Abstract: A food dehydrator for drying food with a heated airflow is disclosed, the food dehydrator having a base defining a base inlet, a plurality of stackable trays defining an outer duct along the circumference of each of the plurality of trays, and a top member having an outer outlet defined along the circumference of the top member, the outer outlet being in substantial alignment with the outer duct defined by the trays.

Abstract: A ventilated conveyor oven is provided. The oven uses a makeup air fan to admit air to the plenum extending across the front of the unit and across the top of the unit. Exhaust channels are provided on the sides spaced above and below the conveyor oven entrance and exit and extending across the top to an exhaust fan outlet. The exhaust channels on the top are superimposed over the air makeup plenum. Vertical exhaust plenums are provided at each of three corners, with the fourth corner mounting a control panel and an air makeup external channel thereover.

Abstract: A conveyor oven is described having increased efficiency from enhanced flow therethrough. The oven consists of an upper plenum, a lower plenum, and a return plenum. The upper plenum is disposed above the conveyor and dispenses heated air through nozzles downwardly. The lower plenum is disposed below the conveyor and dispenses heated air upwardly. The upper and lower plenums are tapered from a maximum width of 21/2 inches to a minimum of no more than 15% thereof across the path of travel of the conveyor. A blower having a vertical axis of rotation is located at a midpoint between the upper plenum and the conveyor and a burner is located below the inlet between the inlet thereto and the return plenum. The outlet from the blower directs air through scrolls onto a baffle plate having rounded edges and from there into the upper and lower plenums.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heating system which includes a product dispensing assembly, a heating basket mounted for rotation within a closed-loop air heating system, a separator for removing entrained particulates from the circulating air stream, and an air exchange system for refreshing air in the closed-loop air heating system. The product dispensing assembly accurately meters a portion of the product, and includes a hopper with an helix auger, a weigh scale and a trap door for dispensing the metered product into the heating basket.

Abstract: An apparatus for the elimination of ethanol formed during the baking of yeast based products, such as bread, from the exhaust of a baking oven is provided. The apparatus includes a system of destroying the ethanol via thermal or catalytic incineration that uses the heat source already necessary for the baking of the yeast based products.

Abstract: An apparatus for dry-cooking food products, having a thermo-ventilated cooking chamber (35) and a rotatable container (2) for food products, internal to the cooking chamber (35), with rotatably supported holed walls (8), which retains and mixes the food products. The container (2) is interpositioned between loading and unloading stations (90, 91) of the products positioned at levels respectively overlying and underlying the container (2), has a single opening (13) with a hatch (12), mobile from an initial open position in which the opening (13) is turned towards the loading station (90), to an intermediate closed position in which the container (2) rotates, to a final open position in which the opening (13) is turned towards the unloading station (91). The container (2) is blocked by rotation stop means (6). The apparatus (1) also comprises command means (7) of the activating and stop means (5, 6).

Abstract: An apparatus for gas treatment of products, especially food products, comprises a housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A conveyor belt transports the products through the housing along a path from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. A tunnel encloses the conveyor belt at least along a part of the path from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and has a perforated top wall. Gas suction means communicates with the tunnel for creating a vacuum in the interior of the tunnel. Gas conditioning means conditions the gas circulated by the gas suction means from the interior of the tunnel to the exterior thereof and back to the interior of the tunnel through the perforated top wall thereof. In this manner, gas sucked through the perforated top wall of the tunnel from the exterior thereof forms gas jets impinging upon the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A method of cooking food which comprises the steps of: providing a pair of spaced apart linearly aligned heating assemblies defining a cooking area and passage therebetween for transport of food to be cooked, heating the heating elements to a degree such that the temperature therebetween is 1200.degree. F. or greater, transporting food to be cooked between the heating elements at a rate sufficient to permit cooking of food, providing a hood over the cooking area with passages therein for collecting and directing heated air from the cooking area at a temperature sufficient to burn off the products of cooking, namely grease and smoke particles, the hood being further provided with outlet openings in the top thereof to permit escape of air from the passages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating or cooling a product which includes a plurality of tapered ducts in a cabinet above and below a turntable to form streams which are directed toward the product. Spent air is drawn through intake openings in return ducts in the cabinet. Temperature controlled gas is delivered at an angle through an array of openings adjacent opposite edges of an opening through which a product is loaded on the turntable in a loading zone to cause most of the heated air to be drawn to return duct openings and to maintain internal pressure in the baking zone in the cabinet to prevent ingress and egress of air through the loading opening. Orifices are formed in a circular array of rings such that the sum of the areas of orifices in each ring spaced from the axis about which the turntable rotates is substantially equal.

Abstract: A stream generator for use in a convection oven comprising a plurality of first and second spherically shaped heat accumulator elements arranged alternately in a substantially vertical plane in which the first layer contains at least one row of the heat accumulating elements integrally joined together at a central axis and the second layer contains at least two rows of the heat accumulating elements integrally joined together at a central axis, and a convection oven employing the steam generator are disclosed.

Abstract: Self-cleaning oven including a cooking compartment, a hinged door and a venting assembly. The venting assembly includes a fan connected to an aspiration duct which is in turn connected to an interspace provided in the door. The fan is also connected to a venting duct arranged parallel to the aspiration duct and has an outlet arranged above the door. The interspace of the door has an inlet for drawing air from the outside, and an outlet connected to the aspiration duct. The fan is adapted to draw air from the outside, through the interspace, and to discharge the air through said outlet of the venting duct. A venting device is provided connecting the cooking compartment to the venting duct and an auxiliary venting duct is provided inside the venting duct, at the venting device. A tray is provided at the end of the auxiliary venting device to prevent moisture from being discharged at the venting duct outlet in the form of water.

Abstract: An easily repairable, high efficiency, durable, compact heat exchanger having a modular heat exchanger tube may be provided. The modular heat exchanger tube may be easily disassembled so that any of its modular component tubes (such as its combustion area tube) may be easily removed for repair or replacement. Internal alignment and sealing sleeves may be provided for the adjacent modular component tubes of the heat exchanger tube. The internal sleeves may automatically and permanently increase their sealing power due the automatic and permanent expansion they undergo when they are stress relieved by being heated for the first time by the combustion gasses within the heat exchanger tube. Stress cracking of the heat exchanger tube may be reduced by supporting the heat exchanger tube so that it may move freely as it heats up (expands) and cools down (contracts) during the normal thermal operating cycles of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A roasting system and method for avoiding contact between food to be roasted and combustion materials, in which a heat exchanger is heated by a heated flow from a combustion chamber and the heated flow exhausts through an exhaust outlet associated with the heat exchanger. To avoid food contact with the heated flow, an intake air flow duct draws in outside air and conveys the drawn-in air past the heat exchanger free of contact with the heated flow or heated material forming the heated flow for heating the drawn-in outside air by induction. A surround chamber surrounding the combustion chamber in heat exchange relationship therewith is connected with the intake air flow after it is heated by the heat exchanger for conveying the heated intake air flow to the surround chamber for heating thereof the surround chamber by heat from the combustion chamber, then the heated air flow is conveyed to a roasting chamber for heating the food.

Abstract: An oven with a heated interior volume, an access into the heated interior volume, and a door mounted adjacent to the heated interior volume for pivoting between closed access and opened access positions and having a concave interior surface defining an interior space adjacent to the heated interior volume.

