Abstract: This invention relates to a cooking appliance for heating a heating load (22) with a hot air as heated by a heater unit (17) and circulated in a heating chamber (2) by a fan unit (18). The temperature in the heating chamber (2) is detected by a temperature detector (26) to control the heater (17) and fan unit (18), whereby the fermentation necessary for breadmaking is performed satisfactorily to yield a neatly baked bread.

Abstract: A burner box divided into two chambers by a partition having two orifice hoods and an electrical connector rigidly mounted thereto, the hoods and connector facing into one of the chambers which functions as a compartment for removably inserting a modular gas burner cartridge. The cartridge may include a pan having two burners and an igniter attached therein. The positioning of the cartridge is such that the mixer heads of the burners align with the respective orifice hoods and the igniter couples to the connector. The connector has a recessed entrance for the high voltage receptacle so that a tapered ceramic insulator sleeve of the igniter conductor terminal fits therein.

Abstract: This electric cooking oven for domestic use incorporates an electric circuit controlling the pyrolytic cleaning operation and comprising a pivoted blade-shaped shutter connected to a first control thermostat and to the cooling turbine connected in turn to a second thermostat so adjusted as to close at a predetermined critical temperature beyond which the turbine must be protected against overheating by ventilation, the second thermostat when open being coupled in turn to a resistance adapted to provide the heat necessary for performing the pyrolytic operation, so that the turbine is started automatically by the closing of the second thermostat at the critical temperature to cause the shutter to pivot to a position in which the shutter maintains the supply of electric power for energizing the turbine when the second thermostat opens, that is, when the oven temperature has dropped to a value lower than the predetermined critical temperature.

Abstract: A microwave oven with a capability of functioning as an electric heating oven comprises an oven cavity surrounded by a heat insulating wall or an athermanous wall. A forced air flow reating means includes a damper means for creating the air flow within the oven cavity when the microwave heating operation is performed, and for creating the air flow around the oven cavity wall when the electric heating operation is performed.

Abstract: A forced air circulation heating apparatus in which an air stream is heated at a first location in a conduit means and transported to a second location within the apparatus by the conduit means and is forced into a heating compartment and mixed with a recirculated forced air flow within the compartment. A valve or controller means can be used to vary the proportions of the heated air stream and the recirculated forced air flow which are combined within the heating compartment. The air conduit and the heating compartment can have a common wall thereby the heated air stream indirectly heats the heating compartment. A dual flow impeller fan is used to move the heated air stream and to establish the recirculated forced air flow within the heating compartment. The fan operates with a single electric motor. The heating compartment is vented to a flueway.

Abstract: A microwave convection oven in which a gas burner positioned outside the oven cavity has its combustion products circulated through the oven through screens for preventing escape of the microwave energy from the oven cavity with the burner being of the multi-ported type providing high burner density and having secondary air closely adjacent all portions of the burner to reduce its incondescent flame length while permitting the burner to be positioned in a region between the screened vapor outlet region the oven and the inlet of a blower system for mixing the output of the burner with the vapor drawn from the oven thus the temperature of the vapor outlet region is maintained below that at which ionization of the vapor being drawn from the oven might produce leakage of microwave energy through the screen.

Abstract: Disclosed is a commercial convection cooking equipment having an outer casing and inner food cooking chamber forming channel(s) therebetween with air intake vent and fan to force air through such channel(s) to cool portions of the outer casing and then when such air is heated, to redirect the hot air back into the food cooking chamber.

Abstract: A system for installation on aircraft to serve trays containing precooked food to passengers, the food-loaded trays being placed in the aircraft in the cold state and being heated to a service temperature level. The system includes a locker adapted to accommodate a bank of open-end racks, each having a stack of trays therein separated by air spaces, the front ends of the racks facing the door of the locker. Behind the racks is a hot air modulator in the form of a shallow box having a broad, continuously driven tape therein, the front course of the advancing tape facing the rear ends of the racks through windows in the box which register with these ends. The tape has endless trains of holes punched therein, each train lying in a plane intersecting a respective air space between trays in the stacks. Air drawn from the free region between the front door of the locker and the front ends of the racks is caused by a blower to pass through a heater station.

