Abstract
A method for processing a U-shaped dough strand (100) having a first dough strand end, which can be used as a securing dough strand end (111), and a second dough strand end, which can be used as a looping dough strand end (121), in which the dough strand (100) is looped by means of a processing head (200) having at least two gripping means (201, 202) to form at least one dough strand loop (161, 162, 163) and is positioned by means of a processing table (300) having positioning means (304, 305, 306, 307), and at least one positioning means embodied as a lifting means (307) raises sections of the dough strand (100) to a raised position relative to the processing table (300), and/or at least one positioning means embodied as a table gripper (306) stretches and/or pulls sections of one of the dough strand ends (121). At least one positioning means (308) embodied as a knotting means (308) spreads and/or expands an opening of a dough strand loop (161) and/or guides a dough strand end (121) through the dough strand loop (161), and said dough strand end (121) is secured in place by means of the dough strand loop (161).
Claims
1. A method for processing a U-shaped dough strand (100) having a first dough strand end, which can be used as a securing dough strand end (111), and a second dough strand end, which can be used as a looping dough strand end (121), in which method the dough strand (100) is looped by means of a processing head (200) having at least two gripping means (201, 202) to form at least one dough strand loop (161, 162, 163) and is positioned by means of a processing table (300) having positioning means (304, 305, 306, 307), and at least one positioning means embodied as a lifting means (307) raises sections of the dough strand (100) to a raised position relative to the processing table (300), and at least one positioning means embodied as a table gripper (306) stretches or pulls sections of one of the dough strand ends (121), characterized in that at least one positioning means (308) embodied as a knotting means (308) spreads or expands an opening of a dough strand loop (161) and 49-F guides a dough strand end (121) through the dough strand loop (161), said dough strand end (121) being secured in place by means of the dough strand loop (161).
2. The method for producing a dough strand knot (140) according to claim 1, comprising at least the following steps: aligning the U-shaped dough strand (100) such that the securing dough strand end (111) is offset relative to the looping dough strand end (121) or a first arm (110) of the U-shaped dough strand (100), which comprises the securing dough strand end (111), is shorter than a second arm (120) of the U-shaped dough strand (100), which comprises the looping dough strand end (121), looping a first dough strand loop (161), wherein the securing dough strand end (111) is picked up by a first gripping means (201) and placed on the second arm (120) of the U-shaped dough strand (100), forming a first intersection point (151), looping a second dough strand loop (162), wherein the looping dough strand end (121) is picked up by a second gripping means (202) and is positioned within the first dough strand loop (161), forming a second intersection point (152), looping a dough strand knot (140), wherein a section (130) of the dough strand in the region of the first dough strand loop (161) is lifted to a raised position by the lifting means (307), and the looping dough strand end (121) is guided by means of the table gripper (306) beneath the raised dough strand section (130), forming a third intersection point (153), looping a third dough strand loop (163), wherein the looping dough strand end (121) is picked up by one of the gripping means (202) and is positioned within the first dough strand loop (161b), forming a fourth intersection point (154), securing or stabilizing the dough strand knot (140), wherein the looping dough strand end (121) is picked up by the knotting means (308) and is guided through the first dough strand loop (161b), so that the looping dough strand end (121) is secured in a position in which it has passed through the first dough strand loop (161b).
3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that during looping of the dough strand knot (140), the knotting means (308), which can be retracted into the processing table (300), is extended out of the processing table (300) and positioned within the first dough strand loop (161b).
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that during looping of the dough strand knot (140), the table gripper (306) exerts a pulling force on the looping dough strand end (121), wherein at least one opening of the first dough strand loop (161a, 161b) and one opening of the second dough strand loop (162) is reduced in size or contracted.
5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that during the looping of the third dough strand loop (163), at least two fingers (311) of the knotting means (308), which projects out of the processing table (300) within the first dough strand loop (161b), move away from one another, thereby spreading or expanding the opening of the first dough strand loop (161b).
6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that during the securing or stabilization of the dough strand knot (140), at least two fingers (311) of the knotting means (308), which projects out of the processing table (300) within the first dough strand loop (161b), move toward one another, whereby the looping dough strand end (121) is picked up by the at least two fingers (311).
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that during the securing or stabilization of the dough strand knot (140), the looping dough strand end (121) is transferred by one of the gripping means (201, 202) to the knotting means (308).
