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.

Abstract: A deep fat fryer structure includes a floor mounted housing having an upper internal portion in which a side-by-side pair of large capacity metal frypots are operatively supported, each of the frypots having an upper, heated cooking portion from which an unheated well depends. Cooking liquid may be drained from the wells for filtration purposes by a valved drainage conduit system having an open outlet end. Filtered cooking liquid may be returned to the upper frypot portions, or their depending cold wells, through a valved supply conduit system connected to the outlet of a height-adjustable filtration pump disposed within a lower rear portion of the housing. An open-topped, wheel supported overflow pan nestingly receives an open-topped cooking liquid receiving container and may be rolled into the housing directly beneath the frypots to receive cooking liquid drained therefrom, the receiving container having a filtration structure supported on its bottom wall.

Abstract: A gas fired deep fat fryer has an upper heating section with a bottom wall from which a spaced pair of well sections depend. To efficiently melt solid shortening material initially disposed in the upper frypot section, the frypot is provided with an electric shortening melter that extends along the underside of the bottom wall of the upper frypot section. A solid insulating material panel structure envelopes and abuts portions of the well sections and defines therebetween a heating cavity which receives a dual gas-fired burner assembly. Interior surface portions of the panel structure are recessed to define a multi-pass heating flow passage system which extends along and is partially bounded by laterally outwardly facing exterior surface portions of the wells. During frypot operation, hot combustion gases from the burners are flowed through the passage system to very efficiently heating cooking oil disposed in the frypot.

Abstract: A multi-frypot, deep fat frying assembly is formed by operatively interconnecting a filtered, multiple frypot cooking module with one or more nonfiltered, multiple frypot cooking modules, each module having headered cooking fluid supply and drain piping systems disposed within its outer housing. To form the ganged frypot assembly, the module housings, with appropriate side panels removed, are placed in a side-by-side orientation and the adjacent headered piping systems are connected to one another to form in the assembly common supply and drain headers. The filtered module is provided with a roll-out, self-contained filter unit which may be moved into and out of the filtered module housing directly beneath its frypots, the filter unit having a cooking fluid receiving container which carries a filter pump that may be quick-connected to the supply header.

Abstract: Cooking oil contained in a fuel-fired deep fat frypot is heated utilizing a recirculating flow of combustion gas produced by an induced flow fuel-air burner. A squirrel cage type centrifugal fan draws a fuel-air mixture inwardly through the burner into an inlet chamber in which the combustion gas is formed. The hot combustion gas is discharged from the fan into a supply chamber, flowed from the supply chamber into and through external heating passages extending rearwardly along the opposite exterior side surfaces of the frypot, and then enters an external heating passage extending along the rear frypot wall. From this rear passage the combustion gas is drawn forwardly through generally triangularly shaped heating tubes extending horizontally through the frypot cooking zone, into and through a return plenum, into the fan where it is mixed with a fresh supply of combustion gas from the inlet chamber, and is then discharged into the supply chamber.

Abstract: A deep fat fryer structure includes a floor mounted housing having an upper internal portion in which a side-by-side pair of large capacity metal frypots are operatively supported, each of the frypots having an upper, heated cooking portion from which an unheated cold well depends. Cooking fluid may be drained from the wells for filtration purposes by a valved drainage conduit system having an open outlet end. Filtered cooking fluid may be returned to the upper frypot portions through a valved supply conduit system having a flexible inlet end portion extendable below the frypots. An open-topped, wheel-supported container may be rolled into the housing directly beneath the frypots to receive cooking fluid drained therefrom, and has a cooking fluid filtration element supported on its bottom wall directly over a drain sump depending therefrom.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating source to provide heat to a cooking medium for cooking food, temperature sensing circuitry for detecting the cooking medium temperature and control circuitry connected to the temperature sensing circuitry for cooking the food according to data stored in the control circuitry by controlling the heating source and removing the food from the cooking medium in accordance with the data. A temperature sensing apparatus is also disclosed that includes a temperature probe for measuring temperature and a reference circuit indicating a referenced temperature. Circuitry is alternately connected to the temperature probe and the reference circuit for alternately providing a first and second output signal indicative of the measured temperature and the referenced temperature respectively. Data processing circuitry is also provided that receives the output signals and computes the measured temperature from the first and second output signals.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus having a frypot or assembly for heating a quantity of cooking oil including well center section arranged to have enclosed burner assemblies disposed on each side of the center section and forming combustion chambers for the combustion of a fuel-air mixture introduced into combustion chambers under a forced air flow system. The combustion chambers are charged with a forced flow of a fuel-air mixture under positive pressure by a blower assembly mounted on a manifold on the front of the frypot assembly. The manifold includes respective air flow control valve gates which may be selectively adjusted to balance the charging air flow to the respective burner assemblies. The frypot has opposed sidewalls and a rear wall which form parts of respective flow passages for combustion gases leaving the combustion chambers.

