767,995. Moulding dough strips. SOC. PER AZIONI RINALDO ROSSI. Aug. 10, 1954 [April 15, 1954], No. 23218/54. Class 87(2). Strips of dough for making lengths of crispbread are formed in a machine wherein the dough passes between rollers, at least one of which is fluted, the strips so formed are divided by a device which avoids cutting or rupturing the dough with consequent escape of gas from within it, and the divided strips are deposited in baking pans carried by a conveyer. The casing 6 surrounding the machine is apertured at 34 to receive the dough, at 32 for the exit of the dough after preliminary rolling, at 35 for receiving the dough after its first rolling, and as shown in Fig. 1 for conveyers 42, 55 at one end and for the conveyer 55 at the other end. The width of the input apertures 34, 35 is adjustable by movable blocks 37, 39 which are fixed in position to give the desired width by screws 38, 40. A door is provided at the inlet opening to the conveyer 55. The dough fed through 34 is rolled between plain rollers 4, 4<SP>1</SP>. The roller 4<SP>1</SP> may be moved nearer the roller 4 by tightening screws 9 against springs 8 which tend to keep the rollers apart, and the thickness of the sheet of dough formed between the rollers can thus be controlled. A conveyer 30 carries the dough sheet outside through the aperture 32, and the sheet is then fed manually through the inlet 35 to a pair of rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP>. The rollers 4, 4<SP>1</SP> revolve at three times the speed of the rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP> so allowing the dough to be passed repeatedly through the rollers 4, 4<SP>1</SP> without interrupting the operation of the rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP>. The rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP> are fluted, and the roller 3 is adjustable, to keep the lands of the fluted rollers in contact, by screws 7. The rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP> therefore divide the dough into the required strips 41, which are fanned out by guides 33 as they leave the rollers. The strips are carried by a conveyer 42 to a device for dividing them into lengths without rupturing them, to avoid escape of the gases in the dough. Dull blades 45 with projecting studs 46 are held by a shaft 44, in positions which may be adjusted radially, by nuts 47. The length of strip to be cut is governed by the number of blades. The shaft 44 is held in a frame 43 and the position of the blades in relation to the dough strips to be cut is adjustable by screws 50 with hand-wheels 52. The conveyer 42 is supported immediately below the blades 45 by a roller 53 which is resiliently mounted and is itself made of rubber, and this construction, combined with the dullness of the blades. ensures that the dough strips are divided by a squashing action without actually cutting or rupturing them. The strips, cut into lengths, are further moved by the conveyer 42 outside the casing 6, and drop into baking pans on the conveyer 55 which transmits them to the other end of the machine. The conveyers, rollers and rotary blade shaft are driven from a common electric motor, (not shown) a speed regulator, (also not shown) adjusting the speed of the conveyers 42, 55 and the blade shaft 44. The drive to the rollers 4, 4<SP>1</SP> is through a chain 19 and sprocket 20, the roller 4 driving the rollers 41 through gears 21, 21<SP>1</SP>. The drive to the rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP> is through a pinion 11 meshing with the gear 10<SP>1</SP> of a pair of intermeshing gears 10, 10<SP>1</SP> on the shafts of the rollers 3, 3<SP>1</SP>. The conveyer 30 is driven from the shaft of the roller 4<SP>1</SP> by a chain 23. A brush 15, driven through a gear train 16, 17, facilitates detachment of the dough strips from the roller 3.