DOUGH PROCESSING DEVICE, FOR USE ON A DOUGH LINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dough processing device, for use on a dough line, comprising dough processing means, such as a flour dispenser, a roller, a cutter, a folding shoe, for processing the dough on a conveyor; arranged in a frame, arranged for being placed as a bridge over a dough conveyor and thereto having supports at opposite ends; provided with fastening means, for fastening the supports on either side to a dough conveyor housing; wherein at least one support is provided with transport means, for transporting the dough processing device directly over a conveyor while supporting the dough processing device on said conveyor. The invention further relates to a dough processing line comprising such a dough processing device.

Claims

1. A dough processing device, for use on a dough line, comprising: dough processing means for processing the dough on a conveyor, wherein: the dough processing means is arranged in a frame, arranged for being placed as a bridge over a dough conveyor and thereto having supports at opposite ends thereof; and at least one of the frame ends is provided with transport means, for transporting the dough processing device directly over a conveyor while supporting the dough processing device on said conveyor.

2. The dough processing device according to claim 1, wherein the transport means are oriented for transport in a direction perpendicular to a transport direction of a conveyor.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transport means comprise at least one wheel.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the wheel has a diameter between 30 and 70 mm.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transport means are made of a plastics material.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transport means are made of a food grade material.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the frame is at the opposite ends provided with head end plates, wherein the transport means are connected to at least one of the head end plates, and preferably both head end plates, extending downwardly below the dough processing means.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the supports are provided with vertical and horizontal support surfaces arranged for respectively contacting an upper surface and sides of a conveyor housing thereby supporting the dough processing device in a horizontal and vertical direction.

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein a surface of the transport means facing the conveyor are at their innermost end outlined with a horizontal support surface of one of the supports.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with fastening means for fastening the supports on either side to a dough conveyor housing.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises stainless steel.

12. Device according to claim 3, wherein the lowest point of the wheel is at a distance between 5 and 200 mm from the level of a vertical support surface of the supports.

13. The dough processing devices according to claim 1, wherein the dough processing means is chosen from a list consisting of: a flour dispenser, a roller, a cutter, a folding shoe, or combinations thereof.

14. A dough line for processing dough comprising: a dough conveyor, comprising a dough conveying surface delimited on either side along a direction of conveyance by a conveyor housing comprising upper and side surfaces; and at least one dough processing device wherein; the dough processing device includes a dough processing means arranged in a frame, arranged for being placed as a bridge over a dough conveyor and thereto having supports at opposite ends thereof and at least one of the frame ends is provided with transport means, for transporting the dough processing device directly over a conveyor while supporting the dough processing device on said conveyor, mountable on the dough conveyor, wherein in a mounted position the upper and side surfaces of the conveyor housing respectively support vertical and horizontal support surfaces of the supports.

15. Dough line according to claim 14, wherein the dough processing device is provided with fastening means and wherein the conveyor housing is provided with notches along its length for forming predetermined gripping points for engagement by the fastening means.

16. Dough line according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the side surfaces of the conveyor housing is slanted in a downward and outward direction relative to the dough conveying surface.

Description

[0019] The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures.

Herein:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a general overview of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a front- and a side view of a detail of the present invention; and

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a side view on a detail of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a general overview of the present invention. The figure shows a dough processing device 1, for use on a dough line, comprising dough processing means 2 formed by a number of folding shoes 4, for processing the dough on a conveyor 3; arranged in a frame 5 placed as a bridge over the dough conveyor 3 and thereto having supports 6 at opposite ends. The supports 6 are provided with vertical and horizontal support surfaces 14,15 arranged for respectively contacting an upper surface 16 and sides 17 of a conveyor housing thereby supporting the dough processing device 1 in a horizontal and vertical direction. The supports bare mounted on but may as well be part of head end plates 10 of the frame, which are provided with fastening means 7, for fastening the head end plates 10 and supports 6 on either side to a dough conveyor housing 8. For this purpose, the conveyor housing 8 is provided with notches 12 along its length for forming predetermined gripping points for engagement by the fastening means 7. One head end plate 10 is provided with transport means 9, for transporting the dough processing device 1 over the conveyor 4 while supporting the dough processing device 1 on said conveyor 4. It is additionally possible that the transport means 9 are provided on both head end plates 10, allowing the removal of the dough processing device 1 via both sides of the conveyor 3.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a front- and a side view of a detail of the present invention. Visible is a support 6 connected to a head end plate 10 of the frame, which head end plate 10 is coupled to a conveyor housing 8 by means of a fastener 7. The frame may for instance be formed of stainless steel, and the transport means are formed by wheels 9, arranged at the head ends 6 of the frame 5, extending downwardly. The wheels have a diameter 12 between 30 and 70 mm and their lowest point may be at a distance 11 between 5 and 200 mm from the level of the conveyor.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows side view on a detail of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, showing the same elements of the invention as shown in FIG. 2. This time however, the side 17 of the conveyor housing 8 is slanted in a downward and outward direction relative to the dough conveyor 3, thereby enclosing an angle with the vertical. As the surface of the transport means 9 facing the conveyor housing 8 is at its innermost end outlined with a horizontal support surface 15 of one of the supports, and as this horizontal support surface 15 coincides with the side 17 of the conveyor housing 8 in a mounted position of the dough processing device 1, the head end plate 10 consequently encloses an angle with the vertical as well. Another difference with the detail shown in FIG. 2 is that the conveyor housing 8 extends past the transport means 9, as a result of which the innermost end of the surface of the transport means 9 facing the conveyor housing 8 lies against the conveyor housing 8. This downward extension of the conveyor housing 8 past the transport means 9 guarantees proper guidance of the transport means 9 along the conveyor housing 8, facilitating lifting the dough processing device onto the conveyor 3.

[0026] The wheels in the examples above are oriented such that the dough processing device 1 can be removed in a direction B, which is the length direction of the frame and perpendicular to the direction of conveyance A of the conveyor.

[0027] The above examples are exemplary only and in no sense limiting the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.