Patent ID: 8651016
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
1. A unitized vacuum fryer constructed and arranged for low atmosphere vacuum cooking of food products, comprising: a hermetically sealed, elongated cooking tunnel separable along a horizontal plane into an upper hood portion and a lower base portion, hoisting means for lifting said hood portion from said base portion serving to permit ready internal access to said tunnel for maintenance and cleaning, vacuum sealing means arranged at the joining surfaces of said base and hood portions and being operable to seal and unseal in response to the creation and release of vacuum conditions within said tunnel, food product fryer means arranged within said tunnel and continuously operable to cook products under vacuum conditions at selected cooking oil temperatures, vacuum chamber pressures and cook times, said tunnel having a product input end and a product discharge end, hermetic locks arranged at each said input and discharge ends serving to afford product input and discharge with minimal air ingress, vacuum system means in communication with the tunnel serving continuously to remove the vapors generated by the food products under cooking conditions, and to evacuate vapor from said tunnel to a negative pressure on the order of minus 14.0 psi.