RONCADIN, Renzo (Via Piandipan 49, Fiume Veneto, I-33080, IT)
| CLAIMS
1. An oven for the industrial baking of food, particularly bread, pizzas or the like, comprising at least one frame for supporting a food baking chamber and at least one combustion chamber for at least one solid fuel for the thermal transfer of heat to said baking chamber, said combustion chamber being provided with at least one opening for introducing said solid fuel; means for feeding said solid fuel into said combustion chamber to introduce said solid fuel into said combustion chamber upon reaching a minimum threshold temperature in said combustion chamber and/or in said baking chamber; characterized in that it comprises means for stocking said solid fuel that define at least one region for unloading at least one predefmable dose of said solid fuel which is connected to said feeding means for the programmed introduction of said predefmable dose in said combustion chamber. 2. The oven according to claim 1, characterized in that said stocking means define at least one region for loading the solid fuel and comprise means for transferring said loaded solid fuel at least from said loading region to said unloading region.
3. The oven according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said stocking means comprise at least one element for collecting at least one discrete quantity of said solid fuel in said loading region, which is associated with said transfer means for the transfer of said collecting element at least from said loading region to said unloading region.
4. The oven according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said stocking means comprise at least one element for collecting at least one discrete quantity of said solid fuel in said loading region, which defines a surface for the sliding of said solid fuel that is substantially inclined with respect to said frame and is interposed between said loading region and said unloading region for the transfer of said solid fuel from said loading region to said unloading region, said collection means and said transfer means being provided integrally.
5. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stocking means comprise a plurality of said collecting elements which are arranged mutually in series and/or in parallel. 6. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 3 and 5, characterized in that said collecting elements are associated slidingly with respect to said frame for the transport of said solid fuel from said loading region to said unloading region.
7. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 3, 5 and 6, characterized in that said transfer means comprise at least one continuous bucket conveyor, said conveyor comprising at least one flexible element that is closed on itself in a loop and is wound around at least one driven roller and at least one roller that is motorized by motor means, said collecting elements being associated with said flexible element and being arranged mutually in series and forming a series of buckets of said conveyor.
8. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said feeding means comprise a framework that is associated with said frame at the outer walls of said combustion chamber and at least one container for loading said solid fuel which is associated so that it can slide and/or rotate with said framework and can move between a first configuration for collecting said solid fuel stocked by said stocking means and a second configuration for the movement of said taken solid fuel toward said insertion opening in order to feed it into said combustion chamber.
9. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stocking means are associated in a region of said frame that lies substantially above said insertion opening, said collecting elements being arranged above said loading container and said loading container being arranged above said insertion opening; the transfer of said solid fuel from said collecting element to said loading container and from said loading container to said insertion opening occurring by gravity fall of said solid fuel.
10. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stocking means are associated laterally and/or below said frame, defining a resting and conveyance surface for said solid fuel, said insertion opening being associated with said combustion chamber at a height that is substantially equal to the height of said resting and conveyance surface, said feeding means comprising at least one pusher that is associated slidingly with said frame proximate to said insertion opening and being adapted to push said solid fuel from said collecting element that faces said insertion opening into said combustion chamber.
1 1. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for the removable closure of said insertion opening, which comprise at least one hatch which is associated so that it can oscillate and/or slide with respect to said frame.
12. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 9 and 1 1 , characterized in that said hatch is associated with said frame so that it can oscillate with respect to a substantially horizontal axis and can move between a closed configuration and an open configuration of said insertion opening, the surface of said hatch that is directed toward said combustion chamber in said open configuration forming a chute for connection between said loading container and said insertion opening for the gravity fall of said solid fuel into said combustion chambei . 13. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the temperature inside at least one between said baking chamber and said combustion chamber.
14. The oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an automated unit for the management and control of said feeding means, said stocking means and said closure means, which is controlled by said temperature detection means to activate said stocking means, said feeding means and said closure means for the programmed feeding of said solid fuel into said combustion chamber.
15. Use of wooden material in pellets as solid fuel in ovens for the industrial baking of foods, particularly bread, pizzas or the like. |
OVEN FOR THE INDUSTRIAL BAKING OF FOOD, PARTICULARLY BREAD, PIZZAS OR THE LIKE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an oven for the industrial baking of foods, particularly bread, pizzas or the like. Background Art
Many types of oven dedicated to the baking of food are known. In particular, the industrial production of pizzas and/or bread, mostly distributed in a frozen state after precooking, uses ovens constituted generally by a heated tunnel inside which the pizzas are made to advance on a system of conveyor belts.
