Filter for deep fryer

Claim 2

A deep fat fryer vessel comprising: a. a vat adapted to contain a volume of liquid fat for frying articles of food; b. heating means in a lower portion of said vat; c. a compartment in one side of said vat, said compartment defining a passageway having a top opening at the liquid level of said volume of liquid fat and a bottom opening communicating with the lower portion of said vat, whereby fat overflowing from said vat into said compartment and cooled by convection will be returned to the bottom of said vat; and d. a filter element removably disposed within said compartment from the top opening thereof and forming a wall of filtering material across the said passageway through which the flow of liquid fat passes for return to the vat.

Claim 3

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 1 in which: said filter element is tubular in form and extends downwardly into said passageway, said filter element has an open end at the top opening of said passageway and a closed bottom end, and means is provided to close the top of the passageway except for the open end of the filter element whereby liquid fat displaced from said vat cyclically enters the open end of said tubular filter element and passes radially outward therefrom into said compartment for circulation through the bottom opening of said compartment into the lower portion of said vat.

Claim 4

A deep fryer veSsel in accordance with claim 1 in which said filter element comprises an elongated trough made of a filtering material recessed into and covering the top opening of said compartment.

Claim 5

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 1 in which the wall of said filter element comprises a plurality of layers of a filtering sheet material alternating with layers of a discrete solid filter material.

Claim 6

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 4 in which: a. said layers of filtering sheet material are of progressively finer porocity in the direction of flow of the liquid fat therethrough, and b. said discrete solid filter material comprises a granular material adapted to decolorize and deodorize said liquid fat.

Claim 7

A deep fat fryer vessel in accordance with claim 1 wherein: a. said top opening of said compartment is elongated and provided with upwardly facing edge surfaces at its opposite sides; and b. said filter element comprises an elongated trough-shaped porous member having elongated flat outwardly projecting flanged edges in the plane of the open trough; c. said filter element being adapted to be held within the top opening of said compartment with the flat flanged edges thereof supported by the edges of said opening.

Claim 8

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 6 in which: a. a handle means is provided extending across said trough between said flanged edges.

Claim 9

A deep fat fryer in accordance with claim 6 in which: a. said filter element comprises spaced parallel layers of filter paper in nested face-to-face relation; and b. the space between the layers contains a discrete particulate absorbent material of the group consisting of diatomaceous earth, infusorial earth, clay, silica, limestone, activated charcoal, bone black, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 10

A deep fryer vessel comprising a vat adapted to contain a volume of liquid fat for frying articles of food, heating means in a lower portion of said vat, a compartment in one side of said vat defining a passageway having a top opening at the liquid level of said volume of liquid fat and a bottom opening communicating with the lower portion of said vat, and a filter element removably disposed within said compartment from the top opening thereof and forming a wall of filtering material across the said passageway through which the convection flow of liquid fat overflowing from the vat into the compartment passes for return to the vat; and in which a. said top opening of said compartment is circular having a recessed flange thereabout; b. said filter element comprises an open ended tubular member and includes c. a top collar affixed to the periphery of said member; and d. a bottom closure affixed to the bottom end of said member and closing the same, said bottom closure being of lesser diameter than the opening of said compartment; e. said top collar of said filter element seating on the recessed flange of the top opening of said compartment whereby said liquid fat continuously cycles from the top of said vat into the top end of said filter element, through the walls thereof into said compartment and through the bottom opening of the compartment into said vat.

Claim 11

A deep fryer vessel comprising a vat adapted to contain a volume of liquid fat for frying articles of food, heating means in a lower portion of said vat, a compartment in one side of said vat defining a passageway having a top opening at the liquid level of said volume of liquid fat and a bottom opening communicating with the lower portion of said vat, and a filter element removably disposed within said compartment from the top opening thereof and forming a wall of filtering material across the said passageway through which the convection flow of liquid fat overflowing from the vat into the compartment passes for return to the vat; and in which a. said top opening of said compartment is circular having a recessed flange thereabout; b. said filter element comprises an open ended tubular member and includes c. a top collar affixed to the periphery of said member; and d. a bottom closure affixed to the bottom end of said member and closing the same, said bottom closure being of lesser diameter than the opening of said compartment; e. said top collar of said filter element seating on the recessed flange of the top opening of said compartment whereby said liquid fat continuously cycles from the top of said vat into the top end of said filter element, through the walls thereof into said compartment and through the bottom opening of the compartment into said vat.

Claim 12

A deep fat fryer in accordance with claim 9 in which: a. said tubular member comprises concentric walls of a paper filter medium radially spaced from one another; and b. the space between said walls contains a discrete particulate material of the group consisting of diatomaceous earth, infusorial earth, clay, silica, limestone, activated charcoal and bone black, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 9 in which said filter element has means therein adapted to be engaged to lift said filter from said compartment.

Claim 14

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 11 in which said means comprises a crossbar located intermediate the ends of said filter.

Claim 15

A deep fryer vessel in accordance with claim 11 in which said means comprises a bayonet-slotted element in the bottom of said filter.