Abstract: A counter-top unit for heating packages containing pre-cooked cold food, the unit acting to rapidly heat up the food to a service temperature level and to thereafter maintain this level. The unit includes a case having an apertured partition therein to form a compartment accessible from the front of the case for accommodating a stack of food packages with air-flow spaces therebetween. The compartment is spaced from the rear of the case to define a plenum and from the front to define an air curtain passage communicating with upper and lower air passages leading to the plenum. In operation, air drawn from the upper passage is heated and blown into the plenum to create a pressure differential between the plenum and the compartment, as a result of which the heated air is forced through the partition into the spaces between the packages to heat the food therein, the heated air also flowing in a continuous loop about the compartment through the passages to thermally isolate the compartment.

Abstract: A portable unit for heating packages containing pre-cooked cold food, the unit acting to rapidly heat up the food to a service temperature level and to thereafter maintain this level. The unit includes a case having a rack therein divided by shelves into a series of compartments, each adapted to receive a food package. Standing vertically behind the rack is an air modulator including a stationary outer tube having a series of longitudinally-aligned ports communicating with the respective compartments. Rotating within the outer tube is an inner tube having a series of angularly-displaced holes which successively register with the ports in the course of a rotary cycle. Air drawn from the free region in the front of the rack is conveyed through a heater station and from there blown into the inner tube to create a pressure differential between the free region and the inner tube.

Abstract: A product conveyor that has a predominately open area transports food substances such as pizzas and the like to be cooked through a thermally insulated treatment zone. An array of nozzles disposed below the conveyor across the width and along the length of the treatment zone discharges streams of heated air upwardly through the conveyor against the bottom surfaces of the food products on the conveyor for primary heat exchange treatment. A reflection surface forms an upper boundary of the treatment zone, and the portion of the upwardly flowing air streams that is not deflected by the food products on the conveyor impinges against the deflection surface and is transformed into downward flowing relatively low velocity air for flow against and across the top surfaces of the food products. After those heat exchange interactions the air is drawn downwardly between the nozzles for exhaust at a point located below the conveyor.

Abstract: The invention concerns a stove comprising a burner, a combustion chamber, transport and exit ducts for the combustion gases, and at least one heating unit, such as a hearth plate or an oven. According to the invention, the stove comprises warm air duct with inlet and outlet and a blower, arranged to circulate air into said warm air duct to be heated by the heating unit and out from said duct. The stove may consist for instance of a lid lowerable over the hearth plate so that the warm air duct becomes confined between the lid and the hearth plate. When the stove comprises an oven, the warm air duct may conduct the air to be heated on the other hand into the oven and on the other hand into the intermediate space confined between the outer surface of the transport duct for the combustion gases.

Abstract: Apparatus for heating food, such as a serving of partially or fully precooked french fried potatoes supplied in a refrigerated or frozen state and requiring heating for being eaten, comprising a blower for blowing air, a heater for heating the air, a support for holding a receptacle containing the food in position for heating of the food by the heated air, and a system for causing the air to sweep through the receptacle and blow over and around the food in the receptacle for rapidly heating the food solely by the air. And a method of heating the food involving maintaining a receptacle holding it in a stream of high-velocity heated air and constraining the air to sweep through the receptacle and over and around the food in heat exchange contact with the exposed surfaces of the food.

