Abstract:
A machine to fast cook raw food-stuff including dry-goods such as pasta on demand. Cook time is user selectable and varies from less than one minute to 4 minutes. Higher cook times are user programmable and food type dependent. The separate boiler and cook chamber are sealed within an enclosure containing a heat transfer fluid. Porting enables the ingress, egress and transfer of raw and cooked food-stuff, liquid and vapor. Proprietary slide plate valves control food-stuff ingress and egress to the cook chamber. The upper slide plate valve assembly separates the cook chamber from the raw food ingress staging aperture. Rinse water and cooked food-stuff discharges into the drain pan containing and enclosing the food collection strainer through the lower slide plate valve assembly. Discharge of the cooked food product completes the cook cycle. The cooked food can then be deposited from the strainer onto a serving vessel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of machines that cooks individual and multiple portions of a variety of raw food-stuff including dry-goods such as pasta using process controlled and guided automation programmed for limited operator intervention. Fast-cook technology must address consistent quality, the capability to fast-cook a variety of raw food products, and be capable of being integrated for use in hospitality, restaurant and fast-food markets, as well as self-service venues such as vending, cafeterias, and the like. Prior art machines of this kind required the use of proprietary pasta designs to enable quick cooking, or did not include reliable controls, operational apparatus, and process designs. This design incorporates improvements over prior art necessary to reliably monitor and maintain process temperature and pressure conditions required for consistent cooking quality and provide reliable and consistent machine operation, and enable flexibility to cook a variety of commonly available raw food-stuffs including dry-goods such as commercially available pasta, all within cooking times of 4 minutes or less. The machine in accordance with the present invention includes such controls and apparatus as well as an innovative, efficient, yet simplified cooking design, including proprietary process controls, and product delivery and discharge valves, thus solving the problem of failing to reliably and consistently cook a variety of commercially available as well as proprietary raw food-stuffs. 
         [0002]    Prior art machines for cooking foods such as spaghetti and other pasta include those disclosed in the following United States patents: 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,364 which issued Jul. 23, 1991 on an application filed by the same inventors as in this case. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,632 discloses a machine which performs a three phase cooking process and utilizes a plurality of cooking chambers. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,160 discloses a machine for fast cooking of pasta and the like which also utilizes a plurality of cooking chambers, in this case two, and a food transfer system comprising a conduit and valve through which the pasta must be moved in order to complete the second phase of the cooking cycle. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,916 discloses a machine for rapidly cooking batches of spaghetti, which also utilizes cooking chambers and requires a food transfer system comprising a valve and conduit through which the food has to be moved from the first cooking chamber to the second. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,632 discloses an apparatus for automatically cooking pasta comprising a basket to hold the pasta inside a housing which receives heated water, two heat exchangers and a recirculation system to conserve and re-utilize heat from previously used water to cook a previous batch of pasta. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,917 discloses an apparatus to automatically cook pasta and deposit it on a serving plate, comprising a basket to hold the serving of pasta to be cooked, a cooking vessel to receive boiling water which can be moved upwardly to receive the basket of pasta therein for cooking, and apparatus to thereafter move the basket of cooked pasta into position over the serving plate whereupon it opens to deposit the pasta on the plate. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,261 discloses a cooking apparatus for simultaneously cooking several separate quantities of pasta, including a plurality of perforated baskets to hold each quantity of pasta, and a chamber of steam and hot water in which the baskets of pasta are suspended for cooking. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,514 discloses a cooking device for cooking individual servings of food, comprising a plurality of perforated pots to hold individual servings of pasta or the like, into which boiling water is pumped from a reservoir to cook the pasta, after which the pots are lifted to let the water drain through the perforations and the individual servings can then be removed for eating. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,482 discloses an automatic high pressure flash cooker to cook beans or grains under high pressure steam, comprising a steaming chamber in which the food product is exposed to steam, and conduits to introduce the steam therein as well as to later drain the water and steam there from, after which the flash-cooked beans or grains are removed. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,045 discloses an automatic cooking and vending machine for boiled noodles, comprising a refrigeration chamber to hold containers of precooked or boiled noodles, a cooking chamber to heat the noodles and eventually add a broth thereto for flavoring, then dispensing the broth flavored noodles in the containers for eating. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,391 discloses an apparatus for steam pressure cooking of food, comprising a steam pressure cooker, an open top container therein to hold the food to be cooked, a steam distributing pipe having apertures for release of steam positioned below the open top containers, and steam from an external source is pumped into and through the steam distributing pipe from which steam exits through the apertures and through the food in the open top container positioned above the steam distributing pipe. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Fast-cook technology must address consistent quality, the capability to quickly cook a variety of commercially available raw food-stuffs, cook said food-stuff at a significant time and energy savings, aid the end-user and commercial enterprises to meet the demands of economic operation, rapid order turnaround, preparation cost savings, reduced food waste, as well as support for innovative machine applications such as vending. Prior art machines of this kind were not capable of reliable and consistent fast-cook operation, were limited to proprietary raw food designs to enable quick order to plate turnaround while sacrificing economy, and suffered from inconsistent cooking quality of raw food-stuffs in commercial environments. Additionally prior art did not include the process elements and apparatus designs included in this patent, necessary to reliably monitor and maintain the process temperatures and pressures required to enable consistent cooking quality, nor were prior art designs robust enough for reliable machine operation in a compact package that would function reliably, provide for user-selectable cooking controls, and yet operate with minimal user intervention. 
         [0015]    The design of the invention is ideally suited to service the fast food, hospitality and vending industries that require fast cooking of raw food-stuffs in 4 minutes or less, within the confines of a single cooking chamber using superheated water. Superheated water promotes the uniform heating and accelerated hydration for high-speed cooking of the targeted food-stuff. 
         [0016]    The raw food-stuff is either automatically or manually introduced into the cook chamber. The cook chamber containing the raw food-stuff is charged with water superheated above 100 degrees Celsius and pressurized. Using process control circuitry, sensors, smart heating elements and software, the process is more efficiently and reliably managed. When cooking has proceeded for a pre-set period of time, at controlled temperatures and pressures, the chamber is decompressed, the cooked product rinsed with cooler water below 100 degrees Celsius, and then discharged into the food collection strainer. Process control includes sensors to monitor both temperature and pressure in the boiler and cook chamber, includes feedback loops to modulate both the temperature and pressure of the water contained within the boiler and in cook chamber, and proprietary programming to take advantage of control timers, counters, switches, relays, timer relays and other soft and hard devices to enable a precise sequence of operation and control. Temperatures and pressures are adjustable, monitored and controlled to maintain consist cooking throughout the cook cycle. Once cooked, rinsed and discharged, the food-stuff is emptied from the strainer and the strainer reinserted. The machine is then ready for the next cooking cycle. 
         [0017]    It is another advantage of the invention to incorporate a cooking chamber and water boiler that are housed within a sealed enclosure containing a heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid is used to convey heat from the heating elements immersed in the contained fluid. The heat transfer fluid bathes the outer walls of the boiler and cook chambers. The cooking assembly enclosure containing the heat transfer fluid is not pressurized and is protected from any pressurization due to fluid expansion by added volumetric capacity within the vessel, redundant temperature controls, and pressure relief. The volumetric capacity of the cooking assembly enclosure surrounding the boiler and cook chamber is designed to contain sufficient heat transfer fluid to provide a heat reservoir, which reduces the time necessary to heat the water contained within the boiler, provides heat to maintain the cook chamber temperature without the use of heating elements internal to the cook chamber, replaces heat lost during the cooking process, and compensates for any extraneous conductive, convective and radiant heat losses, while providing this make up heat quickly enough to ready the process for the subsequent cooking cycle without delay. The cooking assembly is comprised of an enclosure sealably attached to the cooking assembly top and bottom end plates that complete the enclosure. The end plates are fabricated with multiple penetrations and porting. One or multiple heating elements are mounted through the plates and into the heat transfer fluid to provide the quantity of energy necessary to heat the heat transfer fluid to design process temperatures. 
         [0018]    The number of elements used is determined by the size of the fluid chamber, the heating demand of the cook chamber, measured and calculated heat losses, the thermal characteristics of the heat transfer fluid, heat transfer enclosure surface area, materials of construction, and insulation. One or more additional heating elements reside within the boiler and provide additional heating to quicken the elevation of the boiler water to its superheated target temperature. 
