Abstract: An apparatus is provided for forming a spherical dough body by rounding a dough piece. The apparatus comprises a pair of opposed pressing and feeding members that apply pressure horizontally to the dough piece and a pressing member that repeatedly applies a force to the lower part of the dough piece, so that the lower part of the dough piece can be brought to the center thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus including oppositely positioned rollers located at the bottom of a hopper containing dough. A gap between the rollers is periodically increased and decreased to avoid any concentrated stress in the dough and to facilitate the production of a continuous uniform sheet of dough. Alternatively, a plurality of pairs of oppositely and horizontally positioned rollers are mounted on pivoting or swinging arms located at the bottom of a dough-feeding hopper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for continuously and quantitatively supplying bread dough. The apparatus comprises a pressing structure that includes two movable members, one of which includes at least one roller or one belt conveyor, and the other of which includes at least one belt conveyor, the roller being adapted to rotate about its own axis to apply a force to pull bread dough downward and the belt conveyor being adapted such that a portion of its conveying surface contacting the dough moves downward to pull the bread dough downward.

Abstract: A process for preparing dough pieces is provided. In the process, fermented dough receives repeated pressure for stretching, which pressure is given by a pressing device. However, through this process, the network structure of gel is not broken. Thus, a further fermentation step, such as an intermediate fermentation step or a final fermentation step, can be eliminated.