A combined mechanical kneading and leaktight doughy substance weighing and delivering machine, comprising:
- (a) an open top rotary kneading vat, rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis;
- (b) first drive means to rotate said kneading vat;
- (c) a kneading arm, rotatably mounted about an inclined axis with respect to said kneading vat substantially vertical rotation axis, and the lower portion of which is received in said kneading vat;
- (d) second drive means to rotate said kneading arm;
- (e) a substantially vertical open-top fixed vat, within which said kneading vat is rotatably mounted;
- (f) a removable cover, for allowing ingredients to knead to be charged into said kneading vat, and cooperating with tightening and sealing means carried by an upper part of said fixed vat, for leaktight closing said fixed vat;
- (g) said fixed vat being provided with a compressed gas inlet for pressurizing the inside of said fixed vat when the latter is closed;
- (h) said rotary kneading vat presenting at its base a central dispensing orifice formed by a channel projecting axially through a lower part of said fixed vat, for dispensing doughy substance when said fixed vat is pressurized;
- (i) a substantially flat blocking member having an upper face adjacent with small clearance to the lower part of said channel, said blocking member having an orifice and slidingly movable between two extreme positions, in one of which said blocking member orifice is aligned with said dispensing orifice for allowing the passage of doughy substance and in the other of which said blocking member shuts said dispensing orifice;
- (j) a weighing rotor rotating about a revolution axis perpendicular to said kneading vat vertical rotation axis and having an external surface of revolution, an adaptor interposed between said blocking member and said rotor, the under face of said blocking member being adjacent with small clearance to the upper face of a hollow substantially cylindrical part of said adaptor, said substantially cylindrical part of said adaptor forming an extension of
- said channel, a cavity formed in said rotor and emerging in said surface of revolution to define an opening which upon rotation of said weighing rotor comes into a position of alignment with an outlet defined by the lower face of said substantially cylindrical part of said adaptor, which lower face is delimited by a surface of revolution corresponding to said external surface of revolution of said rotor with small space separating said surfaces for having said cavity filled with doughy substance through said outlet and said dispensing orifice when said blocking member orifice is aligned with the latter, and for so preparing lumps of doughy substance of determined mass and volume;
- (k) a delivering conveyor circulating underneath said weighing rotor, for receiving said lumps of doughy substance released from said cavity on further rotation of said weighing rotor and activation of lumps pneumatic ejection means opening in the bottom of said cavity and provided in said weighing rotor;
- and
- (l) control means for controlling said pneumatic ejection means in synchronization with third drive means for driving said weighing rotor and said delivering conveyor.