Transfer apparatus for dough pieces

A transfer apparatus for transferring a dough piece from a first processing station to the next, especially from a dough portioning device to a dough kneading device, includes a rotating dropping roller and a scraper. The rotating dropping roller is configured to release the dough piece from the first processing station. The scraper is associated with the dropping roller and is configured to support the dough piece released from the dropping roller. An oiling device is associated with the dropping roller and is configured to apply oil onto an outside surface of the dropping roller.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2017 202 706.1, filed Feb. 20, 2017, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus for dough pieces to transfer said dough pieces from a first processing station to the next, as it is especially used for transferring dough pieces from a dough portioning device to a dough kneading device. Other application sites in baking systems can involve, for example, rotary slides, sub-drums, slide boxes, cutting and laminating lines for dough processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well-known that such transfer apparatuses have a rotating dropping roller, also called release roll or release shaft, for releasing the dough pieces from the outgoing processing station, as well as a scraper associated with the dropping roller to support the release of the dough piece from the dropping roller.

In prior art, such transfer apparatuses for dough pieces are described. In this connection, the tendency that the dough pieces results in a sticky dropping roller despite the scraper, especially when working with a soft, sticky dough, poses a problem. This interferes with a reliable, trouble-free operation of the transfer apparatus.

In general, baking systems operate with oiled rollers, but only for the purpose of oiling the dough pieces. For example, DE 2939818 C2 and DE 33 20 210 C2 show respective systems, in which oil applicator rollers are arranged at the transport path of dough pieces and apply oil on the surface of the dough pieces when they are passing by.

DE 29 43 088 A1 discloses a dough dividing and kneading machine with a final oil application, in which oil is sprayed out of nozzles directly on the dough pieces.

WO 03/051 127 A1 describes a device for the continuous production of a dough sheet.

DE 10 2008 000 730 A1 describes a dough portioning device in a hopper for receiving a dough mass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the objective of improving a transfer apparatus for dough pieces in such a way that effectively prevents the dropping roller from becoming sticky.

According to an aspect of the invention, a transfer apparatus for transferring a dough piece from first processing station to the next includes a rotating dropping roller that is configured to release the dough piece from the first processing station, and a scraper that is associated with the dropping roller and that is configured to support the dough piece released from the dropping roller. An oiling device is associated with the dropping roller and is configured to apply oil on an outside surface of the dropping roller.

By applying oil in such a way, the surface of the dropping roller becomes less adhesive for the dough, thus drastically reducing the tendency for causing the dropping roller to become sticky. The oiling device can comprise a unit which produces an oil mist by means of ultrasonic atomization, which oil mist precipitates on the outside of the dropping roller. The oiling device can comprise at least one spray can comprise at least one spray can. It is also possible that said oiling device comprises a plurality of such oil spray cans. The dropping roller can be mounted in detachable manner inside the transfer apparatus, as well as inside a dough processing system comprising the dough portioning device and the dough piece kneading device. The fact that the dropping roller can be detached facilitates the cleaning process of the roller and is beneficial for the installation environment of the roller. This is especially advantageous when processing soft doughs. In addition, it can be ensured that it is possible to operate the upstream dough portioning device and the downstream dough piece kneading device also when the dropping roller is removed, which can be especially advantageous when processing larger dough portions. The possibility of removing the dropping roller also facilitates the dead space accessibility of the installation environment of the dropping roller.

The oiling device can comprise at least one oiling pipe, which extends at a distance parallel to the rotational axis of the dropping roller and has oil outlet openings distributed across its length. This is a constructionally simple realization of the oiling device.

To convey the oil to the oiling device with the least possible technical effort, it is advantageous that the oiling pipe is arranged above the dropping roller. Then the oil is delivered unpressurized via the oil outlet openings and drips contingent on gravitation on the dropping roller. Therefore, it is sufficient to convey the oil to the oiling pipe via a simple pump device.

According to a further embodiment, the oil outlet openings can be arranged at the upper side of the oiling pipe facing away from the dropping roller to provide a unified flow of the released amount of oil. As a result, the oil is distributed across the surface of the pipe before dripping off in the direction of the dropping roller, thus achieving the equalizing effect.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the oil outlet openings can be configured in the form of nozzles, by means of which the oil can be sprayed under pressure on the dropping roller. Although this requires a more complex pumping device, a dosed spray rate can result in an even more uniform and particularly thin oil film on the dropping roller, which reduces the oil demand. This can be also advantageous in the event that an indirect oiling of the dough pieces should be as low as possible.

