Abstract:
A tortilla making machine comprising three mechanisms mainly for the process of manufacturing of tortillas and comprises a mixer that supplies and positions the portions of dough to be cooked, a moving press that flattens and shapes the portions of dough, and a cylindrical broiling oven that roast the product by using the curved surfaces on the inner and outer sides of the oven, that incorporates one or several burners or other source of heat in order to keep the surfaces and the inside volume of the oven at an accurate temperature to broil and complete the baking process on the inner side of the oven. The broiling oven is made up of metal tabs laid out along the curved surface of the oven that fold over, either towards the inner or to the outer side of the cylinder, this by gravity alone or supported by springs and closing and opening guides to allow the transition of the product to the inner side to be baked and to the outside to be unloaded.

Description:
CROSS-NOTING TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The invention is related to the field of food cooking machines and baked meals industry, mainly in the production of dough tortillas, or bread and other baked goods that may require a heating process in their development, or other products even when they are not necessarily related to edibles. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The current invention is developed along the lines of a new design, more efficient, and simpler in the way it was built, for a continuous process oven. Although many tortilla makers are available, they tend to operate with large amounts of wasted energy, this mostly due to operating in an open environment or operating with large cluster of mechanisms such as the case of US Patent 2009/0208892 where the processed flattened dough pieces are placed on a conveyor belt composed of hot metal plates which cook the product mainly from its bottom side during the moving process. Thereafter they are transferred to a second conveyor belt, to cook in the same manner the upper side which is now face down. 
         [0003]    Another design is the U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,025 which utilizes rotating discs on a vertical axle and a device that lays the raw dough discs and transfers them to the following disc to complete the cooking process and additionally has a pressing system that flattens the corn dough. Said mechanisms do not take advantage of the disposition and the movement of the machine. In both cases there is a large consumption of energy due to heat loss as well as the transferring of the product over large areas. 
       ADVANTAGES ON THE STATE OF THE ART 
       [0004]    1. To combine the cooking and baking of a product in an autonomous closed environment. 
         [0005]    2. To produce flat shaped meals, which require cooking or broiling on both sides in a simpler manner. 
         [0006]    3. To improve the taste of the product by means of a process of fast changing cooking sides within an enclosed oven that would impede heat loss due to leakage. 
         [0007]    4. To simplify actual systems trough the implementation of a portion dispenser and flattening mechanism that will take advantage of the motion and elements that embody the machine. 
         [0008]    5. To facilitate the making and maintenance of the tortilla maker and to extend its lifetime. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]    The invention is best understood considering the following description, despite the fact that the detailed workings of the invention are explained later. The indexes are similar to all the figures to facilitate the references. 
           [0010]    FIG.  1 —General view of the oven where the innovative features of kneading and portion dispensing mechanism and moving press system are shown. 
           [0011]    FIG.  2 —Scheme of the kneading and portion dispensing mechanism. 
           [0012]    FIG.  3 A—Scheme of the moving press system for dough flattening at the receiving stage the portions. 
           [0013]    FIG.  3 B—Scheme of the moving press system at the dough portions pressing stage. 
           [0014]    FIG.  3 C—Scheme of the moving press system at the tab release stage. 
           [0015]    FIG.  4 A—View of the oven with continuous movement feature with fixed tabs and a gap amongst them are shown. 
           [0016]    FIG.  4 B—View of the oven with paused movement feature and folding over tabs turning over the inner side are shown. 
           [0017]    FIG.  4 C—View of the oven with paused movement feature and folding over tabs turning towards the outer side are shown. 
           [0018]    FIG.  5 —View of the driving system, structure and typical cover used by the oven during its operation. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The invention is composed of three devices that intervene in the preparation and supply of the dough, in the shaping and positioning of the raw dough discs, and as well as roasting and baking of the tortilla. To achieve this, a mechanism that supplies the portions of dough, a pressing system and a spinning broiling oven are needed. All of these are embodied in the machine, however one of the elements may be dispensed with or be substituted with a manual or conventional method, by another existing system or not in the state of the art. 
         [0020]    The design is in regards to a cylindrical broiling oven with a horizontal axle made to cook food, a mechanism made up of tabs and blades that mix, knead and supply the proper portions of dough as well as a press that places the flattened dough to be processed and transformed into a tortilla. 
         [0021]    The outer surface of the oven is employed to broil one side of the product so as to keep its texture and moistness. The other side is subsequently broiled on the inner surface of the oven as it turns. 
