Abstract: Taco shell manufacturing equipment that comprises in combination with suitable means to form and bake disk tortillas, certain means to equilibrate moisture throughout such baked tortillas in a relatively short tempering time of the general order of a few minutes as they are passed in successive longitudinally-spaced groups of substantially transversely aligned disks continuously through an elongated lateral steam chamber upon traveling lateral open web belting means as received from baking means and while being subjected in this chamber to relatively low pressure steam until discharged by this belting means through an exit end opening of the steam chamber as tempered tortillas. Driven lateral transfer means receive the tempered tortillas in the longitudinally-spaced transverse groups from the exit end of the steam chamber and transports them laterally forward to the entrance end of tortillas folding and frying apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the automatic, rapid and continuous preparation of generally friable or fragile ready-to-eat food product bacon analog strips of predetermined configuration, simulating natural, cooked bacon, wherein a slab or bulk material of the food product is sliced by a cutting device into individual strips basically having the dimensions of sliced natural bacon strips, and conducted by means of a first endless conveyor arrangement from the cutting device towards a cooking installation. Ahead of the cooking installation, a second endless conveyor mounts a series of strip-engaging members adapted to sequentially contact the sliced strips and to conduct the strips from the first endless conveyor arrangement onto and along guide rod members which extend into and through the cooking installation.

Abstract: A system for controlling and reducing the consumption of fuel by gas-fired cooking machines of the type that use a conveyor or like means to move food products such as hamburgers through a heated zone for cooking. The control system includes means for providing a sufficiently high rate of flow of gas to the cooking machine to permit proper cooking, a timer to maintain the high rate of gas consumption during the time the food products are in the cooking zone and, means for reducing the consumption of gas after the food products have exited from the cooking zone, said reduced consumption of gas is sufficiently high to maintain the cooking machine in a state of readiness so that it can respond quickly to the need to cook additional food products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an infusion apparatus, particularly such an apparatus for brewing coffee or the like where a receptacle such as a coffee basket is mounted on a water heating apparatus and a carafe is positioned underneath the infusion chamber. The infusion chamber is made with relatively movable walls so that the cross-sectional area transverse to the direction of flow of liquid may be varied to vary the depth of infusion bed for a given quantity of coffee or the like in the chamber. Two movable walls are disclosed together with an actuating mechanism with the movable walls and the actuating mechanism being of simple construction and readily assembled so that the use of screws, rivets, and so forth is not required. The relatively movable walls are actuated by a rotatable plate connected to the walls which are positioned internally of the infusion chamber with rotation of the plate moving the walls toward and away from each other.

Abstract: A patty broiler has a frame on which an openwork patty conveyor is arranged around pulleys to have an upper run and a lower run. Heaters are arranged on the frame above and below the upper run, and multiple reflectors are arranged on the frame above and below the conveyor. A doctor assists in dislodging patties from the far end of the upper run of the conveyor to fall onto a patty slide on the frame leading the patties by gravity toward the feed end of the frame. A bun conveyor is arranged on the frame beneath the patty conveyor. A bun heater transmits heat to buns on that conveyor and to the patty slide. The warmed bun halves are returned toward the feed end of the machine by a bun slide. An enclosing and vented jacket assists in retaining and diverting the heat and fumes and protects the machinery.

Abstract: A toaster/oven having a door and a door frame and door jam peripherally surrounding the cooking chamber front opening. The door is pivotally mounted on two hinge pins, a first hinge pin being received in an opening on one side of the door frame and a second hinge pin being received in a slot on the other side of the door frame. The geometry of the slot and pin position on the door is such that the door is not removable except when in its fully opened position. The toaster/oven also comprises door retention means for selectively holding the door in a closed, partially open broil and a fully opened position. The pivotal movement of a lever arm operates first and second switch means which respectively cut off power to the heating elements of the toaster/oven and provide a signal to the controls of the toaster/oven when the door is open.

