Patent US3747508A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3747508A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for cooking hollow dough product
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-12-21
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Granted: 1973-07-24
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Expires: 1991-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A cooking apparatus is provided which bakes hollow dough products in a continuous cycle. A dough dispensing mechanism automatically fills conveyor mounted cooking molds prior to entering the oven. A molding rod extends horizontally into the interior of each mold and remains there during the baking process. After the baking is completed, each molding rod is automatically pivoted away from the interior of its mold with the dough product remaining thereon. As the conveyor continues to advance, the dough product is automatically pulled from each molding rod. Each molding rod is returned to its original horizontal position in each mold, and each mold is refilled by the dough dispensing mechanism to repeat the cooking cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 T Elam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:13
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21B; A21B5/00; A21B5/02; A21B5/04; A21C; A21C9/00; A21C9/08; A21C9/081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A cooking mold assembly for molding a hollow dough product, said mold assembly comprising a mold enclosure, a first opening at one end of said mold enclosure, and first mold rod means extending horizontally through said first opening and into said mold enclosure for forming a hollow in the dough product, said first mold rod means being pivotally mounted at a point outside said mold enclosure for rotation between said horizontal position and a vertical position wherein said first mold rod means lies outside of said mold enclosure when in the vertical position, said first opening being defined by a U-shaped flange extending around the interior of said mold enclosure with said first mold rod means extending through said first opening when in the horiZontal position, said first mold rod means including a rod with a molding flange extending outwardly therefrom with an outer edge substantially the same shape as the interior surface of said mold enclosure to form a seal therewith, said molding flange being interior of said U-shaped flange when said rod is in the horizontal position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
A cooking mold assembly for molding a hollow dough product, said mold assembly comprising a mold enclosure, a first opening at one end of said mold enclosure, and first mold rod means extending horizontally through said first opening and into said mold enclosure for forming a hollow in the dough product, said first mold rod means being pivotally mounted at a point outside said mold enclosure for rotation between said horizontal position and a vertical position wherein said first mold rod means lies outside of said mold enclosure when in the vertical position, said first opening being defined by a U-shaped flange extending around the interior of said mold enclosure with said first mold rod means extending through said first opening when in the horiZontal position, said first mold rod means including a rod with a molding flange extending outwardly therefrom with an outer edge substantially the same shape as the interior surface of said mold enclosure to form a seal therewith, said molding flange being interior of said U-shaped flange when said rod is in the horizontal position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination set forth in claim 1 together with a second opening at the other end of said mold enclosure, and a vertical partition in the center of said mold enclosure dividing the interior thereof into first and second mold compartments, said first mold rod means extending into said first mold compartment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination set forth in claim 2 together with second mold rod means extending horizontally through said second opening into said second mold compartment and being pivotally mounted for rotation between a horizontal position and a vertical position wherein the entire of said second mold rod means lies outside of said second mold compartment when in the vertical position.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for cooking hollow dough products said apparatus comprising a plurality of mold assemblies, conveyor means for moving said mold assemblies, each of said mold assemblies including a mold enclosure and a pivotally mounted mold rod extending into said mold enclosure when in a first position, and first tilt means mounted adjacent said conveyor means for pivoting said mold rods from said first position to a second position as said conveyor means advances said mold assemblies past a certain point, said mold rods lying outside of said enclosures when in said second position, and dough product removing means for removing the cooked dough product from said mold rods after said mold rods have been pivoted to said second position by said first tilt means, said dough product removing means including a pair of elongated fingers which engage the dough product as each of said mold rods is moved in a curved path by said conveyor means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for cooking hollow dough products said apparatus comprising a plurality of mold assemblies, conveyor means for moving said mold assemblies, each of said mold assemblies including a mold enclosure and a pivotally mounted mold rod extending into said mold enclosure when in a first position, and first tilt means mounted adjacent said conveyor means for pivoting said mold rods from said first position to a second position as said conveyor means advances said mold assemblies past a certain point, said mold rods lying outside of said enclosures when in said second position, and dough product removing means for removing the cooked dough product from said mold rods after said mold rods have been pivoted to said second position by said first tilt means, said dough product removing means including a pair of elongated fingers which engage the dough product as each of said mold rods is moved in a curved path by said conveyor means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 together with second tilt means for pivoting said mold rods back to said first position after said dough product removing means has removed the cooked dough product from said mold rods.