Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and a method for making printed foods such as cookies, crackers, and snacks at high production speeds on a continuous basis. The apparatus includes a rotary printer which is synchronized with dough forming apparatus such as a rotary cutter or rotary molder.

Abstract: Three-dimensional food products such as crackers, cookies, puffed snacks, puffable glassy half-products, pet foods, pasta, confections such as chewing gum, and ready-to-eat cereals are produced on a mass production basis by feeding a dough or other food composition to a plurality of dies which shape it into ropes. The shaped extrudate ropes obtained from each die are cut by a plurality of first blades which pass across only a portion of each of the orifices of the dies to partially cut each of the shaped extrudate ropes. A plurality of second blades pass across the entire orifice of each of the dies to completely cut each of the partially cut extrudate ropes into individual pieces. The use of a multi-port extrusion die permits higher mass flow rates and thus greater dough piece production rates at lower cutter speeds. The use of multi-port extrusion and lower cutter speeds increases shape, definition, and accuracy of cutting and reduces scattering and deformation of the individual pieces.

Abstract: Three-dimensional food products such as crackers, cookies, puffed snacks, puffable glassy half-products, pet foods, pasta, confections such as chewing gum, and ready-to-eat cereals are produced on a mass production basis by feeding a dough or other food composition to a plurality of dies which shape it into ropes. The shaped extrudate ropes obtained from each die are cut by a cutting device which passes across only a portion of each of the orifices of the dies to partially cut each of the shaped extrudate ropes. The cutting device passes across the entire orifice of each of the dies to completely cut each of the partially cut extrudate ropes into individual pieces. The use of a multi-port extrusion die permits higher mass flow rates and thus greater dough piece production rates at lower cutter speeds. The use of multi-port extrusion and lower cutter speeds increases shape, definition, and accuracy of cutting and reduces scattering and deformation of the individual pieces.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for making printed foods such as cookies, crackers, and snacks at high production speeds on a continuous basis. The apparatus includes a rotary printer which is synchronized with dough forming apparatus such as a rotary cutter or rotary molder.

Abstract: A cutting die includes a plurality of cutters arranged for cutting an ordered array of different size dough pieces from a sheet of dough. The dough pieces are cut from the sheet such that the array of different size dough pieces has a substantially uniform weight distribution throughout its length and width such that all of dough pieces can be uniformly baked. The cutting die includes a plurality of cutters arranged in a set of two parallel subsets of different size cutters arranged in descending order by size. The set of cutters are arranged in series to form a repeating pattern.

Abstract: Assortments of thin uniformly bakeable, and baked, goods such as biscuits, crackers or cookies are efficiently provided. For example, a uniformly baked sample of chemically leavened laminated buttery-flavored thin crackers can be prepared having about 33 percent by number nickel size items, about 33 percent by number dime size items and the remainder quarter size items on a continuous basis on one production line employing a regularly interposited array formed with an appropriately analogous cutting die.

Abstract: An extruder provides three materials, one co-extruded about the other. A first material is completely enrobed by a second material, which in turn is completely enrobed by a third material. The first and third materials are preferably cookie doughs having differing compositions, the first material forming the core and having a moist and chewy texture upon baking. The third material is preferably a cookie dough having a relatively crispy texture upon baking. The second material serves as a moisture barrier and to prevent bleeding between the first and the third materials. The second material may be composed of, for example, an oil-based fluidic material or a gel.

Abstract: An extruder provides three materials, one co-extruded about the other. A first material is completely enrobed by a second material, which in turn is completely enrobed by a third material. The first and third materials are preferably cookie doughs having differing compositions, the first material forming the core and having a moist and chewy texture upon baking. The third material is preferably a cookie dough having a relatively crispy texture upon baking. The second material serves as a moisture barrier and to prevent bleeding between the first and the third materials. The second material may be composed of, for example, an oil-based fluidic material or a gel.

Abstract: An apparatus acts upon an extrudate rope to form individual elements of predetermined size and shape which elements are separated from one another a predetermined distance. A die is used having a predetermined shape with indentations therein to press the extrudate rope against a support at predetermined locations. A conveyor belt is used to carry the extrudate rope in one direction, and the die is supported such that during the pressing operation the die forward speed matches the extrudate rope forward speed. A supporting table underlies the conveyor belt. The die has a pair of generally spherical indentations for shaping pieces from the extrudate rope. The die is formed of a non-stick material such as Teflon.RTM.. A chamber is located in an opposite surface of the die from each respective indentation, to serve as a plenum fluid supply to the indentations, bores connecting the respective opposing chambers to respective indentations.

Abstract: A plurality of cruciform cutter members are arranged on a drum to define transverse and circumferential lines along which dough sheet scoring is effected. The members are formed with dough scoring edges along each of the arms thereof and a cutting element at the center to cut a piece from the dough sheet at each intersection of the scoring lines. Air passageways leading to the cutting elements are alternately connected to a vacuum source for removing the cut dough piece from the dough sheet and to a pressure source for removing to dough piece from the element.

Abstract: Large sheets of rigid cookie wafers carried by a first conveyor are longitudinally divided by a saw. The resulting small sheets are laterally spaced and each is fed between positioning guides onto a pair of edge support members positioned over a second conveyor extending at right angles to the first conveyor. Each support member is mounted on a pair of arms extending upwardly from a rotatable shaft passing beneath the second conveyor. The pair of shafts carrying each pair of edge support members are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by a cam driven lever arrangement to separate the support members allowing the sheet supported thereby to drop upon the seond conveyor. Separate cams control each pair of shafts and the two sheets are dropped in sequence to provide an uninterrupted flow of evenly spaced sheets on the second conveyor.