         [0019]    The superheat boiler and the cook chamber are designed to function as pressure vessels that normally operate at a pressure range of 350 psi and up to but not to exceed a normal operating pressure of 500 psi at design operating temperatures. Safety factors are used in the design of the apparatus. Design temperature of the device is to operate at a temperature of 350 Fahrenheit and under normal operations up to but not to exceed 500 Fahrenheit. These operating conditions are controlled, balanced and maintained by process control circuits, redundant sensors with safety backups and programming. Cooking is by superheated water and not steam and the equipment and process control is designed to prevent significant steam generation during the cooking cycle. Temperature and pressure are adjusted by programming to tailor the operation of the device to the most efficient temperature and pressure to speed-cook the desired raw food-stuff. 
         [0020]    Supply water is pumped into the boiler up to a pre-set pressure using a pressure pump. Once heated within the boiler, the superheated water is transferred from the boiler to the cook chamber and the pressure in the cook chamber is boosted by a second pressure pump that can operate at design temperatures and reliably increase the superheated water in the cook chamber to the design pressures. This second pressure pump also maintains the cook chamber pressure for the duration of the cook cycle. Water flows into the boiler and cook chamber by fluid conduits and flow is regulated by process controlled solenoid valves. 
         [0021]    It is another advantage of the invention to incorporate unique process control and automation including unique proprietary slide plate valve technology, positional feedback of the proprietary slide plate valves, surface temperature controlled heating elements that limit the outside skin temperature of the elements, and their use immersed in the heat transfer fluid and within the boiler. The heating elements are controlled by independent temperature probes and process control circuits. The heating element surface temperature is independently controlled by built-in limiters, which prevent the skin temperature from exceeding a pre-set temperature. High skin temperature promotes heat transfer fluid degradation and charring, and boiler over-pressurization and steam formation. The proprietary nature of the cooking chamber inlet and discharge slide plate valves include the overall design, sealing design, sealing methodology, slide plate supports and surface finishes. The valves use a sealing design that increases sealing force as process pressure increases, providing a positive and reliable seal. The design allows for an increase in sealing force without significantly increasing the motor force necessary to actuate the valve and linearly reposition the valve plate to and from the target position. 
         [0022]    The pumps, solenoid valves, slide plate valves including associated drives, and the self-regulating heating elements are controlled by proprietary programmable process control circuits. The process control circuits are capable of factory and user input to change key operating criteria and provides selected data output and usage statistics. The programmable process control circuits utilize sensors that detect water temperature, heat transfer fluid temperature, boiler and cook chamber pressures, and slide plate position. Safety devices include pressure relief, redundant temperature probes, pressure transducers, and pressure switches. Operator safety dictates that the device be connected to main power using GFI circuit protection. All operator capable access points are restricted by design. These components are interlocked and electronically monitored for presence by the process control circuit. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device that fast-cooks various food-stuffs such as pasta, lentils, and vegetables and substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. There is disclosed a device for fast cooking, which includes one or a plurality of cooking assemblies, a framework for supporting said cooking assembly, a method to introduce raw food-stuff to be cooked, a method to discharge the cooked food-stuff from said cooking chamber, a method to superheat the cooking water and transfer the superheated water from the boiler to the cooking chamber, a method to maintain and control the process temperature, including the use of a heat transfer fluid, and a process control stratagem, which is comprised of a process control circuits and feedback control loops, motors, heating elements, temperature probes, pressure switches, pressure transducers, pressure relief safety valves, and pressure pumps. A supporting framework provides for mounting of components and an enclosing cover. The unit is designed to be nested together with other units enabling multiple units to share a common frame, with a smaller footprint than would multiple units if staged side by side. The invention can be operated easily and installed on a counter or a stand set at normal working height. 
