Abstract:
The invention relates to an automatic rotary machine for the production of empanaclas, comprising a circular rotary plate on which the empanadas are produced, actuated by a motor reducer and with pneumatic, hydraulic or other type means in the different production phases, such as dough metering, flattening, filling metering, molding, flattening and cutting. The invention includes a dough flattening disk and a folding system comprising two retractable half-moons actuated by pivot levers.

Description:
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior Art of the Invention 
       [0001]    Empanadas are mixtures of different foods which, usually have a coating of dough made from flour, with fillings of meat, vegetables and other compounds that make them a good meal replacement. Empanadas are manufactured in different ways and forms using different techniques, most conventional being processed manually, through kneading cornmeal or wheat flour and then flattening them with rollers made of wood, placing the flattened dough mass and then placing within the center portion a filling of pre-cooked and seasoned (usually with meats or vegetables) and covering with the dough wherein surplus dough is removed or cut either by hand or with the help of a semi-circular shaped vessel. 
         [0002]    Although made everywhere, empanadas are typically made by hand, resulting in empanadas of varying sizes, using too much time hand kneading the flour, forming, molding and closing. There have been a number of machines designed to make, empanadas, including AR 204790, AR 031737 and AR 19750261219. Others have a roller that moves automatically leaving the dough attached to the workbench. There have been suggestions in the art for the use of rollers which rotate automatically dies for cutting, although when used manually these do not significantly reduce the preparation time or increases the, quality of the product. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is an object of the invention for the automatic rotary machine for making empanadas to allow continuous serial mass production while providing high quality standards. 
         [0004]    It is another important object of the invention for the rotary automatic machine for making empanadas to reduce empa nada production time without the need of excessive movements that fatigue operators or generate occupational heatlh risks. 
         [0005]    An equally important object for the automatic rotary machine for making empanadas is to have aseptic and hygienic materials in its construction and have since no personal handling of the empartadas takes place, to make the production of empanadas that are free of particulates and pollutants. 
         [0006]    At the same another object of the invention for the automatic rotary machine for making empanadas is to require a minimum of labor during their production. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0007]    To clarify the invention and its advantages compared to the known art, we describe below with the aid of the accompanying drawings, different forms of illustrative embodiments and not limiting the application of these principles. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the automatic rotary machine and its various processing areas. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the dough dispenser body and/or filling dispenser for the automatic machine for making empanadas. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the dough modeler, closer and cutter for the automatic machine for making empanadas. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the turntable and the six stations for the different steps of empanada assembly; laminator and/or modeler, dough enclosing and cutting for the automatic machine for making empanadas. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view showing the dough folding process station system activated. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a side sectional view of the dough folding system. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a rear view of the dough folding system when activated. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows a bottom view of the dough folding system when activated when activated. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH RESPECT TO THE FIGURES 
       [0016]    This invention relates to an, automatic rotary machine for the automatic manufacture of empanadas and similar pies characterized in its entirety through a rotating six-step process having six stations wherein in the first step the dough  9  is metered and deposited by a metering plunger  2  activated by a mechanical system of the screw and/or fastener  3  and/or a pneumatic and/or hydraulic piston which is powered by a geared motor or dispenser gear actuator  5  under Programmable Logic Control (PLC) control, wherein the dough passes to a near flattening station in which a pneumatic and/or hydraulic piston  7  activating a flattening mold disc  14  flattens  24  the dough  9  into a circular plate working area within the turntable  6  which is actuated through a reduction gear  4  by the PLC which then moves the turntable through the reduction gear  4  under PLC control and then moves the dough to the area where there is a pneumatic and/or hydraulic piston. Once in the flattener, the actuator  7  (piston and/or worm gear system) flattens the dough  9  through the use of a flattening disc  14  and moves the flattened dough  24  to the area where the filling  8  is deposited by means of an empanada filling feeder or dispenser  25  actuated by a mechanical system screw and/or rack  3  which is powered by another gear motor  5  and/or a plunger tire and/or pneumatically controlled by the same PLC to pass the dough to the folding system station  26  position of the flattened dough body  24  with filling  8  inside which is folded by means of retractable crescent molds  15  folding it into two parts at ninety degrees to each other, which lifts half of the flattened dough  24  deposited above the filling  8  by a system located below the folding area  26  of booster rod  18  which is pivoted on the shaft  20  within the bearing pivot  19  when they reach the area of folding, these booster rods  18  colliding with one of its ends against a fixed shaft  33  attached to such structure of the machine and refrain pushing closer rods  16  to push the crescents mold  15  that joints universal movement  17  and patella kit  34  up and folded and returned by the action of spring  37  and then move to the area of modeling , closure and cutting of excess dough by the mold closure and cut  3  driven by a pneumatic and/or hydraulic piston  10  and/or worm pinion engaging in a rack  3  controlled by the PLC  21 , and the completed empanadas  23  continue to rotate on the turntable  6  to eject at the last station where a static diverting arm  30  addressed by the nozzle  31  to a conveyor or packing containers. 
