Plural Food Support Patents (Class 99/448)
  • Patent number: 4818832
    Abstract: A microwave oven of a type equipped with a turntable inside its heating chamber has a set of multi-level supporting pieces attached to the corners of the heating chamber where space is usually wasted or alternatively on the walls of the heating chamber. These pieces serve to support a rack at a selected height above the turntable so that otherwise wasted space inside the heating chamber near its corners can be utilized and many items can be heated at the same time without overburdening the mechanism for operating the turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeaki Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 4765232
    Abstract: A portable device for cooking food consists of a rotatable spit and basket assembly, a housing enclosure and a mounting cart. The rotatable spit and basket assembly is positioned within the housing enclosure and is rotated by an electric motor. The housing enclosure has a hinged top and hinged doors which provides access to the rotatable spit and basket assembly. The housing enclosure is supported by the mounting cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Inventor: Joyce P. Reid
  • Patent number: 4751876
    Abstract: A baking oven embodying the method of this invention comprises a plurality of vertically stacked, vertically spaced heated baking plates. Every other one of the baking plates is periodically shifted from a horizontal baking position to an inclined discharge position wherein the disc of dough slides off the respective baking plate and falls toward the next lower baking plate. During its fall, the dough disc is engaged by an inverting apparatus which deposits it on the next lower baking plate in inverted relationship, so that both sides of the dough disc are successively exposed to the heat of the baking plate as the disc traverses downwardly through the stack of plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Bakery Equipment and Service Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Escamilla
  • Patent number: 4724755
    Abstract: A combination pressing and baking mechanism is provided for converting balls of dough into thin, flat discs, such as tortillas. The pressing unit comprises a pair of relatively pivotally movable heated pressing plates. The lowermost pressing plate is disposed at a substantial angle to the horizontal when it is in its remote position relative to the upper pressing plate. The angle of the lower pressing plate is selected to effect the gravitationally induced sliding of the pressed disc of dough off the lower pressing plate and onto a horizontally movable heating plate or disc of an oven. The horizontal velocity of the oven disc is maintained at a level equal to or greater than the horizontal component of velocity of the gravitationally discharged dough disc so as to facilitate removal of the dough disc from the lower pressing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: Bakery Equipment & Service Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Escamilla
  • Patent number: 4723482
    Abstract: A sausage heating machine. A plurality of baskets mounted on a framework of the machine turn with the framework. Each basket has guide members for supporting a sausage. Each guide member includes a main portion on which the sausage can roll as the framework turns. The sausage can fall crosswise of the guide member at leading end portions of the guide members. Hook shaped trailing edge portions of the guide members catch and hold the sausage when the sausage has fallen. Radiant heat is projected crosswise of the framework to heat and cook the sausage as the framework turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: Gold Metal Products Co.
