Centering arrangement for dough portions

• US 3,915,282 A
• Filed: 03/13/1974
• Issued: 10/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franz Remensperger
• Original Assignee: Franz Remensperger
• Inventors: Remensperger, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Schacher, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/450,842
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 198/29,30,32,237,262,244
• US Class Current: 198/456
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 9/085 Separating, spacing, orienting or aligning discrete dough pieces, e.g. after passing a cutting device

Abstract

An arrangement for effecting the orientation of dough portions which extend transversely to the direction of transportation thereof through a bread-making installation without imparting any force to the dough portion itself, so as to be symmetrical relative to the center of the installation. For the alignment of the dough lengths, the latter are individually deposited on an intermediate conveyor belt which may additionally be moved, as a complete entity, transversely to the direction of longitudinal conveyance. Preferably, two guide or boundary beams control the transverse movement of the intermediate conveyor installation through the intermediary of the suitable drive. As the guide beam there may be utilized any linearly directed energy exchange between a transmitter and a receiver, such as for example, a light-or ultrasonic beam.

Claims

1. Centering arrangement for dough portions, and particularly elongate dough lengths;

comprising means for correcting the position of the dough portions at right angles to and symmetrically with the longitudinal center conveying axis of a fully-automatic bread-making installation; and

means for conveying said dough portions through said installation, said position correcting means including an intermediate conveyor means for transporting said dough portions from an infeed to an outlet position in said installation, means for imparting lateral movement to said intermediate conveyor means relative to the forward conveying motion thereof, two guide beams for controlling the extent of said lateral movement, said guide beams being adapted to extend in linear directed energy paths, transmitter means for generating said guide beams, and receiver means associated with said transmitter means for receiving said guide beams.

2. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said guide beams comprising light beams.

3. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said guide beams comprising ultrasonic beams.

4. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said guide beams forming the side edges of a trapezoid, the corners of said trapezoid being defined by, respectively, said transmitter means and said receiver means, and the distance between said transmitter means being larger and between said receiver means being smaller than the lengths of said dough portions extending transversely across said installation.

5. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said intermediate conveyor means comprising a transversely movable carriage having conveyor elements;

and at least one operating cylinder adapted to impart lateral movement to said carriage into and out of a neutral position.

6. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 5, said operating cylinder comprising a pneumatic cylinder.

7. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 5, said operating cylinder comprising a hydraulic cylinder.

8. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 5, comprising an electrical-pneumatic control circuit for actuating said operating cylinder.

9. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 5, comprising an electrical-hydraulic control circuit for actuating said operating cylinder.

10. Centering arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising logic circuit means adapted to convert electrical output signals from said receiver means into control signals;

and pressure control means for actuating said intermediate conveyor means in response to said control signals.