Abstract:
A fry basket includes an open top basket frame having a plurality of upright side walls defining a frying space therewithin. One side of the basket frame is positionable on a support structure above a food receiving station. At least one perforate trap door is movably mounted on the basket frame for movement between a closed position closing a drop opening at the bottom of the frame and an open position to allow cooked food to drop through the opening onto the food receiving station. Actuating means are provided for automatically moving the trap door from its closed to its open position simply in response to moving the basket frame relative to the support structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention generally relates to the art of food preparation and, particularly, to a basket for holding food products during cooking, such as a wire basket for holding food products in a deep frying apparatus, and for depositing the fried products at a food receiving station.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Various types of containers or baskets are used for holding food products during cooking. For instance, wire or other perforate baskets are used for holding various types of food products, such as french fries, fried chicken or other meat products and the like in a deep frying apparatus. Typically, the baskets are loaded with the bulk food products and are lowered into a reservoir of hot frying oil. In preparing french fried potatoes, for instance, a typical wire basket is of an open-top structure, rectangular in configuration, and includes upright side walls about a bottom wall. One or more handles may be provided for manually or automatically lowering the wire basket and food products into the hot frying oil to cook the products by immersion and frying in the hot oil. After a required amount of cooking time, the basket then is removed from the hot oil and the excess oil is drained from the cooked products. The basket then is moved, typically by hand, to a food receiving station whereat the products, such as french fries, are dumped onto a salting or serving tray or platform.  
         [0003]     The above sequence of operations, particularly the dumping operation, often involve workers being over zealous and causing damage to the cooked or fried food products. For instance, french fries may be broken which creates an undesirable presentation. Although trap doors have been proposed for such cooking or frying baskets to make the dumping operation less abusive and more consistent, such mechanisms typically are complicated and can even involve an operator having to use both hands to operate the basket. The present invention is directed to solving these problems and providing a fry basket which is exceedingly simple to operate and consistent in operation and function.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved fry basket of the character described for frying food products such as french fries.  
         [0005]     In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the fry basket includes an open top basket frame having a plurality of upright side walls defining a frying space therewithin. One side of the basket frame is positionable on a support structure above a food receiving station. At least one perforate trap door is movably mounted on the basket frame for movement between a closed position closing a drop opening at the bottom of the frame and an open position to allow cooked food to drop through the opening onto the food receiving station. Actuating means are provided for automatically moving the trap door from its closed position to its open position simply in response to moving the basket frame relative to the support structure.  
         [0006]     In one embodiment of the invention, latch means are provided for holding the trap door in its closed position. The latch means is releasable in response to biasing the latch means against the support structure as the basket frame is moved relative to the support structure. As disclosed herein, the latch means comprises a spring loaded latch member operatively engageable with the trap door. The spring loaded latch member is mounted on the basket frame at the one side thereof adjacent the support structure. The latch member is biasingly engageable with the support structure to release the trap door in response to biasing the latch member against the support structure.  
         [0007]     According to one aspect of the invention, the actuating means include the engaging means in the form of a hook on the basket frame to hang the fry basket on the support structure. The actuating means is rigid with the hook, and the basket frame is movable downwardly relative to the hook and the actuating means and, in turn, relative to the support structure for automatically moving the trap door from its closed position to its open position. As disclosed herein, the actuating means comprise at least one actuating arm projecting from the hook and engageable with the trap door for automatically moving the trap door in response to moving the basket frame.  
         [0008]     According to other aspects of the invention, the hook is located at one end of the basket frame, and a manually graspable handle is located at an opposite end of the basket frame to facilitate manual movement of the basket frame relative to the support structure. As disclosed herein, two trap doors are pivotally mounted to the basket frame and are movable in opposite directions to opposite sides of the basket frame to dump the food products out of the drop opening and into the food receiving station.  