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said first tilt means and said second tilt means include first and second pairs of rails respectively, said first and second pairs of rails being mounted in the path of travel of said mold assemblies to engage said mold rods as they are advanced by said conveyor means.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for cooking dough products, said apparatus comprising a plurality of mold assemblies, conveyor means for moving said mold assemblies, dough dispensing means adjacent said conveyor means for sequentially dispensing a predetermined amount of dough into each of said mold assemblies as they are advanced by said conveyor means, said dough dispensing means including dough feeder means having a feeder housing, a reciprocating plunger in said feeder housing, a dough receiving door, and a dough dispensing door, and sequential actuating means connected with said conveyor means for sequentially actuating said plunger, said dough receiving door and dough dispensing door to sequentially dispense a predetermined amount of dough into each of said mold assemblies as they are advanced by said conveyor means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for cooking dough products, said apparatus comprising a plurality of mold assemblies, conveyor means for moving said mold assemblies, dough dispensing means adjacent said conveyor means for sequentially dispensing a predetermined amount of dough into each of said mold assemblies as they are advanced by said conveyor means, said dough dispensing means including dough feeder means having a feeder housing, a reciprocating plunger in said feeder housing, a dough receiving door, and a dough dispensing door, and sequential actuating means connected with said conveyor means for sequentially actuating said plunger, said dough receiving door and dough dispensing door to sequentially dispense a predetermined amount of dough into each of said mold assemblies as they are advanced by said conveyor means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said dough dispensing means includes compression means for forcing dough into said feeder housing when said dough receiving door is opened by said sequential actuating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said sequential actuating means closes said dough receiving door before opening said dough dispensing door, and wherein said sequential actuating means pushes said plunger within said feeder housing after said dough dispensing door has been opened to dispense a predetermined amount of dough through said dough dispensing door.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 together with cooking means associated witH said conveyor means for receiving the mold assemblies after dough is dispensed therein for cooking the dough, and means removing the cooked dough from the mold assemblies after being cooked by the cooking means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein each mold assembly includes a mold enclosure, a movably mounted mold rod disposed in said enclosure when in a first position to form a hollow dough product, said means for removing the cooked dough including means moving the mold rod to a second position outside of the mold enclosure, and means stripping the cooked dough product from the mold rod while in its second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 together with cooking means receiving said mold assemblies for cooking the dough therein as the conveyor means conveys the mold assemblies therethrough, and means removing the cooked dough product from the mold rod when in its second position.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for cooking dough products comprising a conveyor means, a plurality of mold enclosures carried by said conveyor means for movement in an endless path, cooking means for cooking dough in the enclosures during movement along at least a portion of their path, means lifting the cooked dough product out of the enclosure, and means removing the cooked dough product from the lifting means in response to movement of the enclosures in their path of movement after the lifting means has elevated the cooked dough product from the enclosure.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for cooking dough products comprising a conveyor means, a plurality of mold enclosures carried by said conveyor means for movement in an endless path, cooking means for cooking dough in the enclosures during movement along at least a portion of their path, means lifting the cooked dough product out of the enclosure, and means removing the cooked dough product from the lifting means in response to movement of the enclosures in their path of movement after the lifting means has elevated the cooked dough product from the enclosure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination of claim 13 wherein said lifting means is in the form of a mold rod extending into each enclosure to form hollow dough products, each of said mold rods being pivotally supported from the conveyor means externally of said enclosure, said mold rod being pivoted outwardly of the enclosure in response to movement of the enclosures in their path of movement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
The combination of claim 14 wherein said lifting means includes rail guide means mounted adjacent said conveyor means to engage said mold rods to lift them out of said enclosures, said means removing the cooked dough product from the lifting means includes finger members mounted adjacent the conveyor means for engaging the end of the cooked dough product adjacent the pivotal end thereof and moving the dough product off the other end of the rod.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 15 together with dough dispensing means disposed above the path of movement of the enclosures, each of the enclosures being open-topped to enable uncooked dough to be deposited into each of the enclosures.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-23 | 1977-01-22 | 1977-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-23 | 1981-01-22 | 1981-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-23 | 1985-01-22 | 1985-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |