Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system for manufacture and completion of stuffed rolled shells, and more particularly to devices for forming a rolled shell, maintaining the rolled shell shape during cooking and hardening, unloading the formed shells, and a device for both supporting and facilitating the loading of a variety of foodstuffs to be enclosed by the shell. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is conventionally known to form corn based tortilla which is typically a round flat planar area of material, about which a filler may be wrapped. It is known that the shape may be made into a bowl and then fried to make a taco salad vessel. It can also be formed into a “U” shape to form a shell for adding toppings to form a regular taco. 
     It is also known to add material to a tortilla and to wrap it tightly into a cylindrical roll, followed by frying until the corn outer taco covering has a hard consistency. Beef or chicken is typically utilized as a filler. The result has been popularly referred to as a “taquito” which is a word meaning “little taco”. Hereafter, the term flauta (expanse of soft corn taco material or flour taco material) will be used, even though other edible material such as soy, pastry, bread, egg, just to name a few an be used. Problems with this food preparation include thermal and oil absorption problems. 
     Thermal problems arise from several sources, including the thickness of the material to be hardened on cooking, temperature of the oil, water content and starting temperature of the stuffing rolled with the flauta, and whether the stuffing is already cooked or whether it must be cooked in the shell. In some cases where the stuffing has high water content, the stuffing explodes upon frying and destroys the tightness of the roll. Where the stuffing expands or air is introduced, they may require longer to cook the material used for stuffing. 
     Another thermal problem arises from the shape of the flauta itself. Forming a tube from a round expanse of flauta translates to a thicker middle than at the ends. Where long cooking time is required, the thinner ends can become overdone when exposed to the hot oil for a time sufficient to thermally penetrate the middle section and cook the stuffing. 
     Oil absorption is another problem. Some stuffing material has a significant affinity for the oil causing the resulting taquito to hold a significant volume of oil. Fried flauta already has a some oil content, but a stuffing such as meat can wick significant amounts of oil into its inner volume and hold the oil, even against significant draining. Some types of entrained oil can further harden into a semi-solid at room temperature. 
     What is needed is a system which eliminates, to the extent possible, uneven cooking, the deleterious effects of different types of stuffing, prevents oil entrapment, promotes draining, and facilitates the use of a wider variety of food stuffing including stuffings which don&#39;t need cooking and for which cooking would destroy the stuffing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A rolled shell and stuffer apparatus, particularly useful for deep frying, utilizes a number of structures which together provide the ability to quickly produce a large number of stuffed taquito type shells having high quality. The basic components of the system include a shell mold having an outer diameter of about 0.5 inches for example, formation mandrel, a rolling support, a frying support, a removal support, a stuffing system, and an optional handling tool. As will be seen, the degree of interrelatedness of these components can vary, but the result is a uniformity of high quality product which enables a wider range of food stuffing. 
     A formation mandrel is a tube which may be cylindrical or gently tapered. Constant cross sectional shapes include circular, oval, elliptical, triangular, square, and polygonal (both even and uneven). The formation mandrel can be solid, may have an engagement bore, a through bore, or may be made of thinner material to more instantaneously come up to the temperature of the oil in which cooking occurs. The formation mandrel preferably has an engagement structure to steady the mandrel after cooking to assist in removal of the cooked shell, such as a groove, hook, circumferentially outwardly disposed land, a projection, or magnetic holder. The formation mandrel may have a series of holes, grooves, or other structure to help bring hot cooking oil to a position between the mandrel and the wrapped flauta to facilitate cooking and removal. The use of longitudinal grooves, for example, reduces the surface area of contact between the mandrel and the flauta to further reduce a chance of sticking, without compromising the external diameter of the mandrel and while facilitating oil contact with the flauta innermost surface. 
     The shape of the flauta material wrapped upon the mandrel may be any shape, including round, rectangular or complex. The wrap may be a roll from one edge or it may be a spiral with partial overlap or folded or any other shape which can surround the mandrel and form a desired space after removal of the mandrel. 
