An Improved Machine for Gauging, Cutting, and Panning the Dough used in the Manufacture of Biscuits.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HUGH WATSON MACKENZIE, of Newcastle, in
the Colony of New South Wales, Mechanical Engineer.]
An Improved Machine for Gauging, Cutting, and Panning the Dough
used in the Manufacture of Biscuits.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improved machine comprises an inclined table upon which the hard
or soft dough is fed, and conveyed from thence between adjustable rollers, by
which the thickness of the dough is gauged, a second inclined table beyond
the rollers receives the dough thus gauged, and conveys onto the cutting edges
of punches or cutters, which project through a perforated endless travelling
table. This endless table surrounds and is carried by two rollers, or a roller
and drum, the further one of which is plain, and acts as a guide roller, while the
mearer one (or major) is constructed as a hollow drum, with a number of radial
cutters or punches that project from its periphery, through and beyond the endless
band or table. Above the endless band or table is placed a revolving cutting block
in contact with the edges of the peripheral cutters or punches. The pieces of
dough cut out from the sheet by the separate punches, are carried round by the
punches to a position vertically under the punching block, where, by a system of
cams and plungers within the hollow punching roller, they are forced out, onto a
In the meantime, the scrap
pan that is placed upon a travelling table beneath.
dough left after the biscuits have been punched out, will be carried forward by the
perforated travelling table, and delivered free of the machine.
But in order that the invention shall be thoroughly understood, reference will be
made to the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the whole machine, as used for hard dough;
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;
Fig. 3 is a side elevation, with the nearest side frame removed, and the lower
gauging roller in section. In this view, endless webs are introduced (shewn in
dotted lines) for the purpose of illustrating how the machine may be utilized for
working soft doughs.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the hollow punching drum;
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken on the line 1-2 of Figs. 4
and 6, shewing the means adopted whereby the plungers are caused to force out
from the purches the discs of dough which have been cut out by the punches.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same, taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of one plate carrying a set of punches and removed from
the punching roller or drum.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of four of the perforated slats of which the travelling table
is composed.
Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same on the line 5-6 of Fig. 8.
Figs. 10 & 11 are views of the cams that operate the plungers which free the
discs of dough from the punches.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modified form of Fig. 7, specially designed for cutting
square biscuits, in which there is no waste or scrap.
Figs. 13 and 14 are a plan and section respectively of a modified form of
punch for cutting out fancy biscuits, the section Fig. 14 being taken on the line 7-8
of Fig. 13.
Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, as being the most convenient; A is

page_text: the framework of the machine. B'is the inclined table upon which the dough is
received. C C¹ the gauging rollers, the roller C being made adjustable by means
of the lever C¹, excentric cl, and connecting rod c² (or any other suitable
appliances), whereby the thickness of the dough may be suitably gauged. D is the
inclined table that receives the gauged dough, and conveys it direct onto the
cutting edges of the punches-FI The punches-F Fare attached to slats. FF,
arranged peripherically around a drum or roller, like the staves of a cylindrical
cask. The punches F project beyond the outer surface of the perforated slats G,
of which the travelling table G is composed (see particularly Figs. 8 and 9). H is
a rotary cutting block, which should be always in contact with the punches as they
pass, beneath it, and is preferably carried by self-adjusting bearings. I is a guide
roller or supporting roller for the travelling table G. As the sheet of dough passes
from off the inclined table D between the punches F and the rotary cutting
block H, discs of dough will be cut out from the sheet, and retained within, and be
carried round by the punches F, while the scrap that is left will be carried on in a
straight line by the perforated travelling table G, from whence it may be removed
in any suitable manner. At this point, it is as well to remark that the sheet of
dough does not come into actual contact with the travelling table G, until after the
biscuit discs have been punched from the sheet. Owing to the peculiar disposition
of parts, the pinches F projecting above the surface of the perforated slats G¹ of
'the travelling table G, the dough is prevented from adhering to the surface of the
travelling table G.
While the sheet of dough is passing between the punches F and the rotary
cutting block H, dises of dough are cut from the sheet and retained within the
punches. As the punching drum revolves, the discs of dough are carried round
within the punches, until they arrive at a point diametrically opposite, or vertically
beneath the rotary punching block H, where, owing to the action of plungers
operated by cams within the punching drum (to be hereafter more fully described),
they are forced from the punches and deposited upon pans or trays placed beneath
to receive them. The pans or trays are carried by an endless travelling table Z,
that travels sufficiently fast to allow of the next ensuing row of dough discs being
deposited upon the trays clear of the last row. As the pans or trays become fully
charged with dough discs; they will be removed from the travelling table, and be
conveyed to the oven.