To simplify maintenance and especially cleaning procedures at the transfer apparatus, it is advisable to mount the oiling pipe in detachable manner in the transfer apparatus. As a result, it can be simply dismounted, cleaned and reinstalled for frequently required cleaning purposes.

The same objective is achieved by connecting the oiling pipe via a plug connection to an oil supply line, as provided according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention.

An alternative to the oiling device arranged at a distance to the dropping roller is provided by implementing an oil-soaked transmission medium in the form of a fabric, felt or fleece at the dropping roller. This has the advantage that the surface of the dropping roller, to which the oil is applied, can be precisely defined and less oil mist can penetrate the remaining areas of the baking system.

According to a further development of the invention, the oiling device is definitely supplied with oil from an oil reservoir via a pump, dosing pump, dosing-valve arrangement or the like. This also results in a beneficial efficiency of the oiling process.

A further embodiment provides that the scraper edge of the scraper is positioned above a micro gap at a distance of between 10 μm and 100 μm, preferably 50 μm, to the dropping roller. This micro gap further supports the uniform distribution of the oil across the surface of the dropping roller.

Also disclosed is a method of transferring a dough piece a dough portioning device to a dough kneading device using a transfer apparatus and of oiling a rotating dropping roller of the transfer apparatus.

Further characteristics, details and advantages of the invention are included in the following description of an embodiment by means of the enclosed figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIG. 1, the dough processing system shown comprises a customary dough dividing apparatus1with a supply hopper2for the dough T, a slide3arranged below and a portioning drum4. A partial quantity of the dough T is sheared off via the slide3and filled into a portioning chamber5, which is located in the portioning drum4and limited by an ejector piston6. By rotating the portioning drum4counter-clockwise in relation toFIG. 1, the portioning chamber5is brought into a turning position directed downward. At the same time, the ejector piston6is moved in radial direction, so that the dough piece TG located in the portioning chamber5is discharged downward.

To support the process of separating the dough piece TG from the ejector piston6, a dropping roller7rotating counter-clockwise in relation toFIG. 1is arranged below the portioning drum4, next to the discharge position of the dough piece TG. The rotational axis R of said dropping roller7is aligned parallel to the rotational axis of the portioning drum4. The dropping roller7affects the dough piece TG emerging from the portioning chamber5in such a way that it is detached from the ejector piston6.

On the side dropping roller7facing away from the portioning drum4, a scraper8is arranged parallel to the dropping roller7, which scraper prevents the dropping roller7from becoming sticky. Furthermore, above the dropping roller7an oiling device9is provided, the detailed structure of which is described below in more detail by means ofFIGS. 2 to 4.

The customary chamber drum10of the dough processing system is arranged below the portioning drum4and the dropping roller7. Said dough processing system has an internal kneading drum11, kneading chambers12distributed across its circumference, as well as a kneading belt13extending across a partial circumference of the chamber drum10. After being detached from the portioning drum4, one dough piece, respectively, falls into the kneading chambers12. While the kneading drum10is rotating clockwise in relation toFIG. 1, each dough piece TG is subjected to a customary kneading process. Afterwards, each dough piece is transported individually via the discharge conveyor to the next processing station.

Subsequently, the oiling device9is described in more detail by means ofFIGS. 2 to 4. Said oiling device9has an oiling pipe15arranged at a distance a of the above the dropping roller7, parallel to its rotational axis R. Said oiling pipe15extends across the entire length of the dropping roller7and is connected via a plug connection16to an oil supply line17. The oiling pipe15is mechanically supported via said plug connection16and connected for fluid supply via the oil supply line17to an oil reservoir18shown as a diagram inFIG. 2. The oil located in the oil reservoir18is supplied in a defined quantity via a dosing pump19to the oiling pipe15. Due to the plug connection, the oiling pipe15can be dismounted efficiently, for example, to perform maintenance and cleaning procedures.

As shown especially inFIGS. 2 and 3, said oiling pipe15has oil outlet openings20distributed across its length, which are inserted on the upper side of the oiling pipe15facing away from the dropping roller7. The oil supplied by the dosing pump19is delivered unpressurized via the oil outlet openings20and drips contingent on gravitation on the outside surface M of the dropping roller7. The respective drops21are symbolically indicated inFIG. 3. Due to its creep ability, the oil is then distributed on the dropping roller7and prevents dough of the dough pieces TG from sticking to the dropping roller7.

The scraper edge22of the scraper8is arranged to face the dropping roller7. In this context, it should be mentioned that a micro gap23with a measurement of, for example, 50 μm is provided between the edge22and the outside surface of the dropping roller7, which gap is sufficiently small for an efficient abrasion of dough material. However, at the same time, said gap supports the uniformity of the oil film on the dropping roller7.