Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a housing and a cooking plate. Burners are located within the housing and below the cooking plate. A non-powered mechanical thermocouple probe is proximate to a pilot burner with a bi-metal element that produces an electrical signal when heated by the pilot burner. A pilot shutoff valve has an inlet connected to receive gaseous fuel from a gaseous fuel manifold, a pilot output connected to deliver gas to the pilot burner, a main burner output connected to deliver gas the burners, and a thermocouple probe input connected to receive the electrical signal produced by the bi-metal element. The pilot shutoff valve is biased to a default closed position where gas is prevented from flowing from the inlet to the pilot output and from the inlet to the main burner output. When the pilot shutoff valve is open, the pilot shut off valve permits gas to flow from the inlet to the pilot output and from the inlet to the main burner output.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a heating element and a cooking plate arranged and configured to be heated by the heating element, the cooking plate having a first surface facing the heating element and a cooking surface opposite the first surface. A thermostat is located proximate the first surface and associated with a heating element control. An insulating heat shield arrangement partially surrounds the thermostat and shields a shielded portion of the first surface adjacent the thermostat from direct heating by the heating element. The insulating heat shield arrangement is configured to provide a thermal resistance Rh through the cooking plate between the shielded portion of the first surface at the thermostat and a directly heated portion of the first surface outside the shielded portion. The cooking plate is configured such that a thermal resistance Rc through the cooking plate is provided between the shielded portion of the first surface at the thermostat and the cooking surface.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a housing and a cooking plate having an upper cooking surface for receiving food product and an opposite surface for being heated. First and second gas burners are located within the housing and below the cooking plate for heating the cooking plate and a pilot burner is provided. A non-powered mechanical thermocouple probe is located proximate the pilot burner and has a bi-metal element that produces an electrical signal when heated by flame from the pilot burner. A pilot shutoff valve has an inlet connected to receive gaseous fuel from a gaseous fuel manifold, a pilot output connected to deliver gas to the pilot burner, a main burner output connected to deliver gas to both the first gas burner and the second gas burner, and a thermocouple probe input connected to receive the electrical signal produced by the bi-metal element of the mechanical thermocouple probe.

Abstract: A gas-fired charbroiler includes one or more features to provide more even heat distribution on the cooking surface. Orifices that feed respective burners can have different sizes. A baffle structure may be included on the sides of the burners. Burners may be configured such that burner port flow area per unit length varies.