         [0024]    The device has a pressurized boiler to heat water to a process temperature not to exceed 500 degrees Fahrenheit and at a process pressure not to exceed 500 psi, a cook chamber to receive a portion of an uncooked food-stuff such as pasta and then receive superheated and pressurized water from the boiler. Cook time varies depending on the food-stuff from less than one minute to approximately 4 minutes, and can be additionally varied to include such features as a rinse cycle when cooking food-stuffs that needs to be rinsed for tempering and residue removal. The pressure boiler and cook chamber are contained within an enclosure containing a heat transfer fluid to aid heating and multiple heating elements. The top and bottom end plates of the enclosure are common to the ends of the boiler and cook chamber. The end plates are ported enabling the transfer of liquid and vapor as well as the depressurizing the cooking chamber and the introduction of rinse water. The depressurizing process includes venting the superheated cook water through one or more solenoid valves and conduits to route the flashed superheated vapor to a condensing chamber. Most of the condensed vapor cools in this chamber and can be safely discharged with the accumulated drain water through a discharge outlet. The food-stuff ingress and egress to the cook chamber is by 2 proprietary slide plate valves located on the cooking assembly end plates to which the ends of the cook chamber are fixedly and functionally attached. Completion of the cooking cycle includes venting the superheated water, rinsing, draining of rinse water, and discharging the cooked food-stuff from the cook chamber through the lower slide plate valve into the food collection strainer. Once discharge is completed, the strainer interlock releases the strainer and the cooked food-stuff can in turn be deposited from the strainer onto a serving vessel. The upper slide plate valve at the top of the cooking chamber separates the cook chamber from the raw food staging aperture. When the upper slide plate valve is opened, the staged portion of raw food-stuff is drops into the cook chamber. Only when the strainer has been reinserted into the device and sensed by the process control circuit will the upper slide plate valve open allowing the staged portion of raw food-stuff enter the cook chamber, and the device enabled to begin the next cooking sequence. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a detail view of a flow chart specifying the process strategy and operating elements including fluid flows, product delivery and discharge, safety and process control, and the interrelationship of these elements to the overall machine design. Elements of the process are denoted by numbering. Major elements are listed below.
         5  pressure pump     8  rinse solenoid valve     12  boiler     13  cooking assembly     13   a  cooking assembly top plate     13   b  cooking assembly bottom plate     13   c  cooking assembly enclosure     14  cook chamber     16  heating elements     18  heat transfer fluid     19  temperature probe     26  expansion tank conduit     27  expansion tank     30  high temperature pressure switch     31  low temperature pressure switch     32  pressure relief valve     33   a  upper slide plate valve assembly     33   b  lower slide plate valve assembly     38  high pressure temperature pump     47  cook chamber inlet solenoid valve     56  first venting solenoid valve     58  second venting solenoid valve     62  raw food ingress staging aperture     63  cooked food collector     64  drain pan     70  first pressure transducer     72  second pressure transducer     80  strainer interlock     82  strainer sensor     84  food ingress staging aperture sensor;       
 
           [0057]      FIG. 2  is a right perspective view of a typical machine assembly. The 3-D perspective view of major components depicts their relationship as mounted onto a typical supporting framework. The assembly elements below are denoted by number.
         5  pressure pump     13   a  cooking assembly top plate     13   c  cooking assembly enclosure     27  expansion tank     33   a  upper slide plate valve assembly     34  cam     38  high pressure temperature pump     62  raw food ingress staging aperture     63  strainer     64  drain pan     80  strainer interlock;       
 
           [0069]      FIG. 3  is a section view of a boiler and cooking chamber assembly. The drawing depicts the relative size and relationship of the cooking chamber and boiler within the confines of the cooking assembly. Also detailed are the ported top and bottom plates and the upper and lower slide valves that are fastened to the enclosure top and bottom plates respectively. The slide valves enable ingress and egress of food stuffs to the cook chamber. The elements of this assembly are denoted by numbering.
         12  boiler     13   a  cooking assembly top plate     13   b  cooking assembly bottom plate     13   c  cooking assembly enclosure     14  cook chamber     18  heat transfer fluid     33   a  upper slide plate valve assembly     33   b  lower slide plate valve assembly     35  slide plate valve assembly drive mechanisms; and       
 
           [0079]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a cooking assembly. It includes the cooking assembly enclosure which encloses the boiler and cook chamber when sealed to the top and bottom plates, and contains the heat transfer fluid. Penetrations of the top and bottom plates are for the attachment of the upper and lower slide plate valves, fluid transport, ingress and egress of food-stuffs, and the mounting of heating elements, temperature probes and fluid conduits. The upper slide plate valve assembly, drive cam, and drive motor, are also shown. Elements of this assembly are denoted by numbering.
