Patent ID: 6942479

Claim:
A manually-operated dough press for use by an operator comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a housing; (b) a shaft extending downwardly from said housing through an opening and mounted for reciprocating movement through said opening; (c) an upper platen attached to said shaft, said upper platen having a working surface; (d) a lower platen mounted to said base and having a working surface opposed to, substantially parallel to, and spaced from said upper platen working surface; (e) a pair of mating interlocking components providing said reciprocating movement of said shaft, a first of said interlocking components within and secured to said housing, a second of said interlocking components secured to said shaft within said housing and arranged for said reciprocating movement within said first of said interlocking components; and (f) a drive mechanism including a handle accessible to said operator, an axle controlled for rotation by said handle, a pair of cams spaced along said axle, each of said cams having a spiral slot, a rod secured to said shaft between said cams, each end of said rod riding within one of said cam slots, whereby, as said handle is moved by said operator, said cams rotate, causing said rod to move vertically, causing said shaft to reciprocate.