     An optional rolling support may include a designated area for storage or stacking of the flauta sheets and a mandrel guide to enable a user to more rapidly acquire a consistency of action as to the rolling process. By enabling a user to start and finish at the same place each time, a user will more rapidly acquire consistency in the process of application of the flauta sheet onto the mandrel. The same structure used for the rolling support may also be used to support the mandrels after the shells are formed during cooking. 
     A frying support includes a handle to enable ease and control of manual transport and handling in the oil, as well as a series of shaped separate compartments which need not follow the external shape of the mandrel, but which will provide a sufficient support, combined with the gravity press of the combined weight of the flauta roll and mandrel to hold the newly flauta surrounded mandrel in place to maintain the tight wrap. 
     A removal support should accomplish several tasks. First, if applicable, it should assist in removal of the mandrels from the frying support. Given that the frying support can be a wide variety of structures, the removal support should have a configuration which at least assists in freeing the frying support constraint which kept the flauta in a formed position prior to cooking. The removal support may accomplish the separation of the mandrels and cooked flauta either collectively by keeping the array of mandrels in order, or non-collectively for later individual treatment. The removal support should provide for additional drainage of oil and may have an absorbent material. A vertical support with a series of slots can be used to interfit with grooves in the mandrel to provide a more rigid support. Magnetic assisted removal may also occur. 
     Where the mandrels are supported rigidly, a comb or other simultaneous shell removal structure may be employed to remove the cooked shell from the mandrels. The shells may be removably placed into a loading support or stuffer alignment holder channel, either directly upon removal from the mandrels or individually, one at a time. Once the shells are supported by the stuffer alignment channel, the loosely organized alignment of a number of shells facilitates approach by a feeding hopper having one or more spouts having tapered or cannulated exit fittings. The tapered or cannulated exit fittings engage and further align the supported shells and form a movement constraint environment from which the shell may be filled with other food fillings. 
     A hopper may be manual or motorized and any number of methods and techniques may be used to determine the extent of fill. A manual push rod may be used with manual feed back to measure the degree of fill of the shell. A mark on the fill rod may be used to indicate the extent of fill without having to remove the shell and visually inspect it. Once filled, the filled shells are removed and stored. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention, its configuration, construction, and operation will be best further described in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of one embodiment of a cylinder mandrel having bilateral symmetrical grooves about its opposite ends; 
         FIG. 2  is a view looking into the end of the cylinder mandrel of  FIG. 1  and illustrating its hollow through bore; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a combined rolling support and cylinder mandrel unloading and cooked flauta drainage support; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective of a frying support; 
         FIG. 5  is a view looking down upon a multi support tray seen in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an isolated view of a support structure for attaching to the multi support tray seen in  FIGS. 4-5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a simple stuffing support; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a bushing; 
         FIG. 9  is an end view of the simple stuffing support seen in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of a first embodiment of a stuffer rod; 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of a second embodiment of a stuffer rod; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an assembled stuffer box with base and four sided box structure; 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of a base of the stuffer box seen in  FIG. 12  with the four sided box structure removed. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the base of the stuffer box seen in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a top plan view looking down into the stuffer box of  FIG. 12  seen in mated position with the simple stuffing support of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of a handling tool; 
         FIG. 17  is a top view of the handling tool of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 18  is an end view looking into the end plate of the handling tool seen in  FIGS. 16 and 17 ; and 
         FIG. 19  is a further embodiment of a cylinder mandrel with an integrally mounted keeper. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a plan view of one embodiment of a cylinder mandrel  21  illustrates a smooth cylindrical surface  23  interrupted just before each end by a pair of grooves  25 . The grooves  25  are utilized by other structures to help engage and move the cylinder mandrel  21  when its hot. Other structures can be used, including projections, loops, and other structures. An internal bore  27  is seen in dashed line format in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a view looking into the end of the cylinder mandrel  21  of  FIG. 1  illustrating its hollow through bore  27 . As can be seen the bore  27  is large to leave the cylinder mandrel  21  with a relatively thin wall, but not so thin that the grooves  25  cannot be effectively made with enough depth to provide a catch to an edge of another structure so as to enable the other structure to engage the grooves. 