    Inventors: Ronald R. Weiss, Jerry K. Phillips
  • Patent number: 4656929
    Abstract: An improved cooking utensil for the deep fat frying of food items including at least one food holding container having a movable portion which is responsive to a movable portion control means and moves from a closed position in alignment with adjacent portions of said food holding container to an open position away from said food holding container so that food items can be more easily removed from said food holding container after deep fat frying. Piston members responsive to piston control means can optionally be included within the food holding container to push the food items out of the food holding container after deep fat frying. A plurality of food holding containers can be utilized to deep fat fry a plurality of food items and the shape of the food holding containers can be varied to produce various shaped food items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Inventor: Tri T. Dinh
  • Patent number: 4637303
    Abstract: A cooking rack (10) for placement on a cooking surface, such as an existing shelf or tray in an oven. The cooking rack has a plurality of perforations (14) for receiving securing pins 20. A cooking utensil is placed on or under the cooking rack (10) and the securing pins (20) are placed in the perforations (14) to extend above and/or below the rack (10). In this manner the pins (20) are placed around the cooking utensil to prevent it from sliding. The securing pins (20) can also extend below the cooking rack (10) and engage the cooking surface to prevent the cooking rack from moving relative to the cooking surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Inventor: Lloyd P. Lucky
  • Patent number: 4619190
    Abstract: A vertically oriented fuel bed elongate in the vertical direction provides a vertical radiant source of heat for cooking food in cooking zones on either side of the bed. A portable and collapsible grill frame is formed by light weight end rods and elongate cross rods assembled in three tiers, a top tier, a lower tier, and base level. The vertical radiant heat source is supported in the center of the frame removeably suspended from the top tier without extending below the lower tier. An ash tray is removeably suspended from the lower tier below the fuel bed and above the base level. First and second drip trays are removeably suspended from the lower tier below the cooking zones on either side of the ash tray. The ash tray and drip trays form a substantially continuous surface across the grill frame for reflecting heat upward and protecting a surface on which the grill may be placed. A plurality of removeable and replaceable panels provide greater or lesser enclosure of a cooking zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Inventor: Douglas A. Smith
  • Patent number: 4607569
    Abstract: A utensil for use in frying eggs on a grill includes a lower frame member defining a set of cylindrical or crescent-shaped outer rings in which to fry the eggs and an upper frame member defining a corresponding set of slightly smaller inner rings that fit concentrically within the outer rings for use in dislodging the eggs after they have fried. Suitable components movably mount the upper frame member on the lower frame member to enable one-handed operation in sliding the inner rings down the interiors of the outer rings as the upper and lower frame members are lifted together from the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Inventor: Glenn M. Murphy
  • Patent number: 4600596
    Abstract: An oven in a cooking machine has a pair of spaced parallel endless conveyor chains mounted therein and driven by a motor. Pivotally supported baskets for holding food are connected normal to the conveyor chains. Electrical heating elements disposed between and above the baskets are supported in the oven for cooking the food products. Guide rails maintain the baskets horizontally disposed as the baskets move adjacent to the heating elements. A sauce tank disposed in one end of the oven receives the baskets containing the food products. Each of the baskets is immersed in the sauce once during each cycle of operation. During the cooking process, a spray of water or a water base fluid is discharged from nozzles disposed in the cooking machine for increasing the humidity to obtain optimum cooking conditions. Maximum discharge of the water also is used to control grease fires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: Nelgo Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Nelson Gongwer, Dean Gongwer
  • Patent number: 4590848
    Abstract: A cooker for cooking food such as bar-b-que or the like. The cooker has a cooking tower with a rotating carrousel therein and various means for holding the food as it is being cooked. There is a heat source offset from beneath the cooking tower and positioned below a warming tower located alongside the cooking tower. Both the warming tower and the cooking tower are movably supported by a wheel carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: John H. Willingham
  • Patent number: 4584931
    Abstract: A mixture of shredded potato, egg, flour, pepper, baking powder and onion are combined to form a potato pancake mixture. Discrete units of the mixture are deposited on a moving grill over a vat of cooking oil. At the discharge end of the vat of cooking oil the moving grill is raised vertically and then inverted to discharge the cooked product onto a conveyor belt which takes it to a freezing station and subsequently to a packing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Inventor: Charles A. Feehan
  • Patent number: 4569277
    Abstract: Cooking apparatus having a plurality of individual portion sized pots disposed in a pot chamber is provided for cooking pasta and other foods "to order". Each pot has a cooking fluid admitting opening in the bottom thereof which receives a cooking fluid nozzle therein. The pot opening is covered by a mesh or other apertured cap which admits cooking fluid but prevents the pasta from escaping. The head of the nozzle has a "hat-shaped" cap slidably mounted thereon which closes the pot opening and injects heated cooking fluid into the pot when the nozzle is connected to a source of heated cooking fluid and which opens the pot opening and drains the pot when the nozzle is disconnected from the cooking fluid source. Cooking and draining are accomplished without moving the nozzle or the pot. The drained cooking fluid is collected in the pot chamber and recirculated by means of a filter and pump so that it may be used again for the same or other pots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Inventor: Nicholas M. Stiglich
  • Patent number: 4559869
    Abstract: An adjustable barbecue rack for supporting a plurality of spareribs vertically having a series of spaced upright racks extending from a main support rack. The main support rack is positioned in elevated relation within a shallow pan during cooking. The upright racks are removably secured to the main support rack so that they can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of food product sizes places within.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Inventor: Leroy Hogan
  • Patent number: 4555985
    Abstract: The invention provides a machine for preparing culinary specialties in the form of flat cakes, for example, potato cakes, and is characterized in that it comprises a first station for supplying to a recess in a cooking plate constituents required for cooking the cake, and means for moving the plate successively from the supply station to a plurality of other stations at which the cake is cooked on both sides and discharged from the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1985
    Inventor: Denis Pacquet
  • Patent number: 4554864
    Abstract: A portable food cooker for water smoker or direct heat cooking of food products comprising a support pedestal mounted on wheels and containing a heating unit, an open-ended wall section removably supported with a lower open end on the pedestal in communication with the heating unit and extending upwardly therefrom, a removable cover for closing the upper end of the wall section and defining with the pedestal and wall section a confined cooking compartment, one or more food support grills mounted at selected elevations in the compartment, and a pan located in the compartment below the grills and above the heating unit to contain water for water smoker cooking or, alternatively, fuel for direct heat cooking. The pan catches and contains material falling from food on the grill during the cooking operation, and an annular reservoir in the bottom of the wall section collects materials falling into the lower portion of the cooking compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1985
    Assignee: Draft Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry W. Smith, Timothy R. Fallon
  • Patent number: 4549476
    Abstract: A meat support for supporting sausage in a smokehouse has a rotor mounted for rotation upon a support vehicle. The rotor has a plurality of horizontally extending pockets formed therein, each of which is proportioned to receive and support a sausage with its longitudinal axis horizontally oriented. The rotor is driven about its longitudinal axis such that the sausages which are located in the pockets of the rotor are caused to rotate about their own longitudinal axis. This rotation of the sausages when horizontally oriented serves to reduce moisture losses and to maintain a uniform moisture distribution throughout the sausage while it is cooked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Inventor: Jacobus J. Langen
  • Patent number: 4548130
    Abstract: The present invention is an automatic food cooking machine comprising a frame supporting a housing having an unobstructed opening with an adjustable heating surface at the bottom thereof. Mounted in the opening of the housing are a pair of spaced parallel endless conveyor chains supported on sprockets connected to a pair of spaced shafts--one driven by a motor, and one used for adjustment of conveyor chain tension. Mounted between these shafts are idler sprockets used to support the conveyor chain.A plurality of spaced angles are connected to the conveyor chains, and a retainer fastened to the spaced angle is used to secure each food basket comprised of a bottom, four sides, and a hinged lid. A sauce dispenser is supported by a bracket fastened to a slide rail at the top of the housing. As the actuating tab fastened to a retainer moves slowly toward the sauce dispenser and makes contact, it automatically rotates said dispenser 90.degree. allowing sauce to drip directly on the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Inventors: Lester Diener, Ernest J. Miller
  • Patent number: 4542684
    Abstract: The specification discloses a system for frying food items including a fry basket and an insert which functions to maintain the food items in the fry basket in a separated condition. The insert is dimensioned to fit at least partially within the fry basket and is removably disposed therein. The insert includes two longitudinal support members, a plurality of elongate transverse support members extending between the longitudinal support members and a plurality of separators extending from the transverse support members. The insert may be used in at least two positions, a downwardly facing position or an upwardly facing position and it may be used with or without clips to secure it to the basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1985
    Inventor: David D. Cantrell
  • Patent number: 4539901
    Abstract: A portable barbecue grill includes an upwardly open container, legs pivotally connected to the container which can be positioned to support the container above the ground or folded up against the container, a mounting element having upwardly-extending sockets positionable within the container, tubular pipes positionable on the upwardly-extending sockets, and rack elements rotatably mounted on the upper ends of the tubular pipes, each rack element including a circular food-supporting grate, each grate having teeth extending outwardly of its periphery which are engageable with the teeth of at least one adjacent grate, such that rotation of one rack element will cause rotation of the adjacent rack elements with which its grate is interconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Inventor: Ming-Tang Chen
  • Patent number: 4528975
    Abstract: An open framework rack has shoulders of progressively greater width for supporting within the rack cooking receptacles of progressively greater width one spaced above the other for efficient steam cooking within a steam chamber. The rack desirably comprises wireform risers providing stepped terraces. A plurality of connecting rings secure the risers in the rack. A multichannel/rib adapter is adapted for supporting a cooking receptacle on the rack or on the bottom of a steam chamber. The rack is adapted for handling by upstanding ears thereon or by a bail removably engaging the ears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Inventor: Gung H. Wang
  • Patent number: 4522117
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing scrambled eggs on a grill surface, wherein liquid scrambled eggs mix are placed within egg rings, each having a lower edge portion in intimate contact with a heated grill surface, and the egg rings are moved repeatedly to and fro, preferably in a reciprocating motion, while maintaining the lower edge portions of the egg ring in intimate contact with the grill surface. The egg mix is rapidly moved within the confines of the egg rings, and that rapid movement is continued until the egg mix in each ring has congealed into a mass of cooked scrambled egg. A carriage mounts at least two such egg rings, and each egg ring mounts a comb-like interceptor member which engages, moves, and mixes the eggs in the egg ring as the egg ring moves to and fro. The to and fro movement which is preferably reciprocating movement, is such that it produces a wave-like motion of the liquid eggs during a first portion of the cycle of rapid movement of the eggs in the egg ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1985
    Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph E. Weimer, Thaddeus J. Kalowski, Robert A. Novy
  • Patent number: 4515074
    Abstract: A barbecue cooking unit is comprised of a coal well having an open top, defined within a bottom wall and upstanding sidewalls; support legs for securing the coal well in a generally upright position; a lid depending from the rear support legs for compound degrees of movement relative thereto, being in pivotable engagement therewith to a closed position over the open top and in vertically sliding receipt therewith over an adjustable range in a cooking position; and grill support members on the lid member for receiving perforate grills; wherein the lid member is selectively pivotable into sealing engagement with the coal well for extinguishing coals contained therein when in the closed position and is selectively slidable over the vertically adjustable range to present the grill supports at a desired vertical level over the coal well when in the cooking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1985
    Inventor: Kjeld K. Iverson
  • Patent number: 4512249
    Abstract: An adapter for using with a kettle-type charcoal or gas grill to cook and smoke meat, and a method of smoking meat using the adapter. The adapter includes a vertical cylindrical peripheral wall of a diameter just smaller than the kettle grill itself. Handles are attached near the top of the wall on opposite sides. The fasteners used to attach the handles extend through the wall and support a grill rack about 12 to 18 inches above the level where the rack would be if it were in its normal position in the lower or "kettle" portion of the grill. A second grill rack is supported about six inches above the bottom of the adapter. Small clips are hooked over the edge of the kettle portion of the grill and support the adapter by means of an outstanding tab. Four such clips are generally required to support the adapter with stability. The method includes salting the food, especially if it is fish or fowl, before cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Inventor: Lee R. Mentzel
  • Patent number: 4512250
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooking an egg is disclosed wherein a grill surface is provided for supporting an egg thereon and wherein a steam containment enclosure is provided to cover the grill surface. A shelled egg is placed on the grill surface under the steam containment enclosure. The grill surface is heated by, and steam is injected within the steam containment enclosure from, a single source of pressurized steam whereby at least the bottom portion of the egg is grilled or fried with an upper portion of the egg being simultaneously basted with steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Schindler, Donald K. Jewell
  • Patent number: 4510854
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: B. B. Robertson Company
    Inventor: Michael L. Robertson
  • Patent number: 4508025
    Abstract: A compact tortilla press and oven unit. The press delivers formed tortillas to the oven wherein they are toasted on a plurality of rotating oven discs. The tortilla is initially received by a first oven disc upon which a first side of the tortilla is partially toasted. Upon completion of one revolution of the first oven disc, the tortilla is removed therefrom by a first scraper. A second rotating oven disc adjacent to and in vertical alignment with the first oven disc receives the tortilla on a second side thereof by means of a slide intermediate to the first and second discs. The slide receives the tortilla upon removal thereof from the first disc and allows the tortilla to turn over and be placed upside down on the adjacent disc. Upon completion of one revolution of the second disc, upon which the second side of the tortilla has been partially toasted, the tortilla is removed therefrom by a second scraper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Inventor: George A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 4508027
    Abstract: A frying basket large enough to contain two or three individual servings of a food product is equipped with a pair of removable partitions including basket divider portions and right angular basket cover portions. When in place on the frying basket, two or three individual servings can be cooked simultaneously in the basket without intermixing, and when completely cooked, the individual servings can be dispensed one at a time from the basket while the remaining servings are retained in the basket for further cooking and subsequent dispensing. One or two of the removable partitions can be utilized with a standard size frying basket. The arrangement avoids the necessity for reweighing or recounting individual servings after cooking and avoids delivering unequal servings to customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Inventor: Frederick B. McCord
  • Patent number: 4505192
    Abstract: In the cooking process, in particular that of hams, the heat carrying fluid is put in contact with moulds (15) for a relatively short period of time, then removed for a relatively long period of time. This cycle is reproduced a certain number of times until the desired temperature is attained at the heart of the product. The cooking installation to carry out the process comprises a number of thermally isolated enclosures (1.1 to 1.n) containing stack of filled ham moulds (15), a heat carrying fluid heating station (2), a network of conducts (5, 10) between the enclosures (1.1 to 1.n) and the heating station (2), pumping apparatus (9, 14) and valves (8.1 to 8.n and 13.1 to 13.n) installed on the network or conducts (5, 10) to selectively fill one enclosure with heat carrying fluid from the heating station (2) or empty an enclosure into the heating station (2), and control means (4) to control the pumping apparatus (9, 14) and the valves (8.1 to 8.n and 13.1 to 13.n).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Inventor: Claude Dreano
  • Patent number: 4502374
    Abstract: A cooking basket for use in upwardly open cooking chamber adapted to receive a heat transfer fluid with heater means to selectively heat the heat transfer fluid where the basket is generally cylindrical in shape and adapted to be selectively disposed within the chamber with its longitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber where the basket is defined by first and second generally porous sidewalls with a mean diameter less than the mean diameter of the chamber, hinge means joining one edge of each of the first and second side wall means so the free ends of the first and second sidewalls can be closed to form the basket and opened about the hinge means to provide access to the chamber defined by the first and second sidewalls and wherein each wall section includes shelf means disposed therein extending transversely from the respective sidewall means so that when the sidewall means are closed the shelf means of the first and second sidewall means are mutually disposed in interleavi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Assignee: Winston Products Co.
    Inventor: Jack L. Davis
  • Patent number: 4495860
    Abstract: A more convenient and versatile charcoal fired cooking apparatus is disclosed. A free-standing charcoal and water pan assembly having support legs allows lifting off of the body or shell of the cooker together with two food support racks held on brackets thereof. The water pan is also liftable from the legs of the free-standing assembly to enable direct grilling of food when desired. A removable dome rests on the top edge of the cooker body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: W. C. Bradley Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Hitch, Mason Holland
  • Patent number: 4495861
    Abstract: A cooking utensil is disclosed for use on a barbeque-type device which includes a bowl for containing a heating medium. A generally planar cooking surface has peripheral dimensions less than the cross dimensions of the upper rim of the barbeque bowl. Handles project outwardly of the cooking surface generally coplanar therewith for supporting the cooking surface on the bowl rim. Divider flanges separate one side of the cooking surface into distinct cooking sections. A stop flange is disposed about a portion of the periphery of the opposite side of the cooking surface. The divider flanges and the stop flange prevent the cooking utensil from sliding off of the rim of the barbeque bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Inventors: Shirley L. Jacks, Sun W. Ng
  • Patent number: 4488479
    Abstract: A portable apparatus is provided for cooking eggs on a heated cooking surface or grill and includes a frame with a plurality of rings carried on the frame. Each ring is adapted to be disposed on the grill and to receive a shelled egg therein. A peripheral wall means is provided for enclosing the rings. A removable closure assembly is provided for being positioned over the rings and includes (1) a cover at least coextensive with the peripheral wall means and adapted to engage the peripheral wall means, (2) an open top container mounted on the cover and defining a reservoir for receiving a predetermined quantity of water therein, and (3) means for defining an unobstructed orifice through the cover and communicating with the interior of the container for metering the water at a predetermined rate onto the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Restaurant Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman R. Sloan, Dionizas Remys, Robert A. Novy
  • Patent number: 4487116
    Abstract: The culinary appliance for preparing "hamburgers" comprises a heating resistor, a hotplate which is mounted above the resistor and on which the portion of meat to be cooked is placed, a pressure member which is applied against the portion of meat and forms a meat-cooking enclosure in conjunction with the hotplate, a bread-heating enclosure for receiving at least one piece of bread, and a base for supporting the heating resistor, the hotplate and the pressure member. The meat-cooking enclosure and the bread-heating enclosure are juxtaposed and heated simultaneously by the resistor, at least one metallic wall being placed between the bread-heating enclosure and the resistor in order to limit the heating temperature within the bread enclosure to the value required for the piece of bread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventor: Dominique Routhier
  • Patent number: 4483240
    Abstract: A cooking utensil for the deep fat frying of certain food items such as spring rolls and the like by immersion into hot liquid such as cooking oils which includes a food container with an opening for insertion and removal of the food. A piston-like member is slidably moveable within the food container, having one end abutting any food that is inserted into the container and a second end extending externally of the container. A control means, which is selectively activated by the user, causes the piston member to be positioned along a range of positions from a first position farthest away from the opening of the food container to a second position closest to the opening so that upon completion of deep fat frying, the control means can cause the piston member to slidably push the food contained in the food container at least partially out of the opening for easy removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Inventor: Tri-Trong Dinh
  • Patent number: 4470343
    Abstract: An outdoor cooker for baking or broiling food articles includes a covered base within which there is rotatably supported a horizontal shaft above a combustion chamber. A plurality of food baskets are secured to the shaft and extend radially therefrom for movement only about the rotational axis of the shaft toward and away from the combustion chamber. The fuel is supported in a pair of slidably removable drawers that are disposed below and on opposite sides of the shaft, the spacing between the drawers defining a grease-drip space. The basket arrangement provides a high cooking capacity construction that eliminates turning over and basting the food, that minimizes the flaming of grease drippings, and the construction facilitating selective starting and stopping of the application of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Inventor: Irvin M. Didier
  • Patent number: 4458585
    Abstract: A rack for use with a grill having a cooking surface defined by spaced rods is formed by bending two wires that define a base and an upright article-receiving support extending above the base. The base has spaced, generally L-shaped projections that are inserted between two spaced rods and under one rod to secure the rod on the cooking surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventor: Arthur R. Erbach
  • Patent number: 4453457
    Abstract: An oven in a cooking machine has a pair of spaced parallel endless conveyor chains mounted therein and driven by a motor. Pivotally supported baskets for holding food are connected normal to the conveyor chains. Electrical heating elements disposed between and above the baskets are supported in the oven for cooking the food products. Guide rails maintain the baskets horizontally disposed as the baskets move adjacent to the heating elements. A sauce tank disposed in one end of the oven receives the baskets containing the food products. Each of the baskets is immersed in the sauce once during each cycle of operation. To remove the cooked food products from the oven, spaced runners are shifted over the sauce tank to prevent the baskets of food products from being dipped into the sauce. A movable collar connects and disconnects the conveyor chains to the motor. A door at the front of the oven has counterweights to facilitate opening and closing of the door by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Nelgo Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Nelson Gongwer, Dean Gongwer
  • Patent number: 4437395
    Abstract: A spaghetti and food cooker for cooking individual portions having a housing containing a pair of adjacent segregated temperature-controlled cooking chambers, a pivotable bracket movable from one chamber to the other, a series of perforated compartments for retaining individual food portions clustered and mounted on said bracket, motor-controlled means for positioning said bracket with said compartments into one of said temperature-controlled cooking chambers for a predetermined time cycle for cooking and displaying said compartments through one of said temperature-controlled compartments before elevating and pivoting the bracket and supported compartments out of said chamber and pivoting the bracket and supported compartments into the other chamber for further treatment and displacing said compartments through the other chamber before elevating the bracket and compartments to a discharge position for draining above said chambers for unloading the individual portions from their compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1984
    Inventor: Richard L. Speaker
  • Patent number: 4427706
    Abstract: A method and tray assembly is provided for heating, in a conventional household oven, batter-coated and par-fried frozen comestibles conveniently supported or held in a substantially vertical position. Vertical orientation is such that a three-dimensional comestible having a length, width or circumference and thickness is situated so that a plane of thickness is parallel to the bottom of the tray. The novel tray assembly maximizes convective or microwave heating of the comestible products, minimizes conductive heat transfer, and also permits the user to minimize the surface area of the comestible available for moisture collection during heating. The tray assembly comprises: a tray having upstanding support elements which fixedly engage the comestible in a substantially vertical position, a means to allow heated air to convectively heat the food products, and a means serving to collect oil and liquids released by the products during heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: General Foods Corporation
    Inventor: Nabil A. El-Hag
  • Patent number: 4418615
    Abstract: An energy efficient convection barbecue pit for uniform cooking of meat. Heated smoke from a firebox passes through a joinder flue into a cooking chamber and is there urged upward by means of an inlet baffle. A convection fan located within a discharge duct connected to the ceiling of the cooking chamber draws the entering smoke through a suction port and discharges it through the duct. The discharge duct channels the smoke toward the front of cooking chamber and then downward thereby creating a turbulent, rolling air flow motion and a uniform temperature profile within the cooking chamber. Exhaust smoke exits at the bottom of the cooking chamber on either side of the inlet baffle and collects in a plenum chamber before exiting through an exhaust stack. Temperature within the cooking chamber is monitored by a thermostatically controlled firebox damper on the firebox door and a thermostatically controlled gas burner adjacent to the firebox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Inventor: Michael R. Higgins
  • Patent number: 4401018
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus for roasting, broiling or smoking meat or other food by hanging the item over a source of heat in a manner that the meat and the like is constantly moved to accomplish rapid and flavorful cooking. The food is carried by a series of removable hangers attached to a rack which is subjected to motion by use of an electric motor and the like. The drippings from the food being cooked drips downward for efficient collection as needed during operation of the barbecue cooking apparatus. The barbecue cooking apparatus is insulated to prevent the escape of heat to the surroundings and is capable of superior cooking of food with juices substantially intact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Inventor: Uylsses Berry
  • Patent number: 4380192
    Abstract: A device for broiling elongate food articles, such as hot dogs, sausages, etc., comprises a rod having a handle at one end, and food retaining baskets connected with the other end of the rod. The baskets are detachably connected with the rod by support wires which extend laterally from both the open and closed ends of the baskets, and have bent over free ends which form eyelets through which the rod is closely received. The rod end opposite the handle is threaded. The support wires at the open ends of the baskets are threaded over the threaded area of the rod, onto a lower portion thereof, to non-fixedly mount the upper ends of the baskets. The support wires at the closed ends of the baskets are disposed on the threaded area of the rod, and a pair of threaded nuts are positioned on opposite sides of the support ends, and are tightened against each other to fixedly, yet detachably, mount the lower ends of the baskets on the rod in a predetermined configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Assignee: Markson Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Mark N. Doren
  • Patent number: 4380190
    Abstract: By the herein cooking cone, simultaneous cooking of the inside and outer side of food is accomplished through heat flow through the center of the heat conductive cone whereby food is cooked from the center or core of the cone, while the oven heat permeates the food from the outside. The cone has an integral tray on the bottom which is of sufficient depth to accommodate vegetables or the like, thereby an entire meal is cooked simultaneously. The juices flowing down from the food on the outside of the cone into the tray baste the vegetables and other food in the tray. The smaller upper end of the cone is adapted to receive the hooks on skewers on which various meats or other food can be skewered and hung so as to lie on the exterior of the cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Inventor: Robert J. Adamis
  • Patent number: 4366750
    Abstract: A cooker of the type having a series of vertically oriented skewers disposed in a circle about a central vertically oriented heating element, the skewers being individually rotatable relative to the heating element. In this rotary skewer cooker environment, this invention is directed to a novel food drippings removal assembly which permits easy cleaning of the cooker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: Wear-Ever Aluminum, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo F. Brown, R. A. Williams
  • Patent number: 4364310
    Abstract: A mobile barbecue apparatus is disclosed which comprises a firebox having wheels thereon with turnable receptacles for holding items to be cooked mounted above the firebox. The food containing receptacles are adjustable in width to accommodate different sized items such as steaks, chickens, ribs, etc., which are to be cooked. Preferably the top of the apparatus comprises a removable table having legs positioned at the edges which can be rotated into storage position or into table defining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Ben R. Rufkahr
    Inventor: Bernard O. Rufkahr
  • Patent number: 4355569
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electric hot dog cooker also suitable for cooking individual portions of sausages, shishkabob or the like, including a stand supporting an electric heating coil in the form of a helix extending horizontally; inside the helical heating coil is a hollow bushing member arranged so that a rotisserie spit rod will extend through the bushing and engage a rotisserie motor element, all essentially co-axial with the helical electric heating element. Secured only to the outer end of the rotisserie spit is a circular arrangement of nine cylindrical open-wire cages about two inches in diameter and about nine inches long, capable of accepting a hot dog, sausage or similar shaped food portion and large enough so that the hot dog will roll in the cage while the circular arrangement of cages is rotated around the heating coil by the rotisserie motor. The motor is shielded from the heating element by a metal shield having a horizontal turned-down portion at the top thereof serving as a warming shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1982
    Inventor: Thomas L. Sage
  • Patent number: 4346651
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Inventor: Willi Schickedanz
  • Patent number: 4345143
    Abstract: A food warming and cooking cabinet comprising a housing having infrared reflective material on the interior surface, a source of infrared radiation located inside the housing and a support for a plurality of trays adapted to carry food thereon. The source of infrared radiation comprises two vertically oriented tubular infrared lamps located on opposite sides of the housing with the tray support therebetween. Each lamp is located in a recess in opposed side walls. The infrared reflective material is polished aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1982
    Assignee: Golden Skillet Corporation
    Inventors: Ernest M. Craig, John M. Minor
  • Patent number: 4334462
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus for barbecuing or smoking includes a cooking container, a support collar, and a support base which are removably secured together. The support base and the cooking container are each provided with a central air opening, and the cooking container and the support base are clamped against the support collar by a stud which extends through the air openings. The clamping force provided by the stud is transmitted to the cooking container and to the support base by compressible and resilient spring plates within the cooking container and the support base, and each spring plate is provided with an air passage to permit air to flow from the base, through the central air openings, and into the cooking container. A burner assembly may be removably secured to the spring plate in the cooking container by the stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1982
    Assignee: The Coleman Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis V. Hefling