The architecture of traditional ovens can be of different types depending on the type of heating system and baking system used: wood- fired, methane gas-fired, or combined, i.e., providing the simultaneous combustion of wood and methane gas.
In any case, in almost all known ovens there is a combustion chamber, inside which the combustible substances are burnt and the hot combustion gases form and are subsequently directed into the tunnel in which the pizzas advance in order to heat them and bake them. After flowing over the pizzas, the hot combustion gases exit from the oven through a series of stacks arranged at the top of the tunnel and proximate to the resting surface of the food, which is defined by the upper forward-moving portion of the conveyor belt.
In particular, tunnel ovens are known which have automated means for feeding the wood into the combustion chamber in order to feed predefined doses of such fuel upon reaching a minimum threshold temperature in the combustion chamber and/or in such baking chamber.
In particular, the operator places the piece of wood to be fed on such automated feeding means, which on demand, dictated by the thermal drop detected in the combustion and/or baking chamber, move the piece of wood
into such combustion chamber.
These known types of oven are not free from drawbacks, which include the fact that feeding the wood by means of the feeding means requires the intervention of the operator, who must rest the piece of wood on such feeding means and therefore must be present whenever it is necessary to stoke the flame.
It is further stressed that the organoleptic characteristics of the pizzas and/or bread obtained by baking with gas-fired ovens are considered by experts as being of lower quality than those of pizzas baked in wood-fired ovens.
However, the fact that wood-fired ovens are more complex from a structural and architectural viewpoint with respect to gas-fired ones must be considered; in fact, while the combustion of the gas is performed by means of a conventional electronically controlled burner, combustion in wood- fired ovens requires the presence of ducts for introducing the oxidizing air and of hatches for accessing the combustion chamber, through which the pieces of wood are introduced manually by an operator.
Further, it is also to be considered that the manual or partially automated insertion of the wood entails the risk that the operator may come into contact with fire, may be more onerous in terms of labor, and may entail significant costs both during production and installation and for their management and maintenance. Disclosure of the Invention
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the background art, by providing an oven for the industrial baking of food, particularly bread, pizzas or the like, which allows to optimize the automated steps for feeding the fuel into the combustion chamber while minimizing the intervention of the assigned operators.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to allow at the same time the production of food having high organoleptic characteristics
and of ensuring good autonomy of the oven for industrial use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an oven which is particularly convenient from an economic standpoint, allowing to reduce greatly production, installation, management and labor costs with respect to traditional ovens.
Further, another object of the invention is to provide an oven which ensures high stability and regularity of the temperature within the baking chamber, this leading to a high quality of the baking of the food and at the same time to a reduction in costs and fuel consumption. Another object of the present invention is to be able to operate in conditions of maximum safety for the protection of the personnel that works in the vicinity, reducing its maintenance and programming burdens.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and of relatively low costs.
This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by the present oven for the industrial baking of food, particularly bread, pizzas or the like, comprising at least one frame for supporting a food baking chamber and at least one combustion chamber for at least one solid fuel for the thermal transfer of heat to said baking chamber, said combustion chamber being provided with at least one opening for introducing said solid fuel; means for feeding said solid fuel into said combustion chamber to introduce said solid fuel into said combustion chamber upon reaching a minimum threshold temperature in said combustion chamber and/or in said baking chamber; characterized in that it comprises means for stocking said solid fuel that define at least one region for unloading at least one predefinable dose of said solid fuel which is connected to said feeding means for the programmed introduction of said predefinable dose in said combustion chamber.
Brief description of the drawings
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an oven for the industrial baking of food, particularly bread, pizzas or the like, illustrated by way of non- limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure I a is a first perspective view of a first embodiment of the oven according to the invention;
Figure I b is a second perspective view of the first embodiment of the oven according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the oven according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 2, of the oven according to the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the stocking means of the oven according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the stocking and feeding means of the oven according to the invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the stocking and feeding means of the oven according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the Invention
With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an oven for the industrial baking of food, particularly bread, pizzas or the like. The oven 1 comprises a supporting frame 2 for a tunnel-shaped baking chamber 3, which is for example elongated longitudinally and is provided with two mutually opposite open ends ,which respectively form an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 for the food.
In practice, the baking chamber 3 is defined by the joining of a series of longitudinal wall: a bottom wall 6, an upper wall 7 and two side walls 8.
