Apparatus for forming dough shells

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming dough shells comprising means for extruding dough into a relatively thin continuous dough web; a conveying means positioned relative to said extruding means for receiving and transporting said dough web through a plurality of dough processing stations; a first proofing means operatively connected to said conveying means for enabling said dough web to be continuously transported for a predetermined time interval while concurrently permitting said dough web to rise; dough sheeting means located along said conveying means and after said extruding means for maintaining said dough web At a perdetermined width and thickness; means positioned adjacent said conveying means for dividing said dough web of predetermined width and thickness into dough shells and trimmings; separating means positioned adjacent said conveying means after said dividing means for disassociating sais trimmings from said dough shells; a second proofing means operatively connected to said conveying means for continuously transporting said dough shells for a preselected time interval while concurrently permitting said dough shells to rest; and means positioned adjacent to said conveying means and cooperating with said separating means for transporting and blending said trimmings into said dough prior to said extruding means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for mixing a dough capable of being extruded into a thin continuous dough web and transporting said dough into said extruding means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mixing means includes a continuous mixer adapted for receiving a continuous input of dough ingredients and for providing said dough to said extruding means on a continuous basis.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mixing means includes a batch mixer adapted for receiving an intermittent input of dough ingredients and for providing said dough to said extruding means on a batch basis.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising baking means including a conveying means formed of a plurality of baking pans adapted for transporting said dough shells through a controlled heated environment until a controlled stage of baking is obtained.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dough sheeting means includes a first dough sheeting means located after said extruding means for sheeting said dough web prior to said dough web being transported into said first proofing means; and a second dough sheeting means located after said first proofing means for sheeting said dough web to a preselected optimum thickness and width to obtain the maximum number of dough shells per unit width of dough web.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conveying means comprises a endless driving belt for transporting said dough web and said dividing means includes a rotary mounted forming device positioned relative to said endless belt to continuously cut through said dough web, said forming device comprising a plurality of aligned oval shaped edge members adapted to form circular dough shells from said dough web.

Claim 11

A dough forming apparatus comprising means for mixing a dough capable of being formed into a continuous web; a first moveable conveyor; a feed means operatively connected to said mixing means for receiving and spreading said dough into a continuous web on to and as said first moveable conveyor moves; a first proofing compartment including a second moveable conveyor positioned relative to said first moveable conveyor for receiving and transporting said continuous dough web on said second moveable conveyor through said first proofing compartment for a perdetermined proofing interval; a dough sheeting means including a third moveable conveyor positioned relative to said second moveable conveyor for receiving and transporting said proofed continuous dough web on said third moveable conveyor while concurrently sheeting said dough web to a predetermined thickness and width; forming means having forming units thereon positioned relative to said third conveyor and in alignment with said continuous dough web to form therein separate dough sections having a predetermined crosssectional area determined by said forming units with the remaining portion of said dough web being trimmings; a second proofing compartment haviNg a tray carrying conveyor positioned relative to said third conveyor for receiving and transporting said separated dough sections through a second proofing compartment; and means positioned adjacent said rotary forming means for removing said dough trimmings from said separate dough sections and for conveying said dough trimmings to at least one of a said mixing means and said feed means.

Claim 12

A dough forming apparatus comprising means for mixing a dough capable of being formed into a continuous web; a first moveable conveyor; a feed means operatively connected to said mixing means for receiving and spreading said dough into a continuous web on to and as said first moveable conveyor moves; a first proofing compartment including a second moveable conveyor positioned relative to said first moveable conveyor for receiving and transporting said continuous dough web on said second moveable conveyor through said first proofing compartment for a perdetermined proofing interval; a dough sheeting means including a third moveable conveyor positioned relative to said second moveable conveyor for receiving and transporting said proofed continuous dough web on said third moveable conveyor while concurrently sheeting said dough web to a predetermined thickness and width; forming means having forming units thereon positioned relative to said third conveyor and in alignment with said continuous dough web to form therein separate dough sections having a predetermined crosssectional area determined by said forming units with the remaining portion of said dough web being trimmings; a second proofing compartment haviNg a tray carrying conveyor positioned relative to said third conveyor for receiving and transporting said separated dough sections through a second proofing compartment; and means positioned adjacent said rotary forming means for removing said dough trimmings from said separate dough sections and for conveying said dough trimmings to at least one of a said mixing means and said feed means.

Claim 13

The dough forming apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means operatively connected to said third moveable conveyor and said tray carrying conveyor for indexing said tray carrying conveyor to receive said dough section as the same is despensed from said third moveable conveyor.

Claim 14

The dough forming apparatus of claim 10 wherein said removing and conveying means comprises a trimming conveyor positioned relative to said third conveyor to deflect and transport said dough trimmings along a path separate from said dough sections; a rotary cutter positioned along said trimming conveyor for severing said dough trimmings into smaller dough pieces; a reclamation conveyor positioned relative to said trimming conveyor and said rotary cutter to receive and transport said smaller dough pieces to a dough storage hopper, a pump operatively connected to said dough storage hopper, to at least one of a said mixing means and to said feed means for forming said dough sections into a dough mass and controllably blending said dough mass into said dough prior to extrusion yielding a dough web having a controlled proportion of dough trimmings.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pump is connected to said mixing means to produce a mixed dough having a predetermined proportion of dough trimmings.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said separating and conveying means includes a metering extruder operatively coupled to said pump for forming said dough mass into a ribbon of dough.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said metering extruder is operatively connected to said feeding means and wherein said ribbon of dough is blended with said dough from said mixing means prior to extrusion.

Claim 18

Apparatus for forming dough sections from a sheeted dough web comprising a first proofing compartment including a first conveyor for transporting said dough web through said first proofing compartment for a predetermined proofing interval a dough sheeting means positioned after said first proofing compartment for urging said dough web to a predetermined thickness and width as said dough web is transported by said first conveyor; a forming means for cutting dough sections from said dough web of predetermined thickness and width as said dough web is transported therepast by said first conveyor; means for separating said dough section from the remaining trimmings of said dough web; and a second proofing compartment positioned after said separating means for transporting on a second conveyor said dough sections through said second proofing compartment for a predetermined resting interval.

Claim 19

Apparatus for forming dough sections from a sheeted dough web comprising a first proofing compartment including a first conveyor for transporting said dough web through said first proofing compartment for a predetermined proofing interval a dough sheeting means positioned after said first proofing compartment for urging said dough web to a predetermined thickness and width as said dough web is transported by said first conveyor; a forming means for cutting dough sections from said dough web of predetermined thickness and width as said dough web is transported therepast by said first conveyor; means for separating said dough section from the remaining trimmings of said dough web; and a second proofing compartment positioned after said separating means for transporting on a second conveyor said dough sections through said second proofing compartment for a predetermined resting interval.