Abstract: A rotisserie oven includes an air plenum having three sections surrounding a cooking chamber. Two sections extend along opposing lateral walls while a third section extends along the top wall of the cooking chamber. Exhaust vents in the air plenum provide forced, heated air into the cooking chamber from three sides. The inlet and exhaust vents have hooded louvers to reduce the amount of grease entering the air plenum. A grease collection device includes a drawer having two handles for easier manipulation thereof. A control system, disposed at the bottom of the oven near the grease drawer, is isolated from the relatively hot cooking chamber by a stream of cool ambient air. A temperature sensor is disposed on the suction chamber side of a blower and near the oven door so that changes in the cooking chamber temperature are rapidly sensed.

Abstract: A convection oven is given a lower profile so that two ovens may be stacked without exceeding a height so that the uppermost of the stacked ovens may be comfortably reached by a relatively short person. Also, the oven requires less floor space for installation and operation. The height of the oven is reduced by placing inshot burners at an inlet to the oven. Heretofore, the burners were placed under the oven, which increased the space which must be provided to enclose the burner, and therefore the overall height of the burner. The height of the oven is reduced by allowing the flue gas flow from front to rear before entering the cooking cavity. Heretofore, the flue gas flowed from under the cooking cavity to the sides and up towards the top of the cooking cavity. From there, it traveled to the top of the cooking cavity before entering the cooking cavity itself. Cool ambient air is blown over oven controls in order to cool them before the air is heated by the burners.

Abstract: An air fryer includes a base, a seat attached to the base, a post having a lower portion slidably received in the seat, an arm pivotally coupled to the upper portion of the post, and a cap secured to the arm for enclosing the base. The post is adjustable relative to the seat such that the cap is adjustable up and down relative to the base.

Abstract: A cooking appliance has a cooking compartment accessed by a door. After cooking is finished, a sensor detects the temperature within the cooking compartment. Then a cooling fan cools components in the cooking appliance for a period of time dependent on the detected temperature. A control circuit changes the period for cooling in accordance with the time that the door is open while the fan is on.

Abstract: Various representative commercial cooking devices are disclosed wherein a recirculating flow of heated air, at a food cooking temperature, is created within a housing in which a horizontally disposed food support and cooking member, such as a perforated metal plate, a solid griddle plate or a metal broiling grate, is positioned. A plenum structure is utilized to convert a portion of the continuously recirculated air into a spaced series of relatively high velocity heated air impingement jets which are caused to laterally diffuse and at least slightly overlap prior to striking at least one side surface of the food support structure. In this manner, each food support structure side surface subjected to such diffused jet impingement is evenly blanketed with heating air to thereby very uniformly transfer heat from the air to the food support structure, and thus to the food supported thereby, at an accelerated rate.

Abstract: A food heating oven comprising a plurality of perforate food baskets removably mounted to respective prongs of a rotating rod in an oven chamber. Hot air is blown through the oven chamber to heat the food in the baskets. Each prong is color coded, and there are a plurality of individually operable timing devices, each being color coded to correspond to related prongs. Thus, the time that each basket is placed in the oven can be selectively determined, and each basket can at any time be inserted into, or removed from, the oven chamber. This enables a variety of food items having different heating time rquirements to be simultaneously heated in the oven.

Abstract: A portable air cooking apparatus for use in cooking ovens to create air currents which transfer heat to cooking food stuffs to promote more rapid and more uniform cooking or baking as described. The portable air circulating apparatus is intended to sit on the top cooking rack of a conventional oven and blow air down on food being cooked beneath it on the lower rack.

Abstract: A forced air convection oven includes a cooking compartment and an air heating chamber adjacent to one wall of the cooking compartment. An air circulating fan and an air heater are mounted in a central section of the chamber. An elongated section of the chamber extends from the fan along the compartment wall and has an uniformly decreasing cross section area. There is an inlet opening in the compartment wall aligned with the fan and a plurality of outlet openings uniformly spaced apart along the compartment wall communicating with the elongated chamber section. Each outlet opening has a cross sectional area equal to the cross section area of the end of the elongated section adjacent to the fan divided by the number of outlet openings.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that comprises a self-stacking spiral conveyor that traverses through a circulating atmosphere. The atmosphere is manipulated by one or more chambers having an open side adjacent to the perforated sides of the spiral conveyor. Additional control over the circulating atmosphere may be achieved by injection or ejection of gas into one or more chambers.