         [0017]    Referring in detail to the drawings, looking at  FIG. 1  we see an automatic revolving machine for making empanadas  1  with different steps for the automatic construction of an empanada located areas where we see the turntable  6 , with a dough dispenser  2  where the deposited dough  9  enters the area where dough is flattened  24  on the disc  14  driven by a pneumatic and/or hydraulic piston  7 . This flattener dough  24  is then taken to the area for deposit of filling  8  where the empanada filling dispenser  25  passes on to the folding zone  26  and then continue the tour coming to the area where the diverter arm  30  ejects the finished empanada  9  to the area of further conveyor belts and/or storage containers for packaging. 
         [0018]    In  FIG. 2  we show the dispensing system for either dough and/or dough filling activated by a pinion and/or auger and/or rack  3  with the dough dispenser or container  2 . 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 3  we show the flattening system with a flat disc  14  and/or mold for closing and cutting  13  driven by a rack, auger and/or rack  3 . 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 4  we see the turntable  6  with its central support axis  29  which hold the different steps for assembling the empanadas with crescent molds  15  retractable  15  and sensors  12  which give the signal to the PLC for dosing, flattening, molding, sealing and cutting. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows the turntable  6  with the crescent mold  15  at the folding area, actuated by the closer rod  16  with the core or support axle  29  and the sensors  12 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows a lateral section of the empanada folding system  26  the crescent  15  which is retractable and is folded into two sections each ninety degrees by the action of the booster rod  18  pivoted to the fixed shaft  20  with its bearing pivot  19  by activating the connecting closer rod  16  by means of the patella  34  and universal movement  17  articulating parts of the crescent colliding booster rods  18  of crescent when it collides with the fixed shaft  33  to the structure of the folding machine on the flattened dough  24  filling  8  making it ready to become patterned, closed and cut surplus. 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows the rear of the crescent mold  15  sequence in  35  of the closer rod  16  located horizontally in the process to remain upright folding retractable Crescent by the push booster rod  18 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 8  shows the sequence  36  of the movements as the rod  18  pushes the connecting rod  16  which lifts the retractable crescent  15  by the action of the connecting rod  18  pivots about its shaft or axis  20  when it collides with the fixed shaft  33  anchored to the structure of the, machine and back to your site once it has been fixed shaft  33  by the action of spring  37 . 
         [0025]    Checklist 
         [0026]    Rotary Machine for Making Empanadas and Empanada 
         [0027]      1 —Automatic empanada machine 
         [0028]      2 —Dough dispenser, screw activated 
         [0029]      3 —Auger and/or zipper dough dispenser  2   
         [0030]      4 —PLC controlled gears 
         [0031]      5 —Dispenser  2  gear actuator 
         [0032]      6 —Turntable 
         [0033]      7 —Pneumatic Piston for flatterer 
         [0034]      8 —Empanada Filling 
         [0035]      9 —Dough 
         [0036]      10 —Pneumatic Piston to power the mold and cut die 
         [0037]      11 —Piston with bladed auger for cutting or flattening 
         [0038]      12 —PLC Sensors 
         [0039]      13 —Mold for cutting and closing 
         [0040]      14 —Flattening Disc Mold 
         [0041]      15 —Retractable crescent mold 
         [0042]      16 —Closer Rod for pushing retractable crescent mold 
         [0043]      17 —Universal movement closer 
         [0044]      18 —Booster Rod for pushing closer rod  16   
         [0045]      19 —Pivot point for booster rod  18   
         [0046]      20 —Shaft where, booster rod  18  pivots 
         [0047]      21 —PLC 
         [0048]      22 —Wheels that help support areas for flattening and cut molding 
         [0049]      23 —Finished empanada 
         [0050]      24 —Flattened dough 
         [0051]      25 —Empanada filling dispenser 
         [0052]      26 —Dough folding station 
         [0053]      27 —Pillars to support flattened, patterned and cut pneumatic pistons 
         [0054]      28 —Pillars to support the dough and filling dispensers 
         [0055]      29 —Turntable support axle 
         [0056]      30 —Diverting arm for finished empanada  23  transport to slide  31   
         [0057]      31 —Finished empanada slide  31   
         [0058]      32 —Empanada in the molding and excess cutoff process 
         [0059]      33 —Fixed shaft which activates the dough folding system 
         [0060]      34 —Patella Kit which connects the two cranks dough folding, systems 
         [0061]      35 —Sequence of movements of the closer rod  16  walking, up and makes double average retractable crescent mold  15  when pushed by the booster rod  18 . 
         [0062]      36 —Sequence of the movement of the connecting booster rod  18  pivoted and pushing the closer rod  16  so the patella kit&#39; 34  pushes and bends the crescent mold  15  through the universal closer movement  17 . 
         [0063]      37 —Spring which unfolds the retractable crescent, returning the booster rod  18  when the fixed shaft  33  passes the folding system.