Method for pumping, homogenizing and dividing dough and the like

A method of pumping and homogenizing material similar to dough to a uniform density and texture from the lower portion of a mass of said material comprising the steps of:

• moving the material from the lower portion of the mass of said material with a pair of open-flighted augers each with a helical flight and haft with said flight positioned about said shaft with the flight of the first of said augers projecting and interposed into the space formed by the flight of the second of said augers with substantial longitudinal clearance between adjacent interposed flights of one auger and the interposed flights of the adjacent auger;
• moving the material by said augers along a path through a trough and into a pressurizing tunnel where the clearance between said tunnel and said pair of augers is minimal and the clearance between the flights of one auger in the tunnel and the shaft of the adjacent auger in the tunnel is minimal;
• homogenizing and pressurizing said material in said tunnel by rotating said augers at sufficient speed to cause a slippage between said flights and said material to impart a pressure and uniform density and texture thereto;
• and
• dispensing said uniform material from said tunnel.