Automatic food cooker and dispenser

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.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to vending apparatus, and in particular to a hot 
food cooking and dispensing apparatus. 
BACKGROUND ART 
A number of automatic dispensers have been developed for delivering edible 
and potable foodstuffs. Coin-operated soft drink and coffee dispensers are 
well known. Further, coin-operated dispensers for dispensing candy bars 
and other edible products are well known. 
It is further known to effect the preparation of the foodstuff in the 
coin-operated automatic dispenser, such as for example, in the mixing of 
the drink ingrdients with hot water at the time of dispensing of coffee, 
hot chocolate, soups, and the like. 
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The present invention comprehends an improved automatic dispenser for 
providing hot edible food products wherein cooking of the products is 
effected as a part of the dispensing cycle. 
The invention comprehends the provision of storage means for storing 
aplurality of different foodstuffs for selective cooking and dispensing as 
selected by the customer. 
The dispensing apparatus includes refrigeration means for maintaining the 
stored foodstuffs refrigerated until use. In the illustrated embodiment, 
the refrigeration means comprises freezer means for maintaining the 
foodstuffs below 32.degree. F. prior to the cooking and dispensing 
thereof. 
The apparatus includes means for transferring a portion of the selected 
stored foodstuff to a cooking means wherein rapid cooking is effected. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the cooking means includes a body of hot 
cooking liquid, such as cooking oil. 
The means for transferring the selected foodstuff portion from the storage 
means to the cooking means may comprise a conveying means, such as a belt 
conveyor, a basket-type translatable conveyor, and the like. 
Delivery means are provided for delivering the cooked foodstuff portion 
from the cooking means to a dispensing position. 
The dispenser incudes means for providing a food receptacle at the 
dispensing position for receiving the cooked foodstuffs for subsequent 
consumption by the customer as desired. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the cooking means maintains the cooking 
liquid at a temperature of approximately 385.degree. F., whereby rapid 
thorough cooking of the foodstuff portion is effected. 
The dispenser includes coin-operated control means for causing sequential 
operation of the transfer and delivering means for effecting the transfer, 
cooking and dispensing of the portion of the selected foodstuff stored in 
the storage means. 
Where the transfer means comprises a conveyor belt having an associated 
plurality of pulleys, the pulleys are subjected to vapors from the cooking 
oil so as to permit the cooking oil vapors to lubricate the pulleys. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser includes an outer cabinet 
having a window adjacent the cooking means, permitting observation of the 
cooking of the foodstuff portion therein by the customer. 
The cabinet may be provided with dispensers for the food receptacles which, 
illustratively, may comprise cups, casserole dishes, etc. 
The control means may include means responsive to the disposition of the 
food receptacle at the dispensing position to initiate a cycle of 
operation of the dispenser. 
The transfer means, in the illustrated embodiment, includes auger means for 
delivering a portion of the foodstuffs stored in the storage means to the 
transfer conveyor. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the cooking means comprises a tank for 
holding the hot liquid and means for replenishing the liquid in the tank 
for maintaining a preselected level of the cooking liquid therein. 
The cooking means illustratively includes means for filtering the cooking 
liquid. 
Means are provided for flowing air through the dispenser cabinet, including 
filter means for removing grease from the air prior to exhausting the air 
from the cabinet. 
Means may be provided in the cabinet for automatically extinguishing a fire 
occurring within the cabinet. 
Means may be provided in the cabinet for selectively dispensing condiments 
and the line onto the cooked foodstuff portion dispensed into the food 
receptacle at the dispensing position. 
The condiment dispensing means may be mounted in the cabinet adjacent the 
dispensing position. 
The cooking means, in the illustrated embodment, includes means for 
cyclically replacing the hot liquid in the cooking means. 
The invention comprehends providing a plurality of food container 
dispensers mounted in the cabinet in side-by-side relationship adjacent 
the dispensing position. 
The freezer means may comprise an automatic defrosttype freezer means for 
maintaining the foodstuffs effectively frostfree for facilitated cooking 
thereof with minimal spattering of the cooking liquid. 
The cooking means may include means for selectively providing auxiliary 
heat to the hot liquid as an incident of heating demand. 
Means may be provided for selectively discontinuing the heating of the hot 
liquid, such as during periods of nonuse such as overnight. 
The invention comprehends providing the portions of the foodstuffs, in 
preselected configurations, permitting the rapid cooking by the high 
temperature cooking fluid. 
