Dough dividing machine

A machine for dividing dough comprising dough supply means having an outlet end for delivering a mass of dough under pressure, a rotatable carrier adjacent to said outlet end for receiving dough from the dough supply means, said rotatable carrier having a dividing chamber with an open end into which the dough from the dough supply means is introduced when the carrier is in a first receiving position, piston means in said dividing chamber for discharging the dough from said dividing chamber when the carrier has been rotated to a discharge position, said piston means comprising external and internal pistons selectively operable in said dividing chamber to discharge relatively larger and smaller pieces of dough from said carrier, and means for selectively coupling said pistons for conjoint operation to discharge larger pieces of dough or for separate operation of the internal piston within the external piston to discharge smaller pieces of dough, said external piston being slidable in said dividing chamber and said internal piston being slidable in said external piston, said external and internal pistons being coupled for conjoint movement in a first operational state, said internal piston being slidable in said external piston in a second operational state, said external and internal pistons being relatively rotatable, means for changing the piston means between said first and second operational states comprising locking means for selectively locking the external and internal pistons for conjoint movement by relatively rotating said pistons, said locking means comprising a flat region extending axially along said internal piston at the periphery thereof, said internal piston having a groove in said periphery, a locking bolt carried by said external piston, said locking bolt being engaged in said groove in the internal piston when the pistons are locked together in the first operational state whereas in the unlocked position of the pistons, in the second operational state, said pistons are rotated relative to one another so that the locking bolt rides on said flat region on the internal piston.

A carrier for a dough dividing machine comprising a displaceable body having a dividing chamber with an inlet end into which dough can be introduced under pressure when the displaceable body is in a first receiving position and piston means slidable in said dividing chamber for discharging dough therefrom when the displaceable body is in a second discharge position, said piston means having first and second operational states in which, for a given stroke of said piston means, said piston means delivers respective larger and smaller volumes of dough mass, and means for changing the piston means between said first and second operational states, said piston means comprising an external piston slidable in said dividing chamber and an internal piston slidable in said external piston, said external and internal pistons being coupled for conjoint movement in said first operational state, said internal piston being slidable in said external piston in said second operational state, said external and internal pistons being relatively rotatable, said means for changing the piston means between said first and second operational states comprising locking means for selectively locking the external and internal pistons for conjoint movement by relatively rotating said pistons, said locking means comprising a flat region extending axially along said internal piston at the periphery thereof, said internal piston having a groove in said periphery, a locking bolt carried by said external piston, said locking bolt being engaged in said groove in the internal piston when the pistons are locked together in the first operational state whereas in the unlocked position of the pistons, in the second operational state, said pistons are rotated relative to one another so that the locking bolt rides on said flat region on the internal piston.