Donut making devices
AssigneeWee Donuts, Inc.
InventorsEugene F. Barber, Steven C. Barber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable device for making donuts and the like which includes a batter extruder, a cooking scroll into which the extruded batter is received, a heating element underlying the scroll for heating the cooking medium introduced therein for cooking the extruded batter, a circulation pump for circulating the cooking medium in which the extruded batter is carried through the scroll, a temperature regulator for regulating the temperature of the cooking medium in the scroll, a flow controller for controlling the flow of cooking medium through the scroll, and a conveyor for evacuating the finished product from the scroll. The extruder and flow controller are synchronized, whereby a continuous stream of raw batter may be introduced into the cooking medium and cooked therein.
Claims13
A device for manufacturing donuts or like products comprising means for extruding raw batter configured as desired;
- a cooking scroll underlying the extruder means in which the extruded batter is received, said cooking scroll being adapted to contain a flowing hot liquid cooking medium in which the extruded batter is cooked and carried, said cooking scroll including a spiral path of progressively increased depth along which the batter cooks while being carried in the hot liquid cooking medium, the cooking cycle of the batter being functionally related to the length of said spiral path and the rate of flow of the hot liquid cooking medium thereon;
- means for circulating the cooking medium through said cooking scroll and producing a flow of the cooking medium along said spiral path thereof;
- means for regulating the temperature of the cooking medium contained in said cooking scroll;
- means for controlling the flow of the cooking medium in said cooking scroll;
- means operatively connected to said cooking scroll for reversing the disposition of the partially cooked product in the cooking medium at a substantially median point in said spiral path;
- said means for reversing the disposition of the partially cooked product in the cooking medium comprising a paddle rotatably mounted in said scroll and being disposed in said spiral path;
- and means for rotating said paddle, the partially cooked product being drawn onto said paddle by the flowing cooking medium in said spiral path;
- said means for rotating said paddle comprising a motor driven cartridge comprising an oil-tight casing, a shaft axially mounted in said casing and having first and second ends emergent therefrom, said first end thereof being connected to said paddle and a bearing arrangement mounted on said shaft within said casing including first and second axially aligned lip seals, first and second axially aligned bearings, and high temperature silicon grease loaded between said lip seals and said bearings, a gear, said gear being mounted on said second end of said emergent shaft, and a motor operatively connected to said gear for driving said paddle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.