In some embodiments, a dough pressing system includes means for coupling a cover to a pressing platen, wherein the cover can reduce the wear caused to the pressing platen by the heat and pressure used to process one or more products. The cover optionally can be configured to be removably attached to the pressing platen with vacuum pressure.

In some implementations, one or more spacers are placed between the cover and the pressing platen. The thickness of the spacers can adjust the thickness and diameter of products processed by the pressing platen. For example, to increase uniformity among products pressed together in a press cycle, the spacers can have different thicknesses that correspond with the location of the spacer in the pattern of dough balls.

Apparatuses and methods for preparation of breads are described. The apparatuses include a press unit that can receive a dough ball and flatten the dough ball. The press unit includes a top plate and a bottom plate, each of which is in an inclined arrangement. The top plate swivels towards and away from the bottom plate. A dough ball is flattened between the top plate and the bottom plate. The bottom plate is heated, thereby heating a first face of the flattened dough in contact with the bottom plate. A flipper connected to at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate guides the flattened dough to a heated cooking surface. The guiding enables a second face of the flattened dough to come in contact with the cooking surface, thereby heating the flattened dough and forming the bread.

A coupler that mounts a platen to a dough press to compensate for expansion of the heated platen to prevent warping. The coupler has a center plate securely sandwiched between an inner plate and an outer plate. The center plate has three equidistantly spaced voids. An expansion compensation lattice has at least one narrow bar extending laterally between the void sides within the void and a center plate expansion hole in a disc at the lateral center of the bar. The inner and outer plates are solid. The plates are secured together by bolts at the center and perimeter of the plates. Expansion bolts extend through the center plate expansion hole, an outer plate expansion hole, a spacer, the heat pad, and into a threaded hole in the platen. The heated platen pulls the expansion bolts outwardly, causing the lattice to bend outwardly, thereby preventing the platen from warping.

Various examples are related to making flatbreads such as, e.g., a compact machine for making flatbread in a residential kitchen-type environment or other countertop, tabletop, or space limited applications. In one example, a machine includes a hopper including a mixing chamber configured for bulk addition of raw materials for preparation of flatbread pieces; a mixing assembly configured to blend the raw materials into a flatbread dough mixture; a dough piecing assembly configured to generate a dough piece from an extruded portion of the flatbread dough mixture; a lower platen configured to transfer the pressed flatbread dough piece to a cooking zone on the dough contacting surface for cooking; and a flatbread ejection station configured to remove a cooked flatbread piece from the machine. A second cooking zone can be included to further cook the pressed flatbread dough piece prior to ejection from the machine.

In some embodiments, a dough pressing system includes means for coupling a cover to a pressing platen, wherein the cover can reduce the wear caused to the pressing platen by the heat and pressure used to process one or more products. The cover optionally can be configured to be removably attached to the pressing platen with vacuum pressure. In some implementations, one or more spacers are placed between the cover and the pressing platen. The thickness of the spacers can adjust the thickness and diameter of products processed by the pressing platen. For example, to increase uniformity among products pressed together in a press cycle, the spacers can have different thicknesses that correspond with the location of the spacer in the pattern of dough balls.

Device for food processing that facilitate the user the food processing of turnovers in a fast way and as a result, saves time and energy in this kind of work, which is comprised of a base element with two parts that can be folded in an independent way. In addition, it is provided with a top contact element and a closing element type lever. Besides, all the products with this device will came out in identical shape and size.

A dough line, comprising at least one conveyor for transporting elongated dough pieces in a direction of conveyance, curl-up means, arranged above the conveyor, for curling up a dough piece conveyed underneath the curl-up means into a cylindrical shape, and a moulding unit for moulding the curled up dough piece, compressing the dough piece in an axial direction, wherein the curl-up means comprise a first contact surface, configured for exerting a force onto a leading edge of the dough piece with at least a component in a direction opposite to the direction of conveyance and subsequently curling up the dough piece over a part of its length, and a second contact surface, configured for engaging the dough piece at an outer lateral surface of the part already curled up by the first contact surface substantially tangentially with respect to the direction of conveyance, each extending in the direction of conveyance.

A portable tortilla press assembly for molding a food product into a flat disk with a removable, reversible molding plate that is inserted between a base and a push plate. The tortilla press assembly operates via lever, with a roller along the body of the lever. The lever attaches via a hinge, opposite to and elevated above another hinge connecting to the push plate. When the lever is in the downward position, the roller pushes down on the plates with a rolling motion, smoothly forming a uniform, even tortilla. The molding plate has two sides defining two different forming surfaces, each sized to mold a different-sized tortilla.

Improvements a machine that turns gorditas into sopes. The machine uses an elliptical chain drive that transports the sopes. The gorditas travel horizontally where the gorditas are turned into sopes as they continue along the linear travel of the elliptical chain drive. The holder is a female pocket that accepts the gorditas and provides support at the sides of the sopes. A rotary press placed along the travel of the gorditas as they become sopes. The rotary press is synchronized to rotate and press into holders. The machine include leveling arms or pads that level the female pocket with the gorditas is loaded, pressed and ejected. The forming machine flips the sopes out of the female holder after the sopes has been formed with a central pocket.

An expansion compensating coupler comprised of at least two expansion compensating assemblies for mounting a platen to a dough press. One end of a threaded rod is perpendicularly attached to the platen. A nut is turned onto the rod, a washer is placed on the rod, the rod is inserted through the bore of a sleeve residing in a hole in the dough press, a washer is placed on the rod, and a nut is turned onto the rod. The nuts are tightened to secure the platen to the dough press. The sleeve bore has the same diameter as the rod and the outer diameter of the sleeve is smaller than the hole so that there is a gap. Heating the platen causes it to expand and the threaded rod/sleeve to move into the gap. The minimum gap size is the maximum amount of expected expansion of the platen.