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that one of the gripping means (201, 202) exerts pressure on the fourth intersection point (154), so that those sections (121, 120, 130) of the dough strand (100) which are located at the fourth intersection point (154) are secured to one another.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the securing dough strand end (111) is offset 4-8 cm in relation to the looping dough strand end (121) or the first arm (110) of the U-shaped dough strand (100), which comprises the securing dough strand end (111), is 4-8 cm shorter than the second arm (120) of the U-shaped dough strand (100), which comprises the looping dough strand end (121).
10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two gripping means (201, 202) of the processing head (200), arranged offset from one another, pick up the dough strand ends (111, 121) at approximately the same time, and the offset of the gripping means (201, 202) relative to one another corresponds approximately to the offset (D) of the dough strand ends (111, 121) relative to one another.
11. The method according claim 10 characterized by a compacting step, in which the dough knot (140) is subjected to pressure applied to both sides or is compacted by means of a compacting station.
12. A dough processing device (1) for processing a U-shaped dough strand (100) which has a first dough strand end (111) and a second dough strand end (121), the dough processing device (1) comprising a processing head (200) and a processing table (300), which processing head (200) comprises at least two gripping means (201, 202) for looping at least one dough strand loop (161, 162, 163), and which processing table (300) is equipped with positioning means (304, 305, 306, 307) for positioning the dough strand (100), and the various positioning means (304, 305, 306, 307) have a plurality of different processing functions, in which at least one positioning means is embodied as a lifting means (307) for raising a dough strand section (130) to a raised position, so that the dough strand (100) can be raised relative to the processing table (300), and at least one positioning means is embodied as a table gripper (306) for pulling a dough strand end (121), so that at least regions of the dough strand (100) can be stretched or pulled, characterized in that at least one positioning means is embodied as a knotting means (308) for spreading or expanding an opening of a dough strand loop (161) and for guiding a dough strand end (121) through the dough strand loop (161) so that the dough strand end (121) can be secured in place after passing through the dough strand loop (161).
13. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the knotting means (308) has at least two fingers (311), which are embodied as projecting out of the processing table (300) and as movable toward one another and away from one another.
14. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the knotting means (308) is embodied as a spreading gripper having at least two spreading fingers (311), the spreading fingers (311) being movable toward one another and away from one another, and the knotting means (308) being retractable into the processing table (300) and extendable out of the processing table (300).
15. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that the table gripper (306) can be opened and closed in order to pull a dough strand end (121) in the pulling direction (F) or parallel to the pulling direction (F).
16. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the table gripper (306) has a shaping edge (309a) or a shaping channel (309b) for shaping a dough strand nib on one of the dough strand ends (121).
17. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the dough processing device (1) comprises a compacting station for compacting the dough strand knot (140) or for exerting pressure on both sides of the dough strand knot (140).
18. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 17, in which the at least two gripping means (201, 202) of the processing head (200) each comprise a plunger (205, 206) and two gripping fingers (203), characterized in that the plunger (205, 206) is disposed between the gripping fingers (203) or in the same plane as the gripping fingers (203).
19. The dough processing device (1) according to claim 18, in which the processing table (300) has a plurality of mutually adjacent conveyor belts (301) arranged substantially parallel to one another for conveying the dough strand (100), and at least some of the positioning means (303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308) are disposed between respectively adjacent conveyer belts (301), characterized in that at least one positioning means (303) is embodied as a conveyor strip (303) for positioning a section of the dough strand (130) on at least one positioning means (304, 306, 308), the conveyor strip (303) ending or beginning at the positioning means (304, 306, 308), or the positioning means (304, 306, 308) being disposed at the end or at the beginning of the conveyor strip (303).
20. A positioning means (308) for a processing table (300) of a dough processing device (1) having a plurality of different processing functions for producing at least one dough strand loop (161, 162, 163) from a dough strand (100), characterized in that the positioning means (308) is embodied as a knotting means (308) and is embodied for carrying out one or more of the following processing functions: spreading or expanding an opening of a dough strand loop (161), wherein the positioning means (308) is capable of moving substantially along a table plane of the processing table (300), guiding a dough strand end (121) through the dough strand loop (161), wherein the positioning means (308) is capable of moving substantially perpendicular to a table plane of the processing table (300).
21. The positioning means (308) according to claim 20, characterized in that the positioning means (308) in the form of a spreading gripper (308) can be arranged with the processing table (300) in such a way that at least two spreading fingers (311) of the positioning means (308) are arranged projecting out of the processing table (300) and can be moved toward one another and away from one another, or in that the positioning means (308) can be retracted into the processing table (300) and extended out of the processing table (300).
