Abstract: A frozen merchandiser has a plurality of single pane, cylindrically curved, glass lids which are slidably counterbalanced with springs. Front and back plastic extrusions block the passaage of air, and the front extrusion provides a mounting surface for a handle. A refrigerated compartment has a fin-and-tube evaporator disposed in the upper portion thereof and against the rear wall thereof. The compartment has an access opening that is defined by a free edge of the front wall of the compartment and is disposed at a relatively low height above the floor on which the merchandiser rests. The mechanical components of the refrigeration system are mounted on a board that is slidable into and out of a housing which is heat insulated from the refrigerated compartment. The tubes carrying the refrigerant are disposed around and against the exterior of the compartment walls and held thereagainst by foamed heat insulation that surrounds the walls of the refrigerated compartment.

Abstract: An ice making machine of the type in which an ice mold is refrigerated and water recirculated from a water receiver over the refrigerated ice mold and back to the water receiver during an ice making cycle, to freeze ice forms on the ice mold, and the ice mold is heated and water recirculation stopped during an ice harvest cycle, to release the ice forms from the ice mold. A temperature sensor senses when the water temperature in the receiver initially drops during an ice making cycle to about water freezing temperature and operates a water supply valve to supply additional water to the receiver to prevent the formation of ice slush in the water recirculation system. The amount of water added to the receiver during an ice making cycle is preferably controlled by volume. The amount of water added during the ice making cycle can also be controlled by temperature of the water in the receiver or by timing the addition of water to the receiver.

Abstract: Mixing and dispensing apparatus for a frozen confection machine for mixing and dispensing a measured volume of frozen confection material and a flavoring material including edible solids. The apparatus comprises a mixing and measuring chamber including a mixing cylinder having a discharge head at one end, a rotary mixer in the cylinder and a dispensing piston slidable in the cylinder. The mixing and measuring chamber has a flavoring material inlet port, a flavoring material feed chamber communicating with the flavoring material inlet port, and a flavoring material feed piston for feeding flavoring material from the feed chamber to the mixing cylinder. The mixing and measuring chamber also has confection material inlet port adapted for connection to a frozen confection machine and a confection inlet valve for controlling flow of confection to the mixing cylinder. The discharge head has a discharge passage and a discharge valve for controlling flow through the discharge passage.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus having a lower cooking platen and an upper cooking platen mounted on a plate support arm for swinging movement between a lower cook position and a raised position inclined upwardly from the lower platen. The rearward portion of the lower platen is heated by a gas fired infrared heater having a combustion chamber vent passage formed along the rear of the combustion chamber. A combustion observation window is provided in a forward wall of the combustion chamber of the rear infrared heater, and an electrical heater is provided for heating the forward portion of the lower platen and arranged so that the observation window can be viewed from the front of the cooking apparatus. The platen support arm has an arcuate intermediate portion that slidably extends through an opening in a rear cover on the cooking apparatus.