         [0009]     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of a fry basket according to a first embodiment of the invention, with the trap doors in their closed positions;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a front elevational view of the fry basket of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 1C  is a rear perspective view of the fry basket hanging from a support structure;  
         [0014]      FIG. 1D  is a side elevational view of the depiction in  FIG. 1C ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 1E  is a top plan view of the fry basket as in  FIGS. 1C and 1D ;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 2A-2E  are views similar to that of  FIGS. 1A-1E , respectively, but showing the trap doors partially open;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 3A-3E  are views similar to that of  FIGS. 1A-1E , respectively, but showing the trap doors in their fully opened positions;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view looking at the front end of the fry basket as in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4B  is an enlarged depiction of the area encircled in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4C  is a vertical section taken generally along line  4 C- 4 C in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0021]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are views similar to that of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , but showing the trap doors in an unlatched condition;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6A  is a vertical section through the fry basket in a front-to-rear direction, showing the basket hanging from the support structure and with the trap doors in their open position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6B  is an enlarged depiction of the area encircled in  FIG. 6A , showing the latch means in its released condition;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a view of a fry basket according to a second embodiment of the invention, with the basket being positioned into a support structure, and with the trap doors in their closed positions;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 7 , with the fry basket moved downwardly relative to the support structure to open the trap doors;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged rear elevational view of the fry basket in  FIG. 7 , showing the trap doors in their closed positions; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 9 , but showing the trap doors in their open positions. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a fry basket, generally designated  12 , is shown according to a first embodiment of the invention. The basket is provided for frying food products, such as french fries, prepared by immersion and frying in a reservoir of hot cooking oil. The fry basket includes an open top basket frame, generally designated  14 , which generally includes a plurality of upright side walls defining a frying space therebetween. Specifically, basket frame  14  includes a pair of elongated side walls  14   a , a front side wall  14   b  and a rear side wall  14   c . The basket frame includes a rigid, rectangular, rod framing support  14   d  about the top thereof and which defines the open top of the fry basket, along with other supporting brackets  14   e , all of which combine to support the planar bodies of the side walls which may be of a wire mesh or other perforate material. The side walls define a bottom drop opening  15 . A manually graspable handle  16  is fixed to basket frame  14  at the rear side wall  14   c  thereof and projects upwardly and outwardly of the fry basket for grasping by an operator.  
         [0029]     A pair of trap doors, generally designated  18 , are movably, pivotally mounted on basket frame  14 , at pivot points  20 . The trap doors are generally L-shaped in vertical cross section and include side walls  18   a , bottom walls  18   b  (shown hereinafter) and end walls  18   c . Like basket frame  14 , the trap doors include wire framing supports  18   d  with the planar bodies of the trap door walls being of a wire mesh or otherwise perforate material. A latch arm  22  is fixed to the front of each trap door  18  and may be a metal strap, for instance. The latch arms form the pivot points  20  for the trap doors and extend above the pivot points to define latching portions  22   a  of the trap arms as seen in  FIG. 1B . A latch shoulder  22   b  is formed at the inside of each latching portion  22   a  of each latch arm  22 , again as best seen in  FIG. 1B . The trap doors can pivot relative to the basket frame in the direction of double-headed arrows “A” ( FIG. 1B ).  
         [0030]     A combination engaging and actuating means or member, generally designated  24 , is swingably, movably mounted on basket frame  14  for hanging the fry basket on a support structure and for opening trap doors  18 . Specifically, the engaging and actuating member  24  is a rigid wire form structure which is rotatably or swingably mounted on basket frame  14  by means of a pair of journals  26  which are fixed to the front of the rigid wire framing support  14   d . The rigid wire form structure  24  has a hook  24   a  for hanging fry basket  12  on a support structure as will be seen hereinafter. The rigid wire form structure includes a pair of actuating arms  24   b  which project rearwardly and downwardly at an angle as best seen in  FIG. 1A . Each actuating arm terminates in a hook  24   c  which is interengaged in a loop  28  which is fixed to and projects outwardly from a respective one of the trap doors.  
         [0031]     Generally, latch means are provided for holding trap doors  18  in closed positions as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Specifically, the latch means include a spring loaded latch member  30  which is fixed at its base  30   a  to front wall  14   b  of basket frame  14 , but the latch member otherwise is movable relative to the front wall. In the preferred embodiment, latch member  30   a  is a planar leaf spring of spring metal material. An enlarged latch bar  30   b  spans the top edge of the latch member which, effectively, is a free swinging edge of the leaf spring. Latch bar  30   b  is enlarged and includes a forwardly projecting release boss  36   c  which effectively releases the latch means upon biasing the release boss against the support structure as described hereinafter. Suffice it to say at this point,  FIG. 1B  shows that opposite ends of latch bar  30   b  are interengaged with latch shoulders  22   b  of latch arms  22  which, in turn, are fixed to the trap doors, whereby the trap doors are latched in their closed positions, as shown.  
         [0032]      FIGS. 1C and 1D  show fry basket  12  hung onto an appropriate support structure, generally designated  32 . The support structure can take a variety of configurations, but the support structure typically would be located above a food receiving station, such as a salting and serving station which would receive french fries from the fry basket. In order to be operable with fry basket  12 , as described above, support structure  32  includes a supporting rail  32   a  which has a thickness for seating into the hanging hook  24   a  of the rigid wire form structure  24  of the fry basket and, thereby, hangingly support the fry basket on the support structure. Supporting rail  32   a  must be wide enough for engaging the release boss  32   c  of latch member  30  as seen in  FIG. 1D .  FIG. 1D  also is also a good depiction of how one of the actuating arms  24   b  extends angularly downwardly from hook  24   a , with the hook  24   c  at the distal end of the actuating arm interengaged within loop  28  of the trap door at that side of the fry basket, keeping in mind that the trap doors are latched in their closed positions of  FIGS. 1A-1E .  
