Automatic cruller machine

Claim 1

A CAKE AND PIE COOKING MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES A DOUGH FEEDING DEVICE, SAID DOUGH FEEDING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF RELATED EXTRUDING APERTURES TO EXTRUDE DOUGH THROUGH AND PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF UNCOOKED STRIPS IN OVERLAPPED RELATIONSHIP, 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 ROTATABLE ROLLER POSITIONED OVER SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SHORTENING SO THAT THE ADVANCING EXTRUDED STRIPS OF DOUGH ARE COMPRESSED ON THEIR EDGES B Y SAID ROLLER, SAID ROLLER HAVING A GREATER DIAMETER ON ITS OUTER EDGE TO SEAL SAID OVERLAPPER STRIPS OF DOUGH, A ROTATING CUTTER WITH BLADES MOUNTED OVER SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH SO THAT AT LEAST ONE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADES WILL COACT WITH AND BEAR AGAINST THE FIRST CONVEYOR BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SHORTENING TO SEPARATE PORTIONS OF SAID DOUGH AND, SEAL TOGETHER SAID EDGES OF SAID STRIPS BY COOKING THE EDGES OF THE SEPARATED STRIP OF DOUGH, SAID CUTTER IN TURN PUSHING AND PROPELLING THE CUT AND SEALED 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 CAKE OR PIE FROM THE TANK OUT OF THE SHORTENING TO EJECT THE CAKE OR PIE FROM THE MACHINE, MEANS TO OPERATE SAID ROTATING CUTTER, AND MEANS TO MAINTAIN THE SHORTENING AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL AT IS ABOVE THE CUTTING SURFACE OF THE CUTTING BLADE AND AT LEAST UP TO THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR IN SAID TANK.