GB2164600A - Improvements in dough moulding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to sheeting roller arrangements as used in dough processing, particularly in dough moulding and moulder/panner machines. A pair of sheeting rollers has a setting mechanism for setting the thickness of the gap between them (and hence the thickness of the sheet of dough) and a transducer operated by the setting mechanism controls a digital read-out thus giving a direct indication of the thickness of the space between the rollers.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in dough moulding apparatus This invention relates to dough moulding apparatus, and in particular to the regulation of sheeting rollers in a dough moulding machine. A typical moulder/panner machine as used in a bakery essentially comprises a set of sheeting rollers which squeeze a dough piece into a flat sheet, a conveyor and coiling mechanism on which the sheet of dough is coiled on itself into a roll, and a discharge apparatus (which sometimes includes apparatus for folding the roll of dough on itself) for feeding the moulded dough piece into a baking tin or pan.

The invention can be applied to the sheeting rollers of such a moulder/panner, but it is to be understood that it can also be applied to any other set of sheeting rollers used for rolling out dough in a bread making process.

Provision is usually made in a dough moulding apparatus for adjusting the "setting" of a pair of sheeting rollers, that is to say, the thickness of the space between the two rollers at their nip. It will be appreciated that the thickness of the sheet of dough issuing from a pair of sheeting rollers is a function of this setting.

According to this invention a pair of sheeting rollers in a dough moulding machine is provided with a setting mechanism for adjusting the setting between the rollers, there being a transducer adapted to be operated by the setting mechanism, and a digital read-out, the output from the actuator controlling the digital read-out in such a manner that the read-out gives a direct indication of the thickness of the space between,.the sheeting rollers.

Preferably the setting mechanism comprises an eccentric mounting of a journal bearing for one of the sheeting rollers, and means for turning the eccentric mounting to adjust the position of the journal bearing relatively to a stationary journal bearing of the mating sheeting roller. It is further preferred to provide one such eccentric mounting at each end of the sheeting roller and to couple the two eccentric mountings mechanically, so that they move in unison. In the preferred construction, the means for turning the eccentric mounting(s) comprises a lever operated by a screw- and-nut arrangement.

According to another preferred feature of the invention the actuator includes a detector leyer linked to the eccentric mounting so that it is adapted to be turned by the turning of the eccentric mounting, the detector lever providing the input to the actuator and by virtue of its location at any time giving an indication of the setting of the rollers.

The transducer may be any electro-mechanical device capable of issuing an output signal which will activate the digital read-out, so that the figure appearing at the read-out is related to the angular position of the lever.

One construction of a dough moulding apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l is a diagrammatic end view of a sheeting roller arrangement, Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of part of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a front view looking in the direction of arrow Ill in Figure 1.

The sheeting roller arrangement which is illustrated in the drawings is part of a moulder/panner as conventionally used in the baking industry. Essentially, the sheeting apparatus comprises three pairs of co-operating rollers, through which a piece of dough passes, on its way to a coiling arrangement and subsequently to a panning arrangement.

A piece of dough divided from the mass of dough coming from a dough mixer, is fed into the nip of the first pair of sheeting rollers, which roll it out into a flat sheet. The three pairs of sheeting rollers are set at progressively decreasing distances apart at their nips, so that as the sheet of dough passes through the second and thrid pairs of sheeting rollers, it increases in area, and decreases in thickness. The three pairs of sheeting rollers have to be set, so that the first pair of rollers is capable of dealing with the dough piece as it arrives at the moulder/panner, and the last pair of sheeting rollers has to be set so that the thickness of the sheet of dough issuing from the sheeting rollers is that which is required to produce the best effect on the subsequent stations of the moulder/panner machine.