         [0033]     Although  FIGS. 2A and 2B  do not show fry basket  12  supported on support structure  32 , all of  FIGS. 2A-2E  show the fry basket in a condition wherein trap doors  18  have been unlatched and are partially opened in the direction of arrows “B” ( FIG. 2B ). After hook  24   a  is hung onto support rail  32   a  as seen in  FIGS. 2C and 2D , an operator pushes down on handle  16  in the direction of arrows “C” as shown in  FIGS. 2C and 2D . This pivots basket frame  14  downwardly with the handle. As a result, release boss  30   c  is pushed or biased against supporting rail  32   a  as seen in  FIG. 2D  which, in turn, causes the spring-loaded latch member or leaf spring  30  to move inwardly in the direction of arrow “D” in  FIG. 2C . As this occurs, the opposite ends of latch bar  30   b  ( FIG. 2B ) move out of latching engagement with latch shoulders  22   b  on latch arms  22  which are fixed to trap doors  18 . This unlatches the latch doors. Simultaneously, actuating arms  24   b  (which are rigid with hook  24   a ) remain stationary, along with the hooks  24   c  at the distal ends of the actuating arms. As handle  16  and basket frame  14  move downwardly in the direction of arrow “C”, actuating arms  24   b  are effective to “lift” trap doors  18  relative to the basket frame of the fry basket. Actually, the trap doors are not lifted upwardly, but the trap doors hang onto the fixed hooks  24   c  of the actuating arms  24   b  and, as the basket frame moves downwardly, the trap doors effectively pivot about pivot points  20  upwardly relative to the basket frame in the direction of arrows “B” ( FIG. 2B ).  
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A-3E  show handle  12  and basket frame  14  pivoted downwardly about hook  24   a  further in the direction of arrow “C”. This movement is effective to pivot trap doors  18  completely to their open positions, as shown. The trap doors now are completely outside drop opening  15  at the bottom of the basket frame, whereupon the food products (french fries) can drop out of the fry basket and into a subjacent food receiving station.  
         [0035]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are enlarged depictions to further show how trap doors  18  are held in their closed positions as seen in  FIG. 4A . As seen in  FIG. 4B , latch shoulders  22   b  at the upper ends of latch arms  22  (which are fixed to the trap doors) are in latching engagement with opposite ends of latch bar  30   b  of the spring loaded latch member or leaf spring  30 . When the fry basket is removed from the supporting rail  32   a  of support structure  32 , leaf spring  30  tends to move in the direction of arrow “E” ( FIG. 4C ) to its latched condition. When the trap doors are returned to their closed position, the leaf spring and latch bar  30   b  tend to “snap” into latching condition with latch shoulders  22   b , as release boss  30   c  projects forwardly of basket frame  14  in position for biasingly engaging supporting rail  32   a  when the fry basket again is hung onto the supporting rail as seen in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . Again, as handle  16  and basket frame  14  are pivoted downwardly in the direction of arrow “C” ( FIG. 6A ), release boss  30   c  biasingly engages supporting rail  32   a  as seen in  FIG. 6B , causing leaf spring  30  to move inwardly in the direction of arrow “D”, causing latch bar  30   b  ( FIG. 5B ) to move out of engagement with latch shoulders  22   b  on the fry baskets as seen in  FIGS. 5A and 5B .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 7-10  show a second embodiment of the invention. Like reference numerals have been applied in  FIGS. 7-10  to designate like components described above in relation to the first embodiment. Specifically, a fry basket  12  again includes a basket frame  14  pivotally mounted to a hanging hook  24   a  at one end and having a handle  16  at an opposite end. A pair of trap doors  18  again are pivotally mounted to the basket frame at pivot points  20  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). The trap doors again are pivotally movable from closed positions shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9  to open positions shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 .  
         [0037]     In the second embodiment, a pair of actuating rails  50  are fixed to hook  24   a , whereby the actuating rails remain fixed relative to a pair of support arms  52  of a support structure  32  when the fry basket is hung on the support structure. Generally horizontal grooves (not visible in the drawings) are formed on the insides of support arms  52  for receiving actuating rails  50  when the fry basket is moved against the support structure in the direction of arrow “F” ( FIG. 7 ). A pair of hook-like members  54  are interengaged between actuating rails  50  and trap doors  18 .  
         [0038]     Still referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , when an operator pushes down on handle  16  and, in turn, basket frame  14  in the direction of arrow “C”, actuating rails  50  remain fixed and supported on support arms  52  of the support structure. With the hook-like members  54  interengaged between the actuating rails and the trap doors, the trap doors are pivoted upwardly in the direction of arrows “B” ( FIG. 10 ) to open the trap doors and allow the food products (french fries) to drop out of the fry basket.  
         [0039]     Although not visible in the drawings, a latch means as described above in relation to the first embodiment could be used in the second embodiment to hold the trap doors in their closed positions and to release the trap doors when the handle and the basket frame are pivoted downwardly as described above. On the other hand, a simple spring could be interconnected between pivot arms  56  as seen in  FIG. 9 , to bias the trap doors to their closed positions when the fry basket is pulled out from between support arms  52  of support structure  32 .  
         [0040]     It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.