Improvements relating to Bread-making and to Machinery therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
[Communicated from abroad by LEON DATHIS, Junior, of 170, Rue de Rivoli,
Paris, in the Republic of France, Gentleman.]
Improvements relating to Bread-making and to Machinery
therefor.
I, DAVID YOUNG, of the firm of D. Young & Co., Patent Agents, 11 &
12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to bread-making and to machinery therefor, and its object
is to provide for effecting, by mechanical means and in a better and more expeditious
manner than has hitherto been practicable, the moulding or shaping of the bread,
which heretofore could only be properly performed by hand. This mechanical
moulding or shaping is effected by the combined use of two machines:-a mixer
and a moulding or shaping machine, the operation of which is hereinafter
explained.
Hitherto the moulding or shaping of bread by hand has been carried on as
follows, viz. After the dough has been cut to the desired weight, it is mixed
and formed either into a ball or into a roll of greater or less length; then, after
being slightly flattened, it is folded or doubled and the edges or borders are united
by pressure, it is then rolled by successive backward and forward movements with
both hands, and is gradually stretched or extended to the desired length, care being
taken in the working of the dough to squeeze or press the same during the forward
movement, and not to squeeze or press it during the backward movement, in order
to allow it to regain its elasticity (or to allow it to breathe so to speak).
These operations require great dexterity and long practice, they present on the
other hand the inconvenience that if the moulding (which is always perceptible
throughout the length of the loaf) is not well placed in the basket and at the time
of putting it in the oven, it cracks in the baking.
These several operations are effected mechanically by my system, with the
advantage that I obtain a more perfect and regular or uniform moulding or shaping
without the necessity for dexterity on the part of the operator, and the incon-
veniences of moulding by hand are obviated. The moulding or shaping is effected,
as above mentioned, by the combined use of two machines, a mixer and a shaping
machine, which I will now proceed to describe.
The mixer comprises a device mounted upon a vertical shaft and arranged to
rotate or spin about the axis of the said shaft. This rotary or spinning device,
which I will for convenience of description hereinafter term a top, is partly
covered by a cap which does not rotate, but which can be moved vertically by
means of a movable screw in such a manner as to regulate the height of the said
cap above the said top. This cap has at its upper end a funnel-shaped opening or
mouth and corresponds in shape to the convex upper surface of the top, approaching
the same to a certain extent at its base. By lowering or raising the cap, the space
left free for the dough to effect its evolution is diminished or increased; each of the
walls are provided with projections or buttons for preventing the sliding of the
dough and for more effectually ensuring its rotation.
After the dough has been cut to the desired weight, it is introduced into the
funnel or mouth of the aforesaid cap and descends into the space between the walls
of the latter and of the top where it is turned round in every direction by the

page_text: effect of the difference of the paths traversed. After this evolution, whereby it is
formed either into a ball or into a kind of roll according to the proximity given to
the said walls, the dough falls by its own weight into a hopper whence it is removed
by an elevator or conveyor and delivered into the shaping machine. The said
elevator or conveyor need not be herein described as it may be constructed in any
well-known manner. In the shaping machine, the dough is subjected to alternate
forward and backward movements and pressure is alternately applied thereto and
removed therefrom; the dough is thus elongated and successively rolled, as is usually
done by the hand of the operative, but with much greater regularity or uniformity,
until it is brought to the desired shape, thickness and length when it is discharged
from the shaping machine and falls upon a travelling apron, whence it is removed
to be placed in the brackets.
The shaping machine comprises the following parts, viz. :-Two tables or slabs,
below one and above the other of which slide in opposite directions endless cloths ;
these slabs regulate or determine the thickness of the loaves to be formed, they are
provided at the entering end with projections or buttons so arranged as to press
into the dough and facilitate rotative evolution thereof and its elongation between
the two slabs. The distance between the said slabs is regulated and maintained by
means of grooved cams arranged in pairs at each side of the machine, and keyed in
pairs upon shafts to which circular or angular movement can be imparted by
levers provided with springs and arranged to move over toothed and graduated
sectors. The angular movement of these shafts and cams, effects the raising or
lowering of rollers and consequently of the upper slab to which the said rollers are
attached.
