Abstract:
A mobile table for batter dipping and breading food products such as chicken pieces, shrimp, fish pieces and other food products prior to cooking such as by deep frying. The table includes a batter pan and a breading pan oriented adjacent to each other and supported in a table top. A self-contained refrigeration system is provided in a cabinet underneath the table top to cool the batter pan, the breading pan and to chill water in a refrigerated water reservoir to supply prechilled water to the batter pan. The refrigeration system maintains the batter material in the batter pan and breading material in the breading pan at a temperature to retard or substantially reduce bacteria growth.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a mobile table structure to facilitate batter dipping and breading food products such as chicken pieces, shrimp, fish pieces and other food products prior to cooking such products as by deep frying. The table structure includes a batter pan and a breading pan oriented adjacent to each other and supported in a table top. A refrigeration system is provided in the interior of a cabinet which underlies and supports the table top to cool the batter pan, the breading pan and to chill water in a refrigerated water reservoir supported within the cabinet which supplies prechilled water to the batter pan to enable the formation of chilled batter in the batter pan. The refrigeration system maintains the batter material and breading material at a lowered temperature, preferably below 42° F., to retard or substantially reduce bacteria growth. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many food products are coated with batter and breading prior to cooking. The food products are usually dipped into a generally liquid batter and then covered with a breading material by rolling the batter covered food product in the breading material. The coated food product is then cooked such as by deep frying or the like. Efforts have been made to more efficiently coat food products by providing a batter dip pan and a breading pan supported in a table structure at a convenient height to enable food processing personnel to dip food products into the batter and subsequently roll or otherwise apply breading material such as flour or the like to the food products and then manually placing the coated food products in a deep frying cooker. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,227 discloses a table-like structure having a batter pan and breading pan for manual batter dipping and breading of food products. In addition, the following U.S. patents disclose structures relating to the application of coating to food products: 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,520,277 4,862,824 5,020,427 4,182,260 4,898,664 5,226,354 4,458,586 4,936,246 5,265,525 4,550,677 4,952,309 
     While the above patents disclose related devices, none of them discloses a mobile breading and batter table including a self-contained refrigeration system which includes a cooling coil in a water reservoir to supply prechilled water for forming a chilled batter dip material and maintaining a low temperature of the batter dip material and breading material. Further, none of the prior patents discloses a mobile breading and batter table which includes a cooling coil associated with the batter dip pan and breading pan to reduce the pan temperatures so as to satisfy temperature recommendations or guidelines provided by health departments and the like, in order to retard or materially reduce bacteria growth in food products as they are being coated prior to cooking. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Cooking food products by deep fat frying is a well known procedure used by cooks at home and at restaurants and is especially efficient in large volume cooking such as used in carry-out restaurants, fast food restaurants and the like. Food products, such as chicken pieces, shrimp, fish pieces, meat products and the like are usually dipped in a generally liquid batter material and then rolled in flour or other breading material prior to placement in a deep fat fryer. The handling of the food products during the batter dipping and breading process exposes the food products to ambient temperatures which can, in some instances, permit the growth of bacteria in the food products. Such bacteria in the food product can result in potential food poisoning of persons consuming the cooked food product. Various government regulatory agencies, such as health departments and the like, frequently recommend temperature guidelines for various food products to be used by the food preparation industry during food preparation. The temperature standards seek to reduce the temperature of the food products to a level which will serve to reduce or retard the growth of bacteria in the food products during the handling procedure. 
     In order to satisfy the recommendations or guidelines provided by health departments or similar agencies for handling and processing food products, the present invention provides a mobile breading and batter table having a self-contained refrigeration system supported therein. The table includes a generally rectangular table top and a cabinet structure below the top. The bottom of the cabinet is supported preferably at its corners with four conventional type wheels or rollers which allow the table to be moved and positioned where desired. The table includes a pan for receiving batter material and a pan for receiving breading material in order to coat food products placed first in the batter material and then into the breading material. Both pans have a cooling coil on their exterior surfaces positioned within the cabinet underneath the table top. The cooling coils are incorporated as part of the self-contained refrigeration system. 
