IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, KATHARINE JANE DANCE, of 9 Mincing Lane, London E.C. in the County of
Middlesex, Gentlewoman, (Widow) do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND
THE LIKE" to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the making of bread, biscuits, and the like
by means of improved apparatus, which, whilst operating efficiently and expe-
ditiously, is such as to entirely dispense with handling of the materials throughout
the various operations. My improved apparatus is applicable for making fermented
or unfermented bread in the form of loaves or biscuits or in other forms.
The operations of my present improved apparatus commence with the kneading
or doughing of the bread-forming materials; mechanism of any convenient kind
being used for raising the preliminary mixing or sponging troughs and emptying
them into the kneading apparatus. This kneading apparatus consists of a pan or
basin of a hemispherical or similar form which is made to revolve by means of a
pinion gearing with teeth fixed round its rim or any other suitable mechanism. A
number of vertical spindles rotating in different directions have fitted to their
lower ends agitating forks or blades which are shaped so as to pass in contact or
nearly so with the inner surface of the pan, and which are arranged so that all
parts of that surface may in turn be scraped by them. The blades are shaped
like knivos, ploughs, or scrapers so as to turn over the dough and prevent it from
adhering to the pan. There are also a number of vertically reciprocating stampers
made with rounded lower ends to assist in the kneading operation, these stampers
being worked by means of rotating cams, and being provided with adjustable
springs to allow of their action being modified to suit the desired consistency of
the dough. The agitators and stampers are arranged in a frame which can be
raised or lowered by a lever, for lifting them out of the pan or lowering them into
their operating positions. The kneading pan is formed with a discharge opening
in its bottom and this opening is provided with a door or pair of doors held close

page_text: by latches which are automatically loosened as the pan in its revolution brings the
lutches or parts connected to them into contact with fixed inclines or stops.
The contents of the kneading pan fall through the discharge opening into a
hopper the sides of which are formed by rollers driven by any suitable gearing so
as by their surface friction on the dough to move it downwards. The lower rollers
are at gradually decreasing distances apart, the lowermost pair having only a
narrow space between them, through which space the dough is carried to the meter
or measuring apparatus. This measuring apparatus consists by preference of
a pair of rollers which pass the dough between them and through adjustable dies
which determine the size and weight of the portions of dough for forming loaves,
biscuits or the like. Beneath the dies a knife cutting both ways and worked by
means of cams on the main shaft moves transversely whilst stationary knives act
at right angles to the transversely moving one so that the dough as it proceeds
downwards is divided into cubes or blocks, which as they leave the knives fall
between a rotating grooved roller and a stationary semi-cylindrical shell formed
with grooves corresponding with those of the roller. The roller acting in concert
with the stationary shell causes the cubes of dough to be rolled into rounded
forms or balls, and these balls drop into cells in trays or tins which are in rows
arranged upon trucks for being run from the machine into the oven, The trucks
for transferring the trays froin the machine to the oven, have small trucks upon
them, and it is these latter with the trays of loaves on them which are moved into
the oven, there being on the larger trucks and in the oven rails for the smaller
trucks to run upon. The oven is constructed with exit doors different from those
by which the unbaked loaves are entered, and the baked loaves on leaving the
oven by the exit doors are turned out of the tins into a refrigerating room.
When making unfermented bread with my improved apparatus the knives for
cutting the kneaded dough into cubes or blocks are removed together with the.
rolling roller and shell, and for these parts there is substituted a movable frame
divided by thin partitions into compartments corresponding to two sets of the die
apertures through which the dough is forced by the measuring rollers. This frame
is moved intermittently to bring its two sets of compartments alternately under
the dies, so that whilst one set is being filled with dough, the portions of dough in
the other set which is then at one side or the other can drop or be forced down by
plungers out of the compartments, into the tins or upon the trays for being
conveyed by the trucks to the oven.
By another modification applicable where great speed of operation is desired,
the dies and the dividing knives hereinbefore described for dividing the kneaded
dough into cubes or blocks may be dispensed with, and the roller described as for
rolling the cubes or blocks may be modified so as to serve for dividing the dough
into portions. For this purpose the roller is made with thin flanges or collars
which form grooves round the roller and also with longitudinal flanges or partitions
which subdivide the grooves into cells. This cellular roller rotates with the outer
edges of its flanges in contact with a segmental cylindrical shell arranged with its
upper longitudinal edge in contact with a resisting roller placed just below one of
the measuring rollers; and the dough passing downwards is forced into the cells
and at the same time divided into blocks or portions. Then as the cells in
succession reach their lowest positions by the rotation of the roller, projections on
the ruller act on blades or scrapers which enter the cells and turn out the blocks of
dough so that they fall down upon the trays or into the tins in which they are
conveyed to the oven.
For making biscuits or small loaves or rolls or the like the measuring or meter
rollers are adjusted to make the dough pass in a comparatively thin sheet, which
next proceeds between a plain roller and a roller having on it longitudinal knives
and is thereby cut into transverse strips. These transverse strips fall successively
between an annularly grooved roller and a stationary grooved shell of the kind
hereinbefore described for rolling the loaf cubes, and the strips are thereby divided

page_text: and rolled into balls, which roll down inclined guides to the trays. The proper
arrangement of the balls in rows upon the trays is secured by an intermittently
moving gate which allows them to drop on the trays at regular intervals between
which the trucks carrying the trays are moved forward a step by rack-and-pawl or
other suitable feed mechanism. Either when on the trays or just before reaching
them, the balls being at the time on a flat surface, a presser is made to move down
upon them to flatten them if they are required to be of the usual flat biscuit form;
and in this way the form is obtained without the cuttings or waste produced by
the punches or cutters ordinarily used.
Dated thin winthe tone of Danamba 1001
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Bread, Biscuits,
and the like.
I, KATHARINE JANE DANCE of 4 Charterhouse Villa, Frith Hill, Godalming in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND THE LIKE" 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 apparatus chiefly designed for use in making unfermented
bread of the class described in the specification of former Letters Patent granted
to me and dated November 14th, A.D. 1882, No 5429, but also applicable for use
in making other kinds of bread, or for making cakes, biscuits, or the like.
One object of the present invention is to provide for mixing or kneading the
dough in an efficient and expeditious manner, measuring the same and delivering
it in predetermined quantities into tins or upon trays ready to be placed in the
oven, without handling the dough.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine or apparatus constructed according to
my present invention for making unfermented bread of the kind described in the
said former specification.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the right hand side of the said machine.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an inverted plan of the kneading pan or trough hereinafter
described.
Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line ¹, ¹, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the left hand side of part of the machine.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

page_text: a indicates the frame of the machine, which consists of two side pieces rigidly
connected by cross-bars a³, a* and plates a², a³, which support the various parts of
the mechanism as hereinafter described,
b is a revolving kneading pan or trough, which rests upon the plate a³, and the
lower portion b₁ of which is turned and fitted with a capability of rotation in an
aperture in the said plate. The pan or trough 6 is provided with teeth bª with
which engages a pinion el fixed on the vertical shaft c; this shaft is connected
with the driving shaft d by means of the bevel gear-wheels e, e¹.
The meal or flour, water, and other ingredients from which the dough is to be
made are to be fed into the pan or trough bin suitable proportions by means of
elevators or chutes, or in any other convenient manner, and are mixed by means
of the rotating forks ff and the helical or screw blades f (of which there may be
any suitable number). The prongs of the forks ffaro curved so that they
approximately correspond in shape with the inner sides of the pan or trough 6,
aud, when rotated, will tend to work the dough from the sides of the trough to the
centre. The blades f, when rotated, tend to move the dough from the centre to
the sides of the pan or trough. A scraper f³ is also provided, which is secured
with a capability of vertical adjustment in the frame a, and which, when in its
lowermost position, fits closely against the interior of the pan or trough on one
side thereof and throws towards the centre any materials that may adhere to the
pan or trough. By these means a thorough mixing of the dough is ensured, as no
part thereof is at any time out of the range of the forks and blades or mixers.