         [0022]    Inside the oven a system of gas burners or another source of heat supply may be found, to heat the surfaces and the volume of air found within. In order to achieve this, the inner surface of the oven is composed of metal tab plates called metal tabs, placed parallel one after the other which have one side edge bent in a straight angle towards the axle of the oven so that the product shall stay in its place during the cooking phase on the inner surface of the cylinder. 
         [0023]    The metal tabs may be assembled in a fixed manner so that a gap is left between each other amongst them so when the cylinder reaches a position of approximately 180° in reference to the horizontal line, this will allow the product to fall by gravity to the inner surface of the previous adjacent metal tab and finish the cooking process on its opposite inner side, then travel approximately another 180° until finally falling out of the oven. 
         [0024]    The metal tabs may turn partially either through gravity or by means of a pivoting spring on each side of the pivoting bolt that works as an axle, which are controlled by a guide that can be internal or external to the oven so that they may lay down a certain angle, unloading the product and allowing it to fall on the inverted face of the preceding metal tab, which had just transferred the product to the previous one before it, thereby finishing the cooking process on the inner side of the oven thereafter reaching the far end where the process started. At this time the metal tabs will lay up in the same way to release the finished product. 
         [0025]    For descriptive purposes to the functioning process of the machine and unless otherwise specified, the folding over per gravity type metal tabs to the exiting part of the oven will be referred hereafter. 
         [0026]    A mechanism of kneading positioning of the dough is also featured in order to place the batter in the oven. Said system is composed of radial blades joined at the nucleus all of which we will now call the rotor. This rotor turns on its axle and at the same time works together with another axle that contains one or several helicoidally shaped blades placed along a turning roller. This serves the purpose of displacing and kneading the dough in such a way that the batter is contained between the blades of the rotor with enough consistent movement and pressure to unload the dough to become processed with a conventional mechanism that flattens and shapes the pieces of dough with rollers or by other innovative mean such as a moving press which will now be described. 
         [0027]    The moving press system is composed of a plate, called a flapper plate, hooked on to the pivoting bolt of the metal tabs that presses during the recovery time of the broiling oven against the outer surface of each metal tab. This action also places the now flattened dough on the metal tab, to be cooked and roasted at the same time during the process. 
         [0028]    The machine may be enclosed with a thermal cover that will maintain optimal inner heat. 
         [0029]    Both options depart from the same working principle that I will now explain. However the working process will vary slightly due to physical changes in the items that come into play. Likewise one or more of the innovations can be omitted while still maintaining the basic operation of each of the systems of the device as the main objective of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    The machine is composed of three systems ( FIG. 1 ) mounted on a structure ( 1 ) that keeps it fixed to the ground while supporting stress and loads commonly experienced during the process. It is moved by a power source ( 35 ) a system of gears or chain sprockets ( 4 ,  5 ,  20 , y  21 ) and a drive chain ( 38 ) for the processing of baked goods, which will mainly be tortillas, and will be called this way during the description of the invention. 
         [0031]    The dough kneading and supply system may be through a conventional system of blades and rollers or likewise an innovative system called kneading and portion dispensing mechanism ( FIG. 2 ), which is composed of a series of blades ( 2 ), laid out radially and joined at the root to the nucleus ( 3 ) called the rotor ( 2 ,  3 ), whose axle is turned by a rotor gear or chain sprocket ( 4 ) coupled to the power source ( 35 ) through the drive chain ( 38 ) where said rotor is found inside a hopper ( 39 ) that has one or more discharge holes ( 6 ) for unloading the dough portions, which are closed by a pivoting hatch ( 7 ) synchronized with the rotor and moved with a hatch cam ( 33   a ) mounted on the rotor that allows the blade ( 2 ) to move while it passes during the dough discharge, and cut the portion of the dough in position A ( FIG. 2 ), against the discharge holes ( 6 ); once the blade ( 2 ) has passed, said pivoting hatch ( 7 ) actuated upon in a similar way from the corresponding hatch cam ( 33   b ), and by means of a double position mechanism ( 8 ), is placed radially behind the blade that just passed through in position B ( FIG. 2 ), to allow unloading of the dough through the discharge hole ( 6 ) intended for this purpose during the rotor movement, and blocking the return motion of the dough while the discharge holes are open. In this way the portion of the dough is formed and shaped to be cooked. 
         [0032]    Once the dough has been released from the dispensing chamber between the blades, the empty space will be refilled in the next cycle, by the sheer weight of the processing dough and by a shaft that holds alongside its axle one or several blades positioned in a helicoidally fashion, called worm ( 9 ), which rotates counter wise to the direction of the rotor and is driven in the same way as the rotor by means of the worm gear or chain sprocket ( 5 ), this will force the dough into the chambers to be laid without voids, in between the section of the rotor blades. 
