Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
2
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
FOODSTUFF AND APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
THIS INVENTION relates to a foodstuff . It relates more
specifically to a method of making a foodstuff in the form of a
cake, to apparatus suitable for use i_n making a foodstuff in the
form of a cake, to a vending stall, and to a foodstuff in the
form of a cake.
In accordance with a first: aspect of this invention,
there is provided a method of making a foodstuff in the form of
a cake, the method including
preparing dough;
extruding the dough through an extrusion die to form an
elongate dough product having an elongate central passage and an
outer cylindrical form ~~r shape of predetermined cross-section;
cooking the dough product; and
filling the elongate central passage with a filling.
Extruding ma~~ be annular, the extrusion die being
annular and having a central member forming the elongate central
passage and a rim having an internal cross-sectional shape
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
3
complemental to the pre~deterrnined cross-sectional shape of the
dough product, extruding being outwardly around the central
member and inwardly through the rim. The central member may
conveniently be round in cross-section ~~o form a complementally
round elongate central passage. The rim may advantageously be
shaped to produce a dough product having a star-shaped cross-
section. The star--shape may have between about four and about
twelve points or apicE~s, conveniently between eight and ten
points or apices. F,ach point or apex may be at an extremity of
an apex region which may be of part-triangular shape. It is
believed that such an outer shape renders the appearance of the
cake unusual and interesting.
Advantageously, the method may include shearing the
dough product off from a dough extrusion. Shearing off may be
such as to close the elongate central passage at one end by
smearing the dough across said end of the elongate central
passage. The other end will thus remain open to accept filling.
Cooking may he by frying the dough product in deep
cooking oil. Thermal energy may be proT~ided by L.P. gas.
Filling tre cooked dough product may be with a caramel-
type filling. Natura:Lly, other kinds of fillings, such as
apricot jam, chocolate, and the like may be used. Filling may
be effected by pressing the filling through a nozzle and
directing the pressed filling into t:he central passage.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
4
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention,
there is provided apparatus suitable for use in making a
foodstuff in the form o~: a cake, the apparatus including
a dough reservoir ~=or accommodating a mass of dough;
dough compression means in communication with the dough
reservoir to deliver dough under pressure;
an extrusion die arranged to receive the dough under
pressure from the compression means and to pass the dough in the
form of an extruded product of dough, the die having a central
member to form a cen~ral. elongate passage in the extruded dough
product and a rim having a predetermined inner periphery to form
a complemental external;periphery of the extruded dough product;
cooking means for cooking the extruded dough product;
a filling reservoir for accommodating a mass of filling;
filling compression means in communication with the filling
reservoir to deliver filling under pressure; and
a nozzle arranged to receive the filling under pressure and
to direct it into the central elongate passage.
The dough reservoir and the dough compression means may
be in the form of a cylinder and plunger arrangement. The
plunger may be operable manually. The plunger may drivingly be
connected via a toot:~ed rack and pinion arrangement to a crank
handle.
The extrusion 3ie may be at an outlet of the cylinder.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
The cooking means may be in the form of a vessel
suitable to hold cooking oil, and heatlIlg means for heating the
cooking oil. The heating means may be :~.P. gas heating means.
The filling reservoir and filling compression means may
5 be in the form of a cylinder and plunger arrangement. The
plunger may be manually operable. It may be operable via a lever
arrangement.
The nozzle ma.y be an elongate nozzle having an outer
transverse dimension su~~h as to allow it to be inserted into the
central elongate passage.
In accordance with a third aspect of this invention,
there is provided a vending stall incorporating apparatus in
accordan~:e with the second aspect of this invention.
The vending stall may be mob ile. It may be suitable
for street vending. It may be operable independently from mains
electricity.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of this invention,
there is provided a foodstuff in the farm of a cake, the cake
being of elongate c=ylindrical form or shape having an outer
cross-section of predetermined shape or form, and an elongate
central passage, and having a filling inside the passage.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
6
The cylindrical form may be a-circular. It may be
symmetric .
The symmet-~ic cylindrical form may have a plurality of
equidistantly spaced apices numbering between about four and
about twelve, preferablr~ between about eight and about ten.
The passacxe may be filled with a caramel filling.
Instead, it may be filled with another kind of filling such as
apricot jam, chocola~e, or the like.
