FR2521110A1 - Bakery proving chamber to hold trays of dough pieces - has side by side lowerer and elevator on top of tray transfer mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The prover is of the type in which each tray carried between a pair of horizontal support slides. The slides follow a path of elevation and descent so that a tray can be loaded in at the start and extracted at the end of the path. The prover comprises an elevation zone and a descent zone alongside each other in a direction transversal to the tray support slides. Each zone contains a set of spaced, superimposed, pairs of slides. Slides at the top of the two zones are in the same horizontal plane. Loaded trays are inserted at the top of the descent zone and extracted at the top of the elevation zone. Immediately below the two zones, a transfer mechanism accepts each tray as released at the bottom of the descent zone and moves it over to be picked up by slides of the elevation zone. The cabinet is for storing trays loaded with food, esp. trays carrying dough pieces for final proof before baking.

Description

 Device for storing trays, in particular intended to support bakery dough pieces and bakery installation comprising such a device.

 The invention relates to a device for storing trays, in particular intended to support bakery dough pieces, comprising superimposed horizontal slides, intended to receive the trays, and means for raising and lowering the slides to make them pass in front of front opening means allowing the introduction of the trays on the slides or the extraction of these trays.

 Various devices of this type are known for making it possible to store baking trays supporting bakeries supporting patons, (formed by dough of boulangerid, intended to rest or to ferment for a certain time, before being introduced into an oven. The oven trays generally comprise a rectangular frame of elongated shape covered with a canvas passing over rollers situated at the front and rear ends of the oven tray, in a known manner, the relative movements of the frame with respect to the canvas or vice versa allow the dough pieces to be placed on the oven floor or to remove them from this floor, when the tray is introduced into the oven.

Such trays can reach lengths of several meters, in particular of the order of 3 m and their manipulation by a single person is practically impossible without the aid of suitable means. In particular, the introduction of the tray into the hearth can be ensured using known lifting devices such as those of patent application FR no. 2 182 388) similarly
applicant company.
All these devices and devices for baking are generally installed in relatively small spaces where the baking oven is located.

It is therefore desirable that the size of each device or device is reduced to the minimum for a useful volume.
as high as possible; it is further desirable that the manipulations of the various devices be minimized in order to increase the efficiency of the installation.

 The object of the invention is, above all, to provide a device for storing the trays, in particular baking trays, which responds. better than so far to the various requirements of the practice and in particular such: that it makes it possible to achieve, at least in part, the aims mentioned above.

 According to the invention, a device for storing trays, in particular baking oven trays, of the kind defined above is characterized in that it comprises two zones arranged side by side in a direction transverse to the slides, each zone comprising slides one superimposed, one of the zones comprising means for lowering the slides and trays, these descent means being capable of releasing the plates at the low point of the zone, while the other zone comprises means for raising the slides and trays, these lifting means being suitable for taking over the trays at the low point of said zone, and that transfer means in a direction transverse to the slides are provided at the bottom of the device for receiving a tray at the bottom of the zone descent and to pass it to the bottom of the ascent area where it is supported by the above means of ascent.

 Advantageously, the ascent and descent means comprise at least one group of three closed loops of flexible links, in particular of chains, to which the slides are attached, these three loops constituting a central loop and two lateral loops, the flexible link of each loop comprising two vertical strands and passing over deflection members situated at the ends of the loop, at least one of these deflection members that can be driven in rotation Each loop is situated in a vertical plane oriented transversely with respect to the slides, the loops being separated one from the other, in the direction transverse to the slides, by a distance corresponding to the width of the plates.

The assembly is such that the two strands of the central loop are active, one of these strands contributing to the descent of the slides and the plates of the descent zone, while the other strand contributes to the rise for the zone of climb. For the two side loops, only the strand of each. loop located on the side of the central loop is active and contributes for one of the side loops to the ascent of the slides and trays and, for the other side loop, to the descent of the slides and trays.

 Preferably, a group of three closed loops is provided at each longitudinal end of the device and the loops of each group are located in the same transverse vertical plane.

 The device is generally closed by a front wall, and the opening means comprise an opening for extracting the trays provided in said wall and located towards the top of the climb zone, and an opening for introducing the trays located in said wall, towards the top of the descent zone, the extraction opening and the introduction opening being placed side by side and at the same height, but being offset in the direction transverse to the slides.

 Preferably, the extraction opening is situated towards the maximum level of rise of the plates, while the introduction opening, situated at the same height, is located at the start of the descent of the plates.

