Abstract: A pivot assembly for use in an electric fryer that rotates heating elements out of a frypot, and a pivot housing that prevents the passage of outside contaminants from entering the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly comprises a tube that has mounting position for heating elements, and the elements can be lowered and raised into the frypot. The pivot housing comprises a hood that fits over the pivot assembly and forms a seal around the assembly, preventing the passage of oil therethrough. The tube of the pivot assembly can comprise one or more heating elements, and the heating elements can be lowered or raised independently of one another.

Abstract: Frying apparatus for frying food, such as French fries, vegetables, bakery goods, meat fish, poultry and the like, in a heated fluid contained in a fry pot. The fluid is heated by a combustion burner that has a heat exchanger removably disposed in the heating fluid. When removed from the fluid, the heat exchanger and the fry pot can be easily cleaned. The air and/or gas is injected into the combustion chamber so as to provide an air gas ratio that supports clean combustion. A control monitors various temperatures and other parameters at various locations of the frying apparatus to control the efficiency of the frying apparatus to approximate a predetermined efficiency by altering the air/gas ratio.

Abstract: A fryer system and a check valve useful in the fryer system or in other applications. The check valve does not require electricity or springs, but rather operates based on fluid flow and/or pressure. The check valve includes a sealing member that is disposed in a chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with ambient air and a fluid container, such as a rear return manifold in the fryer system. As fluid, such as cooking oil, is supplied to the manifold, the cooking oil rises in the chamber of the floating check valve. The sealing member floats on the rising cooking oil until it seats in a seal so as to close the fluid communication with ambient. When the cooking oil is drained from the manifold, the sealing member disengages from the seal and floats in the chamber to a retainer that allows ambient air to pass through the fluid communications and chamber to counteract any vacuum in the ullage of the manifold.

Abstract: A cooking appliance which is capable of rapidly toasting a food product disposed therein by air impingement and infrared heating to provide a cooked food product having the desired color and crunchiness about its surface. The appliance is particularly adapted for cooking sandwich products, toasting the bread and heating the sandwich filler. The appliance includes an air impingement assembly that delivers columns of heated air to the food product and an infrared heater assembly that produces infrared energy. The appliance delivers the impingement air from above the food product and the infrared energy from below. Alternatively, the appliance delivers the impingement air from above and below the food product and the infrared energy from below.

Abstract: A cooking device that is capable of rapidly cooking food products such as in toasting bread products or cooking pizza. The cooking device uses air impingement from above and/or below the food product. In some cases an infrared heater is additionally used to impart a desired color and crunchiness about a surface of the food product. In some cases, a boost in thermal energy is applied to the bottom of the food product vis-à-vis the top thereof. In some cases, the boost is due to an extra heater, which may be gas or electric. The device is particularly adapted for toasting bread products, cooking sandwich products (toasting the bread and heating the sandwich filler) and/or cooking pizza. Rapid cooking times are achieved by delivering more thermal energy to the top or bottom of the food product, depending on the type thereof, to give quality and speed. For example, a pizza can be cooked to have a crisp bottom without burning a cheese topping.

Abstract: Food cooking apparatus having a two conveyor belts, one of which is heated by a platen to provide a moving cooking surface. Since both belts are movable, they are operable to grip a bun heel or crown and convey it along a cooking path between the two belts without disfigurement of the bun. Also disclosed is a quick connect/disconnect feature that allows quick removal of one of the assemblies for cleaning, maintenance and/or belt replacement. This feature has a bracket member which when released allows the removable assembly to slidable disengage from the frame of the apparatus. The food cooking apparatus includes an electrical heating platen with a coil wound in a serpentine manner and spatially distributed to produce high temperature cooking in the early stage of cooking and lower temperature cooking in the later stages of cooking.

Abstract: Apparatus for holding fried food product for a holding time, defined as the time between the completion of cooking and the time that the food product no longer has a desired warmth, crispness and interior moisture for serving to a customer. The fried food is disposed in a holder or bin and subjected to heat from an upper heater, a lower heater and forced hot air that is applied through and across the fried food. The hot air flow serves to evaporate moisture from the fried food surface and to remove water vapor from the region above the fried food, whereby the holding time is extended to about 20 minutes.

Abstract: Food cooking apparatus having a two conveyor belts, one of which is heated by a platen to provide a moving cooking surface. Since both belts are movable, they are operable to grip a bun heel or crown and convey it along a cooking path between the two belts without disfigurement of the bun. Also disclosed is a quick connect/disconnect feature that allows quick removal of one of the assemblies for cleaning, maintenance and/or belt replacement. This feature has a bracket member which when released allows the removable assembly to slidable disengage from the frame of the apparatus. The food cooking apparatus includes an electrical heating platen with a coil wound in a serpentine manner and spatially distributed to produce high temperature cooking in the early stage of cooking and lower temperature cooking in the later stages of cooking.

Abstract: Food cooking apparatus comprises two conveyor belts, one of which is heated by a platen to provide a moving cooking surface. Since both belts are movable, they are operable to grip a bun heel or crown and convey it along a cooking path between the two belts without disfigurement of the bun. Also disclosed is a quick connect/disconnect feature that allows quick removal of one of the assemblies for cleaning, maintenance and/or belt replacement. This feature has a bracket member which when released allows the removable assembly to slidably disengage from the frame of the apparatus. The food cooking apparatus includes an electrical heating platen with a coil wound in a serpentine manner and spatially distributed to produce high temperature cooking in the early stage of cooking and lower temperature cooking in the later stages of cooking.