The invention is now described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the
drawings
Figure 1 shows, in three dimensional rear view, a vending
stall accommodating apparatus for making a foodstuff in the form
of a cake in accordance with the invention;
Figures 2 and 3 show respectively in part-sectional front
view and in side view t:o a larger :kale, a dough compression
device of the cake making apparatus;
Figure 4 shows, in three dimensional, exploded view to yet
a larger scale, an extrusion die of t=he cake making apparatus;
Figure 5 shows, in three dimensiona_L front view to a scale
similar to the scale of Figures 2 and 3, a filling compression
device forming part of t:he cake making apparatus; and
Figure 6 shows, in three dimensional view, a foodstuff in
the form of a cake i:a ac:cordance with the invention.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
7
With reference to Figure 1. of the drawings, a vending
stall in accordance witJ1 the invention is generally indicated by
reference numeral 10. The vending stall 10 comprises a base 12
supported on castors 22 , and a canopy 14 supported above the base
12 by means of pillars :L6. If desired, one or more sides and/or
a front of the vending stall 10 intermediate the canopy 14 and
the base 12 may be covered. In this embodiment, both sides and
the front are covered with glass 18. The base 12 provides a
counter or working t:op 20.
It is to be appreciated that t:he vending stall 10 and
the apparatus associated therewith are intended for use with
food. Thus, the construction and materials will be appropriate
for that purpose, for example, the counter 10 is preferably of
stainless steel.
The vending stall 10 accommodates a number of devices
or components in a user-friendly manner and forming apparatus
suitable for making a foodstuff in the form of a cake in
accordance with the invention. A first device is a dough
compression device generally indicated by reference numeral 24.
The compression devise 24 is described hereinbelow with reference
more specifically tc7 Figures 2 and 3.
By means of the dough compression device 24 and an
extrusion die which i~ described with reference to Figure 4
hereinbelow, a doug:~ p:.oduct of elongate cylindrical shape is
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
8
extruded from dough. The extruded dough product is fried in deep
cooking oil in a vessel 26 provided in the counter 20
conveniently directly underneath the dough compression device 24.
The cooking oil in the vessel 26 is heated, in this embodiment
by means of a gas bui:ner (not shown) provided with gas from a gas
vessel (not shown), both being accommodated within a cavity in
the base 12 behind sliding doors 30 and 32.
When fried, the fried dough product is filled with a
filling by means of a filling compression device 28 supported on
the counter 20 adjacent the vessel 26. The filling compression
device 28 is described :hereinbelow with reference to Figure 5.
Conveniently, a till 34 is provided in the base 12
underneath the counter 20.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the dough
compression device 24, in this embodiment, conveniently depends
from the canopy 14. Ins~ead, or in other embodiments if desired,
it can be supported ~n the base 12 e.g. on the counter 20, or on
another substrate.
The device 24 comprises a hol_Low cylinder 50 pivoted
at a lower end thereof on a transverse spindle 52 such that it
can be tilted in a direction shown by arrow 54 in Figure 3. The
tilted orientation cf the cylinder 50 is shown in dotted in
Figure 3. The cylinder 50 is releasabl~r latched by means of a
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
9
latch 56 and a latch formation 58 provided on the cylinder 50 in
its upright or operative orientation.
The cylinder 50 is thus supported on elongate sides 40
depending parallel .~ron~ each other, so as to be on opposed sides
of the cylinder 50, from the canopy 14.
At a position intermediate the bottom of the canopy 14
and an upper end of the' cylinder 50, on the sides 40, there is
provided an enclosure 42 mounting guide means for a toothed rack
44 and also a pinion arrangement (not shown) engaged with the
toothed rack 44 and rotatable by means of a crank handle 46. The
toothed rack 44 car thus be forced upwardly and downwardly by
cranking the handle 46 appropriately.
At a lowar end of the toothed rack 44, there is
provided a plunger ~8 of a shape and size snugly to fit within
the cylinder 50 when the cylinder 50 is in its operative
orientation.
An upper, free end of the toothed rack can extend into
the canopy.
At a lowf__=r end of the cylinder 50, it mounts an
extrusion die 60 crown in more detail also in Figure 4. The
extrusion die 60 is fitted within an outlet 62 at the bottom of
the cylinder 50. It comprises a central disc 64 mounting
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
coaxially a former member 68 in the form of a short rod.
Circumferentially around the position of. the rod 68, apertures
66 are provided in the central disc 64 to be in communication
with the interior of the' cylinder 50.
