Dough roller

[0002] This invention relates to the field of pastry forming apparatus and more particularly to a pastry forming apparatus wherein a plurality of tools for the forming and working of dough and pastry are detachably interconnected together.

[0003] A cook or baker commonly has access to and utilizes many different tools in the preparation of food. These tools are typically stored collectively and loosely in drawers and the like in a kitchen area. When food is being prepared, the cook or baker must access and retrieve particular tools from the collection. Commonly, considerable time can be lost in locating, retrieving and collecting the specific tools needed or desired for a particular preparation task.

[0004] In the interest of saving time and labor, it would be desirable and useful to have tools that are employed in a given preparation procedure consolidated and thus stored together. Thereby, the task of locating, collecting and retrieving individual tools is simplified and shortened, and time and labor are conserved.

[0005] In a single pastry forming (including preparation) procedure, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, various individual and separate roller and crust forming and shaping tools are commonly employed, perhaps four or more separate tools being utilized. If a particular generic set of these tools could be consolidated into a common structural arrangement, then the foregoing problems associated with locating, collecting and retrieving individual separated tools are eliminated, or greatly minimized, since only one tool assembly would need to be preliminarily located from a general tool collection, which could be a brief and simple matter.

[0006] In pastry forming, a starting dough body is typically spread and rolled into a flattened sheet-like configuration using a roller to produce a crust (for subsequent processing). Prior art rollers include rolling pins and (typically) smaller rollers. The former comprise a cylindrical roller with an axially projecting and rotatable handle at each opposite end for two-handed operation. The latter comprise a roller whose opposite ends are rotatably associated with opposite terminal ends of a fork or yoke that is itself joined to a handle that extends perpendicularly and medially relative to the roller axis for single handed operation. The latter rollers are commonly either cylindrically shaped, or barrel-shaped (outwardly convex and relatively short in length), the latter configuration apparently being useful for rolling dough up the side of a container, such as a pie pan, or the like.

[0007] Also, in pastry forming, finishing tools are commonly employed. Common finishing tools include a fork-like tool having projecting sharp tines and a crimping tool. The fork-like tool is commonly used for making puncture holes in the upper crust of a pie to permit steam to escape from the pie during baking. The crimping tool is commonly used to impress and join together adjoining rim portions of the upper and lower crusts of a pie before baking.

[0008] There is a need in the pastry forming art for an improved consolidated pastry forming apparatus that incorporates both dough rolling means and pastry finishing means. The present invention aims to fulfill this need.

[0009] The present invention is directed to consolidated pastry forming apparatus that incorporates roller means and finishing means and wherein certain individual tool components coact yet are conveniently and simply detachably associated with one another.

[0010] The roller means comprises a roller assembly that includes an elongated handle which has a fork at each opposite end. Each fork has a roller rotatably mounted between the terminal ends thereof for rotation about an axis that is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle. One roller has a cylindrical side surface, the other is relatively shorter and has a convex side surface.

[0011] The finishing means comprises a unitarily formed tool that includes a generally flattened, somewhat elongated handle. At one handle end is a plurality of outwardly projecting tines for dough puncturing or marking, and at the opposite handle end is an enlargement for dough crimping or localized compressing.

[0012] The finishing tool is removably connected to portions of the roller assembly handle. Although this connection can be variously achieved, it is presently preferred to provide opposite side portions of the finishing tool with longitudinally extending, outwardly projecting flange portions that are configured to engage matingly rabbet portions provided in opposing side edge portions of the handle of the roller assembly.

[0013] When associated with the roller assembly, side surface portions of the finishing tool cooperate with the handle of the roller assembly to provide a smooth and easily held composite handle member that is useful in dough rolling using either one of the two rollers.

[0014] Thus, the inventive consolidated pastry forming apparatus incorporates a reversibly interconnected and cooperatively associated set of pastry forming tools comprising two independently operated dough rollers, a pastry (or dough) puncturing and marking tool and a pastry (or dough) crimping or localized compressing tool.

[0015] The inventive consolidated pastry forming apparatus provides a generic set of pastry forming and working tools in a common structural arrangement.

[0016] The apparatus is sturdy, convenient, easy to use and maintain and readily stored and retrieved for use in a pastry forming and/or working procedure.