The portions of the foodstuff cooked in the hot liquid are arranged so that 
thorough cooking of the entirety thereof occurs in the very short cooking 
time as a function of the configuration of the foodstuff portion and the 
temperature of the cooking liquid. It has been found that the foodstuffs 
prepared in this manner are properly and tastefully cooked, witht he short 
cooking time permitting maintained healthful characterisitcs of the 
foodstuffs. 
The hot food dispenser of the present invention is extremely simple of 
construction while yet providing the highly desirable features discussed 
above.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
In the illustrative embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 
of the drawing, an automatic food storage, cooking, and dispensing 
apparatus generally designated 10 is shown to comprise an outer cabinet 11 
defining a front wall 12. A forwardly opening cavity defines a dispensing 
space 13 in a lower portion of the front wall wherein a food-receiving 
receptacle 14 may be temporarily retained by a customer for receiving 
cooked food from a dispensing chute 15 openign into the dispensing space. 
Automatic operation of the apparatus may be effected by a conventional 
coin-operated control 16 mounted within the cabinet 11. A coin-receiving 
slot 17 is provided inthe front wall for receiving suitable coins to 
actuate the control mechanism 16 which, in turn, effects an automatic 
operation of the transfer, cooking, and dispensing mechanism of the 
apparatus. Suitable selector buttons 18 may be provided for selecting any 
one of a plurality of different types of foodstuffs as selected by the 
customer. 
The front wall of the cabinet further defines a window 19 for viewing by 
the customer of cooking means generally designated 20 disposed within the 
cabinet rearwardly of the window. 
More specifically, food portions generally designated 21 are selectively 
stored in a plurality of freezer bins 22 of a freezer storage means 
generally designated 23 provided in an upper portion of cabinet 11. In the 
illustrated embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2, four such storage bins are 
provided for selectively storing four different types of frozen food 
portions. The pushbusttom controls 18 define a corresponding plurality of 
selector buttons corresponding one each to the different bins. 
Each storage bin is provided with a rotary dispensing closure 24 at the 
lower end of a lowermost tapered guide portion 25 of the bin. Each closure 
defines a pair of cavities 26 and 27, which, when opening upwardly into 
the bin, receives a corresponding portion of the food portions stored 
therein. Rotation of the closure 24, as illustrated in FIG. 2, so as to 
position the upwardly opening cavity to a downwardly opening disposition 
effects a transfer of the quantity of the stored food portions received 
therein from the bin 22 onto a subjacent conveyor generally designated 28. 
Concurrently with the effecting of the rotation of the closure 24, control 
16 effects operation of the conveyor 28, which, as shown in FIG. 2, 
comprises a conventional belt conveyor having a blet 29 entrained over a 
pair of pulleys 30 and 31. Pulley 30, as shown in FIG. 2, may be suitably 
driven by a drive motor 32 actuated by the control 16 to effect the 
desired transferring operation of the conveyor. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the closures 24 include a pair of opposed 
cavities 26 whereby, when one cavity is repositioned to open downwardly 
and transfer food portions onto conveyor 28, the other cavity opens 
upwardly into the bin portion 25 to receive a subsequent quantity of food 
portions from the bin. Thus, at all times, the closure 24 is potentiated 
to deliver quickly a preselected quantity of food portions onto the 
transferring means conveyor 28 as an incident of selection thereof by the 
customer. 
As shown in FIG. 3, conveyor 28 drops the selected food portions 21 into 
one end 33 of a transfer basket 34. The opposite end 35 of basket 34 is 
closed to define a cooking container 35 for retaining the transferred food 
portions 21 for immersion thereof in a body of cooking liquid, such as 
cooking oil 36 for a period of time sufficiently to effect thorough 
cooking of the food portions. By proper selection of the size and 
configuration of the cooking portions 21, the cooking of the food portions 
may be effected rapidly while the customer views the cooking operation 
through the window 19. 
Illustratively, the cooking oil may be maintained at a temperature of 
approximately 385.degree. F. to effect the desired rapid cooking, 
notwithstanding the provision of the food portions at a relatively low 
temperature below freezing, such as 0.degree. F. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the freezer structure 23 comprises a 
frostfree apparatus of suitable well-known construction, whereby moisture 
collection in the form of frost on the food particles is effectively 
avoided, thereby minimizing spattering of the cooking oil from frost on 
the food particles. 