Abstract: A device for transmitting a heating or cooling medium to a moving substrate which includes at least one continuous channel traversing at least a major portion of the width of the moving substrate for converting a multidirectional flow of the heating or cooling medium into a unidirectional flow, a device for removing and/or preventing the presence of foreign matter within the channel, and ovens and freezers employing the same.

Abstract: An oven comprises a housing and at least one heater and a conveyor belt which runs through the housing and on which food products to be heated can be accommodated. The belt runs in two helical paths about spaced parallel vertical axes, the direction of movement of the belt along one helical path, as seen from above, being opposite the direction of movement of the belt about the other helical path. The housing comprises two chambers separated by a partition, one of the helical paths of the conveyor being disposed in one chamber and the other helical path being disposed in the other chamber. The partition has an opening through which the belt runs between the chambers. In this way, different temperature levels can be maintained in the two chambers.

Abstract: An expansible cyclone stove includes an expansible mount fastened to a stove body thereof to hold a lid for permitting the lid to be adjusted upwards from the stove body to increase the holding space for holding a cooking container inside the stove body. The expansible mount is consisted of an angle frame fastened to the stove body, and a connecting block pivoted to a handle on the lid and having a bottom extension inserted in a chamber on the angle frame and locked in either upper limit or lower limit position by a screw and a locknut.

Abstract: A heating cabinet includes a fan (24) by means of which air is drawn out of the inner housing into an air chamber (22). From the air chamber (22) the air is directed through a preheating chamber (28) of U-shaped cross-section, comprising a heating element (34), enclosing the inner housing, and is directed back into the usable space through apertures (36) in the side walls (16) of the inner housing. Air guidance plates (38) are attached externally on the side walls (16) which compel the air to flow along the entire length of the heating element (34) before it can pass out through the apertures (36). In this manner, temperature differences between the air passing through the different apertures (36) are avoided and localized temperature variations in the usable space are minimized.

Abstract: A two-compartment, automated apparatus and a semi-batch process for achieving rapid and complete thawing of a frozen food product, such as french fry potatoes, prior to cooking are disclosed. This invention results in a rapid, economical thawing of frozen food that is especially compatible with automated, commercial-scale deep frying operations.

Abstract: A conveyor oven module has a very low profile so that more oven modules may be stacked to give a greater baking capacity in the same "foot print" without the top conveyor being higher than the five and a half feet from the floor, which is the generally accepted maximum height for people to reach. Almost all serviceable parts are in the front of the oven. The oven modules are self-contained so that an oven module may be serviced while the remainder of the oven modules in the stack continue to operate.

Abstract: A food conditioning chest has a generally rectangular tub supported in the housing to define an upwardly opening food well for supporting foodstuffs. Louvered openings are formed in opposite end walls and the front wall and the rear wall of the tub. A return duct communicates with the food well through the openings formed in the end walls and transports return air to an intake chamber formed beneath the tub floor. An intake duct extends from the intake chamber and communicates with the food well through the openings formed in the front wall and the rear wall. A centrifugal fan positioned in the intake chamber circulates air from the return duct and the intake duct. As the air flows through the intake chamber, it passes over at least one heating element which heats the air to a desired temperature.

Abstract: An arrangement measures humidity in ovens, in particular fan-assisted food-cooking ovens which have a cooking cavity (8) and a separate cavity (10) that houses a cooling fan and is separated from the first cavity by a partition wall (9). The arrangement includes a body (13) made of highly heat-conductive metal, which passes through the partition wall (9) and has ends (17, 18) introduced in the cooking cavity (8) and the separate cavity (10), respectively. The arrangement also includes a heat-sink provision (19, 28, 32) connected with the end (18) of said metal body (13), and three temperature sensors (21, 22, 26) that are adapted to measure the temperatures of said two ends (17, 18) and the cooking cavity (8), respectively.

