FR2666724A1 - Method and device for shaping breaded products - Google Patents

Abstract

- The invention relates to a method and to a device for shaping breaded products. - According to the invention a first metered amount or main metered amount (46) of dough is deposited in the cell (indentation) (15) of a sheet (tray) (4b) of the "plaque parisienne (Parisian baking sheet)" type, the tray is advanced so that the cell (15) comes in line with a piece of equipment (38) mounted so that it can move vertically and carried by a gantry (33) and including a vertical sleeve (32) on which are carried, so that they can pivot radially, fingers (42, 43); the latter are lowered into their central adjoining position within the first metered quantity (46) of dough, whilst a second metered quantity or small ball (41) of dough is inserted into the sleeve (32); the radial movement of the fingers (42, 43) towards the periphery cuts into the centre of the metered quantity (46) of dough, creating a cavity in which the second metered quantity or small ball (41) becomes housed, by gravity, thereby shaping a breaded product surmounted by a dome or cap. - The invention can be applied to automatic and mechanical production of products such as brioches or brioche rolls.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for shaping doses of dough intended for bread-making and more particularly of such bread-making products traditionally comprising a protuberance or protuberance in the general form of a spherical cap. This is the case, for example, of brioches and brioches which are generally produced in a rib mold and which have at their center and at their apex a protuberance in the general shape of a hemisphere.

In the processes currently known this shaping is obtained manually by the pastry craftsman who models his product by inserting into the main dose of dough a second dose generally formed of a ball or dumpling placed inside a cavity formed manually in the upper plane of the main dose. During the final baking after lifting of the whole dough, the second dose formed from the dumpling placed at the top of the main dose thus forms the spherical protuberance or protuberance which gives the brioche its traditional appearance sought by the customer and the consumer.

It is understood that the production of such products represents a shaping requiring successive manipulations and under these conditions the production of brioches and brioches requires significant labor time which consequently strikes the cost price.

This drawback if it is already serious when it comes to the preparation of artisanal brioches, becomes completely prohibitive when one proceeds to the industrial manufacture of brioches or brioches.

Indeed, for other similar products, the shaping in a conditioner and the cooking are done mechanically, the doses or dumplings of dough produced by the conditioning machine or dosing machine being automatically delivered in molds which follow a cooking course generally in a tunnel oven, without human intervention.

In the case of brioches and brioche, this simple process undergoes a load break related to the intervention necessary for the individual shaping of the source product consequently of a slow manufacturing and large consumer of labor from where a cost price disproportionate to the interest of the product.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and makes it possible to produce an automatic set of packaging and shaping of bread products such as pastry articles and in particular brioches and brioches produced automatically and without manual intervention.

The invention makes it possible to fully automate the process of individual shaping of each brioche with the delivery and automatic placement of the second doses or pellets which are called upon to conform the traditional upper spherical cap.

This avoids the disadvantages of traditional manufacturing and processes which have been described above.

The invention thus makes it possible to obtain a product which retains the traditional appearance sought by the consumer while avoiding the drawbacks of manual conformation which resulted in slow, expensive production, independently of the sources of development of germs associated with handling. manual.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for the mechanical shaping of bread products such as pastry articles and in particular brioches and which traditionally comprise a protuberance or protuberance in the general shape of a sphere cap, and the method is characterized by the succession of the following operations a) at least one main dose of dough consisting of a dumpling, is deposited in a container such as a mold b) this mold is moved and is brought vertically to a mechanical assembly mounted movable according to a vertical movement and provided with fingers the distal end of which is oriented downwards, the fingers being movable between a contiguous position in which the distal ends of the fingers are joined and a separated position in which said distal ends are brought into a peripheral position following a radial course.

c) the crew is lowered so that the fingers joined in their joined position penetrate into the mass of the dough substantially in the middle.

d) the fingers are moved radially from their contiguous position to their peripheral position by cutting the mass of the dough and creating a cavity therein substantially in the center of the main dose.

e) a second dose, representing an amount less than the main dose, is deposited within said cavity, and formed of a dumpling provided with a format allowing it to be housed in the cavity previously formed by the fingers, overflowing at beyond the plan of the main dose, this second dose being conveyed by gravity from an upper waiting position as far as its receiving housing.

f) the fingers held in their separated position are removed by displacement upward, allowing the edges of said cavity to trap and close while being integral with the central pellet in the overhanging position.

g) the product thus formed is subjected to cooking by known methods.

According to a more particular embodiment of the invention, a plurality of units of dough or main doses, or first doses, are deposited in a mold consisting of a tray with multiple cells, the cells being arranged by longitudinal columns and rows transverse; the mold is moved step by step so as to bring the transverse rows successively under a station for depositing the second dose or dumpling dough in the hollow of the incision formed in said main dose, and the station comprises for this purpose a number d crews with movable fingers corresponding to the number of cells in a row and arranged in a corresponding spacing, the main doses arranged in the cells of a row being subjected simultaneously to the action of one of the crews arranged in line with said cell with incision of each main dose in the hollow of the cell and depositing a second dose formed of a spherical dumpling.

According to another development of the invention prior to the incision of the main dose and the deposit of a second dose within each cell, the main dose is compacted at the bottom of said cell by the mechanical action of a plunging organ.

The invention also relates to a device for shaping a bread product, in particular a pastry article such as a brioche and comprising a protuberance or protuberance formed by a spherical cap disposed at its upper part and it is characterized in that it comprises at least one vertically movable assembly and provided at its base with fingers whose free distal end is oriented downward, the fingers being mounted movable between a contiguous position in which the ends of the fingers are juxtaposed and a position separated, the fingers being articulated on a support which can be moved vertically and being pivotally mounted between the joined position and the separated position following a radial path, the positioning of said assembly being provided so that, in the low position, the fingers penetrate substantially and at least one centimeter in the mass of the dough forming the main dose in order to create r by their spacing a cavity capable of receiving the second dose formed of a dumpling.

And according to a more particular development of the device, the fingers, the free end of which is mounted downward, are mounted in a journalling at their top on a crown which is itself mounted integral with a vertically movable support and formed by a hollow sleeve connected to drive members allowing its vertical displacement between a high position or erased position and an active position or low position, in which the fingers penetrate into the mass of the paste of the main dose.

According to yet another more particular characteristic, the sleeve is of cylindrical shape with circular base and it is capable of internally receiving a dumpling of dough forming said second dose intended to be integrated into the main dose, the dumpling forming the second dose descending by gravity to within said sleeve up to the level of the fingers, said fingers being capable, when they are in their joined position, of closing the lower section of said sleeve constituting the outlet orifice of the second dose, the spacing of the fingers in their movement radial from their contiguous position towards the separated position being able to free the passage and to allow the establishment of said second dose in the cavity hollowed out by the pivoting path of the fingers.

According to another development, the sleeve has at its upper part a funnel-shaped hopper allowing the introduction of the second dose and its descent inside the sleeve, this hopper and / or funnel is extended downwards by a sleeve fixed auxiliary, concentric with the vertically movable sleeve and constituting the finger support, the outer sleeve or vertically movable sleeve on the one hand and the fixed sleeve integral with the hopper being thus mounted with mutual telescopic sliding allowing the guidance of the dumpling constituting the second dose from the hopper to the lower outlet orifice, regardless of the high or low position of the plunger sleeve.

According to another characteristic, all of the crews, each forming a device for incising the main dose and for depositing a second dose of paste, is mounted on a gantry, the crews being separated by a regular interval, corresponding to the interval of the cells on a transverse row of a tray, the gantry being mounted in vertical movement on two ball guide columns located at each end and being connected to mechanical means allowing its movement between its high or erased position and the position active in which the fingers are brought into the position of penetration into the mass of the dough forming the main dose.

The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the method and the device previously specified and characterized in that it comprises a) a first machine for conditioning the dough and capable of delivering balls of dough forming the main or first dose dose of the pastry products to be shaped b) a plurality of trays with multiple cells arranged in transverse rows and longitudinal columns, on each tray c) at least one belt conveyor capable of conveying said trays step by step throughout the installation d) a gantry placed transversely with respect to the advancement of all of the plates, the gantry comprising a plurality of movable assemblies capable of causing the incision of the dose of dough located in each cell and the removal of d '' a second dose forming an upper spherical cap, each crew being located in line with a longitudinal column of cells on the trays, each crew consisting of a plunging member formed of a sleeve capable of receiving and internally guiding a said second dose of dough and carrying at its lower end a plurality of fingers whose free distal end is turned downwards , the fingers being pivotally mounted on a crown externally integral with said sleeve, the fingers being displaceable by angular pivoting between a joined position in which their distal ends are joined substantially along the center of the main dose, and a spaced-apart position in which the fingers are moved towards the periphery in a radial movement e) a second packaging machine capable of delivering a plurality of dumplings forming said second doses, of format smaller than the format of said first doses and associated with conveying means making it possible to deposit a dumpling forming a second dose at the top of c each of the sleeves between each vertical movement of the plunging sleeve.

According to another characteristic of the above installation, the latter comprises a set of centering of said first doses in their receiving cell and formed of a row of plunging pistons mounted on a gantry vertically movable and arranged transversely to the advancement trays, each piston being able to be located in line with a longitudinal column of cells, and being mounted vertically displaceable between a high erased position and a lower position in which it comes into contact under slight pressure with the dose of paste placed in the receiving cell, ensuring the correct and centered positioning of the dough in its cell.

And preferably, each piston is mounted floating on a support gantry and it ends at its base by a plate whose edges are bevelled allowing a self-centering effect during the penetration of said plate in the frustoconical alveolus.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows and which is given in relation to a particular embodiment presented by way of nonlimiting example.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an installation comprising all the improvements and features subject of this application.

Figure 2 and Figure 3 show a transverse gantry supporting a plurality of centering pistons respectively in the high position and in the low position.

Figure 4 and Figure 5 show a gantry supporting a plurality of diving teams for the incision and the deposit of the second doses of dough respectively in the high position and in the low position.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of a unitary equipment in the high position, the fingers being in the joined position.

FIG. 7 shows the same equipment of FIG. 6 brought into the low incision and depositing position of the second dose of dough.

According to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the entire installation is supplied from a reserve of dough, for example the kneader 1 which supplies the packaging machines 2 and 2 ′ capable of dosing and conditioning the dough into balls or dumplings. .

The packaging machine 2 forms balls of larger size which will constitute the main dose 27, 28, 29, 30 or first dose of dough forming the main mass of the brioche while the packaging machine 2 'or rounder conforms to the balls 41 of smaller size which will be used after installation under the conditions described below to conform the spherical cap which surmounts the brioche.

The entire installation includes one each for conveying 3 which brings, after angle beverages, the trays with cells of known type 4,5,6 from the starting station formed by the packaging machine 2 to the outlet 7 corresponding to the evacuation to the cooking devices.

The cell tray called "Parisian plate" is shown in section in FIGS. 2 and 3 under the reference 4a and in FIGS. 4 and 5 under the reference 4b, the plate being always positioned on the belt conveyor 3.

Each tray (Parisian plate) has a plurality of cells arranged in longitudinal columns or transverse rows as seen in Figures 2,3,4 and 5. Each honeycomb tray is thus routed from the initial filling station 8 where each cell is filled by depositing a pellet from the packaging machine 2; the plates or trays are then routed to the centering station (described below and shown according to the sectional views of Figures 2 and 3) at the centering station 9; the doses are positioned and packed in the bottom of each mold, after which the plates or trays with cells follow the path of the conveyor 3 to return to a second station 10 for depositing the second dose of dough, these second doses being made up of pellets individual from the 2 'packaging machine; this station 10 constitutes the main element of the invention, it is described below and shown according to the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 4 and 5 and the detailed views of FIGS. 6 and 7.

