Improvements in Dough Dividers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dough Dividers.
I, FRANK HENRY VAN HOUTEN, of Fishkill-on-Hudson, County of Dutchess,
State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for dividing a mass of dough
into equal portions for a batch of rolls or loaves, the objects of the invention being
to simplify the mechanism employed and secure the pressing and dividing of the
dough by the operation of a single hand lever.
The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations
and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out particularly
in the appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my present invention with
portions broken away to expose underlying parts.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken from side to side of the machine.
Like letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.
The framing of the machine lettered A may be of any desired character,
preferably capable, however, of being mounted on casters a at the rear and is
provided with pivoted handles A' by means of which the machine may be trundled
about the bakery. At the top of the framing A is a cylinder B, secured by bolts
or otherwise and a cover C, hinged at the rear side, closes the top of the cylinder.
A suitable spring pressed catch c holds the cover closed, and a releasing handle c¹
and counter weights 2 hung on rods c³ in rear of the cover, are provided for
opening the cover.
Guided in suitable bearings centrally below the cylinder is a vertical shaft D
having upon its upper end the knife base D₁ carrying the knives, said base being
perforated or formed with openings in the bottom of each compartment for the
passage of stems E carrying upon their upper ends the facets E¹ which constitute
the movable presser face.
Considerable difficulty has been heretofore experienced in fitting the facets
accurately in the knife compartments, it being almost impossible to fit the same
sufficiently accurate to prevent dough squeezing through and at the same time have
all of the facets mounted rigidly on the base without binding at some one or more
points. These difficulties I have effectually overcome and at the same time reduced
the cost of such extremely accurate work by allowing the facets to be guided by
the knives connecting them to their support, or as heretofore termed the compresser
head base, by a loose connection which will allow them sufficient lateral movement
to follow any slight irregularities in the kuives or distortion of the same which is
certain to be present to a greater or less degree. The connection is preferably
made by simply rounding off the lower end of the stem as at e Figure 3, and
connecting the same at a central point to the compresser head base F by a screw
left loose enough to allow of the necessary lateral movement of the facet.
The compresser head base is mounted on a vertical sleeve or tubular support F
surrounding the vertical shaft D and having near the bottom on the rear side a
series of teeth or a rack f. With this rack meshes a gear segment or segments G
forined integral with or rigidly attached to an arm or arms G2 carrying at their
outer ends a weight or weights G³. The weight or weights G³ being pivoted on

page_text: the shaft G¹ tend to hold the compresser head up, save when themselves held by
the catch g or the operating lever as will be presently explained. On each side
of the tubular support I provide lugs H, through which pass tie bolts H' H³, the
head of the bolt H₁ extending up beyond the lug H, as shown in Figure 2, out of
contact therewith when the sleeve is turned down. This bolt H¹ extends downward
and is secured rigidly in any suitable manner to a block h, the bolt H' being passed
loosely through a laterally projecting bracket or arm I on said shaft. Now when
the sleeve is lifted by the weights G³, the upward movement will be arrested by
lug H coming in contact with head of bolt H¹, the other bolt. H serving to draw
the sleeve down, both the bolts passing loosely through the lugs H, H, or bracket I,
nuts being provided for adjustment.
The parts are so adjusted that with the compresser head and knives both down,
the weights will be raised, and it is obvious that if a batch of dough be placed in
the cylinder with them in this position, the cover closed and the central shaft
raised, the weights will descend moving the compresser up distributing the dough
with a uniform pressure, and, as the resistance offered by the dough to the advance
of the compresser increases the movement of the said compresser, its tubular
support weights will be arrested, without however, relieving the dough from
pressure, and the vertical shaft D and knives continuing their movement will divide
the dough into sections. A reverse or downward movement of the shaft will first
retract the knives and then through the tie bolts draw the compresser head down
and elevate the weights ready for another operation, although in practice it may
be found convenient after the knives have been manipulated to open the cover and
allow the weights to force the divided batch up out of the cylinder.
Besides giving a uniform compression to all the batches of dough, this construc-
tion enables me to effect all the operations by simply moving the central shaft and
I prefer a power mechanism for effecting this movement, consisting of a cam K
journaled on a stud k at the top of the frame, with a connecting rod and strap
uniting the cam and bracket I. A hand lever L is rigidly connected with the cam,
and set at such an angle therewith, that when the handle is thrown back and the
stop projections 11 brought in contact as in Figure 1, the cam will be slightly
beyond the centre and any upward pressure on the connecting rod will tend to hold
the parts in this position. When the handle is brought forward, the cam is turned
and the central shaft raised as before explained until the lever strikes the spring
stop M in which position the knives are not quite against the under surface of the
cylinder lever. A slight additional pressure on the lever will however overcome
the resistance of the spring stop and cause the knives to cut way through, but the
knives will be again slightly lowered when the increased pressure on the lever is
removed. The advantage of this construction is that it prevents all possibility of
the cover being brought down on the cutting edges of the knives should they
inadvertently be left advanced either in cleaning the machine, or when operating
it. This is a feature of considerable moment, for should the cover crush down on
the knives, it would by reason of its weight and leverage destroy the cutting edges
if not the whole knife structure.
9
When the machine is not in use or when being transported it is preferred to
secure the weights in their elevated position by means of the catch before
mentioned. The operation of the machine is extremely simple for after the dough
is in place and the cover of the cylinder closed, it is only necessary to draw the
single operating lever forward to compress and distribute the dough and separate
into section of the desired size. The dough being subjected in every instance to an
equal degree of pressure ensures a production of uniform batches of rolls in every
instance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough recentacle and indenen-