Abstract: A combined microwave and conventionally heated oven includes first and second chambers separated from one another by a partition including first and second spaced panels which define a cavity therebetween. These panels are both metallic, except where the microwave waveguide passes through rectangular gaps in them, in which are situated rectangular, non-metallic, infrared-absorbing panels of the same size. A microwave generator is provided in the second chamber for generating microwaves for use in heating a product positioned in the first chamber. Convention heater(s) (gas and/or electrical resistance) is/are also provided. A stream of cooling air reduces the temperature within the cavity in order to insulate the second chamber from the transfer of heat emitted from the first chamber in operation of the conventional heater(s).

Abstract: A coffee bean roasting device for roasting coffee beans by applying hot air to the coffee beans. The coffee bean roasting device includes a detector for detecting a factor exerting influence upon the roasting state of coffee beans, and a controller for controlling the hot air supplier and/or exhaust discharger in accordance with a detection signal input from the discharger. The controller may be, for example, an electronic control portion such as computer including a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure value of the roasting space as a factor exerting influence upon the roasting state of coffee beans and adapted to record a pressure value input from the pressure sensor in a particular roasting state of coffee beans as a particular pressure value and control the exhaust discharger to regulate the amount of exhaust gas on a basis of the pressure value input from the pressure sensor, such that the pressure value of the roasting space becomes such recorded particular pressure value as a target value.

Abstract: A hybrid oven for cooking by both hot air impingement and microwave cooking includes a housing defining a cooking chamber adapted to receive a food product for cooking, a hot air plenum configured and dimensioned to hold a large volume of air relative to the cooking chamber, and a conduit for selectively providing gaseous communication therebetween. Associated with the plenum are a thermal reservoir of high specific heat and high heat capacity relative to the air disposed in the plenum and an actuatable heater for maintaining the thermal reservoir at a high temperature. Also provided are an actuatable magnetron for microwave cooking of the product in the cooking chamber and an actuatable blower for causing impingement of air from the plenum onto the product in the cooking chambers.

Abstract: An electric heat convection stove housing including a base, a stove body secured to said base at the top with a protective ring. A top cover is hingedly mounted to said protective ring for access to the interior of the stove body. The body includes a plurality of sets of heatproof plates connected face to face with a plurality of transparent glass plates respectively retained therebetween. The stove body has a plurality of grooves for mounting a grill at a desired level thereinside.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooking oven for mass production of food products and a method for cooking food products. The oven includes an enclosure housing which forms a cooking chamber, having an endless pervious conveyor therein upon which food products are transported through the cooking chamber. The conveyor is arranged to provide a helically extending path over which food products will travel to increase dwell time within the cooking chamber while taking less floor space. A heated gaseous cooking medium is introduced into the cooking chamber and is circulated through an annulus formed by the helically extending conveyor to achieve high heat transfer to the food products being cooked. The oven can utilize steam and/or heated air to achieve varied cooking characteristics as desired and allows substantial versatility in the cooking process.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a simulated wood burning oven which includes a housing having an oven spatially disposed therein to define a heated chamber around the oven. A burner is disposed within the heated chamber below the oven for generating products of combustion to heat the oven to baking temperatures. A secondary burner is disposed within the oven for producing a yellow flame to simulate a wood burning flame. Disposed adjacent to the access opening of the oven is a manifold having orifices through which air is directed under pressure to form a curtain of air across the access opening for retaining the heat within the oven during operation. Temperature regulating dampers are disposed adjacent the sides of the oven for controlling the baking or cooking temperatures within the oven.

Abstract: An oven for heating food which includes a tray to support the food, the tray having a plurality of openings therethrough. A first heat source is spaced from and above the food. At least one plate having a plurality of openings therethrough is capable of absorbing heat from the first heat source and radiating heat. A fan spaced from and above the plate and the first heat source delivers air past the plate and past the first heat source onto the food. A second heat source beneath the tray also provides heat to the food.

