Dough degasser and developer

Claim 2

An integrate dough degasser and developer control system for automatic processing of yeast raised dough comprising in combination a hopper having an upper section and a narrow bottom end, and at least three sides: an anti-wedge for rapid dough flow integrally connected to one of said sides and within the inner surface of said hopper for receiving dough by gravity action; a dough degassing and developing control unit having a top surface connected to the narrow end of said hopper for removing excess gas from yeast raised dough and homogeneously mixing said dough prior to further processing; wherein said control unit further comprises: a bottom surface; an entry port located on saiD top surface and in juxtaposition to the narrow end of said hopper for receiving said dough, and an exit port located on said bottom surface; a first chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance end connected to said entry port for degassing and compressing said dough; a second chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance of said second chamber connected to the exit end of said first chamber, said exit end of said second chamber connected to the exit port on bottom surface of said control unit; and, a vacuum port located at entrance of said first chamber for removing excess gas from said dough and sucking dough into said entry port for rapid dough flow.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anti-congestant wedge comprises: an upper deflector plate having its upper end attached to the upper section of said hopper side; and a lower deflector plate with smaller surface area than said upper deflector plate, said lower deflector plate having its lower end attached to the bottom end of said hopper, the upper end of lower deflector plate connected to lower end of said upper deflector plate so that a wedge shaped section is formed with an apex forming a wedge located above a central portion of said entry port whereby said upper deflector plate promotes a downwardly smooth flow of dough and said lower deflector plate prevents congestion and turbulence by deflecting dough into said entry port so that rapid dough flow is maintained into said control unit.

Claim 4

An integrate dough degasser and developer control system for automatic processing of yeast raised dough comprising in combination: a hopper having an upper section and a narrow bottom end, and at least three sides: an anti-wedge for rapid dough flow integrally connected to one of said sides and within the inner surface of said hopper for receiving dough by gravity action; a dough degassing and developing control unit having a top surface connected to the narrow end of said hopper for removing excess gas from yeast raised dough and homogeneously mixing said dough prior to further processing; wherein said control unit further comprises: a bottom surface; an entry port located on said top surface and in juxtaposition to the narrow end of said hopper for receiving said dough, and an exit port located on said bottom surface; a first chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance end connected to said entry port for degassing and compressing said dough; a second chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance of said second chamber connected to the exit end of said first chamber, said exit end of said second chamber connected to the exit port on bottom surface of said control unit; a vacuum port located at entrance of said first chamber for removing excess gas from said dough and sucking dough into said entry port for rapid dough flow; and further wherein said entry port is structurally comprised of: a quadrilateral aperture having a nonorthogonal side forming a wedge shape with narrow end of said wedge pointing toward exit end of said first chamber and located directly below said lower deflector plate of said hopper said non-orthogonal side of entry part having a downwardly bevelled top edge with progressively decreasing depth of cut when approaching narrow end of entry port in order to promote rapid smooth flow of dough into said first chamber and minimize dough turbulence.

Claim 5

An integrate dough degasser and developer control system for automatic processing of yeast raised dough comprising in combination: a hopper having an upper section and a narrow bottom end, and at least three sides: an anti-wedge for rapid dough flow integrally connected to one of said sides and within the inner surface of said hopper for receiving dough by gravity action; a dough degassing and developing control unit having a top surface connected to the narrow end of said hopper for removing excess gas from yeast raised dough and homogeneously mixing said dough prior to further processing; wherein said control unit further comprises: a bottom surface; an entry port located on said top surface and in juxtaposition to the narrow end of said hopper for receiving said dough, and an exit port located on said bottom surface; a first chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance end connected to said entry port for degassing and compressing said dough; a second chamber having entrance and exit ends, said entrance of said second chamber connected to the exit end of said first chamber, said exit end of said second chamber connected to the exit port on bottom surface of said control unit; a vacuum port located at entrance of said first chamber for removing excess gas from said dough and sucking dough into said entry port for rapid dough flow; and further wherein said entry port is structurally comprised of: a quadrilateral aperture having a nonorthogonal side forming a wedge shape with narrow end of said wedge pointing toward exit end of said first chamber and located directly below said lower deflector plate of said hopper said non-orthogonal side of entry part having a downwardly bevelled top edge with progressively decreasing depth of cut when approaching narrow end of entry port in order to promote rapid smooth flow of dough into said first chamber and minimize dough turbulence.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 3 and furthermore wherein said first chamber comprises: a cylindrical bore in a horizontal direction in said control unit directly below said entry port; a screw shaped element rotatably mounted within said cylindrical bore so that entrapped gas bubbles in dough is broken up for efficient degassing action while the dough is propelled into said second chamber for further processing; a vacuum means connected to said first chamber through said vacuum port; and, a rotating disk shield mechanically cOnnected to said screw shaped element at the entrance end of said first chamber and pneumatically connected in juxtaposition to said vacuum port to form a gap operably permitting gas to be sucked out by said vacuum line while forming a shield to prevent dough from going into the vacuum chamber and into said vacuum port.

Claim 7

The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said screwshaped element is comprised of: a shank extending along longitudinal axis of said cylindrical bore; and helical threads integrally attached to said shank, said threads having decreasing pitch towards exit end of said first chamber so that dough is gradually compressed in order to release excess gas bubbles in the dough during the degassing operation.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a vacuum chamber and wherein said disk shield comprises a solid disk integrally attached to said shank of screw shaped element, and having circumferential slots through which gas is drawn to said vacuum chamber.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 1 and furthermore wherein said second chamber comprises: a cylindrical bore in a horizontal direction in said control unit; dough breaking means attached to surface of said cylindrical bore; and, a paddle wheel-shaped element rotatably mounted within said cylindrical bore so that dough is evenly mixed and developed prior to further processing.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said dough breaking means comprises a plurality of rail-like projections connected to surface of said cylindrical bore in parallel direction to longitudinal axis of said cylindrical bore so that dough nodules are broken up by said paddle wheel element during said developing operation.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said paddle wheel element comprises: a shaft extending along the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical bore; and a plurality of curved blades attached to said shaft so that dough is evenly mixed into a fine consistency during the developing operation and propelled into the exit port.