5 In series witr~ the central disc 64, and around the rod
68, there is provided a:a extrusion die member in the form of a
rim 70 having an aperture def fined by an inner periphery 72 of
predetermined, desired :shape.
A collar '74 encloses the extrusion die.
10 In this embodiment, the periphery 72 of the extrusion
die member 70 is in the form of a multi-pointed star, more
specifically having ten radially directed apices. In other
embodiments, the number may vary as desired.
With references to Figure 5, the filling compression
device 28 comprises an open ended reservoir 80 arranged in
upright orientation. It; has an outlet 82 leading from a bottom
of the reservoir transvE~rsely into a decumbent cylinder 84. A
plunger 86 is receiwabl~ from a rear into the cylinder 84. A
manually operable le~~er 37, having twin limbs which are laterally
spaced, is pivoted as shown at 89 on a composite support 91
bolted onto the counter 20. Intermediate ends of the limbs of
the lever 87, brackets 8.3 are pivoted as shown at 90 to the limbs
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
11
of the lever 87. The brackets 88 are connected by means of a
transverse rod 92 to .~ rear of the plunger 86.
At a front cf the cylinder 84 , it is connected by means
of a connector 94 to an elongate nozzle 96. Conveniently, the
nozzle 96 is bent obliquely downwardly.
In use, the cylinder 50 is unlatched from the sides 40
to be tilted forward such that dough can be placed within the
cylinder 50. The cylinder 50 is tilted back and latched to be
in its upright or operative orientation. The above procedure is
effected while the pl,.~nger 48 is in an uppermost position.
When the c~~linder 50 has been charged and has been
latched in its upright orientation, the crank handle 46 is
appropriately cranked to force the plunger 48 downwardly into the
cylinder 50 and ono the dough. Continued downward displacement
of the plunger 48, presses the dough downwardly to be extruded
through the extrusion die.
In this embodiment, an extruded dough product is
obtained which is of elongate cylindrical form having an outer
periphery complementa.L to the periphery 72 of the extrusion die
member 70. Furthermore, the extruded dough product has a central
elongate passage through the length of the extrusion formed by
the rod 68. These features will be disclosed in more detail with
reference to Figure 6.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
12
When an ext;rusion of desired length has been produced,
it is sheared from the bottom of the extrusion die. Such
shearing smears cough over the central elongate passage at one
end of the extrusion to close off that end.
The dough product in the form of the extrusion is then
immersed in the hot cooking oil in the vessel 26 to fry the
dough.
Filling, f:or example a caramel filling, which is
flowable, is charged into the reservoir 80 of the filling
compression device 23. The lever 87 is moved upwardly to move
the plunger 86 rearu~ardly thus to open the cylinder 84 to the
outlet 82 to allow filling to flow from the reservoir 80 into the
cylinder 84.
When the cylinder 84 has been filled, the lever 87 is
depressed thus forcing. the plunger 86 into the cylinder 84 which
in turn forces the filling via the connector 94 into and through
the nozzle 96.
Thus, when the extruded dough product has been fried,
it is removed from the vessel 26 and i:~ held in register with the
nozzle 96 i.e. such that the nozzle 96 extends into the central
elongate passage. Depression of the lever 87 thus forces filling
into the central elo~zgate passage to fill the passage.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
13
Advantageously, a measure or gauge may be provided to
ensure that the extruded dough products are removed from the
extrusion die when t:zey are of a predetermined length such that
the volume of the central passage co-incides with the effective
volume of the cylind°r 84.
It is envisaged that dough and filling would be pre-
prepared in appropriate relative quantities en masse. It may
conveniently be px-epacked in quantities appropriate for
respectively the cylinder 50 and the reservoir 80.
With reference to Figure 6, a foodstuff in a form of
a cake in accordance with the invention, and prepared as
described above, is indicated by reference numeral 100. It is
in the form of an elongate cylinder having a distinctive outer
appearance in the form of a multi-pointed star provided by a
plurality of triangularly shaped outward projections 102. It has
a central passage 104 which is filled by means of the filling
106.
One end of the cake 100, which is obscured in Figure,
6 is closed and the other end is open to allow filling thereof.
The Applicant believes that. the invention provides a
foodstuff in thE~ form of a cake with a novel and unusual
structure and appearance and the invention further provides a
novel and effective method and apparatus for producing the cake.
CA 02245993 1998-08-26
14
Furthermore, there is provided a stall, e.g. a vending stall,
suitable for making and selling the cakes.
