Abstract: A cooking machine includes a housing having side walls with doors that can be raised and lowered to vent the cooking chamber defined within the housing. A latching member is pivotally mounted on a channel member guiding the doors, and can be pivoted manually into a position in which it engages the bottom surface of the door thereby retaining the door in the upward most position. When the door is to be lowered, the latching member is pivoted to a position by gravity which pivots the latching member out of the line of travel of the door. The door can then be lowered to the lowered position.

Abstract: A deflector shield for an automatic food cooking machine. The automatic food cooking machine of the present invention includes a deflector shield that protects the gas outlet ports from grease, drippings, and other debris falling from the cooking food products. The shields are heated by the gas flames and therefore cook the food by radiant heat, while convective heat is directed around the edges of the shields and towards the food. Finally, the shields serve to protect the food products from direct exposure to the gas flames as required by USDA regulations.