     In one embodiment, where the exterior diameter of the smooth cylindrical surface  23  of the cylinder mandrel  21  is to have a diameter of 0.50 inches, the internal diameter of the bore  27  is preferably about 0.44 inches. This leaves 0.06 inches to be distributed to both sides to yield a wall thickness of about 0.03 inches. The grooves  25  may then be about 0.20 inches deep, and possibly as much as 0.06 inches wide. Overall, the cylinder mandrel  21  may be about 6.5 inches long. 
     The use of a large bore  27  permits a relatively thin walled cylinder mandrel  21  which will hold up well under rolling pressure, less metal material for faster heating, quicker cooking and quicker cooling after cooking, and a bore through which hot liquid oil may freely circulate. Holes or apertures which extend circumferentially about the cylinder mandrel  21  can be added for increased oil circulation and quick draining, but in such a case, the draining cannot be controlled and directed as it can with a solid cylinder mandrel  21 . Further, the surface  23  need not be smooth, but may also be longitudinally grooved to give more hot oil the ability to circulate around the flauta being cooked, so long as the grooves are thin enough (perhaps along with a layer of flauta which is not very pasty) to cause the flauta material to sink into the longitudinal grooves within the cylinder mandrel  21 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a rolling support  31  is shown combined (although they need not be) with a the cylinder mandrel (cylinder mandrel  21 ) unloading and cooked flauta drainage support  33 , hereafter referred to as unloading and drainage support  33 . Although shown as having a common board  35 , the rolling support  31  and unloading and drainage support  33  may have separate boards. On the unloading and drainage support  33 , a vertical stop  37  is used as a low friction guide along which a cylinder mandrel  21  can slide as the cylinder mandrel  21  is rolled over a circular area  39  used for circular shaped flauta or a rectangular area  41  used for rectangular shaped flauta. The vertical stop  37  also sets the position of the flauta material from the end of the cylinder mandrel  21 . 
     A lowered surface  43  may be provided to give some additional clearance for grasping the flauta material and cylinder mandrel  21  after the flauta material is rolled on it. Typically the cylinder mandrel  21  will be placed about an inch toward the inside of the material on the side farthest from the unloading and drainage support  33 , the end edge is placed over the cylinder mandrel  21  in the direction of the unloading and drainage support  33 , and then the cylinder mandrel  21  is rolled in a tight manner to form wrapped configuration. Once the flauta material is rolled onto the cylinder mandrel  21 , the flauta material should be held manually tightly as the wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21  are transferred. 
     Since the rolling support  31  and unloading and drainage support  33  are shown as an integrated unit, the unloading and unloading and drainage support  33  (hereafter drainage support) will be discussed. On the same side of the board  35  as the vertical stop  37 , a channel  45  having an overall “U” shape is seen. The far side has a straight edge, but the near side has a series of notches  47 , each having a “V” upper portion and a curved lower portion (as will be seen in greater detail). This structure facilitates the engagement of the near side of the channel  45  with the grooves  25  on the cylinder mandrel  21 . This enables the cylinder mandrels  21  to be removed from a structure supporting them in a configuration approximating their spacing seen in  FIG. 3 . Also seen on one of the cylinder mandrels  21  is a cooked shell  49 . 
     Because the near side of the channel  45  is raised an inch or two above the level of the board  35 , and because the other ends of the cylinder mandrels  21  are supported at board  35  level, the cylinder mandrels  21  are tilted. This enables any excess cooking oil, either within the cylinder mandrels  21 , or on the outside to drain into a separate area or container or absorbent material which may optionally be provided. In the alternative, other structures may be provided to support the cylinder mandrels  21  without touching the board  35  and possibly at a lesser angle of tilt. A catch basin may be provided to collect the excess oil. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a frying support  51  is seen. Frying support  51  includes a handle portion  53 , a support structure  55 , and a multi support tray  57 . The handle portion  53  may be angled for maximum ease and utilization for a given orientation immersion fryer (not shown). The handle portion  53  may be removable from or permanently affixed to the support structure  55 . The support structure  55  has a structure which provides force matching between the handle portion  53  and the multi support tray  57 . 
