DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SLICING GRANULAR MATERIAL SUCH AS CAKE

Abstract: A device for cutting material such as baked cake comprising a base assembly (1) including a cutter (12), adjustably fixed in the base assembly (1), for use on a flat surface, the cutter (12) having a length of cutting filament (14) attached thereto which is embedded in the material to encircle it after a marginal cut has been made in the material, and the encircling filament (14) upon being tightened acting to complete the cut to form thin or thick slices in the cake.

Description: ~ DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SLICING GRANULAR MATERIAL SUCH AS CAKE FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention is in the general field of culinary arts, and relates to the preparation and presentation of dessert cakes. More specifically the present invention is in the field of dessert cakes comprising a single or multiple layer cake separated by creamy filling and optionally coated on the exterior of such desserts by rich coatings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Slicing of crumbly food such as cake in single or many layers is difficult in the commercial area of restaurants, one of the offerings which can give a restaurant an excellent rating is the presentation of desserts. While desserts are numerous in number, one of the most critically evaluated is that comprising multiple layers separated by favorable fillings and generally coated with an identical material coating or a coating which complements the filling. The present invention has application both commercially and for private use. When preparing cakes, especially the continental variety, it is necessary to separate the cake after baking in the oven at least by division or into several horizontal layers, in order to apply the cream or other filling. It is desirable that these said layers be fairly thin, uniform and straight to make distribution of filling even, and to improve the appearance of finished cake. Due to the fragile and crumbling nature of cakes, difficulties are normally encountered when carrying out this cutting operation, even by experienced pastry cooks. The acceptance and/or evaluation of such multi- layered desserts depends mostly on the quality and/or texture of the cake layers. At present the cutting of the layers of the dessert is dependent upon the skills of the pastry chef in slicing the basic cake into layers with a knife, or the use of elaborate and expensive machinery. SUMMARY " OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises cutter which can be adjustably positioned vertically within a body having means to adjustably secure the cutter at the desired position or positions. The cutter has a fine nylon or wire filament attached at one end to the cutter, the other end terminating around means which the user's hand can grasp. A method of cutting a cake is also provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is illustratively shown in the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an elevation part sectional view of the assembly. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cutter of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention at the beginning of the cutting operation. Fig. 5 is an end elevation view of the showing in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention when the first cut is half completed. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention when the first cut has been completed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figs. 1-3, the tool consists of two main parts, the cutter assembly 2 and the base assembly 1. The base assembly is a cylindrical with a hole 3 down the centre to accortunodate the cutter assembly 2. A slot 7 is provided on the side of cylinder parallel with said hole 3 to enable a portion of cutting assembly 2 to emerge from body of cylinder and also functions as a guide for the lug 11 which secures blade 12. The upper portion of cylinder 1 contains a threaded screw 5 which is used to hold the cutting assembly at the correct predetermined height. The cutter assembly 2 is a cylindrical rod made to be a sliding fit in the hole 3 of the cylinder 1. The top part of rod is formed with a knob 9 to provide a means for gasping it by hand in order to slide it up or down the hole 3. A groove 10 is also provided to serve as storage for a length of thin monofilament nylon fishing line 14 which will be referred to from here on as the nylon line. Attached to the bottom portion of rod 2 is a lug 11 having attached at its outer end a cutting blade 12 made so that it protrudes from the slot 7 on the side of and parallel with bottom of cylinder 1. The cutting edge 13 of the cutting blade 12 is serrated. Nylon line 14 is attached to the outer tip of cutting blade 12, the other end of the nylon line being secured to a short dowel 15 to facilitate finding and holding it. In operation, the cake 30 to be cut is placed on a smooth surface like a kitchen tabletop. By moving the cutter assembly 2 up and down in slot 7, the desired cutting height is selected, then the assembly 2 is secured in that position with locking screw 5. The nylon line 14 is unravelled from groove 10 and is left loose to one side. Referring now to Figs. 4-6, with one hand on top of the cake to steady it, the cutting blade 12 is pushed into the side of said cake. Then the invention is moved along the circumference of the cake by the other hand, with a "sawing" motion in and out towards the centre of said cake. During this operation the cylinder 1 must remain firmly on the tabletop while sliding along on it around the cake-. As the cutting proceeds around the circumference of said cake the nylon line 14 is deposited simultaneously and automatically in the cut or groove 31 which is formed by the cutting blade 12. Upon completing the cutting around said cake, the cutter and base assembly is withdrawn from the cake and is moved to one side in the same direction as the cut was made, while the other end of nylon line 14 terminating on dowel 18 is moved in the opposite direction. The nylon line is thus crossed over just outside the body of said cake. Fig. 7. If now the two ends of said nylon line are pulled tight, a lean and straight cut will result across the whole body of said cake, without distortion, since the cutting force is applied uniformly all round towards the centre of said cake. The operation is then repeated until the cake is separated into the right number of straight horizontal slices. The additional slices can be made by raising the cutter assembly 2 in the body assembly 1 or by moving the uncut cake from the slice just made. It will be appreciated that a single cut may be made midway of the height of the cake to divide the cake into two parts. In this specification the term "filament" indicates textile threads, plastic fibres, metal wires, and similar flexible articles. The present invention fulfills the objective of the invention in providing a simple device for slicing cake to a selected predetermined thickness not requiring any specialized skills in operation.

