Abstract: A method for making plastic case blanks is disclosed. A molten plastic material is passed through a nip of a first, preforming pair of molding cylinders to form a semi-solidified sheet having a first thickness, The semi-solidified sheet is then molded to form a final sheet having a second, uniform thickness less than the first thickness and the final sheet is scored to form folding scores and cut to form a plurality of the blanks. The molding, scoring and cutting are simultaneously performed by passing the semi-solidified sheet through a nip of a second pair of cylinders. One of the second pair of cylinders has scoring means for forming the folding scores in the final sheet and cutting means for cutting the final sheet to form the plurality of the blanks and the other of the second pair of cylinders has recess means complementary to the cutting means for receiving the cutting means and effectuating the cutting.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for manufacturing a slide fastener chain having rows of coupling elements and members of a separable bottom end stop assembly, two positioning holes are formed at predetermined positions on reinforcing films attached to a pair of fastener tapes. The positioning holes are used to position the fastener tapes relative to a molding unit with respect to each individual slide fastener length. Thus, even when a positioning error is produced due to a change in tension on the fastener tapes being processed, such error is limited to a small extent which is created only in the individual slide fastener length. Thus, the coupling elements and the first pin member and the second pin member can be molded precisely.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of fabricating half products in the field of puffed snack piece fabrication are disclosed including a rotary cutter (16) having an opposed pair of rollers (18). At least one of the rollers (18) of the rotary cutter (16) has cavities (112) arranged in a first, central portion (110) which stamp out first pieces and cavities (118) arranged in second and third, boundary portions (114, 116) for stamping out second pieces from the remaining portions of a continuous dough sheet (14). The first pieces are of the desired shape and size for the half products, and the second pieces are of a size and shape mechanically separable from the first pieces. In first preferred forms, the first pieces have tesselated shapes allowing the cavities (112) in the central portion (110) to be in a tight, juxtapositional pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a sheet of material from a supply of the material includes a pair of rotatable rolls that define a gap which forms the material into a sheet. The size of the roll gap is maintained constant during the sheeting operation despite forces exerted on the apparatus caused by inconsistencies in the material being sheeted. The apparatus has a force-applying mechanism which applies a selected amount of force against one of the rolls to bias the one roll toward the other roll, the amount of force being sufficient to overcome any force exerted on the apparatus by the material during sheeting, which forces would otherwise result in variations in the size of the roll gap and the thickness of the resulting product. The one roll is movably mounted in scissor-like fashion and is acted on by the force-applying mechanism in a direction which biases the one roll against the other roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a sheet of material, e.g., dough or masa, from a supply of the material includes a pair of rotatable rollers that define therebetween a gap into which is input a dough mass and out of which is produced a dough sheet. Fluctuations in the size of the roller gap are sensed by detecting changes in the position of one of the rollers, which changes are input to a servo system that automatically corrects the position of the one roller so as to maintain the proper gap size. The one roller is movably mounted in scissor-like fashion and is easily driven by a servo motor. A cutter is provided which presses against one of the rollers to cut individual dough portions from the sheet. The ends of the cutter are subjected to a bending moment which induces a camber in the cutter. This prevents the central portion of the cutter from bowing away from the roller and ensures uniform pressure between the cutter and roller, even for applications with an extremely long cutter and rollers.

Abstract: A method of producing a stress free sheet of dough having uniform height and width can be economically and conveniently used with a batch dough system. Individual dough batches are deposited into a retention hopper from which equal volumetric dough portions are sectioned by a pair of oppositely rotating co-acting cutters. Each cutter includes a number of blades which cooperate with corresponding blades on the opposing cutter to section the dough into portions. The dough portions are deposited onto an inclined conveyor positioned below the hopper so that a leading end of each dough portion overlaps a trailing end of the previous dough portion. A photo-electric detection device ascertains the trailing end of the previous dough portion and signals the cutters to section the next successive dough portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a zipper for a reclosable thermoplastic bag having opposing rib and groove profiles wherein at least one of the opposing zipper profiles has an longitudinally extending part interlockable and substantially free of interdigitation with the opposing profile and wherein the part is structurally discontinuous along its length. When the rib and groove profiles are interlocked, an audible clicking sound and/or a vibratory or bumpy feel perceptible to the touch is imparted.Further disclosed is a process and apparatus for making the zipper wherein a zipper profile is extruded and indentions are formed within and along it.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a stress free sheet of dough having uniform height and width can be economically and conveniently used with a batch dough system. Individual dough batches are deposited into a retention hopper from which equal volumetric dough portions are sectioned by a pair of oppositely rotating co-acting cutters. Each cutter includes a number of blades which cooperate with corresponding blades on the opposing cutter to section the dough into portions. The dough portions are deposited onto an inclined conveyor positioned below the hopper so that a leading end of each dough portion overlaps a trailing end of the previous dough portion. A photo-electric detection device ascertains the trailing end of the previous dough portion and signals the cutters to section the next successive dough portion. The overlapping dough portions are then formed into a dough sheet having uniform height and width by a pressing roller and a combination of side guide wedges and side pressing rollers.

Abstract: A rolling mill for use in a noodle making apparatus, of the type adapted for rolling a noodle sheet of a predetermined width, includes a plurality of rolling sections arranged in a set and each having pairs of upper and lower rolls. The set includes a pair of grooved rolls for pressingly forming a plurality of mountain and valley portions on the noodle sheet parallel to the extending longitudinal direction thereof, and at least one pair of gear-type rolls for pressingly forming a plurality of mountain and valley portions on the noodle sheet parallel to the transverse direction thereof.

Abstract: A dough-processing system for dividing a dough sheet into multiple separate portions and transporting each portion in a predetermined direction. A rotary cutter, having a multiplicity of cutting dies affixed thereon, divides the dough sheet. The cutting dies have an exterior peripheral cutting edge for cutting the linear dough sheet into two or more linear portions for further processing on standard conveyor systems and an interior peripheral cutting edge for cutting an interior portion from the snack-piece dough. The rotary cutter includes an internal helical auger rigidly affixed to an external cylindrical mandrill having first and second ends and having a multiplicity of cutting dies affixed thereon. The rotary cutter has an ever-increasing diameter funnel path for transporting the interior cut portion of the snack-piece dough into the interior of the rotary cutter and thereupon the helical auger transports it out to the side of the rotary cutter.

Abstract: A device (10) for crimping and cutting dough ropes into pillow-shaped longitudinal lengths is disclosed including a cutting roller (12) and an anvil roller (14). The peripheries (22, 24) of the rollers (12, 14) include a plurality of axially extending, spaced, parallel, linearly straight lands (26, 30) separating, forming, and defining a plurality of grooves (28, 32) therebetween. Compressible tubes (46) are stretched between end plates (36) located on the opposite axial ends of the cutter roller (12) and positioned in each of the grooves (32) thereof. The tubes (46) are compressed in the grooves (32) by the dough ropes as they are being crimped and cut by the abutment of the lands (26, 30) of the rollers (12, 14) together and expand and force the pillow-shaped longitudinal lengths of dough from the grooves (32) when the lands (26, 30) of the rollers (12, 14) separate.

Abstract: An apparatus (79) for setting the nip gap between first and second rollers (30, 32) includes nip control blocks (83) movably mounted adjacent the front edges (150) of the end plates (151a, 151b) between which one of the rollers (32) is journaled. In the preferred form, each of the control blocks (83) are threadably received on a shaft (138) and include a slide surface (142) which slides on a shoe (134) mounted on the end plates (151a, 151b) and include an opposite, abutment surface (144) at a minor acute angle to the slide surface (142) and the movement direction of the control blocks (83). Contact surfaces (164) are articulately mounted to the end plates (51a, 51b) between which the other of the rollers (30) is journaled. In the preferred form, the contact surfaces (164) are formed on a thrust knuckle (160) having a semi-spherical surface (162) slideably received in a semi-spherical depression (156) of a thrust socket (154) secured in a recess (146) in the front edges (150) of the end plates (51a, 51b).

