Abstract: The dough portioner 10 includes a manifold 36 defining a chamber 38 for receiving bakers dough or other viscous flowable material from a feed pump 14. A plurality of delivery channels 44 in communication with said chamber pass the viscous material to a dough cutter 66. A meter wheel 52 is positioned between the manifold and the cutter for receiving a stream of the material from each of the delivery channels and discharging the streams of material independently of others of said meter wheels.

Abstract: The dough distribution manifold (10) includes a housing (12) with a perimeter wall (14) forming a dough distribution chamber (20). Removable bottom wall (16) and removable top wall (18) are positioned on the perimeter wall. Top wall (18) includes a cover plate (40) and an insert plate (42), with the insert plate having a protrusion (44) that extends into the dough distribution chamber (20), whereby different sized insert plates may be combined with the cover plate to adjust the height of the dough distribution chamber. The perimeter wall (14) is independently supported with respect to said bottom wall (16) and top wall (18) so that the bottom and top walls may be removed while leaving the perimeter wall in place for inspection and cleaning. Valves (56) and dough dividers (34 and 64) are used to direct the movement of dough in equal amounts through the delivery openings (32).

Abstract: Dough pump 12 includes an auger 22 that moves oncoming dough from the upwardly facing entry opening 19 of the cylindrical housing 24 and expels the dough laterally from a side delivery conduit 26. A developer 14 includes a laterally facing entry conduit 40 aligned with the side delivery conduit 26 of the dough pump. Developer paddle 48 gently moves the dough along the developer housing 44 to a downwardly facing delivery conduit 46. The dough pump motor 30 and the developer motor 50 are located on opposite ends of their respective housings. The dough pump auger 22 pushes the dough away from the motor and its transmission and toward the side delivery conduit 26. Likewise, the developer paddle 48 moves the dough in the opposite direction away from the motor and its transmission so that the seals at the inlet end portions of the dough pump and developer are less likely to be over-pressurized and are less likely to leak.

Abstract: The dough distribution manifold (10) includes a housing (12) with a perimeter wall (14) forming a dough distribution chamber (20). Removable bottom wall (16) and removable top wall (18) are positioned on the perimeter wall. Top wall (18) includes a cover plate (40) and an insert plate (42), with the insert plate having a protrusion (44) that extends into the dough distribution chamber (20), whereby different sized insert plates may be combined with the cover plate to adjust the height of the dough distribution chamber. The perimeter wall (14) is independently supported with respect to said bottom wall (16) and top wall (18) so that the bottom and top walls may be removed while leaving the perimeter wall in place for inspection and cleaning. Valves (56) and dough dividers (34 and 64) are used to direct the movement of dough in equal amounts through the delivery openings (32).