Description
[0035] Further details, features, combinations of (sub-)features, advantages and effects based on the invention are apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings. The drawings show:
[0036] FIG. 1A a first position of a dough strand in a schematic illustration of a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0037] FIG. 1B a second position of a dough strand in a schematic illustration of a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0038] FIG. 1C a third position of a schematic illustration of a dough strand in a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0039] FIG. 1D a fourth position of a schematic illustration of a dough strand in a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0040] FIG. 1E a fifth position of a schematic illustration of a dough strand in a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0041] FIG. 1F a sixth position of a dough strand in a schematic illustration of a looping process for producing a dough strand knot,
[0042] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a dough processing device having a processing head and a processing table, in an initial or starting position,
[0043] FIGS. 3-18 each a perspective representation of the dough processing device of FIG. 2 in various positions for carrying out a method for producing a dough knot,
[0044] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a second position with a first and a second gripping means in a closed position,
[0045] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a third position with the first gripping means in a horizontally rotated position,
[0046] FIG. 5 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a fourth position with the second gripping means in a horizontally rotated position,
[0047] FIG. 6 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a fifth position, that is to say a releasing position, with the gripping means opening and plungers executing a vertical movement,
[0048] FIG. 7 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a sixth position, that is to say a discharging position, with the gripping means opened and the plungers vertically moved to a discharging position,
[0049] FIG. 8 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a seventh position, with a table gripper shown in a closed position,
[0050] FIG. 9 shows the position of the dough processing device that is shown in FIG. 8 from a perspective plan view,
[0051] FIG. 10 a perspective side view of a dough processing device in an eighth position, with a lifting means,
[0052] FIG. 11 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a ninth position, with the table gripper displaced along a conveying direction F,
[0053] FIG. 12 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a tenth position, with gripping fingers of the first gripping means in a closed position,
[0054] FIG. 13 a perspective view of a dough processing device in an eleventh position, with the first gripping means in a vertically raised position,
[0055] FIG. 14 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a twelfth position, with the first gripping means located above a knotting means,
[0056] FIG. 15 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a thirteenth position, with the plunger of the first gripping means in a lowered position,
[0057] FIG. 16 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a fourteenth position, with spreading fingers of the knotting means in a closed position,
[0058] FIG. 17 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a fifteenth position, with the plunger in its initial position,
[0059] FIG. 18 a perspective view of a dough processing device in a final position, with the knotting means located in a vertically lowered position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0060] According to FIG. 1A, a U-shaped dough strand 100 has a first arm 110 with a securing dough strand end 111, a second arm 120 with a looping dough strand end 121 and an arcuate section 130 located therebetween. For the mechanized production of a dough strand knot 140, dough strand 100 is aligned with arms 110, 120 pointing in a conveying direction F and extending parallel to one another, the second arm 120 extending beyond the first arm 110 by the distance D, and the looping dough strand end 121 situated downstream of the securing dough strand end 111 in conveying direction F.
[0061] In FIG. 1 B, securing dough strand end 111 is bent approximately 90 and positioned on the second arm 120, forming a first intersection point 151 between securing dough strand end 111 and second arm 120, and forming a first dough strand loop 161. Securing dough strand end 111 remains in the position shown until the looping process is complete. As is clear from FIG. 1C, a second dough strand loop 162 is formed by bending looping dough strand end 121 approximately 180 and placing it within the first dough strand loop 161. At a resulting, second intersection point 152, looping dough strand end 121 extends above first arm 110, which is bent at approximately a right angle thereto. A dough strand knot 140 is shown in FIG. 1D. To produce said knot, looping dough strand end 121 is guided below arcuate section 130, with which it forms a third intersection point 153. At the same time, looping dough strand end 121 divides first dough strand loop 161 into a first dough strand sub-loop 161a, which is allocated to first arm 110, and a second dough strand sub-loop 161b, which is allocated to second arm 120.
