Method of and apparatus for forming filled dough products

Apparatus for forming filled dough products comprising: piston extruders for pumping dough and filling to measuring devices which extrudes external dough tube with internal filling through a die head so that part of the dough tube of one item is extruded without filling, a twisting device for turning just extruded item around its longitudinal axis and twisting the empty part of the dough tube, and pinching device for forming closing and separating ends of the items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a novel apparatus for intermitently forming filled 
dough items as a wonton, pirojhok and the like. Typically such products 
are made manually by wrapping a sheet of dough around a filling and the 
items thus made are cooked or fried for eventual consumption. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,051 discloses extrusion apparatus for food material 
which produces dough tube with filling such as ketchup or sour cream. U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,615,675 discloses an extruder that produces a dough tube filled 
with a suitable food material which is divided into pieces. U.S. Pat. No. 
3,572,259 describes apparatus for molding dough materials with filling 
from bar shapes into spherical shapes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,946 discloses a 
device for forming a cereal shell and simultaneously filling the shell 
with a suitable filler. The continuous tube of cereal material is then 
divided into pieces. 
These apparatuses have large dimensions and high cost. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved 
apparatus for forming filled dough products. It is another object of the 
present invention to provide a small apparatus which is intended to be 
used by restaurants and similar businesses. These objects of the invention 
are obtained by providing an apparatus for forming filled dough products 
comprising means for extrusion predetermined quantity of external dough 
tube with internal filling so that a part of the external dough tube is 
extruded without filling; a twisting device for turning a just extruded 
dough tube with filling around its longitudinal axis and twisting it in a 
place without filling and a pinching device for closing ends of the 
adjacent items and separating of them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, reference number 1 indicates means for extruding 
an external dough tube with internal filling through die head 2. The 
apparatus of the present invention also includes: the twisting device 3, 
the pinching device 4, and the pumping device 5 which provides pumping 
dough and filling to the measuring devices 6 and 7 of the extrusion means 
1. The apparatus has the hydraulic control system 8. All units are mounted 
on the body 9. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 10 operates in 
the following manner: Easy replaceable product cylinders 10 with dough, 
and 11 with filling are put on the movable board 12 as shown on FIG. 2. 
Dough and filling are preliminarily vacuum-treated. The valve 13 is 
switched to the right position and replaceable product cylinders are 
squeezed between boards 12 and 14. Simultaneously product pistons 15 and 
16 pump dough through the dough outlet 17 to the inlet 18 of the measuring 
device 6, and filling through the filling outlet 19 to the inlet 20 of the 
measuring device 7. It is understandable, that in another embodiment an 
apparatus can operate with any sources for pumping dough and filling to 
measuring devices 6 and 7. As it is shown on FIG. 2 filling fed to the 
rotary measuring cylinder 26 pushes the plunger 27 (FIG. 3) which switches 
the valve 28 in position shown on FIG. 2 by the rod 29 and the dose 
controller 30. The valve 31 provides the earlier feeding of the cylinder 
26. Also dough fed to rotary measuring cylinder 21 pushes the plunger 22 
which switches the valve 23 in the position shown on FIG. 2 by the rod 24 
and the dose controller 25. In order to provide extrusion of the part of 
the dough tube without filling the dose controllers 25 and 30 are adjusted 
so that the working stroke of the rod 24 is always longer than the stroke 
of the rod 29. When the portion of dough for a next item has been 
completed in the meauring cylinder 21 and the valve 23 has been switched 
the rod 32 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is moved in the right position. The valve 33 is 
switched in the right position by its spring and cams 34 and 36 of the 
pinching device 4 are moved away. The crosshead 35 with the rocking 
bearing 37 is moved in the slide 38 which secured to the body 9 of the 
apparatus and turns the measuring cylinders 26 and 21 around its 
longitudinal axis from the position shown on FIGS. 2 and 5 to the position 