By way of example, a line for the advancement of food is arranged inside the baking chamber 3 and runs between the inlet 4 and the outlet 5.
Such advancement line can be of the type of a conveyor belt with plates 9, which is wound around a pair of motorized cylinders 10 arranged at the ends of the baking chamber 3 and is divided into an upper forward portion, on which the food being baked advances, and into a lower return portion.
A combustion chamber 1 1 is associated with the frame 2, and a solid and/or gaseous fuel is burnt therein. The combustion chamber 1 1 is suitable for the thermal transfer of heat to the baking chamber 3.
Advantageously, the solid fuel is of the type of a fuel made of wooden material, for example blocks of wood or pellets.
The combustion chamber 1 1 is arranged for example adjacent to the walls 6 and 8 of the baking chamber 3, on which walls there is, for example, a plurality of openings 12 for the passage of the hot combustion gases from the combustion chamber 1 1 to the baking chamber 3.
The combustion chamber 1 1 has at least one insertion opening 13 that is associated with the frame 2 in order to introduce the solid fuel into such combustion chamber.
The oven 1 further comprises means for feeding the solid fuel, designated in the various embodiments by the reference numerals 14a, 14b,
14c, into the combustion chamber 1 1 to feed the solid fuel into such combustion chamber upon reaching a minimum threshold temperature in the combustion chamber 1 1 and/or in the baking chamber 3.
Particularly, for the purposes of the present invention, the oven 1 comprises means for stocking the solid fuel, designated by the reference numerals 15a, 15b, 15c in the various embodiments, which form respectively a region 16a, 16b, 16c for loading the solid fuel to be stocked and a region 17a, 17b, 17c for unloading a predefinable dose of such solid
fuel stocked previously.
The unloading region 17a, 17b, 17c, in particular, is connected to the feeding means 14a, 14b, 14c for programmed introduction of the predefinable dose of solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1. The stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c comprise means for transferring the solid fuel at least between the loading region 16a, 16b, 16c and the unloading region 17a, 17b, 17c.
The stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c comprise at least one element 18a, 18b, 18c for collecting at least one discrete quantity of the solid fuel at least in the loading region 16a, 16b, 16c.
Advantageously, the stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c comprise a plurality of collecting elements 18a, 18b, 18c, which are arranged in series and/or in parallel to each other.
In a first embodiment of the feeding means 14a and of the stocking means 15a, shown in Figures Ia, Ib and 4, the element 18a for collecting at least one discrete quantity of such solid fuel in the loading region 16a is associated with the transfer means for the transfer of such collecting element at least from the loading region 16a to the unloading region 17a.
In such first embodiment, the stocking means 15a and in particular the transfer means comprise at least one continuous bucket conveyor, which is provided with at least one flexible element 19a, for example of the type of a chain, which is closed in a loop and is wound around at least one driven roller 20a and at least one roller 21a that is motorized by independent and reversible motor means; the collecting elements 18a are associated with the flexible element 19a, are arranged mutually in series and define the series of buckets of the conveyor.
It is possible to accommodate within each collecting element 18a one or more blocks of pellets or wood, which will define the dose of solid fuel to be fed into the combustion chamber 1 1 on demand. In a second embodiment of the feeding means 14b and of the stocking
means 15b, shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the collecting element 18b defines at least one sliding surface 22 that is substantially inclined with respect to the side walls of the frame 2 and is interposed between the loading region 16b and the unloading region 17b for the transfer of the solid fuel from such loading region to such unloading region.
In this embodiment, in particular, the collecting elements 18b and the transfer means are integral with respect to each other.
Advantageously, the sliding surface 22 is provided with lateral shoulders 23 for the guided sliding of the solid fuel from the loading region 16b to the unloading region 17b.
In particular, the collecting elements 18b are such as to accommodate a plurality of blocks of solid fuel that are arranged in series to each other and are adapted to slide from the loading region 16b to the unloading region 17b along such sliding surface defined by the collecting element 18b. In the first and second embodiments of the feeding means 14a, 14b and of the stocking means 1 5a, 15b, advantageously such feeding means comprise a framework 24a, 24b, which is associated with the frame 2 at the outer walls of the combustion chamber 1 1, and at least one container 25a, 25b for loading the predefined dose of solid fuel. The loading container 25a, 25b is associated slidingly and/or rotatably with the framework 24a, 24b and can move between a first configuration for collecting the solid fuel stocked by the stocking means 15a, 15b and a second configuration for the approach of the taken solid fuel toward the insertion opening 13 to feed it into the combustion chamber 1 1 . Further, in the first and second embodiments of the feeding means
14a, 14b and of the stocking means 1 5a, 15b, such stocking means are associated advantageously in a region that lies substantially above the insertion opening 13 of the frame 2.
