Apparatus for preparing bread dough

Apparatus for preparing bread dough comprises a hopper for bulk dough, a rotary pump communicating with the hopper, a die through which dough is extruded by the pump in a continuous ribbon, conveyor means for receiving and conducting the ribbon of dough in succession through proofing means, guide rolls, means for cutting the ribbon of dough into individual pieces, means to roll the individual pieces into cylindrical shapes, and means to divide the cylindrical shapes into at least two further pieces. High production is achieved with a minimum of labor, and excessive working and kneading of the dough are avoided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to apparatus for preparing bread dough for baking by 
feeding, dividing and panning the dough without excessive working and 
kneading thereof. More particularly, the apparatus of the invention is 
capable of high volume production with only two operators, and eliminates 
the conventional divider or scaler, and rounder needed in automatic bread 
making equipment. At the same time proofing of the dough is effected at 
least in part, thus avoiding the use of chemical additives which are 
considered objectionable by many purchasers. 
In the conventional production of bread by automatic machinery four 
operators are ordinarily needed, the operation starting with dividing or 
scaling bulk dough into individual pieces of the desired weight, followed 
by rounding the individual pieces, proofing and molding. The molded pieces 
are then placed in pans for baking. Machinery presently available for 
effecting the above steps is bulky, expensive, time-consuming and labor 
intensive. 
Various prior art attempts at improvement of the above-described operation 
have been made. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,740,362; 
2,951,456 and 3,347,183. In these patents bulk dough is formed into a 
continuous ribbon, cut into desired lengths and conveyed through various 
subsequent operations. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,362 discloses apparatus which is alleged to eliminate 
rounding, proofing and molding, but this is accomplished by use of a 
solution containing an oxidizing agent or yeast food, such as bromate, 
sodium metavanadate, sodium chlorite, and/or carbonated water. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,456 provides an elongated tapered hopper having a 
reduced opening at the lower end, means for introducing compressed air or 
other pressure medium into the hopper above the bulk dough for extrusion 
thereof through the reduced opening under great pressure. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,183 discloses apparatus for metering bulk dough into 
"slugs" of desired size, including opposed rollers to knead the dough, a 
pair of forming rollers comprising a channeled roller and a pressure 
roller, and cutting means to cut the formed dough into a plurality of 
slugs. 
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for 
preparing bulk dough for baking which eliminates chemical conditioners or 
oxidizing agents, the use of highly pressurized vessels with their 
consequent danger, and excessive kneading and working of the dough between 
rollers under pressure. 
It will be understood that this invention is not concerned with the initial 
mixing or preparation of the bulk dough or the baking thereof after 
dividing and panning. 
According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for preparing 
bread dough which comprises a downwardly tapering hopper for bulk dough, a 
rotary pump beneath said hopper, a die through which dough is extruded by 
said pump in a continuous ribbon, first conveyor means for receiving said 
ribbon of dough from said die, proofing means through which said ribbon of 
dough is conducted for a predetermined period of time, second conveyor 
means for receiving said ribbon of dough from said proofing means, guide 
rolls for conducting said ribbon of dough through a substantially vertical 
path of travel, substantially horizontal conveyor means for receiving said 
ribbon of dough from said guide rolls, means for cutting said ribbon of 
dough into individual pieces of predetermined length while traveling on 
said horizontal conveyor means, means to roll said individual pieces into 
cylindrical shapes with the axes thereof transverse to the direction of 
travel of said horizontal conveyor means, means to divide said individual 
pieces into at least two further pieces of substantially equal size, and 
means to convey and position a pan beneath the end of said horizontal 
conveyor means to receive said pieces of dough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawing apparatus in accordance with the invention 
comprises a hopper 10 for receiving a supply of bulk dough. Preferably the 
hopper 10 is downwardly and inwardly tapering so as to communicate with a 
rotary pump 11. Good results have been obtained with a rotary pump 
manufactured by Crepaco, Inc., CP No. 3R1. Pump 11 is driven by an 
electric motor 12 having a suitable belt or chain drive. Such a pump 
discharges a continuous ribbon of dough without exerting undue pressure or 
excessive working thereon, and the ribbon is extruded through a die 13. 
