Extrusion machine for pretzels and the like

Claim 2

An extrusion machine for pretzels and the like, said machine comprising dough feeding means having an outlet, an extrusion die in closing relation with said outlet and having a specifically configured opening for passing a length of dough having a crosssection conforming to said opening, a cut-off mechanism mounted for back and forth movement across said die for severing said dough into slices, and a removal conveyor mounted beneath said die for receiving and removing said slices, said cut-off means comprising a knife blade movable edgewise for engagement with said die and across said die opening in shearing relation with dough being extruded, blade cleaner means slidably receiving said blade for wiping engagement therewith, and motive means for said blade cleaning means, said motivE means comprising a carriage mounted for movement with said blade and reciprocation relative thereto longitudinally therealong for effecting said wiping engagement, said die having recesses receiving said blade cleaning means when said blade is engaging said die.

Claim 3

An extrusion machine for pretzels and the like, said machine comprising dough feeding means having an outlet, an extrusion die in closing relation with said outlet and having a specifically configured opening for passing a length of dough having a cross-section conforming to said opening, a cut-off mechanism mounted for back-and-forth movement across said die for severing said dough into slices, and a removal conveyor mounted beneath said die for receiving and removing said slices, said cut-off means comprising a knife blade movable edgewise for engagement with said die and across said die opening in shearing relation with dough being extruded, blade cleaner means slidably receiving said blade for wiping engagement therewith, and motive means for said blade cleaner means, said motive means comprising a carriage mounted for movement with said blade and reciprocation relative thereto longitudinally therealong for effecting said wiping engagement, and said die having recesses receiving said blade cleaning means when said blade is engaging said die, said blade cleaning means comprising an elongate wiper having a laterally opening end slot conformably receiving said blade and reciprocable therealong in wiping engagement therewith, said slot having a hollow interior configuration opening endwise from said wiper for egress of wiped material from said slot.

Claim 4

An extrusion machine for pretzels and the like, said machine comprising dough feeding means having an outlet, an extrusion die in closing relation with said outlet and having a specifically configured opening for passing a length of dough having a cross-section conforming to said opening, a cut-off mechanism mounted for back-and-forth movement across said die for severing said dough into slices, and a removal conveyor mounted beneath said die for receiving and removing said slices, said cut-off means comprising a knife blade movable edgewise for engagement with said die and across said die opening in shearing relation with dough being extruded, blade cleaner means slidably receiving said blade for wiping engagement therewith, and motive means for said blade cleaner means, said motive means comprising a carriage mounted for movement with said blade and reciprocation relative thereto longitudinally therealong for effecting said wiping engagement, and said die having recesses receiving said blade cleaning means when said blade is engaging said die, said blade cleaning means comprising an elongate wiper having a laterally opening end slot conformably receiving said blade and reciprocable therealong in wiping engagement therewith, said slot having a hollow interior configuration opening endwise from said wiper for egress of wiped material from said slot.

Claim 5

An extruding machine according to claim 2, said hollow interior configuration combining with the exterior of said wiper to define a scraping edge for more effective wiping action.

Claim 6

An extruding machine according to claim 1, said blade cleaning means comprising an elongate wiper having a laterally opening endslot conformably receiving said blade and reciprocable longitudinally therealong in wiping engagement therewith, and resilient means biasing said cleaning means against said blade into said wiping engagement, the cleaning means biasing said blade toward said die into said shearing relation.

Claim 7

An extruding machine according to claim 4, said blade cleaning means comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced wipers each movable in wiping engagement with a length of said blade at least equal to the space between wipers.

Claim 8

An extrusion machine according to claim 2, said blade cleaning means comprising resilient means biasing said cleaning means against said blade into said wiping engagement, the cleaning means biasing said blade toward said die into said shearing relation.

Claim 9

An extrusion machine according to claim 2, in combination with carrier means carrying said knife blade at an acute angle with respect to said die for simultaneous shearing and displacement of dough away from said die.

Claim 10

An extrusion machine according to claim 2, said cut-off mechanism comprising a fixed structure over said conveyor, arm means carried by said fixed structure for shifting movement toward and away from said die, carrier means mounted on said arm means for movement therewith and movement thereon along said die, said blade being carried by said carrier means for movement with said arm means from a first position spaced from said die toward the latter, then with said carrier means along and in shearing relation with respect to said die, then with said arm means away from said die, and then with said carrier means for return to said first position.