Abstract: A self-clean oven having means for passing cooling air over the heated walls of the oven and further having means for supplying combustion air by normal inspiration to the oven burners independently of the flow of cooling air, and having still further means for mixing hot combustion products exhausted from the interior of the oven with exhausted cooling air to prevent passage of excessively hot air into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A convection oven in which vapor is circulated through the oven by a pair of counter rotating blowers positioned in the rear of the oven which draw vapor from the oven along with combustion products from a multi-section ribbon burner which has a secondary air passage between the sections and which is positioned below the oven rear wall vapor outlet region and blow the combined vapor and combustion products into the oven adjacent the top surface. The blowers generate slight negative pressure in the combustion plenum by blowing a small portion of the output of the blowers out an output vent to control the amounts of primary and secondary air supplied to the burner system.

Abstract: Apparatus for heating food, such as a serving of partially or fully precooked french fried potatoes supplied in a refrigerated or frozen state and requiring heating for being eaten, comprising a blower for blowing air, a heater for heating the air, a support for holding a receptacle containing the food in position for heating of the food by the heated air, and a system for causing the air to sweep through the receptacle and blow over and around the food in the receptacle for rapidly heating the food solely by the air. And a method of heating the food involving maintaining a receptacle holding it in a stream of high-velocity heated air and constraining the air to sweep through the receptacle and over and around the food in heat exchange contact with the exposed surfaces of the food.

Abstract: A counter-top oven adapted to effect low-temperature cooking of food at a relatively rapid rate whereby food nutrients and other valuable constituents are preserved. The oven includes a food-receiving compartment having a perforated wall and means to heat air to a temperature well above the cooking temperature of the food and to force the heated air through the perforations to cause the air to flow at high velocity through the compartment in heat-exchange relation with the food.

Abstract: A portable air circulating apparatus for use in cooking ovens which is used to create air currents in the oven which transfer heat to cooking foodstuffs to promote more rapid and more uniform cooking or baking, the apparatus including a motor, fan blade and housing of metallic materials selected from a class of heat resistant materials.

Abstract: Baking oven including chamber walls defining a baking oven chamber, a door for closing off the chamber, a broiler heating element and at least one further heating element being disposed in vicinity of opposite chamber walls, and air blowing and guiding means disposed between the heating elements for generating an air stream being in the middle of the chamber and at least approximately parallel to and maintained at a given distance from the chamber walls.

Abstract: A food processing unit and method of processing food uses a housing which receives vertically disposed layers of food product. The temperature of the fluid within the housing is controlled to process the food product. A pressurized fluid is supplied into the housing and the fluid within the housing is then induced to circulate by directing a flow of fluid from the pressurized fluid in a substantially horizontal direction through spaces between layers of the food product. The directed fluid flow may be distributed within the housing so that heat transferred in zones from the fluid throughout the layers of food product or the directed fluid may be redirected to flow in those spaces adjacent spaces through which the fluid is initially directed so that the flow of ambient fluid within the housing is induced to circulate around each layer of food product.

Abstract: In a double baking oven unit having two baking ovens disposed one above the other and enclosed in a common housing, one of the ovens being a microwave oven, and switching, control and operating devices for both of the ovens disposed in an upper space in the housing, cooling-air channels formed with inlet and outlet openings provided outside the two baking ovens, shielding plates thermally shielding the lower baking oven from the upper baking oven and from the cooling-air channels, the cooling-air inlet opening being located at a lower limit of the housing below the lower baking oven and below a shielding plate associated therewith, the cooling-air outlet opening as well as a blower being connected to an exhaust channel disposed above the upper baking oven.

Abstract: An electric oven comprises a base made of a heat-resisting material and provided with a meat support member, an outer case removably rested on a stepped portion of the peripheral wall of the base, a reflector disposed within the outer case in the neighborhood of a ceiling thereof to define an upper radiating chamber and a lower heating chamber, a heat generator provided within the heating chamber, and a hot air fan also provided within the heating chamber and serving to transfer heat generated from the heat generator as hot air into a roasting chamber defined within the outer case. The hot air fan is driven from a drive motor, which also drives a cooling fan disposed within the radiating chamber. The outer case is provided with a switch means for closing and opening an electric circuit connecting a power source to the heat generator and motor for driving the hot air fan and cooling fan such that the electric circuit is closed when the outer case is placed on the base and opened when the outer case is raised.

