IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING DOUGH INTO CAKES OR BREAD CRACKERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR FORMING DOUGH INTO CAKES OR BREAD CRACKERS."-A com-
munication.
Sealed the 11th March 1859, and dated the 1st January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bous-
field at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st January 1859.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING DOUGH INTO CAKES OR BREAD
CRACKERS," to be as follows:-
The purpose of the machinery is to convert the dough (after it has been
mixed and properly kneaded into sheets) into cylindrical or other formed strips,
from which circular or other formed crackers are cut and made, having an
entirely smooth or "skin covered" surface (as it is technically called) thereon.
In moulding or forming a spongy dough into crackers or round cakes, it is
necessary to close up the spongy texture at the surface by smoothing it over,
and thus forming the "skin" thereon to prevent the escape of the gases

page_text: contained therein; this is easily done by an experienced hand by manual
operation, but heretofore it has been found impracticable to effect it by
machinery, and it has also been impracticable to retain the article in proper
shape for baking after it is formed by machinery alone. The devices herein-
after described effect this desirable end in a perfect and rapid manner with
more accuracy than can be done by hand, and with great saving of labour.
The construction of the machine is as follows: The dough, after being
formed into a sheet of proper dimensions, is placed upon an inclined table;
the upper surface of this table may be composed of a series of small rollers to
facilitate the descent of the dough towards a pair of fluted rollers located at
the lower end of said inclined table; the form and construction of these rollers
is important, in order to perfect the first operation, which consists in dividing
the sheet of smooth surface or "skin covered" dough into a series of cylinders
or other formed strips, each of which must be entirely enveloped in a similar
"skin;" to effect this, the rollers are made with a series of semicircular
concave grooves around each of them with a space between for one sized
cracker. I have found a groove of three-fourths of an inch in diameter to
answer, with a space between the grooves of about three-eighths of an inch.
Instead of having these spaces even with the surface of the cylinders, it is
necessary, , in order to prevent clogging, and obstruction, to reduce the surface
a little below that level, except just at the edge of the groove, so as to allow a
thin ribbon of the material to be drawn out there sufficient to be scraped off
in a continuous strip, which is effected by means of scrapers, and the con-
tinuous strips are guided off by rollers into receptacles, and the grooved rollers
are thus kept clean. The strips of dough formed by the fluted rollers are
guided downwards in grooves in a curved descending plate; these grooves are
made to diverge the one from the other sufficiently to convey the lower end
of each of the cylinders or strips of dough into grooves formed in rollers below
the grooves in these latter rollers, being at a much greater distance apart than
the grooves in the first-mentioned rollers. This divergence is necessary in
order to give room below to complete the cracker; these lower rollers reduce
the diameter of the strips of dough and slightly elongate them, and the strips
of dough then pass through funnel-shaped holes in a steel bar or plate below,
by which means they have a smooth and perfect skin formed all around them,
which will not break or crack in the subsequent operations. Each of the
strips of dough, after it' has passed through the funnel-shaped holes in the
steel bar or plate, descends a sufficient distance to form a cracker, and stops
the two sets of fluted rollers above mentioned, through which the sheet of
dough is passed, being geared together, and having an intermittent motion

