APPARATUS FOR MAKING A FOOD PRODUCT

• US 3,604,367 A
• Filed: 05/12/1969
• Issued: 09/14/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frances B. Arries
• Original Assignee: Frances B. Arries
• Inventors: Arries, Frances B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaudon, Henry S.
• Application Number:
  US04/823,842
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 107/68,69,70,4
• US Class Current: 425/297
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 3/06 Machines for coiling sheets of dough, e.g. for producing rolls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making a bread type food product which, in its finished form, will have a hole therein. The method includes the step of rolling dough to a flattened form and thereafter rolling the flattened dough on a tubular member with the dough overlapping the tubular member at one end such that it may be sealed to provide a closed extremity to the resultant product. The machine for performing the method includes a structure for placing tubes on the flattened dough and thereafter engaging the dough and causing it to roll upon itself and the tube in a spiral manner to provide a generally cylindrical rolled dough mass which will thereafter be suitably cooked or baked.

Claims

1. A machine for making a food product comprising, a frame mounting a dough rolling apparatus adapted to receive a quantity of mixed dough and roll it into a thin elongated rolled form, said dough rolling apparatus including at least one conveyor belt for advancing the dough toward a discharge extremity of the machine on the frame, a tube feeding apparatus positioned on the frame adjacent said last-named conveyor belt and adapted to feed hollow tubular members onto the leading edge of a rolled dough on the conveyor belt as it is advanced toward the discharge end of the machine, a tube guide apparatus positioned adjacent the tube feeding apparatus and adapted to receive and hold one extremity of the tubes fed onto the conveying belt at the dough thereon, said tube guiding apparatus including a secondary belt drive adapted to move the guide structure with the dough on the conveying belt, means positioned above the conveying belt on the frame and adapted to contact a leading edge of the rolled dough adjacent a tube causing it to roll on the tube and itself until the tube is completely surrounded with one end of the tube being positioned in the tube guide apparatus, and means positioned near the discharge end of the conveying belt and above the same adapted to contact one edge of the rolled dough on the tube to seal the same around the end of the tube.

2. The machine of claim 1 and including dough shaping apparatus included with the dough rolling apparatus and having trimming knives associated therewith to trim the flattened rolled dough such that the side surface of the same is generally parallel.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which the dough rolling apparatus includes at least two sets of conveyors with a plurality of thinning rollers therebetween with said one of said sets receiving the dough from the thinning rollers and moving the rolled dough to the discharge end of the machine.

4. The machine of claim 1 and including a dough guide apparatus positioned above the conveying belt and adjacent the dough contacting and rolling means to guide the side edges of the rolled dough.

5. The machine of claim 1 in which the tube feeding apparatus includes a hopper for holding a plurality of tubes and a discharge structure associated therewith together with means for moving a tube from the hopper discharge through the tube guide apparatus.

6. The machine of claim 5 and including a Tube stopper positioned opposite the tube feeding apparatus and above the conveying belt to restrict movement of the tube relative to the conveying belt and the dough thereon.

7. The machine of claim 5 in which the tube guide apparatus includes a plurality of cylindrical guide members mounted on a guide drive belt and positioned adjacent a portion of the conveying belt common with the discharge extremity of the machine being simultaneously moved therewith at the same speed of movement as the conveying belt.

8. The machine of claim 1 in which the means positioned above the belt and adapted to contact the leading edge of the dough to roll the same is an elongated screen member suspended above the belt at one edge thereof and contacting the belt at the free edge thereof being free to move with the rolled dough.

9. The machine of claim 8 and including a platelike structure connected to and cooperating with the means positioned above the belt for sealing the end of the dough and being adapted to receive the rolled dough from the belt.