WO1989000008A1

WO1989000008A1 - Devices for forming food items

Info

Publication number: WO1989000008A1
Application number: PCT/AU1988/000236
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jane Chwee Nguk Tan; Kane Kian Kok Tan
Original assignee: Jane Chwee Nguk Tan; Kane Kian Kok Tan
Priority date: 1987-07-03
Filing date: 1988-07-04
Publication date: 1989-01-12

Abstract

A device for forming food items made from a sheet of pastry which is folded over to form an envelope that contains a filling includes a base (10) having first and second mould parts (15 and 18) adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position. A top (12) hinged to the base (10) has a former (25) which forms a sheet of pastry placed over a cavity (23) in the first and second mould parts (15 and 18) into the shape of the cavity (23). A machine for preparing food stuffs in which a filling is contained within an envelope of pastry includes a turntable (104) which moves a two part mould (106) through a pastry loading station A, a dough filling station B, a flour shaking station C, a dough forming station D, a pastry filling station E, an edge crimping station F and an ejection station G.

Description

DEVICES FOR FORMING FOOD ITEMS

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to devices for forming food items.

For the sake of convenience, the invention will be described in relation to moulds for forming pastry items such as pasties but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. BACKGROUND ART

Pastry items such as pasties are usually made from a sheet of pastry which is folded over to make an envelope that contains the filling. The envelope is formed by hand which is a time consuming operation. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a hinged mould adapted to facilitate the formation of filled pastry items and to provide a machine for the automatic manufacture of such food items. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for forming a food item comprising a base having first and second mould portions adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, and, a top hinged to the base adapted to form a sheet of pastry or the like into the shape of the open mould. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a device for forming a plurality of food items comprising a base having first and second mould portions adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, said mould portions defining a plurality of individual moulds, and, a top hinged to the base adapted to form a sheet of pastry or the like into the shape of each individual mould.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided a machine for preparing food items in which a filling is contained within an envelope of pastry or the like, said machine comprising a turntable having a plurality of two part moulds each of which is movable between an open position and a closed position, a dough loading station at which an amount of dough or the like is delivered to an open mould, a forming station at which the pastry is formed into the shape of the open mould, a filling station at which filling is delivered to the open pastry, a folding station at which the mould is moved to its closed position so as to form the envelope and an unloading station at which the formed item is delivered from the machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device for forming a food item according to one embodiment of the invention, with the device open to receive a sheet of pastry in a two part mould,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with a device closed to mould the pastry,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the two parts of the mould closed to form the food item,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a pastry forming and filling machine according to a second embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the pastry forming and filling machine shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the pastry forming and filling machine shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the turntable shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the crimping station,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevational view of the filling station, Fig. 10 is a plan view of a mould, Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the mould shown in Fig. 10, Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a flour shaker, Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic representation of the mould closing mechanism,

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic representation of the mould opening mechanism, Fig. 15 is a plan view of the turntable of a simplified version of the pastry forming and filling machine shown in Figs. 4 to 14, and. Fig. 16 is a plan view of an even more simplified version of the pastry forming machine shown in Figs. 4 to 14. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device for forming filled pastry items should in Figs. 1 to 3 includes a base 10 which supports a two part mould portion 11 and a top 12 hinged to the base 10 by means of hinges 13 so as to be rotatable about axis 14. The mould portion 11 has a first mould part 15 secured to end pieces 16 upstanding from the base 10 by fasteners 11.

A second mould part 18 is secured between end pieces 19 by fasteners 20. In this instance, the mould parts 15 and 18 have a pair of circular mould cavities 21 and 22 which have parting Tines 23 and 24 and the top 12 has complimentary shaped formers 25 and 26. It will be appreciated that the mould cavities (and the formers) could be of any convenient shape and configuration and more or less cavities could be provided. The end pieces 19 of the second mould part 18 are pivotally connected to the end pieces 16 of the first mould part 15 by means of pins 31 so that the second mould part 18 can be moved from the open position shown in Fig. 1 to the closed position shown in Fig. 3 in which the second mould part 18 overlies the first mould part 15. When the mould parts 15 and 18 are closed, as shown in Fig. 3, the mould cavities 21 and 22 are parted and their portions overlie one another to define a closed mould cavity for the food item. Pivotally mounted on the base 10 is a screw clamp 27 having an operating hand grip 28. The screw clamp 27 can be pivoted clear of the base as shown in Fig. 1 and when pivoted to an upright position as shown in Fig. 2, the screw clamp 28 is located in recesses 29 and 30 formed in the second mould part 18 and the top 12 respectively. In use, the device is opened as shown in Fig. 1 and a sheet of pastry or like material is placed over each mould cavity 21 and 22. The top 12 is then closed over the two part mould portion 11 and the screw clamp 27 tightened in place (see Fig. 2) so that the formers 25 and 26 shape the pastry. When the pastry mould is formed, the screw clamp 27 is released and the top 12 opened so that the filling may be placed on the moulded pastry. The second mould part 18 is then closed over the first mould part 15 as shown in Fig. 3 and pressed down by hand to form the pastry into a envelope which contains the filling. After an appropriate period of time, the second mould portion 18 is then opened to assume the disposition shown in Fig. 1 and the food item removed. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the edges 31 of each mould cavity 21 and 22 are serrated to provide a sealing pattern around the folded pastry item. The pastry forming and filling machine shown in Figs 4 to 14 includes a main frame 100 which supports an air compressor 101 and a motor 102 which drives a gear train 103 that rotates a turntable 104 supported by rollers 105. A guard 140 encloses the machine. Mounted around the periphery of the turntable 104 are a plurality of two part moulds 106 each of which passes through the following stations in sequence as the turntable 104 is indexed in the direct of arrow X:- A. flour shaking B. dough filling