page_text: communicated to them to permit the strip of dough to do so. When the strips
of dough stop after being projected down below the steel bar or plate, they
are; embraced by a clamp, which steadies them while this lower portion is.
severed from the strip. The clamp is formed by two jaws, which are
alternately opened and closed by suitable mechanism, which when closed
embrace the lower end of the strip of dough in recesses formed for the
purpose. After the dough is clamped, a thin bladed knife is thrown forward
by a spring, and suddenly severs the dough. For this purpose, the knife is
connected with a slide by a rod; this slide is drawn back, carrying the knife,
with it, after the formation of each row of crackers by means of a revolving.
cam, and the cam is so formed as to release the slide at the right time for the,
knife to make a cut, when the spring again throws the knife forward, and
keeps it in that position until the portion of the dough in the clamp is pressed
into form against the under side of the knife, which is effected by the rising of
a presser, between which and the dough there is an endless apron of cloth,
herein-after described. The face of the presser has indentations on it
proper
to mould the cracker, &c. When the presser rises, it first comes in contact
with the ends of the portions of dough in the clamps, the upper ends of which
are in contact with the knife, and then the clamp is opened, and the cracker is
flattened upward against the knife and formed; when the crackers are thus
pressed and the presser descends, a thin plate is advanced into contact with
the under surface of the knife, and separates the pressed cracker, therefrom;"
and at the same instant the knife is withdrawn; the crackers then lay upon an
endless apron, on which they are carried onward to the next operation. This!
apron passes around a cylinder placed a little in advance of the press, and
extends back to the rear end of the machine around a small roller, and thence
back, to the roller below, and the apron is moved a given distance at proper
intervals, so as to properly receive the crackers. upon it to be borne off;.
previous to receiving the rows of newly formed crackers, the apron is dusted:
with flour by means of a cylindrical sieve. The endless apron, after receiving
the crackers, bears them off in rows, and at some distance from the press
these rows pass between rollers, which flatten them a second time, the
tendency of the dough being to puff up; after leaving the press, it is found
necessary to submit them to a further pressure under two or more sets of;
rollers; these rollers I have found to act, most efficiently with three in the set,
two below, and one above. Before the crackers arrive at the first set of
rollers, they are brought into line across the apron by a straight edge, which
at the proper time descends upon the apron for that purpose. After the
crackers pass the rollers above mentioned, their order will be found somewhat.

page_text: deranged by the rolling process; therefore it is necessary to employ another
straight edge to straighten the rows again, which when it has performed its
office, rises in the same way to allow them to pass under the docking and
marking machinery, which is of ordinary form in its details, the crackers being
forced up against it by a presser, which works simultaneously with the former
presser; thence the crackers are carried onward to the roller which is at the
end of the endless apron, at-which point there is an inclined plane that receives
them; and from this inclined plane the cakes or crackers are moved by means
of a scraper, which is moved backwards and forwards on to pans for baking,
which pans are brought into proper position to receive them by means of-an
endless apron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County.of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her special licence that I, the said George
Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns; or such others
as I, the 'said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING DOUGH INTO CAKES OR BREAD
CRACKERS," (a communication,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within-six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.

page_text: .
NOW, KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to:
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for making cakes.
or bread crackers adapted to risen dough as well as other dough, and I hereby,
describe and ascertain said improvements and devices, referring to the Figures in
the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 is a vertical
section longitudinally through the machine, Figure 3 is a side elevation.
2
The purpose of the machinery is to convert the dough (after it has been
mixed and properly kneaded into sheets) into cylindrical or other formed.
strips, from which circular or other formed crackers are cut and made, having
an entirely smooth or "skin-covered" surface (as it is technically called),
thereon. In moulding or forming a spongy dough into crackers or round
cakes, it is necessary to close up the spongy-texture at the surface by smooth-
ing it over, and thus forming the skin' thereon, to prevent the escape of the.
gases contained therein; this is easily done by an experienced hand, by,
manual operation, but heretofore it has been found impracticable to effect it
by machinery, and it has also been impracticable to retain the article in proper
shape for baking, after it is thus formed by machinery alone. The devices,
herein-after described effect this desirable end in a perfect and rapid manner,:
with more accuracy than can be done by hand, and with great saving of labour..
The construction is as follows:-In the accompanying Drawing, a is the main
driving shaft placed at the front end of the machine directly under the inclined.
table, upon which the sheets of properly prepared dough first enter the machine;,
from this shaft the several parts of the machine receive their appropriate,
motions. The dough (represented by red lines in the Drawing) after being.
formed into a sheet of proper dimensions, is placed upon the inclined table b;.
the upper surface of this table may be composed of a series of small rollers, as
designated in the Drawing, to facilitate the descent of the dough towards a,
pair of fluted rollers c, located at the lower end of said inclined table; the,
form and construction of these rollers c are important to perfect the first.
operation, which consists in dividing the sheet of smooth surface or "skin-.
covered" dough into a series of cylinders or other formed strips, each of which.
must be entirely enveloped in a similar "skin;" to effect this the rollers are,
made with a series of semicircular concave grooves around each of them, with
a space between. For one sized cracker I have found a groove of three-fourths
of an inch in diameter to answer, with a space between the grooves of about
three-eighths of an inch. Instead of having these spaces even with the sur-