     The multi support tray  57  is seen as a sharply angled undulation series of slots and ridges. It is understood that the purpose of the multi support tray  57  is to provide adequate support for a wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21  before cooking which will stably support it in its wrapped condition before and throughout the cooking process. The wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21  may be formed from a single sheet of material and may have a series of guard tabs  59  to enable the multi support tray  57  to be tilted in the direction longitudinal with respect to the ridges without loss of the wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21 . The guard tabs  59  in essence create a drainage side preference where turning and drainage can occur without touching the wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21 . It is understood that the triangular folds of the multi support tray  57  are generally good for supporting a round wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21  and also for supporting a wide variety of other shapes of wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21 . The shape of the multi support tray  57  can vary to become more complementary to the shape of the wrapped flauta and cylinder mandrel  21 . 
     The dimensions which have been found to work well for multi support tray  57  include a length of material from peak to peak of about 1.25 inches, where each section is angled at about ninety degrees. Each of the guard tabs by have a square dimension of about 0.4 inches. After folding, the multi support tray  57  is about 5.0 inches by about 5.5 inches with the longer unfolded dimension extending away from the support structure  55 . Before folding, each of the folds is approximately 1 inch, which causes the unfolded multi support tray  57  to have a dimension of about 5.5 inches by about 8.0 inches. 
     The mounting of the support structure  55  in  FIG. 4  is along an edge of the multi support tray  57 . An alternative location is along the serpentine edge of the multi support tray  57 , especially adjacent the location in which the guard tabs  59  are shown in  FIG. 4 . Also seen in  FIG. 4  are some details of the handle portion  53  including a pair of outwardly directed members  61  which fits through a slot  63  on the support structure  55  and into engagement with a pair of apertures  65 . A sliding hold off member  67  can be moved downward to lock the handle portion  53  into place. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a top view of an unfolded multi support tray  57  indicates a location of an alternative support structure with dashed lines indicating a support area  71 . A series of openings  73  are shown which, given the dimensions set forth above, may be formed as 0.5 inch diameter holes prior to folding. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a folded box bracket is seen as a support structure  75  which may be advantageously located in the support area  71  seen in  FIG. 5 . Support structure  75  has a lower plate  77  which will be tack welded to the multi support tray  57 . A pair of laterally extending wings  79  will extend the interference of an upper plate  71  of the support structure  75  which naturally guards or interferes with the middle two “V” shaped channels of the multi support tray  57 . The presence and location of the support structure  75 , along with the presence of the laterally extending wings  79 , provides a stop for all four “V” shaped channels seen. 
     The upper plate  81  has a pair of side plates  83  and  85 , each of which have opposing upper tab folds  87 . The upper tab folds  87  help guide the ends of the handle portion  53  in the same manner as was explained for  FIG. 4 , and prevents a hinge action between the portions of the handle portion  53  adjacent ends  61 . The structure needed to prevent forward motion should be slight as the loaded weight upon the multi support tray  57  should urge the weight of the handle portion  53  adjacent a vertical plate  81 . 
     Stuffing of the cooked shell  49  can be accomplished with a variety of structures and techniques. Where a cream is stuffed, a smaller pipe can be introduced to extrude material as the pipe is withdrawn back through the shell  49 . 
     Stuffing with solid foodstuffs presents a completely different set of problems. Stuffing with shredded meat, for example, can be difficult. Shredding the stuffing material to too small a size can change the taste and consistency of the final foodstuff structure. Another problem is support, both during stuffing and during eating. Where the stuffing material has no structural support contribution, the shell  49  can collapse when bitten. Where a material having significant structural characteristics are stuffed, it can catch and block further insertion. Where it is further forced, it can break the shell  49  either upon the occurrence of a blockage, as well as upon over-stuffing. The alternative of using thicker and more structurally hardened shells  49  detracts from the aesthetic and quality of the finished food product. The design and construction of a completely automated mechanical stuffer will either result in significant breakage of the shells  49 , or will be prohibitively expensive. 
