Abstract: The system comprises in combination: a track (11, 111, 9, 113, 13) leading through a number of stations (3, 5, 7); at least one carriage (26) for supporting a tray unit (30) and traveling along said track; a preparation station (3) equipped with means (121) for laying out a layer of dough, and at which the preparation can be completed; a cooking station (5) with an oven through which said carriage (26) can pass and in which it can stop, with heating means (5B, 5C) and suitable control gear; a station (7) from which to serve the cooked product, generally by the portion; and means of returning the carriages to actuate successive cycles.

Abstract: A bread maker for baking a bread, having a memory for memorizing appropriate processing time data previously for kneading, rising and baking dough in accordance with a ratio of water to the weight of the ingredients. The data includes plural levels to be operated. In the bread maker, a ratio of the weight of water to the weight of the ingredients is calculated based on the weighed value, and which level the ratio belongs to is judged. Then, appropriate processing time for kneading, rising and baking in accordance with the ratio are set automatically, so that high-quality bread can be always made.

Abstract: A bread baking apparatus makes dough by kneading raw ingredients tossed into a bread baking case installed in an oven, and baking after fermentation. The object of this invention is to conveniently provide attractive-appearing bread having a specified expanded volume and a prespecified color when baked. Namely, in order to prevent undesirable results, such as expanding more or less than specified in the fermenting process, or being affected by external room temperature and humidity which has penetrated the oven through a glass lid installed on the baking oven, this apparatus is provided with means for detecting fermenting conditions while fermenting, and means for extending the fermenting process time. This apparatus is further provided with baking timer means for defining the color of the final baked product by applying temperature measuring means.

Abstract: This is an invention of a machine for making a thin and continuous food wrapping sheet from a batter. The machine includes a first rotating drum which has a heating surface. The machine further includes a batter spreading opening located near the first rotating drum for spreading the batter on the heating surface on the first rotating drum for forming a food wrapping sheet on the heating surface. The wrapping sheet hanging downwardly along a tangential direction from the heating surface. The machine further includes a second rotating drum and a conveying guide tube for receiving the wrapping sheet from the first rotating drum and for transporting the wrapping sheet to the second rotating drum for wrapping around a sheet collecting surface on the second rotating drum.

Abstract: Food vending machine particularly for warm food, toasts in the specific case, including multiple per se known stations which are combined so as to obtain a machine which starts from a blister-packaged container inside which a pre-packaged uncooked toast is wrapped and transfers said toast by means of an appropriate drive to a pickup station so that the product to be cooked is placed at a moving cooking station and so that the product is extracted with special extractors after cooking so as to offer it, at the end of the cycle, completely wrapped in an appropriate hygienic napkin for taking on the part of the consumer.

Abstract: A sandwich preparation apparatus includes a plurality of sandwich production lines disposed parallel to each other. A width of each line is slightly wider than a width of a sandwich prepared in the apparatus. Each sandwich production line includes an automatic heel toasting device, an automatic patty grilling device, and an automatic crown toasting device. A heel stocker, a patty stocker, and a crown stocker are optionally included in the apparatus. A heel adding section, a patty adding section, and a crown adding section are optionally included in the apparatus. A manual preparation section is optionally included for enabling an operator manually to add additional required food materials to the sandwich. This apparatus produces a variety of sandwiches and hamburgers and is compact enough to fit in a relatively small kitchen.

Abstract: A bread baking apparatus makes dough by kneading raw ingredients tossed into a bread baking case installed in an oven, and baking after fermentation. The object of this invention is to conveniently provide attractive-appearing bread having a specified expanded volume and a pre-specified color when baked. Namely, in order to prevent undesirable results, such as expanding more or less than specified in the fermenting process, or being affected by external room temperature and humidity which has penetrated the oven through a glass lid installed on the baking oven, this apparatus is provided with means for detecting fermenting conditions while fermenting, and means for extending the fermenting process time. This apparatus is further provided with baking timer means for defining the color of the final baked product by applying temperature measuring means.

