Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for producing a continuous belt-like sheet of bread dough. The apparatus includes a dough hopper, vertical conveyors mounted on the facing side walls of the hopper, a dough outlet provided at the bottom of the hopper, and a pair of discharging rolls constituting part of the dough outlet, facing each other, and which are rotated so as to downwardly pass the bread dough passing therebetween. The width of the outlet and the peripheral speed of the discharging rolls are controllable so that a high-quality sheet of bread dough is continuously produced, while the gel structure of the dough is maintained uninjured.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for quantitatively dividing bread dough. The apparatus includes a hopper having vertical side walls. The internal space surrounded by the walls has the same horizontal sectional area at any position along the vertical walls. The apparatus also includes a pair of vertical conveyors extending along the side walls. A dough outlet is formed in the bottom wall of the hopper. A dividing device is located in close proximity to the dough outlet. When the dough is continuously and quantitatively divided by the dividing device into small pieces, the vertical conveyors are driven at a speed of X m/min. in line with the speed of the dough flowing downward on its same level. Each of the dough pieces is then conveyed toward the shaping station. Thus the dough can be quantitatively divided so that a high quality dough is obtained without the gel structure of the gluten being destroyed.

Abstract: The method of producing pie dough by stretching a pie dough sheet, laminating the dough sheet by alternately folding it in two opposite directions normal to its traveling direction, stretching the laminated dough sheet, and, if necessary, repeating the laminating and stretching processes. The degree of stretching in the lateral direction of the dough sheet is adjusted to be higher than that in the lengthwise direction and the staggered slits are formed in the dough sheet in the traveling direction of the sheet so that when the pie dough is thereafter baked, fillings therein can be seen through the openings of the slits.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting and shaping a spherical body of a sticky material, composed of an assembly consisting of a number of rotary polygonal members for collectively forming an enclosure at the center thereof to cut and shape the material passing through the enclosure, each of the members with curved side surfaces being associated such that the enclosure is confined through the exposed part of the curved side surfaces of the polygonal members which pivotally swing to open and close the enclosure, and that the tip of each of the polygonal members tracks the exposed curved side surface of the adjacent polygonal member to scrape off the material adhering thereto, and each of the polygonal members having a uniform thickness that is thick enough to preclude the member from wedging into the material and that decreases toward the tip thereof, so that substantially spherical products can be continuously produced without generating any difficulty caused by the material adhering to the cutting members or by

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a sheet of dough, wherein powdered materials, including flour, yeast, sugar, and fats and oils, for making bread, are mixed with particles of ice, such that the particles of ice do not melt, to make them into a dough mixture. The dough mixture is formed into a continuous belt-like dough mixture having a uniform width and thickness such that the particles of ice do not melt, and then the particles of ice are melted to make the belt-like dough mixture hydrated. Finally continuous hydrated belt-like dough mixture is stretched so that a continuous sheet of dough having a gluten network is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for stretching and thinning dough. This apparatus consists of a plurality of conveyors 2,3, which are disposed in series so that the traveling speed of the downstream conveyor 3 is higher than that of the upstream conveyor 2, a roller 5 that reciprocates over a given distance 1.sub.2 transverse to the traveling direction of the dough, while reciprocating over a given distance 1.sub.1 in the traveling direction, and a roller 4 that reciprocates over a given distance 1.sub.1 in the traveling direction in synchronism with the transverse roller. The number of reciprocating strokes and the speed of both rollers are regulated to obtain a sheet of high quality dough with a uniform texture.

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 stretching dough including serially arranged conveyors, the most downstream conveyor being driven faster than all upstream conveyors, a reciprocating roller disposed above and spaced from the surfaces of the conveyors, and a roller driving mechanism coupled to the roller such that the average peripheral speed of the roller is equal to the conveying speed of the downstream conveyor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for continuously dividing bread dough. The apparatus consists of a dough hopper, vertical conveyors mounted on the side walls of the hopper, a dough outlet provided at the bottom of the hopper located under the vertical conveyors, a divider having cutting knives for dividing the dough, a weighing conveyor provided under the divider for weighing the dough discharged through the weighing conveyor, and a control means for controlling the timing in the discharging operation of the weighing conveyor according to the weight of the dough. The weight of the divided dough is instantly and successively weighed, while the period to keep the outlet open is controlled so that a belt-like sheet of dough, with sections of a uniform weight, is continuously produced.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for stretching dough are provided. The method includes the steps of disposing upstream and downstream conveyors serially, driving the downstream conveyor faster than the upstream conveyor, disposing a roller above and spaced apart from the conveyors, rotating the roller, and reciprocating the roller a predetermined distance over the conveyors conveying the dough to uniformly stretch it to a desired thickness. The apparatus is provided to work the method.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting and shaping a spherical material, including an assembly consisting of a number of rotary polygonal members for forming and closing an opening at their center to pass the material through the opening and cut and shape it. Each of the members has curved sides that abut each other when the members close the opening. The first side has a convex surface, and the second side has a concave surface. Each member is associated with each other such that the tip of each member tracks the convex surface of an adjacent member and when the members close the opening, the convex surface engages the concave surface so that substantially spherical products bearing no uneven flower patterns on their outer cover can be produced without any interruption of the operation of the apparatus caused by powder burning and sticking to the polygonal members.