The lower slab instead of being fixed, is mounted at each side of the machine on
connecting-rods one of which is provided with an arm or extension so as to form a
bell-crank-lever, and is arranged to be raised and lowered by means of a lever,
according as the dough is moved forward or backward by reason of the alternative
movement of the endless cloths, so as to apply pressure to and remove it from the
dough as required. The alternative movement of the endless cloths is effected as
follows, that is to say:-Two rollers driven continuously in opposite directions by
means of belts or otherwise from a suitable motor, are fixed upon shafts which may
or may not be provided with fly-wheels; two other rollers are mounted at each side
upon levers turning about suitable shafts and capable of being connected by means
of rods which are also connected to a balance-lever or beam keyed upon a rock-
shaft. Suitable cams driven from the same shaft as the main rollers, are arranged
to successively depress and raise the aforesaid two levers the ends of which are
provided with rollers that bear against the said cams. When the levers of one set
are depressed, the roller carried by these levers is applied to the corresponding main
roller so that the corresponding endless cloth is pinched between the said rollers
and caused to move backward together with the dough which it carries, whilst the
lower slab acted upon by its lever is depressed and removes the pressure from the
dough. When the levers of the other of the aforesaid two sets of levers are
depressed, the cloth is seized between the corresponding rollers and drawn through
so as to move forward the dough at the same time that it is pressed or squeezed by
the lower slab, which is again raised by the movement of the aforesaid beam and
levers. The said endless cloth, through the medium of a roller and pulley, actuates
a belt which transmits motion to another pulley and roller whereby the other
endless cloth is carried, so that this cloth is moved in the reverse direction to that
in which the lower cloth is moving and of less extent, so as to permit the bread
to move each time through a distance equal to the difference. The bread is thus
rolled, stretched or drawn out, and alternately pressed and released according as it
is moved backward and forward between the two endless cloths, until it is dis-
charged from the machine whence it is run off upon a travelling apron mounted
upon rollers or pulleys, to be put into the baskets, as above explained. The tension
of the said endless cloths may be regulated by means of movable bearings which
support the rollers or pulleys, or in any other convenient manner.

page_text: The construction of the machinery or apparatus which I employ may, if desired,
be somewhat modified without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Dated this 17th day of February 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Bread-making and to Machinery
therefor.
I, DAVID YOUNG of the firm of D. Young & Co. of 11 & 12 Southampton
Buildings in the County of London, Patent Agents, 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 invention relates to bread-making and to machinery therefor, and its object
is to provide for effecting by mechanical means and in a better and more
expeditious manner than has hitherto been practicable, the moulding or shaping of
the bread which hitherto could only be properly performed by hand.
This
mechanical moulding or shaping is effected by the combined use of two machines,
viz. a mixer and a moulding or shaping machine the operation of which is
hereinafter explained.
Hitherto the moulding or shaping of bread by hand has been carried on as
follows, that is to say After the dough has been cut to the desired weight, it is
mixed and formed either into a ball or into a roll of greater or less length; then,
after being slightly flattened, it is folded or doubled and the edges or borders are
united by pressure, it is then rolled by successive backward and forward
movements with both hands, and is gradually stretched or extended to the desired
length, care being taken in the working of the dough to squeeze or press the same
during the forward movement, and not to squeeze or press it during the
backward movement, in order to allow it to regain its elasticity (or to allow it to
"breathe" so to speak).
These operations require great dexterity and long practice, they present on the
other hand the inconvenience that if the moulding (which is always perceptible
throughout the length of the loaf) is not well placed in the basket and at the time
of putting it in the oven it cracks in the baking.
These several operations are effected mechanically by my system, with the
advantage that I obtain a more perfect and regular or uniform moulding or
shaping without the necessity for dexterity on the part of the operator, and the
inconveniences of moulding by hand are obviated.
The moulding or shaping is effected, as above mentioned, by the combined_use
of two machines, a mixer and a shaping machine, which I will now proceed to
describe. With reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the mixing or kueading machine, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the shaping or moulding machine, the two
being connected together by means of the elevator or distributor for transferring
the pieces of dough from one machine to the other.
The mixer comprises a device a which is mounted upon a vertical shaft a¹
provided with a driving pulley a" and is arranged to rotate or spin about the axis
of the said shaft. This rotary or spinning device, which I will for convenience of
description hereinafter term a "top," is partly covered by a cap which does not
rotate, but which can be moved vertically by means of an adjusting-screw in such
a manner as to regulate the height of the said cap above the said top. This cap
has at its upper end a funnel-shaped opening or mouth c and corresponds in shape
to the convex upper surface of the top a, approaching the same to a certain extent

page_text: at its base. By lowering or raising the cap b, the space left free for the dough to
effect its evolution is diminished or increased; each of the walls a, b, are
provided with projections or buttons a for preventing the sliding of the dough and
more effectually ensuring its rotation.
After the dough, has been cut to the desired weight, it is introduced into the
funnel or mouth c of the aforesaid cap band descends into the space between the
walls of the latter and of the top a, where it is turned around in every direction
by the effect of the difference of the paths traversed. After this evolution,
whereby it is formed either into a ball or into a kind of roll according to the
proximity given to the said walls a, b, the dough falls by its own weight into a
hopper & whence it is removed by an elevator or conveyor e and delivered into
the shaping machine. The said elevator or conveyor need not be herein
described as it may be constructed in any well-known manner.
In the shaping machine, the dough is subjected to alternate forward and
backward movements and pressure is alternately applied thereto and removed
therefrom; the dough is thus elongated and successively rolled, as is usually done
by the hand of the operative, but with much greater regularity or uniformity,
until it is brought to the desired shape, thickness and length, when it is discharged
from the shaping machine, and falls upon a travelling apron, whence it is removed
to be placed in the baskets.