Abstract: Directed jets of temperature controlled gaseous fluids are applied to irregularly shaped products, such as food portions, to subject discrete areas of the surface to a very high heat transfer rate and to cause these areas to be passed over surfaces of the product at a proper rate to obtain over-all surface effects such as crisping, browning, searing or freezing.The cooking apparatus comprises a generator adapted to supply microwave energy for heating the interior of a food product in combination with apparatus to direct spaced discrete high velocity jets of heated air to impinge against exterior surfaces of the food product. A conveyor is employed to provide relative motion between each of the sources of heat and the product for averaging cooking through the product by reducing effect of RF standing waves and simultaneously sweeping the jets of air over the product at proper rate to heat all exposed surfaces.

Abstract: A space heating stove is located near a wall-supported shield which has an internal airflow passage. Heat radiated by the stove to the shield heats air in the airflow passage, and a fan moves this heated air from the channel into a duct system which releases the heated air into the building.

Abstract: A cooking gas oven of the type with a heating housing having a door on its front and a combustion chamber of forcible exhaust type disposed below the heating housing. A burner is provided in an oven main body. There is formed in the combustion chamber, an intake passage for introducing the external air from an air intake opening in an outside surface of the combustion chamber, into a position of the burner. In the passage, there is a regulating plate for flowing the air over the burner at accelerated speed.

Abstract: A modular oven device for baking rewound and varnished electrical components of substantial size includes front and rear oven sections, sized to pass individually through a passageway too narrow to accommodate the component to be baked, and assembled on a base section to define an oven cavity, and a heater/blower section assembled on one oven section. The oven sections are characterized by double, unsulated walls, flanges covering joints, a thermostatic control, and inlet and exhaust air flow regulation.

Abstract: An air flow system for a combination microwave and electric convection oven wherein a single motor drives two fans to generate a movement of air in an oven cavity and a movement of air in an electrical component compartment. The fan moving the air in the electrical component compartment is positioned between the fan moving the air in the oven cavity and the motor to act as a thermal barrier and to protect the motor from the heated air in the oven cavity. A portion of the air in the electrical component compartment may be diverted to the oven cavity and subsequently exhausted from the oven. Simultaneously, an electrical heater may be de-energized with the result that the air in the oven cavity is heated by resistive losses from components in the electrical component compartment. By combining this diverted air flow with a minimum of microwave energy, many types of foods may be effectively dehydrated in a substantially shorter than normal period of time.

Abstract: A microwave oven of the type which is built in a recess formed in a wall of, for example, a home kitchen includes a box-like air guide member to be mounted on the microwave oven. The air guide member generally comprises side panels, front and rear panels, and top panel, and the front panel is provided with an opening for exhausting air used to cool the microwave oven to the atmosphere. An electric fan may be accommodated in the air guide member for enhancing the cooling effect.

Abstract: A gas-fueled oven which is capable of safely assuming high temperatures such as occur during pyrolytic self-clean cycles and which employs a single multi-purpose fan for directing cool air flows over wall surfaces, for providing aspiration and temperature dilution of hot flue products, and for providing combustion air for a power broiler burner.

Abstract: An assembly for combining an appliance, for example a microwave oven, with a range vent hood having an appliance housing and a support structure for mounting the housing to a wall or to the floor of an overhead cabinet above a conventional cooking range is disclosed. The support structure includes a back wall upon which ribs are formed so as to space the rear of the housing from the back to form a channelized air space therebetween. A plate is attached to a lower portion of the back wall and extends forwardly toward and beneath the front of the appliance housing to form a second channelized air space between the plate and bottom of the housing. The two air spaces thus formed, communicate with one another to permit cooking gases and vapors from the range to be drawn upward through openings in the plate, then through the two air spaces and out the assembly on or near a top rear portion thereof.