         12  boiler     13   a  cooking assembly top plate     13   b  cooking assembly bottom plate     13   c  cooking assembly enclosure     14  cook chamber     33   a  upper slide plate valve assembly     34  cam     35  slide plate valve assembly drive mechanisms.       
 
       
    
    
       [0088]    For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0089]    A fast cook pasta machine in accordance with this invention that includes the following: 
         [0090]    A raw food ingress staging aperture  62  that is positioned above the inlet of a cook chamber  14  separated by a proprietary design upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a . The raw food ingress staging aperture  62  is used to temporarily contain a portion of an uncooked food-stuff such as dry pasta prior to cooking and aligns and directs the food stuff for entry through the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  and into the cook chamber  14 . When the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  opens, the food stuff contained within the raw food ingress staging aperture  62  is dispensed and directed into the cook chamber  14 . The upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  is rigidly mounted to the top-side surface of the cooking assembly top plate  13   a , and the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  is rigidly mounted to the bottom-side surface of the cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b . Both valve assemblies are aligned directly with the center bore of the cook chamber  14 . The upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  is actuated by the upper slide plate valve assembly drive mechanism  35   a , and the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  is actuated by the lower slide plate valve assembly drive mechanism  35   b . Both are electrically driven and independently processor controlled by a common process control circuit. 
         [0091]    An electrically powered pressure pump  5  delivers supply water  1  to the boiler  12  until the boiler  12  is filled and the design pressure is reached. Boiler  12  is pressurized between five and ten atmospheres (75 to 150 psi) in order to superheat water. Final pressure is factory-adjustable and the set is dependent upon the design boiler  12  output temperature. Boiler  12  pressures are monitored and controlled by a low temperature pressure switch  31 . A safety feature to prevent excessive boiler  12  pressure includes the incorporation of a pressure relief valve  32  into the design, which opens in any extreme over-pressure situation. Any flow from the pressure relief valve  32  is diverted to a drain line by the pressure relief conduit  116 , which is then tied into external drainage. The pressure pump  5  is connected to supply water  1  by the water supply conduit  100  and connects to the inlet of the boiler  12  by the boiler feed conduit  102 . The pressure pump  5  is powered by a power relay that energizes the pump and is controlled by the process control circuit. The low temperature pressure switch  31  is mounted on the boiler feed conduit  102  and electrically connected to the pressure pump  5  control circuit to energize the pressure pump  5  when pressure within the boiler  12  has dropped below a factory preset pressure. When boiler  12  pressure drops below the minimum predetermined set-point, the regulating low temperature pressure switch  31  closes the electrical control circuit, energizing the pump relay and in turn the pressure pump  5  to increase the pressure within the boiler  12  to a predetermined maximum set-point. 
         [0092]    Electric heating elements provide heat inside and outside of the boiler  12  raising the water temperature within the boiler  12  to the design temperature. A temperature sensor within the heating element  16  inside the boiler  12  detects the temperature within the boiler  12  and can open and close the electrical power to the heating element  16  maintaining the pre-selected temperature of the water within the boiler  12 . 
         [0093]    A rigidly encapsulated, variable volume expansion tank  27  is mounted and securely installed to enable the boiler  12  water access to a volume of space that can expand to accommodate liquid volume changes as the boiler  12  water thermally expands and contracts. The expansion tank  27  also acts as a water reservoir and guarantees a consistent supply of pressurized water to the boiler  12  and in turn to the high pressure temperature water pump, when the cook chamber  14  is being charged and pressurized with superheated water. The water expansion tank  27  is connected to the cold water side of the boiler  12  by an expansion tank conduit  26  that is unencumbered by valves or restrictions. 
