Abstract: A strawberry dehulling machine which provides for manually placing a berry or other fruit onto a retainer that will close under a controlled spring action and retain the berry or other fruit with the hull or calyx in an opening formed in the retainer. A rotating cutter removes the hull as the retained berry or other fruit is moved over the cutter for dehulling the berry or fruit. Once the dehulled berry is moved past the cutter, the retainer will be opened and the berry removed either manually or by using an air jet or other mechanical member.

Abstract: An apparatus dislodges material from a rotating brush having a brush axis and elongated bristles extending outwardly therefrom. The apparatus includes an obstruction device for temporarily obstructing free rotation of the bristles about the brush axis such that the bristles are placed in spring tension as the brush rotates. The obstruction device releases the bristles when sufficient spring tension exists therein.

Abstract: A pan scrubber apparatus is provided that cleans bakery pans with displaced brush bristle action. The pan scrubber includes a moveable frame that is attached to a stationary frame. A brush is mounted to the moveable frame and has elongated bristles extending outwardly. An oscillatory drive is connected to the movable frame to oscillate the brush toward and away from the outer surfaces of the pan causing the bristles to be moved in a substantially longitudinal direction of the bristles so ends of the bristles are moved against the outer surfaces of the pan intermittently. A rotational drive is further connected to the brush to rotate the brush. A bristle contact bar placed adjacent the brush temporarily impedes rotation of the bristles to effectuate cleaning.

Abstract: A machine for automatically shaving a large bar of chocolate for forming a thin chocolate shaving that curls into a spiral, for use for decorative purposes. The machine has cutters that will cut an end of a chocolate bar in three separate spirals, on each stroke of the cutter. The chocolate bar is moved a desired distance for new cuts. The knives are partly curved in cross section and have cutting edges that are angled to insure a smooth separation of a thin shaving to form the curl around the curvature of the individual knife. The chocolate temperature is important in cutting, and generally is maintained in the range of 88 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The machine itself can be placed in a suitable environment or chamber to maintain that temperature.

Abstract: A tray scrubber for plastic baked product trays or pans which automatically scrubs and cleans the bottom and sides of the tray, both on the interior and the exterior. A first pair of sides is cleaned in a first station as the tray travels along the machine and the interior of the tray is then brushed and subjected to a water spray. The tray is automatically rotated 90.degree., about an upright axis so that the sides that were originally leading and trailing in direction of movement are now along the edges of the conveyor moving the trays, and can be scrubbed on the exterior as well. The process is very rapid, and because it is fully automatic, can process a large number of trays for complete scrubbing in a short period of time.

Abstract: A vacuum hood for removing flour, dust, and other small particles from bakery products (dough pieces), including baffling which provides desired airflow paths adjacent leading and trailing edges of the hood. The hood overlies bakery products as the products are carried in pans on a conveyor belt moving in a path prior to baking. The hood has conduits for directing jets of air under pressure through orifices against the bakery products tending to lift the products at the same time that a vacuum is drawing particles of material inwardly under the edges of the hood to insure that excess flour, and other light particulate materials are drawn up into the hood efficiently without creating regions where the flour and particles may fall back onto the pans that are holding the bakery products.

Abstract: A forming machine forms elongated rolls of croissant dough into a curved form, and in particular the apparatus shown pinches the ends of the elongated dough together after it has been folded around a forming mandrel. The sequence is done as the dough is moved along a conveyor automatically and at a high rate of speed.

Abstract: A machine for carrying baked English muffins along a plane, and scoring the edges of the muffins all around the outer edge surface during a single pass through the machine by controlling the rotation of the muffin about an axis perpendicular to the general muffin plane at the same time that a sharp blade makes an incision into the skin of the muffin a short distance for scoring the outer periphery.

Abstract: A brush assembly is utilized for cleaning pans in which loaves of bread are baked after the pans have been emptied of the bread. The brush assembly is mounted above a conveyor carrying the pans, and includes long bristle brushes rotating about axes oblique with respect to the direction of travel of the pans, and generally parallel to the plane of movement of the pans. The brush assemblies are oscillated up and down as they are rotated so that the brush tips tend to be repeatedly jabbed longitudinally into the corners of the pans to loosen seed, crumbs and other materials left in the pans.

Abstract: A device for perforating the edges of individual bakery products to facilitate the separation of the products into portions.

Abstract: A clutch which is used to couple and drive a pair of co-axial shafts or other rotating members and which is made to release at a desired torque level. The clutch permits the driving member to make a single revolution before there is any torque tending to rotate the driven member. The drive position is an indexed position, and the breakaway torque is controlled by a pair of permanent magnets. After release, a cam is under spring load from a cam divider which tends to rotate the two members of the clutch relative to each other to the reset position. The cam action creates a torque independently of the drive to reset the clutch. Further, the indexing of the clutch to its drive position each time it releases is positive in the present device.

Abstract: A dryer for automated washing and drying of mesh or perforated bottom trays such as those used for bakery goods, which includes a source of air under relatively low pressure and has a means to direct air at a relatively high velocity through the mesh or open bottom tray as it is carried on a perforated or open conveyor, and vacuum means connected to the suction side of the same fan to collect and receive moisture laden air and water droplets that pass through the tray and the conveyor. The fan includes a water-air separator on the inlet side so that the inlet air carrying the water is processed to remove water droplets and the like.

Abstract: A pan cleaning apparatus for use with bun and roll pans in bakeries which will use a combined air blast and vacuum action to loosen seeds, crumbs or the like as well as other foreign material which may be lodged in a bun pan after use. The device may include brushes arranged to brush all of the corners and recesses of the pan adequately for loosening material with the air blast-vacuum hood which removes debris from the pan used as a final cleaning stage.

Abstract: Imprinters or stampers for imprinting or stamping numerals, letters or symbols into the top of pieces of dough prior to baking, which includes means for individually sensing each piece of dough to insure that the imprinting device is properly timed for imprinting the dough pieces.

Abstract: A pan cleaning apparatus for use with bun and roll pans in bakeries which will use a combined air blast and vacuum action to loosen seeds, crumbs or the like as well as other foreign material which may be lodged in a bun pan after use. The device may include brushes arranged to brush all of the corners and recesses of the pan adequately for loosening material with the air blast-vacuum hood which removes debris from the pan used as a final cleaning stage.

Abstract: In a dough panning device, the dough piece orienter and intermediate guide sheet are mounted to permit longitudinal sliding movement along guide bars so that when the delivery end of the conveyor belt is moved to tension the belt these apparatus will maintain a proper relationship thereto. Also provided are adjustable side guides for the baking pans which may be individually adjusted laterally by means of parallel mounting links which are maintained in adjusted positions by friction clutches.

Abstract: A pan cleaning apparatus for use with bun and roll pans in bakeries which will provide a brushing and scrubbing action for loosening seeds, crumbs or the like as well as other foreign material which may be lodged in the pan after use. The device includes brushes arranged to brush all of the corners and recesses of the pan adequately. The unit includes multiple brush construction and a vacuum hood which removes debris from the pan as it passes through the apparatus.