Abstract: A counter-top reheating unit for packages containing pre-cooked meals which are initially in a frozen state, the unit acting to quickly raise the temperature of the meals to a service temperature level and to maintain the meals at this level for an indefinite period. The unit includes a box-like case having telescoped therein an open-fronted inner box whose walls are spaced from those of the case to define rear and side air spaces therebetween. Mounted within the inner box is a compartment to receive a stack of packages with spacings therebetween. The perforated wall of the compartment is spaced from the rear of the inner box to define a rear plenum.

Abstract: A microwave oven has a cooking chamber provided with a microwave window covered by a glass-ceramic plate with the interposition of a seal. A microwave connecting housing adjoins the window externally of the cooking chamber. A microwave generating and guiding device bounds at least in part the space defined by the connecting housing for directing microwave energy into the cooking chamber. Further, an electric resistance heater is arranged in the cooking chamber. There are provided air inlet openings communicating with the space defined by the connecting housing for introducing pressurized air thereinto, whereby an air pressure is generated in the connecting housing for preventing cooking vapors and the like from reaching and soiling microwave generating and guiding components.

Abstract: An electrically heated oven for mobile vehicles, such as vans or recreational vehicles, includes a tightly closed oven compartment divided by an internal, imperforate, vertical secondary wall spaced from the back wall of the oven into a front cooking chamber and a rear heater chamber. A thermostatically controlled, plate-like, low wattage electric resistance heating element operable at the vehicle voltage is located within the heater chamber intermediate the upper and lower edges of the secondary wall, which edges are spaced from the top and bottom walls of the oven to allow convection air flow between the cooking and heater chambers. The front surface of the secondary wall is dull and roughened to readily dissipate heat into the cooking chamber and the rear surface of the secondary wall is smooth and shiny to minimize absorption of heat thereby from the heating element. The oven is mounted from a face plate for easy installation into the vehicle.

Abstract: Forced hot air alimentary oven comprises an insulated housing, vertically extending chambers situated at opposite sides of the housing, a plurality of parallel, superposed cooking compartments extending horizontally across the housing, heating elements, and a motor-driven fan for forcing the heated air throughout the housing. Relatively long and narrow passageways are defined between the open upper end of each compartment and the base of the compartment located thereabove. Pairs of spaced lips at opposite ends of each passageway act as entrance, and exit, apertures for facilitating communication between the chambers and the cooking compartments. The lips create a stream, or first zone, of rapidly moving laminarly flowing heated air that heats the food products in the superior compartment; a second, larger zone of slower moving air is utilized to heat the food products in the lower compartment. The two zoned hot air flow cooks foods with differing moisture content, such as fruit pies, evenly and thoroughly.

Abstract: A system for rapidly raising the temperature of a product having low thermal conductivity from a cold to a heated state in a manner bringing the internal temperature of the entire body of the product to substantially the same predetermined elevated temperature level. The system includes a chamber having a fluid-permeable product receiving section flanked by input and output plenums, and a main flow loop in which the chamber is connected in a continuous flow path in series with a heater station and an air pump in an arrangement in which air drawn from the output plenum and creating a negative pressure therein is conducted through the heater station and then forced in the heated state through an input line leading into the input plenum to create a positive pressure therein. The resultant pressure differential between plenums causes heated air to flow at high velocity through the section to heat the product therein.

Abstract: An oven that is particularly suited for preparing barbecued foods with minimal consumption of wood includes a housing that encloses an oven chamber and an apertured firebox that extends into the oven chamber from one of the housing walls. The firebox is closed by a door that is located at the exterior of the housing, and through this door firewood may be placed into the firebox. That wall of the housing which is located opposite the firebox door supports a conversion-type gas burner having a blast tube that is directed into the firebox to provide a gas flame that serves not only to ignite the wood in the firebox, but also to provide supplementary heat, if necessary. The firebox, although being in the oven chamber is shielded from the portion of the chamber in which the food is cooked by a partition wall, and that wall together with one of the housing end walls supports a rotisserie that carries the food as it is cooked.

