Patents Assigned to Cummins Eagle, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6123537
    Abstract: A rounder bar for shaping pieces of baking dough advancing upon a conveyor belt has an elongated configuration having top and rear surfaces and an arcuate dough-contacting surface of convex contour with respect to the top and rear surfaces. The dough-contacting surface is provided with a non-occluding texture which minimizes adherence of the dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Cummins, Sam Seiling
  • Patent number: 5858438
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a continuous dough extrudate into pieces of uniform weight and accurately positioning the pieces on a moving belt includes a knife blade having a flat upper surface bounded in part by two opposed cutting edges, and a bottom surface having a double taper formed by flat facets downwardly angled from the cutting edges and meeting in an apex. An elongated dough positioning guide is downwardly directed from the bottom surface. The knife blade is caused to undergo reciprocating motion at a frequency dependent upon the velocity of the extrudate and the speed of the moving belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Cummins, Sam Seiling
  • Patent number: 5731022
    Abstract: Dough intended for use in producing bakery products is homogenized and advanced to extrusion nozzles where it is cut into successive pieces that fall onto a moving conveyor. The pieces are of precisely uniform weight because a constant pressure is maintained on the dough as it is forwarded by a metering pump toward the nozzles. Apparatus for achieving such result includes an auger, a developer positioned downstream from the auger, and a transition chamber fed by the developer and located upstream from the metering pump. A pressure-measuring monitor serves to control the rotational speed of the auger, thereby maintaining the dough under constant pressure within the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased
  • Patent number: 5605708
    Abstract: An apparatus for rounding the sequential pieces of bakery dough dispensed by a dough handling machine employs upper and lower advancing assemblies. Each assembly has an endless flat conveyor belt. Both belts move in opposite directions, and are dimensioned such that the pieces of dough fall off the extremity of the upper belt onto the lower belt. Stationary vanes on the top surfaces of the belts contact the pieces of dough to cause rounding thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Cummins, Sam Seiling
  • Patent number: 5591472
    Abstract: Bakery dough continuously emergent from a dough-handling machine is cut into successive pieces of uniform weight by apparatus which involves a nozzle containing a downwardly directed extrusion orifice having a shape that is oblong about a line of elongation. A taut cutting wire aligned in a direction parallel to the line of elongation is caused to move in a reciprocating manner across the orifice in a path that is transverse to the line of elongation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased
  • Patent number: 5516272
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the flow of dough in a machine for advancing bakery dough through a single manifold that feeds parallel conduits includes a stem disposed upon the center axis of each conduit and adjustment means for axially positioning the stem. A moveable abutment plug of streamlined shape is positioned upon the stem adjacent its lowermost extremity. A stationary abutment shoulder is disposed within the conduit above the moveable abutment plug, and is adapted to make close-fitting contact with the upper portion of the moveable abutment plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased
  • Patent number: 5443854
    Abstract: Dough intended for use in producing bakery products is homogenized and advanced to extrusion nozzles where it is cut into successive pieces that fall onto a moving conveyor. The pieces are of precisely uniform weight because a constant pressure is maintained on the dough as it is forwarded by a metering pump toward the nozzles. Apparatus for achieving such result includes an auger, a developer positioned downstream from the auger, and a transition chamber fed by the developer and located upstream from the metering pump. A pressure-measuring monitor serves to control the rotational speed of the auger, thereby maintaining the dough under constant pressure within the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased
  • Patent number: D373503
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased
  • Patent number: D373507
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Cummins Eagle, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Cummins, deceased