page_text: dently movable dividing knives and compresser working therein, of the weight
connected with the compresser for advancing it, a power mechanism for advancing
the knives and a loose connection controlled thereby for restraining the advance of
the compresser and returning it to retracted position as the knives are retracted;
substantially as described.
2. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle, and the
automatically advanced compresser working therein, of the knives working through
the compresser a manually controlled knife operating mechanism and a loose
connection between the same and compresser for returning the latter to normal:
position and allowing it to advance in unison with the knives, until arrested by the
resistance of the dough; substantially as described.
3. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle, the vertically
movable compresser working therein, having the downwardly extending stem, the.
weight and connections between the weight and stem for elevating the compresser,,
of the knives working in the receptacle a manually controlled power mechanism
for operating the knives and an interposed loose connection for retracting the
compresser and weight, while permitting of an independent forward movement of
the knives; substantially as described.
4. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle, the vertically
movable compresser working therein and having the downwardly extending stem, the-
weight and connections between the weight and stem for advancing the compresser,
of the knives, the vertical shaft connected therewith, a loose connection between
the shaft and stem for returning the compresser to retracted position while permit-
ting the shaft to advance independently thereof, and a manually controlled operating
mechanism for the shaft; substantially as described.
5. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle, the compresser-
working therein, the downwardly extending stem having the rack at the lower end
and the pivoted weight having the segment in mesh with the rack, of the knives
having the vertical shaft, a loose connection between the shaft and stem for return-
ing the compresser to retracted position, while permitting the shaft to advance
independently thereof the cam for advancing the shaft and the hand lever for
moving the cam; substantially as described.
6. In a dough divider, the combination with the receptacle for dough, the
compresser working therein, the downwardly extending tubular stem supporting
the compresser and having the rack at the lower end, the weights and the pivoted
segment supporting the same in mesh with the rack, of the knives, the shaft
supporting the same passing down through the tubular stem, a loose connection.
between the stem and shaft, an operating cam for elevating the shaft and a hand
lever for turning the cam; substantially as described.
7. In a dough divider, the combination with the receptacle for dough, the
compresser working therein, the weights for elevating the compresser and the catch
for holding said weights elevated, of the knives working through the compresser,
the knife supporting shaft a loose connection between the knife supporting shaft
and compresser, whereby the latter is retracted, and an operating cam lever for
advancing the shaft; substantially as described.
8. In a dough divider, the combination with the receptacle, the hinged cover
therefor, the knives reciprocating in the receptacle and a manually controlled power
mechanism for operating the knives, of a spring stop located in position to arrest
the advance of the knives below the level of the cover, whereby injury to the
knives is prevented; substantially as described.
9. In a dough divider, the combination with the receptacle, the hinged cover
therefor, the compresser and the knives reciprocating in the receptacle, of a power
mechanism for advancing the knives embodying a hand lever, and a yielding stop
located in the path of said lever and operating to hold the knives below the level of
the cover, but capable of being overcome by the application of a slight increase of
power to bring the knives against the cover and complete the severance of the
dough; substantially as described.

page_text: 10. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle and the knives
working therein, of the compresser head base, the compresser facets working
between the knives and the stems on which said facets are supported loosely
connected with the compresser head base; substantially as described.
11. In a dough divider, the combination with the dough receptacle and knife
base and knives working therein, of the compresser head base, the compresser facets
working between the knives, the stems carrying said facets passing through the
knife base and having their lower ends rounded and screws connecting said stems
and compresser head base, whereby the facets are allowed a slight lateral movement;
substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of June 1895
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.