Abstract: A hot air grill comprises a base having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, which are hingedly connected with one another. A transparent casing for food to be cooked sits on the horizontal base portion and has an opening in one side to receive a heating assembly mounted on the vertical base portion. The casing comprises two deeply dished like halves which are assembled one over the other with the upper half inverted and a metal joining strip between their edges. Each casing half has in one side a semicircular opening which together form a circular opening to receive the heating assembly. The heating assembly comprises a radial type fan on the shaft of a motor mounted in the vertical base portion, a heating coil surrounding the fan and a cover having a central opening through which air is drawn in from the casing and then discharged from the periphery of the fan back into the casing after passing over the heating coil.

Abstract: A cooking device with one cooking or heating chamber in which food may be heated by either one or both of high-frequency heating means and the resistance heating means. The high-frequency or microwave energy is radiated into the heating chamber from the top while the air heated to high temperatures by the resistance heating means disposed within a rear chamber defined back of the rear wall of the heating chamber is circulated therethrough by a circulation fan. Food charges are placed on a receptacle which in turn is placed on a turntable, whereby the food charges may be uniformly heated. The simultaneous use of both the high frequency heating means and the resistance heating means may enable a more wide variety of food to be cooked by a more wide variety of methods.

Abstract: A cooking device with a microwave heater and a gas heater as well as a cooling fan for the microwave heater. A first circuit operates the microwave heater and is connected to a source of electric power through a first switching circuit. A second circuit operates the gas heater and is connected to the electric source of power through a second switching circuit, as well as a switch arranged to be operated with a gas cock. A driving circuit for the cooling fan is connected to that switch so as to be parallel with a circuit connecting in series the second circuit and the second switching circuit. The switch, furthermore, has a first contact connected to the electric source of power through the first switching circuit and has a second contact connected to the source of power without passing through the first switching circuit, while being arranged to be connected to the first contact when the gas cock is closed and to the second contact when the gas cock is opened.

Abstract: A cartridge formed by a vertical stack of sealed trays nested within an open carton, the cartridge being used in conjunction with a hot-air oven which reheats pre-cooked meals contained in the trays to a temperature suitable for serving. The geometry of the carton and the distribution of openings in the walls thereof is such as to facilitate the entry of heated air through these openings and its circulation throughout the interior of the carton in spaces between the trays whereby the meals in all of the trays are raised in temperature at substantially the same rate and all of the meals are in condition to be served at about the same time.

Abstract: A microwave oven for cooking food by means of both microwave energy and convective heating which includes within it, a substantially closed microwave transparent container into which food to be cooked is placed, a heating element for convectively heating air, and means for blowing air past the heating element and into the container.

Abstract: The problem of properly cooking food and handling heated food so that it retains a fresh-cooked taste, fragrance and appealing appearance is solved by apparatus that includes an inner wall means (15) defining an inner chamber (16) and an outer wall means (17) defining an air circulating passage (18) extending in a loop around the inner wall means. Louvered slots (28) with inclined fins (29) are provided in the inner wall means along said air circulating passage that are sufficiently narrow to confine the circulating air substantially to said passage without a significant amount of airflow in direct contact with the food in said chamber and at the same time arranged to permit moisture and heat to diffuse between the circulating passage in the inner chamber via said apertures to control the moisture and heat in the chamber and establish a substantially uniform temperature throughout said chamber.

