Background of the Invention
Hamburger patties are now prepared and packaged in exact shapes and weights of meat so that the hamburgers are all uniform. However, when the finished hamburger is placed in a roll or bun, the condiment added, mustard and ketchup, and the chopped onions, will drip and leak from the edges of the hamburger. No means are provided for retaining the condiments and other additives within the confines of the bun.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is designed to provide a method and means for forming a hamburger patty which will hold the various condiments and other additives in the hamburger without leakage. Furthermore, the mold of the present invention is simple and easy to use and can is readily usable at home to make the hamburgers easier to make and more palatable. The mold is designed to provide the hamburger patty with a comparatively large central opening of any desired configuration and an indented groove around the center. The opening and groove can be used to contain and hold the condiments or any other additives in the bun.
Description of the Drawings
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the mold for forming the patty of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a transverse section through the mold with the ground meat in place for forming the patty;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a hamburger patty formed by the method and mold of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of patty formed by the method and mold of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hamburger on a bun modified to handle a patty of the present invention.
Description of the Invention
Referring more in detail to the drawings, the patty formed by the present invention is more particularly shown in FIG. 3. It comprises an annular disc 10 of ground meat having a predermined thickness and weight. The disc 10 is provided with a central opening 12 extending therethrough and illustrated as being annular in section. In the form shown, the diameter of the opening is between 1/4 and 1/3 of the diameter of the patty. Approximately midway between the perimeter of the opening 12 and the edge of the hamburger patty 10, the patty is provided with an annular groove 14 on both sides of the patty. This presents a groove at the top no matter how the patty is turned.
The central opening 12 is illustrated in FIG. 3 as annular. However, any desired convenient shape can be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the patty 16 is provided with a central opening 18 which is star shaped. This form also has the grooves 20.
When the patties 10 or 16 have been cooked and placed in a hamburger roll, the central openings 12 or 18 and the grooves 14 or 20, are used for holding the additives and condiments. For example, chopped onions may be placed to fill in the central opening and ketchup or mustard in the grooves. Or relish or mushrooms can be placed in the center. The opening and grooves will effectively prevent leakage of the additives around the edges of the hamburger when it is being eaten.
For additional effect, the hamburger bun or roll can be made as shown in FIG. 5. Here the patty 10 is shown in a roll or bun 22 in which the top of the roll has a central opening 24 aligned with the central opening 12 of the patty. This allows a condiment, or onions, or relish to be piled into the hamburger after the sandwich has been made.
The method and means for forming the patty is more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. An enlarged, annular lower plate 26 is made of a suitable material such as stainless steel. The plate 26 is provided with a central post or dowel 28 which can be made of wood or plastic and mounted by a screw 30, FIG. 2. Spaced from the post 28, a half-round rib 32 is mounted on the plate 26 and extends in a circle around the post.
The upper portion of the mold is built like a cooky cutter for apportioning the correct amount of ground meat in the mold. It comprises an annular top 34 having a depending skirt 36 around the perimeter. The height of the portion 36 is such that it will form the correct thickness of patty. Depending from the center of the top 34 is a hollow post 38 of approximately the same height as the post 28, but with an inside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the post 28 so that the post 38 will slide over the post 28, FIG. 2. Spaced from the post 38 is a complementary annular half-round rib portion 40 vertically aligned with the rib 32 on the lower portion 26.
The method of forming the patty 10 is simple. A quantity of ground hamburger meat is positioned on the lower portion 26 surrounding the post 28. The upper member is now pressed down over the meat with the post 38 sliding over the post 28. Just like a cooky cutter, the depending skirt portion 36 will cut into the meat and confine the correct amount within the mold as shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the posts 28 and 38 will form an opening in the center of the patty, and the ribs 32 and 40 will form grooves 14 in the top and bottom of the patty 10, now shaped like a donut.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the patty is provided with an annular central opening 12 formed by the annular dowel 28 and annular post 38. However, to provide a pleasing effect, the dowel and post can be any other shape, for example starshaped for forming the opening 18 shown in FIG. 4. With the central opening, the hamburg patty forms the shape of a donut. The donut shape of a hamburg patty is novel, but it also has the advantage of permitting more thorough cooking of the meat and, of course, the holding of the additives and condiments as hereinabove described.
I have thus provided a simple and easy means for forming a hamburg patty in the shape of a donut having a central opening and grooved for retaining the usual additions to a hamburger such as onions, relish, mustard, ketchup, etc. The device is simple in construction and can be used commercially or at home. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.