Each of the sheeting rollers is a plane cylindrical roller, having stub axles, whereby it can be jour nalled in bearings at each side of the machine. Referring to Figure 1, the stub axles of the first pair of sheeting rollers are shown at 10 and 12, those of the second pair of sheeting rollers are shown at 14 and 16 and those of the third pair of sheeting rollers are shown at 18 and 20. These stub axles are also shown in Figure 3, where one of the top pair of sheeting rollers has been omitted, so that in Figure 3, it is possible to see a sheeting roller 22 of the top pair of sheeting rollers; the middle pair of sheeting rollers 24 and 26, and the bottom pair of sheeting rollers 28 and 30.It will be observed, that the path through the successive nips of the sheeting roller arrangement is inclined downwardly, so that the dough piece travels largely by gravity from one pair of sheeting rollers to the succeeding pair of sheeting rollers. However, it is unnecessary to describe the arrangement for conveying the sheet of dough from one pair of rollers to the next, because this does not form part of the present invention.

All the sheeting rollers are driven by a chainand-sprocket wheel drive indicated generally at 32 in Figure 1. The chain is driven from the main machine drive, in conventional manner, and the arrangement of the chain drive is such that all the sheeting rollers rotate at approximately the same surface speed. It will be observed that the roller shafts 10 and 12 appertaining to the first pair of sheeting rollers are journalled in fixed locations, so that the thickness of the gap between these two rollers at their nip remains constant. This is acceptable, because there is no necessity to adjust the thickness of the sheet of dough which is squeezed out from between the first pair of sheeting rollers.

However, each of the second and third pairs of sheeting rollers includes an arrangement, which will now be described, whereby it is possible to adjust the thickness of the space between the rollers of the pair at the nip, to provide a means of controlling the thickness of the sheet of dough which is squeezed out between that pair of rollers.

The shaft 16 of the bottom sheeting roller 26 is journalled in bearings at fixed locations, so that the bottom roller 26 remains in one position. However, the shaft 14 appertaining to the top sheeting roller 24 is jounalled in a bearing 34 which is carried by a bearing mounting 36 rotatable in a sheave 38 attached to or forming part of the side frame of the machine. The bearing 34 is mounted eccentrically within the bearing mounting 36, so that if the bearing mounting is rotated about its axis, the bearing 34 is moved through an arc, thereby displacing the top roller 24 relatively to the bottom roller 16, and consequently varying the thickness of the space between those two rollers.It will be appreciated, that the adjustment provided by the rotation of the bearing mounting 36, needs only be relatively small, since only small variations in the thickness of the space between the sheeting rollers is required in practice.

A pair of upstanding lugs 40 on the sheave 38 provide bearings for a screw-threaded shaft 42, on which there is a nut 44, having a roller, engaging in a slotted arm 46 which is fixed to the bearing mounting 36. The screwed shaft 42 can be rotated by a handwheel 48 driving the shaft 42 through a handwheel shaft 50 and a universal joint 52. Thus, it is possible to set the thickness between the sheeting rollers 24 and 26, by turning the handle 48, which, through operation of the screwed shaft 42, causes the nut 44 to turn the lever 46, and with it the bearing mounting 36.There is of course an appreciable mechanical advantage provided by the screw-and-nut mechanism, and the eccentric arrangement, so that although the roller 24 may be of appreciable weight, only a relatively small turning force is required at the handwheel 48, to provide the adjustment A bevel pinion 54 keyed on the screwed shaft 42 meshes with a bevel wheel 56 keyed on a crossshaft 58, which extends across the width of the machine, and through a similar pair of bevel gears, drives a screw-threaded shaft (not shown) at the opposite side of the machine.There is an eccentric bearing mounting similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 at the opposite side of the machine, and the cross-shaft 58 transmits from the handwheel 48 to the opposite side of the machine, so that the two bearings appertaining to the top sheeting roller 24 are adjusted in unison and by the same amount. Consequently, the rollers 24 and 26 are maintained in a paraliel relationship, despite any adjustment which might take place in the setting between those two rollers.

The arrangement which has just been described with reference to the sheeting rollers 24 and 26,is duplicated for the sheeting rollers 28 and 30, so that it is possible to adjust the setting between the bottom pair of sheeting rollers by operating a handwheel 60, similar to the handwheel 48.