Abstract: A dough-processing system for dividing a dough sheet into multiple separate portions and transporting each portion in a predetermined direction. A rotary cutter, having a multiplicity of cutting dies affixed thereon, divides the dough sheet. The cutting dies have an exterior peripheral cutting edge for cutting the linear dough sheet into two or more linear portions for further processing on standard conveyor systems and an interior peripheral cutting edge for cutting an interior portion from the snack-piece dough. The rotary cutter includes an internal helical auger rigidly affixed to an external cylindrical mandrill having first and second ends and having a multiplicity of cutting dies affixed thereon. The rotary cutter has an ever-increasing diameter funnel path for transporting the interior cut portion of the snack-piece dough into the interior of the rotary cutter and thereupon the helical auger transports it out to the side of the rotary cutter.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming pellets in which a medium to be pelletized is delivered to a distribution box, the distribution box intermittently expelling discrete portions of the medium outwardly to form droplets. A conveyor moves the droplets away from the distribution box, the droplets solidifying into pellets as they travel along the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of fabricating half products in the field of puffed snack piece fabrication are disclosed including a rotary cutter (16) having an opposed pair of rollers (18). At least one of the rollers (18) of the rotary cutter (16) has cavities (112) arranged in a first, central portion (110) which stamp out first pieces and cavities (118) arranged in second and third, boundary portions (114, 116) for stamping out second pieces from the remaining portions of a continuous dough sheet (14). The first pieces are of the desired shape and size for the half products, and the second pieces are of a size and shape mechanically separable from the first pieces. After stamping, the first and second pieces are dried in an oven (134) and then separated by a separator (136). The dried first pieces form the half product. The dried second pieces can be ground in a grinder (138) and added to the ingredients (120) forming the dough prior to or during mixing in mixer (122).

Abstract: An apparatus for molding pieces of soap or other soft and pasty substances having at least a central rotor (2) capable of a reciprocating rotating motion supporting two half-molds (4, 4') placed at 90.degree. and at least two lateral rotors (1, 1') capable of a reciprocating rotating translating motion, each supporting a half-mold (3, 3'), the three rotors (1, 1', 2) having their axis of rotation parallel to the feeder and discharge conveyor belts (6, 6', 7, 7', 8). Between each lateral rotor (1, 1') and the central rotor (2) an elevator/lifting device (5, 5') or other apparatus lifts/raises the pieces (19, 19') to be shaped from the feeder belt (7, 7') and brings them to the molding area, each lateral rotor (1, 1') capable of a rotating translating motion, translating in a radial direction towards the central rotor (2) molds the piece and then moves away with the molded piece (10, 10') and while rotating deposits it on the discharge conveyor belt (6, 6') of the molded pieces.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing unvulcanized rubber utilizing intermeshing grooved rollers. To obtain rubber material having an optimally jagged surface, at least the cutting disks of one of the grooved rollers are additionally provided with teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing substantially parallelepipedal pieces of meat (M) from blocks of meat (B) of larger size, including an Archimedes' screw-type supply unit (2) and, in the direction of travel of the blocks, a shaping device (4) which has a substantially circular entrance (400) and an exit (412) of elongated rectangular section, longitudinal cutting disks (5) and transverse cutting guillotine blade (6), the longitudinal cut being made during passage of the blocks of meat (B) inside the shaping device.

Abstract: In compacting straw and other fibrous material into blocks or briquettes the material is precompressed into a length L of compressed material before feeding to compacting apparatus for compacting the length into the blocks or briquettes.The compacting apparatus includes a pair of rotary members 10, 11 rotatable about relatively inclined axes 12, 13. A row of pockets 19, 20 extends around each rotary member and the pockets define spaces in which the material is received. The rotary members converge during rotation so that the material is compacted in the spaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for tubularly drawing a tubular raw material of thermoplastic resin. Gas for forming a bubble to heatingly draw the tubular raw material is injected into the raw material from a direction opposite to a direction for transferring the raw material through a nozzle. The raw material is cut into a plurality of web-like pieces by cutting blades provided on pinch rolls for taking up the raw material. One of the web-like pieces thus cut is separated from the others and formed with an opening into which the nozzle is inserted to inject the gas.

Abstract: A mass of flowable food material is extruded to form a moving, continuous, flexible extrudate ribbon that is cured to form a continuous, semi-rigid ribbon. During curing, the ribbon is fed between a pair of pull rollers that pull the ribbon at a rate of speed that is faster than the extrusion rate of the ribbon, to thereby stretch the ribbon while being cured into semi-rigidity. The semi-rigid ribbon then is fed between a cutter roller and an opposing backup roller, the cutter roller including outwardly projecting, transversely mounted blades with edges that bias against an outer support surface of the backup roller during cutting. The opposing cutter and backup rollers rotate at substantially the same speed as the pull rollers to cut the semi-rigid ribbon with cuts that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of ribbon travel, thereby forming individual food pieces having substantially planar cut faces.

