Abstract: In an aspect, the disclosure provides an automatic broiler. The automatic broiler may include a conveyorized cooking surface, a lower heat source below the cooking surface, and an upper heat source above the cooking surface. A cooking chamber may be defined by the cooking surface, the upper heat source, and a broiler housing. A venting through passage, or flue, may extend from the cooking chamber to an opening located above the upper heat source. An air flow restriction plate may be positioned above the venting through passage. The air flow restriction plate may have a perforated flat surface extending across the opening.

Abstract: Apparatus for substantially blocking flames and spreading heated gases emitted from a broiler flue. The apparatus includes a riser placed above the broiler flue for defining a pathway along which heated gases are exhausted from the flue, a catalyst support on the riser for supporting a catalyst in the pathway for flow of heated gases through the catalyst from a bottom surface of the catalyst to a top surface of the catalyst, and a plurality of baffles in the riser extending across the pathway below the catalyst support. The baffles have the shape of inverted troughs.

Abstract: A new electric broiler is disclosed. The broiler includes a housing having a cooking chamber, and a cooking surface in the housing. Upper and lower electrical heat sources are provided in the cooking chamber above and below the cooking surface. The lower heat source includes a removable heating module having an electric heating element and a quick connect/disconnect connector for quick electrical connection and disconnection of the electric heating element to and from a quick connect/disconnect connector on the housing. The broiler also includes a module holder on the housing for holding the removable heating module. The heating module is removable from the holder for quick replacement of the module.

Abstract: A distributed wide area coverage system is disclosed that effectively expands the coverage area of the local wireless links by combining the signals from local area base stations and routing the combined signal back to the base stations. The base stations provide two-way open wireless communication channels among mobile devices situated within wireless signal coverage area of each of the base stations.

Abstract: A flexible automatic broiler and method of use for variable batch cooking for particular use in quick serve and fast food service restaurants. The automatic cooking devices include a conveyorized cooking surface for alignment and discharge of food products, an altering/pulsating infrared energy radiation heat sources, and a control system. The arrangement and method facilitate a combination of batch preparation and made-to-order assembly of fast-food sandwiches.

Abstract: A flexible automatic broiler and method of use for variable batch cooking for particular use in quick serve and fast food service restaurants. The automatic cooking devices include a conveyorized cooking surface for alignment and discharge of food products, an altering/pulsating infrared energy radiation heat sources, and a control system. The arrangement and method facilitate a combination of batch preparation and made-to-order assembly of fast-food sandwiches.

Abstract: The steam generating assembly of the present invention subjects a food product, such as a sandwich bun, to a controlled burst of low pressure steam in order to quickly and uniformly raise the temperature of the food product to its desired serving temperature or higher. By raising the temperature to above the desired serving temperature, the storage time of a pre-assembled food product, such as a fast food sandwich may be extended without sacrificing the quality or freshness of the product. The invention claims a steam generating assembly for steam heating a pre-processed food product.

Abstract: A holding cabinet assembly for holding pre-processed food products and a process for maintaining the product appearance of a pre-processed food product for a predetermined amount of time includes a steamer assembly and a cabinet housing coupled to the steamer assembly. As a result of controlling and maintaining the temperature of the water in the steamer assembly and air in the food cabinet housing, the relative humidity of the food cabinet housing is maintained at a substantially fixed value. In this holding cabinet assembly, compartments are arranged in the housing with each compartment including an openable and closeable drawer. A carrier insert is adapted to be removably supported in each of the drawers with each carrier insert being capable of holding pre-processed food products whereby the food products in the carrier inserts can be conditioned at the fixed relative humidity of the food cabinet housing.

Abstract: A holding cabinet assembly for holding pre-processed food products and a process for maintaining the product appearance of a pre-processed food product for a predetermined amount of time includes a steamer assembly capable of containing heated water which is maintained at a first substantially fixed temperature and a cabinet housing coupled to the steamer assembly and having air circulated therein with the air in the cabinet housing being maintained at a second substantially fixed temperature. As a result of controlling and maintaining the temperature of the water in the steamer assembly and air in the food cabinet housing, the relative humidity of the food cabinet housing is maintained at a substantially fixed value. In this holding cabinet assembly, a plurality of compartments are arranged in the housing with each compartment including an openable and closeable drawer. A carrier insert is adapted to be removably supported in each of the drawers.

Abstract: A french fry cooking apparatus for deep-frying french fries includes a cooking unit having a plurality of frying baskets. Mounted above the cooking unit is a refrigeration unit which includes a first conveyor upon which a supply of frozen french fries is stored. The first conveyor discharges the fries onto a second conveyor which dispenses a metered quantity of fries to a delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism includes a shaft and a rotatable directional chute for directing the frozen fries from the second conveyor into any one of the plurality of frying baskets. The frying baskets are pivotally attached to the cooking unit and are each movable by way of a drive unit between a loading/draining position for receiving fries from the chute and for draining oil from deep fried fries, a cooking position for deep frying the fries, and a dump position for discharging the deep fried fries from the frying basket. Deep fried fries are discharged onto a further conveyor which takes the fries to a holding bin.

Abstract: A communication system as set forth which is particularly suitable for a fast food drive-thru restaurant by which the patron may maintain eye-to-eye visual contact with the attendant located within the restaurant while selecting his various food items. The system includes an attendant station in the restaurant having a video monitor positioned to project the image of the patron to the attendant. The attendant station also includes a video camera mounted at eye level elevation which picks up the eye level image of the attendant and transmits this image to a second video monitor located at a remote order station. A mirror is mounted within the attendant station which allows the attendant to view the attendant video monitor while simultaneously looking directly into the video camera.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus adapted for dispensing a predetermined amount of one or more condiments or other fluids onto a sandwich or the like. The dispenser includes a stand supporting a nozzle which is connected in flow communication by conduits to at least one source of condiment. A valving arrangement and associated controllers are operatively connected to the conduits between the nozzle and the source of the condiment for selectively allowing a predetermined quantity of condiment to be dispensed through the nozzle.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus is provided which, in use, continuously circulates cooking oil from a cooking pot, where a removable basket for comestibles to be cooked is disposed, through a heating unit and then back to the cooking pot. The heat input of the heating unit is turned on and off by a controller which responds to the temperature that is sensed for the cooking oil to maintain the cooking oil at a predetermined temperature selectable from within a variable range of comestible cooking temperatures. The controller also has a fixed setting which overrides the selectable variable range setting of the controller and which is operable to maintain the cooking oil at a low non-cooking temperature for extended non-use periods of the cooking apparatus.