Abstract: A compact, rounding machine, or rounder, for quickly rounding dough units discharged from a divider into substantially round dough balls used to make products like flour tortillas, buns, rolls, etc. The rounder includes a stationary shoe having a curved inner face that curves partially around an axis of rotation, and a stationary groove having a substantially semicircular profile and extending between an entry end and an exit end. A roller with an outer face and moving groove is positioned against the stationary shoe's inner face and stationary groove to define a rolling cavity, one half of the rolling cavity being formed by the stationary groove and another half of the rolling cavity is formed by the moving groove. A funnel assembly positioned adjacent to the roller, along with a beveled entry wall at the entry end of the stationary groove, guide dough units into the rolling cavity.

Abstract: A combined a toy which simply yet uniquely stamps and cuts off formed articles in a fun and interesting way utilizing cooperating rollers which employ a stamp and at least one angular projection defining a cutting edge on at least one roller. Two or more cooperating rollers are at a frame with each roller including a peripheral surface, one or more concentric ribs on the peripheral surface of each roller which cooperate to spiral around the length of each roller defining a molding surface which spirals around the peripheral surface of each roller, and a stamp on the molding surface of at least one roller. The driving mechanism rotates a gear mechanism which in turn rotates the two or more rollers that cooperate to stamp and cut off articles formed on the molding surface of the rollers.

Abstract: An earplug shaping device compresses a compressible earplug prior to insertion of the earplug into a user's ear canal. The device includes a first member and a second member which rotate with respect to each other. The outer surface of the first member and inner surface of the second member define a space that decreases in size as the first and second members rotate with respect to each other, thereby compressing the compressible earplug. Various embodiments of the earplug shaper employ a ratchet mechanism permitting substantially only one direction of rotation.

Abstract: A bead-forming apparatus and method for its use are described. The bead-forming apparatus includes a base with a pair of legs extending from a top surface. First ends of the legs couple to respective eccentric elements. The eccentric elements removeably and rotatably couple to a platen. Second ends of the legs are rotatably and slideably mated with a gear train disposed within the base. The legs are slideably translatable into the base and the gear train maintains a rotational orientation of the legs and the eccentric elements coupled thereto. The platen is thus moveable through a circular path defined by the rotation of the eccentric elements and legs. As such, a plug of moldable material placed between the base and the platen and in contact with the platen, is formed into a double-cone shape by movement of the platen through the circular path.

Abstract: A dough rounder with a base, motor, drum, and auger. The auger is mounted to the base and the drum is mounted to rotate about the auger. The auger has a hollow cylinder and a spiral ramp fixed to the outer surface of the cylinder. The upper surface of the ramp is textured for gripping the dough. In one embodiment, the ramp upper surface is textured by a plurality of spurs.

Abstract: A compact, rounding machine, or rounder, for quickly rounding dough units discharged from a divider into substantially round dough balls used to make products like flour tortillas, buns, rolls, etc. The rounder includes a stationary shoe having a curved inner face that curves partially around an axis of rotation, and a stationary groove having a substantially semicircular profile and extending between an entry end and an exit end. A roller with an outer face and moving groove is positioned against the stationary shoe's inner face and stationary groove to define a rolling cavity, one half of the rolling cavity being formed by the stationary groove and another half of the rolling cavity is formed by the moving groove. A funnel assembly positioned adjacent to the roller, along with a beveled entry wall at the entry end of the stationary groove, guide dough units into the rolling cavity.

Abstract: Device for eliminating oversize pellets from balling disks, includes a plow-like tool defined by a series of cylindrical rods that are coplanar and parallel to each other and incorporated into a horizontal plate, whose medial portion incorporates a vertical tubular arm that protrudes vertically and upwards to pass axially through and be selectively and adjustably attached to a vertical sleeve that is incorporated in a distal portion of an extensible arm, which composes a trussed structure that is adjacently attached to a balling disk and protrudes over its area of operation.

Abstract: A dough rounder with a base, motor, turntable, drum, and auger. The auger mounts to the base and the drum mounts to the turntable to rotate about the auger. The drum/auger mounting mechanism has a shaft or annular extension from the auger bottom captured by the turntable or a pin extending upwardly from the base into an opening in the bottom of the auger. Horizontal handles at the top of the auger are captured by supports extending upwardly from the base, supporting the auger and preventing lateral motion relative to the drum.

Abstract: A new system and method for making agglomerates from material like wet chopped glass fiber strand segments is disclosed and the agglomerates so produced. Agglomerates, made by feeding wet chopped fiber strand segments into a wave chamber having a vibrating curved surface supporting a curved, dimpled liner working surface have improved density and flow characteristics compared with dry chopped strands, but it was discovered that the dimpled liner flexes during operation during vibration causing undesirable variation in properties like agglomerate size. In the invention the dimpled liner is backed up with a substantially non-compressible material and this results in agglomerates that have even better uniformity of flow and agglomerate diameters. Typical backing materials include a particulate material, an elastomer, a rididized elastomer, slurry or liquid, or wire or slivers of metal.