[0062] According to FIG. 1E, a third dough strand loop 163 is formed by bending looping dough strand end 121 again approximately 180 and placing it within the first dough strand loop 161, more precisely within the second dough strand sub-loop 161b. At a resulting fourth intersection point 154, looping dough strand end 121 extends above arcuate section 130. To secure dough strand knot 140 in position, as shown in FIG. 1F, looping dough strand end 121 is guided through second dough strand sub-loop 161b, perpendicular to the plane of the dough strand knot. FIGS. 1A-1F illustrate the process for looping a dough strand knot 140 only schematically, with greatly enlarged dough strand loops 161, 162, 163. In the automated, mechanized production of dough strand knot preforms, openings in the dough strand knot preform should be avoided if at all possible.
[0063] A perspective view of the initial position or starting position of dough processing device 1 is shown in FIG. 2. Dough processing device 1 is suitable for producing a secured dough strand knot preform 140, according to FIG. 1F, from a dough strand 100 aligned in a U-shape, according to FIG. 1A. The positions and functions of dough processing device 1 that are required to carry out the looping process (see FIGS. 1A-1F) are shown in FIGS. 3-18, but without dough strand 100 being included.
[0064] Dough processing device 1 is a component of a system for carrying out a continuous dough knot production process, and is particularly situated downstream of an aligning station having an aligning wheel for aligning a strand of dough according to FIG. 1A, or upstream of a compacting station for compacting the looped dough knot preform. Dough processing device 1 comprises a processing head 200, located above dough strand 100, and a processing table 300, located below dough strand 100. Processing head 200 is embodied primarily for picking up and looping dough strand ends 111, 121, whereas processing table 300 is additionally suitable for transporting and supporting dough strand 100 in a horizontal conveying direction F and for positioning dough strand 100.
[0065] A processing head for a dough processing device and the basic functioning thereof is already known from EP 2,618,670 B1. However, the processing head 200 shown in FIGS. 2-18 has significant differences, which are adapted specifically for producing a dough strand knot 140. For instance, processing head 200 comprises two gripping means 201, 202, arranged adjacent to one another but offset from one another in conveying direction F. A first gripping means 201 is disposed downstream of a second gripping means 202 with respect to conveying direction F, in a region for gripping the securing dough strand end 111, and the second gripping means is disposed in a region for gripping looping dough strand end 121. The offset of gripping means 201, 202 corresponds approximately to the distance D between looping dough strand end 121 and securing dough strand end 111 (see FIG. 1A).
[0066] From EP 2,618,670 B1, a processing table for a dough processing device is also known, from which the processing table 300 shown in FIGS. 2-18 differs substantially in terms of the basic functions and devices described below. Processing table 300 comprises a plurality of adjacent conveyor belts 301 arranged parallel to one another, which are operated in a common conveying direction F. A processing area 302 located centrally between the conveyor belts 301 is embodied to accommodate various positioning means 303, 304, 305, 307, 308. Processing area 302 comprises a shortened conveyor strip 303, which extends parallel to the conveyor belts 301 and ends in a rear section 302a of processing area 302. To enable the arcuate section 130 of dough strand 100 to be positioned precisely on positioning means 304, 305, 306, 307, the shortened conveyor strip 303 ends at a recess 302b, which is embodied to accommodate at least positioning means 304, 308. To hold each of the various dough strand loops 161, 162, 163, which are formed during the looping process, in their respective designated positions, or to secure the dough strand ends 111, 121 of the dough strand 100 in place, processing table 300 has a holding fork 304, a holding pin 305 and a table gripper 306, which are situated in the rear section 302a of processing area 302, and which extend outward from processing table 300. Holding fork 304 and holding pin 305 are each vertically movable, and can be retracted into processing table 300 and extended therefrom. Holding pin 305 is located downstream of table gripper 306 with respect to conveying direction F. Holding fork 304 is positioned at approximately the same height as table gripper 306, at the end of conveyor strip 303 within recess 302b.
[0067] During the looping process, first the already aligned dough strand 100 (see FIG. 1A) is conveyed in conveying direction F by means of conveyor belts 301 to be picked up by gripping means 201, 202, with securing dough strand end 111 being positioned between two gripping fingers 203 of first gripping means 201, and looping dough strand end 121 being positioned between two gripping fingers 203 of second gripping means 202. The precise positioning of the dough strand ends 111, 121 and/or the time for stopping the conveyor belts is preferably detected with the aid of optical sensors.