Abstract: In accordance with the subject invention an apparatus is provided which is capable of directly pelletizing a nonparticularized material without substantially destroying the fibrous nature of the material during pellet formation. The apparatus comprises a pair of horizontally-extending cylindrical dies, mounted in parallel planar relation for rotation in opposite directions. The dies are spaced closely apart to form a finely spaced intermeshing nip therebetween, for compressively pelletizing the nonparticularized material. The dies are rotated at a predetermined rate of rotation. Each die includes a horizontally-extending hollow central interior chamber for receiving the compacted pellets. Passageways radially-extend from the hollow central interior chamber to the outer circumference of the dies.

Abstract: A softened unperforated film and a perforated die which is generally cylindrical in movement are brought into contact and exposed, in a predetermined region, to a pressure gradient oriented radially of the die. The pressure gradient causes the local penetration of the film into the holes of the die and the consequent perforation of the film itself. The movement of the die is supported in a rigid manner solely upstream and downstream of the predetermined region in the common direction of movement of the film and the die. The die itself is subjected to a pulling action, along its generatrices at least close to the predetermined region.

Abstract: An apparatus for the passivating, multistage compaction of hot iron particles supplied in the form of a packed bed from a reduction unit and for the subsequent breaking apart of the compacted iron band is described. Prior to the final compacting, the iron particles pass through a homogenizing and precompressing stage. Thus, the compacted iron has a pore volume of max. 40% and a density of at least 5.5 g/cm.sup.3. The iron compacted to a band is subsequently guided between the rollers (7,8,11) of a separating stage exposing it to bending stresses such that it breaks apart at the predetermined desired breaking points. The breaking points have a smaller density than the band regions between them. They can be produced in that in the precompression stage the feed speed is briefly decelerated compared with the feed speed in the compaction stage or in the compaction stage there is less marked compression at these points than in the intermediate regions.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the production of articles from a planar web of thermoplastic material, having heating, hot shaping and punching devices, a web conveying mechanism for stepwisely transporting the web along the substantially planar path through the apparatus includes a plurality of driven stationary conveying units arranged at opposite edges of the web along the path thereof, each conveying unit including a driving wheel and a cooperating free wheeling supporting roller arranged opposite to each other and having their axes of rotation extending substantially parallel to each other and to the plane of the web, the driving wheel having a wedge-like converging circumference with a toothed circumferential edge and connected to a driving mechanism which synchronously drives the driving wheels, and the free wheeling supporting roller having a cylindrical circumference supporting the web in an adjustable position relative to the driving wheel, such that the toothed circumferential edge partly penetrates the web a

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously producing filled dough pieces is provided. A pair of toothed rotary disc cutters are arranged on a conveyor belt feeding a filled cylindrical dough body. A plurality of dividers mounted on the periphery of a wheel are disposed between and above the teeth. The dividers and the teeth rotate about their own axes to flatten the cylindrical dough body and to split it by their cooperatively synchronized movement whereby completely incrusted spherical or variously shaped filled dough pieces are produced.

Abstract: A flowable substance is extruded from two coaxial telescoping cylindrical containers of which the outer is provided with openings on its periphery and is rotatable about the inner container. The substance is fed to the inner container and exits via a row of openings therein. As the outer container rotates, the inner and outer openings radially coincide cyclically whereby the substance falls in the form of drops onto a belt and solidifies. The row of openings of the inner container is provided in a nozzle bar which is removably attached to the periphery of a body part of the inner container.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a new process and equipment to produce mesh in non-metallic materials such as leather having a wide application in industrial and commercial fields. The process produces a variety of cuts or incisions in a relatively flat and thin, non-metallic material and then subjecting it to different treatments which include introducing the material into a steam chamber, extruding it, molding it and, if desired, submitting same to a heat treatment in order to keep the shape of the mesh during its practical usage and, if desired, further subjecting same to a final finish.

Abstract: A process for preparing a rolled pastry product in which a sheet of pastry material advancing on a conveyor belt is cut and folded into discrete pieces of a predetermined size and then rolled. The cutting and folding operation is carried out by an oscillating knife positioned above the conveyor belt which has a cutting edge extending laterally across the width of the conveyor belt, and which immediately after contacting and cutting through the advancing pastry sheet by means of its cutting edge, ascends and rotates in a direction such that the motional vector of the cutting edge is counter to the conveying direction thereby causing the forward edge of the pastry sheet to be lifted up and folded over. The knife then descends and rotates in the reverse direction so that the cutting edge contacts and cuts through the advancing pastry sheet behind the folded portion to separate a folded piece from the remainder of the pastry sheet.