     A mechanical stuffing system is described which will permit rapid manual stuffing along with minimal chance for breakage of the shell  49 . A simple stuffing support  85  is seen which is formed from a single sheet of material and which has four, upwardly folded flaps. A base  87  supports an end flap  89  and a pair of side flaps  91  and a front flap  93 . End flap  89  is designed as a food stop. The front flap  93  has a pair of slots occupied by bushings  95 , which may be preferably made of nylon or plastic. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a side view of the bushing  95  is seen as having an “H” shape, including a main cylindrical body having a pair of enlarged flanges. This enables the bushing  95  to be supported between a semi-circular support and yet allow easy removal for cleaning and the like. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a front view of the simple stuffing support  85  without the bushings  93  reveals a pair of front slots  97  each having a central circular portion  99  and a pair of flanking angled openings  101 . The slots  97  have approximately the same shape as the slots  47  which were partially seen in  FIG. 3 . The bushings  93  are used to provide a low friction transition surface and create minimum wear on a push rod, and depending upon the design of the push rod can be used to help retain the push rods in operational use by preventing their slipping past the bushings  93 . 
     The spacing of the slots  97  represent a wider spacing than is absolutely necessary to accommodate two shells  49 , and “U” shaped spacers can be located on the base  87  to provide support and separation for the two shells  49  located within the simple stuffing support  85 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a plan view of a stuffer rod  111  which can be cylindrical, oval, or square. Stuffer rod  111 , if cylindrical, will have a first diameter cylindrical portion  113  and a second diameter cylindrical portion  115 , and if square will have a first width cylindrical portion  113  and a second width cylindrical portion  115 . The discussion will be continued based upon a cylindrical stuffer rod  111 , but in the case of a square or other shaped stuffer rod  111 , the openings in the bushings  95  will be appropriately matched. In one instance, a portion  113  having a diameter of about three eighths of an inch and a rod portion  115  having a diameter of about five-sixteenths of an inch may work well. A reduced diameter rod portion is used in conjunction with the bushings  95  to help prevent the stuffer rod  111  from becoming inadvertently dis-engaged from a stuffer box (to be shown) when the simple stuffing support  85  is used to support both cooked shells  49  and the stuffer box (to be shown). 
     A series of etched lines  117  and  119  may be formed to indicated to the user the maximum run and minimum engagement positions for the stuffer rod  111 . This will help self train the user not to over-extend the stuffer rod  111  when stuffing begins, such as line  119 , and not to continue stuffing once the stuffer rod shows resistance at a given level, such as line  117 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a plan view of a stuffer rod  121  having a constant cross sectional dimension is seen. As before, the stuffer rod  121  can have any cross sectional shape, including cylindrical, oval, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and the like. In this instance, a single structure a diameter of about three eighths of an inch is seen. This dimension will work with the stuffer box to be seen in subsequent Figures, as well as through bushings  95  having a larger internal diameter, as there is no larger diameter portion to be captured. The constant diameter rod  121  may used for a less bulky material which may not be subject to shearing, for a given sized stuffer box dimension. A series of etched lines  123  and  125  may be formed to indicated to the user the maximum run and minimum engagement positions for the stuffer rod  121 . 
     A stuffer apparatus will pass food to be stuffed through the bushings  95  of the simple stuffing support  85 . As before, especially for a commercial production operation a pump operated stuffer may be used. For smaller operations, the main requirement of a stuffer unit is that it be simple and easy to clean thoroughly. Referring to  FIG. 12 , a perspective of a stuffer box  131  is seen. A base  133  interfits with a four sided box  135 . Two of the sides of the box  135 , including sides  137  and  139  are lower than two other opposite sides  141  and  143 . In one embodiment of the invention, the lower edge of sides  137  and  139  may simply overlap the outside of the base  133 , where the lower edges of sides  141  and  143  fit into grooves (not completely seen in  FIG. 12 ) and form a stable engagement. The base  133  has lowered grooves to interfit with the lower edges of sides  137  and  139  to insure that the box  135  is properly oriented with respect to the base  133 . 
