US 5,441,342 AGranted

Apparatus for kneading portioned dough pieces

OwnerHelmut Konig, deceased, by Elisabeth Konig, legal representativeinventors

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Abstract

An apparatus for kneading portioned dough pieces comprises a drum (2) rotating around a horizontal axis and being provided on its periphery with alternatively disposed receiving openings (3,4) of different size for the dough to be kneaded. In each receiving opening (3,4) a piston (43) is guided in radial direction and a restricted guidance (48) is provided for the adjustment of these pistons. A change-over means (50) enables one to position always only one of the two sizes of the receiving openings (3,4) below the kneading device (25), so that this kneading device is common of all sizes of the receiving openings (3,4). Thereby, dough pieces having a large range of weight can be kneaded (FIG. 1).

Claims32

Dependent claims

An apparatus for kneading portioned dough pieces comprising:

a frame;
a rotatable drum having an outer periphery, said drum being supported by the frame and rotatable about a horizontal axis in a predetermined direction, said drum having receiving openings disposed on the periphery of the drum, said receiving openings being equally spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the drum, said receiving openings being provided in at least two different sizes alternating with each other along the periphery of the drum;
drive means for rotating the drum in a stepwise fashion;
a filling station, positioned proximate to the drum, for depositing a dough piece into the receiving opening;
a kneading station positioned proximate to the periphery of the drum and displaced with respect to the filling station in the direction of rotation of the drum, each receiving opening being adapted to be positioned proximate the kneading station;
at least one kneading tool positioned at the kneading station for kneading the dough piece within the receiving openings;
means for rotating the kneading tool in a circular motion, said rotating means comprising an eccentric pin for rotating the kneading tool in the circular motion, said eccentric pin being adapted to vary the eccentricity of the kneading tool;
a deposit station positioned proximate to the periphery of the drum and displaced relative to the kneading station in the direction of rotation of the drum, said deposit station being adapted to eject the kneaded dough piece from the receiving openings of the drum;
a piston positioned within each receiving opening and movable within a radial direction with respect to the drum for ejecting the dough piece from the receiving opening;
guide means formed in the drum controlling the movement of each piston within its respective receiving opening;
said drive means being adapted to rotate the drum so that receiving openings of the same size are rotated to the filling station, kneading station and deposit station;
and
switch-over means for rotating the drum between a position in which receiving openings of one size are proximate the filling station, kneading station and deposit station, to a position in which receiving openings of another size are proximate the filling station kneading station and deposit station, the arrangement being such that a receiving opening of one size is always proximate the filling station.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An apparatus for kneading portioned dough pieces comprising:

a frame;
a rotatable drum having an outer periphery, said drum being supported by the frame and rotatable about a horizontal axis in a predetermined direction, said drum having receiving openings disposed on the periphery of the drum, said receiving openings being equally spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the drum, said receiving openings being provided in at least two different sizes alternating with each other along the periphery of the drum;
drive means for rotating the drum in a stepwise fashion;
a filling station, positioned proximate to the drum, for depositing a dough piece into the receiving opening;
a kneading station positioned proximate to the periphery of the drum and displaced with respect to the filling station in the direction of rotation of the drum, each receiving opening being adapted to be positioned proximate the kneading station;
at least one kneading tool positioned at the kneading station for kneading the dough piece within the receiving openings;
means for rotating the kneading tool in a circular motion, said rotating means comprising an eccentric pin for rotating the kneading tool in the circular motion, said eccentric pin being adapted to vary the eccentricity of the kneading tool;
a deposit station positioned proximate to the periphery of the drum and displaced relative to the kneading station in the direction of rotation of the drum, said deposit station being adapted to eject the kneaded dough piece from the receiving openings of the drum;
a piston positioned within each receiving opening and movable within a radial direction with respect to the drum for ejecting the dough piece from the receiving opening;
guide means formed in the drum controlling the movement of each piston within its respective receiving opening;
said drive means being adapted to rotate the drum so that receiving openings of the same size are rotated to the filling station, kneading station and deposit station;
and
switch-over means for rotating the drum between a position in which receiving openings of one size are proximate the filling station, kneading station and deposit station, to a position in which receiving openings of another size are proximate the filling station kneading station and deposit station, the arrangement being such that a receiving opening of one size is always proximate the filling station.

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