The body of cooking oil 36 may be retained in an upwardly opening tank 37. 
Vapors from the cooking oil may be utilized to lubricate the pulley 31 
disposed superjacent the tank and vapors deposited on the conveyor belt 
28, in turn, may be utilized to lubricate the pulley 30 for improved 
operation of the apparatus. 
Upon completion of the cooking of the food portions 21, the transfer basket 
34 is repositioned from the 4 o'clock position of FIG. 3 to the dotted, 2 
o'clock dispensing position shown therein. Thus, the cooked food portions 
are guided by the basket 34 through the open end 35 into a subjacent 
container 14 positioned in dispensing space 13 subjacent the guide chute 
15 by the customer. 
As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, control of the positioning 
of basket 34 may be effected by a selectively rotatable motor 38 so as to 
effect selective positioning from the full line cooking disposition to the 
broken line dispensing disposition only as an incident of the container 14 
actuating a sensor 39 in cavity 13, as a result of the customer placing 
the receptacle 14 appropriately under chute 15. 
Thus, control 16 effects automatic selection of the desired foodstuff from 
the appropriate bin 22 of the freezer apparatus 23, automatic transfer of 
the selected foodstuff portion to the cooking means, and dispensing of the 
cooked food portion as an incident of the customer providing the receiving 
receptacle in the dispensing space. 
For improved efficiency, the heating tank may be maintained at cooking 
temperature by a suitable heating coil 40 embedded in a body of insulation 
41. A supplemental heating coil 42 may be provided for providing extra 
heating to the cooking oil in the even of high demand. Such heating coils 
may be effectively controlled by the control 16 in a conventional manne, 
as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacles 14 are removably received in 
a receptacle holder 43 subjacent the dispensing cavity 13 for facilitated 
access by the customer. As shown, the holder 43 may hold a plurality of 
stacks of such containers. 
In the illustrated embodment, the food receptacles are shown as cups. As 
will be obvious to those skilled in the art, other shapes of such 
containers may be utilized within the broad scope of the invention, 
including casserole dishes, shallow dishes, etc., commensurate with the 
type of food being dispensed. Similarly, the holder 43 may be arranged to 
provide food-receiving containers having different configurations where 
the different types of foodstuffs selectively dispensed would 
appropriately use such different shaped containers. Thus, illustratively, 
one group of containers in dispenser 43 may comprise casserole dish-type 
containers 44. 
Referring now to the embodiment of FIG. 4, a modified form of storage, 
cooking, and dispensing apparatus embodying the invention generally 
designated 110 is shown to comprise an apparatus generally similar to 
apparatus 10, but utilizing a number of modifications in different 
portions thereof. 
More specifically, apparatus 110 includes a food storage portion generally 
designated 123 similar to food storage portion 23. The front wall 112 of 
the cabinet 111 thereof is arranged somewhat differently from the front 
wall 12 of cabinet 11 in that the viewing window is omitted. Similarly, 
the manually selectable container holder is omitted. A condiment dispenser 
145 is provided for selectively delivering condiments onto the dispensed 
foodstuffs in the receptacle 144, as desired. In the illustrated 
embodiment, nozzles 146 for delivering different condiments, such as 
catsup, sauces, etc. 
Apparatus 110 further includes an automatic bill changer generally 
designated 147. The apparatus may include a "sold out" indicator 148, 
indicating to the customer a sold out condition of any one of the 
different foodstuffs. 
The food selector buttons 118 have associated therewith displays 149 
showing a picture of the type of food to be selected by actuation of the 
associated button. Similarly, a price indicating display 150 is associated 
therewith. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the invention comprehends the use of any suitable form 
of transfer mechanism in addition to the belt conveyor 28 illustrated in 
connection with the apparatus 10. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, a screw-type 
conveyor 128 includes a screw drive rod 151 and a traveling basket 152 
which is caused to move horizontally along the length of the rod by 
rotation of the rod by means such as reversible drive motor 132. control 
116 automatically positions the basket under the appropriate bin feed 
closure 124 to receive the foodstuff portion selected by the user. The 
basket is then automatically brought to the righthand end of the rod and 
suitable mechanism 153 engaged with the basket to effect a tipping thereof 
to discharge the transferred foodstuff portion into the transfer cooking 
basket 134. 