     From a wall  145  of the base  133  a pair of canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  are seen. The longer extent of the cannulated shapes of the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  at the bottom extent of the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149 . This enables the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  to become more easily inserted into the ends of the cooked shells  49 . Having the ends of the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  oriented to the bottom will insure that less food spillage will occur upon docking and un-docking of the stuffer box  131  with respect to the simple stuffing support  85 . 
     Also partially seen in  FIG. 12  is a hopper feed area  151  surrounding a hopper opening  153 . Both the hopper feed area  151  and hopper opening  153  may be machined into an upper surface  155  of the base  133 . The removable four sided box  135  gives the cleaner wide open access to the hopper feed area  151 , hopper opening  153 , and upper surface  155 . The canula shaped conduit  147  is in fluid communication with its respective hopper opening  153 , while the canula shaped conduit  149  is in fluid communication with its respective hopper opening (not seen in  FIG. 12 ). Both the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  and their respective hopper openings are in communication with their respective through bores which extend horizontally through the base  133 . The back openings cannot be seen in  FIG. 12  but are located just under the side  143 . The stuffer rods  111  and  121  operate from the back openings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , a top plan view of the base  133  with the four sided box  135  removed illustrates further details. Back openings are seen as back opening  161  which is in fluid communication with a through bore  163 , the hopper opening  153  and canula shaped conduit  147 . Similarly, a back opening  165  is in fluid communication with a through bore  167 , a hopper opening  169  and canula shaped conduit  147 . The through bores  163  and  167  will have a shape matching the stuffer rods  111  and  121 . Hopper opening  169  is surrounded by a hopper feed area  171 . A front groove  173  for supporting a lower edge of the side  141  is seen, as is a rear groove  175  for supporting a lower edge of the side  143 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , a side view of the base  133  is seen along with a clearer view of the grooves  173  and  175 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the bores  163  and  167  are generally linear. Note also that the hopper feed areas  151  and  171  could be closer together, but that separation enables additional control of the material fed through those hopper feed areas  151  and  171 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , a top down view illustrates the mating parts of the simple stuffing support  85  which supports a pair of cooked shells  49  and the stuffer box  131 . Also seen for the first time is one or more shell separator structures  181  which may be a simple “U” shaped channel tack welded to the base  87  of the simple stuffing support  85 . Note that the canula shaped conduits  147  and  149  are seen as extending into the cooked shells, and that one of the shell separator structures  181  is positioned somewhat as a stop for stabilizing the stuffer box  131  in the direction of the cooked shells  49 . 
     Any material within the four sided box  135  will fall into the hopper openings  153  and  169  where it may be gently pushed forward by the stuffer rod  121  (or stuffer rod  111 ). The spacing shown between the front flap  93  and the stuffer box  131  may exist or there may be a close fit. Where the structures  181  are moveable, such as by engagement in a series of slots in the base  87  of the simple stuffing support  85 , the structures  181  can be moved about to accommodate different lengths of cooked shells  49 , and different sized stuffer boxes  131 . 
     Where stuffer rod  111  is used, note that its withdrawal will be limited by the bushings  95  to prevent the end of the stuffer rod  111  from becoming disengaged from the stuffer box  131  and thus saving the time necessary to re-insert it. This enables a much more mechanically affirmative mode of action. Movement of stuffer rod  111  may be set to either partially or completely clear the hopper opening  153  to enable material present over hopper feed area  151  and hopper opening  153  will fall into the hopper feed area  151 . Each time the stuffer rod  111  is advanced, the material within the feed area  151  will be advanced through the canula shaped conduit  147  and into the shell  49 . It is understood that the hopper feed area  151  and hopper opening  153  could be made longer to load more material per forward stroke of the stuffer rod  121 , but increasing the length of the hopper opening  153  could also compact the food stuffing present and subject the shell to a greater chance of damage or breakage. The smaller the amount loaded with each stroke of the stuffer rod  121 , the more gentle the loading steps will become. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 16-19 , one embodiment of a handling tool  191  is seen. The handling tool  191  is described which can be used to engage, carry and disengage the hollow open ends of the cylinder mandrel  21 . The handling tool  191  has a main cylindrical body  193  which should be long enough to manually grasp with enough distance between main cylindrical body  193  and a conical section  195  which will be inserted into the through bore  27  of cylinder mandrel  21  to form an interference fit. The interference fit will depend upon the force with which the handling tool  191  is inserted, as well as the taper of the conical section  195 . 
