Abstract:
The present device is a rotary bake table which includes an indexing circular rotary table indexable at preselected intervals. The rotary bake table further includes a plurality of baking stations evenly mounted around and proximate the outer diameter of the rotary table wherein each baking station includes a baking surface; a heater for heating each baking surface; a batter dispenser for dispensing batter onto the baking surface wherein the batter dispenser including a dispensing head with a plurality of apertures for evenly filling the baking surface with batter.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from previously filed U.S. provisional application No. 61/300,218 filed Feb. 1, 2010 by Wassie Mulugeta under the title ROTARY BAKING SYSTEM AND METHOD 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to method for baking bread and in particular flat bread and in particular relates to a rotary baking system and method for baking flat breads. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Flat breads in particular pita and injera type breads are becoming more popular particularly in restaurant settings. The increasing demand for flat breads, pitas and injeras creates a need for having a device which can quickly and inexpensively bake these types of breads in higher quantities. 
         [0004]    The present device a rotary baking system and method for producing flat breads, pitas and injeras allows one to quickly and efficiently prepare and bake large amounts of flat breads, pitas and/or injeras over a very short period of time. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the rotary bake table showing the baking surfaces. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a schematic side elevational perspective view of the rotary bake table showing the gas burners. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a schematic side elevational perspective view of the rotary bake table showing the cooking surfaces. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational perspective schematic view of the rotary bake showing the cooking surfaces covered with lids. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side schematic perspective view of a batter dispenser for use in association with the rotary bake table. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a partial exploded view of the batter dispenser showing the dispensing head in more detail. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a schematic top perspective view of the rotary bake table together with the batter dispenser. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a schematic side elevational perspective view of the rotary bake table together with the cam guide in place for placing the lids in the closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    The present device a rotary baking system and method for producing flat breads includes the following major components namely rotary bake table  102  used in association with batter dispenser  104 . 
         [0015]    First of all to rotary bake table  102  includes the following major components namely outer stationary table  110  having mounted therein an inner rotary table  112 , the rotary table  112  having mounted thereon baking stations  116  using mounting brackets  118 . Each bake station  116  includes a baking surface  120  and a burner frame  122 . 
         [0016]    Rotary bake table  102  includes gas burner  130  underneath of each of the baking surfaces  120  in order to heat the baking surface  120 . Stationary table  110  includes a top  132  and a table frame  134  which is held up with table legs  136 . Gas piping  138  is routed underneath of stationary table  110  to feed gas to each gas burner  130 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows the rotary bake table  102  with the gas burners  130  exposed.  FIG. 3  shows the rotary bake table  102  having baking surfaces  120  mounted over top of each gas burner  130 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows rotary bake table  102  having mounted overtop of each baking surface  120  a lid  140  for containing the heat while the flat bread is being baked on baking surface  120 . 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 through 8 ,  FIG. 5  for example shows batter dispenser  104  which includes the following major components namely stand  150 , electronic controls  152 , legs  154 , a cross-member  156 , pneumatic cylinder  158 , a hopper  160  containing the batter  162  and a batter conduit  164  communicating batter to dispensing head  166 . 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 6  which is a partial exploded view of dispensing head  166  together with batter conduit  164 , one can see that batter  162  emanates from dispensing head  166  through numerous apertures in dispensing head  166  similar to a shower head for dispensing water. Batter  162  flows downwardly in droplets and/or columnar fashion as shown in  FIG. 6  thereby filling baking surface  120  with flat bread  180  with a predetermined amount of batter  162 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8  as well rotary table  102  also includes a guide cam  190  and each lid  140  includes a cam follower  192 . Guide cam  190  is supported by a guide member  196  which is rigidly affixed to a guide support  194 . As rotary table  112  rotates clockwise, the guide cams  190  of each lid  140  impinges upon guide cam  190  thereby depressing the cam follower  192  down such that lids  140  are eventually placed into a closed position  191 . Initially when the machine is started all of the lids are placed in the open position as shown as  193 . Guide cam  190  is a curved horizontally disposed rod of increasing diameter for closing lids  140  as rotary table  102  indexes. 
         [0022]    Batter  162  is dispensed onto baking surface  120  at station  1  which is shown as  202  in  FIG. 6  as well as in  FIG. 8 . As rotary bake table  102  turns clockwise, each subsequent station namely station number  2  shown as  204  in  FIG. 8  and station number  3  as shown as  206  in  FIG. 8  and station  4  shown as  208  in  FIG. 8  progressively impinge more upon guide cam  190  until the cam follower  192  is depressed to the point where each lid  140  is then placed into closed position  191 . Once the baking station  116  arrives at station  12  shown as  210 , the lid  140  is manually opened by an operator and the completed and baked flat bread is removed from the baking surface  120 . 
         [0023]    In use the rotary baking system and method for baking flat bread goes through the following steps. 
         [0024]    Step one, gas burners  130  are turned on and lids  140  are placed into the open position shown as  193 . 
         [0025]    Step two, gas burners  130  are left on until the baking surface  120  is brought to a pre-selected temperature. 
         [0026]    Step three, hopper  160  is filled with batter  162  in order to initiate the batter dispensing mechanism  104 . 
         [0027]    Step four rotary table  112  indexed such that at station  1 , shown as  202  the first batter  162  can be dispensed onto baking surface  120 . 
         [0028]    Step five, the controls  152  of batter dispenser  104  are activated such that pneumatic cylinder  158  which is of the plunger type releases or forces a pre-determined amount of batter  162  through batter conduit  164  and out through dispensing head  166  which then deposits the batter  162  onto baking surface  120 . 
         [0029]    Step six, rotary table  112  of rotary bake table  102  indexes by one station such that former station  1 ,  202  now moves to station  2 ,  204  whereby the guide cam  190  impinges upon cam follower  192  thereby initiating closure of each of the lids  140 . 
         [0030]    Step seven, steps five and six are repeated indefinitely. 
         [0031]    By the time the rotary table  112  has indexed four positions namely such that the initial station  1  now is at the location of station  4 , shown as  208 , the lid  140  would be in the totally closed position  191 . 
         [0032]    As each baking station  116  arrives at position station  1 ,  202  the batter dispenser  104  is programmed to release a pre-determined amount of batter  162  through dispensing head  166  and onto the baking surface  120  which is currently at the station  1  shown as  202  position. 
         [0033]    Step Eight the baking station  116  travels from station  1 , position  202  all the way around to station  12 , position  210 , the lid  140  is manually opened by an operator and the baked flat bread is removed from the baking surface  120  and the process repeats itself. 
         [0034]    In practice the inventor has determined that the indexing time of rotary table  112  is approximately 10 seconds which is the time needed to dispense batter  162  out of dispensing hand  166  and index the baking station  116  from station  1  position  202  to station  2  position  204 . The indexing mechanism is not shown in the drawings, however any known system or method in the art which is adaptable to this configuration will be suitable to index (rotate rotary table  112 ) a pre-selected distance at a time. 
         [0035]    In addition the inventor has found that the baking surfaces preferably are approximately 15-16 inches in diameter and are adapted for baking flat breads, pitas and injera. 
         [0036]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.