Improvements in or relating to Machines for Working and Shaping or Moulding Dough and similar Plastic Substances, and in the Method or Process of Treating such Materials.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1898-4ccepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Working and Shaping
or Moulding Dough and similar Plastic Substances, and in the
Method or Process of Treating such Materials.
We, WILLIAM STEPHEN CORBY and CHARLES ISRAEL CORBY of 2305 Bright-
wood Avenue, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia, United States
of America, Bakers, and THEODORE JACOB MAYER, of 214, B Street, South-East,
in the City of Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America,
Merchant, 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:―
Our improved method of working and shaping dough by whichever form of
our apparatus it may be carried into effect, comprises the coiling or rolling
together of an elongated mass of dough, and at the same time subjecting it to
pressure, so that there is formed a homogeneous, compact and thoroughly worked
dough loaf.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3 we have illustrated the several steps in the process of
treatment, with a suggestive representation of apparatus for carrying out the
process in Figs. 2 and 3. Referring to such views I represents a thin sheet of
dough; II the dough sheet with its forward end thickened, as by doubling or
folding the edge back upon the body of the mass. III, IV and V represent
progressive steps in the process of rolling together the mass, and VI the com-
pleted dough loaf, tightly compacted into a homogeneous mass, and thoroughly
worked and properly shaped. C represents a longitudinal movable part of the
apparatus, such as a travelling belt, which operates to advance the dough mass;
and E, a part of the apparatus which is opposed to the part C, and operates to resist the
forward movement of the dough mass. While the thickening of the forward
end of the dough mass could be done by hand, we prefer to perform this opera-
tion automatically by apparatus, employing a device which we term the curler,
as it operates to curl or fold over the forward end of the advancing sheet of
dough. A simple form of curler, consisting of a set of transverse ribs or strips
is represented at L. F indicates the side walls which confine and shape the
ends of the dough mass and determine the length of the loaf produced.
In Figs. 4 to 8 we have illustrated the preferred form of our machine. Fig. 4
is a side elevation; Fig. 5 a top plan view; Fig. 6 a longitudinal vertical
section taken through the feeding rollers; Fig. 7 a cross sectional view taken
on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5, (Figs. 6 and 7 being on a larger scale than the
other views;) and Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the knocker for the flour
dusting device.
+
In these drawings A represents the frame work; C the travelling belt mounted
on the rollers B B¹, and D) the table or support over which the belt moves.

page_text: E represents the longitudinally stationary pressure board between which and
the belt is the passage-way J through which the dough masses are passed. The
pressure board is provided with side flanges F which constitute the side walls
of the passage-way J; and which extend down past the sides of the belt and
table D, see Fig. 7. G are springs which hold the pressure board toward the
belt with a yielding force; and H the adjustable stops which limit the approach
of the board toward the belt. K represent the feed rollers; M, the gearing for
driving them, and N the feed board or hopper.
L represents the curler, held toward the belt with a yielding force, and
operating to temporarily retard the dough mass and to fold or otherwise thicken
the forward end thereof before it passes under the curler and into the passage-
way.
The improved curler shown in Figs. 6 and 7 consists of a pivoted plate L
arranged close to the rollers and immediately in advance thereof. In connection
with the curler, and situated between it and the rollers K, is arranged a shield i,
which operates to direct the dough mass to the curler, and prevents it from
passing over the curler. This shield may be either integral with the plate of
the curler, as shown, or in a separate piece, hinged or pivoted on the same shaft
as the curler, and held with a yielding force with its free edge bearing against
one of the rollers K.
II represent flour boxes for supplying the surface of the feed rollers K with
flour to prevent the dough from sticking thereto.
O represents a flour sifter or duster arranged above the feed board and rollers,
and mounted upon resilient supports o. A tappet or hammer P worked by cams p
carried by the roller B operates to jar the duster. A spring Q (Fig. 8,) operates
to cause the hammer to strike its blow after it has been forced back by one of
the cams p, and the force of the blows struck by the hammer may be regulated
by varying the tension of the spring.
The guides R (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) are adjustably secured to the pressure board,
and extend into the passage-way J directly in advance of the feed rollers and
the curler. They operate to prevent the masses of dough from spreading trans-
versely until the coiling action is well advanced or completed. They also extend,
in the direction of the feed end of the machine, past the ends of the curler and
feed rollers, and they confine the dough mass at its sides until it passes under the
curler.
