Automatic food cooker and dispenser
First Claim
1. A hot food dispenser comprising:
- storage means for storing a plurality of different foodstuffs at a temperature below 32°
F. and substantially free of surface water;
cooking means having a body of hot cooking oil at a preselected temperature above 212°
F. for rapidly cooking said foodstuffs;
transfer means for selectively delivering a portion of any one of the different foodstuffs from said storage means and into said ot oil for effecting cooking thereof during a preselected period of cooking time;
delivery means for delivering the cooked foodstuff portion to a dispensing position; and
coin-operated control means for cuasing sequential operation of said transfer and delivery means for effecting a transfer, cooking, and dispensing of a portion of a selected foodstuff stored in said storage means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hot foot dispenser including structure for storing foodstuffs at below-freezing temperatures, transferring a portion of the foodstuffs from the storage structure to a cooking tank, and delivering the cooked foodstuff portions from the cooking tank after completion of a rapid cooking thereof to a dispensing position. Different forms of conveyors are illustrated for transferring the foodstuff portions selectively from any one of a plurality of different storage elements containing different foodstuffs as selected by a customer. Structure is provided for maintaining the cooking fluid sanitary. Structure is provided for effecting an automatic transfer of the cooked foodstuff portions to the dispensing position as an incident of the reception of a food-receiving receptacle thereat. Air circulating structure is provided for flowing air through the apparatus and filtering the air before discharging the same to ambient atmosphere. The food container may permit manual selection thereof or automatic delivery to the dispensing position in different forms of the disclosed invention. A condiment dispenser is provided for providing condiments onto the prepared foodstuffs in the receptacle, as desired by the customer. An auger-type dispenser for transferring foodstuff portions to the transfer structure is also disclosed.
73 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A hot food dispenser comprising:
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storage means for storing a plurality of different foodstuffs at a temperature below 32°
F. and substantially free of surface water;cooking means having a body of hot cooking oil at a preselected temperature above 212°
F. for rapidly cooking said foodstuffs;transfer means for selectively delivering a portion of any one of the different foodstuffs from said storage means and into said ot oil for effecting cooking thereof during a preselected period of cooking time; delivery means for delivering the cooked foodstuff portion to a dispensing position; and coin-operated control means for cuasing sequential operation of said transfer and delivery means for effecting a transfer, cooking, and dispensing of a portion of a selected foodstuff stored in said storage means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A hot food dispenser comprising:
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storage and refrigeration means for storing a plurality of different foodstuffs substantially free of surface water; cooking means having a body of hot cooking oil at a temperature of over 212°
F. for rapidly cooking said foodstuffs;transfer means for selectively delivering a portion of any one of the different foodstuffs from said storage means and into said hot oil for effecting cooking thereof; means for removing foreign material from the hot oil transferred thereto by said foodstuffs including means for circulating the oil in said cooking means; delivery means for delivering the cooked foodstuff portion to a dispensing position; and coin-operated controlmeans for causing sequential operation of said transfer and delivery means for effecting a transfer, cooking, and dispensing of selected portions of any of said foodstuffs stored in said storage means. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification