Method and apparatus for depositing dough on a conveyor

A variable orifice die assembly mountable at the outlet of an extruder apparatus for depositing a controlled quantity of food product mix onto a conveyor and the like, said assembly comprising:

• a support plate defining an aperture;
• a die secured to said plate coaxially with said aperture;
• and
• balanced variable restrictor means at said aperture for selectively varying the effective open area of said aperture to achieve a relatively uniform weight food product shape, said variable restrictor means comprising:
• at least a pair of orifice plates having opposed, facing, configured edges;
• mounting means engaging said orifice plates for mounting said orifice plates for movement towards and away from each other;
• and
• drive means operatively connected to said orifice plates for selectively moving said orifice plates towards and away from each other.

In a dispensing apparatus for making shaped food products, said apparatus being of the type having a hopper for receiving a quantity of mix and means for discharging the mix out of a hopper outlet and onto a conveyor, the improvement comprising an improved extrusion die assembly at said hopper outlet, said die assembly including:

• a support member defining a plurality of spaced apertures, each of said apertures including a periphery;
• a plurality of dies, each die being aligned with one of said apertures;
• and
• a plurality of balanced variable restrictor means on said support member, each restrictor means positioned at one of said apertures for selectively and uniformly varying the effective flow area of each of said apertures in a balanced fashion to control the volume of mix passing through said apertures to compensate for localized variations in mix density at each aperture to achieve an essentially uniform weight food product shape deposited onto said conveyor, said restrictor means being complementary to said dies and wherein said restrictor means reduces the said flow area from complementary portions of the periphery of said aperture.

In a dispensing apparatus for making shaped food products, said apparatus being of the type having a hopper for receiving a quantity of mix and means for discharging the mix out of a hopper outlet, the improvement comprising an improved extrusion die assembly at said hopper outlet, said die assembly including:

• a support member defining a plurality of spaced apertures;
• a plurality of dies, each die being aligned with one of said apertures;
• a plurality of balanced variable restrictor means on said support member, each restrictor means positioned at one of said apertures for selectively varying the effective flow area of said apertures to compensate for localized variations in mix density to achieve an essentially uniform weight food product shape deposited onto said conveyor, each of said variable restrictor means comprising;
• a pair of spaced restrictor plates having opposed, facing configured edges,
• mounting means supporting said restrictor plates for slidably mounting said plates so that the configured edges may be moved into said apertures and towards and away from each other,
• drive means operatively connected to said restrictor plates for selectively moving said restrictor plates towards and away from each other to vary the effective flow area of said apertures;
• said drive means comprising;
• an elongated rod having a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion which is threaded opposite to said first threaded portion,
• first and second followers on said first and second threaded portions, and
• connecting means operatively connecting said followers to said plates for shifting said plates upon rotation of said rod.