An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

A cooking system includes an appliance defining a food product volume and a fluid aperture fluidly coupled to the food product volume, a conduit configured to fluidly couple a fire suppressant supply to the fluid aperture, the fire suppressant supply being configured to provide a fire suppressant agent, a flow restrictor positioned along the conduit and configured to restrict a flow rate of the fire suppressant agent through the conduit, and a check valve positioned along the conduit. A portion of the conduit extends between the check valve and the fluid aperture and fluidly couples the check valve to the fluid aperture. The conduit is configured to introduce the fire suppressant agent from the fire suppressant supply into the food product volume of the appliance through the fluid aperture.

For the monitoring of an oil situated in a tank 19, it is provided that an oil measurement device 1 be equipped with a rigid or flexible probe 2 such that, by the use of a pump 5 integrated in the oil measurement device 1, oil can be delivered out of the tank 19 via an inlet opening 3 at the proximal end of the probe 2 into a measurement chamber 4, which is connected to the probe, of the oil measurement device 1. Here, the oil measurement device 1 has a measurement sensor for determining the quality of oil situated in the measurement chamber 4, and the pump 5, in conjunction with the probe 2, is configured such that oil can be returned from the measurement chamber 4 to the inlet opening 3 and thus to the tank 19.

An article for facilitating and encouraging proper disposal of cooking oils includes an aesthetic body shaped in the appearance of at least a portion of a monkey having at least an open mouth; a mount for attaching the aesthetic body to a portion of a waste receptacle; a funnel disposed substantially within the open mouth of the monkey and leading to a cooking oil conduit, which is disposed substantially within the interior space of the aesthetic body and is provided at its distal end with internal threading that is sized and shaped to accept and dependently support a container for collecting cooking oil. At least one stabilizing means for holding a frying pan, skillet, sauce pot or the like in place about the open mouth of the monkey is provided. A solids screen and an air conduit ensure rapid and unimpeded flow through the conduit of cooking oil.

Food holding, mounting, and/or positioning devices, with particular application to, although not necessarily limited to, supporting unitary articles of food, including, but not necessarily limited to, deep frying large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. A simplified cooking liquid filtering apparatus. A method and apparatus to simplifies, and makes more accurate, cooking liquid dispensing, and measurement. Example devices use liquid to cook foods, with particular application to, but not limited to, deep frying large unitary food articles, including, but not limited to, large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. Further example devices store, dispense, and measure pourable materials, including both liquid and dry materials. An informational device, with particular applications to, but not limited to, provides instructions, and more particularly, although not limited to, providing operating instructions for household cooking devices.

An apparatus for preparing food is provided, and includes a food chamber sized to receive at least one food item, a cutting structure configured to cut the at least one food item when pressed into contact therewith, an impeller for impelling the at least one food item into contact with the cutting structure, a liquid chamber for storing a liquid, a heating system for heating the liquid, and a liquid introduction system in communication with the liquid chamber, the liquid introduction system being operable to introduce at least one of a liquid mist and a liquid spray in the food chamber.

Fire protection mist nozzles for industrial oil cookers, oil cookers with fire protection systems, and method of oil cooker fire protection are provided. The mist nozzles operate at pressures between 170 and 250 psi, and provide a unique distribution pattern that allows for variable installations for protection in certain operative environments including oil cookers with various hood configurations. The fire protection nozzles includes a base defining an inlet and an outlet along an axis. The base includes an orifice having an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter. The outlet diameter is preferably greater than the inlet diameter; and the orifice defines a K-factor of less than 1.0 gpm/psi½. The nozzle includes a diffuser aligned with the orifice. The diffuser has a preferably substantially domed portion with a maximum diameter that is less than the summation of the inlet diameter and the outlet diameter of the orifice.

A mobile machine for recovery and on site storage of used cooking oil with reservoir, detachable pump, oil reservoir, wand, wand filter, casters, hoses, fittings, withdrawal port, and oil level determination means.

A used cooking oil filtration system (100) includes a housing (102) defining an interior space (104), a gas source (130), a gas inlet (134) fluidly coupled to the gas source (130) to permit the introduction of a gas to the interior space (104) of the housing (102). The housing (102) further includes a fluid inlet (108), a fluid outlet (114), and filter media (116) disposed proximate the fluid outlet (114). The housing (102) is at least partially immersed in used cooking oil (150) and gas pressure in the interior space is maintained at a first pressure level at which used cooking oil flows into the interior space. The gas source (130) increases the gas pressure in the interior space to a second pressure level at which the used cooking oil flows through the filter media and exits the housing (102) through the fluid outlet (114). Flowing the used cooling oil through the filter media (116) reduces the concentration of one or more contaminants present at a first contaminant level in the used cooking oil to a second contaminant level.

A pan holder for supporting batter-dipping pans from the front edge of a restaurant type fryer, especially a flat bottom type fryer with a raised front edge. The pan holder comprises a frame with an opening for receiving the batter-dipping pan and supporting the upper flange of the pan, a rear hook edge configured to mate with the front raised edge of the fryer, and side brace panels for engaging the front face of the fryer. The holder includes finger holes in both sides of the frame, extending beyond the pan flange so that the pan can be lifted evenly out of the frame; utensil holders formed in the side brace panels; and a perforated and/or discontinuous rear hook edge configured to reduce heat transfer and increase drainage of hot oil.