Abstract: Some commercial broilers have a conveyor extending through the broiler from an entrance opening to an exit opening and have a plurality of burner housings, including end burner housings, arranged above the conveyor and spaced apart with respect to each other and particularly with respect to the entrance opening and the exit opening to leave gaps. To conserve heat, the passageway through the broiler above the conveyor is herein restricted by baffles including an entrance shield of heat-reflecting material formed as a channel frictionally fitting over the entrance burner housing and having a baffle sheet extending from the entrance burner housing through most of the gap toward the entrance opening. Also included is an exit shield of similar material formed as a similar channel fitting over the exit burner housing and having a baffle sheet extending from the exit burner housing through most of the gap toward the exit opening.

Abstract: A frying apparatus for food products is described which includes a fat holding tank, a transfer conveyor within the tank extending from one end to the other for transporting food products through the tank and a drive motor for the conveyor. The conveyor is preferably provided with upwardly extending, downwardly opening recesses to engage the top of the food products within the fat. The food products extend up into these recesses so that the engagement of the food products with the recesses is adapted to prevent slippage between the food and the conveyor. The invention also includes a provision for elevating and advancing incoming products within the fat to thereby transport them toward the outlet until securely engaged by the conveyor.

Abstract: A continuous cooking or sterilizing process employs apparatus wherein particulate foods are cooked under pressure in and by the cooking sauce with which the food is eventually packed in containers. The sauce is externally heated in a heat exchanger to the sterilizing temperature, and the food and sauce are cooled under pressure by injecting cooled sterile sauce into the hot mixture of cooked product and sauce before the mixture is released to atmosphere. By cooking the product directly in the sauce, product flavor is enhanced and upon cooling, the absorbed sauce is cooled below the flash temperature preventing damage to the cellular portions of the food particles on pressure release. Thus during the canning operation, only a relatively short reheat of the sealed containers and possibly the product is necessary to resterilize the outer portions of the food particles, the cooking sauce, and the interior of the containers.

Abstract: A low liquid volume retort system is provided with a tunnel disposed within and spaced from the side walls and cover of a retort. A plurality of spaced containers are loaded in the tunnel, and a liquid maintained at a temperature different from that of the containers is then pumped from an inlet end of the tunnel to the outlet end to completely fill the tunnel and to evenly transfer heat between all of the containers and the liquid. The liquid then overflows from the outlet end of the tunnel and gravitates to the lower portion of the retort for return to a desired processing temperature and recirculation through the tunnel. The quantity of liquid required for processing is greatly reduced by filling only the tunnel with liquid, and collecting only a small portion of the liquid at the bottom of the retort before again recirculating the liquid through the tunnel and past the containers therein being processed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooking a wide variety of foods wherein the food to be cooked is placed in contact with a sheet of conductive material, which has been connected by clamping members to an electrical power source capable of supplying a low voltage, high current. A food may be wrapped in a thin sheet of conductive material, such as a metal foil, and cooked by passing current through the thin sheet or foil. The process is characterized by a high efficiency and short cooking time. Preferred conductive material are disposable, for example aluminum foil, thereby avoiding cleaning after cooking.The apparatus includes means for supplying a high current, at a low voltage. Electrically connected to the current supply means are a pair of clamps for clamping an electrically conductive sheet. Preferably, the clamps are independently operable and each comprise a curved movable member and a fixed member, together with means for moving the movable member.

Abstract: A skewer for shish-ke-bob and the like comprises a cylindrically shaped handle having circumferential grooves and a concave recess near one end to provide a grip for a human hand. A shaft extends from one end of the handle. The shaft has a free pointed end and a small flange extending from the pointed end. A second shaft has one of its ends coiled about the first shaft for slidable movement with respect to the first shaft. The little flange prevents the second shaft from sliding off the first shaft. The flange can be threaded through the coil to detach the second shaft from the first shaft. A plate marker having apertures therethrough slides over both shafts. The plurality of apertures have distinctive markings. The plate is slidable along the shafts for pushing food off of the skewer shafts.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus in which an endless conveyor moving through a heated cooking zone along a closed path of travel having upper and lower runs is cleaned by engagement with a guide which directs the lower run along a sinuous path. The cooking zone is enclosed by a housing having air flow passages which cooperate with a particular air flow circulating arrangement for cooling portions of the apparatus while minimizing loss of conditioned air from the building in which the apparatus is located. Provision is made for accommodating varying usage loads by selection of conveyor speed and heating levels.