     A blunt end  197  is provided to make the handling tool  191  less of an injury and destruction threat during use. A sharp tip might encourage user to more rapidly approach the cylinder mandrel  21  and a missed engagement would cause either damage to the cooked shell  49  or hand contact with the cylinder mandrel  21 . 
     At the end of the handling tool  191  opposite the conical section  195  an end plate  199  is located. The end plate carries a curved notch  201  which should closely match the outer diameter of the cylindrical surface  23  of the cylinder mandrel  21 . The axial edges of the curved notch  201  may be sharply angled. 
     At the end of the main cylindrical body  193  is an end plate  197  which functions as a combination end member, shell removal fitting and cleaning fitting. As an end member, it acts as an end grasp register for the main cylindrical body  193  so that users can “feel” the end of the handling tool  191  and preferentially keep the hand nearest the end. As a shell removal fitting, the end plate  199  curved notch  201  is made to fit over the exterior surface of the cylinder mandrel  21  and urged along the surface to help remove the cooked shell  49 . This use enables the user to avoid touching the hot cylinder mandrel  21  just after cooking, as well as the hot cooked shell  49 . As a cleaning fitting, the end plate  199  curved notch  201  can be closely conforming to the exterior of the smooth cylindrical surface  23  of the cylinder mandrel  21  so that movement of the end plate  199  along its length removes all debris including bits of the cooked shell  49  which either remained or was inadvertently stuck to the cylinder mandrel  21 , as well as any debris the cylinder mandrel  21  may have picked up from the last cooking operation. 
     Referring to  FIG. 19 , an alternative embodiment of a cylinder mandrel is seen as a cylinder mandrel  211 . Cylinder mandrel  211  may have the same dimensions for a smooth cylindrical surface  213  as were seen for smooth cylindrical surface  23 . A pivot fitting  215  may be spring loaded to urge a keeper  217  against the smooth cylindrical surface  213 . The nature of the spring fitting (not shown in  FIG. 19 ) may be simply to urge the keeper  217  in one direction, or it may act with a cam action to enable the keeper  217  to assume a right angle with respect to the smooth cylindrical surface  213  to facilitate wrapping of the flauta material. In this position, the pivot fitting  215  may be freely rotatable about the axis of the smooth cylindrical surface  213  to enable the main extent of the cylinder mandrel  211  to rotate with respect to the pivot fitting  215 . In the alternative, a tool such as a spring loaded pliers with radius gripping tips can be utilized with cylinder mandrels  21 . 
     A handle  219  can be used to manipulate the keeper  217 . Note that the fitting pivot point is raised slightly in the view of  FIG. 19  with no flauta material present, so that a more even contact of the keeper  217  against the flauta material can occur when the flauta material is present. The keeper  217  can have a curvature about the smooth cylindrical surface  213  to match it, or more preferably of a lesser curvature to provide a better match with the exterior of the rolled flauta material which the keeper  217  is to hold in place. 
     At the end of the cylinder mandrel  211 , a fitting  221  may include a flange  223  which is engaged by a fitting cylinder  225  which can attach to another structure. It is contemplated that a number of cylinder mandrels  211  may be supported by a common support to enable complete immersion in cooking oil so that more of the flauta material and the shell  49  produced may have a more direct contact with the cooking oil. The cylinder mandrel  211  and the combination of the cylinder mandrel  21  along with the multi support tray  57  are just two example of a structures which facilitate securing of the flauta material in place during cooking. 
     The system of the present invention can be used to prepare shells  49  and stuff any cook hardened material with meats, vegetables, desserts, and more. Cooking of the flauta material may be accomplished in a preheated deep fryer to a range of 300 360 degrees, but other cooking media and environment may be used. 
     When utilizing some layers of material with which the shell  49  is formed, it may be necessary to pre-heat or pre-moisturize to obtain better self-adherence. Once rapid production begins the cylinder mandrel  21  may remain hot, and handling with the handling tool  191  permits a better result in which the cylinder mandrel  21  remains hot and covered with oil. 