     The batter pan is communicated with a prechilled water supply tank which has a cooling coil incorporated therein, also as part of the refrigeration system. This enables the formation of chilled batter material. The refrigeration system maintains desired lower temperatures in the breading and batter materials during the coating procedure. Both pans also include an opening in their bottom wall to permit removal of the material from each pan. The batter pan discharges batter material into a drain line to a floor drain, and the breading pan discharges used breading material into a sifter which separates agglomerated dough balls from the breading material to recover reusable breading material which can be placed back into the breading pan. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile table structure for batter dipping and breading food products that incorporates a self-contained refrigeration system including a cooling coil in a water reservoir to supply chilled water for use in preparing a chilled batter dip material. The self-contained refrigeration system also provides a cooling coil associated with the batter dip pan and a cooling coil associated with the breading pan to maintain the temperature of the batter dip and breading at a sufficiently low temperature during the entire batter dipping and breading procedure. The low temperature generated by the refrigeration system within the batter pan and breading pan is sufficiently low to reduce or retard bacteria growth in the batter material and breading material thereby assuring that the batter and breaded cooked food product satisfies all standard guidelines and recommendations regarding temperatures of the food products during the various process steps. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile, self-contained table structure for batter dipping and breading food products in accordance with the preceding object in which the breading pan has a discharge into a removable sifter positioned in the interior of the table below the breading pan. The sifter receives the breading material from the breading pan when the moisture absorbed by the breading material causes some of the breading material to agglomerate to form dough balls thereby materially reducing the efficiency of the breading process. The sifter separates the dough balls from the breading material that is still usable to enable the reusable breading material to be placed back into the breading pan and the dough balls to be discarded. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a batter dipping and breading table for consumable food products such as chicken pieces, shrimp, fish pieces and the like in which a reservoir of prechilled water is communicated with a faucet having a discharge oriented above the batter dip pan to supply prechilled water to the batter dip pan. The prechilled water enables the batter dip to be originally produced at a low temperature when the prechilled water is used to form the batter dip. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a batter dipping and breading table for food products in accordance with the preceding objects in which a switch operates a pump to supply prechilled water to the faucet for discharge into the batter dip pan. The switch also controls a solenoid valve that prevents inflow of ambient temperature water into the reservoir when the chilled water pump motor is in operation. When the switch for the pump is turned to the “off” position, the solenoid valve opens for refilling the reservoir with water from a water source to a level determined by a float valve in the reservoir. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a batter and breading table in which the batter dip pan includes a drain which can communicate with a floor drain or the like to enable the batter dip to be discharged from the batter dip pan. Also, a water spray device mounted on top of the table structure and connected to a water supply is utilized to clean the batter dip pan as well as the breading pan and sifter area. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a food product batter dip and breading table in which the food product pieces to be batter dipped and breaded are supported in a lift tray having handles and supporting structure associated with the batter dip pan to facilitate batter dipping of the food products. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile table structure for batter dipping and breading food products prior to cooking that includes a self-contained refrigeration system which supplies prechilled water to use in the formation of the batter dip and directly cools the batter dipping pan and breading pan to maintain the batter dipping material and breading material at a low temperature, preferably below 42° F., to retard or substantially reduce the growth of bacteria in the batter dipping material and breading material. 
     Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerated breading and batter table in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a structure that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation. 
     These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded, group front perspective view of a batter dipping and breading table in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded, group rear and side perspective view of the table and cabinet forming the batter dipping and breading table shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with certain components inside the cabinet removed to illustrate details of the refrigeration system. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded, group rear perspective view of the cabinet and refrigeration system in accordance with the present invention illustrating the components of the refrigeration system and chilled water reservoir. 
     FIG. 5 is a vertically exploded, group front perspective view of the table and cabinet forming the batter dipping and breading table in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded, group rear perspective view of the table top, breading and batter pans and the enclosure pan underlying the breading and batter pans in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the table top, batter dip pan, breading pan and the enclosure pan below the table top in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the enclosure pan underlying the batter dip and breading pans in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an inverted table top and enclosure pan which underlies the batter and breading pans in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the association of the batter pan, the food product tray, the chilled water faucet to discharge prechilled water into the batter pan and a water spray nozzle connected to a source of water for cleaning components in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded, group perspective view of the chilled water reservoir and associated components in accordance with the present invention and related controls. 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded group perspective view of the sifter which underlies and is supported by the enclosure pan to receive breading material from the breading pan in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Although only one preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiment is given by way of illustration only. It is not intended that the invention be limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Also, in describing the preferred embodiment, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     The batter dip and breading table for food products in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral  20  with the overall configuration and arrangement of components thereof being illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. The table  20  includes a generally horizontal and generally flat table top  22  and a generally rectangular support cabinet  24  extending downwardly from and underneath the table top  22 . The cabinet  24  is supported by a plurality of wheels or rollers  26 . The support wheels  26  are preferably in the form of caster wheels provided with a suitable brake structure  27  to anchor the table  20  when positioned in a selected location. The support wheels  26  are connected to a bottom member  28  of rectangular configuration with the table top  22  being supported by vertical wall members  30  forming the side and end walls of the cabinet  24 . 
