IMPROVED MEASURING DEVICE FOR A DOUGH DIVIDER

Abstract: Dough (10) should, in volumetric sense, be measured in dough pieces, which during extended use, must very precisely take place. The mentioned improved measuring device can be built in dough dividers and gives, through the specific perfectionized piston construction (3) with connected parts, an amazing result. In the sidewall of the piston an annular-shaped recess (20) is cuttered in which a filter (21) is fitted. To the aforementioned recess (20) a crosswise channel system (15) with a bore (16) is fitted, which is connected to a flexible suction/press hose (17). Referring to the taken field tests it can be stated that this improved measuring device is of great advantage for the bakery industry.

Description: IMPROVED MEASURING DEVICE FOR A DOUGH DIVIDER The invention concerns measuring equipment for lumps or pieces of dough in a volumetric sense from a funnel-shaped container sufficiently filled with dough, sliding horizontally over the dough dividing part, which consists of a cylindrical measuring chamber enclosing an up and down movable piston-shaped body. The equipment is a further surprisingly devellopment of the dough divider similar as the Dutch TIL nos. 9 000 440 and 9 002 243 resp. being "Equipment for measuring out lumps of dough usually called dough divider" and "Method for equipment for measuring lumps of dough, usually called dough divider". In the first named Dutch TIL no. 9 000 440, the dough divider is completely described for the model that is most practical and attractive for use. In this TIL the main parts have been described, being a container filled with dough, which is within a certain range horizontally moveable across a measur¬ ing device positioned there below, consisting of a more or less vertically placed cylindrical-shaped measuring chamber (measuring cylinder) , which contains an up and down moveable piston-shaped body. In the container facilities have been fitted, which optimally improve the supply to the measuring device. The measuring device contains specific means, in the first place to optimize the determination of the volume of the dough. The head of the piston contains a filter and at least one drilled hole to suck the dough into the cylindrical measu¬ ring chamber, and to press optimally the dough out lateron. In the second mentioned Dutch TIL no. 9 002 243 the working of the measuring cylinder has been further elaborated so that the quantity of dough in the measuring cylinder is adjustable within even smaller ranges. This means that the suction and pressing of the dough piece with the concerning means have been reasonably optimized. Field tests with the aforementioned equipment showed howeve that, with longter use, starches from the dough started to accumulate inside the filters in the piston head, which leads to a decrease of the suction action of the piston head, thus gradually causing irregularities in the volume of the dough piece. In order to eliminate abovementioned problem with the earlier develloped measuring equipment, a measuring device according to the present invention has been surprisingly further deve- lopped in such a manner, that the cylindrical body will be a specific piston with an upper and lower part, where the side- wall of mentioned piston-shaped body has a cuttered or annu¬ lar-shaped recess, whereby the height extends over the top and lower part of the aforementioned piston, while in the head of the piston, more specificly in the upper part facing towards the lower part, also at the interface between aforementioned piston parts a system of channels has been placed diametri¬ cally crosswise leading towards the mentioned cuttered recess in mentioned sidewall of the piston, while aforementioned channelsystem is connected with the bottomside of the piston by means of a bore. The great advantage of the embodyment is that a measuring device has been created producing very precisely measured dough pieces for a longterm period, which is of great impor- tance for all bakeries. Thereby corresponds the location of the suction-/pression channels in a surprising way, according to the present invention, that it guarantees that the dough divider functions in the most optimal sense. Furthermore see also the description with the accompaying drawing. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that in the annular-shaped recess in the sidewall of the piston, an annular-shaped filter has been fitted as much as possible according and slightly deeper placed. The advantage of this is that pieces of dough which are going to get between the cylinderwall and piston will be caught by the filter and will be, during the pression phase, blown out uniformely, so that no more blocking can occur. This uniforme- ly clean blowing is possible due to the cylinderwall behind it. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that the aforementioned bore in the bottom side of the mentioned piston is connected by means of a helical-shaped rolled flexible airhose to a pressure and/or vacuum device. The advantage of this is that underneath the piston no vacuum- tight or pressuretight space has to be created, but that the flexible hose will be connected to the pressure and/or vacuum device through which many technical complications are being avoided and by which means a thing or two has been solved on a constructive surprising way. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that in the lower part of mentioned piston in the sidewall, a sealing ring is placed in the turned or cuttered annular-shaped recess. The advantage of this is that above and alongside the edge of the cylinder head a perfect under- or overpressure situation can be created without complicated technical solutions. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that the method of the measuring device and more specificly the followed measuring cycle for the dough pieces of the measuring cylinder, according to the above description and claimed in the Dutch TIL no. 9 002 243, wherein mentioned fase E a small circlesegment-shaped air- groove is created on the backside at the sealing of the fun¬ nel-shaped container filled with dough of the aforementioned cylindrical measuring device or cylinder. The advantage of this is that possible locked air underneath the funnel-shaped container filled with dough, can escape, so that the volume of the dough piece and so the weight is opti- ized. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that the edge of the opening on the lower side of the aformentioned funnel-shaped container filled with dough has been supplied with a knife-shaped part and that the knife-shaped part is circle-shaped at the cutting side. The advantage of this is that the dough is being cut effecti¬ vely sharp, which also contributes to a larger accuracy. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that the aforementioned filter is made of sintered plastic and the thickness of the filter is between 2 and 5 mm and the hight of the filter is approximate¬ ly 35 mm. The advantage of this is that the filter is of a kind with a relative robust dimension so that sufficiant capacity is given to blow out deposits up by starch and, while sucking, cannot be silted up with starch. Further the device according to the invention has been further developped in such a way that the aforementioned piston shaped body is one with a seperate upper and lower part, which by means of a tap bolt have been connected to another. The advantage of this is a simplified construction for produ¬ cing the serveral channels and bores and a simplified, and especially a cheaper possibility of replacement when one of the two parts has worn out. Further the improved measuring device for the dough divider according to the invention according a preferred embodiment, have been described more precisely in the drawing. Showing: Fig. 1 a vertical cross-section of the improved measuring device for the dough divider according the inventi¬ on. Fig. 2 the circlesegment-shaped opening above the cylindri¬ cal measuring chamber, created by a not complete covering with the edge of the funnel-shaped contai- ner filled with dough. Fig. 3 the circle-shaped knife in the opening underneath the funnel-shaped container filled with dough in order to cut the dough piece sharply. In figure 1 the vertical section of the improved measuring device for the dough divider has been indicated with the reference number 1. In the cylindrical measuring chamber 2, there is the up and down moving piston-shaped body (the pis¬ ton) 3, that preferably has the shape of a circlecylinder. The piston 3 exists of an upper part 4 and a lower part 5, which are connected to another by a tapbolt 6. The complete piston 3 is moved up and down by means of the indicated piston bar 7 with connected parts. The cylindrical measuring chamber 2 with aforementioned connected parts is situated in the so-called block-shaped unit 8. Over the block-shaped unit 8 moves mecha- nically over one stroke (S) over the funnel-shaped container 9 filled with dough 10. The bottom side of the funnel-shaped container 9 has an opening 11, which is surrounded by a so- called funnel block 12. The funnel block 12 is according to the invention provided with a circle-shaped knife 13. Figure 3 gives a more precise description of the shape. All the parts have been drawn in such a way that the measuring chamber 2 is filled with dough 10 and while the phase is reached that the funnel-shaped container moves further over its stroke and the dough is being cut, and a circlesegment-shaped opening 14 is created to let possible airbubbels escape, which is shown more in detail in figure 2. In the upper part 4 of the piston- shaped body 3, according to the invention, a crosswise chan¬ nelsystem 15 has been constructed, that is connected with a bore 16 to the flexible press- and vacuum hose or lead. In the lower side 5 of the piston shaped body an annular-shaped groove 18 is cuttered in order to place a sealing ring 19, for example a "quad-ring". The upper part 4 and the lower part 5 of the piston-shaped body 3 have been applied with an annular- shaped cuttered recess 20, in which a filter 21 is mounted according the invention. The filter 21 has in cross-section a square shape, and exists of sintered plastic like polyethyle¬ ne, by which good, penetratable pores are created with a diameter between 8 and 40 ^ u. The filter has preferably the shape of an annular-shaped ring, but could also exist of segment parts of mentioned annular parts. This depending on preference by mounting. The large advantage of mounting an annular-shaped filter with a square cross-section is, that the filter 21, when overpressed through the existance of the cylinderwall 22, will uniformely be blown clean throughout its complete periphery, which would happen batchwise if a filter without a cylinder wall "behind" it is fitted. The placement of the filter 21, according to the invention, in the sidewall of the piston-shaped body 3, seems to be a surprisingly cor¬ rect manner and is therefore the best technical solution. Finally can be mentioned that a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, and of course modifications are possible, without abandoning the protection limits of the patent specifications.