In turn, the collecting elements 18a, 18b are arranged above the loading container 25a, 25b and such loading container is arranged above the
insertion opening 13.
Transfer of the solid fuel from the collecting element 18a, 18b to the loading container 25a, 25b and from such loading container to the insertion opening 13 occurs by gravity falling of the solid fuel, particularly of one or more blocks of pellets or wood at a time.
In particular, the loading container 25a, 25b, by rotating about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis, tips the solid fuel, taken from the collecting element 18a, 18b, into the insertion opening 13 arranged below it.
The feeding means 14a, in the first embodiment, comprise at least one linear actuator 26, a stem 27 of which is associated rotatably with the loading container 25a and a body 28 of which is jointly associated with the frame 2 for the rotary translational motion of such loading container.
In a third embodiment of the feeding means 14c and of the stocking means 15c, shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, the element 18c for collecting at least one discrete quantity of solid fuel in the loading region 16c is associated with the transfer means for the transfer of such collecting element at least from the loading region 16c to the unloading region 17c.
Such stocking means are associated laterally and/or in a lower region with the frame 2, defining a surface for supporting and conveying the solid fuel. The insertion opening 13 is associated for example with the combustion chamber 1 1 at a height that is substantially equal to the height defined by such support and transport plane.
In particular, in such third embodiment, the stocking means 15c comprise a plurality of collecting elements 18c, which are arranged mutually in series, and in particular the transfer means comprise at least one continuous bucket conveyor, as described above, which is provided with at least one flexible element 19c, for example of the type of a chain, which is closed in a loop onto itself and is wound onto at least one driven roller 20c and at least one motorized roller 21c by independent and reversible motor means: the collecting elements 18c are associated with the flexible element
19c, are arranged mutually in series, and define the series of buckets of the conveyor.
It is possible to accommodate in each collecting element 18c one or more blocks of pellets or wood, which will define the dose of solid fuel to be fed into the combustion chamber 1 1 on demand.
In this third embodiment of the feeding means 14c and of the stocking means 15c, in particular, the collecting elements 18c and the loading container 25 may be separate, as illustrated in Figure 3, or the collecting elements 18c can be used also as loading container and thus the collecting elements 18c and the loading container 25 coincide. The feeding means 14c comprise at least one pusher 29, which is associated slidingly with the frame 2 proximate to the insertion opening 13 and is such as to push the solid fuel from the collecting element 18c, which faces such insertion opening, into the combustion chamber 1 1. The pusher 29, for example, is of the type of a fluid-operated linear actuator, in which a piston 30 is adapted to make contact with the solid fuel in order to push it into the insertion opening 13.
The piston 30 is arranged substantially transversely to the direction defined by the bucket conveyor from the loading region 16c to the unloading region 17c and is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blocks of solid fuel to push them along a direction that is substantially parallel to such longitudinal axis.
In particular, in this manner the insertion opening 13 can have a reduced inlet opening, which therefore is slightly larger than the cross- section of the solid fuel blocks transversely to their longitudinal axis.
The oven 1 comprises means for the removable closure of the insertion opening 13, which comprise at least one hatch 31 a, 31b, 31c that is associated so that it can oscillate and/or slide with respect to the frame 2.
In the first and second embodiments of the feeding means 14a, 14b and of the stocking means 15a, 15b, in particular, the hatch 31a, 31b is
associated so that it can oscillate with the frame 2 with respect to a substantially horizontal axis and can move between a configuration for closing the insertion opening 13 and a configuration for opening it by way of actuation means 32a, 32b, for example, of the type of an additional fluid- operated linear actuator or other technically equivalent means.
In particular, a stem 33a, 33b of the actuation means 32a, 32b is associated rotatably with the hatch 31a, 31b, and a body 34a, 34b thereof is associated rotatably with the frame 2 for the rotation of such hatch.
The surface of the hatch 31a, 31b that is directed toward the combustion chamber 1 1, when such hatch is in the open configuration, forms advantageously a chute for connection between the loading container
25a, 25b and the insertion opening 13 for the gravity fall of the solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1.
