Doughnut frying apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for use in frying doughnuts, said apparatus including a tank for hot oil, an endless conveyor within said tank and extending lengthwise thereof and including transverse flights, the upper course of said conveyor traveling from a pick-up zone adjacent the rear end of the tank towards the other end thereof with the flights at a level to engage and convey floating doughnuts then to ensure their advance, each two flights defining a space for a transverse series of doughnuts, means midway of the conveyor operable to raise the doughnuts in one space and deposit them other side up in the next adjacent forward space, said means including a transverse shaft in said tank and rotated by said conveyor, diametrically opposed doughnut receivers carried by said shaft and defining an acute angle, each receiver including leading and trailing vanes and having as the shaft turns a first position in which the leading vane is above the trailing vane below the conveyor space next to the shaft on the side thereof towards which the doughnuts advance, the trailing vane passing upwardly through said space, as the shaft turns, to pick up doughnuts therein and carry the picked up doughnuts until they topple forwardly onto the leading vane, other side up, then to be lowered into said next forward conveyor space as said leading vane passes downwardly therethrough into a second receiver position in which the trailing vane is above the last named space.