Method and apparatus for stretching bread dough and the like

摘要

A bread-dough stretching apparatus includes a rotating member having a plurality of planetary rollers that revolve along a circular path, and a conveying device which is positioned below the rotating member and is spaced apart from the rotating member to allow passage of the bread dough between the rotating member and the conveying device. Each of the planetary rollers is rotatably supported by a shaft, and the conveying device includes a plurality of rollers positioned opposite the planetary rollers. The space separating the rollers of the conveying device and the rotating member gradually decreases from the inlet to the outlet of the conveying device. The rollers of the conveying device are rotated at speeds which gradually increase from an upstream roller to a downstream roller of the conveying device. The dough conveyed on the conveying device is subjected to vibrations imparted by the planetary rollers of the rotating member, thereby causing a temporary increase in fluidity due to thixotropy which allows stretching of the dough without loss of elasticity.