The transverse transfer means may comprise lifting means and transverse displacement means, the assembly being such that the lifting means take over a platform at the bottom of the descent zone to deposit it on the transverse displacement means which pass this platform in the climbing area, the lifting means then being able to take up this platform to lift it and to have it taken care of by the climbing means to the part
rise zone.

 The lifting means may comprise, in the vicinity of each longitudinal end of the device, two elevators with a deformable parallelogram associated with each raising and lowering zone, the upper branch of the elevator being horizontal and connected, by inclined branches, to the branch lower, while the transverse displacement means comprise a horizontal support and transverse drive means of the plate, when it rests on the support.

 The device for storing the trays is advantageously made, in the direction of the length, using three sub-assemblies, namely two end sub-assemblies and a median sub-assembly which are connected to each other in an adjustable manner along the direction of the length; each sub-assembly is preferably made using three modules with the possibility of adjustment in the direction transverse to the slides.

 The invention also relates to a bakery installation comprising a device for storing trays as defined above, a baking oven and an elevator for introducing the trays into the oven, this elevator being guided by a rail parallel to the front wall. of the oven, the installation being characterized in that the device for storing the trays is placed next to the oven with its front wall situated substantially in the same plane as that of the front wall of the oven, the guide rail of the elevator extending in front of the device for storing the trays so that by translating the elevator along the guide rail, it is possible to introduce or extract the trays from the device using the elevator used to load and unload the oven.

 The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of certain other arrangements which will be more explicitly discussed below in connection with a particular embodiment described with reference to the attached drawings, but which does not is in no way limiting.

 Figure 1 of these drawings is a schematic elevational view of a device for storing trays according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of this device.

 FIG. 3 is a diagram, in plan, of the framework of the device of the invention allowing adjustment of the width and the length of the device.

 FIG. 4, finally, is a diagram, in plan, of a bakery installation equipped with the device of the invention.

 Referring to the drawings, in particular to Figures 1 and 2, one can see a device D for storing oven trays 1 intended to support dough pieces p for bakery. The oven trays 1 are schematically represented; they are formed by conventional trays comprising a rigid frame in the form of an elongated rectangular frame comprising at its front end and at its rear end a roller a support fabric passes over these rollers and the transverse edges of the fabric are connected to one another. 'other, it is thus possible to create a relative movement between the canvas and the support frame by scrolling the canvas around the end rollers which allows, for a determined direction of movement, to deposit the dough pieces on the sole of an oven and, for a movement in the opposite direction, to bake the baked bread.

 The device D comprises horizontal2 superimposed slides intended to receive the trays, and means of raising M and descent L of the slides so as to make them pass in front of front opening means 0 allowing the introduction of the trays 1. onto the slides 2 or extracting these trays.

The device D comprises two zones A, B arranged side by side in a direction T (Figure 2) transverse to the slides, each zone comprising superimposed slides 2. Zone A comprises means L for descending the slides and plates, these means
L being suitable for releasing the plates at the low point of zone A as visible in FIG. 1. The other zone B comprises the lifting means M suitable for taking over the plates 1 at the low point of said zone B. Means transfer G in the direction T transverse to the slides are provided at the bottom of the device D to receive a tray 1 at the bottom of the descent zone A and to pass it at the bottom of the ascent zone B where it is taken load by the aforementioned means of ascent M.

 The ascent M and descent L means comprise, at each longitudinal end of the device D, a group F of three closed loops 3, 4, 5 each obtained using a flexible link, in particular a chain c passing over return members formed by toothed wheels 6,7 rotatably mounted at the upper and lower ends of the loop. The two corresponding toothed wheels of the two loops situated respectively at the front and at the rear of the device D (see FIG. 2) are wedged on the same longitudinal shaft such as 8 for the wheels 6. One of the wheels 6 or 7 is driven in rotation, for example by means of an electric motor and a drive chain cooperating with a pinion. The loop 4 forms the central loop, while the two loops 3 and 5 form lateral loops. Each loop is situated in a vertical plane oriented transversely with respect to the slides, preferably, the planes of the loops 3, 4 and 5 of the same group F are combined.

Each closed loop has two vertical strands to which the slides 2 are attached by any suitable means (screws, collars ...). The loops are spaced from each other so that the distance h between the strands facing one another, of two successive loops, is slightly greater than the width q of the plates 1.

 The two vertical strands 4a, 4b of the central loop 4 are active; the strand 4a located on the side of the zone A contributes to the descent of the slides 2 and of the plates 1 supported by these slides in this zone the other strand 4b located on the side of the rise zone B contributes to the rise of the plates. For the two lateral loops only the strand 3a for loop 3, or 5b for loop 5, located on the side of the central loop 4, is active and contributes to the descent of the plates for loop 3 or to the rise of the plates for loop 5.

