Abstract: An automatic food preparation line for automatically preparing bread products for making sandwiches or burgers comprises an automatic bread product handling system containing a plurality of different types of bread products, an automatic toaster appliance for toasting the bread products, an automatic packaging system for automatically dispensing both box and wrapping paper packaging, an automatic sauce dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of different sauces onto the bread product, an automatic non-sauce condiment dispensing system for dispensing one or more different condiments onto the bread product, and an automatic conveyor system for conveying the bread product between the various systems.

Abstract: Damper mechanisms are provided in conjunction with housings of various different appliances and are disposed at first positions at which the dampers effectively close off or seal the interior regions of the appliances within which various heated, refrigerated, or frozen environments have been established. Such damper mechanisms can be moved to second positions so as to permit food items to be inserted into, or extracted from, the various housings of the appliances, but will automatically return to their first positions so as to again close off or seal the interior regions of the appliances. In this manner, thermal energy is preserved whereby the appliances are enabled to operate at peak energy efficiency.

Abstract: A food cooking appliance which utilizes both steam and heat for rapidly cooking food products is disclosed. The food products are disposed within a food cooking housing and a steam generator is provided within a steam generator housing so as to generate steam which is fluidically conducted into the food cooking housing. In this manner, the food products are cooked as a result of the steam being conducted into upper regions of cooking chambers defined within the food cooking housing while the heat generated from the heated grills or platens impart heat to the lower regions of the cooking chambers thereby cooking the food in an accelerated manner which is extremely desirable by commercial fast-food establishments. The steam generator housing is wholly separate and apart from the food cooking housing but fluidically connected to the food cooking housing by a fluid conduit which may rigid or flexible.

Abstract: An automated bun feeding and toasting system is disclosed wherein the system is to be utilized in restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, in order to quickly and accurately prepare food products, such as, for example, conventional hamburger sandwiches which require two buns, or Big Mac® sandwiches which require three buns, in accordance with specific patron orders. The system comprises a plurality of bun storage tubes, discharge mechanisms for discharging bun segment into a bun separator, a chute conveyor, a bun rotator, and at least one toaster appliance whereupon completion of a toasting operation, the bun segments are picked up and conveyed downstream toward a food or sandwich preparation station. All operations are automated and are under the control of a master control unit such as, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC).

Abstract: An automated condiment dispensing system for dispensing predetermined amounts of condiments such as are commonly utilized in connection with the preparation of food sandwiches or other food menu items, particularly within fast food restaurants, whereby a particular condiment, or a combination of condiments, can be automatically dispensed onto a food sandwich or food item transported to a particular condiment dispensing station at which the particular condiment dispensing system is located and from which the particular condiment is to be dispensed. Multiple different condiment dispensing stations can be employed so as to dispense different condiments in accordance with a patron's food item order, and the entire dispensing system is automatically controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC).

Abstract: Food service equipment comprises a multiple-pass feeder conveyor and toaster which comprises an upper inclined food product infeed conveyor ramp for causing the food products to proceed in a first direction extending from the rear of the appliance toward the front of the appliance and onto the upper run of a first upper endless conveyor. The upper run of the first upper endless conveyor conveys the food products into a semi-circular return product feeder which causes the food products to be conveyed in a second opposite direction extending from the front of the appliance toward the rear of the appliance and into an entry space defined by means of the lower run of the first upper endless conveyor and the upper run of a second lower endless conveyor, the two conveyors being synchronized together. The pair of conveyors convey the food products between heated platens respectively associated with the two conveyors whereby the food products are cooked or toasted.

Abstract: A bulbous or spherically shaped food product container for heating or cooking various food products by means of steam in order to cook multiple sized portions of food products within relatively short cooking times is dis-closed. When steam flows into the food product container, the food product is cooked by the steam. The use of the unique bulb-shaped or spherical food product container enables more than a single or individual food product portion to be cooked within the food product container, and the use of the steam, in conjunction with the bulbous or spherically-shaped food product container, causes the steam and food product to undergo turbulent, rotational, or swirling flow within the bulbous or spherically-configured food product container whereby the food product is greatly dispersed, effectively thinned, and is caused to travel along the internal peripheral surface areas of the bulbous or spherical food product container such that cooking times are dramatically reduced.

Abstract: A conveyor belt for conveying articles along a conveyor path comprises a plurality of slat members disposed parallel to each other and disposed transversely with respect to the conveyor path, wherein leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members are angled downwardly with respect to the conveying surface upon which articles being conveyed are supported so as to prevent edge portions of the articles being conveyed from being interposed between the leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members so as not to be pinched by adjacent ones of the leading and trailing edge portions of adjacent slat members.

Abstract: A food cooking appliance which utilizes both steam and heat for rapidly cooking food products is disclosed. The food products are disposed within food containers which are effectively formed as openings within one or more plates or templates, wherein the openings may have different geometrical configurations and size dimensions, and the one or more plates or templates are pivotally movable between upper or raised non-cooking positions and lower cooking positions at which the food products, disposed within the openings, are disposed atop one or more heated grills or platens. One or more covers are also utilized to cover the plates or templates such that the food products are cooked within covered cooking chambers. A steam generator is also provided so as to generate steam which is fluidically conducted into the covered cooking chambers.