The shanks or spindles f³ of the said forks and mixers f, f¹ are fitted with a
capability of vertical adjustment in the plate a³ and cross-bar a, so that they can
be lifted out of, or lowered into, the kneading trough when desired. When in
their raised position, they are supported by the pins f, which are passed through
the spindles f³ and engage with hooks f* on the cross-bar a'. The said forks
and mixer are rotated by means of the gear-wheels f5, one of which engages with
the pinion cupon the vertical shaft c. The said wheels f³ are fitted loosely upon
the spindles f³, therefore, when the forks f and mixer f¹ are in their raised
position, the said wheels will not communicate motion thereto. When, however,
the forks and mixer are lowered into the trough, the pins f' engage with studs fo
fixed in the wheels f, so that the said wheels will communicate motion to the
forks and mixer.
I make the bottom of the trough b to open and close, so that the dough, after it
has been thoroughly mixed by the means above described, can be permitted to fall
into a hopper which conducts it to the measuring and delivering mechanism as
hereinafter set forth.
In the apparatus shown in the drawings, the trough 6 is provided with
doors g, g, which are hinged or pivotted at g², and which, when released or
unlocked, drop into the position shown in Figure 1. Pins are fixed in the
doors g, g' to prevent them from swinging too far back and coming into contact
with any of the parts below the trough. The said doors are retained in their closed
position by means of catches h pivotted upon the studs ' and having arms h².
When the catches h are in position to lock the doors, the arms h³ extend radially
outward from the trough, as shown in Figure 4, in which position they are adapted
to be acted upon, when desired, by an adjustable tappet i, Figure 1. This tappet
is attached to a shank or spindle capable of sliding vertically in the plate a
When the said tappet is in its raised position, the arms ², during the rotation of
the trough b, impinge against the said tappet, which thus moves first one and then
the other of the catches h out of engagement with the doors, thereby releasing the
latter and permitting them to open. When the tappet is in its lowermost position,
as shown, the arms pass above it and do not come in contact therewith. This
tappet can, if desired, be connected with clock work or other suitable mechanism
whereby, at predetermined intervals, it will be raised automatically to act upon the
catches and thus permit the opening of the doors g, g' and the discharge of the
contents of the trough.

page_text: To ensure the opening of the doors when released from the catches h, a spring gʻ
is attached, at one extremity, to the door g and bears at its other extremity upon
the door g¹. This spring is so arranged that the doors cannot be closed without
compressing it; when, therefore, the doors are released from the catches, the
spring will react and force open the door g. The sticking of the doors is thus
prevented.
A scraper is secured with a capability of vertical adjustment upon a rod j
attached to, and extending downward from, the plate a³. This scraper is arranged
to be lowered into the trough b when the doors are open, so that it will scrapo
the inner surface of the trough and thus ensure the discharge of the whole of the
contents of the trough through the aperture in the botton thereof.
A hopper is provided for receiving the dough, as it falls from the trough b, and
for conducting it to the mechanism hereinafter described for measuring the dough
and delivering it in predetermined quantites upon trays or the like.
This hopper; when the machine is to be used for making ordinary bread, may be
of the usual construction with stationary sides, and be provided at the bottom
with a pair of rollers for delivering the dough to the measuring mechanism, as the
dough for ordinary bread is stiff and not liable to adhere to the sides of the hopper.
