Systems for buttering and toasting bread

A system for buttering and toasting bread buns, the system comprising:

• a dispenser configured to dispense a bun crown and a bun heel sliced from a whole bread bun;
• a heating device arranged below the dispenser, wherein the heating device comprises:
• a first toasting surface,
• a second toasting surface opposite and parallel to the first toasting surface, and
• a heating element interposed between the first toasting surface and the second toasting surface;
• a first set of compression paddles arranged in a first column adjacent the first toasting surface, wherein each compression paddle in the first set of compression paddles is:
• operable between a compress position and a release position,
• configured to sequentially compress the bun crown directly onto the first toasting surface in the compress position, and
• configured to release the bun crown in the release position;
• a first set of gate paddles, wherein each gate paddle in the first set of gate paddles is:
• arranged below a corresponding compression paddle in the first set of compression paddles,
• operable between a retain position and a dispense position,
• configured to sequentially support the bun crown vertically in the retain position, and
• configured to release the bun crown downward in the dispense position;
• a second set of compression paddles arranged in a second column adjacent the second toasting surface, wherein each compression paddle in the second set of compression paddles is:
• operable between a compress position and a release position,
• configured to sequentially compress the bun heel directly onto the second toasting surface in the compress position, and
• configured to sequentially release the bun heel in the release position;
• a second set of gate paddles, wherein each gate paddle in the second set of gate paddles is:
• arranged below a corresponding compression paddle in the second set of compression paddles,
• operable between a retain position and a dispense position, configured to sequentially support the bun heel in the retain position, and
• configured to sequentially release the bun heel downward in the dispense position;
• and
• an actuator system configured to operate according to a paddle sequence to sequentially advance the bun crown and the bun heel, in a column of bun crown and bun heel pairs, down the first toasting surface and down the second toasting surface by:
• selectively transitioning compression paddles in the first set of compression paddles from the compress positions to the release positions,
• selectively transitioning compression paddles in the first set of compression paddles from the release positions to the compress positions,
• selectively transitioning compression paddles in the second set of compression paddles from the compress positions to the release positions,
• selectively transitioning compression paddles in the second set of compression paddles from the release positions to the compress positions,
• selectively transitioning gate paddles in the first set of gate paddles from the retain positions to the dispense positions,
• selectively transitioning gate paddles in the first set of gate paddles from the dispense positions to the retain positions,
• selectively transitioning gate paddles in the second set of pate paddles from the retain positions to the dispense positions, and
• selectively transitioning gate paddles in the second set of pate paddles from the dispense positions to the retain positions.

A system comprising:

• a vessel configured to receive liquefied food product, wherein the vessel defines a first surface having openings through which the liquefied food product passes;
• a camshaft;
• a first gate paddle coupled to the camshaft, wherein the first gate paddle includes a second surface configured to contact and support a bread product during a first predetermined time period;
• a first compression paddle coupled to the camshaft, wherein the first compression paddle includes a third surface configured to contact the bread product and bias the bread product against the first surface of the vessel during at least a portion of the first predetermined time period, and wherein the second surface is angled relative to the third surface;
• a heating device including a toasting surface arranged vertically below the first surface of the vessel;
• a second gate paddle coupled to the camshaft, wherein the second gate paddle includes a fourth surface configured to contact and support the bread product during a second predetermined time period that does not overlap with the first predetermined time period;
• and
• a second compression paddle coupled to the camshaft, wherein the second compression paddle includes a fifth surface configured to contact the bread product and bias the bread product against the toasting surface during at least a portion of the second predetermined time period, and wherein the fourth surface is angled relative to the fifth surface,
• wherein the camshaft is rotatable to:
• selectively move the first gate paddle toward and away from the first surface of the vessel,
• selectively move the first compression paddle toward and away from the first surface of the vessel,
• selectively move the second gate paddle toward and away from the toasting surface, and
• selectively move the second compression paddle toward and away from the toasting surface.