Abstract: A belted food warmer assembly is disclosed that includes a housing containing a heated rotating drum, a belt roller, and a belt. The belt is draped over a portion of the heated rotating drum and is configured to hold a flexible food product against the heated drum as the food product rotates with the heated drum.

Abstract: A ventless downdraft system may include a housing; a table frame disposed on top of the housing, the table frame including a top surface; a first heating element and a second heating element supported by the table frame; a vent disposed between the first and second heating elements in the table frame and configured for directing smoke generated by the first and second heating elements downwardly into the housing; a vent cover disposed on the vent and outwardly from the top surface of the table frame, where the vent cover includes a first surface extending outwardly from the top surface of the table frame and facing the first heating element and a second surface extending outwardly from the top surface of the table frame and facing the second heating element; and a filter assembly disposed in the housing and configured for filtering the smoke directed into the housing.

Abstract: A belted food warmer assembly is disclosed that includes a housing containing a heated rotating drum, a belt roller, and a belt. The belt is draped over a portion of the heated rotating drum and is configured to hold a flexible food product against the heated drum as the food product rotates with the heated drum.

Abstract: Disclosed are: an assembly and method for thin bread-like food having a housing, rotatable drum, infeed roller for moving food toward drum rotation, and a drum heater. A radiant heater associated with the housing radiates heat towards food on the drum. Food can be directed toward the infeed roller by an infeed platform. The drum can be rotatably supported by a bearing arrangement. An interior drum heater and a thermostat sensor can also be supported by the bearing. A guide can contact food that separates from the drum, to redirect it toward the drum surface. A discharge scraper can separate food from the drum. A discharge roller can direct food from the drum toward a discharge direction. A motor drive assembly can drive drum, infeed roller and discharge roller rotation.

Abstract: Disclosures of roller tube grill temperature control assemblies and methods for human food have a sensing device to fit between a pair of tubes with sides that conform to the tube surface, and an associated temperature-sensing component for detecting the sensing device temperature. An electrical control arrangement in electrical connection with a heating element disposed within a tube can control electricity, with mechanisms to modify the set point. A biasing member biases the sensing device. Such device can also have on or more tube receiving inner openings located between the sides of the device. The sensing device can further be a bushing with one or more generally cylindrical openings to receive roller tube or tubes. The assembly moreover can have an infrared sensing device associated with a tube to sense radiation therefrom for detecting temperature.

Abstract: A conveyor toaster includes a housing with a split-conveyor extending through the housing to convey food items through a cooking chamber for cooking by infrared heating elements located above and below the conveyor. Electrical components are separated from the heating elements and cooled with ambient air.

Abstract: A food cooking grill assembly has a housing that supports a lower platen which has a cooking surface, and an upper platen having a cooking surface. A handle assembly connects to the upper platen. Handle assembly connects to a guidance assembly and to a hinged and pivotal counterbalance assembly to control the orientation and position of the upper platen relative to the lower platen. The counterbalance assembly interacts between the upper platen and the housing to counter the weight of the upper platen and to react to force exerted through the handle assembly.

Abstract: An on-demand cooking apparatus for use with a cooking device having a housing, a fuel supply assembly, and a burner assembly mounted in the housing and operatively connected to the fuel supply assembly to emit fuel. An igniter operatively connects to the burner assembly to ignite the fuel into a flame, and an activation assembly operatively connects to the burner assembly, the fuel supply assembly, and the igniter. The activation assembly engages the cooking device when the cooking device is positioned in a first position relative to the burner assembly. The cooking device can be moved for movement of the activation assembly to allow flow of fuel from the fuel supply assembly to the burner assembly, and the activation assembly signals the igniter to ignite the fuel into a flame.

Abstract: A roller grill for cooking human food is disclosed which comprises a housing having a plurality of tubular cooking members rotatably mounted within the housing and a section divider ensemble for sectioning the tubular cooking members into a first cooking area and a second cooking area.

Abstract: An improved cooking grill includes a base; a grilling area with a heat source; a control panel; an integrated rotisserie with a rotating spit located adjacent the grilling area driven via a coupling by a motor located within the base; a temperature probe located adjacent the grilling area; and a removable control module communicating with the temperature probe and having a grill light, a timer, a temperature display, and a handheld food probe.

