Importance

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Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for centering and shaping dough pieces baked products or the like which is inserted between two treatment machines in a commercial baking line for the production of bread or similar baked products, for example between a dividing and weighing machine and a prefermentation chamber, or between a prefermentation chamber and a shaping and alongating machine, this apparatus comprising a conveyor for feeding the ball-shaped dough pieces from the dividing and weighing machine or the prefermentation chamber, an endless belt conveyor of which the outer face comprises rack means consisting of transverse bars, two parallel guideways disposed at the input end of the apparatus and overlying said endless conveyor belt, a centering spout consisting of two convergent vertical walls and disposed downstream of said guideways, a shaping channel having an inner width inferior to the spacing of said pair of parallel guideways and disposed downstream of said centering spout, a plurality of successive equalizing blades having operative surfaces provided with transverse bars adapted to cooperate with the transverse bars of said endless belt and pivoting about a transverse axis while engaging said shaping channel, and thrust means for positively and sequentially inserting the substantially cylindrical dough pieces issuing from the apparatus into the nip of a pair of rollers of a shaping and elongating machine.

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First Claim