At one side of the machine, each of the levers 46 is formed with a recess 62 (see Figure 2} and one end of a detector lever 64 engages in the recess 62. The other end of the lever 64 is keyed on to the operating shaft of a transducer 68, which is fixed to the machine frame, in a position such, that the axis of the operating shaft 66 is coaxial with the axis about which the bearing mounting 36 is able to turn. As a result of this arrangement, whenever the bearing mounting 36 is turned, the lever 64 and the operating shaft 66 turn through the same angle. The transducer 68 is a linear potentiometer to which a constant voltage is applied, so that it issues an output signal, the strength (voltage) of which is directly proportional to the angular location of the operating shaft 66.Consequentiy, the strength of the electrical output signal from the actuator 68 is a direct measure of the thickness or setting between the pair of rollers 24 and 26.

Mounted on one side frame of the machine is a digital read-out device 70, which is adapted to receive the output signal from each of the two tranducers 68. A two-position selector switch (not shown) on the read-out device 70 enables the operative to select either of the two transducers 68, and only the output signal from the selected transducer is applied to the device 70. The latter is a digital voltmeter which indexes upwardly when excited but stops indexing when the number display on it corresponds to the strength of the output signal from the transducer 68. The calibration of the digital read-out is such that the figure displayed on it is the measurement in millimetres and microns of the setting between the pair of sheeting rollers.

Thus, when the operative is carrying out an adjustment of the setting of the sheeting rollers by turning one of the handwheels 48 and selecting the appropriate transducer connected to the read-out 70, the thickness of the dough piece which will be squeezed out between the pair of sheeting rollers on which the adjustment is being carried out.

As an alternative to a single read-out with a selector switch, the machine may be fitted with two digital read-outs 70, one actuated by each of the two transducers 68 appertaining respectively to the sheeting rollers 24, 26 and 28, 30. In some instances, it may be sufficient to provide a single digital read-out and transducer 68, on the bottom pair of sheeting rollers, since of course it is the bottom pair of rollers which determines the final thickness of the sheet of dough emanating from the sheeting roller arrangement. However, it is useful to be able to read off the thickness of the sheeting roller gap on both the pairs of sheeting rollers because the user is then able to see how the sheeting is divided between the pairs of rollers.

It will be appreciated, that the mechanism for adjusting the setting of the sheeting rollers can be applied to any of the pairs of sheeting rollers, and equally, the transducer and digital read-out system can be applied to any of the pairs of rollers which are equipped with adjustable setting means. It should be further understood, that the tranducer and digital read-out system could be applied to setting arrangements, wherein the precise mechanism for adjusting the setting between the rollers of each pair is different to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Claims (7)

1. A dough moulding machine having a pair of sheeting rollers, provided with a setting mechanism for adjusting the setting between the rollers, there being a transducer adapted to be operated by the setting mechanism, and a digital read-out, the output from the actuator controlling the digital read-out in such a manner that the read-out gives a direct indication of the thickness of the space between the sheeting rollers.

2. A dough moulding machine as claimed in Claim 1, in which the setting mechanism comprises an eccentric mounting of a journal bearing for one of the sheeting rollers, and means for turning the eccentric mounting to adjust the position of the journal bearing relatively to a stationary journal bearing of the mating sheeting roller.

3. A dough moulding machine as claimed in Claim 1, in which there is provided an eccentric mounting as claimed in Claim 2, at each end of the sheeting roller, the two eccentric mountings being coupled mechanically, so that they move in unison.

4. A dough moulding machine as claimed in Claim 2 or-Claim 3, in which the means for turning the eccentric mounting(s) comprises a lever operated by a screw-and-nut arrangement.

5. A dough moulding machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the actuator includes a detector lever linked to the eccentric mounting so that it is adapted to be turned by the turning of the eccentric mounting, the detector lever providing the input to the actuator and by virtue of its location at any time giving an indication of the setting of the rollers.

6. A dough moulding machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the transducer is an electro- mechanical device capable of issuing an output signal which will activate the digital read-out, so that the figure appearing at the readout is related to the angular position of the lever.

7., A dough moulding machine having a pair of sheeting rollers, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.