Patent GB-709034-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the manufacture of laminated dough
IPC: A21C3/02
Filed: 1952-01-29
Abstract: 709,034. Dough-lapping machine. PATERSON, J. C., and PATERSON, L. Jan. 7, 1953 [Jan. 29, 1952], No. 2432/52. Class 87 (2) Relates to machines in which laminations of dough are formed by superposed conveyers, the lower conveyer reciprocating across a table to form the laminations thereon while the upper conveyer, which reciprocates in the same sense but at half the speed of the lower conveyer, delivers a dough web to the lower conveyer. The lower or dough laying conveyer comprises an endless band 12 mounted on spaced terminal rolls 13, 14 carried by a reciprocating frame (not shown), the lower lap 12a of the band having a vertically disposed tension bight and band gripping means 21, 22 for the two sides of the tension bight, said gripping means being operated alternately whereby the tension roll 17 is raised during a forward reciprocation of the frame, the downward movement of the tension roll 17 causing the rearward reciprocation of the frame. The means 21, 22 comprise surfaces on the ends of a gripping lever 20 which grip the band between them and abutments 18, 19, The upper conveyer 2, which receives dough in sheet form after it has passed through gauge rolls 1, is advanced by a pair of spaced cables 27 and driven, so as to deliver the dough sheet on to the lower conveyer, by a drum 6. The terminal rolls 4, 5 of the upper conveyer may either be mounted on a reciprocable frame or they may run in guides. A weight 9, acting through cables 8, tensions the lower conveyer bland. The rear terminal roll 14 of the lower conveyer is on a fixed iaxis and the forward terminal roll 13 is mounted on a reciprocable frame, the forward stroke of which is effected by spaced cables 28. The cables 28 are attached to pulleys 32, 33 and the cables 27 to pulleys 35, 36 half the diameter and on the same shaft 31. A fifth pulley 34, also on the same shaft 31, has a cable 37 on it, the end of which is attached to an oscillating lever 38. Oscillation of this lever causes backwards and forwards rotation of the shaft 31 and therefore to and fro movement of the cables 27, 28; 27 at half the speed of 28. The lever 38, which is pivoted at 39, is oscillated by a cam 41, on the shaft 42 of which is a band gripping central cam 26. During forward movement of the conveyers, caused by the cables 27, 28 being wound on to their pulleys, a lever arm 24 is actuated by the cam 26 to move the lever 20 so that the gripping means 18, 21 will be closed and 19, 22 left open. As the terminal roll 13 moves, therefore, the band 12 passes round it in a direction to lay dough on the table 43, the tension roll 17 rising to take up the slack. On the reverse movement the gripping means 19, 22 closes and 18, 21 opens, and the roll 17 then pulls the band 12 round the terminal roll 13 in the same direction, so that another layer of dough is laid on the first as the conveyer recedes under the influence of the roll 17, which may be assisted by coil springs (not shown) round the cable pulley shaft. The return of the upper conveyer, due to the weight 9, may be similarly assisted by coil springs. Coil springs may also be fitted to the guide rolls of both conveyers to assist in maintaining normal tension. The travel of the cables 27, 28 may be adjusted while the machine is running by moving the point of attachment of the cable 37 to the lever 38 nearer to or further from the pivot 39, by a screw 45. The position of the dough layers on the table 43 may be adjusted by screws 47, which move the guide rollers of the conveyer frame. The drum 6 is belt-driven from a pulley 49, which is adjustable to provide a variable speed drive. To ensure a good grip of the conveyer band 12 by the lever 20 the lever arm 24 may be formed as a flat spring, or other spring means may be added, and the cam 26 may be shaped with the same object in view. To keep the roll 17 level each end of it may be attached to a chain running over sprockets, or it may be supported at its ends by a pair of spaced levers secured to a shaft.