Abstract: Device for the rounding of dough pieces, comprising a support surface for the dough pieces, an elongate rounding rail having a concave rounding surface, the rounding rail extending to the support surface, members being provided in order to move the rounding rail in relation to the support surface having the dough pieces carried thereby, the longitudinal direction of the rail forming an acute angle to the direction of motion of the dough pieces, whereby the dough pieces being kneaded and rounded while rolling off on the rounding surface.

Abstract: An elongated top and an elongated base each having mated roller components in the shape of mating inverted elongated surfaces which form a rolling bead roller chamber therebetween. The bead roller is injection molded of polycarbonate to be non-reactive with polymer clay, and it is transparent to enable the observation of the bead rolling process. Multiple roller components may be built into a base with mating multiple roller components built into a top with a handle or individual top roller components. A bead log roller with protruding measurement marks rolls clay logs with embossed measurement marks which may be cut to an appropriate size. An aligned series of notches transversely on parallel ridges of the bead roller tool allows a pin to skewer the beads through the exact axis of symmetry of the beads to form holes in the beads for stringing and to lift the beads to place them on a drying tray with similar notches along parallel ridges with troughs under the beads on the pin.

Abstract: An elongated top and an elongated base each having mated roller components in the shape of mating inverted elongated surfaces which form a rolling bead roller chamber therebetween. A measured amount of clay or similar material is placed in the bead roller chamber and rolled into a uniformly shaped and sized bead by sliding the top back and forth relative to the base in the elongated direction. The bead roller is injection molded of polycarbonate to be non-reactive with polymer clay, and it is transparent to enable the observation of the bead rolling process. Multiple roller components may be built into a base with mating multiple roller components built into a top with a handle or individual top roller components. Semi-circular roller components form round beads, circular arc shaped roller components form oval football-shaped beads, and V-shaped roller components form double cone shaped beads.

Abstract: A rounder bar assembly (10) with floating foot (56) for use with an endless belt conveyor (12) incorporates an elongated body (20) configured for shaping dough pieces (14) transported along the endless belt of a conveyor. A backing plate (22) and a spacer (24) are disposed between the body (20) and the backing plate, with the body (20), backing plate (22) and spacer (24) defining cavity (26) therebetween. An elongated flexible foot (56) is movably mounted within the cavity (26) so that a portion of the foot (56) extends from the cavity when the foot is in a compressed position. A visco-elastic material (63) is disposed within the cavity (26) between the spacer (24) and the foot (56) such that the visco-elastic material is responsive to movement of the foot, thereby allowing the foot to conform to the belt of the conveyor. The visco-elastic material has a property of expanding volumetrically in response to a force applied thereto that displaces some of the volume of the material.

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rounder bar and method of making and using the same in which, in one embodiment, the rounder portion of the rounder bar will have a shape that presents a concave shape having one of at least one flat surface and/or edge to the incoming dough. In another embodiment, the rounder bar will include at least one depression area that allows for an immediate, rather than gradual, expansion of the dough ball. This immediate expansion allows the formation of a dough ball with a more uniformly round shape and also eliminates the formation of a dimple on the resulting dough ball that exits the rounder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pelletizing press (1) with a drum (2), comprising a drum axis (6) and at least one press roller (3) which is accommodated in the drum (2) in such a way that it can rotate about a press roller axis (8). The press roller is driven about the press roller axis by roller drive means (7, 27, 28, 29). The press roller (3) and/or the drum (2) are also rotated about the axis of the drum by rotation means. Furthermore, roller adjustment means (11, 12, 13, 16) are provided for varying the distance between the press roller and the drum wall. By designing the roller drive means, the rotation means and the adjustment means in the form of three concentrically situated shafts, an adaptation of the position of the press roller (3) can be obtained during continuous operation of the pelletizing press (1), in other words, during rotation of the press roller (3) about its axis and during rotation of the press roller (3) and/or the drum (2) about the drum axis (6).