Abstract: In a fryer, a conduit extends through a frypot so as to be immersed in a frying oil. Combustion occurs in an inlet portion of the conduit. Products of combustion are exhausted through an outlet portion of the conduit and through serpentine channels along certain walls of the frypot. Insulative panels form outer walls of the channels. In a burner for the fryer, a vortex of air is provided, and a minor portion of gas is ignited before a valve controlling a major portion of gas is opened. Means provide a minimum delay of one to three seconds, when it has been sensed that combustion has been established, before the valve is opened.

Abstract: A portable filter has an oil remove/return wand for insertion into a cooking apparatus utilizing hot oil. A flexible hose connects the wand to a motor pump and supports a motor direction control switch adjacent to the wand. A compartmentalized housing includes: a container having an inlet and an outlet, a removable filter holder mounted in the container, plumbing connecting the container inlet and outlet to the motor pump, a heating element for the outlet plumbing, a control panel having an OFF switch for connection to a power supply and FILTER and HEATER switches connected to the OFF switch, and indicator lights for the OFF, FILTER, HEATER switches. The motor direction switch is connected to the FILTER switch and to first and second delay circuits. The heater switch is connected to the heater element to apply power; while the heater switch is ON the filter switch cannot be activated.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating source to provide heat to a cooking medium for cooking food, temperature sensing circuitry for detecting the cooking medium temperature and control circuitry connected to the temperature sensing circuitry for cooking the food according to data stored in the control circuitry by controlling the heating source and removing the food from the cooking medium in accordance with the data. A temperature sensing apparatus is also disclosed that includes a temperature probe for measuring temperature and a reference circuit indicating a referenced temperature. Circuitry is alternately connected to the temperature probe and the reference circuit for alternately providing a first and second output signal indicative of the measured temperature and the referenced temperature respectively. Data processing circuitry is also provided that receives the output signals and computes the measured temperature from the first and second output signals.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating source to provide heat to a cooking medium for cooking food, temperature sensing circuitry for detecting the cooking medium temperature and control circuitry connected to the temperature sensing circuitry for cooking the food according to data stored in the control circuitry by controlling the heating source and removing the food from the cooking medium in accordance with the data. A temperature sensing apparatus is also disclosed that includes a temperature probe for measuring temperature and a reference circuit indicating a referenced temperature. Circuitry is alternately connected to the temperature probe and the reference circuit for alternately providing a first and second output signal indicative of the measured temperature and the referenced temperature respectively. Data processing circuitry is also provided that receives the output signals and computes the measured temperature from the first and second output signals.

Abstract: A temperature controller for a deep fat fryer including a temperature sensing circuit that determines the temperature of cooking oil in the deep fat fryer and which is connected to a temperature control circuit that controls the deep fat fryer heat source in providing heat to the cooking oil in response to a set temperature from an external input device. The control circuit also includes an anticipation circuit that variably modulates the heating source before the cooking oil temperature approaches the set temperature. The temperature control circuit further includes a resistor divider network that provides selected voltages representing reference temperatures and which are input to several operational amplifiers for controlling the heat source.

