IE77042B1 - A bread production process - Google Patents

Abstract

Dough is prepared and delivered into baking trays. After proving (18, 24), the trays travel on a conveyor through a continuous oven (26) to bake the dough to form bread loaves. Downstream of the oven (26) the loaves are removed from the trays at a de-panning station (30) and conveyed through a cooler (35). Cooled bread loaves discharged from the cooler (35) travel to a queuing station (36). At the queuing station (36) batches of loaves of a pre-desired number are delivered in turn to a number of slicing machines (38). Delivery of loaves is cycled between different slicing machines (38) for controlled feeding of loaves to the slicing machines (38). Sliced loaves are subsequently wrapped (60).

Description

A bread production process This invention relates to a bread production process, and in particular to a process for producing sliced loaves of bread.

According to the invention, there is provided a bread production process comprising the steps :delivering preset amounts of selected ingredient materials to a mixer and mixing the ingredient materials to form a dough, cutting the dough into dough pieces of a uniform desirable size, rolling each dough piece into a ball and dropping the dough ball into a cradle of a proving apparatus for carrying the dough piece through the proving apparatus, downstream of the proving apparatus, rolling each dough ball into an elongate roll and cutting the roll into a number of pieces, then dropping said pieces into a pre-greased baking tray, passing each baking try through a final proving station, conveying rows of baking trays through a continuous oven to bake the dough to form bread loaves, delivering the baking trays from an outlet of the oven to a de-panning station, removing each loaf from its associated baking tray at the de-panning station, - 2 carrying each bread loaf through a cooler ·· downstream of the de-panning station, circulating cooling air through the cooler to cool loaves as * they travel between an inlet and an outlet of the cooler, delivering the loaves on a transfer conveyor from an outlet of the cooler to a queuing station for controlled feeding of the bread loaves to a number of bread slicing machines, feeding the bread loaves through the slicing machines for slicing the bread loaves, and wrapping the sliced bread loaves.

In a preferred embodiment, at the queuing station the process includes the steps of collecting a preselected number of loaves end to end on a feed conveyor associated with each slicing machine, controlling operation of the feed conveyor to regulate the feeding of bread loaves to an inlet of the slicing machine, operating the feed conveyor in response to sensed bread loaves at the inlet of the associated slicing machine.

In another embodiment, the queuing station has a number of spaced-apart feed conveyors branching off the transfer conveyor for delivering bread loaves from the transfer conveyor to each slicing machine, and guide means for guiding preset quantities of loaves onto selected feed conveyors for regulating feed of loaves onto each feed conveyor.

In a further embodiment, the process includes the step of discharging each baking tray from the oven onto a feed conveyor leading to the de-panning station, the feed conveyor having a backstop at a side of the feed conveyor, the backstop being movable between a raised position for retaining the trays on the feed conveyor for delivering the trays to the de-panning station, and a lowered position for allowing discharge of the trays off the feed conveyor onto a rack mounted adjacent the feed conveyor.

In another embodiment, the process includes the step of carrying the baking trays on inclined feed rollers between an outlet of the oven and the feed conveyor for the depanning station, engaging and lifting a leading edge of each baking tray as it is being delivered from the oven onto the feed rollers.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. 1 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a bread production process according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of apparatus used in the bread production process; Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) are plan and perspective views respectively of portion of the apparatus used in the process; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an outlet end of a baking oven used in the process; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of apparatus at an outlet end of a baking oven used in the process; Fig. 6 is a detail view of portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view of a queuing and slicing apparatus used in the process; Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an elevational view of portion of the queuing apparatus; Fig. 10 is a detail elevational view of portion of the queuing apparatus; Fig. 11 is a detail plan view of portion of the queuing apparatus; and Fig. 12 is a detail, side elevational view of slicing station used in the process.

Referring to the drawings, bulk ingredient materials are stored in hoppers 10 from which pre-selected quantities of bulk ingredient materials are delivered to a mixer 12, together with additional ingredient materials such as fat, yeast and water. The ingredient materials are mixed in the mixer 12 to form a dough.