[0017] Other and further objects, features, purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those familiar with the pastry and pastry tool arts from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

[0018] In the drawings,

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dough roller or pastry forming apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 is an opposite side elevational view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 6 is an end view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 7 is an opposite end view of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the dough roller of FIG. 1 with the removable pastry finishing tool or component removed from the handle;

[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the removable pastry tool of the dough roller of FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 10 is a side view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9;

[0029] FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9;

[0030] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9;

[0031] FIG. 13 is an end view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9;

[0032] FIG. 14 is an opposite end view of the removable pastry tool of FIG. 9;

[0033] FIG. 15 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the handle of the embodiment of FIG. 1, taken through one set of rabbet notches; and

[0034] FIG. 16 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the finishing tool of the embodiment of FIG. 1, taken through one set of tabs.

[0035] Referring to the Figures, there is seen an embodiment 9 of the consolidated pastry forming apparatus of this invention. The apparatus 9 incorporates a dough roller 10 that can be considered to be a primary or main structure and a detachably connected pastry finishing tool 74 (see FIG. 2, for example) that can be considered to be a secondary or auxiliary structure.

[0036] Dough roller 10 includes a handle 12 having a first forked end 14 and a second forked end 16 at respective opposite ends thereof. First forked end 14 includes a pair of fork arms 18 and 20. Second forked end 16 includes a pair of fork arms 22 and 24.

[0037] Disposed between fork arms 18 and 20 at first forked end 14 is a first roller 26 with cylindrically curved sides having axle stubs 28 and 30 extending from opposite axial ends thereof. Axle stubs 28 and 30 are received through flanged bushings 32 and 34 mounted in holes in fork arms 18 and 20, respectively. The bushings 32,34 are sized to permit free rotation of axle stubs 28 and 30 therein. Hence, first cylindrical roller 26 is mounted between fork arms 18 and 20 of first forked end 14 for rotation about its axis, transverse to the longitudinal axis of handle 12. Axle stubs 28,30 are upset at their outer ends 36,38, respectively. Axle stubs 28 and 30 are thereby prevented from slipping out of the flanged bushings 32,34 in fork arms 18,20, respectively.

[0038] Disposed between fork arms 22 and 24 at second forked end 16 is a second roller 40 with convexly curved sides having axle stubs 42 and 44 extending from opposite axial ends thereof. Axle stubs 42 and 44 are received through flanged bushings 46 and 48 mounted in holes in fork arms 22 and 24, respectively. The bushings 46,48 are sized to permit free rotation of axle stubs 42 and 44 therein. Hence, second convex roller 40 is mounted between fork arms 22 and 24 of second forked end 16 for rotation about its axis, transverse to the longitudinal axis of handle 12. Axle stubs 42 and 44 are upset at their outer ends 50,52, respectively. Axle stubs 42 and 44 are thereby prevented from slipping out of the flanged bushings 46,48 in fork arms 22,24, respectively.

[0039] Handle 12 includes a central grip region 54 and a broadened, generally triangular transition region 56 at forked end 14 from which fork arms 18 and 20 extend. Similarly, handle 12 includes a broadened, generally triangular transition region 58 at forked end 16 from which fork arms 22 and 24 extend. The upper surface of transition region 56 includes a depressed concave thumb rest 60 aligned with the longitudinal axis of handle 12. Likewise, the upper surface of transition region 56 includes a depressed concave thumb rest 62 aligned with the longitudinal axis of handle 12.

[0040] Thumb rest 60 receives the thumb of a user whose fingers are curled below and around grip region 54 of handle 12, with the thumb pointing toward first cylindrical roller 26. By pressing downwardly with the thumb on thumb rest 60, downward pressure can be transferred through fork arms 18 and 20 to first cylindrical roller 26, and thence to dough being rolled by roller 26.

[0041] Alternatively, handle 12 can be reversed in the user's hand such that thumb rest 62 receives the thumb of a user whose fingers are curled below and around grip region 54 of handle 12, with the thumb pointing toward second convex roller 40. By pressing downwardly with the thumb on thumb rest 62, downward pressure can be transferred through fork arms 22 and 24 to second convex roller 40, and thence to dough being rolled by roller 40.

[0042] Handle 12 is generally U-shaped in cross-section, (see FIG. 15, for example) an upper wall 64, a side wall 66, and an opposite side wall 68. Side wall 66 extends at opposite ends to form fork arms 18 and 22, respectively. Side wall 68 extends at opposite ends to form fork arms 22 and 24, respectively. Upper wall 64 extends at opposite ends to form transition regions 56 and 58, respectively. Side walls 66 and 68 terminate in lower edges 70 and 72 that are spaced apart laterally.