Abstract: An apparatus including two symmetrical slide members moved relative each other for shaping a cylindrical body into a plurality of spherical bodies, wherein the slide members each have two vertical sidewalls, and a plurality of U-grooves and partition flanges alternatively arranged in parallel between the vertical sidewalls, the U-grooves each having two distal ends and a depth gradually increased from one distal end to the other, the partition flanges each having two distal ends and a thickness gradually increased from one distal end to the other, the vertical sidewalls each having two distal ends and an inner side vertically curved inwards, the inner side having a vertical depth gradually increased from one distal end to the other.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the oil filled rounder bar with grooves for use with an endless belt-type conveyor for transporting dough pieces thereon incorporates a shaping surface formed of oil filled plastic material. The shaping surface forms a pocket with the belt of the conveyor and receives and shapes dough pieces transported along the belt of the conveyor. Preferably, an array of grooves are formed in the shaping surface to promote frictional engagement of the dough pieces with the shaping surface. Method aspects also are provided.

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.

Abstract: Dough shaping devices for shaping baker's dough pieces include a pair of cooperating shaping members, such as concave rounder bars (27) placed over a surface conveyor (16). The concave surface of the rounder bars is formed with a metal base plate (45) that includes a concave dough shaping surface (46) formed of stainless steel. Metal particles are formed on the dough shaping surface by the sputtering of metal plasma, to form a roughened texture, and a slick material, such as a fluropolymer, is applied thereover, to form a grainy but slick surface against which the dough pieces move. The grainy surface retards sliding friction of the dough pieces, while the slick surface permits immediate release of the dough from the dough shaping surface.

Abstract: A dough portioning machine comprises a metering chamber with a metering piston which is displaceable therein. The metering piston is provided with a degassing channel which is formed in the piston wall and to which a cleaning pin in the cylindrical wall of the metering chamber can be allocated.

Abstract: A machine for rounding pieces of dough including a circular basin (10) on the inside of which is arranged a mobile component (21) having respective truncated conical circumferential surfaces (13, 24) which taper in opposite directions to form a concave annular cavity (V) for receiving a piece of dough (M). The respective conical surfaces are provided with grooves (131, 241). The mobile component (21) is rotatably driven while at the same time being cyclically shifted radially by activating device (15) so as to progressively round the dough pieces. A cover (C) is provided on the basin (10) and includes a feeding conduit (A), and a cylindrical band (32) which includes a projecting part (33) coinciding with a cutout (16) in annular wall (12) so as to form a discharge conduit (E) for processed pieces of dough (M).

Abstract: A mass of baker's dough is delivered from hopper (28) through stuffing pump (30), developer (38), branch conduits (42-44), through metering pumps (46-48), to dough divider (55), where the streams of dough are divided into dough balls which drop to a rounder bar conveyor (60). The columns of dough are independently maintained from the dough divider (55) to the sheeter-molder-panner (24-26).

Abstract: A rounder bar for use with conventional dough manufacturing equipment is used to convert a piece of dough into a spherical dough ball. The rounder bar includes a contact face used to engage and shape the piece of dough. The contact face has a gradually varying height and radius to form a compression section proximate the first end of the bar and a rounding section proximate the second end of the bar. A bumpy texture and coating on the contact face prevent the dough from sticking to the rounder bar.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing meatballs which comprises a meatball forming device and a meatball cooking device. The meatball forming device comprises a housing, which has a top opening communicating with a lower output tube. Between the top opening and the output is a mechanism having planar belts entrained around two pairs of rollers, said belts being opposably rotated by turning a crank handle on a single roller. The faces of the belts contact one another, and each face has matching, aligned semi-spherical indentions. Ground meat is pushed into the top opening, and the roller crank is turned to opposably rotate the belts. Meat is squeezed into the spherical space between the belts and communicated through the output. The meatball cooking device comprises several cooking trays with indentions for receiving a number of meatballs. The cooking trays are detachably connected to supporting members and may be stacked on top of one another in superimposed fashion.

Abstract: Rolled products are prepared by transporting articles from an upstream end to a downstream end of an endless conveyor belt upper run having a complete spiral twist therein for shaping the articles so that rolled products emerge from the twist on the upper run.

Abstract: A machine for kneading dough portions into a round shape is provided with a kneading drum adapted to be driven in the peripheral direction and in the direction of an axis. The kneading drum is concentrically enclosed by a compartmented drum adapted to be rotatingly driven in a peripheral direction and has kneading chambers open radially outwardly and radially inwardly towards the kneading drum. Furthermore, the compartmented drum has, looped around a portion of its periphery, in a belt contact zone, a kneading belt which presses the dough portions against the kneading drum and prevents them from falling out of the kneading chambers.The kneading belt can be driven by a positive drive which is independent of bearing forces between the kneading belt and the surface of the compartmented drum, whereby the kneading belt no substantial bearing forces on the belt contact zone of the compartmented drum.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a fixed cylindrical housing and a centrifugal disc closing the housing in the manner of a base, which disc is rigidly connected to a motor driven shaft. Above the centrifugal disc a ring is fitted into the housing. The distance of that ring from the centrifugal disc is such that material propelled outwards by the centrifugal disc and upwards at the wall of the housing is positively deflected at the lower curved surface of the ring.

