Bagel forming apparatus

A bagel forming device comprising:

• a horizontal frame having a longitudinal length;
• a drive roller, powered by a motor, positioned at one longitudinal end of said frame;
• an idler roller positioned at an opposite longitudinal end of said frame;
• a belt having a defined width between lateral outer edges and a continuous length extending between and around said drive roller and said idler roller to form an upper carrying surface and a lower return surface, said belt being driven by said drive roller and returned by said idler roller to move in a continuous fashion in a downstream direction;
• a forming tube positioned along a portion of said upper carrying surface of said belt, through which said belt is directed, such that said belt is caused to curve up at said outer edges to form a cylinder shape within said forming tube;
• said forming tube being a split cylinder, with said split being formed horizontally, thereby defining an upper half and a lower half of said tube, said upper half and lower half being pivotally joined along their length at one side and having a locking device along an opposite side to selectively hold said forming tube in a closed cylindrical position;
• a forming cylinder comprising a longitudinally split cylinder sized to removably fit within said forming tube to define an interior diameter of a size to provide a formed bagel of a desired diameter;
• a mandrel extending into said forming cylinder and having an external diameter of a size to provide a desired hole size in said formed bagel;
• a pressing plate positioned over said belt, upstream of said forming tube, to engage dough pieces placed on said belt and to cause them to roll between said moving belt and said pressing plate to form laterally extending dough pieces to be carried by said belt into said forming tube, said pressing plate being formed of a single solid piece of plastic material, and being rigidly, but adjustably positioned above said belt;
• a rotatable take-off carousel table positioned below said belt at a downstream end thereof to receive formed bagels from said belt as said belt carrying said formed bagels moves around one of said rollers;
• said take-off table being rotatably powered by a belt drive drivingly connected to said motor;
• said take off table being connected to said frame by means of a pivot with said pivot having a horizontal axis such that said table can be pivoted downwardly when not in use to a storage position under said frame.

A dough forming machine comprising:

• a stationary frame;
• a continuous circulating belt having a top horizontal segment;
• a forming tube positioned on said frame surrounding a portion of said top horizontal segment, said forming tube having open ends causing lateral edges of said belt to curl upwardly forming a substantially circular cross section of said belt as said belt translates longitudinally through said tube;
• a mandrel mounted to extend axially through said tube;
• a cylindrical insert having an outside diameter equal to an inside diameter of said forming tube, said insert being removably installed into said forming tube to reduce said circular cross section of said belt through said forming tube.