The above description is more especially applicable to the working of hard dough,
but in order that the machine may be utilized for the working of soft doughs,.
aprons K. L M, composed of webbing, may be so arranged upon the machine (as
shewn by dotted lines K. L M in Fig. 3 of the drawings) as to cover the actual
contact surfaces where the doughs is worked in the machine. In order to assist
the travel of the webbing K, an adjustable gripping roller.N, is so placed that the
apron shall be gripped between the surfaces of the rollers C and N and be
thereby assisted to travel.
In Figures 4, 5 and 6, may be seen, on an enlarged scale, detail views of the
revolving punching drum which has been previously referred to as composed of a
number of slats F, carrying the punches F, the construction being best seen at
Figs. 4 & 6. In the drawing Fig. 5, A A are sections of the side framing... O is
an immovable shaft, one end of which is bedded in the framing A on one side, while
the other end of the shaft O is surrounded by a sleeve P, to which are secured
suitable driving gear Q R.
.
The sleeve P is keyed or otherwise secured to the head F2 of the punching
cylinder. When motion is imparted to the spur wheel Q, the punching cylinder
will revolve at an equal rate of speed. Two cams S S are keyed or otherwise
secured to the immovable shaft O. In cross section, these cams are L-shaped, the
inner surface of the flange being the bearing surface. By referring to Fig. 11,
it will be seen that the bearing. surface of the cam S is, for one half of its length,
concentric with the centre of the shaft O, whereas the portions of the bearing
surface of the cam S is spiral, or formed as a curved incline.

page_text: The plungers T, with their heads T' that fit loosely in the punches F, are
arranged in sets on bars T2, the bars T' bearing against the surfaces s' of the
cams S S. The bars T2 are retained in a position relative to the punches, by means
of guide studs T³. The bars T are forced outwards, and caused to maintain contact
with the surfaces s s¹ of the cams S, by means of the springs t on the guide studs T³.
The punching drum will travel in the direction shewn by the arrows in Fig. 6, the
bars T maintaining contact with the surfaces ss of the cams S, by means of the
springs t; this contact of the bars T2 with the cam surfaces, will be maintained
until the bars T' approach the lowest point, where the cam surface will entirely
cease, and the bars carrying the plungers will successively be forced out by the
springs t, and consequently eject the dough discs contained within the punches F.
As the punching arm continues to revolve, the bars T will be picked up by the
cam surface s, thus causing the plunger heads T to be gradually withdrawn, so as
to make room within the punches F for the reception of other dough discs.
The V-pulley R, which is keyed on the sleeve P, is for the purpose of conveying
the requisite travelling motion to the endless table Z.
For cutting square biscuits, the form of cutter shewn in Fig. 12 may be used,
instead of the punches shewn in Fig. 7. Where the cutter (Fig. 12) is used, all
the dough will be utilized; it will therefore be unnecessary to employ the travelling
table G, which in this case will be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to me from
abroad), I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In machines for the manufacture of biscuits, a drum composed of perforated
slats or staves provided with projecting punches or cutters, the slats or staves being
arranged concentrically round the axis of the drum, as herein specified.
2. In machines for the manufacture of biscuits, a drum furnished with peripherical
punches or cutters, and provided with internal mechanism, whereby the discs of
dough, that are cut out from the sheet of dough, by the punches, may be forced out
from the punches, when the latter arrive in any suitable position during the
revolution of the drum, as herein explained.
3. In machines for the manufacture of biscuits, the combination with a drum
provided with salient punches or cutters, of a perforated travelling table such as G,
whereby the scrap dough, after the dough dises have been cut from the sheet, may
be carried away clear of the machine, as herein specified & explained.
4. In machines for the manufacture of biscuits, the combination with a drum
provided with salient punches or cutters, of a rotating cutting block, such as H, for
the purpose of affording a bearing surface for the cutters or punches on the drum,
while they are cutting the dough biscuits from the sheet of dough, as herein
described.
5. In machines for the manufacture of biscuits, the combination and arrangement
of parts contained within the punching or cutting drum, and consisting of the
plungers T working within the punches, the bars T to which the plungers T are
attached, and the cams S that are rigidly connected to the immovable axial shaft O,
substantially as herein described, as illustrated in the drawings, and for the purposes
set forth.
6. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts in the
improved machine for ganging, cutting, and panning the dough used in the manu-
facture of biscuits, as specified, as illustrated in the drawings, and for the purposes
herein set forth.
Dated this 30th day of June 1891
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.