Chicken cooking apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken comprising: a pressure vessel adapted to contain cooking liquid and having a cover assembly for sealingly closing said vessel, an electric heater for heating said liquid in said vessel to elevated temperatures, vent means operable automatically to selectively open and close said closed vessel to the atmosphere, temperature sensitive means for controlling said heater as a function of the temperature of said liquid to maintain said liquid at selected elevated temperatures, timing means for automatically initiating timed operation of said vent means and said temperature sensitive means, said temperature sensitive means controlling said heater to maintain said liquid at a first selected elevated temperature in response to operation of said timing means during a first time interval and controlling said heater to maintain said liquid above a second elevated temperature lower than said first elevated temperature in response to operation of said timing means during a second time interval, said vent means operable to open said closed vessel to the atmosphere in response to the operation of said timing mEans during said first time interval and operable to close said vessel to the atmosphere in response to operation of said timing means during said second time interval.

Claim 3

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vent means is operable to open said vessel to the atmosphere in response to operation of said timing means subsequent to said second time interval.

Claim 4

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken in accordance with claim 1, wherein said temperature sensitive means includes first temperature responsive switch means operable to control said heater to maintain said liquid at said first elevated temperature and second temperature responsive switch means operable to maintain said liquid above said second elevated temperature, said apparatus including control switch means for sequentially selecting said first and second temperature responsive switch means to control said heater in response to operation of said timing means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken in accordance with claim 3, including additional first temperature responsive switch means operable to control said heater to maintain said liquid at an alternative first selected elevated temperature, and additional switch means for alternatively selecting one of said first temperature responsive switch means to control said heater.

Claim 6

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken comprising a pressure vessel adapted to contain cooking liquid and having a cover assembly for sealingly closing said vessel, an electrically controlled heater for heating said liquid in said vessel to elevated temperatures, vent means operable to selectively connect said closed vessel to the atmosphere, an electrically controlled solenoid valve for operating said vent means, and an electric control circuit, said control circuit including a plurality of normally closed temperature responsive switch means connected in parallel with each other, and in series with said electrically controlled heater, each of said temperature responsive switch means opening in response to the temperature of said liquid in said vessel reaching a selected elevated temperature, a first of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a first elevated temperature, a second of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a second elevated temperature lower than said first temperature and a third of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a third temperature lower than said second temperature, selector switch means connected in series with said first temperature responsive switch means, first normally closed control switch means connected in series with said first and second temperature responsive switch means, whereby said heater is controlled by said first temperature responsive switch means when said selector switch means is closed to maintain said liquid at said first elevated temperature, and said heater is alternatively controlled by said second temperature responsive switch means when said selector switch means is open to maintain said liquid at said second elevated temperature, second normally open control switch means connected in series with said solenoid valve, timer means for controlling the operation of said control switches to define a cooking cycle, a start switch for initiating operation of said timer means and control means responsive to the operation of said timer means for maintaining said first control switch means normally closed and said second control switch means normally open during a first portion of said cooking cycle, for opening said normally closed control switch to effect control of said heater by said third temperature responsive switch means to maintain said liquid at said third elevated temperature and for closing said normally open control switch means to energize said solenoid Valve and close said vent means during a second portion of said cooking cycle, and for re-opening said normally open control switch means to de-energize said solenoid valve and open said vent means after said second portion of said cooking cycle.

Claim 7

Apparatus for automatically and uniformly deep-fat frying successive batches of chicken comprising a pressure vessel adapted to contain cooking liquid and having a cover assembly for sealingly closing said vessel, an electrically controlled heater for heating said liquid in said vessel to elevated temperatures, vent means operable to selectively connect said closed vessel to the atmosphere, an electrically controlled solenoid valve for operating said vent means, and an electric control circuit, said control circuit including a plurality of normally closed temperature responsive switch means connected in parallel with each other, and in series with said electrically controlled heater, each of said temperature responsive switch means opening in response to the temperature of said liquid in said vessel reaching a selected elevated temperature, a first of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a first elevated temperature, a second of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a second elevated temperature lower than said first temperature and a third of said temperature responsive switch means opening at a third temperature lower than said second temperature, selector switch means connected in series with said first temperature responsive switch means, first normally closed control switch means connected in series with said first and second temperature responsive switch means, whereby said heater is controlled by said first temperature responsive switch means when said selector switch means is closed to maintain said liquid at said first elevated temperature, and said heater is alternatively controlled by said second temperature responsive switch means when said selector switch means is open to maintain said liquid at said second elevated temperature, second normally open control switch means connected in series with said solenoid valve, timer means for controlling the operation of said control switches to define a cooking cycle, a start switch for initiating operation of said timer means and control means responsive to the operation of said timer means for maintaining said first control switch means normally closed and said second control switch means normally open during a first portion of said cooking cycle, for opening said normally closed control switch to effect control of said heater by said third temperature responsive switch means to maintain said liquid at said third elevated temperature and for closing said normally open control switch means to energize said solenoid Valve and close said vent means during a second portion of said cooking cycle, and for re-opening said normally open control switch means to de-energize said solenoid valve and open said vent means after said second portion of said cooking cycle.