     The rearward end of the table top  22  is preferably provided with an upstanding hood, generally designated by reference numeral  32 , which has a forwardly facing, open area  34 . The hood  32  includes a slanted top wall  33  having an upturned flange  35  at its lower, forward edge. The flange  35  enables the top wall  33  to support a tray or pan of cooled, uncooked and uncoated food products to be coated in a convenient accessible position. The side wall  36  of the hood  32  preferably includes a slotted, upwardly opening holder and dispenser  37  for storing and dispensing disposable gloves used by personnel when handling the food products. The front end  25  of the cabinet  24  remote from the hood  32  is provided with a control panel, generally designated by reference numeral  38 , and an openable or removable door  39  which provides access to the front interior of the cabinet  24 . Preferably, the control panel  38  includes a power switch, a chilled water pump switch, a sifter motor switch and a chilled water temperature indicator. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the table top  22  includes a pair of generally rectangular openings  40  and  42  which are oriented adjacent to each other. The periphery of each of the openings  40  and  42  is defined by a down turned reinforcing edge flange  44 . The opening  42  adjacent hood  32  receives a batter dip pan  46 , and the opening  40  remote from the hood receives a breading pan  48 . The table top  22  also includes a swivel faucet  50  mounted thereon which extends from a side of the table top  22  into overlying relation with a side portion of the opening  42  in order to discharge refrigerated water into the batter dip pan  46 . The pans  46  and  48  each includes a rolled peripheral flange  52  for reinforcement and engagement with the table top  22  around the periphery of openings  40  and  42 , respectively. 
     The bottom of batter pan  46  includes a drain opening and fitting  54  connected to a drain pipe  55 , and the bottom of breading pan  48  includes an enlarged discharge opening  56 . Each of the pans  46  and  48  includes a cover  58  including a handle  60  to enable removal and placement of the covers. In addition to the faucet  50  which supplies chilled water to the batter pan  46 , the table top  22  includes a spray nozzle  62  having a flexible hose or other tubing connection with an inlet fitting  64  in the rear end wall of the cabinet  24 . The inlet fitting  64  is preferably a standard male hose fitting so that a standard hose  63  can be attached to supply a pressurized source of water to the spray nozzle  62  and to a refrigerated water reservoir  98  as described hereinafter. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 10, the batter pan  46  with which the faucet  50  is aligned is provided with a removable tray or basket  66  having apertures  68  throughout the side and bottom walls. Opposite ends of the basket  66  are each provided with an upstanding support member  70  offset to one side thereof which terminates in a horizontally extending handle  72  preferably having down turned end portions  74  which enable the basket  66  to be more easily lifted and handled. A supporting stand generally designated by reference numeral  76  is provided in the pan  46  and includes a rectangular peripheral rod member  78  and depending support corner legs  80 . One side of the basket  66  is provided with projecting wire members  82  having inwardly facing hook-shaped ends  84  to pivotally engage side rods  77  of peripheral rod member  78  in a manner which enables the basket  66  to be pivoted in relation to the stand  76 . The portion of the basket  66  opposite to wire members  82  is supported from ends  79  of peripheral rod member  78  by laterally extending support members  86  having down turned outer ends  88  to engage the end rods of the peripheral rod member  78 . The corner legs  80  of stand  76  are resiliently telescopic to enable the basket  66  to be depressed into the batter pan  46 . This structure enables the food product pieces, such as chicken parts, placed in tray  66  to be depressed with the basket  66  into the batter pan  46  in order to immerse the pieces in the batter material. Then the basket  66 , after returning to the original position, can be pivoted in relation to the supporting stand  76  and the batter pan  46  as hook shaped ends  82  pivot on side rod  77  of stand  76  to dump the food product pieces into the adjacent breading pan  48 . 