[0043] Referring particularly to FIG. 5, the bottom of dough roller 10 is illustrated, showing removable pastry tool 74 that spans between and is connected to edges 70 and 72 of handle 12. Pastry tool 74, when assembled to dough roller 10 as shown in FIG. 5, comprises part of grip region 54 of handle 12 and provides a convexly contoured lower surface 76. Pastry tool 74 also provides a smooth transition from lower surface 76 to side walls 66 and 68 at edges 70 and 72 of handle 12. Consequently, handle 12 can be gripped comfortably by the user's hand while pastry tool 74 is assembled thereto, with the fingers curled under and across lower surface 76. Uncomfortable contact between the user's hand and edges 70 and 72 is thereby substantially avoided. Pastry tool 74 is assembled to handle 12 in elastic snap-fitting engagement such that pastry too 74 can repeatedly be assembled to and removed from handle 12. When removed, pastry tool 74 comprises a utensil that is useful in the preparation of pie crust and the like.

[0044] Referring especially to FIGS. 8 and 15, the removable attachment of pastry tool 74 to handle 12 is enabled in part by a pair of rabbets 78 and 80 at the intersection, respectively, of lower edges 70 and 72 and inner side surfaces 82 and 84 of side walls 66 and 68. Disposed in spaced relationship with respect to each other and within rabbet 78 are a pair of longitudinally spaced notches 86 and 88 undercut into side wall 66. Likewise, disposed in spaced relationship with respect to each other and within rabbet 80 are a pair of longitudinally spaced notches 90 and 92 undercut into side wall 68. Rabbets 78 and 80, and notches 86, 88, 90 and 92 cooperate with pastry tool 74 to provide a releasable engagement with handle 12, as described further below.

[0045] Referring now to FIGS. 9-14 and 16, pastry tool 74 is shown removed from handle 12. Pastry tool 74 includes a substantially flat upper perimetrical surface 94 surrounding an oval, concave central depression 96. Lower surface 76 is convex and intersects upper surface 94 at a perimetrical edge 98. Extending upwardly from upper perimetrical surface 94 is an elongate wall 100 that is sized and located to be received in close fitting engagement within rabbet 78 of handle 12. Similarly, an opposed elongate wall 102 extends upwardly from perimetrical surface 94 and is disposed on the opposite side of depression 96. Elongate wall 102 is sized and located to be received in close fitting engagement within rabbet 80 of handle 12.

[0046] Extending outwardly and laterally from elongate wall 100 are a pair of tabs 104 and 106 that are longitudinally spaced relative to each other and located to be received within notches 86 and 88, respectively, of handle 12. Likewise, extending outwardly and laterally from elongate wall 102 are a pair of tabs 108 and 110 that are longitudinally spaced relative to each other and located to be received within notches 90 and 92, respectively, of handle 12.

[0047] Pastry tool 74 can be assembled to handle 12 by pressing tool 74 against lower edges 70 and 72 such that upstanding walls 100 and 102 are received within rabbets 78 and 80. Under such pressure, lower edges 70 and 72 are forced to spread elastically and laterally away from each other just enough to permit tabs 104, 106, 108 and 110 to snap into undercut notches 86, 88, 90 and 92, respectively. Handle 12, constructed of injection molded plastic, is sufficiently elastic to permit such elastic spreading. Tool 74 remains attached to handle 12 until such time as the user desires to remove it by pulling one end or the other of tool 74 away from handle 12, resulting in disengagement of tabs 104, 106, 108 and 110 from undercut notches 86, 88, 90 and 92.

[0048] It is desirable to remove pastry tool 74 from handle 12 from time to time, especially after the user has finished rolling out the dough to make upper and lower pie crusts, for example. After the lower crust, pie filling, and upper crust have been placed in a pie pan, pastry tool 74 can be used advantageously to finish the pie crust. A plurality of sharp tines 112 that extend longitudinally from one end of pastry tool 74. Tines 112 can be used to puncture holes in the upper pie crust to permit steam to escape from the pie during baking. Furthermore, a crescent-shaped protrusion 114 extends upwardly from upper perimetrical surface 94 at the opposite end of tool 74, which protrusion 114 can be used to crimp the upper and lower pie crusts together around the rim of the pie plate.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described in detail in terms of preferred embodiments, the scope of the invention in which an exclusive right is claimed is defined by the claims appended below: