A kneader which comprises a main body, which forms a support structure, part of the main body constituting a support for a bowl or receptacle; a rotatable helix mounted on the main body so as to extend into the bowl or receptacle, the helix being connected to appropriate drive means which effect rotation of the helix about its axis in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, the arrangement being such that when the helix is rotated in one direction material within the bowl is kneaded and when rotated in the opposite direction of rotation the kneaded material is lifted upwardly out of the bowl by the helix; the kneader being further provided with means for guiding the kneaded material over the edge of the bowl or receptacle so as to effect removal of the kneaded material from the kneader.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a dough kneader for use in making dough 
products, such as bread. 
According to the present invention there is provided a kneader comprising a 
main body which forms a support structure, part of the main body 
constituting a support for a bowl or receptacle; a rotatable helix mounted 
upon the main body so as to extend into the bowl or receptacle when the 
bowl or receptacle is positioned upon the support, drive means for 
rotating the helix about its axis, said drive means being capable of 
driving the helix in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction or 
rotation so that with one rotation the helix can lift kneaded material out 
of the bowl or receptacle, means also being provided for guiding the 
material over the edge of the bowl or receptacle in order to effect 
removal of the kneader material from the kneader. 
Preferably the guide means are in the form of a drum rotatably mounted upon 
the main body of the kneader so that in use the kneaded material is 
engaged by the drum when it is lifted out of the bowl or receptacle by the 
helix and is guided out of the bowl or receptacle by the rotation of the 
drum. 
Conveniently, the drum is mounted upon the main body of the kneader 
adjacent a shaft or journal by way of which the helix is mounted upon the 
main body, such that part of the periphery of the drum extends beyond the 
periphery of the bowl or receptacle when the bowl or receptacle is 
positioned upon the support, the drum and the helix being adapted so as to 
co-rotate. 
The kneader may further comprise a member for removing the kneaded material 
from the guide means. The removing member may take the form of a blade 
mounted upon the main body of the kneader such that the blade is 
positioned adjacent said guide means. 
Advantageously the blade is arranged in a vertical orientation, a surface 
of the blade being inclined at an angle to the outer surface of the guide 
means. The blade may be of substantially triangular cross-section. 
The kneader may additionally comprise a support member of supporting 
kneaded material upon removal thereof from the kneader. 
Conveniently the support member is in the form of a planar member mounted 
upon the main body of the kneader so as to extend adjacent a rim of the 
bowl or receptacle, when the bowl or receptacle is mounted in position on 
the support, the planar member extending in the same plane as an opening 
defined by the rim of the bowl or receptacle. 
Preferably the kneader further comprises a rigid finger secured to a part 
of the main body so as to extend into the bowl or receptacle when the bowl 
or receptacle is positioned upon the support. 
Conveniently the rigid finger is secured to the main body of the kneader so 
as to extend into the bowl or receptacle in a direction parallel to the 
axis of rotation of the helix, the finger being adjacent the helix. 
Preferably the kneader comprises a drive means to rotate the bowl or 
receptacle.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings a kneader 1 comprises a main body 2 
having a vertical, upright portion of prismatic cross-section provided at 
its upper end with a horizontal arm 3 and at its lower end with a 
horizontal support plate or base 4 which is parallel to the arm 3. Between 
the extension 3 and the base 4 is a central recess 5, within which a 
receptacle or bowl 6 is received. The base 4 forms a support for the bowl 
6. The bowl 6 is connected to a drive unit housed within the main body 2 
so as to be rotatably driven by the drive unit either in a clockwise 
direction or in a counter-clockwise direction. 
As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 2, a rigid, vertically extending finger 
7 is secured to the upper arm 3 and extends downwardly into the bowl 6. 
The finger 7 extends into the bowl 6 along the axis about which the bowl 6 
may rotate. 
Also mounted on the upper arm 3 is a depending helix 8. The helix 8 is 
located on the underside of the arm 3 by means of a journal 9 to which it 
is attached (the journal 9 may be more clearly seen in FIG. 1). The helix 
8 extends downwardly into the bowl 6 at a position adjacent the finger 7 
and journal 9 is connected to an appropriate drive within the main body 2 
of the kneader so that the helix 8 can be rotated in either a clockwise or 
counter-clockwise direction. 
A cylindrical drum 10 is rotatably mounted on the underside of the upper 
arm 3 at a position directly adjacent the journal 9 to which the helix 8 
is attached. The axis of rotation of the cylindrical drum 10 extends 
parallel to that of the journal 9. The drum 10 is connected to an 
appropriate transmission unit so as to co-rotate with the helix 8, in the 
same rotational sense. The length of the drum 10 is such that the lower 
edge thereof is located slightly above the plane of the opening defined by 
a rim 11 at the top of the bowl 6. The drum 10 is arranged on the 
underside of the arm 3 so that a part of the outer periphery of the drum 
10 extends beyond the rim 11 of the bowl. 
Referring back to FIG. 1, it can be seen that brackets 12 serve to secure a 
support member 13 and a blade 14 on the main body 2 of the kneader. The 
support member 13 is a plate having a planar upper surface which is 
co-planar with the opening defined by the rim 11 at the top of the bowl 6. 
The member 13 is located immediately adjacent the rim 11 of the bowl 6 and 
has an inner surface 14 which is of arcuate configuration and shaped to 
correspond to the shape of the outer periphery of the rim 11 of the bowl 
6. The support member 13 serves to support material which is being removed 
from the bowl 6 after having been kneaded, as will be explained more fully 
hereinafter. 
The blade 14 is mounted in a vertical position so that an inner edge of the 
blade 14 is located in very close proximity to the outer periphery of the 
cylindrical drum 10, at a position where the periphery of the drum 10 is 
not located beyond the bowl 6. The blade 14 extends vertically along the 
length of the drum and is inclined relative to the periphery of the drum 
so that the surface of the blade 14 is inclined at an angle to the outer 
surface of the drum. The blade 14 is of substantially triangular 
cross-section, a broad edge of the blade being located adjacent the drum 
10. The blade 14 serves, in use, to remove material from the cylindrical 
drum 10 as the material is being removed from the bowl 6 after having been 
kneaded. 
A control panel 16 (see FIG. 2) is provided on the upper surface of the arm 
3 and incorporates switches, buttons and the like for operating the 
kneader. 
In use, ingredients such as flour, water, etc for making a dough product 
are introduced into the bowl 6 and the kneader is switched on. 
Switching on the kneader causes the helix 8 to rotate clockwise when viewed 
from above and the bowl 6 to be rotated by their respective drive means 
and this results in the blending together of the ingredients in the bowl 
6. Once the ingredients have been adequately kneaded the machine is then 
switched so that helix 8 rotates in the opposite direction and so that the 
drum 10 also rotates. This reverse direction of rotation causes the 
kneaded material in the bowl 6 to rise axially up along the helix 8 
towards the opening at the top of the bowl. When the kneaded material 
reaches journal 9, which is located above the opening at the top of the 
bowl, it engages the periphery of the drum 10, and is drawn from the 
journal 9 by the drum 10. The dough is then guided substantially radially 
outwardly by the cylindrical drum 10 which co-rotates with the helix 8. 
The kneaded material is supported by the support member 13 as it passes 
over the rim 11 of the bowl 5 and is removed from the cylindrical drum 10 
by means of the blade 14. The dough then falls from the described mixing 
apparatus and can be caught by an appropriately located container. Thus 
the kneader affects an automatic removal of the kneaded material from the 
bowl 6. 
It will be appreciated that many modifications and alterations of the above 
described embodiment of kneader may be made within the scope of the 
present invention.