Abstract: A cooking computer for use with a deep fat fryer having a temperature sensing probe as disclosed herein. The temperature sensing probe feeds a signal to a microprocessor. The microprocessor provides internal cook cycle timers which are alterable by signals from the temperature probe to correspond to changes in the rate of cooking of a commestible. Up to 12 recipes, each of which include a cooking time and a temperature compensation, can be stored in an EAROM. Cooking times and time compensation factors stored in recipes are user alterable through a keyboard.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and a filter system operable during a cleaning cycle for dislodging food particles which cling to the fry pot and for removing food particles suspended in the cooking oil is disclosed. The filter system includes a shower apparatus which discharges jets of cooking oil along the interior side surfaces of the fry pot to dislodge food particles clinging thereto. The cooking oil is drained into a drain pan, strained through a filter and means are provided for pumping the filtered cooking oil back to the fry pot where it is discharged through the shower apparatus. Food particles are continuously separated from the cooking oil as it is conveyed from the fry pot through the filter into the drain pot. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided for automatically turning off the fry pot heaters when the cooking oil is drained during the filter cycle.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and a filter system operable during a cleaning cycle for dislodging food particles which cling to the fry pot and for removing food particles suspended in the cooking oil is disclosed. The filter system includes a shower apparatus which discharges jets of cooking oil along the interior side surfaces of the fry pot to dislodge food particles clinging thereto. The cooking oil is drained into a drain pan, strained through a filter and means are provided for pumping the filtered cooking oil back to the fry pot where it is discharged through the shower apparatus. Food particles are continuously separated from the cooking oil as it is conveyed from the fry pot through the filter into the drain pot. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided for automatically turning off the fry pot heaters when the cooking oil is drained during the filter cycle.

Abstract: A cooking system includes a frypot comprising heat transfer walls which are spaced to facilitate cleaning of the frypot. Each heat transfer wall comprises a lower vertically extending portion and an upper outwardly curved portion shaped to cause wastes to flow to the bottom of the frypot. A plurality of burners are provided for maintaining combustion in zones adjacent to the vertically extending portions of the heat transfer walls. This causes heated products of combustion to flow upwardly along the vertically extending and outwardly extending portions of the heat transfer walls, whereby heat transfer is effected through the walls to cooking oil in the frypot. Each burner comprises two or more orifices for discharging mutually interacting gas jets and a target for deflecting the gas jets and entrained air toward the heat transfer walls and for reflecting heat into the combustion zone and through the heat transfer walls.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and rack handling means for inserting a vertical stack of frying racks into and withdrawing the frying racks from the fry pot is disclosed. The rack handling means includes a frying rack assembly and a rack support assembly movably suspended with respect to the open mouth of the fry pot. The rack support assembly includes portions defining an open channel detachably engaging the frying rack assembly and means for guiding the frying rack assembly for movement from an elevated position above the open mouth of the fry pot wherein the frying rack assembly may be inserted into the channel prior to a cooking cycle or withdrawn from the channel after completion of the cooking cycle, to an immersed position inside of the fry pot wherein food portions previously loaded onto the frying rack assembly may be fried during a cooking cycle.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and a filter system operable during a cleaning cycle for dislodging food particles which cling to the fry pot and for removing food particles suspended in the cooking oil is disclosed. The filter system includes a shower apparatus which discharges jets of cooking oil along the interior side surfaces of the fry pot to dislodge food particles clinging thereto. The cooking oil is drained into a drain pan, strained through a filter and means are provided for pumping the filtered cooking oil back to the fry pot where it is discharged through the shower apparatus. Food particles are continuously separated from the cooking oil as it is conveyed from the fry pot through the filter into the drain pot. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided for automatically turning off the fry pot heaters when the cooking oil is drained during the filter cycle.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and a filter system operable during a cleaning cycle for dislodging food particles which cling to the fry pot and for removing food particles suspended in the cooking oil is disclosed. The filter system includes a shower apparatus which discharges jets of cooking oil along the interior side surfaces of the fry pot to dislodge food particles clinging thereto. The cooking oil is drained into a drain pan, strained through a filter and means are provided for pumping the filtered cooking oil back to the fry pot where it is discharged through the shower apparatus. Food particles are continuously separated from the cooking oil as it is conveyed from the fry pot through the filter into the drain pot. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided for automatically turning off the fry pot heaters when the cooking oil is drained during the filter cycle.