But the dough used for making unfermented bread of the kind described in the
said former specification is very soft and would stick to the sides of a hopper of
the usual construction. To obviate this difficulty I form each side of the hopper
of a series of rollers k¹, k², k³. These rollers are mounted in a frame k supported
upon the bars a¹ of the main frame a, and are arranged to be simultaneously
rotated while the dough is being discharged into the hopper. The shafts of the
said rollers extend a short distance outside of the frame , and pinions 11, 12, 13 are
fixed on the said shafts, so that positive motion may be imparted to the rollers.
The pinions of each set or series of rollers are connected by intermediate pinions Z,
so that the rollers of each set or series will be moved in the same direction. The
said rollers are driven by the means hereinafter described. Each of the said rollers
is provided with a scraper m secured to the frame k, for removing any dough which
may adhere to the roller.
A slide n is arranged at the lower end of the hopper to retain the dough therein
if required. This slide is guided through an aperture in the side of the hopper
by means of the stud n', which extends through a slot n' in the said slide. Tho
hopper is furnished at its upper end with a fraine o which prevents the dough, as it
leaves the trough, from falling outside the hopper.
The mechanism for measuring the dough and delivering it in predetermined
quantities upon trays or the like is arranged immediately beneath the hopper and
comprises three rollers q, q², g³ and the roller q3 having the flanges 2 and the pro-
jection 9. The rollers q q¹ are arranged in the same horizontal plane, and are
supported in bearings in the bars a¹. The roller q² is carried in bearings attached
to the bars a' below the roller q'. The walls or sides of what I term the measuring
chamber are formed of the rollers q, q², q², q³, the end plates r, and the plate L
The plate, moreover, forms a scraper for the roller q and extends partially
around the roller q³ flush with the peripheries of the flanges thereof.
The capacity of the said measuring chamber can be varied by placing the end
plates and the flanges of the roller q³ at a greater or less distance apart. End
plates or strips & are attached to the plate to prevent the dough from being forced
out between the said plate 1 and the flanges of the roller q³. The plate 71 is carried
upon a block 8' of wood or other suitable material supported upon an arm &³
bolted to the main frame.
The dough, after it leaves the hopper, is fed or moved downward by the
rollers q, q, which move with sufficient rapidity to ensure the proper delivery of
the dough.
The rollers 9, 9, 7, and the rollers forming the hopper are actuated by the
mechanism hereinafter described.

page_text: The roller is fixed upon the shaft d, which is operated by hand by means of
the crank-handle d. Or the said shaft may, if desired, be driven by a steam-
engine or other suitable motor. t is a pinion fixed on the shaft & and connected by
an intermediate pinion t¹ with a toothed wheel qe fixed on the axis of the roller
g.
The wheel gears with a toothed wheel q7 on the axis of the roller q³, on which
axis is also fixed a toothed wheel 98 connected by an intermediate pinion q³ with a
toothed wheel 10 on the axis of the roller q². The toothed wheels 9°, q' are moreover
connected by the intermediate wheels t* with toothed wheels fixed upon shafts
carried in bearings attached to the frame a. On the shafts are also fixed
pinions t connected by intermediate wheels to with the pinions on the rollers ³
of the front and rear sets or series. Bevel wheels to are, moreover, fixed on the
shafts and gear with bevel-wheels 1 fixed on the axes of the rollers k³ of the side
sets or series.
u is a scraper which is pivotted at u¹ and which extends between the flanges of
the roller q³ into close proximity to the periphery of the said roller. This scraper
is provided with pins or projections u³ which rest upon a bar 83 secured to the
extremities of the plates 8. The said scraper is acted upon by spiral springs u³,
which are secured to the bracket u attached to the main frame, and which tend to
press the scraper towards the roller q³.
I provide one or more trays v, which are arranged beneath the measuring and
delivering mechanism, and upon which are to be placed tins to receive the pieces of
dough as they fall from the said measuring and delivering mechanism.