Claims: THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A device for cutting granular material such as a baked cake to prepare a dessert comprising a base assembly (1) and a cutter assembly (2) slidably positionable within said base assembly to cut said cake to a predetermined thickness, said base assembly having means (5) to adjustably secure said cutter assembly at a predetermined position in said base assembly to achieve a cut of predetermined thickness. 2. The device according to Claim 1 so herein said base assembly (1) comprises a cylinder having a central bore (3) to slidably receive said cutter assembly (2) and a slot (7) in said cylinder opening said bore to allow extension of a portion 11,12 of said cutter assembly beyond said cylinder. 3. The device according to claim 2 wherein said cutter assembly comprises a cylindrical rod having a knob (9) on the upper end thereof to be grasped by the user, cutting means (12) on the lower end of said rod extending outwardly of said cylinder through said slot (7) and a groove (10) in said rod below said knob. 4. The device according to Claim 3 wherein said cutting means comprises a blade having a serrated cutting edge and a nylon line attached at one end to the outer end of the blade, the other end of said line terminating in means to be grasped by a user of the device, said line being wound in said groove simultaneously with said cut. 5. A method of cutting granular material such as a baked cake comprising cutting a continuous cut or groove 31 in the periphery of said cake, while simultaneously inserting a line 14 into said cut or groove, crossing the ends of said line over one another when said cut or groove is substantially completed and pulling each end of said line away from each other with uniform force to draw said line in said cut or groove through said cake. 6. A method of cutting a cake comprising forming a continuous marginal cut or groove in the periphery of said cake, while simultaneously inserting a filament into said cut or groove and encircling the cake with said filament in said cut or groove, pulling each end of said filament to draw said filament into and through the cake to complete said cut through the entire cake. 7. A method of slicing a body of granular materials such as cooked sponge cake with a cutting filament comprising the steps of: (i) attaching one end of said filament to a cutting member; (ii) adjustably securing said cutting member to a movable holding means adapted to be supported on a flat surface; (iii) supporting said body of material on said flat surface; (iv) applying said cutting member to said body of material to marginally cut the material substantially entirely around said body of material at an adjustable predetermined height above said flat surface and simultaneously drawing said cutting filament into said marginal cut to encircle said body of material; and (v) tightening said filament to completely sever the material at said marginal cut line to cut said material to form a slice of predetermined selected thickness. 8. A method of slicing a baked cake comprising the steps of: (A) attaching one end of a flexible filament to a flat blade having a cutting edge; (B) resting a handle on a flat surface; (C) securing the blade to the handle to project from the handle at a position such that the blade and cutting edge are parallel to the flat surface at a height thereabove equal to the desired thickness of the slice; (D) placing the material on the flat surface; (E) moving the handle in contact with the flat surface towards the material to insert the blade into the material; (F) maintaining the handle in contact with the flat surface while moving the blade cutting edge around the material to form a marginal cut extending completely around the material at a constant height above the flat surface and to draw the filament into the cut as it is formed to ultimately extend completely around the material with the ends overlapping; and (G) moving the ends of the filament apart to tighten the filament and thereby draw it further into and ultimately completely through the material to sever from the material a slice of the desired thickness.

Inventors: BODNAR GEORGE, BODNAR, GEORGE
Applicants: BODNAR GEORGE, BODNAR, GEORGE
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B26B27
IPC codes: A21C15, B26B27, B26D1