Abstract: For heat-setting tubular articles (such as can bodies) of an at least partly biaxially oriented crystallizable polymer, preferably a saturated linear polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, e.g. for thermally processable food containers, a tube of the polymer is fitted over a mandrel and clamped at its ends to the mandrel at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The tube is then heated, e.g. by inserting a heater 28 into the interior of the mandrel, above the temperature to which it is to be heat-set (at least 60.degree. C. above for PET) whereupon it shrinks into contact with the mandrel but is restrained from axial or further radial shrinkage. The tube and mandrel are cooled to below the heat-set temperature and the tube may then be cut into can body sections by knives engaging in circumferential grooves. Contact between the tube and mandrel is released, e.g.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming strands from moldable confectionary substance has two cooperating nip rollers which are each provided in their circumferential surfaces with axially alternating circumferentially complete grooves and ridges, the ridges of each roller entering into and sealing the grooves of the other roller. A device is provided for supplying a ribbon of moldable confectionary substance to the nip between the rollers so as to be formed into strands in their respective grooves.

Abstract: A briquet sheet from a briquetting machine is subjected to shearing forces to sever the longitudinal webs of the sheet and subsequently, to bending forces to fracture the remaining transverse webs. The separator apparatus includes a pair of shear rolls with alternate shear lands and smaller diameter idler rolls. The shear rolls are followed by a pair of lobed separator rolls.

Abstract: A granulating apparatus comprising a device which adds a binder of an epoxy resin or the like into a powder to-be-treated, a screw feeder which conveys the powder to-be-treated containing the binder, and rolls which compression-molds it. By rotating the screw feeder and the rolls, the powder to-be-treated is caused to induce internal friction and to generate heat, thereby to temporarily dissolve the binder, whereupon the powder to-be-treated is pelletized. In order to temporarily dissolve the binder, the granulating apparatus is equipped with a device for measuring the temperature of the powder to-be-treated, and a controller for controlling the stirring speed of the screw feeder and the molding speed of the rolls on the basis of the measured value so as to establish a desired temperature.

Abstract: A briquetting machine for shaping a pulverized and/or powder material includes, on the downstream side of briquetting rolls, a pair of notching rolls provided with blades on their peripheral surfaces. The blades extend in the circumferential direction and/or the widthwise direction. The notching rolls are rotated in opposite directions in synchronization with the briquetting rolls, whereby a continuous strip of briquettes discharged from the briquetting rolls can be sheared and separated by the notching rolls. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in the aforementioned type of briquetting machine, the interval between the notching rolls is selected such that when the continuous strip of briquettes is bitten between the notching rolls and is not sheared nor separated but it is merely notched by the notching rolls. A briquette guide is disposed on the downstream side of the notching rolls.

Abstract: The processing of thermoplastic materials by working the thermoplastic materials into a hot flat sheet. The sheet material is first deformed or scored into a series of parallel strands that are interconnected by thin ribbons of the thermoplastic material thereby retaining integrity of the sheet material. The sheet material is then severed along the score line of the thin ribbons to form parallel strands which are cooled and guided to a fly cutter which cubes the strand material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing sheets of bitumen in which a layer of liquid bitumen is deposited on a steel belt conveyor and is solidified to form a continuous web. The web is stripped from the conveyor and passes downwardly by the action of gravity to a cutting assembly which cuts the web into lengths to form sheets. The sheets are then stacked upon a discharge conveyor and are adapted for packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for cooling and granulating strands of thermoplastic material. The apparatus has a chute located below nozzles for producing the strands, a cooling water inlet for supplying cooling water to the chute, a safety gate forming the lower end of the chute and positioned to receive the strands from the chute and pivotable away from the strands, a pair of draw-in feed advance rollers arranged downstream of the pivotal gate and a cutting roller arranged downstream of the draw-in rollers. A sensor is actuable by the pivotal movement of the safety gate to stop the draw-in rollers and the cutting roller in response to tilting of the gate.

Abstract: An extruded string of marshmallow material is powdered and conveyed to a pair of scallop surfaced cutter drums which are synchronously rotated in opposite directions and simultaneously axially reciprocated relative to each other, whereby the string is pinch or squeeze severed into individual marshmallows. A rounded form is implemented by each marshmallow being rolled in the tube formed by a pair of facing scallop grooves of the reciprocating drums during its temporary presence therein. If a filler of jam or the like is extruded within the string, the pinch severing tends to sealingly force the relatively viscous marshmallow material over the ends of the filler pocket to thereby prevent the escape and leakage of the filler.

