Abstract:
A consolidated pastry forming apparatus is provided that incorporates a separatable roller tool and a finishing tool. The roller tool includes a handle, a first pair of fork arms at one handle end, and a second pair of fork arms at the other handle end. A first cylindrical dough roller is mounted to the first pair of fork arms and a second convex dough roller is mounted to the second pair of fork arms. The finishing tool is removably attachable to the handle. The finishing tool is unitarily formed and somewhat elongated, and includes at one end thereof a plurality of tines suitable for puncturing a pastry crust, and at the other end thereof a protrusion suitable for crimping a pastry crust.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of pastry forming apparatus and more particularly to a pastry forming apparatus wherein a plurality of tools for the forming and working of dough and pastry are detachably interconnected together. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A cook or baker commonly has access to and utilizes many different tools in the preparation of food. These tools are typically stored collectively and loosely in drawers and the like in a kitchen area. When food is being prepared, the cook or baker must access and retrieve particular tools from the collection. Commonly, considerable time can be lost in locating, retrieving and collecting the specific tools needed or desired for a particular preparation task. 
     In the interest of saving time and labor, it would be desirable and useful to have tools that are employed in a given preparation procedure consolidated and thus stored together. Thereby, the task of locating, collecting and retrieving individual tools is simplified and shortened, and time and labor are conserved. 
     In a single pastry forming (including preparation) procedure, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, various individual and separate roller and crust forming and shaping tools are commonly employed, perhaps four or more separate tools being utilized. If a particular generic set of these tools could be consolidated into a common structural arrangement, then the foregoing problems associated with locating, collecting and retrieving individual separated tools are eliminated, or greatly minimized, since only one tool assembly would need to be preliminarily located from a general tool collection, which could be a brief and simple matter. 
     In pastry forming, a starting dough body is typically spread and rolled into a flattened sheet-like configuration using a roller to produce a crust (for subsequent processing). Prior art rollers include rolling pins and (typically) smaller rollers. The former comprise a cylindrical roller with an axially projecting and rotatable handle at each opposite end for two-handed operation. The latter comprise a roller whose opposite ends are rotatably associated with opposite terminal ends of a fork or yoke that is itself joined to a handle that extends perpendicularly and medially relative to the roller axis for single handed operation. The latter rollers are commonly either cylindrically shaped, or barrel-shaped (outwardly convex and relatively short in length), the latter configuration apparently being useful for rolling dough up the side of a container, such as a pie pan, or the like. 
     Also, in pastry forming, finishing tools are commonly employed. Common finishing tools include a fork-like tool having projecting sharp tines and a crimping tool. The fork-like tool is commonly used for making puncture holes in the upper crust of a pie to permit steam to escape from the pie during baking. The crimping tool is commonly used to impress and join together adjoining rim portions of the upper and lower crusts of a pie before baking. 
     There is a need in the pastry forming art for an improved consolidated pastry forming apparatus that incorporates both dough rolling means and pastry finishing means. The present invention aims to fulfill this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to consolidated pastry forming apparatus that incorporates roller means and finishing means and wherein certain individual tool components coact yet are conveniently and simply detachably associated with one another. 
     The roller means comprises a roller assembly that includes an elongated handle which has a fork at each opposite end. Each fork has a roller rotatably mounted between the terminal ends thereof for rotation about an axis that is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle. One roller has a cylindrical side surface, the other is relatively shorter and has a convex side surface. 
     The finishing means comprises a unitarily formed tool that includes a generally flattened, somewhat elongated handle. At one handle end is a plurality of outwardly projecting tines for dough puncturing or marking, and at the opposite handle end is an enlargement for dough crimping or localized compressing. 
     The finishing tool is removably connected to portions of the roller assembly handle. Although this connection can be variously achieved, it is presently preferred to provide opposite side portions of the finishing tool with longitudinally extending, outwardly projecting flange portions that are configured to engage matingly rabbet portions provided in opposing side edge portions of the handle of the roller assembly. 
     When associated with the roller assembly, side surface portions of the finishing tool cooperate with the handle of the roller assembly to provide a smooth and easily held composite handle member that is useful in dough rolling using either one of the two rollers. 
     Thus, the inventive consolidated pastry forming apparatus incorporates a reversibly interconnected and cooperatively associated set of pastry forming tools comprising two independently operated dough rollers, a pastry (or dough) puncturing and marking tool and a pastry (or dough) crimping or localized compressing tool. 
