Abstract: A dog clutch arrangement for a motor vehicle having a clutch body. The clutch body has first teeth in a first toothing and an axially movable sliding sleeve arrangement with second teeth in a second toothing.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus of controlling dough feeding to process and portioning machines in automated processing lines is provided. The completed system can supply dough and dough like materials to a portioner and or allow it to continue its operation during a period of time when the one or more feeding machine needs to go to a mixer to obtain another load of bulk material, a refill cycle, and returns to a home station so as to resume feeding operations of dough. The desired effect is to have a feeding system that can both store dough to continue dough supply to one or more portioning machine(s) while the feeding machine(s) can go to a mixer to obtain a new batch of bulk dough and again return to home position where it can feed dough to one or more conveyor system(s) to maintain feed of dough to portioning machine(s) without an interruption due to stoppages in feed arising from the need for the feeder to go to a mixer and receive additional dough from the mixer and then return to the feeding conveyors.

Abstract: A claw clutch for positively connecting a first rotatable component to a second rotatable component. A claw clutch for motor vehicles having an electric drive train which permits a reliable connection of the claw clutch when tooth-on-tooth positions are released and, at the same time, reduces the number of moving elements on the sliding sleeve. A clutch body, which is arranged on the first rotatable component for conjoint rotation therewith, has a first tooth system and a sliding sleeve, which is arranged on the second rotatable component in a manner which allows conjoint rotation and axial movement, has a second tooth system and is axially movable via a shift fork by an actuator system in order to load a spring element by the actuator system in the case of a tooth-on-tooth position. The spring element to be loaded is arranged outside the second rotatable component equipped with the sliding sleeve.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a rounder or rounding machine having one or more conveyor(s) having a horizontal conveyor surface with a support frame. A rounder bar height adjustment system is provided. Included in the height adjustment system is a bar camber adjustment system. One or more rounder bars are coupled to the support frame by one or more rounder bar height adjustment systems above the conveyor at a set height and at a camber angle set by the at least one camber adjustment system. A rounder bar seal on the rounder bar is provided having a rounder bar seal channel and a rounder bar seal channel contour. The rounder bar seal having a first body member having one or more first semi-spherical contours and a second body extending down at an angle from the first body member, and third body member extending from the first body member and extending in an opposed direction from the second body member.

Abstract: An illumination and visualization device is provided along with a method of illuminating and visualizing and a formulation for an enhanced visualization (EV) coating for a baking pan or similar implement. The EV coating having a fluorescent component that shows the condition of the coating and any interfering materials that can adhere to the pan during use. The method and device for illumination and visualization can have a conveyance device which moves baked goods pans. The pans are illuminated with a known energy source or light. As noted, the EV coating having been applied as, for instance but not limited to, a release or non-adhesion coating layer reacts with and re-emits or reflects energy when subjected to certain incident energy forms or frequencies in the form of, for instance, light.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved pan cleaning machine that has a cleaning section that comprises a plurality of frames for mounting a sequence of interchangeable modular cleaning mechanisms. It can include quick-release mounting arrangements so that cleaning mechanisms can be quickly changed for cleaning different types of pans or to replace brushes or other wearing parts of cleaning mechanisms when they require replacement. In some embodiments, the frames for mounting the cleaning mechanisms can comprise swing arms so that the cleaning mechanisms can be swung away from the cleaning position so that the cleaning mechanism can be removed and replaced without interrupting the operation of the machine. If the machine is stopped, the swing arm can still be used to facilitate access to the cleaning mechanism to reduce the time needed to complete the maintenance or replacement.

Abstract: A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce two or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion through rapidly changing release sections along the working length of the rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By substantially changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar as it passes through a rapid transition area one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.

Abstract: A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce two or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion through rapidly changing release sections along the working length of the rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By substantially changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar as it passes through a rapid transition area one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.

Abstract: A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce one or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion along the working length of the one or more contoured rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.

Abstract: A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce one or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion along the working length of the one or more contoured rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.

Abstract: A device acts to take mixed dough or semi viscous material and feed this material uniformly and progressively to portioning machines that may not have capacity to hold a full batch from the mixer or require to be fed at a required rate so as to maintain a reasonably uniform or stable height or reserve amount of dough in there infeed hopper of dough portioning machine. The device providing two or more selectable output feeds in operation, providing for easy cleaning through detachable components, and compensating in the output feed variable for variations in the volume of dough in the tote.

Abstract: An open frame design of conveyors that will allow inspection access as well as sanitation access to all surfaces of conveyors that carry products that could contain Food Allergens, materials that could cause reactions as well as provide proper sanitation access. For proper and safe operation these allergens and offending materials must be removed and therefore proper access to all surfaces must be provided so as to be able clean and remove allergens and offending materials from all surfaces as well as to provide access to visually confirm proper removal has been carried.

Abstract: An open frame design of conveyors that will allow inspection access as well as sanitation access to all surfaces of conveyors that carry products that could contain Food Allergens, materials that could cause reactions as well as provide proper sanitation access. For proper and safe operation these allergens and offending materials must be removed and therefore proper access to all surfaces must be provided so as to be able clean and remove allergens and offending materials from all surfaces as well as to provide access to visually confirm proper removal has been carried.

Abstract: A device that provides better movement of semi solid materials such as but not limited to food products for metered dispensing. The device is able to take bulk semi solid material, entrain or draw the material into the device and add pressure to the semi solid material so that the semi solid material may be passed thru a nozzle or controlled discharge metering device or orifice. The rollers have circumferential grooved profiles and scrapers that are able to actively remove the semi-solid materials from the grooved profiles. The emitted semi solid material can then be more accurately applied or portioned in a metered fashion. Typical applications include but are certainly not limited to the production of cookies from bulk dough, the application of icing to a cake base/body/top or perimeter, metering of dough for bread or rolls so as to allow for a cutting device to cut off into uniform pieces.

Abstract: The invention is directed to semi-solid food product metering devices that typically have two counter rotating feed rollers with ends to entrain the semi-solid food product and has an at least one actuating device. The two feed rollers have two roller end plates at each end of the feed rollers, one being at a distal end of the rollers and the other at a proximal end of the rollers relative to the at least one actuating device with an at least one support bar. The feed rollers make a positive seal with the end plates. The semi-solid food product metering device of the invention has an open position and an operating position where the at least one support bar supports the two roller end plates in position while in the operating position and operating the semi-solid food product metering device, and allowing for lateral movement of the end plates away from the ends of the feed rollers to allow access to the gap between the feed roller ends and the roller end plates in the open position.

Abstract: A portioned piece spacing apparatus having at least one contoured chute. The contoured chute having at least one angle of declination, a receiving area and an discharge tip. The at least one vibrating chute being coupled to a vibrating mechanism through an at least one resilient member supporting the at least one contoured chute, wherein the vibrating mechanism vibrates the chute such that the portioned piece moves upward and forward relative to the at least one contoured chutes and the portioned pieces are held on the contoured chute and allowed to accumulate in a spaced manner at a discharge end of the contoured chute.

Abstract: A portioned piece spacing apparatus having at least one contoured chute. The contoured chute having at least one angle of declination, a receiving area and an discharge tip. The at least one vibrating chute being coupled to a vibrating mechanism through an at least one resilient member supporting the at least one contoured chute, wherein the vibrating mechanism vibrates the chute such that the portioned piece moves upward and forward relative to the at least one contoured chutes and the portioned pieces are held on the contoured chute and allowed to accumulate in a spaced manner at a discharge end of the contoured chute.