page_text: face of the cylinders, it is necessary in order to prevent clogging and obstruc-
tion, to reduce the surface a little below that level, except just at the edge
of the groove so as to allow a thin fin or ribbon of the material to be drawn
out there sufficient to be scraped off in a continuous strip. The scrapers c
remove these continuous strips, which are guided off by rollers d into recep-
tacles d' and the grooved rollers are thus kept clean. The rollers c are turned
by an intermittent motion, by means of a ratchet wheel c² and pawl, the latter
being on the arm of a lever c³, connected by a rod c to a crank pin that
revolves around shaft a at a distance to give the proper motion (this mechanism
being so common and well known in machinery, needs no further description);
the strips of dough formed by cylinders c are guided down inwards in grooves
in plate e; these grooves, are made to diverge sufficiently to convey the lower
ends of the cylinders or strips of dough into grooves formed in the rollers f
below, which are at a much greater distance apart, as clearly shown in Figure 1:
This divergence is necessary in order to give room below to complete the
cracker; these lower rollers reduce the diameter of the strips of dough, and
elongate them somewhat, so that when they pass through the funnel-shaped
holes in the steel bars or plate g below, they have a smooth and perfect skin
formed all around them, which will not break or crack in the subsequent
operations. Each of the strips of dough after it has passed through the funnel-
shaped holes in the plate g, descends a sufficient distance to form a cracker
and stops, the rollers 6 and f being geared together, as seen in Figure 3, and
having an intermittent motion, as before described, for that purpose. When
the strips of dough stop after being projected down below the plate g, they are
embraced by a clamp h, which steadies them while this lower portion is
severed from the strip. The clamp h is formed of two jaws, which, when
closed, embrace the lower end of the strip of dough in recesses formed for that
purpose; these jaws are affixed at each end to the upper ends of arms h', two
of which are pivoted to the frame on each side; at their lower ends a shaft
runs through the frame from side to side between the arms h¹, bearing on its
ends links he, that are jointed to said arnis, one arm being connected to
the link above, and the other below the shaft, as clearly seen in Figure 3,
so that by turning the shaft the jaws of the clamp are opened and shut; to
this shaft, inside the frame, an arm h³ is affixed projecting downward; this is
connected with a lever h' by a rod that unites their lower ends. The upper
end of his actuated by a cam h³ on the main shaft a, so as to close the clamp
at the proper time; a spring he is used to throw the clamp open when released
from the action of the cam 5 above named.
After the dough is clamped, a thin-bladed knife i is thrown forward - by

page_text: k
a spring, and suddenly severs the dough. The apparatus for working tliis
knife is seen at Figure 2. The knife i is connected with a slide ¹ by a rod;
this slide is drawn back, carrying the knife with it after the formation of
each row of crackers by the cam 2, as seen in Figure 2; this cam ² is on the
main shaft, and revolves with it, holding back the knife ready for a second cut
at the proper time, when the cam releases the slide, and the spring again
tbrows the knife forward, and keeps it in that position until the portion of the
dough in the clamps is pressed into form against the under side of the knife,
which is effected by the rising of the presser k, between which and the dougl
there is an endless apron of cloth, herein-after described. The face of the
presser has indentations on it proper to mould the cracker, &c.; it is forced
upward by a toggle joint 7 on each side worked by a connecting rod l¹-jointed
to the arm of a lever on the shaft 3, in rear of the main shaft a, put in
motion by a horizontal arm l, actuated by a cam m on the main shaft. When
the presser rises, it first comes in contact with the ends of the portions of
dough in the clamps, the upper ends of which are in contact with the knife i,
and then the clamp is opened, and the cracker is flattened upward against the
knife and formed. When the crackers are thus pressed and the presser
descends, a thin plate n is advanced by an excentric n', in contact with the
under surface of the knife i, and separates the pressed cracker therefrom,
and the same instant the knife is withdrawn by its cam, the crackers then lay
upon an endless apron o, on which they are carried onward to the next
operation. This apron o passes around a cylinder o¹ placed a little in advance
of the press, and extends back to the rear end of the machine around a small
roller o², and thence back to the roller o¹ below, as clearly seen in Figure 2;
it is moved by a ratchet wheel o³, seen in Figure 3, which is on the shaft of
cylinder o¹, outside the frame; the pawl o' is actuated by a connecting rod
and arm o, by which it is coupled with an upright vibrating lever p, jointed
by its lower end to the bottom rail of the frame (see Figure 3); this lever
receives its motion from the main driving shaft a, by means of a shackle bar pi
and crank pin on the gear wheel p², on the end of the shaft; this apparatus
moves the apron a given distance at proper intervals, so as to properly receive
the crackers upon it to be borne off previous to receiving the rows of newly
formed crackers; the apron is dusted with flour by a cylindrical sieve at a³.
The vibrating lever p is made to serve the purpose of communicating motion
to other parts of the machine, as will be hereafter noted. The endless apron.o
after receiving the crackers bears them off in rows, as shewn in Figure 1, by
the red circles, at some distance from the press; these rows pass between
rollers, which flatten them a second time, the tendency of the dough being to