These trays
are provided with wheels vl and are adapted to run upon a small tramway or track w
extending to the oven. The said trays are automatically fed or moved forward a
short distance in oach revolution of the shaft d as hereinafter set forth, viz:-an
excentric or cam & fixed on the said shaft acts upon a sliding bar d³ carried in
bearings or supports d. This sliding bar is coupled at one end to a lover 22
pivotted to a bracket and connected by a link to a lever . The lever oc³ is
pivotted at one end to a stud a projecting downward from one of the bars a'.
The other end of the lever is coupled to a rod y carrying the pawl y' which
engages with pins v³ on the sides of the tray v. The rod y is bent at y² and slotted
so that it will slide upon a guide-bar y³ attached to one of the rails w.
To operate the machine, the handle is turned in the direction indicated by the
airow. As soon as the kneading operation has been effected, the doors g, g' of the
trough b are opened, and the dough falls into the hopper, wherein it is prevented,
by the rotation of the rollers k², k, k³, from adhering to the said rollers. It is fed
from the hopper into the measuring chamber by the rollers q, q', and passes between
the roller q3 and the roller 2 and plate r¹.
As the roller q rotates, the scraper u rides up the projection q³ and commences
to scrape the dough off the said roller. When the roller q³ has made one revolution,
the projection q comes in contact with the roller q and severs the piece of dough
that has passed between the said rollers from the mass in the hopper and measuring
chamber. The said projection 95, therefore, acts as a knife or cutter. The piece
of dough thus cut off is pushed forward by the said projection or knife, in the
continued rotation of the roller 93, until it falls into one of the tins upon the
tray; this tray is then moved forward a sufficient distance to bring a fresh tin
into position for the reception of the next piece of dough. In this manner a
predetermined quantity of dough is cut off and delivered into one of the tins upon
the tray, in each revolution of the shaft d.
My apparatus, when constructed as hereinbefore described, is intended for the
manufacture of the unfermented bread described in the said former specification.
When making ordinary bread, the roller f', shown in Figures 1 and 2, is sometimes
used, this roller is carried by a rod or spindle fa secured with a capability of vertical
adjustment in a socket attached to the plate a³; this roller can be lowered into the
trough b or raised therefrom as required.
I sometimes use, in combination with the kneading trough, a series of stampers
rounded at their lower ends, to assist in the kneading operation. These stampers

page_text: are worked by rotating cams connected by suitable gearing with the driving shaft.
They are provided with springs and adjusting screws to enable their action to be
modified according to the desired consistency of the dough, and are arranged to
be lowered into the pan or trough and raised therefrom by a lever.
It is obvious that the construction of my apparatus may be considerably modified,
without departing from the nature of my said invention, for instance the dough,
after leaving the hopper, may simply be fed into a suitable measuring space by
means of two rollers arranged in proximity to each other and through adjustable
dies or measuring frames which determine the size and weight of the loaves,
biscuits, or the like. These dies or frames may be of any suitable size and shape,
and should be lined with flannel or other suitable material kept inoist. The dough
is, in this case, cut off by means of a reciprocating knife having two. cutting edges
and so arranged that at each reciprocation it cuts off one or more pieces of dough
of the required size. The dough is thus divided into cubes or blocks, which, as
they leave the knife, fall between a rotating grooved roller and a stationary semi-
cylindrical shell formed with grooves corresponding with those of the roller. This
roller acting in combination with the stationary shell rolls the cubes of dough into
balls or other rounded forms. The balls or pieces thus formed drop into cells in
trays or tins arranged in rows upon trucks for transferring them from the machine
to the oven.
The trays with the loaves upon them are moved into, and passed through, the
oven, and the baked loaves on leaving the oven are preferably turned out of the
tins into a refrigerating room.
I sometimes substitute for the knife for cutting the dough into cubes as above
described, a movable frame divided by thin partitions into compartments corre-
sponding with two sets of the die-apertures through which the dough is forced by
the measuring rollers. This frame is moved intermittently to bring its two sets
of compartments alternately under the dies, so that, whilst one set is being filled
with dough, the portions of dough in the other set, which is then at one or the
other side, can drop, or be forced down by plungers, out of the compartments into
tins or upon the trays for conveyance to the oven.
