Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatically powered automatic apparatus and method for subdividing one or more loaves of dough supported in a partitioned single use, nonmetallic tray at a processing station intermediate the opposite ends of a conveyor. A tray of dough is introduced into the apparatus as a tray of subdivided dough exits onto the conveyor. The dough subdivider functions to draw the skin of the roll of dough from the upper and lower sides thereof permanently into closely spaced relation between adjacent subdivisions of dough thereby leaving the subdivisions connected solely by a web which is readily frangible when the dough is baked. The dough subdivider operates dry and free of lubricant. Trays of dough exiting from the apparatus are maintained frozen and wrapped until ready for the oven at either a local or a distant comsumption site.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatically powered automatic apparatus and method for subdividing one or more loaves of dough supported in a partitioned single use, nonmetallic tray at a processing station intermediate the opposite ends of a conveyor. A tray of dough is introduced into the apparatus as a tray of subdivided dough exits onto the conveyor. The dough divider functions to draw the skin of the roll of dough from the upper and lower sides thereof permanently into closely spaced relation between adjacent subdivisions of dough thereby leaving the subdivisions connected solely by a web which is readily frangible when the dough is baked. The dough subdivider operates dry and free of lubricant. Trays of dough exiting from the apparatus are maintained frozen and wrapped until ready for the oven at either a local or a distant consumption site.