Abstract: An apparatus for cooking food includes two solid plates which subject an initial food material to high heat and pressure, and the pressure is adjusted in dependence upon the nature of the initial food material by an adjusting device.

Abstract: A metal protective cover for the temperature control knob on a deep fat fryer includes an outer annular ring and is formed to enclose the control knob. The control knob is surrounded by an annular backing plate that is secured by three screws. The annular ring has a diameter that is small enough to fit within the circle inscribing the shanks of the three screws and large enough to be held in place by the screw heads.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing boiled noodles. The apparatus comprises substantially a raw noodle manufacturing unit, a boiling unit for boiling raw noodle elements fabricated by the raw noodle manufacturing unit and a control unit controlling operations of the raw noodle manufacturing unit and the boiling unit. According to the apparatus, each meal of the boiled noodles can be automatically fabricated during a short time interval, by supplying and measuring grain flour and kneading water, fabricating the raw noodle elements automatically and boiling the raw noodle elements automatically by means of controlling the operations of the apparatus.

Abstract: A damper control is employed in the exhaust duct of a bakery oven to maintain constant air mass flow through the duct during a baking cycle to ensure even baking conditions. The damper control can include a pitot tube from which velocity pressure can be derived, and a pneumatic or electronic control loop to move an exhaust damper in the exhaust duct as necessary to keep the velocity pressure constant.

Abstract: An automatic roux maker including a pot for heating and agitating (mixing and moving) the roux during the cooking process, in which a motor-driven agitator is included and suspended within the pot for mixing the roux during cooking and for preventing scorching of the roux. At the bottom of the centrally located agitator shaft is included, for example, two diametrically opposed, paddle arms which ride and sweep on the bottom of the pot and are pivotally connected to a slotted support which is capable of floating up-and-down with respect to the agitator shaft. The flexible sweeping of the bottom of the pot prevents any of the roux from remaining on the bottom of the pot for any significant period of time, preventing scorching of the roux.

Abstract: A highly compact oven for preparing barbecued foods on a commercial basis includes a cabinet having a vertical partition wall that divides its interior into an oven chamber and an equipment compartment, and doors which provide access to the oven chamber. In addition, the oven has a rotisserie for supporting foods in the upper portion of the oven chamber opposite one of the doors, and this rotisserie is turned by a motor in the equipment compartment. A cylindrical firebox in which wood is burned is located in the lower portion of the oven chamber opposite another of the doors to provide the heat required for cooking the food and the smoke for imparting the barbecue flavor to that food. Food on the rotisserie is shielded from the firebox by a baffle wall which extends across the oven chamber, yet has its margins spaced from the front and back walls, so that heated air and smoke circulate freely between the region of the firebox and the region of the rotisserie.

Abstract: A front loading and unloading grill apparatus for two-sided grilling of hamburger patties. The grill apparatus includes upper and lower cooking platens, a patty support panel at the front of the lower cooking platen and an endless conveyor for advancing uncooked patties from the patty support panel onto the lower cooking platen. The patty support panel is retracted away from the front of the lower cooking platen and, when the patties are cooked, the conveyor is operated in the reverse direction to move the cooked patties off the front lower cooking platen and discharge the same to a cooked patty receiver at the front side of the grill apparatus.

Abstract: The toy electric oven has a chamber. In the lower portion of the chamber there is a chandelier bulb surrounded by a parabolic reflector that reflects heat upwardly. A rack in the upper portion of the chamber has a lower plate with an opening therein so that heat can impinge upon the underside of a utensil. The rack also has an upper plate provided with an opening immediately beneath a window in the top of the housing so that whatever is being heated can be viewed. A slide switch is employed to supply power to the chandelier lamp. The operating button of the slide switch is actuated between its open and closed positions by means of a switch plate having an arcuate slot therein possessing a sufficient amount of eccentricity so that the operating button of the switch is moved from its open position to its closed position when said switch plate is rotated in one direction by a manually-operated knob.

Abstract: Semiautomatic food frying apparatus is disclosed which provides apparatus which may be easily and safely operated to prepare small portions of various food products. In one embodiment, the food frying apparatus includes an upright cabinet with a fan assembly mounted to exhaust air through the top of the cabinet while drawing air in, through and from the lower portion of the cabinet. A removable one-piece filter unit is positioned in the path of air flow to remove odors, gases, smoke, etc. . . . from the air before the air is exhausted back into the room. The removable filter includes a paper filter together with activated charcoal particles configured as an integral unit. In another embodiment, the fan assembly and filter unit are replaced by a closed-loop air cleaning system which does not discharge the internal air of the apparatus into the room. A container for holding a supply of cooking oil is located in the lower portion of the cabinet.

Abstract: Food frying apparatus is disclosed which provides apparatus which may be easily and safely operated to prepare small portions of various food products. The food frying apparatus includes an upright cabinet with a fan assembly mounted in the upper-most portion of the cabinet to exhaust air through the top of the cabinet while drawing air in, through and from the lower portion of the cabinet. A removable one-piece filter unit is positioned in the path of air flow to remove odors, gases, smoke, etc. from the air before the air is exhausted back into the room. The removable filter includes a paper filter together with activated charcoal particles configured as an integral unit. A container for holding a supply of cooking oil is located in the lower portion of the cabinet and is positioned in an insulative shroud with a resulting decrease in BTU's required to operate the apparatus. The heater element is embedded in the bottom portion of the container and does not directly contact the cooking oil.

Abstract: A highly compact oven for preparing barbecued foods on a commercial basis includes a cabinet having a vertical partition wall that divides its interior into an oven chamber and an equipment compartment, and a door which closes the front of the oven chamber. In addition, the oven has a rotisserie for supporting foods in the upper portion of the oven chamber, and this rotisserie is turned by a motor in the equipment compartment. A firebox in which wood is burned is located in the lower portion of the oven chamber to provide the heat required for cooking the food and the smoke for imparting the barbecue flavor to that food. Food on the rotisserie is shielded from the firebox by a baffle wall which extends across the oven chamber, yet has its margins spaced from the back wall and door, so that heated air and smoke circulate freely between the region of the firebox and the region of the rotisserie.

Abstract: Automatic food frying and dispensing apparatus is disclosed which is housed in a supporting cabinet and includes a device for holding a supply of cooking oil and a heating device for maintaining the temperature of the cooking oil at a predetermined temperature. A fan assembly exhausts air through the top of the cabinet. A derated precipitator, a flame arrester and a charcoal filter are positioned upstream of the fan assembly and in the path of air flow. A switch device is positioned in the path of air flow and shuts off the heating device if the air flow drops below a predetermined value. Food handling apparatus automatically lowers the food to be cooked into the cooking oil when a customer selects a desired cooking time and automatically raises the food from the cooking oil and dumps the food into a container positioned at the food collection station at the end of the preselected cooking time.

Abstract: A common filter for one or more deep fat fryers includes a nozzle in the bottom of each fryer vessel for delivering filtered fat in a non-aerated whirlpool-like flow for flushing dislodged food particles through a drain to a portable filter tank. A pump delivers filtered fat from the filter tank to the nozzle for cleaning and refilling of the vessel.

Abstract: An elongated temperature-sensing probe is positioned in a deep fat cooking vessel and is positioned so that a portion of the probe extends adjacent the electric heater submerged in the deep fat adjacent the bottom of the vessel, and a portion extends upward in the fat into the cooking zone in the vessel. The temperature-sensing probe is connected to control the power to the heater. The heater is thermally connected to the probe so that the probe receives direct conduction heat from the heater as well as senses the heat adjacent the heater and in the cooking zone.

Abstract: Food frying and dispensing apparatus is disclosed which is housed in a supporting cabinet and includes a device for holding a supply of cooking oil and a heating device for maintaining the temperature of the cooking oil sufficiently high for cooking successive batches of food products introduced into the oil by a food support basket. A fan assembly exhausts air through the top of the cabinet. A derated precipitator, a charcoal filter, a fragrance holding apparatus and an ozone generator are positioned upstream of the fan assembly and in the path of air flow to eliminate any smoke or odor produced within the apparatus prior to discharge of the air from the cabinet. Food handling apparatus pivotally positions the food support basket in three separate and distinct positions with the three positions being in the cooking oil in a "cook" position, out of the oil in a food product "dispense" position and out of the oil in a "ready" position.

Abstract: Apparatus for the cooking of foods, includes a chamber for holding a volume of cooking oil and defining a cooking region therein for receiving food to be cooked. The chamber includes a wall having an opening therethrough for placement of food into the cooking region of the chamber and removal of the food therefrom. Displacement means are provided within the chamber adjacent the cooking region and movable between (a) a first oil displacing position wherein, in use, with a selected amount of cooking oil in the chamber, the upper level of the oil is sufficiently high that the oil substantially surrounds the food to be cooked; and (b) a second substantially non-oil displacing position wherein the upper level of the selected amount of oil is below both the lower extremities of the opening and the food. The wall opening is positioned and arranged such that, in use, the food may be inserted and removed from the cooking region of the chamber in a lateral or horizontal direction.

Abstract: A rotatably supported pressure vessel is disclosed for treating product under high pressure. A pressure medium is supplied to the pressure vessel through two separate supply conducts feeding the pressure medium under different pressures. When supplying the pressure medium to the pressure vessel, in a first step the pressure medium is supplied under lower pressure. During this step, the pressure within the pressure vessel is monitored. When a predetermined pressure is reached indicating that the feed opening of the pressure vessel is completely closed by an associated cover, the pressure medium is supplied under high pressure. The pressure medium source may either comprise a high pressure supply and a lower pressure supply, or two separate supply conducts of substantially different cross-sectional areas are provided to provide different pressure differentials.

Abstract: The means shown and described in the specifications to activate the covers can be modified and/or varied using different means. A year of evaluating and testing a working model of a toaster using the disclosed design proved it to be economically alnd practically superior over other means being considered. Its means of operation prevented damaging of food which, for any reason, protruded out of the toaster's receptacles. The normal operation of the toaster is not affected. The covers do not interfere with the pop up of the toaster. The versatility of the covers' design permits it to be utilized to cover the receptacles to keep the toast warm after toasting without the use of electrical energy, and to cover the receptacles when the toaster is not being used. Better tasting toast is produced as the result of convection toasting effected by the covering of the receptacles.

Abstract: A toaster of the pop up type that is provided with a pivoting cover to save energy and toasting time and in which there is an upwardly displaceable cover lifting device or rod characterized by being arranged to fully open the cover without the toasts having to push up the cover to open it and without having to lower the bread carrier to close the cover. This toaster comprises a pop up device or member that upwardly pushes or propels the cover lifting rod but is not connected to be lowered with it to retract the cover lifting rod and close the cover.

Abstract: A pressure fryer having a vessel adapted to cook a food product within a bath of cooking oil. Means are provided for detecting the presence of water in the vessel and the bath and for automatically disabling the heater of the fryer if water is present in such quantity as to create a potentially unsafe condition.

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 miniature size doughnut fryer has a portable hopper easily removed from the frying machine and which is automatically positioned in an aligned cutting position when installed on the machine. An improved safety cut-out device is provided for a belt drive to assure that the doughnut conveyor stops in an overload condition but which signals the operator that the overload condition is existing. The drive and safety cut-out are provided housed within the heater housing adjacent the frying tank of the machine for ease of assembly and manufacturing cost. The heater element housing is mounted on pivots which allow easy pivotal removal of the heating elements from the frying tank as well as providing a wide stance support for the heating elements when pivoted out of the tank. The drive and control circuitry for the conveyor and the cutter head are interlocked to prevent repetitive cycling of the cutter head during a conveyor overload position. An improved dual head doughnut cutter is also provided.

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: An apparatus for cooking food outdoors has features that allow it to be folded compactly and allow it to be permanently mounted to the owner's home. The cooking apparatus includes a housing adapted to be mounted to the wall of the building. The housing has a front opening and pivotally carries a tray. The tray has a grill and an energy source for cooking. The tray is foldable into the housing for storage. A grease container is located in the bottom of the tray. The grease container has a sloping top for catching grease, and also for containing the grease when the tray is tilted into the vertical storage position. A safety lock device prevents the tray from being moved from the cooking position to the storage position when the temperature in the tray is above a selected minimum, and also when the energy source is turned on. The apparatus includes folding doors that fold into a configuration for open cooking, a configuration for smoking, and also into a flat position for storage.

Abstract: A pressure cooker the casing thereof carrying a pressure relief valve assembly comprising a relief valve having a valve member and a valve seating one of which acts against the other under pressure of biasing means to close a valve port opening into the interior of the cooker and a timer which can be preset to act on an operating member after a predetermined time period, said timer having an actuating member which moves to engage and move said operating member in a substantially linear direction, and said operating member being mechanically connected to means for relieving the pressure of the biasing means.

Abstract: A solid-state control circuit for selectively operating a deep fat fryer in a normal cook mode, a lower temperature hold mode, a fat melt mode and a safety thermostat test mode. During operation in the cook mode, a reference bias voltage is coupled to one input of a voltage comparator, and an operating bias voltage dependent on the temperature control setting and the actual cooking fat temperature sensed by a NTC resistive sensor is coupled to a second input of the comparator such that the comparator is effective to enable heating elements in the cooking fat when the fat temperature drops below the preset level. After a predetermined time interval during which the fryer is not being used, a timing circuit acts to vary the reference bias voltage and the operating bias voltage supplied to the comparator and thereby reduce the temperature of the fat to the lower preset hold mode temperature.

Abstract: A power interlock switch for an appliance having a removable panel, the power interlock switch comprising a base mounted to the housing, first and second switch terminals mounted to the base, a leaf spring conductor mounted to the first switch terminal and deflectable into contact with the second switch terminal, and a pivotally mounted lever which is engaged by the removable panel and rotates to deflect the leaf spring conductor into bridging contact across the two switch terminals. One conductor of the appliance line cord is connected to one of the switch terminals via a clip and tab structure, and the other switch terminal is connected to electrical components of the appliance. A third terminal mounted to the base has tabs for connecting the other conductor of the line cord and an additional conductor completing the circuit. A cover is provided and clamps the line cord to the base for strain relief purposes.

Abstract: Frying apparatus including a fry pot and a filter system operable during a cleaning cycle for dislodging food particles which cling to the fry pot and for removing food particles suspended in the cooking oil is disclosed. The filter system includes a shower apparatus which discharges jets of cooking oil along the interior side surfaces of the fry pot to dislodge food particles clinging thereto. The cooking oil is drained into a drain pan, strained through a filter and means are provided for pumping the filtered cooking oil back to the fry pot where it is discharged through the shower apparatus. Food particles are continuously separated from the cooking oil as it is conveyed from the fry pot through the filter into the drain pot. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided for automatically turning off the fry pot heaters when the cooking oil is drained during the filter cycle.

Abstract: A cover for use on a toaster is disclosed. The cover serves to minimize heat losses and comprises a plate slightly smaller in size than the top of the toaster, and means for hingedly mounting the plate on the top of the toaster, so as to cover the bread slots. The plate is preferably embossed in the shape of an inverted pan, so as to leave a predetermined space between the embossed portion of the cover and the top of the toaster.

Abstract: High intensity radiant energy is supplied to the surface of food items by a quartz iodide lamp. A temperature probe which senses both the ambient temperature in the toaster housing and the lamp radiance controls the on-time of the lamp to produce the desired surface temperature to accomplish the desired cooking.

Abstract: A control circuit useful in commercial cooking appliances, such as deep fat fryers, having electric heating elements and separate operating and safety controls including full power transmitting contactors for independently energizing and/or deenergizing the heating elements. The simplified control is economical, but reliable, and utilizes the safety control contactor connected in series power circuit with the heating elements and a single relay to establish both an on operating circuit for normal cooking conditions where the operating control cycles on and off to maintain the desired operating temperatures and a safety circuit that deenergizes all heating elements should an overheat condition occur and further that requires manual release or reset to again render the appliance operative.

Abstract: A cooker for foodstuff in particulate form, in particular pasta, comprises a plurality of perforate pots, each of which is of a size to cook an individual portion. The pots are individually movable vertically in a tank between a raised position and a lower position. The foodstuff is put in the pot when in raised position. When the pot is lowered, boiling water pumped from a reservoir is injected into the pot to cook the foodstuff while stirring it to prevent its sticking to the pot or to itself. The water drains into the tank and is returned to a hot water reservoir. After a preset time interval the pot is returned to its raised position for discharge of the cooked foodstuff.

Abstract: This invention relates to a toaster in which the toasting of a slice of bread is controlled by displacement of a bi-metal element disposed between a heater and the bread, the bi-metal element being displaced by a bread supporter moved in co-operation with a temperature control means. An operating lever is provided for moving a vertically movable means which cooperates with a hook lever for holding the vertically movable means in a bread toasting position. The operating and hook levers are coaxially provided so as to be normally operated together.

Abstract: An overload indicator particularly adapted for use with driving and driven components of a meat processing system conveyor to indicate when an overload condition takes place. A frangible member of the indicator is preferably embodied as a shear pin that normally connects the driving and driven components and includes an internal gas chamber which is communicated with the environment as the pin fractures in shear due to overloading. Pressurized gas supplied to the gas chamber of the shear pin decreases in pressure as the pin fractures and this pressure decrease is sensed to indicate the occurrence of an overload condition. A conduit for supplying the pressurized gas to the gas chamber of the shear pin preferably includes a restricted orifice through which the gas is fed by a compressor, and a pressure sensitive valve downstream from the restricted orifice senses the pressure decrease due to an overloading pin fracture.

Abstract: Process of producing pieces of eggs which comprises mixing eggs to obtain a blend of egg whites and egg yolks, separately establishing a first flow of the blend and a second flow of steam under pressure, contacting the first and second flows to produce a burst of the blend of eggs and to initiate a preliminary cooking of the eggs, introducing the eggs resulting from the proceeding step into a container, allowing the eggs to remain in the container until cooking is completed and a solid mass of cooked eggs is obtained, and disintegrating the solid mass into small pieces.

Abstract: A frying apparatus includes a frypot for containing cooking oil positioned in a support housing. Heating elements are pivotally attached to said housing and suspended within the frypot to heat the cooking oil for deep fat frying. A thermostat is mounted to the front of the housing to extend into the frypot above the heating elements to regulate the cooking oil temperature. The thermostat is separate from the heating elements so that the elements may be pivoted upward to a cleaning position. A biasing heater is mounted to the front of housing directly below the thermostat to compensate for the distance between the thermostat and the heating elements by providing additional heat to the thermostat. A temperature selector is provided on the outside front of the housing to allow adjustment of the thermostat without reaching over the frypot.

Abstract: A free standing fryer such as may be used in commercial installations which includes a cabinet adapted to be supported at a suitable working height, and having glass panels on some of its sides and at least one open side for access to the interior, and having a fat fryer located within the interior of said cabinet and having in the roof of the cabinet outlet means for fumes from the fat fryer, fan means for extracting air and fumes from said cabinet and through said outlet, a plenum chamber located to one side of said fan means, and opening means communicating from said fan means to said plenum chamber, porous tray means located above said plenum chamber and closing the same, said tray means being adapted to support a predetermined depth of filter media thereon, said filter media being porous to air, and being absorptive with respect to said odors and fumes from said fryer.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cooking products such as french toast in which the uncooked product is placed on one end of an endless steel belt upon which it is carried while being cooked. The product passes through a first cooking zone to cook it on one side, and it is then turned over and passes through a second zone in which it is cooked on the other side. The turning operation is performed by a flipper positioned between the two cooking zones which pushes spatula means under the product with a movement against the movement of the conveyor. The spatula is then swung about an axis transverse to the movement of the conveyor and directly above the cooking surface, and the product is turned or "flipped" along an arcuate path progressively with respect to the movement of the conveyor.

Abstract: The improved operating-safety control uses an operating contactor and a safety contactor each having normally open switch contacts and means connect these switch contacts on opposite sides of and in main power series circuits with the electric heating elements of the cooking apparatus effective for controlling electric input to same. An actuating coil is effective for closing each contactor switch contacts, and the control includes an operating thermostat and a safety thermostat each having a heat sensor in the cooking environment and each having a heat sensor in the cooking environment and each having normally closed contacts opened responsive to a set sensed high temperature. The control connects main on and off switch means operatively in series with a parallel hookup connection of the safety contactor actuating coil as one leg and the serially connected operator contactor actuating coil and operating thermostat controlled contacts as the other leg.