Automatic cruller machine

Claim 1

A CRULLER PRODUCING MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES A DOUGH FEEDING DEVICE, SAID DOUGH FEEDING DEVICE HAVING AN EXTRUDING APERTURE TO CONTROL THE WIDTH OF THE DOUGH EXTRUDED, A COOKING TANK FILLED WITH SHORTENING TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL AND MAINTAINED AT A COOKING TEMPERATURE, A FIRST CONVEYOR SYSTEM TO CARRY THE DOUGH EXTRUDED INTO THE COOKING TANK AND SHORTENING, A ROTATING CUTTER MOUNTED OVER SAID FIRST CONVEYOR SO THAT THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADES WILL COACT WITH AND IS AGAINST THE FIRST CONVEYOR BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SHORTENING, SAID CUTTER HAVING AT LEAST ONE OF ITS CUTTING EDGES BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SHORTENING TO SEAL BY COOKING THE EDGE OF THE SEPARATED DOUGH, SAID CUTTER ROTATED AT A SPEED FASTER THAN SAID FIRST CONVEYOR TO PUSH AND PROPEL THE CUT PORTION OF DOUGH FORWARD, A SECOND CONVEYOR THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF WHICH CARRIES THE PARTIALLY COOKED PORTIONS OF DOUGH FORWARD WHILE SUBMERGED IN SAID SHORTENING THROUGH SAID TANK DURING THE COOKING CYCLE AND A THIRD CONVEYOR TO CARRY THE COOKED CRULLER FROM THE TANK OUT OF THE SHORTENING AND EJECT THE CRULLER FROM THE MACHINE, MEANS TO OPERATE SAID DOUGH CUT OFF DEVICE IN A REPEATING CYCLE, AND MEANS TO ESTABLISH THE SHORTENING AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL THAT IS ABOVE THE CUTTING SURFACE OF THE CUTTING BLADE AND AT LEAST UP TO THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR IN SAID TANK.