METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING AND CUTTING POUCHED DOUGH PRODUCTS

摘要

A crimping and cutting apparatus includes a movable frame supported on a fixed frame positioned over a conveyor carrying various rows of extruded dough products. A drive unit is provided to both a) oscillate the movable frame in the first axial direction relative to the fixed frame and b) cyclically shift a crimping element in the second axial direction wherein, during a portion of operation, the crimping element is caused to engage the conveyor to crimp and cut the dough moving along the conveyor into individual dough products while the movable frame simultaneously shifts in the first axial direction in unison with the dough on the conveyor. The crimping element is specifically caused to remain in engagement with the conveyor for a dwell time while shifting in unison with the dough for a predetermined distance prior to being vertically repositioned above the dough.