     The inventive consolidated pastry forming apparatus provides a generic set of pastry forming and working tools in a common structural arrangement. 
     The apparatus is sturdy, convenient, easy to use and maintain and readily stored and retrieved for use in a pastry forming and/or working procedure. 
     Other and further objects, features, purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those familiar with the pastry and pastry tool arts from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dough roller or pastry forming apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an opposite side elevational view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an opposite end view of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1 with the removable pastry finishing tool or component removed from the handle; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the removable pastry tool of the dough roller of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 13 is an end view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 14 is an opposite end view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 15 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the handle of the embodiment of FIG. 1, taken through one set of rabbet notches; and 
     FIG. 16 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the finishing tool of the embodiment of FIG. 1, taken through one set of tabs. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the Figures, there is seen an embodiment  9  of the consolidated pastry forming apparatus of this invention. The apparatus  9  incorporates a dough roller  10  that can be considered to be a primary or main structure and a detachably connected pastry finishing tool  74  (see FIG. 2, for example) that can be considered to be a secondary or auxiliary structure. 
     Dough roller  10  includes a handle  12  having a first forked end  14  and a second forked end  16  at respective opposite ends thereof. First forked end  14  includes a pair of fork arms  18  and  20 . Second forked end  16  includes a pair of fork arms  22  and  24 . 
     Disposed between fork arms  18  and  20  at first forked end  14  is a first roller  26  with cylindrically curved sides having axle stubs  28  and  30  extending from opposite axial ends thereof. Axle stubs  28  and  30  are received through flanged bushings  32  and  34  mounted in holes in fork arms  18  and  20 , respectively. The bushings  32 , 34  are sized to permit free rotation of axle stubs  28  and  30  therein. Hence, first cylindrical roller  26  is mounted between fork arms  18  and  20  of first forked end  14  for rotation about its axis, transverse to the longitudinal axis of handle  12 . Axle stubs  28 , 30  are upset at their outer ends  36 , 38 , respectively. Axle stubs  28  and  30  are thereby prevented from slipping out of the flanged bushings  32 , 34  in fork arms  18 , 20 , respectively. 
     Disposed between fork arms  22  and  24  at second forked end  16  is a second roller  40  with convexly curved sides having axle stubs  42  and  44  extending from opposite axial ends thereof. Axle stubs  42  and  44  are received through flanged bushings  46  and  48  mounted in holes in fork arms  22  and  24 , respectively. The bushings  46 , 48  are sized to permit free rotation of axle stubs  42  and  44  therein. Hence, second convex roller  40  is mounted between fork arms  22  and  24  of second forked end  16  for rotation about its axis, transverse to the longitudinal axis of handle  12 . Axle stubs  42  and  44  are upset at their outer ends  50 , 52 , respectively. Axle stubs  42  and  44  are thereby prevented from slipping out of the flanged bushings  46 , 48  in fork arms  22 , 24 , respectively. 
     Handle  12  includes a central grip region  54  and a broadened, generally triangular transition region  56  at forked end  14  from which fork arms  18  and  20  extend. Similarly, handle  12  includes a broadened, generally triangular transition region  58  at forked end  16  from which fork arms  22  and  24  extend. The upper surface of transition region  56  includes a depressed concave thumb rest  60  aligned with the longitudinal axis of handle  12 . Likewise, the upper surface of transition region  56  includes a depressed concave thumb rest  62  aligned with the longitudinal axis of handle  12 . 
     Thumb rest  60  receives the thumb of a user whose fingers are curled below and around grip region  54  of handle  12 , with the thumb pointing toward first cylindrical roller  26 . By pressing downwardly with the thumb on thumb rest  60 , downward pressure can be transferred through fork arms  18  and  20  to first cylindrical roller  26 , and thence to dough being rolled by roller  26 . 
     Alternatively, handle  12  can be reversed in the user&#39;s hand such that thumb rest  62  receives the thumb of a user whose fingers are curled below and around grip region  54  of handle  12 , with the thumb pointing toward second convex roller  40 . By pressing downwardly with the thumb on thumb rest  62 , downward pressure can be transferred through fork arms  22  and  24  to second convex roller  40 , and thence to dough being rolled by roller  40 . 
