Dough ball loader and method of flattening a dough ball
US6015584A · kind A · utility
6Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 18, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA21C9/08
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A dough ball loader includes a conveyor belt supported on a frame. A frame plate is fixed in position over the conveyor belt. Loading tubes on the frame plate are aligned over a loading opening in the frame plate. Pairs of flatteners are pivotably attached to the frame plate adjacent to the loading opening. The flatteners preferably have a flat bottom surface. An actuator is linked to the flatteners and pivots the flatteners from an open position for loading dough balls onto the conveyor belt, to a closed position, for flattening the dough balls and fixing them into position on the belt.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.