Apparatus and method for bun production

A system for forming and baking an edible container from a ribbon of elastic dough, said apparatus comprising:

• a pallet having a base and a wing plate fixed with respect to said base, said wing plate having locating holes, said pallet having a female mold with a top surface overlaying said wing plate;
• a ram having a pressure plate, a male mold, a holding plate, and a cutting sleeve, said pressure plate having a central aperture receiving said male mold, said male mold having an elongate portion and terminating at an end shaped complementary to said female mold, said male mold slidable with respect to said pressure plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said elongate portion of said male mold having a pressure ring and a return ring affixed thereto with said pressure plate located therebetween, said extended position defined by said pressure ring in contact with said pressure plate, said retracted position defined by said return ring in contact with said pressure plate, said pressure plate coupled to said holding plate through guide rods, said cutting sleeve ring having a cutting edge facing away from said pressure plate, said holding plate having a holding surface and locating pins adjacent thereto, said pressure plate moveable between a resting position defined by said cutting edge located between said holding surface and said pressure plate and a compressed position defined by said cutting edge extending beyond said holding surface, said pressure plate urged towards said resting position by springs;
• and
• said ram is supported by said male mold when said return ring contacts said pressure plate and said ram is mateable to said pallet when said locating pins are received by said locating holes.

A system for forming and holding a dough shape from a ribbon of elastic dough, said apparatus comprising:

• a pallet having a base and a wing plate fixed with respect to said base, said wing plate having locating holes, said pallet having a female mold with a top surface overlaying said wing plate;
• a ram having a pressure plate, a male mold, a holding plate, and a cutting sleeve ring, said pressure plate having a central aperture receiving said male mold, said male mold having an elongate portion and terminating at an end shaped complementary to said female mold, said male mold is slidable with respect to said pressure plate between an extended position and a retracted position, said elongate portion of said male mold having a pressure ring and a return ring affixed thereto with said pressure plate located therebetween, said extended position defined by said pressure ring in contact with said pressure plate, said retracted position defined by said return ring in contact with said pressure plate, said pressure plate coupled to said holding plate through guide rods, said cutting sleeve having a cutting edge facing away from said pressure plate, said holding plate having a holding surface and locating pins adjacent thereto, said pressure plate moveable between a resting position defined by said cutting edge located between said holding surface and said pressure plate and a compressed position defined by said cutting edge extending beyond said holding surface, said pressure plate urged towards said resting position by springs;
• said male mold has an inlet for a fluid supply, said male mold has a plurality of apertures extending therethrough to form a perforated male mold, a membrane covering said perforated male mold and being moveable between an expanded position and a resting position, said expanded position defined by a portion of said membrane displaced from said perforated male mold by fluid pressure applied to said inlet, said resting position defined by said membrane in contact with said male mold portion;
• said ram is supported by said male mold when said return ring contacts said pressure plate and said ram is mateable to said pallet when said locating pins are received by said locating holes;
• and
• when said ram is mated to said pallet and said dough is located between said membrane and said female mold, said membrane is moved to said expanded position to conform said dough to an inside surface of said female mold.