Abstract: An oven door that provides forced circulation of the heated air within the interior of an oven chamber is presented. The oven door includes an outside door wall, an inside door wall, and a plurality of interior walls disposed between the outside door wall and the inside door wall that form an air-directing plenum carried within the oven door. The inside door wall has a plurality of openings providing air circulation between the air-directing plenum and the interior of the oven chamber. A motorized fan assembly, located within the oven door, forcibly circulates air through the plurality of openings in the inside door wall, the air-directing plenum and throughout the interior of the oven chamber.

Abstract: A vegetable dehydrator has a base unit of a bow shape adapted to rest a whirlwind unit therein and a tray which is not limited in one, sitting on top thereon and capped by a cap. The whirlwind unit includes an upper and a lower air inlets which are passage for air sucked in by a fan both from outwardly and inwardly, a heating element located therein to raise temperature of air therein. The tray has a plurality of apertures at bottom portion for air to flow therethrough, a plurality of cut-off portions at outside surface of the tray. Each cut-off portion includes a number of notches which is to be engaged with protuberances extending outwardly from the other tray that put on top of the tray. Adjusting knob is provided on the cap so as to adjust warm air to be blown out therefrom.

Abstract: A conveyor oven is described which is compact and suitable for smaller commercial establishments. The device uses mutually spaced nozzles which extend across the upper and lower portion of the cooking chamber which direct heated air currents respectively downwardly and upwardly onto food passing therethrough. Each nozzle is a duct which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor and has a foraminous plate on the side adjacent the conveyor for dispensing heated air currents therethrough. The nozzles are fed from a common plenum with heated air under pressure. As the air enters each nozzle, it encounters an angled diverter plate which is disposed at about a 30 degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle and downstream of the plate a flat stabilizer plate which extends a substantial length of the nozzle terminating about two inches before the end thereof.

Abstract: A convection oven for bakery goods. The oven is of the type having sidewalls, a floor, a top and an opening in one of its sidewalls for permitting at least one multilayer wheeled cart to be pushed into and removed from the oven. The oven includes a fan located in the top of the oven for circulating heated air in a closed path through the interior of the oven. A plenum is located in the pair of opposed sidewalls adjacent to the sidewall having the opening The plenum extending substantially from the top to the floor of each sidewall and includes a plurality of horizontal air outlet slots extending substantially the depth of the oven. The horizontal air outlet slots are arranged with a 1:1 correspondence with respect to each rack of the multilayer wheeled cart. Heat recovery means are located in the plenum portion of the opposed sidewalls.

Abstract: A gas fired convection cooking oven is provided with an improved air delivery and heat exchange structure for creating within the oven's cooking chamber a recirculating flow of heated air to cook food items supported therein. The structure includes a combustion box adapted to receive hot products of combustion from a gas burner, and extending into the cooking chamber through a lower portion of a vertical boundary wall thereof. Removably secured to the combustion box, and extending upwardly along the inner side of the boundary wall is a hollow baffle structure having a front mixing chamber communicating with the interior of the combustion box through spaced apart hollow legs with a discharge opening formed therebetween. Perforated skirt walls extending rearwardly from the mixing chamber define with the boundary wall a fan chamber which surrounds a motor-driven centrifugal fan impeller supported on the inner side of the boundary wall.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating or cooling a product which includes a plurality of tapered ducts in cabinet above and below a turntable to form streams which are directed toward the product. Spent air is drawn through intake openings in return ducts in the cabinet. Temperature controlled gas is delivered at an angle through an array of openings adjacent opposite edges of an opening through which a product is loaded on the turntable in a loading zone to cause most of the heated air to be drawn to return duct openings and to maintain internal pressure in the baking zone in the cabinet to prevent ingress and egress of air through the loading opening. Orifices are formed in a circular array of rings such that the sum of the areas of orifices in each ring spaced from the axis about which the turntable rotates is substantially equal.

