Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~121!~EiS
The present invention relates generally to pastry or
like products and to apparatus for handling such products.
The apparatus is particularly suitable for use in con-
nection with pastry which is supplied to the user in at least a
partially processed form and it will be convenient to hereinafter
describe the invention with reference to that particular applica-
tion. Nevertheless it is to be understood that apparatus of the
present invention may be suitable for other products.
According to one aspect of the present invention there
is provided apparatus for handling a pastry product of the type
comprising a pastry sheet unit and a film sheet unit which are
adapted to be rolled together so that in the finished roll the
film sheet unit is substantially interposed between the adjacent
layers of the pastry sheet unit the film sheet unit and pastry
sheet unit each having a leading edge and trailing edge character-
ised in that the apparatus comprises transport means for trans-
porting said pastry sheet unit past a film application station,
means for directing and applying said film sheet unit to a surface
of the pastry sheet unit at the film application station said
means being arranged relative to the transport means so that the
leading edge of the film sheet unit overlies and is disposed rear-
wardly of the leading edge of the pastry sheet unit the apparatus
being suitable for use with roll forming means for at least
partially rolling the film and pastry sheet units into a roll
commencing from the leading edge of the pastry sheet unit.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises transport means for
transporting a continuous sheet of pastry defining a plurality of
said pastry sheet units past a film application station, means for
~z~
directing and applying said film sheet unit to a surface of the
continuous pastry sheet at the film application station, said
continuous sheets having side edges parallel to the direction of
travel of the transport means, the side edges of the continuous
sheets subsequently defining the leadiny and trailing edges of the
pastry and film sheet units subsequently formed, cutting means for
selectively cutting said continuous sheets into the discrete sheet
units, delivery means for delivering the sheet units from the
transport means to the roll forming means, the direction of travel
of the delivery means being substantially normal to -the direction
of travel of the transport means.
Preferably a portion of the film sheet unit and its
trailing edge extend rearwardly of the trailing edge of the pastry
sheet unit so that after rolling the final outer portion of the
roll of pastry sheet unit is overlayed by the trailing portion of
the film sheet unit.
Preferably cutting means is provided for selectively
cutting said continuous sheets into the discrete sheet units.
Delivery means may be provided for delivering the sheet units from
the transport means to the roll forming means.
Preferably two delivery means are arranged in parallel
and the gate being adapted to selectively transfer sheet units to
one or the other of the parallel delivery means.
Preferably the direction of travel of the delivery means
is substantially normal to the direction of travel of the trans-
port means.
Preferably the delivery means is mounted for reciprocating
movement in the direction of travel of the transport means.
1~121~;5
The apparatus may fur-ther include transfer means for
transferring the sheets from the transport means to the delivery
means. Preferably the transfer means comprises a gate which is
adapted to open and close.
The apparatus may further include spacer means for
spacing the sheet units from one another after being cut by the
cutting means. Preferably the delivery means comprises a conveyor
supported on a carriage which is adapted for reciprocating move-
ment in the direction of travel of the transport means. The
carriage may include a power screw adapted to cause the recipro-
cating movement.
By the term film sheet is meant any suitable interleaving
material such as for example wax paper polymeric material or the
like.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus
according to the invention,
~' ^~
~2~æ~s
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in
Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus for
forming the sheet products into a roll,
Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in
Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are more detailed views of the transfer
means which form part of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 7 to 9 are more detailed schematic views of the
delivery means which form part of the apparatus shown in Figures
1 and 2; and
Figures 10 to 12 are schematic views showing the form-
ation of the pastry product according to the invention.
As best seen in Figures 10 to 12 the pastry product of
the present invention comprises a pastry sheet unit 71 and a film
sheet unit 72 which are adapted to be rolled together to form a
finished roll 70. Each sheet unit 71 and 72 has a leading edge
and a trailing edge 75 and 76 and 77 and 78 respectively. When
rolled together the film sheet unit 72 is interposed between
adjacent layers of the pastry sheet unit 71 so as to inhibit the
adjacent layers from sticking together. In the product of the
present invention, prior to rolling, the leading edge portion 77
of the film, sheet unit 72 is displaced rearwardly from the
leading edge 75 of the pastry sheet unit 71 and rolling is insti-
gated from the leading edges of the sheets. As shown it is pre-
ferable that the trailing edge of the film sheet unit is disposed
rearwardly relative to that of the pastry sheet unit.
~."