         [0033]    The position and forming system of the dough can be the conventional method which is composed of rolling cylinders, to flatten and die cutting discs which must be synchronized with the circular motion of the broiling oven ( 10 ), or through an innovative system of a moving press in which the portions of dough are placed on the flapper plate ( 11 ) of the press ( FIG. 3A ), which is shifted over onto the metal tab ( 12 ), with the dough in between, that now is pressed and laid against the loading metal tab in turn ( 12   a ), usually at a position of 30° to 45° in reference to the horizontal line, on the outer face of broiling oven ( 10 ). With this type of move and supply mechanism the drive must be paused, stopping the turning motion of the cylinder to be able to load and press the dough portions, as it will further be explained. 
         [0034]    The pressing system, which will be called moving press system, is carried out in the following way: 
         [0035]    As the oven ( 10 ) is in the idle stage, the flapper plate ( 11 ) is in Position C ( FIG. 3A ) ready to receive the portions of dough, supported on the guide and position stop ( 18 ), and the pivoting hook ( 13 ) is moved to latch onto the pivoting bolt ( 16   b ) of the next metal tab that will receive the press called idle metal tab ( 12   b ) where this flapper plate will receive the portions of dough on its pressing surface. 
         [0036]    At this time the final link ( 14 ) articulated to the pressing bar ( 15 ) is synchronized with the turning motion of the oven ( 10 ) usually by means of a drive chain ( 38 ) that conveys the motion of the actuating arm drive sprocket ( 20 ) to the final link drive sprocket ( 21 ). 
         [0037]    Then the flapper plate ( 11 ) pivots on the idle metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   b ) to press the dough together with the loading metal tab ( 12   a ) to position D ( FIG. 3B ) where the far end of the pressing bar ( 15 ) will leverage laying directly on the loading metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   a ), or it may also extend from the plate in the following way: 
         [0038]    Since the aforementioned position D of the flapper plate ( 11 ) ( FIG. 3B ) is found before the final travel range of the final link ( 14 ), the pressing bar ( 15 ) is extended overcoming the pre load force of an extension spring ( 23 ) that is compressed until full travel arch α is achieved, hence making contact with the loading metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   a ) during extension and continues the pressing stage of the plate as it levers against the support fittings of the plate ( 40 ). The spring in addition to allowing the overpass of the mechanism also absorbs the compression mechanical loads on the joints. 
         [0039]    The pressing bar ( 15 ) moves up to angle β, and disengages from the loading metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   a )  FIG. 3B , once the dough has been flattened the tension of said extension spring is released and the flapper plate ( 11 ) starts its regression turn by shifting in the opposite direction until position E ( FIG. 3C ) is reached, at this point the pivoting hook ( 13 ) is unhooked from the idle metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   b ) through the metal tab disengage bar ( 17 ) actuated by a cam ( 22 ) linked to the final link drive sprocket ( 21 ). 
         [0040]    Then the motion of the oven ( 10 ) is resumed simultaneously with the return of the final link ( 14 ) until the idle metal tab ( 12   b ) will now become the loading metal tab ( 12   a ) and will mate with the flapper plate ( 11 ) aided by a positioning spring ( 24 ) that moves the flapper plate down, following the contour of the guide and positioning stop ( 18 ) serving as a hinge, in order to properly latch the pivoting bolt of the new idle metal tab ( 12   b ) hence starting the cycle all over again once the oven is paused and the moving press in a position to receive the next portion of dough. 
         [0041]    The plate is held in the receiving position C ( FIG. 3A ) supported on one side on the guide and positioning stop ( 18 ), and during the stretching of the positioning spring ( 24 ) that holds it on the other side supported on the pivoting hook ( 13 ); since the stop position of the moving press plate is found before the maximum displacement of the link ( 14 ), the pressing bar extends now pulling the extension spring ( 23 ) in a similar way as in the pressing, permitting a lap to load the portions of dough, as the final link turns along the arch χ ( FIG. 3A ). 
         [0042]    The moving press can do its function without the extension spring ( 23 ) and operate in a more simplified fashion, either by using the lever system above mentioned but without extending the lever to create the idle lap before stated, or pressing the dough in non paused cycle by using the final link mechanism and the pressing bar in one single event, without touching the loading metal tab pivoting bolt ( 16   a ). 