When great speed of operation is desired, I sometimes employ a roller having
two or more projections or knives in place of the roller q³. In other cases the dies
and the knives above described for dividing the dough into cubes or blocks can be
dispensed with and the roller for rolling such cubes or blocks modified so that it
will divide the dough into portions of the desired size. For this purpose the roller
is made with thin flanges or collars which form grooves around the roller, and with
longitudinal flanges or partitions which subdivide the said grooves into cells. This
cellular roller rotates with the outer edges of its flanges in contact with a segmental
cylindrical shell arranged with its upper longitudinal edge in contact with a
resisting roller placed just below one of the measuring rollers. The dough passing
downwards is forced into the cells and at the same time divided into blocks or
portions. As the said cells in succession reach their lowermost positions, by the
rotation of the roller, projections on the roller act on blades or scrapers which enter
the cells and turn out the blocks of dough so that they fall upon the trays or into
the tins.
For making biscuits, small loaves or rolls, or the like, the measuring rollers are
arranged so as to cause the dough to pass out in a comparatively thin sheet. This
sheet is passed between a plain roller and a roller having longitudinal blades or
knives, whereby it is cut into transverse strips. These strips fall successively
between an annularly grooved roller and a stationary grooved shell similar to that
herein before described, whereby the strips are divided and rolled into balls which
run down inclined guides to the trays. The proper arrangement of the balls in
rows upon the trays is ensured by an intermittently moving gate which allows
them to drop on the trays at regular intervals, betweeen which the trucks carrying
the trays aro moved forward a step by rack-and-pawl or other suitable feed-
mechanism. Either when on the trays, or just before reaching them, the balls

page_text: being at the time on a flat surface, a presser is made to move down upon them to
flatten them, if they are required to be of the usual flat biscuit-form; in this
manner such form is obtained without the cuttings or waste produced by the
punches or cutters ordinarily used.
The kneading pan or trough may be of any convenient size and shape. Other
means than those above described may, if desired, be used for locking the doors at
the bottom of the kneading pan or trough and for unlocking or releasing them at
the desired moment. Or a horizontally moving slide may be used in place of the
doors, the said slide being operated by means of electricity, or by a roller fitted.
upon a stud in the said slide and running in a suitable cam-groove, or by other
suitable means. The pan or trough would, in this case, be opened and closed
automatically.
The improved machine is very advantageous for use in making biscuits, as it
obviates the necessity for carrying or transferring the dough from one machine to
another machine.
.
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
First. A machine or apparatus for making bread, biscuits or the like, which
machine has a revolving kneading pan or trough wherein the ingredients are
mixed and from which the dough is discharged into a hopper whereby it is con-
ducted to mechanism for measuring the dough and delivering it in predetermined
quantities upon trays or the like, as above specified.
Second. In a machine or apparatus for making bread, biscuits or the like, which
machine has a revolving kneading pan or trough, the provision of means for
opening and closing the bottom of the said trough for the purpose above specified.
Third. In a machine or apparatus for making bread, biscuits or the like, the
employment of a hopper having its sides formed of rollers arranged in combination
with scrapers and with means for simultaneously rotating the said rollers, all sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. In a machine or apparatus for making bread, biscuits or the like, the
employment of mechanism whereby the dough will be automatically measured
and delivered in predetermined quantities upon trays or the like, as above
specified.
Fifth. The combination of parts comprising the rollers 9, 91, 9³, the roller q³
having the flanges q' and one or more projections or knives q, the plates 7 and 8,
and the scraper u, whereby I provide for measuring the dough and delivering it in
predetermined quantities into tins or upon trays or the like, substantially as set
forth.
Sixth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings and
operating as, and for the purposes, specified.
Dated this 10th fantomham 100%