Abstract: The specification relates to an automatic frying machine, including a feeder device to place materials automatically into a pan, a frying and stirring device and a mechanism to turn the pan through 180.degree. for the purpose of serving the prepared food. The machine does pan washing with a stirrer and water injectors which automatically inject water. The device can be operated in a single process with the operations including material feeding, frying, serving and pan washing.

Abstract: A timer for an electric rice cooker includes a switch for setting the current time and a switch for setting the cooking completion time. When the operation of the current time set switch precedes that of the cooking completion time set switch, the cooking operation is started after lapse of a predetermined time period in accordance with the difference time period between the current time set and the cooking completion time set. The cooking operation is completed at the cooking completion time set. When the cooking completion time set switch is operated without preceding operation of the current time set switch so that a cooking completion standby period of time is set, the cooking operation is started after lapse of a leftover period of time, the value of which is obtained by subtracting a cooking period of time from the cooking completion standby period of time set. The cooking operation is completed after lapse of the cooking completion standby time period.

Abstract: A timer device, which has at least a load control function, includes a counter, circuitry for setting the counter, a display and a controller. Generally, the display displays a value of the counter. The controller causes the display to flash while the load is being operated, but keeps the display continuous when the setting circuitry is operated even if the load is being operated. This aids in the setting process.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a commercial deep-fryer cooker as used in preparing fried chicken or other food products. The controller (11), according to the invention, has been designed to control essentially all aspects of the cooking process and includes a number of features which enhance the flexibility of the system, allow it to be operated with greater efficiency and provide increased safeguards against accident or machine malfunction.Among the features provided by the invention is the capability of lengthening or shortening or changing the ending temperature of a cooking cycle without changing the overall cooking cycle. This permits fast changes to be made in a cooking cycle, even while it is in progress.The system also provides protection against a power failure by saving essential data relating to an interrupted cooking cycle so that the cycle can be resumed if the power is restored within a prescribed period of time.

Abstract: A process and apparatus to control the cooking process in a steam pressure cooker heated with a heating element controlled through a control circuit wherein the temperature of the pressure cooker is detected and utilized by the control circuit to regulate the heat output of the heating element, and wherein a cooking time can be preset by means of an adjustable timing element.

Abstract: The duration of the timing cycle of a selector adjusted timer controlling intermittant operation of a heating element in an electrical appliance, is reduced as an inverse function of the duration of a preceding off-time interval. A manually operable switch which turns on the appliance, simultaneously triggers operation of the timer to determine the duration of the off-time intervals affecting the compensating action reducing the duration of the timing cycle.

Abstract: This drop-down toaster has a bread support and a door at the bottom of each toasting compartment. The door has a series of vent holes for air convection which produces improved uniformity in the toast. The door and bread support are held closed by rollers on solenoid-controlled sliding bars. The rollers allow the door to swing open before the bread support is released, and they return the door and bread support to their normal condition automatically by a cam action. The bread support is cammed upwardly before release to dislodge bread from the toasting compartment guide wires. An electronic timing circuit is located in a base underneath and spaced vertically from the toasting section so that it is not affected by heat from the toasting section. The timing circuit is compensated in accordance with previous use rather than by sensing the temperature of the toasting compartment.

Abstract: An oven having a heating chamber in which a perforate food container is rotatably mounted about a center axis of rotation. The container has, relative to its longitudinal center axis, a symmetrical octagonal configuration so as to comprise two planar end walls and eight symmetrically arranged sidewalls. The container rotates at a slow rate, and hot air is directed upwardly and laterally through the food in the container to heat the same. Formed in the upper wall of the oven is an elongate planar condensation chamber, and exhaust fumes from the cooking oven pass upwardly and forwardly into this condensation chamber, in a manner to combine with ambient air so as to lower the temperature and enhance condensation.

Abstract: A toaster comprising a rotating shaft mounted in a toaster case having two openings and covers for the openings, the shaft being mounted for limited rotation and operated by an electromagnetic actuator to move the covers between open and closed positions, each cover provided with a trapezoidal metal net frame for receiving the bread. An electronic circuit system for operating the toaster comprises a timer, temperature switch and triggers to control the heating time and magnetic actuator which drives the rotating shaft to move the covers and bread frames out or in.

Abstract: An automatic heating apparatus comprising a sensor such as a humidity sensor or a gas sensor which senses water vapor, alcohol, CO.sub.2 gas or the like emitted from a foodstuff being heated for automatically completing cooking. A microcomputer, which is a controller, monitors variations in the quantity of emitted water vapor, CO.sub.2 gas, alcohol or the like with respect to time and, on the basis of the result of this monitoring, decides automatically whether the foodstuff is covered or not with a plastic sheet or is enclosed or not in a lidded container. According to the result of this decision, the heating data including the heating duration and heating output are modified so as to attain optimum heating regardless of the presence or absence of the cover or regardless of the volume of the lidded container.