     The drain pipe  55  has a conventional valve  90 , and the batter pan  46  can be drained through the drain pipe  55  when valve  90  is opened. The outlet of the drain pipe  55  is provided with a drain hose  89  or the like, as shown in FIG. 5, which exits from the cabinet to communicate with an available floor drain, thus enabling the batter material in the batter pan  46  to be drained and discarded. An actuator rod  91  (see FIGS. 1 and 5) to open and close valve  90  extends to the forward end of cabinet  24  for access through the door opening when door  39  is open. The spray device  62  can be used to clean the interior of the batter pan  46  as well as the breading pan  48  to enable subsequent replenishment of the batter dip and breading in the pans  46  and  48 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, the breading and batter table  20  of the present invention includes a self-contained refrigeration system generally designed by reference numeral  92  supported on a support plate  94  mounted at the rear of bottom member  28  of the cabinet  24 . The refrigeration system  92  includes the usual refrigerant compressor, condenser, evaporator air circulating fan for the condenser, receiver for condensed refrigerant and appropriate adjustable controls to provide the operating parameters for the refrigeration system. As shown in FIG. 11, the refrigeration system  92  also includes an evaporator cooling coil  96  which is received in the chilled water reservoir  98  located below the hood end of table top  22  (see FIG.  3 ). The cooling coil  96  in the chilled water reservoir  98  receives refrigerant through an expansion valve  95  and forms an evaporator in the refrigeration system. As the refrigerant exits evaporator coil  96  it passes to the cooling coil  100  on batter pan  46  and then to the cooling coil  102  on breading pan  48 . The water in the reservoir  98  is maintained at a predetermined low temperature, preferably below 42° F. The water in the reservoir  98  may be replenished through the hose connection  64 , a solenoid water inlet valve  97  and a suitable float valve  99  (see FIG. 11) in the reservoir to maintain a predetermined water level in the reservoir  98 . A water pressure regulating valve  101  controls water pressure in the water system. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the batter pan  46  is provided with an external evaporator cooling coil  100  in heat exchange relation, and preferably attached to the bottom surface thereof. The cooling coil  100  is attached in a spiral or concentric loops on the exterior bottom surface of the batter pan  46  in order to maintain the temperature of the batter in the batter pan at a low temperature, preferably below 42° F., sufficient to retard or substantially reduce bacteria growth in the batter dip. The breading pan  48  also includes an evaporator cooling coil  102  attached in a heat exchange relation to the exterior of the pan in a spiral or concentric loop configuration. The cooling coil  102  is preferably attached around a portion of the pan side walls, instead of attaching to the bottom surface as coil  100  is attached for the batter pan  46 . The cooling coils  100  and  102  receive expanding refrigerant, in series, from a tube connected with the discharge end of cooling coil  96  in reservoir  98 . Expanded refrigerant which exits from coils  100  and  102  returns to the compressor of the refrigeration system  92  through tubing in a conventional manner. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 5-9, an enclosure pan  104  underlies and is attached to the table top  22  and encloses the portions of the batter pan  46  and breading pan  48  which depend from the table top  22 . The enclosure pan  104  includes a bottom wall  106  generally parallel to the table top  22  and peripheral side walls  108  connected to the underneath side of table top  22 . The pan  104  thus encloses the pans  46  and  48  and isolates the pans  46  and  48 , and their respective cooling coils  100  and  102 , from the remaining interior of the cabinet  24 . The pan  104  is preferably insulated with urethane foam to insulate pans  46  and  48  as well as cooling coils  100  and  102 , respectively. This arrangement thereby enables the expanding refrigerant in the cooling coils  100  and  102  to more efficiently cool the batter and breading pans  46  and  48  and thus maintain low temperature conditions in the batter dip material and the breading material contained therein. 
