Abstract: A cooking or ventilating system has an extraction unit connected through an exhaust duct with the outside atmosphere, and a damper which is shiftable between positions operatively opening or closing the exhaust duct. A mechanism for opening and closing the damper under power includes an electric motor and a ball screw linear actuator driven by the motor. Air flow through the system is controlled to prevent exhausted grease from being carried up the exhaust duct. The damper is mounted for closing in the direction of air flow through the system and, when opened, for shielding the drive mechanism from smoke and grease, etc., in the air flow. Control circuits provide automatically timed normal operation of the motor as well as control operation of detergent and spray wash apparatus of the ventilating system. The control circuits also include a thermosatic sensor arrangement for sensing temperatures within the extraction unit.

Abstract: A plate warmer having a heat storing core material for releasing heat to food serving supported thereon dishware over an extended period of time, i.e., in excess of thirty minutes, and a method of making said plate warmer. The heat storing material comprises beads of synthetic petroleum wax which are compressed to form a solid core having inwardly concave top and bottom surfaces and to expel air from the core. Top and bottom outer plate members are compressed to conform to the inwardly concave surfaces of the core and then sealed to define an airtight, waterproof cavity which is filled by the core. When the plate warmer is heated, the core expands outwardly against the concave walls of the outer plate members and the walls assume a substantially flat configuration wherein the cavity is enlarged to accommodate the expanded core material, the walls reassuming their inwardly concave configuration as the heat storing core material cools and releases heat through the top outer plate member to the dishware.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously lubricating a conveyor belt with a mixture of water and soap or detergent during normal operation and for washing the conveyor belt during a preselected time interval after normal operation has ceased. Solenoid valves are interposed in water lines to a lubricating nozzle and wash nozzles to control the flow of water to the nozzles, and pumps are provided to inject soap or detergent into each of the water lines. During normal conveyor operation, electrical power is supplied only to the lubricating line solenoid valve and the lubricating line pump to produce a lubricating spray of water and soap or detergent from the lubricating nozzle which is directed onto the belt. When the master on-off switch is switched to the "off" position, a wash timer is actuated for a predetermined interval of time and cooperates with a relay to also enable the wash line solenoid valve and the wash line pump to deliver water and soap or detergent to the wash nozzle for cleansing the conveyor belt.

Abstract: This invention relates to a kitchen ventilating system, where a kitchen hood communicates through an exhaust duct to the exterior atmosphere, where a fan in the duct operates for powered venting of the kitchen, and where a damper can be closed to separate the kitchen from the exhaust duct. This invention teaches means for shifting the damper between the closed position and the open position, which means is a fluid power actuator in the form of a power cylinder. The power cylinder is operated by water, typically from the same source as the regular kitchen water, and control valve means utilized between this source of water under pressure and the cylinder controls the shifting of the damper. The preferred system provides that the valve means shifts by spring pressure to the position corresponding to where the damper is closed and is electrically shifted to open the damper, so that should a power failure occur the damper will automatically be closed.

Abstract: A kitchen ventilating system typically has an exhaust duct and power fan means therein which communicates through passage means with an inlet located in the kitchen. This disclosure teaches particular means for mounting a damper so that it can be pivoted to open and close the passage means, and further can be easily installed and removed from the passage means. The damper pivot means include stub shafts that project beyond the end edges of the damper and thin plate bearing means that receive and journal the respective stub shafts, where the bearing means can be releasably secured relative to the passage means wall structure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a ventilating system used for withdrawing cooking fumes from a kitchen, teaching an improved fire rated centrifugal grease extractor and flow control damper arrangement at the inlet to the extractor.The disclosed centrifugal grease extractor structure defines a tortuous airflow path between the inlet opening from the kitchen and the exhaust duct that leads to the outside atmosphere. This tortuous path defining extractor structure includes downwardly pitched bottom and top walls and interconnected vertical side walls and a vertical rear wall, and upwardly and downwardly depending baffles formed from these walls and by the flow control damper when opened.