A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.

A dough cutting apparatus is suitable for cutting a sheet of dough. The dough cutting apparatus includes a structure defining a blunt dough engaging portion. The present invention can be embodied in a number of different ways, including a wheel cutter, a rotary drum cutter, a reciprocating head cutter, or another cutter.

A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.

A combined food cutting and rounding machine comprises a supply opening through which edible material passes, a stator located adjacent the supply opening and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator forming channel. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor forming channels and a plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of blades being located adjacent to each of the plurality of rotor forming channels. The stator forming channel and each of the plurality of rotor forming channels are arcuate in length. The supply opening, stator and rotor are configured such that, during operation as the rotor rotates relative to the stator, edible material exiting the supply opening is cut by one of the plurality of blades and formed into a ball by simultaneous contact with the stator forming channel and one of the plurality of rotor forming channels.

Provided is a method and device for shaping dough to produce baguettes, long loaves, elongate rolls or the like. Starting with a laminated dough strip being spread out over a conveyor belt the laminated dough strip is cut in the longitudinal direction into a plurality of smaller strips, transversely spacing the smaller strips apart from each other, and cutting them to length by a transverse cut so as to define smaller dough strip portions extending longitudinally over the conveyor belt in transverse rows substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt. At least one transverse row of longitudinal smaller dough strip portions is shaped, driven by an alternating transverse movement of a shaping plate extending transversely to said conveyor belt and located above said row(s).

Provided is a method and device for shaping dough to produce baguettes, long loaves, elongate rolls or the like. Starting with a laminated dough strip being spread out over a conveyor belt the laminated dough strip is cut in the longitudinal direction into a plurality of smaller strips, transversely spacing the smaller strips apart from each other, and cutting them to length by a transverse cut so as to define smaller dough strip portions extending longitudinally over the conveyor belt in transverse rows substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt. At least one transverse row of longitudinal smaller dough strip portions is shaped, driven by an alternating transverse movement of a shaping plate extending transversely to said conveyor belt and located above said row(s).

The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of portions from at least one continuous strand of a food product, in particular for the production of meatballs. The machine comprises: an extrusion device which can deliver a continuous strand in a vertical direction, and a portioning device that includes at least one cutting system. The cutting system comprises cutting elements (30) which can be moved transversely to the vertical direction between an open position, in which the strand passes between the cutting elements, and a closed position for cutting the strand and forming portions of the food product. In addition, each cutting system comprises ejection means (5) for ejecting the forming portions downwards from the cutting elements. The ejection means include at least one lower channel (5, 105) that is fluidly connected to a compressed fluid such that compressed fluid can be injected into the lower channel when the lower channel is in a closed position. The lower channel is formed in a body of the corresponding cutting element.