 The device Dcomports walls separating the trays and the slides from the outside, so that the appearance of this device is that of a rectangular parallelepiped cabinet. Means may be provided for refrigerating the interior volume of the device D for prolonged storage of the patons.

 The opening means 0 are provided in the front wall 9 of the device, and comprise an opening 10 (FIG. 1) for extracting the plates and an opening 11 for introducing the plates. These two openings, in the form of a rectangular window elongated in the transverse direction T of the slides, are placed side by side in this direction T and at the same height as clearly visible in FIG. 1. The extraction opening 10 is located so that its mean line is towards the maximum level m of rise of the plates, while the introduction opening 11, located at the same level, corresponds to the start of the descent of the plates in zone A.

 The introduction or extraction of the plates 1 in the device is carried out in a direction orthogonal to the front wall 9 by sliding on the appropriate slides 2. The length of the plates 1 which can be of the order of 3 m is oriented in the direction of the slides 2, perpendicular to the wall 9; the new width of the plates is significantly less than the length of these plates. This width is generally between 50 cm and 1 m.

The slides 2 are advantageously constituted, at least for the slides associated with the loops 3 and 5, by angles hooked to the chains and preferably arranged so that their concavity is oriented upwards when the slides pass along the strands 3a or 5b. The slides 2 of the central loop 4 can advantageously be formed by profiles with a T cross section so that,
as well on the strand 4aque on the strand 4b, section turns its conicality upwards to receive the longitudinal edges of the plates 1.

The transverse transfer means comprise lifting means E and transverse displacement means K (FIGS. 1 and 2), the assembly being such that the lifting means E take over a platform at the bottom of the descent zone A to deposit it. on the transverse displacement means K, which pass this plate I into the rise zone B. The lifting means
E are suitable for taking up the plate 1 in order to lift it and have it taken over by the lifting means M at the bottom of the climbing area B.

The lifting means E comprise, in the vicinity of each of the two longitudinal ends of the arrangement, two elevators 12, 13 with an upper branch 14, 15 horizontal. The upper branch 14 of the elevator located at the bottom of the descent zone A is connected to the lower branch, also horizontal and serving as support by two parallel inclined branches 16, articulated at their ends respectively on the upper branch 14 and on the lower branch. The inclination of the branches 16 is such that during the descent of the upper branch 14, these branches 16 rotate clockwise around their lower end. Similarly, the elevator 13 has two inclined branches 17 , parallel to each other, articulated at their upper and lower ends respectively on the upper branch 15 and on the lower branch. The branches 17 are inclined in the opposite direction of the branches 16. The control of the elevators 12 and 13 located at the front and at the rear of the device D is synchronized and the bars 14 and 15 go up and down simultaneously so as to always be on the same level. Elevators 12 and 13 can be either below the front ends of the zones
A or B is slightly in front of or behind these zones if an overflow is provided forwards and backwards for the trays 1. The raising and lowering of the elevators 12 and 13 is advantageously controlled using of a drive chain device and an electric motor driving a pinion cooperating with the chain.

 The transverse displacement means K comprise, at the front and at the rear of the device D, beyond the risers 12 and 13, as visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, a horizontal support 18 situated at a height below the level maximum rise of the branches 14 and 15. A slide 19 is mounted on this support 18 so that it can be moved by any appropriate means, in particular by a chain describing a closed loop and driven in one direction or in the other, by pinion and electric motor , the slider being attached to this chain. This slider is provided with a cleat 20 situated on the side of this slider most distant from zone B and intended to come to cooperate with a longitudinal edge of a plate 1 to cause the zone A towards zone B.

 As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3, the framework of the device D is produced with the possibility of adjustment along the length and along the width. In the lengthwise direction, the device D is produced using three sub-assemblies, namely two end sub-assemblies 21, 22 and a median sub-assembly 23 connected to each other in an adjustable manner along the direction j of the length. These subassemblies are advantageously produced using square section tubes which fit into each other, the blocking of one subassembly relative to the other being ensured by pressure screws.

There is shown schematically by rectangles 24 dipsosed along two lines 25, 26 in dotted lines, the positions of the sockets and of the clamping screws on which it is necessary to intervene to allow the length adjustment of the device.

Each sub-assembly 21, 22, 23 is produced using three modules 21a, 21b, s21c; 22a, 22a, 22b, 22c and 23a, 23b, 23c with possibility of adjustment according to the direction
T transverse to the slides 2. It is also preferable to use the embossing of two square tubes, one in another, with tightening by pressure screw, to make this adjustment in width, the different areas of interlocking and of screw pressure are also schematically represented by rectangles such as 27.