     In terms of operation of the invention, place a tapered end of the conical section  195  of the handling tool  191  engages a cylinder mandrel  21  and is used to transfer it to the circular area  39  or rectangular area  41  of the rolling support  31 . The cylinder mandrel  21  is placed about an one inch from the leading edge of a sheet of flauta material with the cylinder mandrel  21  pushed against the vertical stop  37 . The leading edge of the flauta material is rolled over the cylinder mandrel  21  until it tucks in enough to begin rolling until it is completely wrapped around the cylinder mandrel  21 . Keeping the roll tight, the cylinder mandrel  21  covered with the flauta material is transferred to one of the “V” shaped slots of the multi support tray  57  and placed in a position to make sure the outer, free edge of the rolled flauta material is facing down to keep it from unraveling. The weight of the cylinder mandrel  21  will keep it in place and shape. 
     The frying support  51  is loaded with other wrapped cylinder mandrels  21 , and are immersed, supported by the multi support tray  57 , in a deep fryer. After cooking for  1 - 2  minutes (depending upon the temperature of the oil and the type of flauta material used, lift the frying support  51  and allow some drainage over the cooking oil. Any tilting of the multi support tray  57  should be done with the guard tabs  59  or laterally extending wings  79  downward. The frying support  51  is positioned so that each protruding end of the cylinder mandrel  21  is over a corresponding notch  47  of the channel  45 . As the frying support  51  is lowered, each of the grooves  25  of the exposed cylinder mandrel  21  engages its associated notch  47 . Once lowered, the frying support  51  the grooves  25  on the cylinder mandrels will hook themselves on the notches  47 . As the frying support  51  is then moved laterally away from the channel  45 , the cylinder mandrels  21  bearing the cooked shell  49  are dragged from the multi support tray  57  and supported at an angle over the board  35 . 
     Next, the handling tool  191  can be used to begin to slide the shell  49  away from the channel  45  along its cylinder mandrel  21 . The handling tool  191  can be used to lift the cylinder mandrel  21  to enable the shell  49  to clear the board  35 . The shells  49  are then transferred to the simple stuffing support  85  between a side flap  91  and a shell separator structure  181 . The assembled stuffer box  131  is mated with the simple stuffing support  85 , and food to be stuffed is added to the assembled stuffer box  131 . Depending on the foodstuff selected, stuffer rod  111  or  121  is used to perform the stuffing operation. Each stuffing stroke should terminate when the user feels resistance on the stuffer rod  111  or  113 . Once the shell  49  is full, the stuffer rod  111  or  113  is removed from the stuffer box  131  and the filled shell is removed from the simple stuffing support  85 . 
     All of the components of the inventive system can be made in a variety of materials—plated metal, wire mesh metal, wire mesh rod, or approved plastics, hardwood, or any other moldable materials in a variety of colors. Metals used can be aluminum, iron, steel, stainless steel, titanium and more. Although the stuffer box  131  has been shown as having a two piece construction for ease of cleaning and a dual stuffing capacity, a stuffer can be used with unitary or multiple parts and may have multiple stuffing capacity. Two stuffer box  131  can be used with a two sided stuffing support  85  to stuff shells  49  from the middle outwardly. The stuffing combination shown in  FIG. 15  or other stuffer can be made to work in a vertical or angled position. The operation of the stuffing rods  111  and  121  within the stuffer box can be made to operate by motor. All sizes for all components of  FIGS. 1-19  can be varied as needed. Through bores  167 ,  27 , and stuffer rods  111  and  121  can be of any shape, square, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, and the like. 
     While the present invention has been described in terms of a food preparation system, and particularly to a multi-component user friendly system for semi-automated production of cooked shells, the present invention may be applied in any situation where formation and stuffing of structures is desired to yield a complete and integrated cooked shell production system of a scale from manual to batch-continuous operation. 
     Although the invention has been derived with reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, included within the patent warranted hereon are all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of this contribution to the art.

Technology Category: 1