AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNEADING, DIVIDING, AND MOULDING DOUGH FOR BREAD MAKING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR KNEADING, DIVIDING, AND MOULDING DOUGH FOR BREAD
MAKING." A communication from abroad by Emil Ritten von Skoda, of
Pilsen, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1881.
"AN
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNEADING, DIVIDING,
AND MOULDING DOUGH FOR BREAD MAKING." A communication from abroad by
Emil Ritten von Skoda, of Pilsen, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
The object of this Invention is a new method of and machine for kneading,
dividing, and moulding dough for bread, in such a manner that all hand labour
connected with these manipulations is entirely dispensed with, and loaves of any
desired size are formed out of the dough by the machine itself.
For kneading the dough in a trough the ingredients destined to form tho bread
are mixed by means of a pressing or kneading plate provided with adjustable holes,
and moved to and fro like a piston in a cylinder, the trough being closed by a
removeable lid during the mixing operation.
For dividing the dough and moulding the loaves the kneaded dough is pressed
against the back wall of the kneading trough, which back wall is provided with
oblong apertures along which two plates with corresponding apertures are
reciprocated like scissors.
The dough dividing trough is placed upon a frame; it is provided with a lid or
cover easily removeable, and contains the materials necessary to the preparation of
the bread.

page_text: To the kneading or pressing plate are fixed two or more connecting rods which
pass through the front wall of the trough; their other ends are fixed to a cross-head,
İnteral projections from which slide in guides along the sides of the trough, and are
so arranged that they may be coupled by means of wedges or otherwise with
connecting rods actuated by crank axles.
The mechanism for producing the necessary movements consists of a driving
shaft rotated by a crank or by driving pulleys, and having on one end thereof a
pinion which gears with a cog wheel keyed on a crank axle journalled on the
frame of the machine, and from which motion is conveyed by connecting rods to
the other parts of the machine.
The kneading or pressing plate consists of two grate-like or slotted plates, whose
slots or apertures may be narrowed or widened by means of an adjustable plate
inserted between such two plates (the two plates may be formed in one piece), so
that the passage of the dough through the said apertures or slots may be made
more or less difficult. By means of this adjustablo and moveable plate the
ingredients forming the dough, namely, flour and water, may be mixed and the
dough duly kneaded.
After filling the trough the machine is started, the kneading plate is reciprocated,
and the dough thereby pressed through the slots, which are then opened as much
as possible, whereby a thorough mixture of all ingredients is effected.
The pressure mechanism consists of an axle upon one end of which is a cog
wheel, which is driven by means of the crank handle or driving pulleys and
intermediate gearing. Upon the other end of the axle is keyed a crank disc which
by a pawl acts upon a rack supported by a bar of the frame, and attached to the
cross head so that the latter together with the kneading plato is pressed forward.
A crank disc with adjustable crank keyed upon a crank shaft serves for
actuating the dough dividing and moulding apparatus, which essentially consists of
two separate knife blades provided like the back wall of the kneading trough with
a number of oblong apertures, and shifted along one another like the two blades of
scissors, so that the said apertures of the back wall aro alternately opened and
closed. This movement is imparted to the knife blades from a crank shaft placed
at the lower part of the machine by crank rods; the crank shaft receives a rocking
motion by means of the crank thereou, and a connecting rod from the last
mentioned crank disc.
The forward motion of the rack and consequently of the kneading plate may be
regulated according to the consistency of the dough. The operation of the dough
dividing and moulding apparatus is as follows :—
The pressing plato whose slots are narrowed to about one third of their area
by adjustment of the intermediate plato is driven by steps from its extreme
position towards the back wall, thereby pushing the greatest part of the dough
lying before it through the oblong apertures, which as aforesaid are alternately
opened and closed. By the scissor-like motion of the knife plates or blades tho
dough is cut into rounded loaves of equal size, and falls through furrows directly
into the baking tins or receivers.
The size of the loaves may be varied by a larger or smaller stroke of the knife
blades or plates, which may be regulated by shifting or adjusting the crank of the
crank disc imparting motion to them.
The dough driven through the slots of the kneading plate during the dividing
and moulding operation, and which therefore remains in the trough, serves as a
ferment for the next charge.
Before the dividing and moulding operation is commenced, care should be taken
to break the connection between the connecting rods and the kneading plate, so
that the connecting rods reciprocate loosely upon a guide, and that the pawl which
during the kneading operation has been disengaged from the rack is now caused
to gear into the latter; also that the crank pin of the crank disc which before was
placed in the centre of the latter must now be placed in that holo of the disc which

page_text: corresponds with the desired stroke. The weight of the bread may be read from
the scale provided on the crank discs of each machine. For bread loaves of a given
size the whole mechanism can be much simplified by dispensing with all those
devices by which the size of the loaves may be varied.
This machine is especiolly applicable for military purposes. The advantages of
this machine over the existing dough kneading machines and dough dividing
machines are the following:-Firstly, a more complete mixture and kneading of
the dough; secondly, preparation of loaves in a pure mechanical way without
any hand labour; thirdly, saving of the labour of weighing heretofore done by
hand; fourthly, utmost uniformity of the product; fifthly, saving of time by
dispensing with the operation of emptying the kneading apparatus heretoforo in
use, and therefore a larger useful effect; sixthly, greater cleanliness of the work;
seventhly, simplicity of the manipulation; eighthly, the described machine may bo
employed for the manufacture of all kinds of bread.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent_filed
by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th December 1881.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR KNEADING, DIVIDING,
AND MOULDING DOUGH FOR BREAD MAKING." A communication from abroad by
Emil Ritten von Skoda, of Pilsen, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
The object of this Invention is a new method of and machinery or apparatus for
kneading, dividing and moulding dough for bread in such a manner that all hand
labour connected with these manipulations is entirely dispensed with, and loaves of
any desired size are formed out of the dough by the machine itself.
For kneading the dough in a trough the ingredients destined to form the bread
are mixed by means of a pressing or kneading plate provided with adjustable
holes and moved to and fro like a piston in a cylinder, the trough being closed by
a removeable lid during the mixing operation.
For dividing the dough and moulding the loaves the kneaded dough is pressed
against the back wall of the kneading trough, which back wall is provided with
oblong apertures, along which two plates with corresponding apertures are
reciprocated like scissors.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings more
Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 is a plan-view, and Figures 3 and 4 are end
views of the apparatus; Figure 5 is a separate front view of the kneading plate;
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the same on the line a-b in Figure 5; Figure 7 is
a front view of the knife blades or cutting plates; Figure 8 shows a detail view of
the driving pawl and regulating mechanism; Figures 9 and 10 are longitudinal
sections through the knife blades or cutting-plates and kneading-trough, showing
the knife blades or cutting-plates in different positions; Figuro 11 represents the
mechanism for giving motion to and regulating the knife blades or cutting-plates.
The said machinery or apparatus consists of the following main parts
A, the dough kneading trough; B, the mechanism for giving tho necessary move-
ments; C, the kneading or pressing plate; D, the pressure giving mechanism; and
E, the dough dividing and moulding apparatus.
The dough dividing trough 1 is placed upon the frame 11; it is provided with a
lid or cover 7, easily removeable and contains the materials necessary to the pre-
paration of the bread. To the kneading or pressing plate 2 are fixed two or more
connecting rods 3, which pass through the front wall of the trough; their other
ends are fixed to a cross-head 4, the lateral projections from which slide in guides
along the sides of the trough, and are so arranged that they may be coupled by
means of wedges or otherwise with connecting rods 8, actuated by crank axles 9.
The mechanism for producing the necessary movements consists of a driving
shaft 14, rotated by the crank 15, or by driving pulleys, and having on one end
thereof a pinion 13, which gears with the cog-wheel 12, keyed on the crank axle 10,
journalled on the frame 11 of the machine, and from which motion is conveyed by
the connecting rods 8 to the other parts of the machine.
The kneading or pressing-plate consists of two gratelike or slotted plates 2, 2,
whose slots or apertures may be narrowed or widened by means of an adjustablo

page_text: plate 2' inserted between such two plates 2 (the two plates 2 may be formed in one
piece), so that the passage of the dough through the said apertures or slots may
be more or less obstructed. By means of this kneading plate the ingredients
forming the dough, namely, flour and water, may be mixed, and the dough duly
kncaded.
After filling the trough the machine is started, the kneading-plate is reciprocated,
and the dough thereby pressed through the slots, which are then opened as much
as possible, whereby a thorough mixture of all ingredients is effected.