On leaving the second dose deposition station, the trays comprising the shaped dough are conveyed to the outlet station 7 to be directed towards the cooking devices of known type.

The centering station 9 consists of a plurality of plungers 11,12,13,14 in number equal to the cells disposed in a transverse row of a plate 4a. The plungers 11 to 14 are separated so that each is positioned in line with one of the cells 15, 16, 17 and 18 in a row.

The pistons are mounted slightly floating at their top, being integral with a gantry 19 slidably mounted by means of a ball guide ring 20, 20 ′ on the columns 21. And it is actuated by the upper jack 22.

At the base of each piston is located a plate 23, 24, 25, 26 whose edges are slightly bevelled at an angle corresponding to the angle formed by the frustoconical side walls of the cells 15 to 18.

Thus, as can be seen in the light of FIG. 3 when the gantry is lowered by the action of the jack 22 the plates 23 to 26 are engaged in the cells 15 to 18 and thanks to the floating mounting of the plunging pistons the plates thus come position itself exactly inside the cells by providing a refocusing effect and balanced positioning of the dose of main paste 27, 28, 29 and 30 located at the heart of each of the cells 15 to 18.

Under these conditions, the trays, at the exit from the centering station, comprise, as can be seen in la.figure 3, the main dose 27, 28, 29, 30 exactly centered and positioned in the bottom of the receiving cell 15, 16 , 17.18.

While traveling along the course, being conveyed by the conveyor 3, the trays then arrive at the station for setting up the second dose to conform the spherical cap which will overcome and shape the product.

The detail of the shaping device with insertion of the second dose 41 is shown in Figures 4 and 5 which show all the crews arranged transversely to the shaping station while Figures 4 and 5 show in section an individual device .

Each crew consists of a sleeve 32 mounted vertically movable being integral with a gantry 33 itself sliding by the set of ball guide rings on the columns 34,34 '. A mechanical device allows the transition in a vertical movement between the high position (figure 4) of all the crews and the low position (figure 5).

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the incision and removal crews respectively 35, 36, 37, 38 is arranged so as to overhang one of the cells 15, 16, 17 and 18 containing the main dose of dough 46 .

The plunger sleeve 32 is associated with a fixed sleeve 39 situated at the lower part of the hopper or funnel 40, the external sleeve 32 is thus mounted telescopically sliding relative to the fixed sleeve 39.

An upper conveyor conveys the pellets constituting the second doses 41 from the packaging machine 2 ′ to station 10 by pouring a dumpling constituting a second dose into the hopper 40.

Each of the pellets forming a second dose 41 is thus conveyed by gravity to the base of the plunging sleeve 32.

The lower section 47 of the sleeve 32 constitutes the outlet for the dumpling or second dose of dough 46.

This hole is, as can be seen in FIG. 6, closed by the fingers 42, 43, 44 which are pivotally mounted at their upper part on a ring 45 itself secured to the plunger sleeve 32.

The fingers 42,43,44 (which are here 4 in number, one of the fingers not being visible in the figures) are pivotally mounted and are erasable according to an angular movement between a contiguous position (represented in FIG. 6) and a spread position (shown in Figure 7).

In the contiguous position of Figure 6, we see that the bases or free distal ends of the fingers 42,43 are juxtaposed; in this position the fingers close the outlet or the orifice 47 and prevent the delivery of the pellet or second dose 31.

In the spread position shown in Figure 7 the fingers are brought into a peripheral position.

The transition from the contiguous position to the separated position is effected by a radial movement around the pivot axis of each finger on the carrier ring 45.

It can be seen from FIGS. 4,5,6 and 7 that initially all of the crews formed by the plunger sleeve and the moving fingers pass from the high position (FIG. 4) to the low position (FIG. 5).

However, initially corresponding to an intermediate phase, the fingers penetrate into the main dose of dough located within each of the cells in the joined position of the fingers (Figure 6).