~9~
Thus by rolling in the manner shown it is possible to
form a roll 70 in which the last surface pnrtion of the
pastry sheet unit is overlaid by the trailing porticn of
the film sheet unit.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, pastry
material in the form of a continuous sheet 60 having
side edges 61 is fed to film applying station 5 via a ~
conveyor (not shown). At the film applying station 5 a
roll of film material 20 is mounted and arranged to be
fed to the sheet of pastry 60 through the film guide and -
application device 15 which comprises suitably arranged
drive rolls and guides. ~he sheet of pastry 60 is
transferred through the applying station 5 via transport
meAns 8 in the form of a conveyor 9. Thus the pastry
material and film applied thereto are at this stage in
the form of continuous sheets 60 and 70 from which the
sheet units are formed. The leading and trailing edges
of each sheet unit are at this stase defined by the
parallel side edges 61 and 2] of the continuous sheets.
Although many different types of fil~ material could be
suitable for the product a preferred material is a
plastic film termed CRISPY-WRAP (Trade Mark).
- The drive rolls and guides 15 are so arranged so
that the edges 21 of the continuous film sheet 20 are
offset relative to the side edges 61 of the continuous
pastry sheet ~0 thereby enabling the sheet units and
their relative disposition as described above to be
achieved. Preferably since the overlap of the trailing
edge portion of the continuous sheet unit is wider than
the portion of the leading edge thereof relative to that
Z~6s
of the pastry sheet tlle roll of film sheet is sliyhtly
wider than the continuous sheet of pastr~.
Preferably water is applied to the ~urface of the
pastry sheet prior to applyin~ the film sheet 20 thereto
the water tending to enhance adhesion between the two
sheets. The water may be applied using a water roller
however in a pre~erred form a plurality of nozzles (not
shown) are arranged at the station ~ust upstream from
the drive rolls and guides 15.
Cutting means 40 in the form of a powered
guillotine separates the continuous sheets into discrete
sheet units 71 and 72 of selected size. The guillotine
is disposed downstream of the station 5. Suitable
control means is provided to control operation of the
transport conveyor 9 and the guillotine.
The separate sheet units 71 and 72 are then
- transferred to a spacer means in the form of an
accelerating conveyor belt 35 which spaces adjacent
sheets apart at a desired distance. Such a belt is of
conventional form and it is not necessary to describe in
detail here.
The separate sheet units are then selectively
transferred to dellvery means in the form of conveyors
46 and 48 whose direction of travel is normal to the
direction of travel o~ the transport conveyor 9. The
delivery conveyors 4Ç and 48 are mounted on a carriage
member 49 ~Ihich is adapted to reciprocate in a direction
parallel to the direction of travel of the feed conveyor
and which is operable to move at substantially the same
speed as the conveyor 35 so that the sheets of material
~z~
can be transferred thereto with little or ro relative
movement between the two corveyo~ systems.
Referring to Figures 7 to 9 which show one of the
delivery conveyors 46 comprises a conveyor belt 50 ~hich
is driven by motor 51. The conveyor belt 50 is ~ounted
on a carriage member 49 which in~ludes a pair of guides
52 which run on tracks 56 supported by frame 58. A
power screw 53 is operatively connected to the carriage
by ball nut assemblies 5`4. The power screw is driven by
motors 55 and 59 one motor for use when the pastr~
products are transferred onto it from the conveyor 35
and the other for returning it to its initial position.
The motor which returns the carriage to its initial
position is adapted to move it much faster than the
other motor.
-Transfer me~ns comprising a gate 36 is operahle via
a photo-electric counter to permit the tr2nsfer of a
select number of sheets to delivery conveyor 46 and
thereafter enable a further select number of sheets to
be transferred to delivery conveyor 48.
The gate 36 is operable for movement between a
lowere~ position in which the sheets pass from conveyor
35 to conveyor 39 from which the sheets are transferred
~o delivery conveyor 4g, and an upper position in which
the sheets are transferred to delivery c~nveyor 46. The
gate 36 is actuated by solenoid 37 and lever 38.
The sheets when positioned on the delivery
conveyors 46 and 48 are now arranged with their leading
edges facing the direction of travel. The delivery
conveyors transfer the sheets to roll-up apparatus 85.
~,2~l2~16S
,1~
The roll-up apparatus cornprises a work station
which includes a conveyor belt 86 a leading edge pick-up
device 87 and a drag inducing member 88. Thus as the
leading edge of the pastry material approaches the
station a series of fingers which are pivotally mounted
pick-up the leading edge so that it is ~urned back on
itself whereafter this portinn engages the drag member
which is in the form of a chain wire mesh which thereby
at least partially rolls the two shèets together.
The partially rolled product is then transferred to -
a further station where rolling of the product is
completed. After rolling is completed the product can
be transferred to a packaging station where it is placed
in a package.
.~-