[0068] In FIG. 3, gripping means 201, 202 of dough processing device 1 are shown in a position in which said means are gripping dough strand ends 111, 121, that is to say, a closed position. Gripping means 201, 202 each comprise two gripping fingers 203, each of which is pivotable about a respective axis, so that gripping fingers 203 can be moved toward one another, or closed, to pick up the dough strand ends 111, 121, and can be moved away from one another, or opened, to release the dough strand ends 111, 121. Gripping means 201, 202 can likewise be moved vertically upward to a position spaced from processing table 300 in order to pick up the dough strand ends 111, 121, or vertically downward toward processing table 300 in order to release the dough strand ends.
[0069] As is clear from FIGS. 4 and 5, gripping means 201, 202 can also be pivoted or rotated horizontally. In FIG. 4, the first gripping means 201 is shown in a position rotated 90 from the initial position and in a upwardly moved position, so that the securing dough strand end 111 is positioned above the second arm 120 of the U-shaped dough strand 100 and in a region of the first intersection point 151. The first dough strand loop 161 formed in this manner (see also FIG. 1A) encompasses holding fork 304, holding pin 305 and table gripper 306, whereby the opening size of the first dough strand loop 161 is determined and fixed. Table gripper 306 is therefore situated within the first dough strand loop 161.
[0070] According to FIG. 5, second gripping means 202 is shown in a raised position, rotated 180 from the initial position, so that looping dough strand end 121 is positioned above table gripper 306, or above an opening of the first dough strand loop 161, forming a second dough strand loop 162 (see also FIG. 1C). In this position of dough processing device 1, gripping means 201, 202 are disposed directly adjacent to one another, above the rear section 302a of processing area 302. The required positioning of the securing dough strand end 111 above the second arm 120 is nevertheless enabled by an offset 204 in gripping finger 203 of the first gripping means 201 in the direction of second gripping means 202. In the above-described position of dough strand looping device 1, the dough strand ends 111, 121 are located in a raised position, whereas arcuate section 130 and at least partial sections of the first and second arms 110, 120 continue to rest on processing table 300.
[0071] FIGS. 6 and 7 each show dough processing device 1 in a position for discharging or releasing the dough strand ends 111, 121 from gripping means 201, 202. For this purpose, a pushing means, that is to say a plunger 205 and 206, is located between the gripping fingers 203 of each of gripping means 201 and 202, respectively. Plungers 205, 206 are configured for discharging the dough strand ends 111, 121 from the respective gripping means 201, 202 while the gripping fingers 203 are open, for which purpose the plungers 205, 206 execute a vertical pushing movement. Plunger 206 of the second gripping means 202 is located above table gripper 306. Looping dough strand end 121 can be positioned between two shaping fingers 309, 310 of table gripper 306 by means of a vertical sliding movement of plunger 206. In contrast, securing dough strand end 111 can be positioned on the second arm 120 by means of a vertical sliding movement of plunger 205. Holding fork 304 additionally ensures that securing dough strand end 111 is discharged in the desired position, in which dough strand 100 extends between two tines of holding fork 304, arranged along conveying direction F. Plunger 205 additionally exerts pressure on the intersecting dough strand sections in the region of the first intersection point 151, thereby at least loosely fixing the securing dough strand end 111 in place. In this position of dough processing device 1, the shape of dough strand 100 corresponds schematically to that of FIG. 1 C.
[0072] In FIG. 8, gripping means 201, 202 and plungers 205, 206 are moved vertically upward. Shaping fingers 309, 310 of table gripper 306 for picking up the looping dough strand end 121 are closed, i.e. shaping fingers 309, 310 are located in a position pivoted toward one another, around an axis oriented at a right angle to conveying direction F. A first shaping finger 309 is located downstream of a second opposing shaping finger 310 with respect to conveying direction F. Shaping finger 309 has a shaping edge 309a and a shaping channel 309b, which are suitable for forming a dough nib on one dough strand end 111, 121. While looping dough strand end 121 is picked up by shaping fingers 309, 310 of table gripper 306, dough strand 100 is bent approximately 90 over shaping edge 309a of shaping finger 309, into a shaping channel 309b located below shaping edge 309a. Plastic deformation can be achieved on looping dough strand end 121 as a result of counter pressure exerted by opposing shaping finger 310 on the bent looping dough strand end 121. In principle, the embodiment of a shaping edge 309a and/or a shaping channel 309b is not limited to the shaping fingers 309, 310 of a table gripper 306, and may instead be applied to any gripping means of a processing table 300, in particular to a knotting means 308.