Abstract: A convection and radiant heated oven has a cooking chamber and an air heating chamber below and spaced from the cooking chamber. Shield means above the heating chamber defines, with the oven bottom, a heat space in which an apertured duct receives heated air from the heating chamber and conducts it to a convection fan where it mixes with air from the cooking chamber and is ducted into the cooking chamber. Heated air is also passed upward from the heat space directly into the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A gas convection oven having a radiant burner and fuel feeding apparatus which enables the single burner to be operated in either a broil mode or a bake mode. In the broil mode, the radiant burner is operated in conventional manner with the flame being held by an inner screen to heat the outer screen to a radiant luminous temperature. In the bake mode, forced air is injected into the burner by a fan thereby providing a leaner fuel-air mixture with higher velocity. As a result, the flame burns outside the outer screen of the burner with the outer screen serving as a flame holder. Therefore, hot combustion gases as produced while the outer screen remains non-luminous.

Abstract: A new and improved hot oven countertop display station is provided in a hot oven countertop display unit having a reclosable front door panel opening and an integral upper sign and menu board structure. A dispenser display rack is provided in the oven compartment for supporting flanged food packages in gravity feed arrays of columns and rows terminating at the front door opening. The rack has been designed to reduce or eliminate the presence of any heated rack surfaces at the front opening of the oven. An optional refrigerated condiment dispensing display may be located adjacent the hot oven display to complete the self-service food station. The hot oven countertop food station provides a clean and safe arrangement for displaying and storing pre-cooked pre-heated ready-to-eat foods for extended periods of up to four hours until purchased by the self-service customer.

Abstract: A domestic cooker has a plenum chamber positioned to the rear of its oven cavity. Air is pump into the chamber by a fan which draws air around the outside of the cavity. Air exits from the chamber to atmosphere via a duct above the oven cavity having first passed over the cooker control panel to keep the latter at an acceptable temperature. The oven cavity has a door of a composite construction with inner and outer door panels spaced apart by a passageway open at the top and at the bottom of the door. Air from the plenum chamber flows to the passageway via a second duct located beneath the cavity. In another embodiment of the invention the cooker has two oven cavities each with a door of the composite construction, the passageways between the inner and outer panels of each door being supplied with air from a plenum chamber at the rear of the cavities.

Abstract: A forced air oven for and a method of heating, cooking or roasting granular food, such as nuts, seeds and coffee beans. The apparatus houses a hollow cylindrical drum into which food is placed. A heated gaseous stream is forced through the inside of the drum with sufficient force to blow the food away from the inside surface of the drum. In addition, perforations in the drum are positioned such that the heated gaseous stream blows the food toward a rear end of the drum and causes the food to churn. This churning allows the heated air to envelope the outside surface of the food and provides an even transmission of heat to the food. In addition, the drum is provided with a helical fin that pushes the food toward a front end of the drum. A wire mesh is also provided for collecting particles that are dislodged from the food, and an exhaust system is provided for venting the gasses created during the heating, cooking or roasting of food.

Abstract: Various representative commercial cooking devices are disclosed wherein a recirculating flow of heated air, at a food cooking temperature, is created within a housing in which a horizontally disposed food support and cooking member, such as a perforated metal plate, a solid griddle plate or a metal broiling grate, is positioned. A plenum structure is utilized to convert a portion of the continuously recirculated air into a spaced series of relatively high velocity heated air impingement jets which are caused to laterally diffuse and at least slightly overlap prior to striking at least one side surface of the food support structure. In this manner, each food support structure side surface subjected to such diffused jet impingement is evenly blanketed with heating air to thereby very uniformly transfer heat from the air to the food support structure, and thus to the food supported thereby, at an accelerated rate.