Abstract: Apparatus for stretching dough is provided, by which bread dough or confectionery dough is continuously and smoothly stretched by linearly reciprocating a roller over the surface of the part of the dough that is continuously conveyed by a downstream conveyor of a pair of conveyors, one a downstream conveyor and other an upstream conveyor, while the roller rolls on the dough, without destroying the gluten tissue of the dough, and while determining the conveying speed of the upstream conveyor in response to the change of the thickness of the dough to be stretched, thereby obtaining, in one operation, a desired and uniform dough thickness from the continuously supplied dough material.

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: A dough-stretching roller apparatus is provided to produce a continuous web of dough in a process to manufacture confectionery and bread. The apparatus includes a pair of upper rollers and a pair of lower rollers, a sensor means that measures the width of the dough that contacts the lower rollers, and a controller that controls a motor driving the upper rollers in response to a signal from the sensor means. The controller increases the rotational speed of the upper rollers when the sensors detect that the width of dough is less than a preset width while the controller decreases the rotational speed of the upper rollers when the sensors detect that the width of the dough is greater than the preset width. Thus, even if the quantity of dough supplied from a hopper is unstable, the stable production of a stretched web of dough having a constant volume over its length can be continued.

Abstract: A method for producing a dough sheet having a predetermined width and height from a dough mass of a non-uniform volume, comprising the steps of compressing the mass on a supplying conveyor, detecting any change of width of the compressed dough sheet, driving a delivery conveyor provided downstream of the supplying conveyor at a constant speed, while changing the speed of the supplying conveyor, and, further, stretching the dough sheet on the delivery conveyor, the supplying conveyor being driven based on the data of any detected change in the dough width. Apparatuses are provided to carry out the above method.

Abstract: A method of continuously producing strudels containing cake is provided, by which cake dough is continuously enveloped by a continuous pastry dough sheet to form a continuous pastry dough body containing cake dough, which body is cut into pastry dough pieces containing cake dough, which are then baked to form strudels containing cake, or preserved in a frozen condition to serve the instantaneous needs of the consumer. A method of continuously producing strudels containing cake and a filling is also provided, by which cake and a filling are continuously enveloped with a continuous pastry dough sheet to form a continuous pastry dough body containing cake dough and a filling, which body is cut into pastry dough pieces containing cake and a filling, which are then baked to form strudels containing cake and a filling, or preserved in a frozen condition. As a result, strudels containing the cake, or a cake and filling, and with high and stable qualities, and low production costs, are obtained.

Abstract: A dough-stretching roller apparatus is provided to produce a continuous web of dough in a process to manufacture confectionery and bread. The apparatus includes a pair of upper rollers, a sensor means that detects the width of dough at the gap between the upper rollers, and a controller that controls a motor driving the upper rollers in response to a signal from the sensor means. The controller decreases the rotational speed of the upper rollers when the sensors detect that the width of dough is broader than a predetermined width of dough passing through the upper rollers, while the controller increases the rotational speed of the upper rollers when the sensors detect that the width of dough is narrower than the predetermined width of the dough passing through the upper rollers. Thus, even if the amount of dough supplied from a hopper is unstable, production of a stretched web of dough having a constant volume per unit length can be stably continued.

Abstract: A method is provided of controlling the quality of dough during its processing, in which the physical properties of portions of a dough strip being continuously fed are automatically and continuously measured, to obtain the specific weight calculated from the dimensional and weight data, of each of the portions of the dough strip, so that the dimensional data and specific weight can be used for processing the dough mass and for formulating raw materials for the next lot to be produced, and in which method, based on the obtained specific weight, the thickness of a dough piece having a uniform top surface area to be stamped out by a puncher is automatically calculated by a computer and an additional stretching system adjusts the thickness of the dough strip, so that the weight of a stamped-out dough piece is automatically made uniform during the operation.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting and shaping a spherical material, which is composed of an assembly consisting of a number of rotary polygonal members for forming an opening at their center to cut and shape the material passing through the opening. Each of the members with curved side surfaces that are opposite each other is associated with each other such that when the members make a pivotal movement, the curved surface of each member slides over the curved surface of an adjacent member, and each of the members has a uniform thickness except for the area near the tip, where the thickness nonequiangularly decreases toward the tip so that substantially spherical products completely covered by an outer cover of a uniform thickness can be produced.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for producing a continuous belt-like sheet of bread dough. The apparatus consists of a dough hopper, vertical conveyors mounted on the facing side walls of the hopper, a dough outlet provided at the bottom of the hopper, and a pair of discharging rolls constituting part of the dough outlet, facing each other, and which are rotated so as to downwardly pass the bread dough passing therebetween. The width of the outlet and the peripherial speed of the discharging rolls are controllable so that a high-quality sheet of bread dough is continuously produced, while the gel structure of the dough is maintained uninjured.