C. flour shaking

D. dough forming

E. pastry filling

F. edge crimping G. ejection A typical mould 106 is shown in greater detail in Figs. 10 and 11 and includes a first mould part 107 and a second mould part 108 which are hinged together by hinges 109 so that the first mould part 107 may be positioned over the second mould part 108 as shown in station F of Fig. 7.

Each mould 106 is mounted on the turntable 104 by hinge 110 so that the mould may be turned over at the ejection station G. A mould closing arm 111 projects outwardly from the first mould part 107 and a mould turnover arm 112 projects outwardly from the second mould part 108. The first and second mould parts 107 and 108 have a mould cavity 113 that has a plurality of dimples 114 around its periphery.

Above the turntable 104 there is a cross arm 115 which supports a dough dispenser 116 and a dough former 117. The dough dispenser 116 includes a container 118 which is loaded with a quantity of dough that is dispensed through outlet 119 by the action of the air cylinder 120. Within the container 118 there is a feed screw 121 that is rotated by rotary actuator 122 through a one-way clutch 123. A nut and seal 124 prevents the dough from entering the clutch 123.

The dough former 117 includes an air cylinder 125 that raises and lowers a former 126 with respect to the cavity 113 of the mould 106. A flour shaker 127 positioned above each of the stations A and C (see Fig. 12) includes a hopper 128 that is closed by a rotating, spring loaded slotted plate 129 that is operated by a striker pin 130 as the turntable 104 rotates. The crimper 131 shown in Fig. 9 includes an air cylinder 132 that forces a striker 133 against the closed mould 106 at the edge crimping station F. The mould closing mechanism 133 located between stations E and F includes a sprocket 134 and a ramp 135 that engage closing arm 111 of the mould 106 as shown in Fig. 13. A mould opening mechanism 136 located between stations F and G includes a sprocket 137 and a ramp 138.

The filler 139 shown in Fig. 9 is substantially the same as the dough filler 106 shown in Fig. 6 and like parts carry the same numerals.

The operation of the machine shown in Figs. 4 to 14 is somewhat self explanatory. At the start of the sequence, flour is shaken onto the open mould at station A, an appropriate amount of dough is deposited onto the mould cavity 113 at station B and flour is shaken onto the dough at station C. At station D, the dough is moulded into shape and at station E the required amount of filling is dispensed onto the moulded dough. As the mould is rotated past the closing mechanism 130, the closing arm 111 rides up the ramp 135 and the mould is closed. The closed mould passes through the crimping station F whereafter the closing arm 111 engages the ramp 138 of the opening mechanism 136 and then the sprocket 137 whereby the mould is opened. The open mould complete with the crimped food item is then indexed to the ejection station where the air cylinder 140 engages the mould turnover arm 112 so that the mould is rotated about the hinge 110 and the formed food item is dispensed onto the conveyor 141. The conveyor 141 is driven by motor 142 and is arranged to transport the food items through an oil bath 143 heated by elements 144. The cooked food items are discharged from the conveyor 141 into a receptacle 145. The simplified version of the machine shown in Fig. 15 has only four stations namely a manual loading station K, a forming station L, a manual filling station M and an ejection N.

The even simpler version of the machine shown in Fig. 16 has four forming stations P around the turntable 104.

Various modifications may be made in details of design and construction without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for forming a food item comprising a base having first and secon d mould portions adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, and, a top hinged to the base adapted to form a sheet of pastry or the like into the shape of the open mould.

2. A device for forming a plurality of food items comprising a base having first and second mould portions adapted to be moved between an open position and a closed position, said mould portions defining a plurality of individual moulds, and, a top hinged to the base adapted to form a sheet of pastry or the like into the shape of each individual mould.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 and further including means for clamping the mould closed.

4. A machine for preparing food items in which a filling is contained within an envelope of pastry or the like, said machine comprising a turntable having a plurality of two part moulds each of which is movable between an open position and a closed position, a dough loading station at which an amount of dough or the like is delivered to an open mould, a forming station at which the pastry is formed into the shape of the open mould, a filling station at which filling is delivered to the open pastry, a folding station at which the mould is moved to its closed position so as to form the envelope and an unloading station at which the formed item is delivered from the machine.

5. A machine according to claim 4 and further including a flour shaking station for shaking flour onto the open mould.

6. A machine according to claim 4 and further including an edge crimping station at which the closed mould portions are forced together to crimp the edges of the pastry so as to form an envelope.

7. A machine according to claim 4 and further including a conveyor for receiving the unloaded food items and transporting same through a heated oil bath.