[0073] Also in FIG. 8, a knotting means 308 is disposed in processing table 300 at the end of conveyor strip 303 within recess 302b of processing area 302. Knotting means 308 is embodied as movable vertically upward and downward, and can be moved out of or retracted into processing table 300. Two spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308 are arranged between table gripper 306 and holding fork 304 within the first dough strand loop 161. Spreading fingers 311 can be pivoted around an axis that lies rotated 90 from conveying direction F and can be moved toward one another and away from one another. FIG. 8 shows spreading fingers 311 in a closed position, i.e. moved toward one another. FIG. 9 shows the position of dough processing device 1 that is shown in FIG. 8 from a perspective plan view, for better illustration of shaping edge 309a and shaping channel 309b of shaping finger 309.
[0074] A perspective side view according to FIG. 10 shows a lifting means 307, which can be extended out of or retracted into processing table 300 for the purpose of raising a section of dough strand 100, in particular arcuate section 130. In FIG. 10, lifting means 307 is in a position extending obliquely out of processing table 300, the angle between lifting means 307 and processing table 300 deviating, for example, 10-45 from a perpendicular angle. Lifting means 307 has a channel 307a along its upper edge, for receiving a dough strand section. In the extended position, arcuate section 130 is thus disposed in a position spaced from processing table 300, the distance corresponding to at least the diameter of dough strand 100, so that a dough strand end 111, 121 can be guided through below the raised section.
[0075] According to FIG. 11, table gripper 306 can be displaced along conveying direction F and is located in a downstream position with respect to conveying direction F. Lifting means 307 positions arcuate section 130 or a section of the first dough strand loop 161 in a raised position relative to processing table 300, so that table gripper 306 can be moved out of the interior of first dough strand loop 161, below arcuate section 130, in a pulling direction F, which is oriented opposite conveying direction F. Shaping fingers 309, 310 are located in a position enclosing the looping dough strand end 121, whereby the looping dough strand end 121 is pulled through the first dough strand loop 161 in pulling direction F, and is thereby stretched. Table gripper 306 exerts a tensile force directed in pulling direction F on the looping dough strand end 121, thereby tightening or closing the second dough strand loop 162, which is not held open by holding means, around the securing dough strand end 111. At the same time, a third intersection point 153 is formed between first dough strand loop 161 and looping dough strand end 121. In addition, the first dough strand loop 161 is divided into two dough strand sub-loops 161a, 161b by a dough strand section passing through dough strand loop 161. Holding pin 305 is thus disposed within the first dough strand sub-loop 161a, and holding fork 304 and knotting means 308 are disposed within the second dough strand sub-loop 161b. The tensile force exerted by table gripper 306 causes the dough strand sub-loops 161a and 161b to tighten around the respective positioning means 305 and 304, 308. The first gripping means 201 is disposed in a position rotated 180 from the starting or initial position (see FIG. 2) above table gripper 306, in which gripping fingers 203 are open and are offset in conveying direction F by the amount of offset 204. In this position, the shape of dough strand 100 corresponds schematically to that of FIG. 1D.
[0076] FIG. 12 shows gripping fingers 203 of first gripping means 201 in a closed position, whereby a section of dough strand 100 above looping dough strand end 121 and downstream of table gripper 306 with respect to conveying direction F is picked up by gripping means 201. Table gripper 306 is in an open position, in order to release looping dough strand end 121. Holding pin 305 is preferably retracted into processing table 300. Lifting means 307 is retracted into processing table 300, so that arcuate section 130 of dough strand 100 is no longer held in a raised position and rests on processing table 300.
[0077] Knotting means 308, which is disposed within the second dough strand sub-loop 161b, is in an open position. For this purpose, spreading grippers 311 are pivoted away from one another, each around an axis disposed perpendicular to conveying direction F, so that the distance between the spreading grippers along conveying direction F is increased. By means of spreading grippers 311, the second dough strand sub-loop 161b, which is tightened around knotting means 308, is spread or expanded, utilizing the elasticity of the dough strand. The opening of the second dough strand sub-loop 161b is accordingly enlarged, in order to facilitate guiding of the looping dough strand end 121 through the second dough strand sub-loop 161b.
[0078] In FIG. 13, gripping means 201 is in a vertically raised position, whereby looping dough strand end 121 is in a position spaced from processing table 300. While the raised section of dough strand 100 extends substantially parallel and/or obliquely to the processing table, the dough nib, which has been formed on the looping dough strand end 121 by means of shaping fingers 309, 310, points substantially perpendicular in the direction of processing table 300.
