Patent ID: 6065392
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: A21C

Abstract:
Apparatus for manufacturing different shaped bakery products, includinga dough packet feeder which advances rows of substantially spherical shaped dough packets to an exit station,a roller gate positioned at the exit station to receive the rows of substantially spherical shaped dough packets exiting the dough packet feeder,said roller gate including a first roller member having three rows of receptacles spaced apart from each other 120.degree., each receptacle sized to receive an individual substantially spherical shaped dough packet,a flattening roller mechanism positioned to receive the substantially spherical shaped dough packets which fall from the first roller member as said first roller member is rotated,a bakery pan indexing feeder which advances in a step-wise manner bakery pans,a table positioned between the roller gate and the bakery pan indexing feeder having a moving carrier member with a receiving end onto which the rows of flattened dough packets are deposited upon leaving the flattening roller mechanism and an exit end from which fall the dough packets carried by the moving carrier member,a moveable pressure board having a first inoperable position and a second operable position above the table to provide a narrow gap through which the flattened dough packets pass to form the flattened dough packets into substantially cylindrical shaped dough packets,a ramp member moveable between a first operable position at the exit end of the moving carrier member where said ramp member directs the dough packets falling from the table into bakery pans carried by the bakery pan indexing feeder and a second inoperable position to expose a second roller member which collects the dough packets falling from the table,said second roller member having three rows of receptacles spaced apart from each other 120.degree., each receptacle sized to receive an individual substantially cylindrical shaped dough packet, anda drive mechanism for rotating the first and second roller members to rotate synchronously the first and second roller members through a 120.degree. turn each time a row of dough packets is advanced.