Rolled food item fabricating apparatus and methods

Abstract

A rolled food item is fabricated by advancing food (14) and a sheet of support material (16) between the rollers (18, 20) of a strip sheeter (12) where the food (14) fills grooves (24) of the first roller (18) to deposit the food (14) in continuous strips on the support material (16). After passing through a cooling tunnel (58), the support material (16) is also cut into strips between the strips of food (14) in a first cutting section (62). The multiplicity of strips are then cut to lengths in a second cutting section (64). Labels (68) are secured to the trailing ends of the strips and the trailing ends of the strips are pressed by a label presser (70) to adhere the labels (68) to the strips. The strips are simultaneously rolled in a roll-up section (74) including a rotatable fork (76). Specifically, after the leading ends of the strips are inserted between the legs (78, 80) of the fork (76), the fork (76) is rotated to roll the strips on the fork (76). A pressure plate (90) is moved to abut with the rolls located on the fork (76) to adhere the trailing end portions of the labels (68) to the rolls. The fork (76) is moved transversely to axially slide the rolls from the fork (76). Guide fingers (96) are insertable between the strips to insure that the strips remain in their individual lanes while being rolled on the fork (76).