Apparatus for cooking foods

Claim 2

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed, perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said surface-providing means, said heat-radiating means comprising two pairs of supporting rods, each pair being on one side of the surface-providing means, insulating means surrounding each rod, and a pair of electrically conductive heating elements, one on each side of said surface-providing means, each heating element being wound around both of the insulating means on one side of the surfaceproviding means to form a coil having spaced turns.

Claim 3

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed, perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said surface-providing means, said heat-radiating means comprising at least one electrically conductive heating coil and supporting means for said coil, said supporting means comprising a plurality of short, tubular ceramic insulating elements, a supporting rod extending through said ceramic elements, means mounting said rod against movement transverse to its length but allowing lengthwise expansion and contraction of said rods, and means maintaining a resilient pressure against said ceramic element at at least one end of the plurality of ceramic elements to prevent separation of said ceramic elements, one from another.

Claim 4

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed, perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said surface-providing means, said heat-radiating means comprising at least one electrically conductive heating coil and supporting means for said coil, said supporting means comprising a plurality of short, tubular ceramic insulating elements, a supporting rod extending through said ceramic elements, means mounting said rod against movement transverse to its length but allowing lengthwise expansion and contraction of said rods, and means maintaining a resilient pressure against said ceramic element at at least one end of the plurality of ceramic elements to prevent separation of said ceramic elements, one from another.

Claim 5

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed, perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said surface-providing means, said heat-radiating means comprising at least one electrically conductive heating coil, at least one insulated rod supporting said coil, at least one metal hook supporting said insulated rod, and means for connecting said hook to a supporting frame, said connecting means comprising an insulator for electrically isolating said hook from said frame.

Claim 6

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed, perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said surface-providing means, said heat-radiating means comprising at least one electrically conductive heating coil, at least one insulated rod supporting said coil, at least one metal hook supporting said insulated rod, and means for connecting said hook to a supporting frame, said connecting means comprising an insulator for electrically isolating said hook from said frame.

Claim 7

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said perforate surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said perforate surface, the elongated part of each of said links having a hook attached to it at the end which is uppermost when the link is in inclined relationship with the vertical, and said guide means including a substantially straight guide rod, and means for guiding said hooks onto said guide rod.

Claim 8

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said perforate surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said perforate surface, the elongated part of each of said links having a hook attached to it at the end which is uppermost when the link is in inclined relationship with the vertical, and said guide means including a substantially straight guide rod, and means for guiding said hooks onto said guide rod.

Claim 9

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said perforate surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, and heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said perforate surface, each of said links being provided, at its end which is lowermost when the link is in inclined relationship with the vertical, with means for preventing food from sliding off said chain.

Claim 10

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path, guide means maintaining at least a part of said perforate surface in inclined relationship to the vertical, and heat-radiating means on both sides of an inclined part of said perforate surface, each of said links being provided, at its end which is lowermost when the link is in inclined relationship with the vertical, with means for preventing food from sliding off said chain.

Claim 11

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining said surface, throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said surface providing means in said part of said path, means, directly fixed to and carried by said surface-providing means, for preventing food from sliding off said surface, and heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said surface-providing means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining said surface, throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said surface providing means in said part of said path, means, directly fixed to and carried by said surface-providing means, for preventing food from sliding off said surface, and heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said surface-providing means.

Claim 13

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining said surface throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said surface providing means in said part of said path, means, directly fixed to and carried by said surface-providing means, for preventing food from sliding off said surface, and heat radiating means located on both sides of the inclined part of said surface-providing means and so arrangeD with respect to each other and to said surface as to provide a space underneath the lowermost edge of the inclined part of said surface for drippage of grease.