 Thanks to these adjustment possibilities, the same modules and subassemblies can be used to make the devices D adapted to ovens of different dimensions, which leads to savings in production.

 Referring to Figure 4 we can see the plan diagram of a bakery installation comprising a baking oven 28 served by an elevator 29 permitting the baking and the baking of bakery products, using trays 1. The movements of the elevator 29 are guided, in front of the oven, by a rail 30 parallel to the front wall of the oven. A device -D according to the invention, for storing the oven trays, is placed next to the oven and the rail 30 extends in front of the front wall of the device D. Thus, the elevator 29 in translation along the rail 30 can serve both the device D, in order to introduce or extract the trays, and the oven 28. In Figure 4, the elevator has been shown in several positions of use.

 That said, the operation of the device D is as follows.

 The operation will be described by considering that the control and synchronization means (not shown) of the device D are arranged according to an embodiment at i allows an operator, by pressing a control button, to have the device perform D a cycle corresponding to the progression of an instance step separating two successive slides) of the ascent and descent means.

 We will assume that device D contains no tray 1. The operator fills device D as follows.

 A first plate 1 is introduced, through the opening 11, on the slides 2 located at the level of this opening. This introduction can be carried out manually or using an elevator such as 29.

 The operator then presses the control button which carries out a cycle, which is d a step forward of the descent means L and the ascent means M. Thus, the plate 1 descends into the zone A and the slides 2 following are presented at the opening 11. A new plate 1 is introduced.

 The operation is repeated until all available slides are used.

 When a plate 1 arrives at the bottom of zone A, the transfer of this plate from zone A to zone B is effected in the following manner.

 We consider the plate 1 supported by the slides 2 located substantially at the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the lower toothed wheels 7.

 When the operator presses the control button, the lowering and raising means L and M are put into action the lower toothed wheel 7, loops 3 and 5, rotates clockwise, while the toothed wheel - lower 7 of the loop 4 rotates anti-clockwise.

 The lifting means 12 and 13 are in the high position so that the horizontal upper branch 14 is at a short distance from the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the toothed wheels 7.

 Due to the rotation of these wheels 7, the slides 2 supporting the plate deviate from one another by engaging on the lower half circumference of the wheels 7 and release the plate 1 which is received on the horizontal branches 14 provided at the two longitudinal ends of the device D.

The control and synchronization means are arranged in such a way that the rotation of the wheels 7 stops automatically, and momentarily, when the slides 2 arrive in the vertical plane passing through the centers of the lower and upper toothed wheels.
7 and 6 of the same loop.

 The lowering of the lifting means 12 and 13 is then automatically controlled so that the plate 1 comes to rest on the slide 19 and the horizontal support 18. The lifting means 12 and 13 continue their descent so as to move away from the plate 1.

The transverse displacement means K are then automatically controlled so that the slide 19 and the cleat 20 drive the plate 1 towards
the lower part of the rise zone B, by passing below the toothed wheels 7 of the central loop 4.

 When the bucket grout 19 has correctly placed the plate 1 at the bottom of the zone B, the rise of the lifting means 12 and 13 is controlled, for example by an end of stroke contact actuated by the slider 19 or the plate supported by this slider .

 The plate 1 is then taken up by the horizontal upper branches 15 of the risers 13 situated at the two ends of the device D and is raised by these risers 13 until it comes close to the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the lower toothed wheels 7.

The starting of the descent means L and the
rise means M is again automatically controlled
so that a half step, intended to complete the half step
previously performed, either performs.

During this second half step, the slides 2
loops 4 and 5 which were below the
toothed wheels 7, vertically from the center of these wheels
get closer to each other and take charge
the plate 1 supported by the elevator 13, to bring it
at the horizontal plane passing through the centers
wheels 7. The assembly then stops.

A complete step has therefore been taken, with transfer
a tray 1 from the bottom of zone A to the bottom of zone B.

The elevators 12 and 13 remain in position
high to be ready to receive the next tray 1,
coming from zone A, at the next operating step.

 he new operator preset on the cnde button would trigger a new step.

When the device D is loaded with the trays 1 for the
manufacturing bread or the like, these trays support dough pieces p.

When after a stay test considers sufficient in device D,
the operator wishes to recover the trays 1, he removes them one after the other
the others through the opening 10 either manually or using the elevator, the height adjustment of which remains the same as for the introduction.

When the elevator is loaded with a tray 1 compor
both the dough pieces, in the case of an installation such
than that shown in Figure 4, just a
translation of this elevator to bring it in front of the
oven and, after adjusting the height of this elevator,
introduce the patons into the oven.