In the first embodiment, the loading container 25a can be connected to the hatch 31 a by way of a lever system for converting the motion of such hatch into a rotation of the loading container 25a to unload the solid fuel contained therein into the combustion chamber 1 1.
Advantageously, the closure means comprise at least one bed 35a, 35b, which is associated rotatably with the hatch 31a, 31b and is adapted to form, with such hatch in the open configuration, an inclined plane for the rolling of the solid fuel for connection, without discontinuities, between the loading container 25a, 25b and the insertion opening 13 in order to introduce such solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1.
Particularly, in the second embodiment the feeding means 14b comprise means for converting the rotary motion of the hatch 31b into the rotary motion of the loading container 25b.
The conversion means comprise at least one bracket 36, which is jointly associated with the loading container 25b and is provided with an elongated slot 37, within which a pin 38 associated with the hatch 31b slides and is guided. The rotation of the bracket 36 with respect to a substantially
horizontal axis caused by the opening rotation of the hatch 31b is such as to cause the rotation of the loading container 25b in order to discharge the solid fuel contained therein into the combustion chamber 1 1.
As an alternative, the conversion means can comprise a linear actuator for guiding the rotation of the loading container 25b.
In the third embodiment of the feeding means 14c and of the stocking means 15c, in particular, the hatch 3 1 c is associated slidingly with the frame 2 and can move between a configuration for closing the insertion opening 13 and a configuration for opening such insertion opening by way of actuation means 32c, for example of the type of a fluid-operated linear actuator or other technically equivalent means.
In particular, the stem 33c of the actuation means 32c is jointly associated with the hatch 31c and the body 34c is jointly associated with the frame 2 for the translational motion of such hatch. The oven 1 can have a plurality of insertion openings 13 and/or combustion chambers 1 1 , each of which is controlled, as described above, by the feeding means 14a 14b, 14c and by the stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c.
The first, second and third embodiments of the oven 1 may be present simultaneously in the same oven 1 or may be present in one or more combinations depending on the constructive and space occupation requirements of such oven.
The combustion chamber 1 1 of the oven 1 , for example, is divided into a plurality of first combustion compartments 39 and second combustion compartments 40, which are distributed along the baking chamber 3. Each first compartment 39 is delimited by a masonry structure that is supported by the frame 2 around a corresponding longitudinal portion of the baking chamber 3 and in particular runs adjacent to the upper wall 7 and to the side walls 8.
The second compartments 40 are arranged below the bottom wall 6 of the baking chamber 3 and are delimited by a corresponding number of
masonry partitions that run transversely to the longitudinal direction of the oven 1.
The first and second compartments, respectively 39 and 40, each comprises bases 41 for supporting the solid fuel, which are arranged adjacent to the side walls 8 on opposite sides of the baking chamber 3 or below it. Such supporting bases are constituted by corresponding gratings on which, during use, the solid fuel to be burnt is arranged.
Each first and second compartment, respectively 39 and 40, is further provided for example with means for removing the ash produced by the solid fuel, which are constituted in particular for example by a tray for collecting ash, which is arranged below each grating and is associated with the frame 2 slidingly and substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the baking chamber 3.
The ash produced by the combustion of the solid fuel, in practice, passes by gravity through the mesh of the grating and falls into the trays, from which it can be removed periodically once they have been extracted from the oven 1.
Conveniently, in each first and/or second compartment, respectively 39 and/or 40, it is possible to provide gas-fired burners 42, which are arranged on opposite sides of the baking chamber 3 and proximate to the resting bases 41 , for example below them.
In particular, the first and second type of stocking means 15a, 15b and of corresponding feeding means 14a, 14b are controlled by the first compartments 39 for introducing the solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1 and therefore in such first compartments.
In particular, the third type of stocking means 15c and of feeding means 14c are controlled by the second compartments 40 in order to introduce the solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1 and therefore into such second compartments. Advantageously, the oven 1 has an automated unit for managing and
controlling the opening/closure of the hatches 3 1 a, 3 1b, 3 1c and the activation of the feeding means 14a, 14b, 14c and of the burners 42; such unit, of the type of a PLC and/or of a computer, is not shown in detail in the figures. The operation of the automated management and control unit, and therefore of the closure means, of the feeding means 14, 14b, 14c, of the stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c and of the burners 42 is controlled by means for detecting the temperature inside the baking chamber 3 and/or the combustion chamber 1 1 , which are of the type of a series of thermocouples distributed along the oven 1.