Abstract: Food service equipment comprises a multiple-pass feeder conveyor and toaster which comprises an upper inclined food product infeed conveyor ramp for causing the food products to proceed in a first direction extending from the rear of the appliance toward the front of the appliance and onto the upper run of a first upper endless conveyor. The upper run of the first upper endless conveyor conveys the food products into a semi-circular return product feeder which causes the food products to be conveyed in a second opposite direction extending from the front of the appliance toward the rear of the appliance and into an entry space defined by means of the lower run of the first upper endless conveyor and the upper run of a second lower endless conveyor, the two conveyors being synchronized together. The pair of conveyors convey the food products between heated platens respectively associated with the two conveyors whereby the food products are cooked or toasted.

Abstract: Food service equipment for effectively making a hollowed-out dough product from bread or another dough product is disclosed wherein the hollowed-out dough product can then be used in connection with the housing or containment of salads, soups, hamburgers, sandwiches, desserts, or the like. The hollowed-out dough products are formed from bread or other dough products as a result of being placed atop and compressed downwardly upon a pair of platens. Concomitantly with the formation of the bread or dough products into the desired hollowed-out dough products, the interior portions of the hollowed-out dough products are also toasted by means of the platens which are heated internally.

Abstract: A baffle plate filtering system is disclosed which is adapted to be operatively associated with an external housing wall of a piece of machinery or equipment, through which cooling air is to be ingested or inducted in order to cool internal operative components of the machinery or equipment, wherein the baffle plate filtering system will effectively prevent the ingestion or induction of ambient particulates, contaminants, grease, dirt, and the like into the internal regions of the machinery or equipment such that the operative components of the machinery or equipment do not become contaminated or fouled by means of the ambient particulates, contaminants, grease, dirt, and the like.

Abstract: A super steam cup cooking appliance, for cooking various food products, comprises a housing, a steam generator, and an individually-sized serving cup removably attached from the appliance housing. The steam generated by the steam generator flows into a steam manifold, a steam delivery conduit, and a steam discharge pipe. A steam flux director can be removably attached to the steam discharge. Steam, generated by means of the steam generator, can thus flow into the steam manifold, through the steam delivery conduit, through the steam discharge pipe, and out from the steam flux director so as to be conducted onto the food product disposed within the individually-sized serving cup such that the food product is cooked by the steam exiting from the steam flux director. The appliance can operate either with the steam flux director attached to the steam discharge pipe, or without the steam flux director being attached to the steam discharge pipe.

Abstract: A grilling appliance is disclosed for preparing various different types of food wherein the food is conveyed through the appliance, from a food insert end of the appliance to a food removal end of the appliance, by means of continuously movable flow-through upper and lower cooperating conveyors operatively associated with platen-type heating members over which the upper and lower conveyors are conveyed so as to be heated by the platen-type heating members and thereby, in turn, heat, brown, or carmelize the food as desired or required. Multiple independently controlled conveyor sets define multiple independently controlled conveyor cooking lanes within the appliance.

Abstract: A cooking assembly, and a cooking station employing the cooking assembly, is disclosed. The cooking assembly comprises a flexible ring which is conformable to any one of a plurality of different predeterminedly structured templates, any one of which can be interchangeably utilized upon a food station, in order to provide cooked foods with predeterminedly different shapes or configurations as may be desired.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a linear array of LEDs which can be utilized in conjunction with a product display case wherein the linear array of LEDs is operatively mounted upon, and disposed immediately adjacent to, a first end edge portion of a glass plate so as to effectively illuminate the glass plate by means of total internal reflection principles whereby the glass plate operatively serves as a light pipe such that the light emitted from a second opposite end edge portion of the glass light pipe can illuminate the interior portion of the product display case. Alternatively, the linear array of LED lights can be operatively mounted upon, and disposed immediately adjacent to, an edge portion of a glass shelf disposed within the product display case so as to likewise illuminate the glass shelf itself by means of total internal reflection principles whereby the illumination from the glass shelf serves to illuminate the products being displayed.

Abstract: An improved contact toaster for heating bagels, muffins and other food items features a housing containing a toasting chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The toasting chamber contains a pair of conveyor belts with a removable platen positioned between them. Two auxiliary heaters are positioned so that they heat both the platen and the conveyor belts. A pair of tensioners engage the conveyor belts so that pathways between the conveyor belts and platen taper inward to a minimum thickness and then expand outward again. As a result, food items moving through the pathways via the conveyor belts are toasted on both surfaces and also absorb heat from both the platen and the conveyor belt surfaces as they are compressed and released. The platen may be diamond shaped to increase the rate and degree of compression and release and removable so that thicker food items may be accommodated.

Abstract: An improved contact toaster for heating sandwich buns and other food items features a housing containing a toasting chamber with an inlet and an outlet. The toasting chamber contains a pair of conveyor belts with a heated platen positioned between them. Each conveyor belt features a platen-facing portion so that two pathways are defined. Each conveyor belt also features a heat-distributing surface. Two auxiliary heaters are positioned so that one of each heats one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts. One of each of a pair of tensioners engages one of each of the platen-facing portions of the conveyor belts so that each pathway tapers inward to a minimum thickness and then expands outward again. As a result, food items moving through the pathways via the conveyor belts are toasted on both surfaces and also absorb heat from both the platen and the conveyor belt surfaces in a sponge-like manner as they are compressed and released.

Abstract: A device for use in varying the effective cross-sectional area of an outlet opening of a dispensing unit for nested containers, e.g. paper cups, comprises at least two shutter members, pivotally mounted on equispaced pivots of a support means at the outlet end portion of the unit to define the outlet opening. The members are mounted for movement to vary the size of the opening; an adjustment device is mounted for rotation in operative connection with the shutter members whereby to move the members to adjust the size of the outlet opening. Adjustment of the area of the opening is readily accomplished so that the unit can be adjusted to accommodate cups of different dimensions.