The shaping machine comprises the following parts, viz. :-There are two tables
or slabs A and B, below one and above the other of which slide in opposite
directions endless cloths C and D; these slabs A, B regulate or determine the
thickness of the loaves to be formed, they are provided at the entering end with
projections or buttons A and B₁ so arranged as to press into the dough and
facilitate the rotative evolution thereof and its elongation between the two slabs A
and B. The distance between the said slabs is regulated and maintained by
means of grooved cams E, E' arranged in pairs at each side of the machine, and
keyed in pairs upon shafts E² to which circular or angular movement can be
imparted by levers e, e' provided with springs and arranged to move over toothed
and graduated sectors ell and ell. The angular movement of these shafts E2 and
cams E E¹ effects the raising or lowering of the rollers e², e³ and consequently of
the upper slab A. to which the said rollers are attached.
The lower slab B, instead of being fixed, is mounted at each side of the machine
on connecting-rods F, F', one of which F¹ is provided with an arm or extension so
as to form a bell-crank-lever, and is arranged to be raised and lowered by means of
rods and levers L, according as the dough is moved forward or backward by
reason of the alternative movement of the endless cloths, so as to apply pressure to
and remove it from the dough as required. The alternative movement of the
endless cloths C and D is effected as follows, that is to say:-Two rollers G and H
driven continuously in opposite directions by means of belts or otherwise from a
suitable motor through a shaft I, are fixed upon shafts which may or may not be
provided with fly-wheels; two other rollers J and K are mounted at each side upon
levers L, M turning about suitable shafts l, m and capable of being connected by
means of rods n, n which are also connected to a balance-lever or beam N keyed
upon a rock-shaft N'. Suitable cams O, O' also driven from the shaft I are
arranged to successively depress and raise the aforesaid two levers M, L, the ends
When the
of which are provided with rollers that bear against the said cams.
levers of one set L are depressed, the roller J carried by the levers L is applied
to the corresponding main roller G so that the corresponding endless cloth D is
pinched between the said rollers and caused to move backward together with the
dough which it carries, whilst the lower slab B acted upon by its rods and
levers and F¹ is depressed and removes the pressure from the dough. The
other set of levers M, is next depressed and the cloth D is seized between
the corresponding rollers K and H and drawn through so as to move forward the
dough at the same time that it is pressed or squeezed by the lower slab B
which is again raised by the movement of the aforesaid beam N and levers L

page_text: and rods f. The said endless cloth D, through the medium of a roller and
pulley P, actuates a belt p which transmits motion to another pulley Q and
its roller whereby the other endless cloth C is carried, so that this cloth is
moved in the reverse direction to that in which the lower cloth D is moving
and to a ss extent, so as to permit the bread to move each time through a
distance qual to the difference. The bread is thus rolled, stretched or drawn
out, and alternately pressed and released according as it is moved backward
and forward between the two endless cloths, until it is discharged from the
machine, whence it is run off upon a travelling apron R mounted upon rollers
or pulleys, to be put into the baskets, as above explained. The tension of the
D¹
said endless cloths may be regulated by means of movable bearings C¹,
which support the rollers or pulleys, or in any other convenient manner.
The construction of the machinery or apparatus which 1 employ may, if
desired, be somewhat modified without departing from the nature of my said
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is;
First. The method of moulding and shaping bread by machinery, characterized
by the combination of a process of mixing or kneading, consisting in rolling and
turning over the dough, between two curved surfaces moving in different directions,
and a process of moulding or shaping by a combination of mechanical motions of
advance, return and alternate squeezing and releasing of the dough, which succes-
sively roll and extend or stretch it to the desired shape, substantially as herein-
before described.
Second. A dough mixing or kneading device comprising a curved "top"
capable of rotating about its axis and provided with buttons or projections on its
surface, and a fixed cap or cover (which, however, may be moved or adjusted
vertically) also curved in form and provided with buttons or projections on its
interior surface, the said cap covering the said "top" whilst leaving an open curved
space slightly contracted at the lower part thereof, between it and the said "
"top
and into which previously weighed pieces of dough can be introduced by means of
a funnel situated on the upper portion of the said cap or cover, substantially as, and
for the purpose, above set forth.
17
Third. A dough moulding or shaping machine, characterized by the combination
of two superposed endless bands of cloth or the like, capable of receiving motion in
opposite directions and of unequal velocity, between which the mixed, but as yet
unmoulded or unshaped pieces of dough are placed, the lower cloth, which travels
at the higher speed, being capable of alternately receiving a motion in either
direction, and also of approaching and retreating from the upper cloth by reason of
the alternate rising and falling motion of the table or slab on which it is supported,
in such a manner that the squeezing of the dough corresponds to its advancing and
reciprocating motion, substantially as, and for the purpose, above set forth.
Dated the Seventeenth day of November 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.