page_text: puff up; after leaving the press, it is found necessary to submit them to a
further pressure under two or more sets of rollers 2,9,9; these rollers I have
found to act most efficiently with three in the set, two below and one above,
as clearly seen in Figure 2.; they are driven by a band q', that passes down
to a pulley below at 92, the shaft of which is turned by another band connecting
it with another shaft r, through which power is communicated to the machine,
said shaft being geared to the main shaft, as seen in Figure 3. Before the
cracker arrives at the first set of rollers they are brought into line across the
time descends
proper
apron by a straight edge s, which at the
upon the apron
for that purpose; this straight edge is affixed to. two arms s¹ projecting from a
shafts, that receives .its, motion from an arm s³, descending outside the frame
(see Figure 3), and united by a shackle bar s, with the upright lever p; after
the crackers pass the rollers q, their order will be found somewhat deranged
by the rolling process; therefore it is necessary to employ another straight
edge to straighten the rows again; this is affixed to the same arms as that
first named, and when it has performed its office rises in the same way to
allow them to pass under the docking and marking machinery at t, which is
of ordinary form in its details, the crackers being forced up against it by the
toggle joint presser u.
This is connected with the other press by a link w, so
as to work simultaneously with it; thence the crackers are carried onward to
the roller, at which point there is an inclined plane that receives them.. A
scraper a, hung to the end of .levers a¹ on arms one on each side of the
machine, and clearly represented in Figure 3; these levers have a shaft at
their fulcrum, which is united with the. upper end of lever p by a rod a, by
which these parts are moved; the motion of the scraper is regulated by
two slotted guides on each side of the machine; one of them y is straight,
having its centre of motion at y¹, another is pivoted at 2¹, and works nearly
at right angles to the first; a pin projecting from the end of the scraper passes
through the slots in both these.guides; the guide z bears with it an arm 22, on
the same shaft that has a spring catch at its upper end, which, when the
is moving back, catches under the end of an arm y, affixed to the
shaft composing the centre of oscillation of guide y¹, and elevates it, thus
raising the scraper from the table over which it slides; on its return the
spring catch is thrown back by arm y³, and does not act upon it until the
return of the scraper, which carries down the rows of crackers by the move-
ments above detailed, and deposits them properly on the pans for baking, as
seen at a, which pan is brought into proper position to receive them-by means
of an endless apron A, Figure 2, moved by a ratchet B, connected with, and
moved by a lever p through the connecting rod B'.
scraper

page_text: Having thus fully described the new method of making bread, cakes, or
crackers, and the machinery therefor, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
First, the depression in the spaces between the grooves in the rollers c, that
form the strips of skin-covered dough from the sheet, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Second, I claim the second series of rollers f, to perfect the formation of
the strips of dough, and guide them into proper position for cutting off, and
in combination therewith, the expanding guides for spreading the strips of
dough sufficiently far apart to give room to form the crackers, all as above
specified.
Third, I claim the spring knife for-cutting off the dough, and serving
at the same time to press the severed crackers against and in combination
with said knife; I claim the clearer n for freeing the cracker after pressing.
Fourth, I claim the clamp h for the purposes described.
Fifth, I claim the pressing, of short cylinders of dough into the form
of crackers by an end pressure, as described, and then submitting them to
a rolling process, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
set forth.
Sixth, I also claim rolling the crackers between a series of three rollers, as
described.
Seventh, I also claim the straight edges for properly arranging the rows of
crackers for rolling and for docking, as specified.
Eighth, I also claim the scraper for depositing the crackers upon the pans
for baking, arranged and operated as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. S. HARRISON,
New Court,
St. Swithin's Lane..
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.S.)