Abstract: An automated food preparation system having a continuously rotatable annular segmented cooking area, a food feeding system, and an industrial robot, all of which are controlled by a pre-programmed programmable controller wherein an operator provides input to the programmable controller selecting each food item to be cooked and the programmable controller commands the industrial robot to select the food item, place the food item on the cooking area for cooking, turn the food item at the proper time, and remove the food item from the cooking area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing and forming dough into plural discrete product units on a carrier and storing the ready to bake product, and a vending method and apparatus for separating the product from the carrier, baking the product and delivering the product, such as cookies or the like, to a customer. The mixed dough is formed into units, typically disk-like, and placed in a pattern on one or more first carrier sheets, then second carriers are applied with the product laminated between the sheets. The sheets and product can be fan-folded into containers, such as conventional boxes, which can be stored until needed. The containers are placed in a vending machine which leads the sheet assemblies to a station where the carrier sheets are removed and the product is dropped onto a surface that is moved through a convection oven for baking, then through a cooling station. The selected number of product units is dropped into a serving tray and presented to the customer.

Abstract: A control device for a multi-zone conveyor oven constructed according to the present invention comprises a microprocessor-based controller, appropriate control software, a keyboard and display for interaction with a user, means for sensing the conveyor speed and the heating chamber temperature, and means for controlling the power supplied to the conveyor motor and the heating elements. The controller provides facilities for user programming of sets of oven parameters, each set corresponding to a particular food product to be cooked in the oven. Each set of parameters includes the total cook time for the product and a desired temperature which is independently selectable for each heating zone. Once a set of parameters has been programmed, it is assigned to a particular key on the keyboard, and the user may select that entire set of parameters by simply pushing the assigned key. The parameters are stored in the EEPROM to prevent their loss during electrical power interruptions.

Abstract: An apparatus and system is disclosed for extruding commodities such as rice bran and which includes symmetrically disposed beater bar segments on the extruder rotor that will simultaneously impact symmetrically positioned knives mounted within the extruder housing. The apparatus preferably includes a sufficient number of knives and beater bars that impacts occur more than once each ninety degrees of rotation and at substantially equal degrees of rotation from each other. The device includes a widened and lengthened extrusion gap with variable width, a generally solid extrusion rotor, and a control system for adjusting the cooking temperature by varying the width of the extrusion gap. The extruder is fed using a drag conveyor with angled blades which push the rice bran into the extruder housing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a food production apparatus which is preferably used in the preparation of foods such as fried potatoes. In the invention, powder obtained by pulverizing and drying potatoes or the like is provided with water and stirred, and the resulting mixture is extruded to be formed into a predetermined shape. In the invention the mixture of the powder and water is shaped by extruding it through extrusion holes communicating with a mixing chamber, and the shaped mixture which has been extruded from the shaper is then heated. According to the invention, the food is able to be prepared at a desired time and food which has just been prepared is able to be provided in the apparatus. Further, the powder can be preserved for a long time without lowering its freshness, and the powder is mixed with water and shaped as a food material rapidly at a desired time.

Abstract: A control device for a multi-zone conveyor oven constructed according to the present invention comprises a microprocessor-based controller, appropriate control software, a keyboard and display for interaction with a user, means for sensing the conveyor speed and the heating chamber temperature, and means for controlling the power supplied to the conveyor motor and the heating elements. The controller provides facilities for user programming of sets of oven parameters, each set corresponding to a particular food product to be cooked in the oven. Each set of parameters includes the total cook time for the product and a desired temperature which is independently selectable for each heating zone. Once a set of parameters has been programmed, it is assigned to a particular key on the keyboard, and the user may select that entire set of parameters by simply pushing the assigned key. The parameters are stored in the EEPROM to prevent their loss during electrical power inteerruptions.

Abstract: An automatic food frying and vending system having a refrigerated storage chamber for storing food material to be fried and a frying chamber for frying material in cooking oil are installed in the main body of the automatic food frying and vending system in discrete sections designated for their respective purposes. The refrigrated chamber includes a stocker unit for receiving and keeping a number of packed containers, each sealed by a lid. A feeding device is provided with a holder for receiving from a conveying device the sealed container and inverting the container.