In a second step, the fingers having entered the position joined to the heart of the dough are brought by a displacement in a radial movement towards the separated position, consequently incising the mass of the dough in two cross-shaped grooves and digging at within the latter a cavity.

At the same time the fingers moving away release the dumpling or ball of dough 41 forming the second dose which is thus housed in the hollow of the cavity which constitutes its receiving nest and which overcomes the whole by forming a dome or upper cap.

In a last phase, the fingers still in the separated position are raised with the plunger sleeve 32, thereby releasing the assembly, the main dose closing by the edges of the cavity and joining the second dose, thus forming a single mass in which the second dose occupies an overflowing position, thus conforming the hemispherical cap which, after cooking, will give the final shape of the product.

Claims (11)

1 - Process for the mechanical shaping of bread products such as pastry articles and in particular brioches and which traditionally comprise a protuberance or protuberance in the general shape of a sphere cap, characterized by the succession of the following operations a) at least one main dose of dough consisting of a dumpling, is placed in a container such as a mold b) this mold is moved and is brought to the vertical of a mechanical assembly mounted movable in a vertical movement and provided with fingers whose distal end is oriented downwards, the fingers being movable between a contiguous position in which the distal ends of the fingers are joined and a separated position in which said distal ends are brought into a peripheral position along a radial path c) the crew is lowered so that the fingers joined in their joined position enter the ma sse of the dough substantially in the middle d) the fingers are moved radially from their contiguous position to their peripheral position by cutting the mass of the dough and creating a cavity therein substantially at the center of the main dose e) it is deposited within said cavity a second dose, representing an amount less than the main dose, and formed of a dumpling dough provided with a format allowing it to be housed in the cavity previously formed by the fingers, overflowing beyond the plane of the dose main; this second dose being conveyed by gravity from an upper waiting position to its receiving housing f) the fingers held in their separated position are removed by displacement upward, allowing the edges of said cavity to trap and close by integrating with the central pellet in the overhanging position g) the product thus formed is subjected to cooking by known methods. 2 - Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of units of dough or main doses, or first doses, are deposited in a mold consisting of a tray with multiple cells, the cells being arranged by longitudinal columns and rows transverse; the mold is moved step by step so as to bring the transverse rows successively under a station for depositing the second dose or dumpling dough in the hollow of the incision formed in said main dose, and the station comprises for this purpose a number d equipments with movable fingers corresponding to the number of cells of a row and arranged according to a corresponding spacing, the main doses arranged in the cells of a row being subjected simultaneously to the action of one of the crews arranged in line with said cell with incision of each main dose in the hollow of the cell and depositing a second dose formed of a spherical dumpling. 3 - Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that prior to the incision of the main dose and the deposition of a second dose within each cell, the main dose is packed at the bottom of said alveolus by the mechanical action of a plunging organ. 4 - Device for implementing the method according to one of claims 1,2 or 3 for the shaping of a bread product including a pastry item such as a brioche and having a protuberance or protuberance formed of a spherical cap disposed at its upper part, characterized in that it comprises at least one crew (35,36,37,38) movable vertically and provided at its base with fingers (42,43) whose end free distal is oriented downwards, the fingers being mounted movable between a contiguous position in which the ends of the fingers are juxtaposed and a separated position, the fingers being articulated on a support (32) itself movable vertically and being pivotally mounted between the contiguous position and the separated position following a radial path, the positioning of said assembly being provided so that, in the low position, the fingers penetrate substantially and at least one centimeter d ans the mass of the dough forming the main dose in order to create by their spacing a cavity capable of receiving the second dose formed of a dumpling. 