     The bottom surface of the bottom wall  106  of enclosure pan  104  includes longitudinal tracks  110  mounted thereon in spaced parallel relation. The tracks  110  are oriented with one end edge adjacent the openable door  39  to slidably and removably support a sifter pan generally designated by reference numeral  112 . The sifter pan  112 , when installed, is positioned in underlying relation to discharge opening  56  in the breading pan  48 . A connecting extension  113  extends from the discharge opening  56  into connecting sleeve  114  in the bottom wall  106  for discharging the breading material including any dough balls that may exist into the sifter pan  112  when a closure plug  116  for the opening  56  is removed. Also, the bottom wall  106  includes a depending supporting it bracket  118  (see FIGS. 5 and 8) for the actuating rod  91  for the discharge valve  90  that is communicated with the batter pan  46 . The actuator  91  preferably includes an angled end portion oriented adjacent the openable door  39  to enable the valve  90  to be opened and closed from the front end of the cabinet  24 . 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the relationship of the enclosure pan  104  to the underside of the table top  22 . The bottom wall  106  has an opening  120  which aligns with the sifter pan  112  when it is supported from tracks  110  in underlying relation to the enclosure pan  104 . Likewise, the bottom wall  106  includes an opening  122  through which the discharge pipe  55  from the batter pan passes. As shown in FIG. 9, the discharge opening  56  in the breading pan  48  is visible through the opening  120  and the cooling coil  100  on the bottom surface of the batter pan  46  is visible through the opening  122 . Also illustrated in FIG. 9 is tubing for circulation of refrigerant through the evaporator cooling coils  100  and  102  including a fitting  124  communicated with cooling coil  100  and a short connective tubing  126  connecting coil  100  with coil  102 . An elongated tubular member  128  extends from cooling coil  102  back to a fitting  130  which is adjacent the fitting  124  so that refrigerant can enter and exit the fittings  124  and  130  which are adjacent each other and through the coils  100  and  102  in sequence. The tubing  128  and the fitting  130  on the end thereof are preferably supported by a pair of brackets  132  on a side wall  108  of the enclosure pan  104 . It is noted that in FIG. 9, the tracks  110  for the sifter pan  112  and the bracket  118  for the valve actuator  91  have been omitted for clarity. 
     As shown in FIG. 12, the sifter pan  112  includes an elongate container  134  including vertical side walls  136 , vertical end walls  138  and a bottom screen section  140  of semi-cylindrical configuration interconnecting the walls  136  and  138 . The upper edges of the walls  136  each have an outwardly extending flange  142  terminating in an upwardly extending flange  144  which slidably engage and are supported from the tracks  110  on the bottom of the enclosure pan  104 . Oriented in the container  134  is an agitator, generally designated by reference numeral  146 , which includes a plurality of perpendicularly arranged blades  148  secured to each other and secured tangentially to a central tubular shaft  150  which extends beyond the paddles  148 . A drive end of the tubular shaft  150  includes inwardly extending notches  152  which are exposed beyond one end wall  138  when assembled in the container  134 . The ends of shaft  150  are each supported by bearing members  154  associated with openings  156  in each end wall  138 . When the sifter pan  112  is inserted into the interior of the cabinet  24  by opening the door  39  and sliding the flanges  142  and  144  into engagement with the tracks  110 , the notched end  152  of the tubular shaft  150  will drivingly connect with the output shaft of a sifter motor  158  mounted on a partition wall  160  in the interior of the cabinet (see FIG.  4 ). 
     Positioned under the sifter pan  112  is an open topped collecting pan  162  supported on a table  163  having depending legs  164  which are positioned interiorly of the cabinet  24  through the open door  39  with the legs  164  supported on the bottom member  28  of the cabinet  24 . The sifter motor  158  is activated by a switch at the control panel  38  and is activated after a quantity of food products have been coated in the breading material and the breading material has absorbed some moisture from the food products and agglomerated to form dough balls in the breading material, all of which is deposited in the sifter pan  112  when plug  116  is removed. Use of the sifter enables the dough balls to be separated from the reusable breading material, generally flour, with the breading material that is reusable being deposited into the collecting pan  162  and the dough balls being retained in the container  134 . This enables the reusable breading material to be returned back into the breading pan  48  from the collecting pan  162  and the dough balls discarded by removing the sifter pan  112  and dumping the dough balls into a container or the like for disposal. 
     As an alternative to a motor driven agitator  146  in the sifter pan  112 , the agitator shaft may extend through end wall  138  adjacent door  39  and have a hand crank connected thereto for manual operation of the agitator. The hand crank can be detachably connected to the agitator drive shaft and stored in sifter pan  112  when the sifter pan is not in use. 
