Abstract: The present invention is related to the method of positioning a rolled-up end of a fusiform croissant dough piece at a predetermined location of the dough piece when it is conveyed by a conveyor. The rolled-up end is sensed by a sensing means while the dough piece is rotated on the conveyor. Since the end is positioned at a predetermened location of the dough, at the underside of it, for instance, croissants of a uniform shape can be produced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a center-aligning apparatus for fusiform bread dough pieces such as rolled-up croissant dough pieces. In this invention an upstream conveyor and a downstream conveyor located below and adjacent the upstream conveyor are provided. Between the two conveyors and adjacent the upstream conveyor, a pair of concave rollers is arranged. The rolled-up dough piece from the upstream conveyor is deposited on the concave rollers to have its center aligned with the gap between the rollers. Also, a pair of shutters is mounted below the concave rollers to stably deposit the dough piece on the downstream conveyor. This invention enables the dough piece to advance in alignment with the control line of the downstream conveyor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a croissant dough-piece bending apparatus having a conveyor for conveying rolled-up croissant dough pieces, a dough-piece bending member to push the central portion of the dough piece downstream, and a pair of swingable dough-piece bending belts. The dough-piece is pushed by the dough-piece bending member toward and between the dough-piece bending-belts. The dough piece is correctly bent at its center by the cooperation of the bending-member and the bending-belts. By this invention the dough pieces can be bent without getting wrinkles on their surfaces, and symmetrically bent products of a uniform shape can be obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing croissants with fillings includes a filling-depositing stage for depositing a filling on a croissant dough piece that is being conveyed in a downstream direction, a rolling-up preparation stage positioned downstream of the filling-depositing stage for raising the croissant dough piece at its leading edge and simultaneously turning the leading edge backward to be folded in the upstream direction to thereby cover the filling, and a rolling-up stage positioned downstream of the rolling-up preparation stage for rolling up the croissant dough piece.

Abstract: An apparatus for spacing and orienting croissant dough pieces has a dough-spacing device located at the position where the dough pieces are transferred from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor, which dough-spacing device places the dough pieces apart from one another in the feeding direction on the downstream conveyor in a staggered manner, and a reorienting device for turning the dough pieces, with one side of each dough piece at right angles to the feeding direction of the downstream conveyor. The dough pieces are thus spaced apart from one another without increasing the conveyor width. The dough pieces are also fed to a downstream rolling-up apparatus after ensuring that the relevant side of each of the dough pieces is perpendicular to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for spacing and orienting croissant dough pieces has a dough-spacing device located at the position where the dough pieces are transferred from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor, which dough-spacing device places the dough pieces apart from one another in the feeding direction on the downstream conveyor in a staggered manner, and a reorienting device for turning the dough pieces, with one side of each dough piece at right angles to the feeding direction of the downstream conveyor. The dough pieces are thus spaced apart from one another without increasing the conveyor width. The dough pieces are also fed to a downstream rolling-up apparatus after ensuring that the relevant side of each of the dough pieces is perpendicular to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing croissant dough rolls is provided. Dough pieces are fed between two endless belt devices in which the belts move in opposite directions, and rolled up. Means is provided to adjust the gap between the two belts so as to decrease the gap to roll up the forward end of a dough piece and to increase the gap to permit a smooth rolling up direction. A pair of rollers may be provided adjacent the upstream ends of the endless belt devices to hold the dough pieces thereby assisting the belt devices in their effective rolling up operation.