Abstract: Apparatus for high speed grilling and/or conditioning of a food product which comprises: a heatable surface which is capable caramelizing the food product at a temperature in the range between about 425.degree. F. to 575.degree. F.; a chamber for enclosing the food product on the heatable surface under pressure; and a steam injector for introducing steam into the chamber during the caramelization of the food product.

Abstract: A food warming device having a bin for holding food products. The bin has an air delivery port and an air intake port located at first and second end walls that are disposed at first and second opposite edges of the bottom portion. The regions above the bottom portion and along the third and fourth opposite edges between the first and second walls are substantially open whereby the food products are clearly visible to customers. The bottom portion has a heated surface for receiving food products to be warmed. An air circulating means forms a stream of circulating heated air that moves from the air delivery port over the heated surface to the air intake port. The food products are warmed by heat emanating from the heated surface and by warm air from the stream of circulating heated air. A balancing system maintains the circulating air in balance by diverting a portion of the return air to ambient atmosphere through a bleed exhaust port.

Abstract: Apparatus for high speed grilling and/or conditioning of a food product which comprises: a heatable surface which is capable caramelizing the food product at a temperature in the range between about 425.degree. F. to 575.degree. F.; a chamber for enclosing the food product on the heatable surface under pressure; and a steam injector for introducing steam into the chamber during the caramelization of the food product.

Abstract: An automated deep fat frying apparatus comprises a plurality of cooking vats in a housing having a filter pan pump assembly. The apparatus has an oil distribution system and a control system having a computer programmed to operate and control oil transfer functions. Motor operated drain and return valves with position sensors are installed on each vat in the oil distribution system and operated by the control system to provide an automatic filter function and an oil transfer function whereby oil is drained from a first vat and transferred to a second vat according to selection inputs from the operator. The system includes operator selectable automated fill and dispose functions. In addition to valve position sensors, the system includes oil level sensors in the vats and filter pan, a pan position sensor and may include level sensors in a supply or dispose tank tied in to the control system which prevent mishaps during oil transfer operations.

Abstract: An automated deep fat frying apparatus comprises a plurality of cooking vats in a housing having a filter pan pump assembly. The apparatus has an oil distribution system and a control system having a computer programmed to operate and control oil transfer functions. Motor operated drain and return valves with position sensors are installed on each vat in the oil distribution system and operated by the control system to provide an automatic filter function and an oil transfer function whereby oil is drained from a first vat and transferred to a second vat according to selection inputs from the operator. The system includes operator selectable automated fill and dispose functions. In addition to valve position sensors, the system includes oil level sensors in the vats and filter pan, a pan position sensor and may include level sensors in a supply or dispose tank tied in to the control system which prevent mishaps during oil transfer operations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system to warn of early removal of food from a cooking medium. The system is a combination of a frypot, a basket sensor and an alarm where the frypot is a container holding a cooking medium such as oil or shortening. Food items to be cooked are placed in a control zone in the cooking medium and held by a basket that holds the food submersed in the cooking medium. The basket sensor is installed to detect the presence of a basket in the container. The basket sensor is monitored by a cooking computer that controls the alarm, activating the alarm if there is no basket in the frypot when a cook cycle is initiated or when the basket is removed before the cook cycle is completed. The cooking computer monitors the cooking cycle by using a preprogrammed cook time and adjusting the time based on variations measured in the cooking medium temperature or other factors.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a cooking appliance 10 is disclosed comprising heating element 14 in thermal communication with a cooking medium 12 for cooking food, temperature sensing element 18 for detecting a cooking medium temperature and control 20 connected to the temperature sensing element 18 for receiving the cooking medium temperature, wherein the control 20 is operable to generate a working temperature which may differ from the cooking medium temperature in order to account for a thermal transit time between the heating element 14 and the temperature sensing element 18, and further operable for regulating the heating element 14 in accordance with the working temperature. Other devices, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A pasta cooking system including an automatic control which permits a cooking vat containing water to be automatically filled to a predetermined level in response to turning the system on, maintained at a constant level by the addition of water during repeated cooking cycles, remove the starchy froths resulting from a cooking cycle in response to a manual input by adding additional water to cause water to rise above the automatically maintained level and overflow a skimming weir, drained by manually opening a valve and automatically rinsed by leaving the control system on during the drain time as water is continually added by the automatic fill system to clean the pot. The water is introduced by the automatic system in such a manner to cause surface agitation during the skim procedure, and to rinse the walls of the vat during the drain cycle. A water level sensing uses a single stainless steel probe and a low voltage a.c. current between the probe and a stainless steel vat to prevent cathartic corrosion.

Abstract: A flashback inhibiting fuel fired infrared burner has a housing with a base wall, a side wall section extending outwardly from the base wall periphery, and a side opening positioned opposite the base wall. Retained in and covering the housing side opening is a foranimous burner plate structure. An air-fuel mixture supply pipe extends forwardly into the housing interior through a front end of the side wall section into a rear end portion of the housing interior and has an open outlet end. A discharge end portion of the supply pipe is received in an open front end portion of a flow reversing tube having a closed rear end. The supply pipe and flow reversing tube are laterally shrouded within the housing by an elongated baffle member having outlet openings formed in longitudinally extending front and rear wall portions thereof, the total cross-sectional area of the outlet openings in the front longitudinal wall portion being greater than that of the outlet openings in the rear longitudinal wall portion.