According to requirements, the operation of the oven 1 provides for the combustion of solid fuel alone, of fuel gas alone, or in a combined manner, i.e., by burning both fuels.
The operation of the oven is entrusted to a program of the automated management and control unit, which controls ignition and shut down at preset times and the automatic management of the temperatures in the various regions of the oven 1 by controlling the feeding of fuel into the compartments 39 and 40, allowing uniformity of baking on all the food that advances even in case of considerable width of the baking chamber 3. In this regard, it is noted that when the temperature detected in a given point of the oven 1 drops below the minimum threshold value provided by the program, the system reacts automatically by actuating the introduction of further solid fuel and/or the sending of fuel gas to the corresponding burners 42. The oven 1 comprises means, not shown in the figure, for example of the acoustic and/or luminous type, which are associated with the stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c and can be activated in the configuration of complete unloading of such stocking means or of each collecting element 18a, 18b, 18c. The oven 1 further comprises means 43 for recovering the dust
produced by the transport of the solid fuel, which are associated with the frame 2 below at least one of the stocking means 15a, 15b, 15c, the feeding means 14a, 14b, 14 and the insertion opening 13.
The recovery means 43 comprise for example at least one tray for collecting the dust that falls from the stocked and fed solid fuel, by which the dust can be introduced in the combustion chamber 1 1.
The operation of the oven according to the present invention is as follows.
As regards the first embodiment, the step for loading the stocking means can occur manually or by way of robotized means for conveying the solid fuel.
The loading region and the unloading region, respectively 16a and
17a, in this first embodiment coincide, and the stepwise retraction from the loading region 16a of the collecting element 18a thus filled with the solid fuel is such as to make available a subsequent collecting element 18a for its loading.
Once the step for loading the collecting elements 18a has ended, it is sufficient to reverse the motion of the motorized roller 21a and therefore the stepwise advancement, upon request by the detection means, of the collecting elements 18a is such as to unload into the unloading region 17a, and therefore into the loading container 25a, the predefined dose of solid fuel in order to feed the combustion chamber 1 1.
Subsequently, the loading container 25a is actuated to perform a substantially vertical translational motion for approach to the insertion opening 13.
When the loading container is proximate to such insertion opening, the rotation of the hatch 31 a and of such loading container is activated for the gravity unloading of the dose of solid fuel in the loading container 25a in the combustion chamber 1 1 , no operator intervention being required. As regards the second embodiment of the stocking means 15b and of
the feeding means 14b, the time-controlled rotation imposed by the actuation means 32b for the opening of the hatch 3 1b is such as to rotationally actuate also the loading container 25b, so that the dose of solid fuel contained therein is tipped onto the internal surface of such hatch and thus into the combustion chamber 1 1.
The bottom of the inverted loading container 25b is such as to retain the contained solid fuel that has not been taken, and when such loading container is returned to the loading configuration, it is such as to accommodate internally an additional dose of solid fuel for subsequent feeding to the combustion chamber 1 1.
As regards the third embodiment of the stocking means 15c and the feeding means 14c, loading of the solid fuel occurs by arranging the blocks of wood or pellets in the collecting elements 18c in the loading region 16c. The stepwise advancement of the loaded collecting element 18c makes available a subsequent collecting element 18c, until a sufficient number of such collecting elements has been filled.
Moreover, the stepwise advancement of the collecting elements 18c is such as to produce the stepwise approach of the solid fuel contained therein to the unloading region 17c. Once a block of wood or pellet substantially faces the insertion opening 13, the automated unit, in response to the detection means, is such as to activate by sliding the hatch 31c to open the insertion opening 13 and activate the pusher 29 for the introduction of the solid fuel into the combustion chamber 1 1 . In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects and in particular the fact is stressed that the oven according to the invention allows to optimize the automated steps for feeding the fuel into the combustion chamber, minimizing the intervention of assigned operators. Further, the invention as conceived allows at the same time to
produce food with high-level organoleptic characteristics and ensures good autonomy of the oven for industrial use.
The invention in fact allows to reduce greatly the costs for production, installation, management and labor with respect to traditional ovens and to operate in maximum safety conditions for the health of the personnel operating in the vicinity, reducing its maintenance and programming burdens, and to have a structure that is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and of relatively low costs. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MO2008A000139 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
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