Abstract: A dough rounding machine with a drum rotatable about a vertical axis, a frame disposed around the drum and a trough which is formed between the drum jacket and a number of trough elements mounted on the frame and extending helically adjacent the jacket. Each trough element has a rail fixedly mounted in the frame and abutting the drum, and a wall portion positioned on the rail and displaceable relative to the jacket. The dough rounding machine further comprises a control unit for adjusting the width of the trough, the unit comprising rotatable rods extending from the lower part to the upper part of the drum and substantially parallel to the drum jacket, and link means interconnecting the rods and the wall portions.

Abstract: An apparatus for the dividing, rounding and panning of doughballs. The apparatus includes a divider and rounder for dividing and rounding four doughballs simultaneously and an infeed gate having a central section and two outer sections for controlling the dispensing of the doughballs from two inner and two outer dough chutes into an apparatus for panning. For smaller doughballs and pans which accommodate four doughballs in a row, the three-section gate is operable to function as a unitary gate to dispense the four doughballs from the chutes at the same time. For larger doughballs and pans which accommodate only two doughballs in a row, the method of the present invention includes the dividing and rounding of four doughballs and the dispensing of the doughballs from the chutes two at a time.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for pelletizing finely divided particulate or pulverant materials. The apparatus is particularly effective in pelletizing large quantities of such particulate materials to a desirable spheroidal pellet size.

Abstract: A device for shaping pieces of dough-like material into a generally spherical shape includes a fixed support defining a wall and a support base and a rotatable disc having an inner peripheral surface facing said support wall. The fixed support and rotatable member define a truncated, V-shaped groove in transverse cross section. A lower conveyor includes a run extending over the base and through the groove. An upper conveyor includes a run which extends over the top of the groove. The rotatable disc and conveyor are driven at different relative speeds so that a piece of material conveyed through the groove by the lower conveyor belt is formed into a generally spherical shape. A plurality of such devices are supported on a common frame which may be positioned in line to receive a plurality of pieces of dough which are arranged in spaced, parallel rows.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting molten glass containing radioactive waste into molded pellets or spheres comprising means for generating a flowing stream of the molten glass and a rotating wheel disposed beneath the flowing stream. The wheel is preferably mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and has a series of mold cavities formed in the circumferential wall of the wheel, into which cavities the stream is directed by gravity. The mold cavities have flared side walls so that when the stream strikes the inclined wall it is deflected toward the center of the cavity through a focal point. The side walls of adjacent mold cavities form a knife edge at the surface of the wheel to preclude the bridging of glass from one cavity to another.

Abstract: A dough rounding machine provided with a vertical rounding drum and with a trough extending helically or spirally about the drum, said trough being composed of a bottom and a bowl spaced apart from the drum, while the bottom comprises flat bottom plate sections successive in helical direction, abutting the drum and attached to a frame surrounding the drum, while the bowl is composed of bowl sections likewise successive in helical direction and fixable on the bottom plate sections with variable distance to the drum, whereby each bowl section is designed as a wall plate which, with a bottom edge that completely abuts the bottom plate section, is movable over the bottom plate section towards and away from the drum with maintenance of said abutment.

Abstract: A rotary drum assembly includes separate agglomerating and hardening drums that are rotated independently of each other. The agglomerating drum has a generally cylindrical configuration with an inner cylindrical wall. A scraper is rotatably positioned within the agglomerating drum in spaced relation to the inner cylindrical wall with its axis spaced from the axis of the drum. The scraper has a tubular body portion with a plurality of parallel rows of blades extending radially therefrom. Each of the rows extends lengthwise along substantially the entire length of the scaper body portion and follow a helical path having a single turn about the axis of the tubular body portion. The rows of blades thus make a single convolution about the scraper body portion. Drive means are provided to synchronously rotate the agglomerating drum and scraper with the scraper arranged to rotate at a preselected and different speed relative to the speed of the drum.

Abstract: The agglomerating drum has a generally cylindrical configuration with an inner cylindrical wall. A scraper is rotatably positioned within the agglomerating drum in spaced relation to the inner cylindrical wall with its axis spaced from the axis of the drum. The scraper has a tubular body portion with a plurality of parallel rows of blades extending radially therefrom. Each of the rows extends lengthwise along substantially the entire length of the scraper body portion and follow a helical path having a single turn about the axis of the tubular body portion. Agglomerative material is introduced into the rotating agglomerating drum and forms a layer of agglomerative material on the drum inner cylindrical wall. The scraper is rotated in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the agglomerating drum and at a preselected synchronous speed with the agglomerating drum.