Abstract: The invention provides a fryer that can prevent problems such as poorly cooked food when operation of an oil discharge valve is started and cooking oil is discharged, for example, to adjust the liquid level of the cooking oil within an oil vat. The fryer includes oil vats 13 and 14 for containing cooking oil, a burning device 17 for heating the cooking oil within the oil vats, an oil discharge pipe 33 that extends from the bottom of the oil vat and that discharges the cooking oil from a discharge opening at its end into a tank, and an oil discharge valve 35 that is disposed in the oil discharge pipe and that opens and closes the oil discharge pipe. Furthermore, the fryer is provided with a micro switch 47 and a contact piece 48 for detecting the open state of the oil discharge valve, and alarms 55 and 56 for giving a warning in accordance with the results of the detection by the micro switch 47 regarding the open state of the oil discharge valve.

Abstract: The invention provides a valve opening/closing device for a fryer, in which the operation of opening/closing the oil discharge valve is easy, and with which it is possible to recognize with one glance whether it is in an open state or a closed state. In the valve opening/closing device 40, by opening and closing an oil discharge valve 35 placed in an oil discharge pipe 33, which extends from the bottom of an oil vat containing cooking oil, the oil discharge pipe opens and closes.

Abstract: A deep-frying apparatus includes an oil tank for holding cooking oil in which food is fried. The oil tank includes sloping walls. Burners positioned outside of the oil tank heat the sloping walls. Shield plates are positioned inside the oil tank, substantially parallel to and spaced from the sloping walls, to shield the sloping walls from food debris. The shield plates are detachably mounted in the tank and have vents formed in the shield plates. The shield plates are coated with fluorine compounds and may be automatically vibrated by a vibration device. The apparatus prevents accumulation of food debris on the heated sloping walls of the oil tank.