 6 is arranged at the righthand side of the portioning member 3. The wall of the member 3 is bowed outwardly at this location and is connected with a tubular pressure duct 7, which leads to a cylinder 8 with piston 9. A liquid or gaseous medium 10, which transmits movement of the piston to the diaphragm 6, is disposed in the duct 7.Arranged at the exit opening 5 is a slide 11, which is shown opened in the operating position of Figure 1 and thereby frees the exit opening 5. The piston 9 is disposed in its lower end position and thus causes the medium 10 to press the diaphragm 6 against the dough 2 in the member 3 so that a dough piece 2' is pressed out of the exit opening 5.

The operating position illustrated in Figure 2 shows cutting-off of the dough piece 2' by the slide 11, which now closes off the exit opening 5. When this happens, the piston 9 is brought into its upper end position so that the diaphragm 6 lies against the bowed inside wall 12 of the member 3 and the dough 2 flows from the container 1 into the member 3 in correspondence with the enlarged volume of the member. Subsequently, the slide 11 is again brought into the operating position illustrated in Figure 1 and the diaphragm 6 again displaced through the piston 9 and medium 10 into the position illustrated in Figure 1, whereupon the above process is repeated.

In the embodiment according to Figures 3 and 4, an additional slide 13 is provided at the entry opening 4 and makes possible a more exact portioning by comparison with the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. In the operating position illustrated in Figure 3, the diaphragm 6 rests against the inside wall 12 and the upper slide 13 is opened, while the lower slide 11 is closed. In the operating position illustrated in Figure 3, the upper slide 13 is at first closed, then the lower slide 11 is opened and the diaphragm 6 bowed out through the piston 9 moving downwardly so that a dough piece 2' of predetermined volume is pressed out of the exit opening 5.

Thereafter, the lower slide 11 closes and cuts off the dough piece 2'. The upper slide 13 is again opened and the piston 9 again brought into its upper end position so that the diaphragm 6 again rests against the inside wall 12 and the dough 2 flows on from the supply container 1 into the member 3.

In both embodiments, a hose, a balloon or the like can be used in place of the diaphragm 6. The inside wall does not necessarily have to be dished and the expansion element, when, for example, a hose is used, can extend over the entire circumference of the inside wall 12.

If a liquid medium 10 is used for actuation of the diaphragm 6, then an edible oil is preferably used as the medium so as not to impair the dough quality in the case of possible small leakages.

In the embodiment according to Figures 5 and 6, an eccentric drive 2u is provided for actuation of the diaphragm 6, which drive cyclically or continuously at intervals acts on he diaphragm via a pusher 12 to press out a dough piece 2', which is cut off by the slide 11. The above-mentioned slide 13 can also be provided.

Claims

1. A dough portioning device comprising means defining a dough portioning chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, supply means connected to the chamber inlet for supply of dough to the chamber, a resilient element disposed at wall means of the chamber and deflectable to press dough out of the chamber, and a cutting element arranged at the chamber outlet and operable to cut off a portion of dough conveyed out of the chamber.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a further cutting element arranged at the chamber inlet and operable to cut off dough in the chamber from dough in the supply means.

3. A device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each cutting element comprises a slide.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the supply means comprising a funnel.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient element extends around the entire cross-section of the chamber.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising pneumatic means operable to deflect the resilient element.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising hydraulic means operable to deflect the resilient element.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a pusher member which mechanically reciprocatable to deflect the resilient element.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, comprising an eccentric operable to reciprocate the pusher member.

10. A dough portioning device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.