Abstract: Five fins located on a second arm engage the farinaceous material during mixing and the angled surface of each fin directs the farinaceous material in an axial direction towards the housing of the rotor, and also in a direction extending between the surface of the arm and the adjacent parallel surface of the container. The fins also cause the farinaceous material to be moved in the same two directions, with the exception that the dough is directed away from the housing of the rotor towards the central region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of dough moulding and a machine for carrying out the method, and in particular, is concerned with cross-panning of the dough piece. One or more incisions are made in the dough piece so that it can be folded, and according to the method of the invention, after the incisions have been formed, the dough piece travels to the dough folding station between a moving element and a stationary control member (which may be a spring loaded control plate) so that the dough piece is forced to turn about its longitudinal axis. The length of this control movement is so arranged that the angular displacement of the dough piece causes the dough hinge or hinges to be in a desired orientation when the dough piece arrives at the folding station. In W-folding the center dough hinge is displaced from the side dough hinges by 180.degree.

Abstract: The invention relates to the moulding of dough pieces, for instance in the production of bread. In a dough moulding machine, there are pairs of sheeting rollers, which roll out the piece of dough into a sheet. In the method of the present invention the dough piece is caused to pass over a fluidized bed in its approach to a pair of sheeting rollers. Further, the dough piece may pass over a fluidized bed as it is transferred from one pair of sheeting rollers to a following pair of sheeting rollers.The invention also includes an arrangement for replacing the usual feed hopper of a dough panner by a conveyor, a fluidized bed and lateral locating devices for the dough piece.

Abstract: Apparatus for slitting and folding dough for cross-panning of the dough piece. One or more incisions are made in the dough piece so that it can be folded, and according to the method of the invention, after the incisions have been formed, the dough piece travels to the dough folding station between a moving element and a stationary control member (which may be a spring loaded control plate) so that the dough piece is forced to turn about its longitudinal axis. The length of this control movement is so arranged that the angular displacement of the dough piece causes the dough hinge or hinges to be in a desired orientation when the dough piece arrives at the folding station. In W-folding the center dough hinge is displaced from the side dough hinges by 180.degree., and the method and apparatus ensures that the dough piece is presented to the dough folding arrangement with the side dough hinges on the leading side of the dough piece.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the compacting and discharging of a dough piece in and from a dough moulding machine. According to one aspect of the invention, the dough piece is passed over a fluidized bed (air-film-lubricated chute) and at the same time, it is squeezed between a pair of rollers having their axes substantially at right angles to the fluidized bed. This method of compacting, is particularly useful in the cross panning of a dough piece.A second aspect of the invention provides a method of discharging a dough piece from a dough moulder, in which it is delivered on to a downwardly inclined fluidized bed and as it leaves the bottom of the fluidized bed it falls on to a rotating discharge roller so that it is slid forwardly under the action of the discharge roller.The invention provides apparatus for carrying out both the compacting and discharge methods.

Abstract: Dough mixing for the production of farinaceous foodstuffs, in which the energy added in mixing is sufficient to determine the cell structure. There are four essential conditions: the energy added in mixing is not less than 10 (and preferably not less than 15) watt hours per kilogram of the total ingredients; the mixer is cooled by passing a fluid through a jacket surrounding the mixing chamber, and at least some of the water ingredient required to make the dough is added part-way through the mixing process, and at least part of the mixing is carried out under vacuum conditions.

Abstract: Dough mixing for the production of farinaceous footstuffs, in which the energy added in mixing is sufficient to determine the cell structure. There are four essential conditions: the energy added in mixing is not less than 15 watt hours per kilogram of the total ingredients; the rate of energy input is such that the energy is added in not more than 7 minutes; the mixer is cooled by passing a fluid through a jacket surrounding the mixing chamber, and at least one of the sugar and fat ingredients are added part way through the mixing process.

Abstract: Rapid cooling of a freshly baked moisture-containing farinaceous foodstuff article such as bread, wherein the article at its baked temperature and without deliberate pre-cooling is submitted to a reduced pressure treatment, which is applied at a plurality of rates so that on the one hand the article is not disintegrated, and on the other hand the article does not suffer an unacceptable peripheral moisture loss. The change of rate of application of the reduced pressure may be effected in response to various parameters.Also production of completely baked moisture-containing foodstuff articles by heating to a pre-determined internal temperature, terminating the heating substantially prior to the known, normal, complete baking time for the article and submitting the article to reduced pressure treatment.

Abstract: A method of cooling a moisture-containing foodstuff article is described, which involves placing the article in a chamber and evacuating the chamber to reduce the pressure in the chamber, whereby moisture evaporates from the article and the latent heat of the moisture is extracted from the article. In order to prevent damage to the article by a too-rapid evaporation, the evacuation is controlled in response to dimensional change (typically the height) of the article.The invention also includes a method of controlling the evacuation of the chamber by progressively opening a valve in the pumping system to reduce the impedance (and hence increase the pumping rate) of the pumping system. This progressive opening of the valve is however, subject to an over-riding control which may arrest the opening action or initiate closing of the valve in response to a detected dimensional change of the article.