Folding/laminating apparatus for dough sheet

A folding/laminating apparatus that laminates a dough sheet by folding the dough sheet, comprising:

• a laminating conveyor which conveys a continuous dough sheet in a conveying direction and includes a downstream end;
• a discharging conveyor which is disposed below the laminating conveyor, receives the continuous dough sheet from the downstream end of the laminating conveyor, and discharges a laminated dough sheet in a discharging direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, the downstream end of the laminating conveyor being configured to be reciprocated in the conveying direction and a direction opposite to the conveying direction between a first folding position and a second folding position so that the continuous dough sheet is folded onto the discharging conveyor to form the laminated dough sheet on the discharging conveyor;
• and
• a guide unit which is reciprocated together with the downstream end of the laminating conveyor, and includes a pair of guide members for guiding the continuous dough sheet from the downstream end of the laminating conveyor onto the discharging conveyor, the pair of guide members being configured to allow a downstream-side edge portion of the continuous dough sheet to pass between the pair of guide members;
• wherein the guide unit is configured to move the pair of guide members in the direction opposite to the conveying direction to move the downstream-side edge portion of the continuous dough sheet in the direction opposite to the conveying direction beyond the first folding position when the downstream end of the laminating conveyor is moved in the direction opposite to the conveying direction to reach the first folding position, and
• wherein the guide unit is configured to move the pair of guide members in the conveying direction to move the downstream-side edge portion of the continuous dough sheet in the conveying direction beyond the second folding position when the downstream end of the laminating conveyor is moved in the conveying direction to reach the second folding position.