Abstract: An electrically operated dehydrator in the form of perforated trays stacked one on top of the other where the bottom tray is equipped with a blower-heater package and the top tray forms a solid cover. Air is drawn in by the blower from underneath the bottom tray, it is heated and then forced to rise through the perforated trays. A portion of the air is being recirculated into the blower through a central duct whereas the remainder of the air is allowed to bleed-out through a series of openings in the top.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cabinet in which food packages, such as prepared school lunch packages, can be heated prior to serving, and maintained at a desired temperature before and during serving. The cabinet comprises an upwardly opening well closed by removable lids, a housing connected to and surrounding the well on the sides and bottom thereof and being spaced from the well so as to form a substantially enclosed air circulation chamber adjacent the sides and bottom, and a plurality of louvers in the side walls defining air inlets and outlets between the well and air chamber. Electrical heating elements are mounted within the air chamber directly below the bottom of the well so that heat generated thereby will radiate upwardly thereby heating the well bottom and, to a lesser extent, the well side walls. A thermally conductive baffle plate is disposed within the air chamber beneath the bottom of the well and functions as a heat sink to disperse and even out the radiant heat.

Abstract: An electrical hot air grill includes a control and stand unit, a blower and heating unit, a grilling compartment bounded by two shells, a device for supporting articles to be grilled in the grilling compartment and an apertured plate mounted on the blower and heating unit and arranged between the blower and heating unit and the grilling compartment.

Abstract: A machine for dehydrating food, as an aid toward preservation of food for extended periods of time. Intake air may be obtained from either the exterior of the machine or a combination of exterior and recycled air. Intake air is electrically heated and pressurized in a plenum chamber by a fan. The pressurized and heated air is released in a uniform laminar flow through a set of small openings, then along horizontally disposed shelves containing the food to be dried. The air is then selectively discharged into the atmosphere or a portion thereof is recycled and combined with new intake air and again passed over the food to be dehydrated. The percentage of recycled air is selectively variable over a wide range. Removable frames support either solid sheets or screens having mesh openings of desired sizes which support the food to be dried. The choice of a solid sheet or the mesh size depends upon the type of food to be dried.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a treating chamber, a multilevel shelving in the treating chamber for supporting the food to be heated; a plurality of blowers arranged in the treating chamber; and heating elements associated with the blowers for generating hot air currents. All the blowers are arranged in a vertically spaced, superposed relationship at one side of the treating chamber and an arrangement is provided for directing the air currents generated by each blower towards another, opposite side of the treating chamber.

Abstract: In a gas chromatography system of the type including an oven for the GC column, and an electric heater for controllably heating the oven; an improved system is disclosed for controllably opening and closing the oven door to enable a fully controlled heat leak, thereby to stabilize the oven temperature at a desired set point. A signal indicative by first or second conditions of an oven temperature above or below the set point is generated. A heater power control responds to one of the signal conditions by effecting heating of the oven. Bi-directional door motor and actuator means are provided for opening and closing the oven door over a prescribed operating range, and these means are enabled to operate for a predetermined period upon the signal in its first or second condition departing from preset threshold values for a predetermined period whereby closing or opening of the oven door is effected in incremental steps.

Abstract: An assembly of vertically spaced ovens with an air passage at the bottom of the upper oven and top of the lower oven having an inlet at the rear, and an outlet at the front of the assembly. An air moving device is provided for causing air flow forwardly through the passage to cool the oven structure. At least one of the ovens may be a microwave oven and the air moving device may serve to draw air from the interior of the microwave oven for delivery forwardly through the passage. At least one of the ovens may be provided with a front door having a vertical air flow passage for convective cooling of the door. The forward passage outlet may be disposed adjacent the upper end of the door vertical passage whereby the forceful air movement from the air moving device may draw air through the vertical passage for improved cooling of the door. A thermostat control may be provided for causing automatic operation of the air moving device.

Abstract: A circulating air oven having a power portion which provides heat which is sent through its open front. The power portion is permanently mounted onto a pedestal which can detachably receive an oven portion. The oven portion includes a removable rear wall so that the entire rear of the oven portion can be opened up and matingly engaged with the power portion to receive the heated air. The oven portion can be detached and the rear covered whereby a heat insulating container is provided. The oven portion includes handles and other means to permit transportation of the oven portion away from the pedestal to transport and distribute food prepared in the oven portion.