Dough discharged from the mixer 12 passes through a divider 14 which cuts the dough into dough pieces of a desired size.

Each dough piece is then delivered to a balling apparatus 16 which rolls the dough piece into a ball which is dropped into a cradle 17 at an inlet of an initial proving apparatus 18 for delivery through the proving apparatus.

Downstream of the proving apparatus 18, dough pieces are delivered in turn through a roller 20 which rolls the dough piece into an elongate roll. This roll is then conveyed past overhead knives which cut the roll into four pieces. The dough pieces are dropped into a pre-greased tray which is then delivered through a final proving station 24. Prior to delivery to the final proving station 24, lids may be put on each tray.

Downstream of the final proving station 24, trays are conveyed through a continuous oven 26 for baking the dough to form bread loaves.

At an outlet of the oven 26, a set of feed rollers 27 is provided to transfer the trays from the oven conveyor onto a feed conveyor leading to a de-panning station 30. Hexagonal rollers 29 are mounted between an outlet end of the oven conveyor and the feed rollers 27 and these hexagonal rollers 29 engage an underside of the trays to lift a front edge of the trays as they leave the oven conveyor for smooth transfer of the trays onto the feed rollers 27. This advantageously prevents a leading edge of the trays from digging into and snagging the feed rollers 27.

It will be noted that a feed conveyor 31 for the depanning station 30 extends across an outlet end of the feed rollers 27. Trays discharged from the feed rollers 27 onto the feed conveyor 31 engage against a back stop 32 at a side of the feed conveyor 31 remote from the feed rollers 27 prior to being carried away on the feed conveyor 31 to the de-panning station 30. This backstop 32 is movable by means of rams between a raised normal inuse position extending above the feed conveyor 31 and a lowered released position below the feed conveyor. A rack is provided extending outwardly of the side of the feed conveyor 31 adjacent the backstop 32. Advantageously, if it becomes necessary to stop the feed conveyor 31 while bread is being discharged from the oven 26, the backstop 32 can be moved to the retracted position and trays discharged from the oven 26 are collected on the rack 33. When the de-panning conveyor 31 is returned to operation, the trays can be mounted on the feed conveyor 31.

The movable backstop 32 can also advantageously be used at the start of each baking run. Typically, the first few rows of trays of bread tend to be overcooked because of the initial oven conditions. These loaves are rejected. To conveniently separate the reject loaves from the remainder of the baking run, the backstop 32 can be lowered to collect the reject trays on the rack 33 for disposal. As soon as bread of acceptable quality is being discharged from the oven, the backstop 32 is raised to direct the trays to the de-panning station 30.

At the de-panning station 30, loaves are lifted from the tins which are returned via a greasing station 34 for recharging with fresh dough.

Bread rolls are delivered from the de-panning station 30 through a cooler 35 which comprises a housing through which air is circulated by fans to cool the bread as it travels between an inlet and an outlet of the cooler 35.

Bread loaves discharged from the cooler 35 are delivered to slicing machines 38 via a queuing station 36. A transfer conveyor 40 carries bread loaves from the cooler 35 to the queuing station 36. At the queuing station 36, each loaf is delivered to one of a number of slicing machines 38 by feed conveyors 42 associated with each slicing machine 38. The loaves are directed onto selected feed conveyors 42 by the controlled operation of delivery apparatus 43 which directs the loaves from the transfer conveyor onto the appropriate chosen feed conveyor 42.

The delivery apparatus 43 has a support frame 44. An inlet conveyor 45 is vertically movable by a ram 46 for alignment of an outlet end 47 of the inlet conveyor 45 with a discharge conveyor 48 leading to a feed conveyor 42 for a slicing machine 38 or with an inlet conveyor 45 of a next adjacent delivery apparatus 43. The inlet conveyor 45 of the first delivery apparatus 43 receives loaves from the transfer conveyor 40 from the cooler 35.

