Patent GB-1215974-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to dough manipulation
Inventor: CLYDE JOHN JOLLY NEIL
IPC: A21C3/00
Filed: 1968-01-20
Abstract: 1,215,974. Folding dough. TWEEDY OF BURNLEY Ltd. 31 Jan., 1969 [20 Jan., 1968], No. 3149/68. Heading B5A. An elongated bread or plastics dough piece is folded into a W formation as it travels in a direction at right angles to its longitudinal axis, by retarding it adjacent its ends and at an intermediate location, the latter retardation being produced by a folding roller rotatable about an axis parallel to that of the dough longitudinal axis. Dough moulding apparatus.-The folding operation is performed by apparatus 14, Fig. 1, at the delivery end of moulding apparatus comprising a headstock 10 wherein the dough is sheeted and delivered on to a conveyer 12, on which it sequentially passes under a chain mail coiler 20, a stationary pressure board 22 inclined in the direction of conveyer travel, a slitter 24 comprising three stationary dough necking blades 26, the lateral spacing and spacing above the belt whereof are adjustable, and a straightening roller 30 which is wrapped around and suspended transversely above the conveyer by a chain sheet 32, and from which roller 30 the dough is delivered to the folder 14. Dough folder construction.-The folder 14, Fig. 2, comprises a hollow inclined bed 38, of plastics material, extending between hollow side members 40, 42, and hollow stainless steel end walls 50, 52 which are connected at brackets 58 by threads of opposite hand to a rotatable rod 60 whereby the walls 50, 52 may adjustably be spaced apart by an amount indicated by pointers 70, 72. The end walls 50, 52 comprise initial inwardly inclined portions 54 and final parallel portions 56, and both the end walls 50, 52 and the bed 38 have perforated dough engaging surfaces to which compressed air is supplied from the side members 40, 42 to provide lubricating contact with the dough. The rotatable folding roller 82, of plastics material, is located within a cylinder 84 for adjustment above the level of the bed 38 on a screw threaded member 102 provided with a locking nut 106, the adjustment being indicated by a pointer, Fig. 4 (not shown). The roller 82 is also adjustably locatable along the bed 38 by means of a tongue 86 of cylinder 84 which is clamped through a pocket 88. Rollers 80, which are rotatable about their own axis on an arm 78 which is freely rotatable with a shaft 74, contact the dough upper surface to control the passage but not the folding thereof. The folded dough is delivered into pans on a conveyer belt over a freely rotatable roller 108 mounted for both vertical and longitudinal adjustment with respect to the bed 38. The folder 14 is of pivotally adjustable inclination, about an axis 36, by means of a hand wheel (126), Fig. 3 (not shown), actuated bevel gear drive, via a universal joint (120), to a member (118) engaging at an internal thread thereof with a non-rotatable screw (116) connected to the folder 14 below the axis 36. The rotatable folding roller (82a), Fig. 7 (not shown), may be supplied with compressed air which is discharged through peripheral radially inclined perforations (142) and serves both to provide a dough lubricating film and to rotate the roller. Alternatively, Fig. 8 (not shown), compressed air may be discharged on to the roller and rotates it by engagement with recesses in the sides thereof. Dough folder operation.-A dough piece sliding down the bed 38 is retarded at the centre neck thereof which is engaged by the roller 82, the dough piece ends also being retarded by engagement with the converging inside surfaces 54 of the side walls 52, whereby the dough folds about each neck. The folding into the W configurator is completed on continued movement between the parallel surfaces 56 of the side walls.