After the dough masses pass from between the guides R, they may spread out
to the full width of the passage-way J, as defined by the side walls F.
The apparatus by means of which our process of dough treatment may be carried
out may be variously modified or changed in construction, and without departing
from the principle of our invention involved therein; and in Figs. 9 to 16 we
have indicated other of the many forms of apparatus embodying our invention
which we have devised. In these views we have not attempted to illustrate the
details of the apparatus which would be employed in actual use, but have left
these off in order to the more clearly bring out these features which we consider
the most important.
Fig. 9 is a top plan view, and Fig. 10 a longitudinal section of a machine
in which the top pressure or resistance member E of the passage-way J is rigidly
supported, that is to say, it cannot yield or move away from the movable belt
member C, as a dough mass is passing through the machine. The shape and
size of the passage-way in cross sectional area varies in its different parts, in
order to allow for the coiling of the dough mass and the shaping of it into a
loaf of the right size, shape and consistency, though this is not necessary. The
said walls F are separate from the pressure or resistance board E, being sup-
ported at their rear ends by the table D over which the belt travels, and at
their forward ends by the brackets t.
The curler and the sheeting rollers are not shown in these views. They
might be combined with the machine in a manner which is apparent, or they,

page_text: might be in a separate machine therefrom, and the dough sheets delivered to
the machine with their front edges already curled or thickened.
In Figs. 11 and 12 is shown a form of machine in which the belt C and its
frame constitute the yielding member of the passage-way. This yielding frame
is represented by A¹, and is shown as being mounted on springs G¹.
pressure or resistance board E is rigidly supported.
The
In Fig. 13 is shown a form of machine in which the advancing member of the
apparatus, the belt C, is arranged above the opposing resistance or pressure
member. The belt and its supporting frame A¹ are yieldingly supported; but
it is evident that the belt might be non-yielding, and the opposing part E
yieldingly supported.
In Figs. 14, 15 and 16 is shown a form of our invention in which the oppos-
ing resistance member of the apparatus is a movable belt E¹. The advancing
belt, C, is represented as being mounted in a non-yielding supporting frame;
while the opposing resistance belt, E, is mounted in a yieldingly supported
frame, A. The two belts are driven so that their contiguous faces travel in
opposite directions. In order that the material being acted upon shall be forced
bodily through the passage-way between the two belts, one of them should travel
faster than the other. To secure this we have represented a form of gearing
consisting of a pulley U on the shaft of one of the rollers of the advancing
belt C, and a smaller pulley U₁ on the shaft of one of the rollers for the other
belt, these two pulleys being connected by a belt u. V designates a yielding
belt tightener arranged to keep the belt u tight under all working conditions.
The advancing member of the apparatus need not necessarily be a travelling
belt, but may be in the form of a rotary wheel or drum, opposite to the working,
face of which will be a curved pressure board; but we believe that a machine
having a travelling belt and a longitudinally stationary pressure board is the
best and most practical form of apparatus for the working of our invention.
The shape of the passage-way, in cross section, may be variously modified
without departing from our invention; and in Figs. 17 to 22 we have illustrated,
by means of transverse sectional views, several forms and arrangements of the
parts of the apparatus which form such passage-way.
Where the side flanges or edges of the advancing member of the apparatus
extend practically the entire distance from the working face of such advancing
member to the face of the opposing pressure board or resistance member the
apparatus tends to carry forward or advance the ends of the dough loaves more
rapidly than the middle portions thereof; with the result that the loaves, as
they emerge at the delivery end of the passage-way, are ill-shaped and not
uniformly worked or kneaded from end to end.
To overcome these objections we arrange means which operate upon the ends
of the dough loaves while in the passage-way, which means both shape the loaves
at their ends, and tend to retard their free advance at their ends.
These means
are the longitudinally stationary side walls F of the passage-way, which, as is
well shown in the views last above referred to, are exposed to the dough masses.
By properly proportioning the height of the turned up edges or side flanges e
of the advancing member or belt to the other parts of the apparatus, we are
enabled to equalize the advancing and the rolling movements of the dough
mass from the center to the ends thereof, so that when it emerges from the
passage-way it is of substantially uniform diameter from end to end, and the
working or kneading action has been thorough and uniform in all its parts.