On the feed conveyor 42, a batch of loaves of a preselected number, typically fourteen, is queued and then released for delivery to an inlet ramp 50 of the associated bread slicing machine 38. A sensor 51 mounted across the feed conveyor 42 counts the number of loaves delivered onto the feed conveyor 42. When the preselected number of loaves has been delivered onto the feed conveyor 42, a controller operates the ram 46 to raise the conveyor 45 for delivery of loaves to the next slicing machine 38. When the feed conveyor 42 of the second slicing machine 38 has received its batch of loaves, if the first slicing machine 38 is free, another batch of loaves is delivered to it otherwise a batch of loaves is delivered to the third slicing machine 38.

Operation of the feed conveyor 42 is controlled in response to a sensor 54 mounted across the ramp 50 feeding the slicing machine 38. When no loaves are sensed by the sensor 54, the feed conveyor 42 is operated for delivery of loaves to the ramp 50 for feeding through the slicing machine 38. When a number of loaves are backed up on the ramp 50, these are detected by the sensor 54 which stops the feed conveyor 42 preventing further delivery of loaves from the feed conveyor 42 onto the ramp 50 until the sensor 54 is cleared.

Advantageously, by controlling the feed of bread loaves through each slicing machine, improved quality of the slicing can be achieved giving a uniform slicing of the bread loaves. The large number of loaves discharged from the cooler can be handled efficiently in a trouble free manner. Conveniently also, if a fault occurs on one of the slicing lines, it can be switched out of the system to effect repairs without stopping the whole process.

The sliced bread loaves are then wrapped in a wrapping machine 60 and mounted on trays for delivery.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (7)

1. A bread production process comprising the steps:delivering preset amounts of selected ingredient materials to a mixer and mixing the ingredient materials to form a dough, cutting the dough into dough pieces of a uniform desirable size, rolling each dough piece into a ball and dropping the dough ball into a cradle of a proving apparatus for carrying the dough piece through the proving apparatus, downstream of the proving apparatus, rolling each dough ball into an elongate roll and cutting the roll into a number of pieces, then dropping said pieces into a pre-greased baking tray, passing each baking try through a final proving station, conveying rows of baking trays through a continuous oven to bake the dough to form bread loaves, delivering the baking trays from an outlet of the oven to a de-panning station, removing each loaf from its associated baking tray at the depanning station, carrying each bread loaf through a cooler downstream of the de-panning station, circulating cooling air through the cooler to cool loaves as they travel between an inlet and an outlet of the cooler, delivering the loaves on a transfer conveyor from an outlet of the cooler to a queuing station for controlled feeding of the bread loaves to a number of bread slicing machines, feeding the bread loaves through the slicing machines for slicing the bread loaves, and wrapping the sliced bread loaves.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein at the queuing station the process includes the steps of collecting a preselected number of loaves end to end on a feed conveyor associated with each slicing machine, controlling operation of the feed conveyor to regulate the feeding of bread loaves to an inlet of the slicing machine, operating the feed conveyor in response to sensed bread loaves at the inlet of the associated slicing machine.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the queuing station has a number of spaced-apart feed conveyors branching off the transfer conveyor for delivering bread loaves from the transfer conveyor to each slicing machine, and guide means for guiding preset quantities of loaves onto selected feed conveyors for regulating feed of loaves onto each feed conveyor.

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim including the step of discharging each baking tray from the oven onto a feed conveyor leading to the de-panning station, the feed conveyor having a backstop at a side of the feed conveyor, the backstop being movable between a raised position for retaining the trays on the feed conveyor for delivering the trays to the depanning station, and a lowered position for allowing 5. Discharge of the trays off the feed conveyor onto a rack mounted adjacent the feed conveyor.

5. A process as claimed in any preceding claim including the step of carrying the baking trays on inclined feed rollers between an outlet of the oven and the 10 feed conveyor for the de-panning station, engaging and lifting a leading edge of each baking tray as it is being delivered from the oven onto the feed rollers .

6. A bread production process substantially as 15 hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

7. Bread loaves whenever produced according to the process as claimed in any preceding claim.