Claim 14

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising means providing a flexible, closed perforate surface having a relatively narrow width compared to its length, means for driving said surface-providing means in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining said surface throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said surface providing means in said part of said path, means, directly fixed to and carried by said surface-providing means, for preventing food from sliding off said surface, and heat radiating means located on both sides of the inclined part of said surface-providing means and so arrangeD with respect to each other and to said surface as to provide a space underneath the lowermost edge of the inclined part of said surface for drippage of grease.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said surface includes means for conveying grease to the lowermost edge of the inclined part thereof.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 7 including means providing an enclosure for impeding the escape of hot air from the vicinity of said inclined part of said surface.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 7 including means located underneath the lowermost edge of the inclined part of said surface for containing water to catch grease which drips from said edge.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 7 including a box covering said inclined part of said surface, said box having an opening in one of its ends through which said surface-providing means enters the interior of the box and being open at least in part at its bottom, and including means for blowing air inwardly through said opening into the space within said box.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said heat radiating means comprises at least two resistive electrical heating coils, one on each side of the inclined part of said surface.

Claim 20

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining the elongated parts of said links, throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said chain in said part of said path, means, provided along the edge of said chain which is lowermost when said chain is inclined, for preventing food from sliding off said chain, heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said chain.

Claim 21

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in a closed-loop path, guide means maintaining the elongated parts of said links, throughout at least part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane in which there lies a line parallel to the direction of travel of said chain in said part of said path, means, provided along the edge of said chain which is lowermost when said chain is inclined, for preventing food from sliding off said chain, heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said chain.

Claim 22

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of sad links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in a closed-loop path having upper and lower parts, guide means maintaining the elongated parts of the links in a part of said surface along the upper part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane, and allowing the remainder of the elongated parts of the links in the upper part of said path to lie substantially horizontally, heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said surface along the upper part of said path a container for cleaning liquid, and means for guiding the chain downwardly into and upwardly out of said liquid in the lower part of said path whereby said chain becomes temporarily immersed in said liquid.

Claim 23

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous chain made up of a plurality of individual links, each of sad links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts providing a perforate supporting surface for food, means for driving said chain in a closed-loop path having upper and lower parts, guide means maintaining the elongated parts of the links in a part of said surface along the upper part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane, and allowing the remainder of the elongated parts of the links in the upper part of said path to lie substantially horizontally, heat radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said surface along the upper part of said path a container for cleaning liquid, and means for guiding the chain downwardly into and upwardly out of said liquid in the lower part of said path whereby said chain becomes temporarily immersed in said liquid.

Claim 24

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous, twistable conveyor chain comprising a plurality of individual links each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for carrying food, each link having a pair of loops, one loop of said pair being connected to and located near one end of the elongated part of said link and the other loop of said pair being connected to and located near the other end of said elongated part, the loops in each of said pairs extending around an elongated part of a next adjacent link and at least one of the loops in said pair defining an area substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the elongated part around which it extends, to allow twisting of said chain in a relatively short distance, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path having upper and lower parts, guide means maintaining the elongaTed parts of the links, in a part of said surface along the upper part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane, and allowing the remainder of the elongated parts of the links in the upper part of said path to lie substantially horizontally, and heat-radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said perforate surface.

Claim 25

Apparatus for cooking foods comprising a continuous, twistable conveyor chain comprising a plurality of individual links each of said links having an elongated part extending transversely to the length of the chain, the elongated parts of said links providing a perforate supporting surface for carrying food, each link having a pair of loops, one loop of said pair being connected to and located near one end of the elongated part of said link and the other loop of said pair being connected to and located near the other end of said elongated part, the loops in each of said pairs extending around an elongated part of a next adjacent link and at least one of the loops in said pair defining an area substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the elongated part around which it extends, to allow twisting of said chain in a relatively short distance, means for driving said chain in an elongated closed-loop path having upper and lower parts, guide means maintaining the elongaTed parts of the links, in a part of said surface along the upper part of said path, in inclined relationship with a vertical plane, and allowing the remainder of the elongated parts of the links in the upper part of said path to lie substantially horizontally, and heat-radiating means on both sides of the inclined part of said perforate surface.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 14 including brush means located in said container and in contact with said chain.