Abstract: An automatic food vending machine comprises: a cooking means for cooking food materials; a first storage means for preserving food materials for a long period; a second storage means for preserving food materials in a condition that they can be instantly cooked by said cooking means; a first transport means for transporting food materials from said first storage means to said second storage means; and a second transport means for transporting food materials from said second storage means to said cooking means. A large quantity of food materials may be stored in the first storage means and transported to the second storage means by the first transport means as required. In the second storage means the food materials are stored so that they may be instantly cooked. The apparatus permits on one hand preservation of a large amount of food materials without deterioration and on the other hand prepare them for quick heat treatment for sale.

Abstract: A rice cooker includes an interlock that prevents the user from sliding the cooking pot out of the cooker without first disengaging internal assemblies that would otherwise be damaged. The rice cooker operates in any of three user selectable modes: a fully automatic mode in which the rice cooker measures out a user selected quantity of internally stored raw, unwashed rice, washes the rice, cooks the rice and then keeps the rice warm; a cook and keep-warm in which the cooking pot of the rice cooker is loaded with premeasured and washed rice from an external source and the rice cooker cooks the rice and keeps it rice warm; and a rice warming mode in which the cooking pot is loaded with already cooked rice and maintains it at a serving temperature. A startup routine checks that a pot is installed, that a lid is on the pot, that an upper pot cover assembly is at a required height, that a platform is in its latched position, and that a washer container is in its stowed position.

Abstract: An automatic baking apparatus for making food products in piece form from dough-like substances which apparatus has holding means adapted to be fixed to the top and bottom edges of a flexible sealable mixbag (100) containing dry ingredients and water. The baking apparatus has upper and lower drums (230,232) and means for moving the drums, and the mixbag has male protrusions (134, 134a) at the upper and lower edges so that the mixbag (100) can be attached respectively to the upper and lower drums (230, 232). The holding means on the upper and lower drums is in the form of a female groove (234, 234a) commensurate in shape with the male protrusions (134, 134a) on the mixbag so that the mixbag male protrusions can be detachably interlocked with the female grooves on the drums. In this way the mixbag is attached to the drums for a kneading process in the baking apparatus and after the kneading process is completed, the mixbag is rolled up onto the lower drum (232).

Abstract: An automatic food dispenser for dispensing hot instant meals, particularly pizza, includes a refrigeration chamber and at least one oven. The frozen instant meals are stored in tubular magazines which are disposed on a circle within a rotatable drum-type storage container. The oven includes a horizontally extendable push frame and a push front which forms the oven door. A cooking tray is mounted on the push frame to be raised and lowered in such a manner that, when the oven is opened, the cooking tray is automatically moved upward from a lowered cooking position within the cooking chamber into a loading position and, once the push frame is fully extended, further upward into a discharge position within a discharge chamber accessible to the operator.

Abstract: An automatic sandwich preparation system in which each sandwich is prepared under the control of a computer with condiments as ordered. Meat patties are packaged in spaced positions along a plastic strip and then frozen. The strips are packed in shipping and storing containers that are received by the automatic sandwich preparation equipment. The meat patties are removed from the strip by directing the strip over a small diameter roller that frees the patty. Two face-to-face plastic strips may be heat sealed to form pockets for the meat patties and also for serving portions of other sandwich components such as chopped vegetables, catchup, mustard and the like. The contents are removed by physical separation of the two strips. In another arrangement, ground meat is formed into a log shape that is frozen. While the log remains frozen individual meat patties are sawed from the log.

Abstract: An automatic sandwich preparation system in which each sandwich is prepared under the control of a computer with condiments as ordered. Shredded lettuce is delivered by an automatic volume measuring mechanism or by a weight responsive delivery system. Condiments such as mayonnaise and mustard are delivered by a volumetric pump and a flexible spreader blade that rotates over a screen above the surface of the bun. In an alternative arrangement, radial dispensing orifices rotate over the bun followed by a flexible spreader blade. In another alternative, the condiments are fed individually through flexible tubes to the bun surface while the positions of each of the delivery orifices are controlled by a common mechanism.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a bread toaster with a removable crumb tray, including devices which prevent operation of the bread toaster when the crumb tray is not inserted and, secondly, which ensure that operation of the bread toaster is stopped when the crumb tray is removed during toasting.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooking small quantities of low and normal moisture content foodstuffs in a sealed pressurized container by immersing the foodstuffs in a heated liquid cooking medium and injecting super-saturated steam into the vessel upon the closure of the lid to which super-saturated steam is generated within a heated injection tube and creates an instant pressure seal and initiates a cycle of repeated vacuum pulse cooking flashes of the moisture and water contained in the foodstuffs placed within the vessel to super-saturated steam as the pressure increases and decreases in accordance with the pressure regulating means for at least the timed cooking period.

Abstract: A dispenser for liquids or granular materials suitable for use in an automatic cooking apparatus. Liquid ingredients are held in a container with a dispensing orifice in the bottom. The orifice is sealed by a valve at the underside of the container, which is mounted on an actuator member pivotally mounted to the underside of the container.The actuator member holds the valve seal over the orifice. The cooking apparatus rotates the container into position for dispensing, and as it approaches the dispensing position, a camming pin engages the actuator member causing it to rotate the valve seal away from the orifice. As a result, the contents of the container are dispensed.

Abstract: A tofu making apparatus according to the present invention is designed for small business or for domestic use.The tofu making apparatus can automatically and consecutively produce uniform tofu in a simplified manner since such important factors for successful tofu as the boiling time period and the boiling temperature of the raw bean juice, the squeezing time period of the bean juice, the mixing time period with the coagulating agent, etc. can be automatically and stably controlled by the temperature sensor and the controller.

Abstract: A hot foot dispenser including structure for storing foodstuffs at below-freezing temperatures, transferring a portion of the foodstuffs from the storage structure to a cooking tank, and delivering the cooked foodstuff portions from the cooking tank after completion of a rapid cooking thereof to a dispensing position. Different forms of conveyors are illustrated for transferring the foodstuff portions selectively from any one of a plurality of different storage elements containing different foodstuffs as selected by a customer. Structure is provided for maintaining the cooking fluid sanitary. Structure is provided for effecting an automatic transfer of the cooked foodstuff portions to the dispensing position as an incident of the reception of a food-receiving receptacle thereat. Air circulating structure is provided for flowing air through the apparatus and filtering the air before discharging the same to ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A microcomputer-controlled, integrated cooking apparatus for automatically preparing culinary dishes. The constituent ingredients of a particular dish are loaded into a compartmentalized carousel, which is mounted on the cooking apparatus. The apparatus includes a memory for storing one or more recipe programs. The recipe program specifies schedules for dispensing the ingredients from the carousel into a cooking vessel, for heating the vessel (either covered or uncovered), and for stirring the contents of the vessel. These operations are performed automatically under control of the microcomputer.

Abstract: A method of controlling the application of heat in a food heating apparatus comprising a first heating-control mode such that the heat is applied to an object to be heated until an infrared detecting device detects that a surface temperature of the object has reached at least one predetermined temperature. A second heating-control mode effects at least one of the first heating mode wherein the heat is turned on and off repeatedly and a second heating mode wherein the output of the heat source is decreased gradually. A third heating-control mode is also provided for terminating the application of heat to the object.

Abstract: A skin-covered meat product, such as poultry and especially chickens, is roasted and grilled in a cassette-oven installation with a roasting oven, a spray box and a grilling oven. First the skin of the chicken is perforated by injection needles and simultaneously a saline solution with atomized seasonings is injected into the chicken meat. At a starting position the chickens are threaded and fastened on a vertical rotary spit suspended on an endless conveying chain (24), the spits are electrically heated and together with the chickens are transported through the roasting oven where the chickens are exposed to short-wave infrared radiation and roasted. The spits with the chickens thereafter are transported through the spray box where the chickens are sprayed with a mixture of oil and atomized seasonings and then are transported through the grilling oven where the chickens are exposed to medium-wave infrared radiation and grilled.

Abstract: An automated cooker for sandwiches and the like. The automated cooker includes a pair of heating elements spaced one from the other so as to provide passage therebetween. A motor drives a conveyor which carries a plurality of individual sandwich holders through the passage between the heating elements. Each sandwich holder consists of a handle which can be attached to the conveyor and a top portion which encloses the sandwich to be cooked. A bar is placed below the heating elements and extends along the length of the cooker. The bar is used to trigger a switch which activates the heating elements and which turns on a motor that drives the conveyor. The bar may be activated by the handle of any sandwich holder placed on the conveyor. The bar is deactivated so as to turn off the heating elements and the motor which drives the conveyor when the handle of the last sandwich holder reaches a notch placed in the end of the bar.

Abstract: An electronic control for controlling the degree of toasting of a bread slice in a toaster. The control includes a thermocouple located within the passage of the toaster for the bread slice and responsive to the temperature of the toaster casing, the slice of bread and the air temperature within the passage to produce a voltage proportional to the resultant temperature. This voltage is integrated and actuates an electronic pulse generator with an adjustable pulse width which produces a triggering pulse. This pulse is used to actuate a solenoid which unlatches the support for the bread slice. The operational amplifier has a predetermined output voltage of reference defining the threshold of operation of the pulse generator. The electronic control is very stable and, therefore, produces uniform toasting, since it integrates the time required to obtain the desired degree of toasting as a function of the temperature variation to which the bread slice is subjected.

Abstract: An oven, which maintains food at a low temperature to preserve its properties for subsequent unattended cooking at high oven temperatures, is cooled and heated by a flowing liquid thermal exchange fluid which is cooled and heated by flowing through thermal sources separate from the oven. Within a food processing compartment of the oven, heat is exchanged between an enclosed chamber heat exchanger and the food by air convection.In a preferred embodiment, the oven is one of a plurality of domestic appliances similarly heated and cooled by a liquid thermal exchange fluid. The oven and the other appliances share in common an assembly of thermal reservoirs which provides thermal exchange fluid under pressure at substantially the temperatures of the thermal reservoirs which include a hot and a cold reservoir.

Abstract: A toasting-time controller for a toaster, having a setting lever formed integrally with bread supports in the toasting chamber and adapted to turn on a power supply switch when lowered, an energizing control section for setting the setting lever at a lowered position, a bimetal provided outside the toasting chamber, a bimetal switch for controlling energizing of the bimetal in response to a plurality of times of deformation of the bimetal, an operating member adapted to perform a seesaw motion in response to the deformation of the bimetal made at least in one direction, a control rod adapted to perform a linear motion by the use of pawls connected to the operating member and adapted to free the energizing control section at a predetermined position, and a release member for releasing interlocking of the pawls and the control rod.

Abstract: An automatic toaster for continuously toasting bread slices one at a time, from the bottom of a generally vertical stack of bread slices. The bread toaster includes a housing having a discharge opening at one end and a hopper at the other end for receiving a vertical stack of bread slices. A conveyor feeds the bread slices one at a time between a pair of heating elements whereafter the bread is ejected through the discharge opening in the housing. The pair of heating elements are mounted above and below the conveyor and are movable toward and away from the conveyor so the amount of toasting on each bread slice can be determined according to the preference of the user. An automatic counter is connected to the conveyor for counting the number of slices being toasted and for turning off the toaster after a predetermined number of slices of toast have been made.

Abstract: Method for roasting meat in a cooking chamber includes the steps of precooking the meat at an ambient temperature within the range of 230.degree. to 270.degree.C, and then finish-cooking the meat at a temperature within the range of 75.degree. to 90.degree.C, the precooking and the finish cooking being effected, independently of the weight and type of meat and independently of whether the meat be frozen, fresh or defrosted, during respective time intervals of which the total constitutes a constant minimum preparation time within the range of 21/2 to 5 hours.A corresponding accessory apparatus for an oven includes a timing member for determining the time for switching the oven from the precooking condition to the finish cooking condition. An indicator having respective weight scales corresponding to different kinds of meat is coupled with a selector and the timing member for setting the latter to correspond to the weight and type of meat to be cooked.

Abstract: In apparatus for deep fat frying, control circuitry is provided for regulating the temperature of heating elements. During cooking the heating elements are immersed in cooking fluid and are maintained at a selected temperature by an operating thermostat. Two high limit thermostats are provided to turn off the heaters if the temperature exceeds a predetermined safe limit. For cleaning, the heating elements are raised out of the cooking fluid and automatically disconnected from the operating and first high-limit thermostats. The heaters are cyclically actuated and deactuated by a thermal time delay relay, to gradually raising the heater temperature to achieve pyrolytic cleaning of the heating elements. The second high-limit thermostat turns off the heating elements when a predetermined temperature is reached, ending pyrolytic cleaning.