For dough being prepared for one pound loaves of bread, the ribbon 
extruded through die 13 may be about 4 inches wide and one half inch 
thick, but it will be understood that different widths and thicknesses may 
be used for other types of baked products. 
The continuous ribbon of dough extruded through die 13 is received on a 
first conveyor means 14 which is upwardly inclined and which conducts the 
continuous ribbon to a proofing means indicated generally at 15. The 
proofing means comprises a plurality of superposed generally horizontal 
conveyor belts, six being shown by way of example in the drawing as belts 
16-21, respectively. The belts are arranged in parallel spaced relation to 
one another, and each belt is adapted to move in a direction opposite to 
the direction of movement of the adjacent belts, with the uppermost belt 
16 moving in the same direction of travel as first conveyor means 14. It 
will be noted further that the superposed conveyor belts are arranged in 
staggered relation to one another in order that the continuous ribbon will 
be deposited on each succeeding lower belt and move in the opposite 
direction, thereby conducting the continuous ribbon in a sinuous path of 
travel. 
The continuous ribbon of dough exits the proofing means 15 from the 
lowermost conveyor belt thereof and is delivered to a second conveyor 
means 23 moving in the same direction as the lowermost belt of the 
proofing means, the second conveyor means 23 preferably being downwardly 
inclined. 
The first conveyor means 14, the conveyor rolls 16-21 and the second 
conveyor means 23 are preferably driven by a single electric motor (not 
shown) and all travel at the same rate of speed by means of suitable belt 
or chain drives (not shown). The speed of travel of these belts may be 
varied by a controller such as a rheostat connected to the drive motor in 
order to vary the production rate and the time interval for passage of the 
dough through the proofer 15. It will of course be understood that the 
time interval in the proofer may also be varied by increasing or 
decreasing the number of horizontal conveyor belts therein upon which the 
dough is conducted in a sinuous path of travel. 
Similarly, a rheostat is provided in connection with drive motor 12 for 
rotary pump 11 in order to vary the rate at which dough is extruded 
through die 13. Individual speed controls on drive motor 12 and the motor 
driving first conveyor means 14, horizontal belts 16-21 in proofer 15 and 
second conveyor means 23 make possible optimum variation in production 
rates and accommodation for different widths and thicknesses of the 
continuous ribbon of dough. 
Proofing means 15 is preferably provided with an enclosure indicated at 22 
in broken lines to control temperature and humidity within proofing means 
15 and to ensure cleanliness. 
The continuous ribbon of dough is conducted by the second conveyor means 23 
past a counter rotating roll 24 positioned at a slightly higher level than 
the discharge end of the belt on conveyor means 23 in order to divert the 
continuous ribbon of dough into a substantially vertical path of travel 
downwardly, and the ribbon of dough then passes between a pair of counter 
rotating driven guide rolls 25 and 26 spaced apart by a distance 
sufficient to compress the ribbon of dough slightly upon passage 
therebetween. 
The continuous ribbon of dough then passes from guide rolls 25 and 26 onto 
the upper surface of a substantially horizontal conveyor belt 27, moving 
in a direction opposite to the upper flight of second conveyor means 23. A 
rotatable knife blade 28 is positioned above conveyor 27 with the blade 
transverse to the direction of travel of the ribbon of dough. The knife 
blade 28 is rotated at a speed relative to the speed of travel of the 
ribbon of dough on conveyor 27 such that it will cut the ribbon into 
individual pieces of desired length, e.g. equal to the amount of dough 
needed for two loaves of bread. Preferably a separate motor and rheostat 
control (not shown) are provided for rotation of the knife means 28 in 
order that the speed of rotation may be controlled independent of the 
speed of travel of the ribbon of dough on conveyor 27. 
A second horizontal conveyor indicated at 29, may be provided aligned in 
end to end relation with conveyor 27. By thus providing relatively shorts 
flights between the drive rolls of conveyors 27 and 29, sag in the 
conveyor belts is minimized. 
After the ribbon of dough is cut into individual pieces by rotating knife 
means 28, one such piece being indicated at 50 in the drawing, the pieces 
are conducted by conveyor 27 under a "curling chain" indicated at 30. The 
curling chain is positioned parallel to the upper surface of conveyor 27 
and comprises a plurality of flexible chain link or mesh elements the 
trailing ends of which contact the upper surface of the conveyor belt 27. 
As the pieces 50 are conducted under the curling chain 30, the weight of 
the chain links or mesh is sufficient to cause each piece of dough to be 
rolled up or curled into a substantially cylindrical shape as shown at 51. 
These are spaced apart at regular intervals on the conveyor surfaces 27 
and 29. 
Adjacent the end of conveyor flight 29 a planar surface indicated at 31 is 
provided substantially parallel to the belt of conveyor 29 and positioned 
above the belt a distance sufficient to admit each successive cylindrical 
roll of dough 51 and to exert slight pressure thereon insufficient to 
prevent each roll 51 from being carried in the direction of travel of 
conveyor 29. Adjacent the trailing edge of the planar surface 31 there is 
provided at least one downwardly depending cutting surface 32 parallel to 
the direction of travel of the conveyor which is contacted by each roll of 
dough 51, thereby further subdividing each roll into two or more sections 
indicated at 51a, which are of the desired size for baking in the form a 
loaf. By way of non-limiting example, each piece 51a may be about one 
pound in weight so as to provide a standard-size loaf upon baking. 
After passage beyond the cutting means 32, the loaf-sized pieces 51a drop 
off the edge of conveyor 29 onto a conventional baking pan or bun pan 
indicated at 33. Pan 33 is supported on a chain conveyor 34 and an 
appropriate stop (not shown) is provided adjacent the end of chain 
conveyor 34 in order to hold pan 33 in position to receive the loaves from 
conveyor 29. When pan 33 is completely loaded with loaves it is removed 
manually by an operator and placed in a separate proof box for appropriate 
further conditioning, if needed, before baking in an oven. 
Immediately upon removal of pan 33, the chain conveyor 34 conducts the next 
in a series of additional pans 35 into position beneath the end of 
conveyor 29. Adjacent the opposite end of chain conveyor 34 a stack of 
pans 35 is provided, and mechanism indicated generally at 40 is operative 
to release one pan at a time downwardly to be conducted by chain conveyor 
34 toward the end of conveyor 29. 
A main electric motor is provided with a speed controller (not shown) in 
the form of a rheostat or the like with drive belts or chains to the rolls 
24, 25 and 26, the conveyors 27 and 29, the chain conveyor 34 and the pan 
loader 40. All these elements are thus adapted to operate in timed 
relation to one another and the rate of travel of, e.g. the conveyors 27 
and 29, is related to the rotational speed of the guide rolls 25 and 26 to 
ensure continuous production. 
In summary, the pump 11 is adapted to be operated at a variable speed 
independent of the other elements. The conveyor 14, the belts 16-21 in the 
proofer and the conveyor 23 are adapted to be operated at varying speeds 
independent of the other elements. The guide rolls 24-26, conveyors 27 and 
29, conveyor 34 and pan loader 40 are adapted to be operated at variable 
speeds independent of the other elements. The rotatable knife 28 is 
adapted to be operated at a variable speed independent of the other 
elements. 
It is apparent from the above description that the present invention 
achieves the objective of providing apparatus for preparing bulk dough for 
baking which eliminates the use of highly pressurized vessels, excessive 
kneading and working of the dough, and a high production rate while at the 
same time requiring only two operators. The speeds of the various elements 
can be varied in order to accommodate products of varying sizes, and the 
time required for preparation can be varied to suit the conditioning of 
the particular type of dough being prepared for baking. 
While a preferred embodiment has been described, the invention is not so 
limited, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.