Abstract: A heating control system in a roller grill has means for setting a set temperature, at least one temperature sensor mounted in the region of the rollers to measure the temperature of the area surrounding the food being heated on the grill, a temperature display in communication with the temperature sensor that indicates the temperature of the food area, and a control device that monitors the temperature measured in the area of the rollers and food and adjusts the input to heating elements to minimize variation of the measured temperature from the set temperature. Another embodiment of the system includes an offset heating structure in at least one roller to allow a temperature offset between two sides of the roller; and means for adjusting the temperature offset between the two sides of the roller.

Abstract: A roller grill assembly for cooking human food has a plurality of roller tubes rotatably mounted to a housing frame. A sealing assembly comprises a bearing member, and an annular sealing member. The bearing has a bore for receiving a roller tube. The bearing bore has a part with an annular recess for receiving the sealing member, so that the sealing member can be held against the outer surface of the tube. An idler sprocket is associated with the frame. A drive chain engages the idler sprocket and the sprockets on the tubes, to rotate them. The housing has a cavity that receives a sliding compartment assembly. The compartment assembly has a frame comprising track members and a cross strut, shaped to support a pan for holding food. A wall is spaced above the housing cavity and beneath the tubes. The tubes have heating elements with spiraled configuration, with the spacing at the ends more compact than in the central part of the heating element.

Abstract: A tool assembly and method are for mounting an O-ring and a bearing about a roller grill tube to cook human food in one embodiment has a first tool section for mounting with a tube, and a second tool section with an outer surface. A third tool section has a proximal end and a distal end which expands the O-ring and slides so that the O-ring and bearing locate about the second tool section. The second tool section slides so the bearing and O-ring seal about the tube.

Abstract: A food grill assembly for cooking a food product is disclosed which comprises a base, a lower platen ensemble associated with the base, the lower platen ensemble having a heat source and a surface upon which a food product to be cooked is placed, the lower platen ensemble further comprising a back wall and a pair of side walls which are integral with the lower platen ensemble with the walls forming a splash guard, an upper platen ensemble having a heat source, the upper platen ensemble having a surface which is adapted to be in contact with a food product to be cooked, a counterbalance assembly connected to the base, and a handle mechanism connected to the counterbalance assembly and the upper platen ensemble for providing pivoting movement of the upper platen assembly relative to the base, the counterbalance assembly for leveling the upper platen assembly relative to the lower platen assembly when the upper platen assembly is within a predetermined distance from the lower platen assembly.

Abstract: A toaster/heater assembly for toasting and heating food products has a housing containing a frame, and a heating chamber having a toaster/heater ensemble which heats two compartments of the chamber. The ensemble has a middle unit and two side units, each of which are divided into two insulating boards having side edges with nibs separated by notches. A pair of lower terminals are spaced from each other and connected to ends of a heating element. For the side units, the heating element winds from a terminal around the nibs and notches of one board section to then cross to the other board section to likewise wind, so that almost all of the strands of the element face a heating compartment. The middle unit heating element winds through the notches and nibs and crosses to the other board section and likewise winds about it so that heat radiates from both of its sides to two different compartments.

Abstract: This invention relates to assemblies for pumping from a container, dispensing and heating or cooling edible viscous food products having the viscosity of ketchup, mustard, melted cheese, sour cream, salsa or the like. More specifically, the invention relates to peristaltic pumping and dispensing assembly with housing and heating/cooling flow channels for dispensing food products with such viscosity.

Abstract: In a container for dispensing viscous food product having viscosity such as of ketchup, mustard, melted cheese or the like, is a housing for a pump, a dispenser, and valves. The housing has a pumping chamber and dispensing chamber, with first and second valves associated with the pumping and dispensing chambers, respectively. The pump chamber is sized to receive part of a pump. The dispensing chamber is sized to receive part of a dispenser, which can include a base. An angled flow passage connects the pump chamber to the dispensing chamber. The first and second valves can both include a ball. Structure is provided for checking the upward movement of the first and second valves during pumping and dispensing strokes and to hold the dispenser to the housing, which in a preferred embodiment comprises a U-shaped pin which passes into the dispensing chamber and engages the dispenser, and into the pump chamber. A notch in the side of the housing permits easy grasping of the U-shaped pin.