Tray 1 emptied of its skins is removed from the oven
then, after possibly being charged again, is
reintroduced through the opening 11 in the device n
The device of the invention makes it possible to store, under a
reduced volume, a maximum of trays, and allows a
introduction and extraction of simple trays and
fast.

 This storage device can be placed directly in the bakehouse, as shown in Figure 4, or in a temperature-controlled chamber.

Claims (9)

Claims  1. Device for storing trays (1), in particular intended to support bakery patons, comprising superimposed horizontal slides (2), intended to receive the trays, and means for raising (M) and lowering (L) slides for scrolling in front of front opening means (O) allowing the introduction of the trays on the slides or the extraction of these trays characterized in that it comprises two zones (A, B) arranged side by side in a direction (T) transverse to the slides (2), each zone comprising superimposed slides, one (A) of the zones comprising means of descent (L) of the slides and plates, these means of descent (L) being suitable for releasing the plates (1) at the low point of the zone (A), while the other zone (B) comprises means for raising (M) the slides and plates, these means for raising (M) being clean to take over the trays (1) at the low point of said area, and that s transfer means (G) in a direction transverse to the slides are provided at the bottom of the device to receive a tray (1) at the bottom of the descent zone and to pass it at the bottom of the ascent zone where it is supported by the above means of ascent.  2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the raising and lowering means comprise at least one group (F) of three closed loops (3, 4,5) of flexible links, in particular of chains (C), to which the slides (2) are hooked, these three loops constituting a central loop (4) and two lateral loops (3, 5), the flexible link of each loop comprising two vertical strands and passing over return members (6, 7) located at the ends of the loop, at least one of these deflection members that can be rotated, each loop being located in a vertical plane oriented transversely to the slides (2), the loops being spaced apart from one other along the direction transverse to the slides of a distance (h) corresponding to the width (q) of the plates, the assembly being such that the two strands (a, 4b) of the central loop (4) are active, the one of these strands (4a) contributing to the descent of the slides while the aut re strand (4b) contributes to the rise, whereas, for the two lateral loops (5 3), only the strand (5b, 3a) of each loop located on the side of the central loop (4) is active and contributes for the 'one of the side loops (5) at the rise of the slides (2) and for the other loop (3), at the descent of the slides.  3. Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the loops (3, 4, 5) of a group (F) are located in the same transverse vertical plane, such a group (F) of three closed loops being provided in particular at each longitudinal end of the device.  4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, closed by a front wall in which the opening means (O) are provided, characterized in that these opening means (o) comprise an extraction opening (10 ) of the trays located in said front wall, towards the top of the rise zone (B) and an introduction opening (11) of the trays located in said wall towards the top of the descent zone (A), these openings d 'extraction and introduction (10, 11) being placed side by side and at the same height.  5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the extraction opening (lo) is located towards the maximum level of rise of the plates (1) while the introduction opening (10) is located at a level corresponding to the start of the descent of the plateaus.  6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transverse transfer means (G) comprise lifting means (E) and transverse displacement means (K), the assembly being such as the lifting means (E) take charge of a plate (1) at the bottom of the descent zone (A) to deposit it on the transverse displacement means (K) which pass this plate (1) into the ascent zone (B), the lifting means (E) then being able to take up this plate to lift it and to have it taken care of by the lifting means (M) at the bottom of the lifting zone (B).  7. Device according to claim 6 characterized in that the lifting means (E) comprise, in the vicinity of each longitudinal end of the device, two elevators (13, 12) with deformable parallelogram associated with each rising (B) and lowering area (A), the upper branch (15, 14) of the elevator being horizontal and connected, by inclined branches (17, 16) to the lower branch, while the transverse displacement means (K) comprise a horizontal support ( 18) and transverse drive means (19, 20) of the plate, when it rests on the support (18).  8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is produced, in the direction of the length, using three sub-assemblies, namely two end sub-assemblies (21 , 22) and a median sub-assembly (23) connected to each other in an adjustable manner along the length direction (j), each sub-assembly being produced in particular using three modules with the possibility of adjustment in the direction (T) transverse to the slides (2).  9. Bakery installation comprising a device (D) according to any one of the preceding claims, a baking oven (28) and an elevator (29) for introducing the trays (1) into the oven, this elevator being guided by a rail (30 ) parallel to the front wall of the oven, characterized in that the device (D) for storing the trays is placed next to the oven (28) with its front wall located substantially in the same plane as that of the front wall of the oven , the guide rail (30) of the elevator (29) extending in front of the device - to store the plates so that by a translation of the elevator along the guide rail, it is possible to introduce or extract the trays from the device using the elevator used to load and unload the oven.