Abstract: A device for cooking food, such as an omelette or the like, includes a base portion for supporting the device above a suitable surface, such as a countertop or table. A heat conductive grid or surface is mounted on the base and includes one or more controllable heating elements which may be removably connected to a source of electrical energy. Two cooking pans or skillets ae positionable on the heating grid and aligned thereon by suitable guides which may be integrally molded with the grid. Each pan includes an insulated, grippable handle portion to facilitate handling thereof when the pan portion is heated by the grid. One of the pans includes a connecting flange for pivotally coupling the pan to a hinge secured generally in the center of the heating grid to allow pivoting of said pan about the hinge.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously processing filled containers with liquid heat treatment mediums maintained under superatmospheric pressure by an overriding air pressure. A minimum of liquid is used during processing with the liquid level being maintained above the containers at all times. The liquid is controllably circulated through container filled tunnels defined within carts, from one end of the tunnel to the other, to assure equal heat treatment of all containers in the batch of containers in each tunnel. The carts may either be non-agitating or agitating carts. One embodiment of the continuous pressure cooker and cooler includes a pressure vessel having two pressure locks to provide a pressure cooking chamber with high pressure cooling being performed in a mini-cooler defined by the outlet pressure lock followed by additional atmospheric cooling.

Abstract: Thin potato slices are fried to chips in a two-stage operation. In the first stage the slices are fried in oil to a moisture content of 3-10% by weight. This product is removed from the oil and the moisture content is reduced to 1.5-2.5% by weight in a second stage by the supply of heat. To reduce the moisture content in the second stage at least a portion of the frying vapors substantially without false air and having a temperature of at least 120.degree. C., is guided from the space above the oil of the first stage to the slices removed from the oil.

Abstract: A coffee brewer, and, in particular, a single cup coffee brewer includes separate first and second members. The first member seats on a cup or similar receptacle and has a ground coffee receiving chamber formed therein. The second member is used to regulate the flow of hot water of similar fluid into the chamber. An aperture formed in the first member allows brewed coffee to flow from the chamber into the receptacle and regulates, by its size, the flow time of brewed coffee into the receptacle. A seal between the two members prevents the ground coffee from soaking in the brewing fluid.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for preparing foodstuffs by boiling and/or steaming including a thin walled and, hence, crushable insert having water-tight properties and mounted within a porous structure providing support for the thin walled insert, and holding the insert in a spaced fashion relative to the bottom and side walls of a cooking vessel, thereby forming the equivalent of a heat pipe structure in the hollow gap space between the insert support and the cooking vessel. For foodstuff preparation by boiling, water may be added to both the vessel interior and the insert interior, the foodstuffs being placed within the insert.The insert may be provided with a lip bridging the aforesaid gap to facilitate filling or emptying of the insert without spilling the insert contents into the vessel, thereby keeping it substantially clean. The aforesaid lip may completely surround the insert and overlie the gap, suitable openings being provided to permit the escape of steam therethrough.

Abstract: An enclosed cooking apparatus for barbequeing meat in which a fire box is provided for the burning of charcoal and logs. A pan is supported over the burning area and is filled with water which is heated into steam. The steam entrains the smoke generated during the cooking process and provides for rapid heat transfer while the pan additionally serves to receive fat and grease drippings from the meat for subsequent removal. Meat such as ribs are supported within the apparatus over the pan by a plurality of removable skewer assemblies arranged in side-by-side relationship, each of the skewer assemblies includes upstanding skewers on which the ribs are impaled, the upper ends of the skewers being arranged to support one or more racks in a horizontally disposed position so that the smoke and steam circulating through the enclosed apparatus performs a cooking and smoking operation on both the skewered meat and the meat supported on the racks.

Abstract: The snap-in mounting means includes a snap-in grommet carried on the shank of a bushing which extends from a switch frame mounted on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The snap-in grommet includes a radially yieldable sleeve slidably mounted on the lower end portion of the bushing shank, a tapered locking collar carried on the outer end of the sleeve and having a radially extending shoulder which engages the front of the panel around the panel mounting hole, after the collar has been squeezed through the hole during mounting, and a pair of opposed resilient back-up elements which are biased against the back of the panel to keep the locking collar shoulder in tight engagement with the front side of the panel. The bushing is pulled back after the locking collar has been squeezed through the panel mounting hole.