Electronic or microwave furnace or oven

Claim 2

A food transporting and heating means for heating at least one package which is adapted to expand in response to excessive heat absorption comprising a conveyor defining a feed path, heating means arranged along said feed path, plural cooling air dispensing means arranged in a dependent position above and/or along said feed path at selected locations therealong, plural photocell circuit means including light sources directed across said feed path at said selected locations therealong operatively effective to selectively operate said cooling air dispensing means at each said location when the light beam of said light source is interrupted, said conveyor being adapted to convey at least one said package in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means whereby expansion of said package in response to excessive heat absorption causes interruption of one said light source, whereby cool air is dispensed to counteract the effects of said excessive heat absorption.

Claim 3

A food transporting and heating means for heating hermetically sealed food units comprising at least two endless conveyor belts arranged in side-by-side clearance positions from each other so as to define a feed path in the direction of movement of said conveyor belts, heating means arranged beneath and along said feed path, plural cooling air dispensing means arranged in a dependent position above and along said feed path at selected locations therealong in facing relation to said heating means, plural photocell circuit means including light sources directed across said feed path at said selected locations therealong operatively effective to selectively operate said cooling air dispensing means at each said location when the light beam of said light source is interrupted, said conveyors being adapted to convey at least one said food unit in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means whereby expansion of said food unit in response to excessive heat absorption causes interruption of one said light sources, whereby cool air is dispensed to counteract the effects of said excessive heat absorption.

Claim 4

A food transporting and heating means for heating hermetically sealed food units comprising at least two endless conveyor belts arranged in side-by-side clearance positions from each other so as to define a feed path in the direction of movement of said conveyor belts, heating means arranged beneath and along said feed path, plural cooling air dispensing means arranged in a dependent position above and along said feed path at selected locations therealong in facing relation to said heating means, plural photocell circuit means including light sources directed across said feed path at said selected locations therealong operatively effective to selectively operate said cooling air dispensing means at each said location when the light beam of said light source is interrupted, said conveyors being adapted to convey at least one said food unit in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means whereby expansion of said food unit in response to excessive heat absorption causes interruption of one said light sources, whereby cool air is dispensed to counteract the effects of said excessive heat absorption.

Claim 5

A food transporting and heating means as defined in claim 2 wherein said heating means is a high frequency heating means; and including stop means movable from a clearance position beneath said conveyor belts into a blocking position extending into the clearance between said conveyor belts and being adapted to selectively hold a food unit against movement with said conveyor belts, said stop means being located at one or more of said selected locations of said cooling air dispensing means and adapted to confine said food unit against movement during the dispensing of said cooling air.

Claim 6

A food transporting and heating means as defined in claim 3 wherein said stop means includes a spaced-apart pair of front and rear upright arms, said front arm being adapted to confine said food unit against continued movement with said conveyor belts and said rear arm being adapted to hold successive food units from contact with said stationary food unit.

Claim 7

A food transporting and heating means as defined in claim 4 wherein the lateral dimension of said conveyor belts is of a minimal extent being adapted to permit unimpeded slipping movement of said belts beneath a food unit held stationary by one of said stop means.

Claim 8

A food transporting and heating means as defined in claim 3 in the form of a multiple zone transit furnace.

Claim 9

An oven comprising heating means for heating at least one hermetically sealed unit of food positioned in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means, said food unit being adapted to expand in response to excessive heat absorption, cooling means for cooling said food unit when heated, and sensing means positioned to sense expansion of said food unit beyond a predetermined level, said sensing means activating said cooling means in response to expansion of said food unit beyond said predetermined level whereby the effects of excessive heat absorption by said food unit is counteracted.

Claim 10

An oven comprising heating means for heating at least one hermetically sealed unit of food positioned in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means, said food unit being adapted to expand in response to excessive heat absorption, cooling means for cooling said food unit when heated, and sensing means positioned to sense expansion of said food unit beyond a predetermined level, said sensing means activating said cooling means in response to expansion of said food unit beyond said predetermined level whereby the effects of excessive heat absorption by said food unit is counteracted.

Claim 11

An oven as claimed in claim 7, wherein said heating means are dielectrically heating microwave means, and said cooling means comprising at least one air dispensing means arranged to direct cool air on said food unit, said sensing means comprising at least one photocell circuit including a light source associated with the photocell and emitting a beam of light which clears said food unit unless the unit expands beyond said predetermined level and when said food unit expands beyond said predetermined level interrupts said beam whereby said cooling means is activated.

Claim 12

An oven comprising plural heating means for heating one or more hermetically sealed units of food, said food units being adapted to expand in response to localized excessive heat absorption, conveyor means defining a feed path for said units of food through said oven and positioned so that said food units carried on said conveyor are in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means, plural cooling means arranged along said feed path for cooling said food units, plural sensing means, each of said sensing means being positioned to sense expansion of one of said food units beyond a predetermined level and to activate one of said cooling means positioned adjacent said food unit to cool said food unit and counteract the effect of said excessive heat absorption.

Claim 13

An oven comprising plural heating means for heating one or more hermetically sealed units of food, said food units being adapted to expand in response to localized excessive heat absorption, conveyor means defining a feed path for said units of food through said oven and positioned so that said food units carried on said conveyor are in heat-absorbing relation to said heating means, plural cooling means arranged along said feed path for cooling said food units, plural sensing means, each of said sensing means being positioned to sense expansion of one of said food units beyond a predetermined level and to activate one of said cooling means positioned adjacent said food unit to cool said food unit and counteract the effect of said excessive heat absorption.

Claim 14

An oven as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plural heating means are dielectrically heating microwave means, said conveyor means is a belt conveyor passing through the oven, said plural cooling means are air dispensing means arranged along said feed path, and said plural sensing means are a series of photocells, each having an associated light source to emit beams of light at said locations, every beam being clear of the belt conveyor and of said food units unless any of said units expands beyond said predetermined level and interrupts the associated beam whereby said associated cooling means is activated.