To secure this uniform, equalized action upon all parts of the dough loaf the
side edges or flanges e should extend about half the distance between the work-
ing faces of the belt and the pressure board when they are separated by reason
of the passage of a dough mass, so that the pull or advancing force of the longi-
tudinally moving parts of the side walls of the passage-way is substantially
equal to the resistance offered by the longitudinally stationary parts of such
side walls.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The improved process of treating dough by machinery, which consists in
bending over or thickening the forward end of a dough mass, and coiling or
rolling together the mass while subject to pressure, substantially as set forth.
2. The improved process of treating dough by machinery, which consists, in
bending over or thickening the forward end of a sheet of dough, coiling or roll-
ing together such dough sheet while it is subject to pressure, and at the same
time shaping the mass at its ends, substantially as set forth.
3. Means interposed between the feeding rollers and the curler to prevent the
material to be acted upon from passing the curler without being operated upon
thereby, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of means for sheeting a blank or mass of dough, means
for advancing such dough blank, means for resisting the free advance of the
dough, a curler and a shield arranged to prevent the material from passing the
curler without being operated upon thereby, substantially as set forth.
5. In a dough working machine the shield i when combined with a curler and
the feeding rollers, such shield consisting of a plate having one edge bearing on
one of the rollers, whereby it operates both as a shield to prevent material from
working over the curler, and also as a scraper for the roller, substantially as set
forth.
6. In a machine adapted to shape dough the combination with means for sheet-
ing the dough, means for advancing the dough masses, means opposed thereto
for resisting the free advance of the dough masses, and guides, as R, arranged.
to engage with the ends of the dough masses and extending from within the
passage-way between the dough advancing means and dough resisting means
to the means for sheeting the dough, substantially as shown and described.
7. In a machine adapted to shape dough, the combination of a travelling belt,
an opposing pressure board, feeding rollers in front of the pressure board, a
curler between the feeding rollers and the pressure board, and the guides, as R,
extending from the sides of the feed rollers past the curler and into the passage-
way between the travelling belt and the pressure board, substantially as set forth.
8. The means shown and described for dusting flour upon the rollers, and the
means for jarring it, substantially as shown and described.
9. In a mechanism for making bread loaves of dough having a passage-way
through which the dough masses are advanced and rolled, the combination of
means on one side of the dough loaf for advancing it through the passage-way,
means on the opposite side for resisting such advance, means engaging with the
ends of the dough masses while in the passage-way for positively advancing
them, and also means engaging with the ends of the dough masses tending to
retard their forward movement, whereby the advancing and the rolling move-
ments of the dough masses are equalized from the center to the ends thereof,
substantially as set forth.
10. In a machine adapted to shape dough having a passage-way through which
the dough masses are advanced and wherein they are shaped, the combination
of a travelling belt, an opposing pressure or resistance board narrower at its
feed end than at its delivery end, and the side walls F converging toward the
feed end of the apparatus, substantially as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the
drawings hereof.
11. In a machine adapted to shape dough, the travelling belt for advancing
the dough and an opposing resistance or pressure board with a passage-way
between them, when the opposing working faces of such belt and board are
farther apart at the feed end of the passage-way than at the delivery end, sub-
stantially as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings hereof.
12. In a machine adapted to work dough, the dough advancing belt when

page_text: mounted in a yieldingly supported frame, substantially as shown in Figs. 11, 12,
13, 14, 15 and 16 of the drawings hereof.
13. In a machine adapted to work dough, a travelling belt for advancing the
dough, and an opposing pressure or resistance member, the belt being arranged
above the resistance member, substantially as shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings
hereof.
14. In a machine adapted to work dough having a passage-way through which
the dough masses are advanced and where they are worked, the combination
of an advancing member adapted to engage with the dough masses and advance
them bodily through the passage-way, and a longitudinally movable pressure
or resistance member opposed to the advancing member and arranged to engage
with the dough masses and resist their free advance through the passage-way,
substantially as set forth.
15. In a machine adapted to work dough, a travelling belt C, which constitutes
the advancing member for the dough masses and a travelling belt E', opposed
to the belt C, and arranged to constitute the resistance or pressure member of
the dough passage-way, substantially as shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16 of the
drawings hereof.
16. In a machine adapted to work dough, a curler comprising one or more
cross strips or ribs adapted to engage with and to temporarily retard the for-
ward end of a dough mass, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 11.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1890.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.