As further illustrated in FIG. 5, the tank 137 is provided with a manually 
controlled drain 154. In the illustrated embodiment, the tank comprses a 
tank holding approximately 7 gallons of the cooking oil 136 and a 
replenishment tank 155 is provided holding approximately 5 gallons of 
cooking oil for replenishing the cooking automatically in the tank 137 by 
means of a sensor 156 connected to a pump 157 associated with the tank 
155. 
A filter system generally designated 158 is provided including a pump 159 
driven by a motor 160, which recirculates the oil from tank 137 through a 
filter 161 so as to remove food particles, etc. from the cooking oil 
before recirculating the oil back to the tank 137. 
Apparatus 110 includes an automatic dish dispenser generally designated 162 
of conventional construction for selectively delivering one at a time of 
food-receiving dish 144 to the dispensing position 113. Concurrently with 
the delivery of the dish to the food dispensing position, the cooking 
basket 134 is repositioed in the same manner as cooking basket 34 of 
apparatus 10 to deliver the cooked foodstuff portion into the subjacent 
receptacle 144 in the dispensing position. 
The condiment dispensr 145 may include a front closure door 163, which is 
selectively positioned by an operator 164 to provide access to the 
condiment dispenser only upon delivery of the prepared foodstuffs to the 
container 144. Thus, the control 164 may be include an automatic timer for 
closing the door 163, thereby providing controlled access to the condiment 
dispenser nozzles 146. 
To minimize the amount of grease vapor within the cabinet, cabinets 10 and 
110 may be provided with an air circulation means, including an exhaust 
fan 165, and an associated air filter 166, which may include a grease 
collecting portion 167, a pleated fiber filter 168, a microtain portion 
169, and an activated charcoal portion 170 for successively treating the 
air before discharge from the cabinet through fan 165. 
An automatically operable fire extinguisher 171, of conventional type, may 
be provided within the cabinet adjacent the cooking oil tank for 
extinguishing any flames which might occur because of failure of the 
heating means. 
The freezer apparatus 123 may include a stainless steel insulated housing 
172. As will be obvious to those skilled inthe art, other components of 
the food storage, transfer, and cooking means are preferably similarly 
formed of sanitary materia, such as stainless steel. 
Each of the apparatuses 10 and 110 may include the air filter means, 
automatic oil filtration, and heating means as described above. Thus, 
elements of either of the two apparatuses which are similar are identified 
by similar reference numerals but 100 different. Unless otehrwise 
described, the components of the apparatuses, as identified, comprise 
components of conventional commercial construction and require no further 
description, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
It has been found that the automatic vending apparatus of the invention is 
adapted for use in providing a wide range of different foodstuffs. 
Illustratively, the apparatus may be utilized for vending french fries, 
chicken nuggets, onion rings, cheese balls, steak strips, breaded 
mushrooms, breaded zucchini, pizza puffs, eggrolls, potato puffs, sausage 
links, ravioli, seafood puffs, breaded shrimp, breaded scallops, hugh 
puppies, breaded cauliflower, breaded pepper strips, etc., as well as 
ethnic foods, such as burritos, taco puffs, nachos, pillow tacos, breaded 
okra, etc. It has been found that a wide range of such foodstuffs may be 
prepared quickly and cooked thoroughly, notwithstanding the frozen 
condition thereof as delivered from the storage means. By maintaining the 
cooking fluid at a preselected high temperature and sanitary at all times, 
highly tasteful and healthful foodstuff preparation is effected. The 
selection of the particular foodstuffs may be made by the operator of the 
apparatus commensurate with the desires of the particular customers. 
Where the apparatus is installed in locations under intermittent use 
conditions, such as conditions wherein the apparatus would not be used 
overnight, the control may include means for discontinuing the heating of 
the cooking fluid for preselected times, thereby extending the useful life 
of the cooking fluid. By providing the heating means externally of the 
tank, the improved uniform heating of the oil is effected without charring 
the same. 
As shown in FIG. 6, in lieu of the rotary transfer closures 24, an 
auger-type mechanism generally designated 173 may be utilized wherein an 
auger 174 is enclosed within a housing 175 having an opening 176 at the 
lower end of the storge bin 122. The auger is selectively rotated by a 
drive motor 177 so as to transfer foodstuff from bin 122 to a discharge 
openign 178 to the subjacent basket 152 when properly located below the 
opening. 
The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the 
broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.