Abstract: An assembly for steam heating or cooking given food products, particularly hot dogs and buns, is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. The assembly includes a housing having at least one internal cooking chamber, a chamber inlet door a vertically lower chamber outlet door and a downhill ramp extending between the two doors within the chamber. The ramp serves to support one or more food supporting trays successively placed in the chamber while the latter is maintained at a preset temperature by introducing steam therein in a controlled fashion. All of the trays within the chamber move down the ramp one at a time, toward the exit door and are removed from the chamber, again one at a time, in the order in which they were placed therein. This assures that one tray does not remain in the chamber too long while another is taken out too soon.

Abstract: A fast warmup, high capacity, no splash, self-cleaning humidifier for a proof box. The device has an aluminum steam generating heater pan including at least one electrical heating element cast into its base. A reservoir and a float controlled valve attached to the heater pan by a dog leg conduit keeps the level of water in the heater pan at a depth of about one-half inch. The heater pan is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a drip pan is located beneath the heater pan. For cleaning of accumulated minerals, scale and the like from the heater pan, the heater pan is allowed to heat to over 212.degree. F. while dry. Cooler water from the reservoir is then suddenly added to the hot, dry heater pan resulting in the removal of said accumulated minerals, scale and the like from the heater pan due to thermal shock and the vigorous boiling of the added water. The contents of the heater pan are then dumped into the drip pan by rotating the heater pan about said horizontal axis.

Abstract: A steam processor for preparing or warming food items. The processor includes a cooking chamber having a steam inlet and outlet, and an adjacent steam generator for supplying steam to the chamber. The steam generator includes a water level control system for maintaining a water level within the generator within predetermined limits and an immersion heater for vaporizing the water. A steam control is provided that regulates the heater to control the rate at which steam is produced and flows into the cooking chamber. The processor includes an automatic drain feature which discharges any water within the steam generator whenever power to the processor is terminated. A steam condenser that condenses steam exhausted by the chamber is disposed near the outlet of the cooking chamber. The condenser precipitates a sub-atmospheric pressure at the outlet which serves to purge air from the chamber and enhance the flow of steam into the chamber.

Abstract: A stove, steam cooking and heating system is provided that includes a means for supplying water to a collector wherein the collector is arranged in a suitable location such as a heat source such as a fireplace, campfire or the like so that the water is converted to steam which can be used for any desired purpose, as for example, the steam can be used for cooking foodstuffs, heating purposes and the like.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a teapot and a cover therefor. The cover is hollow and radiused at the top tapering to a slightly larger radius at the bottom. The hollow cover is sufficiently large and operates as a food warmer when the perforated disc is placed across the opening of the tea making chamber. The perforated disc allows the penetration of steam into the hollow cover of the teapot creating a food warmer, thus conserving energy by making use of otherwise unused steam. The teapot having a removable circular band, with attached teabag holders, which fits within the interior of the tea making chamber is of a size slightly less than the interior diameter of the tea making chamber and allows for use of the standard teabag without the string and label being attached, thus eliminating the teabag string from falling into the infusing substance during the infusing process and further eliminating the dangers of the teabag label coming in direct contact with the heating source.

Abstract: Electric heating elements are provided on thermal insulation at the bottom of a housing. A flat pan type water container has a bottom resting on the electric heating elements and a top in spaced parallel relation with the bottom and has perforations formed through the top for releasing steam produced by heating water in the container. A plurality of U-shaped support members are removably mounted in the housing in spaced parallel relation extending perpendicularly from the bottom of the housing and extending beyond the housing. Each of the support members has pan supporting devices for supporting a plurality of baking pans within the support members in spaced parallel relation with the bottom of the housing. A cover of transparent material is provided over the support members.

Abstract: The invention relates to a utensil for cooking foods, more particularly meat in the oven in a humid atmosphere and preventing fat being splashed onto the oven walls. This can involve cooking joints of meat remaining stationary on a supporting grill or cooking pieces of meat by infra-red radiation.The cooking utensil comprises a box having a base serving as a water container and a collector for cooking fat and gravy, provided with a lid having at least a hole, whereby the box and lid are associated with a frame for assembling them and clamping them together and for supporting a support for the joints to be cooked.

Abstract: A disinfector for heating and disinfecting contact lenses in which a main plastic housing is provided having a lens well recess from the top thereof dimensioned for receiving a standard lens carrier, and a vented lid covering the well opening. The lens well has a downwardly facing annular recess on the bottom surface thereof for receiving the top edge of an annodized aluminium cup reservoir. The top lid portion is dimensioned for the measurement of water which is poured into the lens well and hence into the aluminium cup reservoir through a plurality of apertures in the bottom of the lens well. These apertures also serve to allow steam from the water in the reservoir to enter the lens well which is in itself a steam compartment. A annular flat electric heater coil is glued to the bottom of the aluminium cup reservoir leaving a circular section exposed in the center thereof.

Abstract: A steam heating apparatus for heating food items such as pastries, rolls, sandwiches or the like to render them appetizing in appearance and taste. The device includes a steam generating chamber below a food support plate upon which food items are placed for steam heating. A generally horizontal, elongated tube enters the steam chamber through an over-sized aperture in one of the side walls for spraying water through side orifices in the tube into the steam chamber onto a subjacent heated platen. The elongated tube is thermally insulated from the side wall to prevent heating of the incoming water which would tend to cause mineral clogging of the orifices as the water is sprayed therethrough. The food support plate comprises a generally corrugated metallic difuser tray having a plurality of holes therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking fruit and the like products includes a tank or cooking chamber disposed for receiving a quantity of such products and a quantity of water sufficient to cover the products therein and sufficient enough to create the necessary back pressure for a hydraulic head and sufficient enough to provide an adequate medium for agitation. Steam is supplied to the lower portion of the tank to raise the temperature of the water to a cooking temperature of the products submerged therein, which temperature may be the boiling point of water. Steam or moisture laden vapor which escapes to an upper surface of the body of water is recirculated under pressure to a lower portion of the tank, such that it will be redirected into the cooking area. Such recirculation is performed by a conduit and a blower or pump mounted in the path of the conduit. The conduit has an inlet above the level of the water in the tank and an outlet below the level of the water adjacent a bottom wall of the tank.