         [0094]    The cooking chamber is mounted in close proximity to, but independent of the boiler  12 , and connected thereto by the boiler to high pressure temperature pump conduit  108  through which pressurized superheated water flows from the boiler  12  to the cook chamber  14 . The boiler  12  and cook chamber  14  are not sized identically, with the boiler  12  being larger than the cook chamber  14 . Water flow to the cook chamber  14  is enabled or disabled by an electrically powered cook chamber inlet solenoid valve  47  and the cook chamber  14  operating pressure is increased to predetermined operating pressures and regulated by energizing the high pressure temperature pump  38 . The cook chamber inlet solenoid valve  47  is mounted onto the cook chamber inlet conduit  110  that connects the cook chamber  14  to the high pressure temperature pump  38  discharge. The cook chamber  14  is mounted to, sealed to, and penetrates the cooking assembly top plate  13   a  and the cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b . Uncooked food enters the cook chamber  14  from the raw food ingress staging aperture  62  through the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  mounted onto the exterior surface of the cooking assembly top plate  13   a . After a predetermined, user-programmable time period, cooked food exits the cook chamber  14  when the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b , mounted to the exterior surface of the cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b  opens. 
         [0095]    In order to insure that design temperatures are maintained within the cook chamber  14  at the predetermined operating range throughout the entire cooking cycle and to increase boiler  12  heating efficiency, the cook chamber  14  and the boiler  12  are sealed within the cooking assembly  10 . The cooking assembly  10  includes the cooking assembly enclosure  13   c , which is mechanically attached to and sealed to the cooking assembly top plate  13   a  and the cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b . The enclosure assembly is rendered liquid tight. The top and bottom plates also act as the end plates to the boiler  12  and cook chamber  14  to which the boiler  12  and cook chamber  14  are mechanically fastened to and sealed to. The cooking assembly  10  contains the heat transfer fluid  18 . The heat transfer fluid  18  is heated by one or multiple heating element  16  to a predetermined temperature and surrounds the outer vertical walls of the boiler  12  and cook chamber  14 . 
         [0096]    The use of heat transfer fluid  18  reduces the time necessary to heat water contained within the boiler  12 , and provides the heat necessary to maintain the cook chamber  14  and the superheated water within the cook chamber  14  at design temperature. This eliminates the need for a powered heat source within the cook chamber  14 . Each heating element  16  contains a temperature sensor that detects the surface temperature of the element and regulates the heating element  16  output are interconnected for maintaining the pre-selected temperature of the water within the boiler  12 . Some heating elements are electrically interconnected and one sensor may regulate multiple heating elements. 
         [0097]    The heat transfer fluid  18  provides all supplemental heat to the cook chamber  14  and improves energy efficiency by providing an increased heat transfer surface contact area. The fluid also functions as a heat reservoir, thereby reducing process temperature swings. An air space maintained in the cooking assembly  10  allows for heat transfer fluid  18  thermal expansion. The cooking assembly top plate  13   a  and cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b  are ported for fluid transfers from within to without and machined for the attachment of process components such as heating elements, temperature probes, fluid conduits, and fasteners. Fluids that will traverse the porting in the plates include water, hot water, superheated water, air, water vapor, and steam. 
         [0098]    The entire cooking assembly  10  is isolated and wrapped in insulation  20  to reduce radiant, conductive and convective heat losses. Insulators are installed where practical to separate the enclosure from applicable mounting apparatus and further reduce conductive heat losses. 
         [0099]    Upon start-up, the heating elements located within the heat transfer fluid  18  are energized and supply water  1  enters the boiler  12 . When the heat transfer fluid  18  temperature has reached its predetermined set-point, the supply water  1  pressure pump  5  is energized to boost boiler  12  pressures to a minimum preset pressure. Once the boiler  12  is pressurized, the boiler  12  heating element  16  is energized. Only when boiler  12  minimum pressure and temperature set-points are reached will the machine control circuit be energized, enabling the automatic sequential operation of the process controlled machine. 
         [0100]    Once the machine control circuit is activated, the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  is actuated by the lower slide plate valve assembly drive mechanism  35   b . The lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  is rigidly attached to the underside of the cooking assembly bottom plate  13   b  through which cooked food can exit from the cook chamber  14 . During start-up the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  is returned to its closed position, sealing the bottom to the cook chamber  14  prior to the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  being opened and enabling entry of the uncooked food into the cook chamber  14  from the raw food ingress staging aperture  62  and its retention within the cook chamber  14 . 