The pressure-mechanism consists, as shown in the Drawings, of an axle 19, upon
one end of which is a cog-wheel 18, which is driven by means of the crank handle
or driving pulleys 15 and intermediate gearing 12, 13, and 17. Upon the other
end of the axle 19 is keyed the crank disc 20 (Figure 8), which by the pawl 21
acts upon the rack 22 (Figures 1 and 2), supported by a bar of the frame 11, and
attached to the cross-head 4, so that the latter, together with the kneading plate 2,
connected with the plate 4, is pressed forward. The pawl 21 is made adjustable
by means of a screw carried by the crank disc 20 and a nut pivotted to the pawl.
The dough dividing and moulding apparatus (Figures 7, 9, 10, and 11) is set in
motion by the crank disc 16 and its adjustable crank pin 10¹; the said crank disc 16
is keyed upon the crankshaft 10. The crank pin 161 is made adjustable by the
screw 16 carried by the disc 16 and by the nut 10%, carring the crank pin 16'.
The dough dividing and moulding apparatus essentially consists of two separate
knife blades 26 and 28, provided like the back wall of the kneading trough with
a number of oblong apertures and working in contact with one another like the
two blades of scissors, so that the said apertures of the back wall are alternately
opened and closed. This movement is imparted to the knife blades or plates from
a cranked shaft 24, placed at the lower part of the machine by the crank rods 25, 27;
the crank shaft 24 receives a rocking motion by means of the crank 23 thereon, and
a connecting rod from the crank disc 16.
The forward motion of the rack 22 and consequently of the kneading plate may
bo regulated according to the consistency of the dough. The operation of the dough
dividing and moulding apparatus is as follows:-
The pressing-plate 2 whose slots are narrowed to about one third of their area by
adjustment of the intermediate plate is driven by steps from its extremo position
towards the back wall, thereby pushing the greatest part of the dough lying before
it through the oblong apertures, which as aforesaid are alternately opened and
closed.
By this scissorlike action of the knife blades or plates 26, 28, the dough is cut
into rounded loaves of equal size, and falls by troughs directly into the baking tins
or receivers.
The size of the loaves may be varied by a larger or smaller stroke of the knife
blades or plates, which may be regulated by shifting or adjusting the crank pin of
the crank disc 16 (Figure 11) imparting motion to them.
The dough driven through the slots of the kneading plate during the dividing
and moulding operation, and therefore remaining in the kneading trough, serves as
a ferment for the next charge.
Before the dividing and moulding operation is commenced care should be taken
to break the connection between the connecting rods 8 and the lateral projections
of the cross-head, so that the connecting rods reciprocate loosely upon guides 6, and
that the pawl which during the kneading operation has been disengaged from the
rack is now caused to gear into the latter; also that the crank pin of the crank
disc 16, which before was placed in the centre of the latter must now be placed in
that position which corresponds with the desired stroke. The weight of the bread
may be read from the scales 16 and 20', provided on the crank discs 16 and 20 of
each machine. For bread loaves of a given size the whole mechanism can be much
simplified by dispensing with all those devices by which the size of the loaves may
be varied. This machine is especially applicable for military purposes.

page_text: The advantages of this machine over the existing dough-kneading machines and
dough-dividing machines are the following:-
First. A more complete mixture and kneading of the dough.
Second. Preparation of loaves in a pure mechanical way without any hand
labour.
Third. Saving of the labour of weighing heretofore done by hand.
Fourth. Utmost uniformity of the product.
Fifth. Saving of time by dispensing with the operation of emptying the
kneading apparatus heretofore in use and therefore a larger useful effect.
Sixth. Greater cleanliness of the work.
Seventh. Simplicity of the manipulation.
The described machine may be employed for the manufacture of all kinds of
bread, and may be driven by hand or any other motive power.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the mode in
which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,―
First. The method of kneading dough by reciprocating a kneading-plate
provided with adjustable slots in a dough trough containing the ingredients
intended to form the dough.
Second. The method of dividing dough into pieces of equal size or weight and
circular or oblong form by the scissorlike movement of two knife blades or plates
povided with round or oblong apertures, during which operation the dough is
pressed against a wall provided with corresponding holes or apertures.
Third. A machine for the manufacture in a mechanical way of bread loaves of
variable, but for each adjustment of, uniform size, whose essential features are a
pressing or kneading plate provided with adjustable slots and pressing the dough
against a wall with apertures of adjustable area, and two scissorlike moveable knifo
blades by which latter the aforesaid apertures of the wall are alternately opened
and closed, and the dough which by the pressing plate is pressed through the said
apertures of the wall is cut in pieces of any desired size or weight, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twolfth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.