Doughball press control

Apparatus for producing flat pastry products, such as tortillas, from doughball workpieces, comprising:

• a press having a reciprocating plate;
• a conveyor belt operatively positioned with respect to said press to move doughball workpieces to a processing position with respect to said reciprocating plate;
• means for driving said press plate through downward and upward portions of a compressing stroke cycle with respect to said processing position;
• means for moving said conveyor belt with respect to said processing position;
• means upstream of said press plate for sensing the presence of absence of a workpiece on said conveyor belt for delivery to said processing position and actuable to transmit a signal in response thereto;
• and
• control means for controlling operation of said press plate driving means including means responsive to the signal emitted from said workpiece presence sensing means for interrupting the downward portion of said compressing stroke cycle subsequent to its commencement, and means for initiating movement of said pressure plate through the upward portion of said cycle following such interruption for completion of said cycle when said sensing means indicates the absence of a workpiece from said conveyor belt for delivery to said processing position.