US3748073A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dough sheeter
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-06-30
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Granted: 1973-07-24
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Expires: 1991-06-30
Abstract
Abstract This invention describes a device for accepting chunks of dough of irregular size and shape, and rolling out a continuous strip or sheet of dough of a selected width and thickness. The dough is placed in a bottomless hopper, from which it falls onto the surface of two counter-rotating drums, with parallel axes, in a horizontal plane. The surfaces of the drums are serrated, and the drums are synchronized to move downwardly together in the adjustably spaced gap between the drums. The serrations carry portions of the overlying dough mass toward the central gap, such as to form a continuous strip moving downwardly. This strip falls onto a horizontally moving belt that carries it to a pair of smooth-surfaced rollers that roll the strip to a final selected thickness.
Inventors
- 👤 F Lankford
- 👤 P Marshall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:29
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21C; A21C3/00; A21C3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A machine for producing continuous sheets of pie dough of selected thickness comprising: a. two counter-rotating drums with axes parallel and in a horizontal plane, the spacing between the axes adjustable to form a gap between the two drums, the circumferential surface of the drums comprising alternate lands and shallow grooves, said drums synchronized to turn at the same speed with the lands of one drum opposite the grooves of the other, and the motion of both surfaces downward in the region of said gap; b. a rectangular dough hopper with open bottom positioned over said drums whereby the dough in said hopper rests on the mutually approaching surfaces of said drums and is drawn into the gap between said drums and dropped as a continuous sheet of dough; c. a horizontally travelling continuous belt adapted to accept the dropping sheet of dough and carry it horizontally; d. a pair of spaced, smooth-surfaced cylindrical rollers, with axes parallel and in the same vertical plane, the spacing between said axes adjustable, the gap between said rollers positioned substantially in the same plane as said belt; and e. a dough stripper comprising a smooth-surfaced roller positioned below said drums and having a surface speed greater than the speed of said sheet and positioned such as to assist the sheet in turning from a vertical to a horizontal direction of motion; whereby said drums carry dough into the gap to form a sheet of dough, which sheet stripped by said stripper, is carried to said rollers by said belt and rolled to a selected thickness by said rollers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A machine for producing continuous sheets of pie dough of selected thickness comprising: a. two counter-rotating drums with axes parallel and in a horizontal plane, the spacing between the axes adjustable to form a gap between the two drums, the circumferential surface of the drums comprising alternate lands and shallow grooves, said drums synchronized to turn at the same speed with the lands of one drum opposite the grooves of the other, and the motion of both surfaces downward in the region of said gap; b. a rectangular dough hopper with open bottom positioned over said drums whereby the dough in said hopper rests on the mutually approaching surfaces of said drums and is drawn into the gap between said drums and dropped as a continuous sheet of dough; c. a horizontally travelling continuous belt adapted to accept the dropping sheet of dough and carry it horizontally; d. a pair of spaced, smooth-surfaced cylindrical rollers, with axes parallel and in the same vertical plane, the spacing between said axes adjustable, the gap between said rollers positioned substantially in the same plane as said belt; and e. a dough stripper comprising a smooth-surfaced roller positioned below said drums and having a surface speed greater than the speed of said sheet and positioned such as to assist the sheet in turning from a vertical to a horizontal direction of motion; whereby said drums carry dough into the gap to form a sheet of dough, which sheet stripped by said stripper, is carried to said rollers by said belt and rolled to a selected thickness by said rollers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 including means to synchronize the speeds of said drums, said belt, and said rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 including a second dough stripper comprising a smooth-surfaced roller positioned adjacent the lowermost of said two rollers, having a surface speed greater than the speed of said sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 including means to sprinkle flour on said drums and on said belt.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 including frame means comprising: a. two parallel vertical plates spaced apart by the length of said drums; b. means to hold said plates in spaced relation; and c. said hopper of substantially the same length as the length of said drums, and of a width equal approximately to the diameter of said rollers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 in which said drums are of the same diameter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The dough sheeter as in claim 1 in which the drum diameter is approximately 10 inches and said lands are approximately nine thirty-seconds inch wide and said grooves are approximately one-fourth inch wide and 0.005 inch deep.
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 |