Claims: C L I M S 1. Device or apparatus for the measuring of dough lumps or dough pieces, a so-called dough divider, by means of volumetric measuring, by means of a funnel-shaped contai- ner which moves strokewise horizontally over a measuring device, of which the aforementioned measuring device exists of a cylindrical measuring chamber with an up and down mechanic moveable piston-shaped body in it, charac¬ terised in that the piston-shaped body (3) is a specific piston with an upper (4) and lower (5) part of which the side wall of aforementioned piston-shaped body (3) has a cuttered annular-shaped recess (20) , of which the height exceeds over the top (4) and lower (5) part of the afore¬ mentioned piston, while in the head of the piston, more specificly in the upper part (4) facing towards the lower part (5) , where at the interface between aforementioned piston parts a system of channels (15) has been placed diametrically crosswise going towards the mentioned cuttered recess (20) in the mentioned sidewall of the piston (3) , while aforementioned channelsystem (15) is connected with the lowerside of the piston by means of a bore (16) . 2. Device as claimed in claim I, wherein the aforementioned annular-shaped recess (20) in the sidewall of the piston (3) a according, possible slightly deeper fitted, annu¬ lar-shaped filter (21) is mounted. 3. Device as claimed in claim I, wherein the aforementioned bore (16) at the lowerside of the mentionend piston (3) is connected by means of a helical-shaped rolled flexible airhose (17) to a pressure and/or vacuum device. 4. Device as claimed in claim I, wherein the lower part (5) of aforementioned piston (3) in the sidewall in a cutte¬ red annular-shaped recess (18) a sealing ring (19) is fitted. 5. Device as claimed in claim I, wherein the method of the measuring device and more specificly the followed measu¬ ring cycle for the dough pieces of the measuring cylinder (2) , according to the described and claimed in the Dutch TIL no. 9 002 243, wherein in phase E a small circleseg- ment-shaped airgroove (14) is created on the back- or frontside by the covering of the funnel-shaped container filled with dough of the aforementioned cylindrical measuring device or cylinder (2) . 6. Device as claimed in the aforementioned claims, wherein, the edge (9) of the opening on the lowerside of the aforementioned funnel-shaped container filled with dough (10) has been supplied with a knife-shaped part (13). 7. Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the knife-shaped part (13) is circle-shaped at the cutting side. 8. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned annular-shaped recess (20) in the sidewall of mentioned piston-shaped body (3) is brought in segmently along the mentioned periphery of the side wall, and that an as much as possible corresponding and slightly deeper fitted annular-shaped filter is mounted. 9. Device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the aforementioned filter (21) has a quare cross-section. 10. Device as claimed in the aforementioned claims, wherein the aforementioned filter (21) is made of sintered plas¬ tic. 11. Device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thickness of aforementionend filter (21) is between 2 and 5 mm. 12. Device according the conclusions 10 and 11, wherein the height of the aforementionend filter (21) is approxi¬ mately 35 mm. 13. Device as claimed in the aforementioned claim, wherein in the aforementioned bore (16) can undergo an underpressure of -0,25 to -0,90 ato and an overpressure of 1 to 3 ato. 14. Device as claimed in claim 10, wherin the aforementioned sintered plastic is polyehtylene with a pore size between 8 and 40 i. 15. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned piston-shaped body (3) is a piston with a seperate upper (4) and lower (5) part, connected to another by means of a tap bolt (6) . 16. Device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the aforementioned covering ring (19) is a "quad ring", fitted in a corres¬ ponding annular-shaped recess in the sidewall of the lower part (5) of the piston-shaped body (3) .

Inventors: RIJKAART LODEWIJK CORNELIS, RIJKAART, LODEWIJK, CORNELIS
Applicants: RIJKAART LODEWIJK CORNELIS, RIJKAART, LODEWIJK, CORNELIS
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A21C5
IPC codes: A21C5