Pierogi cutler with pivoted forming tool
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the making of a pierogi or similar dough encased filling food product, it is common to first prepare the filling material and to thereafter deposit a certain amount of such filling onto a flattened sheet of dough and to then fold the dough sheet over the deposited filling material to thus encase the filling within the sheet of dough. Following the encasement of the filling material within the sheet of dough, it is then necessary that the dough sheet with the filling material encased therein be cut around the encased filling and to also crimp the edges of the cut sheet of dough to thus seal the filling material within the dough sheet. 
     One of the objects of the invention is to provide a hand held implement which is employed not only to cut the dough around the encased filling material but to also crimp the edges of the cut dough so as to seal the filling material within the dough sheet. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide in a single hand held implement a combined dough cutter and a dough edge crimper whereby the edges of the dough are crimped so as to seal the filling material within the dough sheet preparatory to baking or otherwise cooking the formed product. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide in a single hand held implement a combined dough cutter and an edge crimper for the cut dough, the implement being first used to cut the dough around a filling material which has been deposited onto the sheet of dough and then by reversing a pivotal member forming a part of the implement to present a grooved or channeled surface to impart a crimp to the edges of the cut dough. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combined dough cutter and edge crimper which can be easily and economically manufactured and which may vary in form so that products of different designs may be made with the single hand held implement. 
     In the specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best and most feasible but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such form, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view showing a flattened sheet of dough with the filling material thereon which is to be encased within the dough sheet; 
     FIG. 2 is a view showing the filling material encased within the folded over sheet of dough; 
     FIG. 3 is a view showing the manner in which the implement is employed as a means for cutting the edges of the dough encasing the filling material; 
     FIG. 4 is a view showing the cut product with the smooth side of the cut dough on the upper surface; 
     FIG. 5 is a view showing the crimped edges of the sheet of dough; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing the grooved side of the implement for crimping the edges of the sheet of dough; 
     FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; 
     FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, and 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the area encircled by reference numeral 9 of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Before undertaking a complete description of the invention, it is pointed out that although the implement is intended primarily in the formation of a pierogi, the implement may be as effectively employed in the formation of other food products where it is intended to encase a filling material within a sheet of dough and to subsequently cut the dough and also to crimp the edges of the cut dough so as to seal the filling material within the cut dough prior to baking or otherwise cooking the same. 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, 10 designates in general, the implement of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the implement is circular in formation but the same may take other forms such as square, rectangular, etc. in cross-section and still be as equally effective in the formation of a pierogi or other food product which consists of a filling material encased within a sheet of dough. 
     The implement shown generally at numeral 10 can be made wholly or in part of metal, plastic, or a combination of these materials. Mounted in an opening 11 formed in an outer housing 12 is a pivoted inner forming tool 13 which comprises a smooth surface 14 on one side thereof whereas the opposite side is provided with slotted members 15, for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. 
     As shown more particularly in FIG. 7 of the drawings, dowel pins 16 and 17 are fixedly mounted on the forming tool 13 and the outer ends thereof extend into vertically extending slots 18, 19 formed in the walls 20 of the outer casing 12. As shown more particularly in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the lower portion of the wall 20 terminates in a sharpened edge 21. 
     In use, the filling material 22 for the product to be produced is placed on a flattened sheet of dough 23 such as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Next, the sheet of dough is folded over the filling material and then the hand held implement 10 is guided downwardly towards the filling and dough covering as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Further downward movement of the implement will cause the smooth surface 14 of the forming tool to engage with the dough and since the forming tool 13 is mounted in the vertically extending slots 18, 19 further downward movement of the implement will cause the sharpened edge to contact and cut the dough such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. It will be noted that the slotted surface 15 of the forming tool 13 is uppermost during the cutting operation and that initially the edges of the cut dough are relatively flat. Following this operation, the forming tool 13 which is pivotally mounted on the dowel pins 16, 17 is rotated 180° so as to present the slotted surface 15 lowermost when the implement is again pressed downwardly over the product shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings so as to effect a crimping of the edges of the dough such as shown at 24. This will effect a seal of the dough around the filling which has been encased in the sheet of dough. This completes the formation of the pierogi or other food product and the same is now ready for baking or other cooking operation. 
     It will be seen that I have provided an implement and method for forming a pierogi or other similar food product and the implement may be readily manufactured in an economical manner.