Abstract: An automatic machine for cooking food such as soup-paste, rice or pot herbs, in which a support structure with a base and an upper working plane is provided with an open cooking tank contained within the support structure above the base and below the working plane, a water entry duct and an exit overflow duct is provided, water is supplied to the tank at a predetermined temperature, and a water circulation is associated with the tank and housed within the support structure for circulating cooking water at a predetermined temperature through the tank for intermixing with the water supplied by the water supply to the tank, and the temperature of the water in the tank is maintained at a predetermined temperature while the level of the cooking water is maintained at a predetermined level and the water is forced to exit through the overflow duct for the removal from the cooking water in the tank of particles suspended in the water such as starch and scums through the overflow duct.

Abstract: A frame supports a cross-bar conveyor for advancement over a hamburger patty feeding plate and between upper and lower heated platens. The upper platen is raised by actuators and falls by gravity against adjustable stops in time with advancement of the conveyor. At the discharge end of the conveyor a guide assists in directing a discharging hamburger patty onto a receiving grate.

Abstract: A device for the automatic introduction and extraction of the slices of bread in a toaster, in which the slice-carrying supports are led into a vertical up and down movement by two identical leverages, associated with the opposed ends of the supports themselves and operated in parallel by an electric motor.

Abstract: A method of food heating control in which the heating time length (.tau..sub.o) from a time point (t.sub.1) when the food temperature changing with the heating thereof reaches a predetermined set value (T.sub.1) to a time point (t.sub.2) when the vapor or gas liberated by heating of the food begins to increase the humidity or gas concentration is used as a basis for automatically determining a subsequent heating time length (.tau..sub.R). Since the time period (.tau..sub.R) for the subsequent heating process is determined by the heating time from the time point when the food temperature reaches a predetermined set value to the time point when the humidity or gas concentration begins to increase (unlike in the prior art method in which the heating time from the start of heating to the time point when humidity begins to increase is used to determine the subsequent heating time), the error in the heating time which otherwise might be caused by the variation in the initial food temperature is obviated.

Abstract: A toaster has a casing, two or more walls of which define between themselves an upright food-receiving space, and a base defining with the lower edges of these walls a clearance open to the food-receiving space. A separate food carrier is insertable into the clearance so that food-holding portions of the carrier project from the clearance into the space. Heating elements toast or warm the food in the space. Guides are provided to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the carrier from the clearance.

Abstract: A linear drive arrangement comprises a prime mover which is capable of rotatably driving a screw threaded rod. A carriage is mounted on the rod and carries a plurality of bristles, for example in the form of a brush, which bristles contact the surface of the screw threaded rod. Rotation of the rod by the prime mover causes the bristles to follow screw thread of the rod to drive the carriage along the rod. The advantage of this is that no clutch mechanism is required as if force is applied to the carriage either to prevent it from moving along the rod or to push it along the rod, the bristles will flex to ride over the screw threaded surface of the rod.

Abstract: A toaster for toasting a slice of bread comprises a casing in which a reciprocable carriage is located and is movable towards and away from an aperture defined by the casing through which aperture a slice of bread when mounted on the carriage can pass. A pair of enclosed electric bar heating elements is disposed within the casing respectively adjacent opposed side edges of the casing defining the aperture. A motor arrangement is provided for the carriage which can thereby be driven from a first position remote from the aperture into a second position at a predetermined speed. In this way a slice of bread mounted on the carriage can be made to pass between the elements to toast both sides of the slice progressively as the slice passes out of the casing through the aperture. The degree of toasting is determined by the speed of movement of the carriage.

Abstract: To practice the method of this invention, a large stainless steel tank having a conical bottom is utilized for the mass cooking of corn to produce masa. Connected to the conical bottom of the tank is a multiplicity of steam rings interconnected by a manifold to an external source of steam. A conical screen is positioned closely adjacent the conical bottom to facilitate the injection of steam for heating the contents and selective injection of air for stirring the corn in the cooking or steeping process. Interspersed closely adjacent to the steam rings are air injection rings receiving compressed air from the surge tank connected to a compressor. Selective injection of compressed air sequentially from the inner air ring followed by injection through the intermediate air ring and the outer air ring stirs the liquid and corn content of the tank in the process of cooking or steeping.

Abstract: An energy saving food serving system for rethermalization of the food and for delivery prepared meals to locations remote from the place of preparation, such as to patients to hospitals and nursing homes. The system includes a mobile cart having its own rechargeable power pack that is utilized to propel the cart. The cart has separate bays, each having a tier of racks for carrying individual food serving trays. Each tray has one or more thermally isolated heat transfer devices which are selectably energized when the tray is in place on a rack in the cart. Preferably, each tray has a pair of heaters referred to herein as plate and bowl heaters and adapted to be operated by control means in either a continuous mode of operation or a rethermalization mode of operation.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus for preparing meats to suit individual tastes of different consumers. The meat is subjected to electric current heating to cook the meat and to radiant broiling to char its surface. The cooking current passing through the meat is regulated in response to a comparison of an input corresponding to the desired degree of cooking and an indication of the interior temperature of the meat as it is being cooked. The apparatus are particularly suited to handle effectively a variety of individual orders at substantially the same time.

Abstract: A barbecue oven comprising a barbecue compartment having a door hingedly mounted in a door opening in a front wall of the compartment and spaced from a top and bottom wall thereof. A heating unit is provided in the barbecue compartment and having an elongate heat-radiating surface disposed the side walls and positioned between a top edge of the door opening and the top wall to radiate heat downwardly towards a spit turret in the compartment. The spit turret is drivingly secured in the compartment between the side walls and disposed in the path of radiation of the radiating surface. Drive means is provided to rotate the turret. A liquid collecting tray is provided in at least a portion of the bottom wall below the spit turret to collect hot liquids dripping from foodstuff supported by the spit turret.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive timing control device for a toaster appliance includes a main bimetal element and a compensating bimetal element, both mounted on a support member mounted for pivotal movement in first and second directions, but biased toward the first direction. The main bimetal element includes a trigger arm normally engaging a latch release member to maintain the member in a set position. The latch release member when released by the trigger arm, in turn releases the bread carrier latch mechanism. The free end of the compensating bimetal element rests on a limiting screw which determines the extent of movement of the support member in the first direction. A locking member, operated by the toaster bread carrier when the latter is moved into a toasting position, engages the support member to secure it against movement in the first direction. When the bread carrier is moved to the toasting position, the bimetal elements are heated.

Abstract: A bread baking system in which dough is automatically punched down, the rise times of the dough timed, and the oven turned on and off at the proper times.

Abstract: An electric toaster having a housing, a bread carrier therein, heating elements in the housing, a pneumatic timer switch having a cylinder and piston movable relative to one another with a spring urging upward movement, a throttle opening for escape of air from cylinder during upward movement, a wind-up element for lowering the bread carrier and cocking the pneumatic timer switch, and guide means for guiding the movement of the bread carrier, wind-up element and cylinder and piston. The toaster is simple in design and with a small number of easy-to-assemble parts. The heating elements are switched off at the end of the selected toasting time even if the toast jams in the toaster.

Abstract: An electric oven toaster construction wherein a unique inverted L-shaped lever is provided for controlling operation of an oven toaster switch and a toaster timer. The lever is pivotally mounted at the intersection of its legs and a generally horizontal leg extends outwardly from the oven toaster to a position where it may be manually actuated. The other leg extends downwardly for moving the toaster timer to its on position. The generally horizontal leg of the lever includes a downwardly extending latch arm which is movable into engagement with a solenoid armature for holding the lever and the switch in a closed position during a toasting cycle. Thus, at the end of a toasting cycle, the toaster timer actuates the solenoid to release the latch arm and a spring bias of the switch moves the switch and the inverted L-shaped lever to an open position.

Abstract: In abstract, a preferred embodiment of this invention is an improved commercial type food cooker which is enclosed with heating elements both above and below the food. A top forms a closure which allows food to be cooked in a much shorter time than by many previous cooking methods, particularly barbecue type methods.

Abstract: A toaster device has a support grid mounted for rotation about a vertical axis between heating elements disposed on opposite sides thereof. Grid elements are mounted for pivotal movement on opposite edges of the support, and depending finger elements on the grids slidingly move along an inner side of a rod member on the toaster throughout a segment of rotation of the support for raising the grid elements so that toasted items located thereon are delivered outwardly of the toaster. The depending finger elements move to the outer side of the rod upon continued rotation of the support grid so as to cause the grid elements to move back into their horizontal positions.

Abstract: A machine for automatically making pancakes, includes a heated cooking drum which is rotatable about a horizontal shaft by drive means and which has, on its periphery, at least one raised surface area having a contour corresponding to the shape of the pancakes to be made, and which is disposed above a batter pan in such manner that the raised surface area is enabled, during rotation of the drum, to move into contact with batter contained in the pan, means for supplying the batter pan with pancake batter from a supply container, the pan having on at least one side a lateral wall, which is of lesser height than the height of the other walls of the pan and the exterior face of which is disposed vertically above an opening in the batter supply container, and means for detaching and removing the cooked pancakes from the drum and comprising a brush rotatable in the same direction as the drum and at a peripheral speed greater than that of the drum, the brush having flexible radial bristles which are arranged to come

Abstract: A system for cooking spaghetti and similar pasta products includes a cooking section and a storage section with means for supplying water alternately to either section. The cooking section is equipped with a cook pot having conventional electric or gas heaters for heating water to cook spaghetti. A cooking basket containing spaghetti is suspended in the cook pot by attachment to a basket lifter. Electrical timing means connected to the basket lifter automatically lower the cooking basket at the start of a preselected cook cycle and raise the basket out of the cook pot after the cooking period has ended. The storage section includes a storage tank for rinsing and storing cooked spaghetti in cold water. Multiple rows of nesting cups stacked vertically store individual serving portions of spaghetti in the storage tank. A cup rack is used to reconstitute the spaghetti by suspending the serving cups containing cooked spaghetti in the hot water of the cook pot.