     Handle  12  is generally U-shaped in cross-section, (see FIG. 15, for example) an upper wall  64 , a side wall  66 , and an opposite side wall  68 . Side wall  66  extends at opposite ends to form fork arms  18  and  22 , respectively. Side wall  68  extends at opposite ends to form fork arms  22  and  24 , respectively. Upper wall  64  extends at opposite ends to form transition regions  56  and  58 , respectively. Side walls  66  and  68  terminate in lower edges  70  and  72  that are spaced apart laterally. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 5, the bottom of dough roller  10  is illustrated, showing removable pastry tool  74  that spans between and is connected to edges  70  and  72  of handle  12 . Pastry tool  74 , when assembled to dough roller  10  as shown in FIG. 5, comprises part of grip region  54  of handle  12  and provides a convexly contoured lower surface  76 . Pastry tool  74  also provides a smooth transition from lower surface  76  to side walls  66  and  68  at edges  70  and  72  of handle  12 . Consequently, handle  12  can be gripped comfortably by the user&#39;s hand while pastry tool  74  is assembled thereto, with the fingers curled under and across lower surface  76 . Uncomfortable contact between the user&#39;s hand and edges  70  and  72  is thereby substantially avoided. Pastry tool  74  is assembled to handle  12  in elastic snap-fitting engagement such that pastry too  74  can repeatedly be assembled to and removed from handle  12 . When removed, pastry tool  74  comprises a utensil that is useful in the preparation of pie crust and the like. 
     Referring especially to FIGS. 8 and 15, the removable attachment of pastry tool  74  to handle  12  is enabled in part by a pair of rabbets  78  and  80  at the intersection, respectively, of lower edges  70  and  72  and inner side surfaces  82  and  84  of side walls  66  and  68 . Disposed in spaced relationship with respect to each other and within rabbet  78  are a pair of longitudinally spaced notches  86  and  88  undercut into side wall  66 . Likewise, disposed in spaced relationship with respect to each other and within rabbet  80  are a pair of longitudinally spaced notches  90  and  92  undercut into side wall  68 . Rabbets  78  and  80 , and notches  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92  cooperate with pastry tool  74  to provide a releasable engagement with handle  12 , as described further below. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 9-14 and  16 , pastry tool  74  is shown removed from handle  12 . Pastry tool  74  includes a substantially flat upper perimetrical surface  94  surrounding an oval, concave central depression  96 . Lower surface  76  is convex and intersects upper surface  94  at a perimetrical edge  98 . Extending upwardly from upper perimetrical surface  94  is an elongate wall  100  that is sized and located to be received in close fitting engagement within rabbet  78  of handle  12 . Similarly, an opposed elongate wall  102  extends upwardly from perimetrical surface  94  and is disposed on the opposite side of depression  96 . Elongate wall  102  is sized and located to be received in close fitting engagement within rabbet  80  of handle  12 . 
     Extending outwardly and laterally from elongate wall  100  are a pair of tabs  104  and  106  that are longitudinally spaced relative to each other and located to be received within notches  86  and  88 , respectively, of handle  12 . Likewise, extending outwardly and laterally from elongate wall  102  are a pair of tabs  108  and  110  that are longitudinally spaced relative to each other and located to be received within notches  90  and  92 , respectively, of handle  12 . 
     Pastry tool  74  can be assembled to handle  12  by pressing tool  74  against lower edges  70  and  72  such that upstanding walls  100  and  102  are received within rabbets  78  and  80 . Under such pressure, lower edges  70  and  72  are forced to spread elastically and laterally away from each other just enough to permit tabs  104 ,  106 ,  108  and  110  to snap into undercut notches  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92 , respectively. Handle  12 , constructed of injection molded plastic, is sufficiently elastic to permit such elastic spreading. Tool  74  remains attached to handle  12  until such time as the user desires to remove it by pulling one end or the other of tool  74  away from handle  12 , resulting in disengagement of tabs  104 ,  106 ,  108  and  110  from undercut notches  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92 . 
     It is desirable to remove pastry tool  74  from handle  12  from time to time, especially after the user has finished rolling out the dough to make upper and lower pie crusts, for example. After the lower crust, pie filling, and upper crust have been placed in a pie pan, pastry tool  74  can be used advantageously to finish the pie crust. A plurality of sharp tines  112  that extend longitudinally from one end of pastry tool  74 . Tines  112  can be used to puncture holes in the upper pie crust to permit steam to escape from the pie during baking. Furthermore, a crescent-shaped protrusion  114  extends upwardly from upper perimetrical surface  94  at the opposite end of tool  74 , which protrusion  114  can be used to crimp the upper and lower pie crusts together around the rim of the pie plate. 
     Although the present invention has been described in detail in terms of preferred embodiments, the scope of the invention in which an exclusive right is claimed is defined by the claims appended below: