Temperature-responsive protective system for automatic popcorn poppers

Claim 2

In an automatic popcorn popper: a cooking kettle; structure communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with corn, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the corn to the kettle; conduit means communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with a seasoning, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the seasoning to the kettle; means for heating the kettle; said kettle being provided with means operable to effect dumping of the cooked popcorn product from the kettle; operating means coupled with said dumping means for actuating the latter upon completion of cooking of the product; control means coupled with said valves for operating the latter following dumping of the cooked product to effect delivery of preselected quantities of corn and seasoning to the kettle to resupply the latter, whereby the temperature of the kettle drops to a predetermined level indicative of delivery of said quantities; temperature responsive means disposed in heat exchange relationship with the kettle for sensing said temperature drop; and protective means coupled with said temperature responsive means for preventing said heating means from heating the kettle if the temperature thereof fails to decrease to said level by a predetermined time following said delivery of corn and seasoning thereto.

Claim 3

The popper as claimed in claim 1: said operating means being coupled with said heating means for deactivating the latter upon said completion of cooking of the product, and reactivating said heating means following said dumping of the cooked product; and said protective means preventing the reactivation of said heating means if the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level by said predetermined time.

Claim 4

The popper as claimed in claim 2, said operating means including second temperature responsive means disposed in heat exchange relationship with said kettle for effecting deactivation of said heating means if the kettle reaches a temperature indicative of overheating of the product.

Claim 5

The popper as claimed in claim 2: said operating means including an electrically responsive device for selectively activating and deactivating said heating means, and switching means for controlling energization of said device; said temperature responsive means including a switching component and a temperature sensor coupled with said switchIng component for operating the latter when the temperature of the kettle decreases to said level; and said protective means being operably coupled with said switching means and said switching component and responsive to the operational condition of the switching component at said predetermined time for disabling said switching means to prevent said reactivation of the heating means if the operational condition of the switching component indicates that the temperature of the kettle has failed to decrease to said level.

Claim 6

The popper as claimed in claim 4: there being cyclically operable means common to said operating means, said control means, and said protective means for timing the operation of all of the same; and means coupled with said timing means for initiating operation of the timing means through an operational cycle thereof in response to said completion of cooking of the product.

Claim 7

The popper as claimed in claim 5, said protective means including circuitry coupled with said timing means for interrupting operation thereof during an operational cycle of the timing means in which the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level.

Claim 8

The popper as claimed in claim 5: said operating means further including an additional switching means for controlling said dumping means; said control means including switching means for controlling operation of said valves; said protective means including circuitry having switching means in series with said switching component for sensing the operational condition thereof; said timing means being coupled with all of said switching means for operating the latter during each operational cycle of the timing means; and said circuitry being coupled with said timing means for interrupting operation thereof during an operational cycle of the timing means in which the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level.

Claim 9

The popper as claimed in claim 1; an alarm for emitting a warning signal; and said protective means being coupled with said alarm for operating the latter if the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level by said predetermined time.

Claim 10

In an automatic popcorn popper: a cooking kettle; structure communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with corn, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the corn to the kettle; conduit means communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with a seasoning, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the seasoning to the kettle; means for heating the kettle; said kettle having being provided with means operable to effect dumping of the cooked popcorn product from the kettle; operating means coupled with said dumping means for actuating the latter upon completion of cooking of the product; control means coupled with said valves for operating the latter following dumping of the cooked product to effect delivery of preselected quantities of corn and seasoning to the kettle to resupply the latter, whereby the temperature of the kettle drops to a predetermined level indicative of delivery of said quantities; temperature responsive means disposed in heat exchange relationship with the kettle for sensing said temperature drop; an alarm for emitting a warning signal; and protective means coupled with said temperature responsive means and said alarm for operating the alarm if the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level by a predetermined time following said delivery of corn and seasoning thereto.

Claim 11

In an automatic popcorn popper: a cooking kettle; structure communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with corn, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the corn to the kettle; conduit means communicating with the kettle for supplying the latter with a seasoning, and having a valve for controlling delivery of the seasoning to the kettle; means for heating the kettle; said kettle having being provided with means operable to effect dumping of the cooked popcorn product from the kettle; operating means coupled with said dumping means for actuating the latter upon completion of cooking of the product; control means coupled with said valves for operating the latter following dumping of the cooked product to effect delivery of preselected quantities of corn and seasoning to the kettle to resupply the latter, whereby the temperature of the kettle drops to a predetermined level indicative of delivery of said quantities; temperature responsive means disposed in heat exchange relationship with the kettle for sensing said temperature drop; an alarm for emitting a warning signal; and protective means coupled with said temperature responsive means and said alarm for operating the alarm if the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level by a predetermined time following said delivery of corn and seasoning thereto.

Claim 12

The popper as claimed in claim 9: said operating means being coupled with said heating means for deactivating the latter upon said completion of cooking of the product, and reactivating said heating means following said dumping of the cooked product; and said protective means preventing the reactivation of said heating means if the temperature of the kettle fails to decrease to said level by saiD predetermined time.