         [0043]    The third innovative system featured is the horizontal axle cylindrical broiling oven that can also be of continuous movement ( FIG. 4A ), whose metal tabs ( 12 ) are fixed to the lateral side of the oven ( 10 ) leaving a gap amongst them, that rotates on its axis over two semi axes ( 36 ) coupled to two bushings or bearings ( 37 ) that will support the oven on the structure ( 1 ), to carry out a full turn with the time required to cook the product, usually driven by a power source ( 35 ) together with a geared speed decreasing box, and an arrangement of drive sprocket and chain ( 38 ); or with a paused process design where the metal tabs may fold over to the inner side of the oven ( FIG. 4B ) or in a similar fashion but outwardly ( FIG. 4C ) in the in turn of their pivoting bolts ( 16 ) as it will be described: 
         [0044]    Once the metal tabs ( 12 ) have been properly heated by means of one or several burners or a heating source that may be placed in the inner upper side ( 27   a ) of the oven ( 10 )  FIG. 4C  or likewise in the lower outer side  FIG. 4B  ( 27   b ) or a combination of both inner and outer, the motion begins with the actuating arm ( 19 ) typically during the one third of a turn of the actuating arm drive gear sprocket ( 20 ). During this lap the cylinder rotates releasing from the contact point with the drive pivoting bolt ( 16   c ). 
         [0045]    During the advance, the forward part of the stopping cam ( 29 ), supported on an axle bolt of the cam ( 28 ), is raised by the pivoting bolt of the metal tab in turn ( 16   d ) which positions it to contact with the back part with the next bolt in turn ( 16   e ) in order to brake the inertia motion of the cylinder and stop it suddenly, once the forward cycle is complete. Then the stopping cam falls, either by the spring of the cam ( 30 ) or sheer gravity, to dislodge the cylinder allowing it to move as the next bolt in turn moves for the next cycle. 
         [0046]    Consecutively, while the cylinder is idle, the raw dough discs are placed on each metal tab as the oven turns slowly it will move the range of half a turn approximately, in case the metal tabs are fixed type the raw dough discs will fall on their own to the inner side of the preceding metal tab in position F ( FIG. 4A ), or when the metal tabs are the folding over type ( FIG. 4B  or  4 C), the metal tab ( 12   c ) will deploy at certain angle, in order to transfer the tortilla that has been now cooked on one side. 
         [0047]    In the F position ( FIG. 4B  or  4 C), the tortilla shall be transferred with the opposite side now face down to the previously deployed metal tab ( 12   d ), position G ( FIG. 4B  or  4 C), thereafter the metal tab will be repositioned to close the gap through the guide ( 32   a ) that runs along the lower arch of the cylinder during the turning of a half turn approximately, where the cooking phase shall be completed on the inner surface of the oven until reaching position H where the tortilla will be released by gravity through the gap between the metal tabs, in the case of the continuous motion model ( FIG. 4A ), or likewise as the metal tab is partially deployed ( 12   e ) at the end of the guide ( 32   a ) when the metal tabs are fold over type ( FIG. 4B  or  4 C) to be repositioned through gravity once it reaches the position of the upper arch of the oven. 
         [0048]    The aforementioned metal tabs may be supported with the use of a spring ( 31 ) ( FIG. 4B ) on each pivoting bolt ( 16 ) of the metal tab, mainly on the option when metal tabs will be inwards folding over type, where these will be force opened, in which case the guide will also be found on the uppermost part of the oven ( 32   b ), leaving all outer boundaries with a guide, with the exception of the opening points labeled F, G and H; or the metal tabs may also be force closed on the transfer positions mentioned in F and G as well as in the tortilla release position H, by means of a guide ( 32   c ) that is found on the inner side of the oven, supported by the structure ( 1 ) passing through the axle drill. 
         [0049]    Afterward once the oven has completed the other half turn, in position H, the tortilla falls sliding along an inclined plate ( 26 ) to be positioned with the rest of the finished product. 
         [0050]    Whether the metal tabs are the fixed or folding over type, one or both surfaces maybe enclosed with a non-stick covering or likewise a device that will separate the product from the metal tab such as a blade or a stretched tight wire ( 25 ) that will skim the surface of the metal tabs, may be required. 
         [0051]    The machine may be enclosed in a thermal cover ( 34 ) ( FIG. 5 ) that may have vents and windows so as to keep inner heat and avoid contamination due to external environmental sources. 
         [0052]    Based on the preceding disclosures, certain representations and details have been described with an illustrative purpose of the invention, and it shall be self evident to the experts in the subject matter that variation and modification maybe carried out without deviating from the scope of the invention.