[0079] In FIG. 14, first gripping means 201 is rotated 180 horizontally with respect to its previous position, so that the closed gripping fingers 203 of gripping means 201 are located above the open spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308. The downward pointing dough nib can thereby be positioned between spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308, within the second dough strand sub-loop 161b. A third dough strand loop 163 is thereby created upstream of the first dough strand loop 161 with respect to conveying direction F. In the region of a fourth intersection point 154, a dough strand section located downstream of the looping dough strand end 121 extends above the arcuate section 130 (see also FIG. 1E).
[0080] In FIG. 15, plunger 205 of first gripping means 201 is shown in a vertically lowered position, so that the dough nib on the looping dough strand end 121 is held in position between spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308 by means of plunger 205 until, as shown in FIG. 16, spreading fingers 311 close, thereby picking up the looping dough strand end 121 with the dough nib formed thereon. Gripping fingers 203 of the first gripping means 201 are in a fully open, outward tilted position. Plunger 205 is moved vertically upward from an extended position back into its starting or initial position, which is finally shown in FIG. 17.
[0081] In FIG. 18, knotting means 308 is located in a vertically lowered position within processing table 300 with spreading fingers 311 closed, so that looping dough strand end 121 is pulled through second dough strand sub-loop 161b. Holding fork 305 is preferably moved vertically at the same time as knotting means 308 into processing table 300, so that only looping dough strand end 121 remains within the second dough strand sub-loop 161b. Since the diameter of dough strand 100 is smaller than the distance between the open and outward tilted spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308, and due to the elasticity of dough strand 100, the second dough strand sub-loop 161b tightens around looping dough strand end 121. Looping dough strand end 121 can thereby be secured in a position in which it has passed through the second dough strand sub-loop 161b. Only after the looping dough strand end 121 has been pulled by means of knotting means 308 all the way through the second dough strand sub-loop 161b and/or is located below the surface of processing table 300 do the spreading fingers 311 of knotting means 308 open, thereby releasing the looping dough strand end 121. The secured dough knot preform 140 corresponds schematically to FIG. 1F. Optionally (and not shown), as the looping dough strand end 121 is being pulled through, plunger 205 presses on the fourth intersection point 154 for additional stabilization or fixation of the dough strand knot preform 140.
[0082] Once the looping process has been completed, conveyor belts 301 are set in motion in conveying direction F to transport the secured dough strand knot preform 140 to a processing station downstream, preferably a compacting station. Holding forks 304 and holding pin 305 are retracted into processing table 300 at least by the time dough strand knot 140 is transported away. At the same time, an already aligned dough strand 100 with offset dough strand ends 111, 121 is conveyed by conveyor belts 301 and conveyor strip 303 to positioning means 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, and dough processing device 1 is located in its initial or starting position at the beginning of a subsequent looping process, according to FIG. 2.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0083] 1 dough processing device
[0084] 100 dough strand
[0085] 110 first arm
[0086] 111 securing dough strand end
[0087] 120 second arm
[0088] 121 looping dough strand end
[0089] 130 arcuate section
[0090] 140 dough strand knot
[0091] 151 first intersection point
[0092] 152 second intersection point
[0093] 153 third intersection point
[0094] 154 fourth intersection point
[0095] 161 first dough strand loop
[0096] 161a first dough strand sub-loop
[0097] 161b second dough strand sub-loop
[0098] 162 second dough strand loop
[0099] 163 third dough strand loop
[0100] D distance between the dough strand
[0101] ends
[0102] F conveying direction
[0103] F pulling direction
[0104] 200 processing head
[0105] 201 first gripping means
[0106] 202 second gripping means
[0107] 203 gripping finger
[0108] 204 offset
[0109] 205 plunger of the first gripping means
[0110] 206 plunger of the second gripping means
[0111] 300 processing table
[0112] 301 conveyor belt
[0113] 302 processing area
[0114] 302a rear section of the processing area
[0115] 302b recess
[0116] 303 conveyor strip
[0117] 304 holding fork
[0118] 305 holding pin
[0119] 306 table gripper
[0120] 307 lifting means
[0121] 307a channel
[0122] 308 knotting means
[0123] 309 shaping finger
[0124] 309a shaping edge
[0125] 309b shaping channel
[0126] 310 opposing shaping finger
[0127] 311 spreading finger