5 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the fingers (42,43) whose free end is turned downward are mounted in journalling at their top on a crown (45) itself mounted integral with a vertically movable support formed by a hollow sleeve (32) connected to motor members allowing its vertical displacement between a high position or erased position and an active position or low position, in which the fingers penetrate into the mass of the dough of the main dose. 6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the sleeve (32) is of cylindrical shape with circular base and it is capable of receiving internally a dumpling dough forming said second dose intended to be integrated into the main dose, the dumpling forming the second dose descending by gravity within said sleeve to the level of the fingers, said fingers being capable, when they are in their joined position, of closing the lower section of said sleeve constituting the outlet orifice of the second dose, the spacing of the fingers in their radial movement from their contiguous position towards the separated position being capable of freeing the passage and allowing the placement of said second dose in the cavity hollowed out by the pivoting path of the fingers. 7 - Device according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the sleeve (32) has at its upper part a funnel-shaped hopper (40) allowing the introduction of the second dose and its descent to the inside the sleeve, this hopper and / or funnel is extended downwards by a fixed auxiliary sleeve (31), concentric with the vertically displaceable sleeve and constituting the finger support, the external sleeve (32) or vertically movable sleeve of a part and the fixed sleeve (31) integral with the hopper (40) being thus mounted with mutual telescopic sliding while allowing the dumpling constituting the second dose to be guided from the hopper to the lower outlet orifice, whatever either the high or low position of the plunger sleeve. 8 - Device according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that all of the crews (35,36,37, 38) each forming a device for incision of the main dose and for depositing a second dose of dough, is mounted on a gantry (33), the crews being separated by a regular interval, corresponding to the interval of the cells on a transverse row of a tray (46), the gantry being mounted in vertical movement on two columns ball guide (34,34 ') located at each end and being connected to mechanical means allowing its movement between its high position or erased position and the active position in which the fingers are brought into the position of penetration into the mass of the paste forming the main dose. 9 - Installation for the implementation of the method according to one of claims 1,2 or 3 and comprising a device according to one of claims 4 to 8 and characterized in that it comprises a) a first machine (2) conditioning the dough and capable of delivering dough balls forming the main dose or first dose (27,28,29,30) of the pastries to be shaped b) a plurality of trays (4,5,6) to multiple cells arranged in transverse rows and longitudinal columns, on each plate c) at least one conveyor (3) with belts capable of conveying said plates step by step throughout the installation d) a gantry (33) arranged transversely by report on the progress of all of the trays, the gantry comprising a plurality of mobile assemblies (35,36,37,38) capable of causing the incision of the dose of dough located in each cell and the removal of a second dose forming an upper spherical cap, cha that the crew being located in line with a longitudinal column of cells on the plates, each crew consisting of a plunging member formed of a sleeve (32) capable of receiving and internally guiding a said second dose of dough (41 ) and carrying at its lower end a plurality of fingers (43,44) whose free distal end is turned downward, the fingers being pivotally mounted on a crown (45) integral externally with said sleeve (32), the fingers being displaceable by angular pivoting between a contiguous position in which their distal ends are joined substantially along the center of the main dose, and a spaced-apart position in which the fingers are moved towards the periphery in a radial movement e) a second packaging machine (2 ') capable of delivering a plurality of dumplings (41) forming said second doses, of format smaller than the format of said first doses (27,28,29,30) and associated with conveying means making it possible to deposit a pellet forming a second dose at the top of each of the sleeves (32) between each vertical movement of the plunging sleeve. 10 - Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises an assembly for centering said first doses (27, 28, 29, 30) in their receiving cell and formed by a row of pistons (11, 12, 13, 14) plunging mounted on a gantry (19) movable vertically and arranged transversely with respect to the advancement of the plates, each piston being able to be located in line with a longitudinal column of cells, and being mounted vertically displaceable between a position high erased and a lower position in which it comes into contact under slight pressure from the dose of dough placed in the receiving cell, ensuring the correct and centered positioning of the dough in its cell. 11 - Installation according to claim 10, characterized in that each piston (11,12,13,14) is mounted floating on a support gantry (19) and it ends at its base by a plate (23,24,25, 26) whose edges are bevelled allowing a self-centering effect during the penetration of said plate into the frustoconical alveolus.