Abstract: Wheat flour products are automatically manufactured with a compact rolling and shaping apparatus which comprises (a) vertically arranged rolling rollers having respective clearances slightly horizontally deviated or offset and having a slitter and cutter in the lower end part thereof, (b) a gelatinizing apparatus, (c) seasoning apparatus, (d) frying apparatus including an endless conveyor and (e) cooling apparatus, combining an endless conveyor and cooling means. The various stages are arranged in upper and lower steps or elevations. A basket carrying endless conveyor is utilized for conveyance between the roller stage, gelatinizing apparatus, seasoning apparatus and endless conveyor of the frying apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is web handling apparatus for forming a sleeve of a shrinkable, cellular polymeric material from a predecorated web. The web is processed to provide (1) a partial-depth slit along the longitudinal dimension, and (2) cross-dimension pleats. Predecorated shrunken neck labels are formed from the web for overlying the neck and closure of the bottle and including a pilferproof feature. Such a label is formed from the processed web by cutting a blank having the cross pleats therein and winding the blank on a mandrel to overlap the ends and seam the overlap to make a sleeve. The sleeve is stripped onto the top neck end and over the closure of a bottle of room temperature to a label position and shrunken to a snug fit, the pleats absorbing wrinkles that occur in shrinking the material onto a "cold" bottle.The disclosure includes a novel machine for making the sleeve from a plastic web and placing it on the bottle.

Abstract: A noodle making machine for vertical mounting in a kitchen area designed to move and shape a lump of noodle dough into a strip or flat and pass it downward through pairs of rollers having progressively narrower spacing and progressively increasing speed to narrow and stretch the dough prior to introduction into noddle cutting rollers. Roller cleaning and clearing blades, together with funnel type guides, insure downward progress of the dough. The roller speed progression preferably has an exponential relationship to insure proper progress of the dough.

Abstract: An automatic noodle making machine combining the operations of mixing the flour, pressing the flour into strips and cutting the strips. Multiple flour blenders are arranged in timed mechanical sequence to release the dough mixtures into the primary pressing roll set which forms a primary thick flour slice. The slice is cutting into multiple strips which are divided and fed to the next set of pressing rolls. The multiple pressing and cutting steps are followed by a combining pressing in which several courses of strips are recombined into one whereupon the final cutting is performed and the noodles are conveyed away.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical dosage forms comprising an edible web having deposited thereon or at least partially thereon a particulate medicament, the webs being thereafter fabricated and finished to pharmaceutically elegant solid dosage forms having no medicament exposed on an exterior surface. The dosage forms have a consistency of release of medicament which can be controlled to exacting specifications. The disclosed solid dosage forms are prepared by high speed automated equipment and the process by which they are made is characterized by non-destructive quality control analysis and performance evaluation both conducted on-line and integrated into the manufacturing operation. Included in the scope of the disclosed invention are certain apparatus and methods of manufacture.

Abstract: The present invention teaches an apparatus and method for noodle rolling. The apparatus includes a plurality of roller sets vertically arranged one below the other. Each roller set has roller pairs facing each other. The roller gap of each roller set is shifted laterally with respect to the next lower roller set within a range corresponding to the distance between the pair of rollers in the next lower roller set. In this manner, the noodle strip is first guided by the roller periphery in the next lower set before entering the roller gap therein. The noodle strip formed in the uppermost set is progressively rolled through the succession of the following roller sets.

Abstract: Methd and apparatus for the manufacture of chips or flakes from food, stimulant, or feed materials such as fruits, vegetables, potatoes or the like in which a moist mass of material is deposited on a rotating cylinder. The film is formed on the drum and then removed therefrom, cut into strips and formed into typical chip-like shape, and then removed. A plurality of rotating knives is provided downstream of the cylinder to cut the film into strips and preferably to shape the chips as they are being cut.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing waved noodles comprises a pair of oppositely rotating rollers, each roller having a surface formed with a plurality of spaced grooves, the transversely spaced grooves extending circumferentially around the roller, and the peripheral portions of the rollers between at least two adjacent of the grooves constituting lips. At least one of the lips on at least one roller has a face set back from the other roller and defining a linking space between the adjacent grooves. The grooves are radially wider (i.e. of greater cross section) than the linking space, and there is a means for passing a sheet of dough between the rollers whereby the dough is pressed into the grooves and linkage space, thereby forming a waved noodle having at least two generally parallel bulky portions connected by at least one transversely extending linking portion.