shown on FIG. 6 by the lever 40, chain transmission 41, tubular shafts 70 
and 71 which are disposed in bearings 72 and 73. When the turn of the 
measuring cylinders 21 and 26 have been finished the rod 32 switches the 
valve 42 in the right position by frame 48. As a result plunger 22 pushes 
dough through the outlet 43 of the measuring cylinder 6 to the dough inlet 
44 of the die head 2 and plunger 27 pushes filling through the outlet 45 
of the cylinder 7 to the filling inlet 46 of the die head 2(FIGS. 2, 3, 6 
and 7). The tubular outlet 81 which has thickness of the open area 8 of 
the die head 2 provides extrusion of dough tube. The outlet 82 of the die 
head 2 provides extrusion of filling. As it is shown on FIG. 2 a 
synchronization of a movement of the plungers 22 and 27 (simultaneous 
extrusion dough and filling) is provided by the hydraulic series 
connection of the hydraulic cylinders 50 and 51. When the portion of the 
filling for one item has been extruded the valve 28 is switched in the 
left position. This allows extruding the rest of the portion of the dough 
tube without filling. When the rest of the dough tube for one item has 
been extruded, the valve 23 is switched in the left position as a result 
the rod 32 moved in the left direction and turns the rotarty measuring 
cylinders in the position shown on FIG. 2. During its way the pawl 52 
switches the hydraulic rotary spool directional control valve 47 in the 
other position by turn of its spool shaft 53 which has the chain 
transmission 54 with cams 55 on the chains (FIG. 4). The distance between 
two adjacent cams 55 equally half of the length of the pitch circle of the 
sprocket 56 which is secured to the spool shaft 53. When valve 47 is 
changed its position the pistons 60 of the hydraulic actuator of the 
twisting device 3 changes its position and rotor 61 is turned for 
predetermined angle by the rack-and-gear drive 62. On FIG. 7 the twisting 
device is shown during the rotating of the rotor 61. As it is shown on 
FIG. 7 the stretchable plastic tube 63 with its ends tightly fixed in the 
ends of the rotor 61 forms with the rotor 61 the tubular swelling member 
which has the inner space 64. If the air from the source of the air 
pressure is supplied into the inner space 64 the stretchable tube 63 is 
stretched and firmly and gently embraces the item A while the 
rand-and-gear-drive 62 turns the rotor 61 with embraced item about its 
axis. As a result the part of dough tube which was extruded without 
filling, is twisted for predetermined angle. It is possible in this 
embodiment of the apparatus because the part of dough tube without filling 
is self-vacuumed. More detailed description of the twisting device 3 is in 
my U.S. Pat. No. 462,4030. The advantage of this apparatus is that the 
source of air is connected with inner space 64 through openings 65, in any 
intermediate position of the pistons 60, but source of vacuum is connected 
with inner space 64 through opening 66 in two extreme positions of the 
pistons 60. In these positions the source of air pressure is closed by non 
perforated part of the rotor 61. When the inner space 64 is vacuumed, the 
stretchible tube 63 is removed from the item A and attracted to the inner 
surface of the rotor 61 so that the item A is released. Before it happens 
the rod 57 (FIG. 4) which is secured to the crosshead 35 switches the 
valve 33 in the position shown on FIG. 2 and the cams 36 and 34 form, 
close and separated ends of the items. 
In order to simultaneously extrude external dough with internal filling, it 
must be observed following relationships (FIGS. 3 and 7) 
##EQU1## 
here: 
EQU D=D.sub.e -.delta. 
wherein: 
D.sub.e is the external diameter of the open area of the dough outlet of 
the die head. 
.delta. is the thickness of the open area of the dough outlet of the die 
head, 
d.sub.d --diameter of the plunger 22, 
d.sub.f --diameter of the plunger 27. 
Longitudinal dimensions of the item A are adjusted by dose controllers 25 
and 30 (FIGS. 2, 8 and 9) which include the frames 74 with internal thread 
75, the nuts 76. The frames 74 are secured to stems of valves 23 and 28. 
The right ends of rods 24 and 29 pass through plain bearings 77 and have 
heads 78. Disposed distance between the head 78 and the nut 76 in the dose 
controller 25 (when the rod 24 is in extreme left position) correspond to 
portion of dough tube for one item. Disposed distance between the head 78 
and the nut 76 in the dose controller 30 (when the rod 29 is in extreme 
left position) correspond to portion of filling for one item. 
The invention is not limited to the details shown since various 
modifications and structural changes are possible without departing from 
the spirit of the present invention. 
What is desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in 
particular in the appended claims.