         [0101]    After the pre-measured portion of uncooked food enters the cook chamber  14 , the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a  is mechanically engaged and closed, sealing the cook chamber  14 . With both valves in their closed position, the cook chamber inlet solenoid valve  47  is opened and the cook chamber  14  is charged with superheated water under pressure from the boiler  12 . To boost cook chamber  14  pressure to the designated cooking pressure, a high pressure, high temperature rated electrically powered positive displacement pump is actuated. The high pressure temperature pump  38  boosts the superheated water pressure in the cook chamber  14  to a process pressure ranging from 23 to 34 atmospheres (340 to 500 psi), depending on the wall thickness, density, and fragility of the food-stuff to be cooked. Cook time for dry-goods such as pasta can range from less than a minute to about 4-minutes based on temperature and pressure set-points. 
         [0102]    Temperature and pressure are monitored and controlled. A temperature probe  19  to detect fluid temperature is immersed into both the heat transfer fluid  18  and the boiler  12 . A first pressure transducer  70  and a second pressure transducer  72  are fluidly interconnected to the cook chamber  14  to sense and control cooking pressure. The pressure transducers are mounted to rinse conduit 1  104  and rinse conduit 2  106 . Rinse conduit 1  104  and rinse conduit 2  106  connects the pressure pump  5  discharge to the cook chamber  14  bottom plate. 
         [0103]    Heating elements inserted in the heat transfer fluid  18  contain surface temperature regulating controls and maintain the heating element  16  at a near-constant temperature. The heat transfer element provides precise heating of the heat transfer fluid  18 , the cook chamber  14 , the boiler  12 , and supplements any make up heat necessary to replace heat lost through the peripheral enclosure of the cooking assembly  10  and mounting apparatus. 
         [0104]    The immersed temperature probes are connected electronically to a process control circuit, which in turns using solid state relays, modulates the power from a power source to the heating element  16 . Heating elements within the boiler  12  and within the cooking assembly  10  heat transfer fluid  18  are energized to raise and maintain fluid temperatures to predetermined set-points. The heating element  16  contains built-in temperature regulation that limits the high temperature of each element so as not to allow a heating element  16  to overheat the surface of each element beyond a pre-set temperature. This prevents charring of the heat transfer fluid  18 , extending the fluids and heating element&#39;s useful life. 
         [0105]    Pressure transducers are electronically connected to the high pressure temperature pump  38  process control circuit. The process control circuit energizes the pump relay and the high pressure temperature pump  38  operates and builds pressure to a predetermined set-point. When pressure within the cook chamber  14  drops, the second pressure transducer  72  senses that pressure within the cook chamber  14  has fallen below the minimum pressure set-point. The process control circuit interprets the analogue signal from the pressure transducer energizes the high pressure temperature pump  38  electrical circuit which activates the high pressure temperature pump  38  to build pressure. 
         [0106]    When the high pressure temperature pump  38  is activated to boost cook chamber  14  pressure, the boiler  12  heating element  16  is de-energized and the pressure control circuit of the boiler  12  pressure pump  5  is energized. The pressure pump  5  operates until the boiler  12  pressure reaches the pre-set maximum pressure and the low temperature pressure switch  31  is triggered. This is to maintain a minimum operating pressure within the boiler  12 . Once boiler  12  pressures have reached a pre-set value, the boiler  12  heating element  16  is re-energized and the pressure pump  5  is disabled. 
         [0107]    When pressure within the cook chamber  14  has reached a pre-set pressure, the first pressure transducer  70  signals the process control circuit to de-energize the high pressure temperature pump  38  control circuit, de-activating the pump control power relay that supplies power to the high pressure temperature pump  38 . 
         [0108]    Once food product within the cook chamber  14  has been sufficiently subjected to the superheated water for the operator selected time period, the process control circuit de-energizes the cook chamber inlet solenoid valve  47 , enabling it to close. The cook chamber inlet solenoid valve  47  is located on the cook chamber inlet conduit  110  on the discharge side of the high pressure temperature pump  38 . To depressurize the cook chamber  14 , both the first venting solenoid valve  56 , and the second venting solenoid valve  58 , which are mechanically and fluidly connected to the inlet side of the cook chamber  14  open. The superheated water within the cook chamber  14  depressurizes and flashes to steam as it exits the cook chamber  14 . The escaping steam is vented into the drain pan  64 , where the steam mixes with cooler air, residual rinse water and condenses. Vented steam is ported from the cook chamber  14 , through the two venting solenoid valves and to the drain pan  64  through 2 venting conduits. Venting conduit 1  112  and venting conduit 2  114  fluidly connect the cook chamber  14  to the drain pan  64 . The vented steam condensate subsequently exits the drain pan  64  through the drain conduit  86 . 
         [0109]    After a predetermined period of time, the cook chamber  14  venting solenoid valves are closed and the cook chamber  14 , rinse solenoid valve  8  is actuated. The cook chamber  14  is then charged with unheated water to cool the cooked food and halt secondary cooking, to rinse the cooked food-stuff to remove starch, and aid product discharge from the cook chamber  14 . Rinse water pressure in the cooking chamber is limited to 3 atmospheres during rinsing and then reduced to about 0.5 atmospheres prior to product discharge. The slightly pressurized water in the cooking chamber together with the cooked food-stuff exits the cook chamber  14  into the drain pan  64  area through the opened lower slide plate valve and is collected into a strainer  63 , separating the remaining water from the cooked product. 
         [0110]    Design criteria are based on NEMA and GMP standards as warranted, and constructed of materials that resist corrosion, thermal degradation and are capable of performing reliably at design conditions and the working environment. Food contact surfaces are made from materials considered food safe and designed for easy clean up and for maintaining sanitary operation. Heating elements are selected and sized to heat and maintain the process temperatures to design criteria, without impeding pre-set time parameters programmable into the process controller. The heating elements located within the cooking assembly  10  and the boiler  12  are in intimate contact with the fluids and are selected for material compatibility and reliability. Heating elements also contain internal temperature limiters that prevent the surface temperature of the heating elements from exceeding pre-programmed set-points. The entire cooking assembly  10  is insulated with a high efficiency, non-thermally conductive material to reduce heat loss and operating cost. 
         [0111]    Process safety devices include fail-safe redundancy such as a high temperature pressure switch  30 , pressure relief valves on the pumps and the expansion tank  27 , a second venting solenoid valve  58  on the cook chamber  14 , and failure mode process temperature sensors that interrupt control power, shutting down the machine should a heating element  16  solid state relay fail. Upon emergency shutdown all valves fail closed. Start-up programming provides for a safe sequence with immediate sequence interruption should operator safety interlocks be disengaged. Operator safety interlocks include a strainer interlock  80  and a strainer sensor  82  which verify the proper installation of the strainer  63  in order seal off the drain pan  64  and prevent exposing the operator to hot fluids and surfaces, as well as the lower slide plate valve assembly  33   b  moving parts. A second operator safety interlock is the raw food ingress staging aperture sensor  84  which isolates the operator from the upper slide plate valve assembly  33   a.    
         [0112]    All pumps, venting solenoid valves, mechanically actuated slide plate valves, motors, and control elements are electrically driven. All elements of the operation including sequence of operation, time-delays, counting functions, and other programmable operations that are engaged and controlled by the process control circuit. Limited end-user/operator interaction is available through a keypad/touch screen interface. Program operation and control are internal to the machine using the process control circuit. Using control elements and sensors, the factory programmed process control circuit provides automatic timed, temperature, pressure and sequence control of the various operations and components of the fast-cook machine. The machine is energized by external standard line voltage. 
         [0113]    The machine is electrically energized by manually activating a switch or can be activated remotely with optional hardware. Once the process control circuit is energized, a virtual on/off switch is displayed on the touch screen, from which the machine can be started and begin the heating of the heat transfer fluid  18  within the cooking assembly  10 . The process control circuit can be electronically slaved to another device such as vending equipment or a cash register. This screen also enables the user to selectively clean, sterilize and shutdown the equipment. 
         [0114]    Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention. 
         [0115]    Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.