     The flexible hose  89  (see FIG. 5) is connected to the discharge pipe  55  from the batter pan  46  to enable the batter material in the batter pan  46  to be discharged into a floor drain when the valve  90  is opened by actuating the valve actuator  91  which is also accessible when the door  39  is opened. The drain hose  89  can be permanently attached to pipe  55  and positioned alongside the sifter pan  112  and collector pan  162  or the drain hose can be removed after the batter pan has been emptied and cleaned by using the spray nozzle  62 , if necessary or desirable to eliminate interference of the drain hose with the sifter pan  112 , collection pan  162  and/or support table  163  when those components are inserted into the interior of the cabinet  24 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the water reservoir  98  is supported on a horizontal support shelf  165  having downwardly extending ends  166  which are supported from a horizontal partition wall  167  in the cabinet  24 . The horizontal partition wall  167  is disposed above the refrigeration system  92  which is supported on the bottom member  28  below the horizontal partition  167 . Water from the water supply source  63  and  64  is supplied to the water reservoir  98  through ¼″ pipes and fittings  65  (see FIG. 11) connected to the solenoid valve  97  and then into water reservoir  98 . 
     As shown in FIG. 11, the water reservoir  98  includes a closure top  172  and an insulating cover  174  to form a complete enclosure for the water in the reservoir  98 . A water pump  168  pumps water from reservoir  98  to faucet  50 . A separate switch at the control panel  38  is used to activate the water pump  168  and the solenoid inlet valve  97  to permit and stop water flow from the water reservoir  98  into the batter dip pan  46 . 
     Operation of the refrigeration system provides liquid refrigerant to the expansion valve, through the cooling coil  96  in the water reservoir  98  and sequentially through the cooling coil  100  on the batter pan  46  and cooling coil  102  on the breading pan  48 . The chilled water reservoir  98  includes a temperature probe  103  to indicate water temperature at the control panel  38 . A temperature controlled strip heater  93  can be mounted on the outer surface of reservoir  98  to elevate the water temperature to a level to keep the refrigerating system operative for continuous flow of refrigerant to coils  100  and  102  in order to maintain the desired lower temperatures in the pans  46  and  48 . The expanded “hot” refrigerant returns to the refrigerant compressor and condenser in a well known manner. Water is supplied to the reservoir  98  through pressure regulator  101  to a level determined by the float valve  99  and cooled by the cooling coil  96 . A predetermined quantity of chilled water is supplied to the batter pan through pump  168 , pipe  170  and faucet  50  to form a quantity of chilled batter dip in the batter pan. When pump  168  is activated, the solenoid valve is closed. When pump  168  is stopped, the solenoid valve reopens. 
     When using the breading and batter table of the present invention, an operator can employ the following procedure. The water reservoir is filled and the self-contained refrigerant system operated for a sufficient time to cool the water and pans  46  and  48  to the desired temperatures. A tray containing the food product pieces to be breaded can be placed on top wall  33  against flange  35 . The operator then stands at the front of the table facing wall  33  to remove the covers  58 . 
     After the covers are removed and batter dip and breading materials are in the pans  46  and  48 , the operator can transfer the food product pieces along with the basket  66  into batter pan  46 . The food product pieces in the basket  66  are then immersed in the batter in the batter pan  46  by pushing the basket  66  and depressing rod member  78  to immerse the food products into the batter dip material. The basket  66  then returns to a position above the batter dip material in the pan  46  with excess batter material dripping from the food product pieces back into the batter pan. The batter dipped food product pieces are then deposited into the breading pan  48  by pivoting the basket  66  to a position to dump the food product pieces into the breading pan. The food product pieces in the breading pan are then breaded by rolling the food product pieces or manually applying breading material to the food product pieces. The breaded food product pieces can then be removed from the breading pan  48  and placed in a container positioned on a support shelf  180  supported on the side of the table top  22  opposite the spray nozzle  62  by depending brackets  182  which sit down inside breading pan  48  to facilitate transport of the coated food product pieces to a location for cooking. 
     After a predetermined quantity of food product pieces have been battered and breaded, the residual batter dip material in the batter pan may be discharged through pipe  55  connected to the discharge fitting  54  and the flexible hose  89  connected to drain pipe  55  and communicated with a floor drain or the like, and the valve  90  is opened. Once the batter dip material has been drained and the batter dip pan cleaned by using the nozzle  62 , the valve  90  can be closed and the hose removed if it obstructs insertion of the sifter pan  112 , collector pan  162  and/or table support  163  into the interior of the cabinet  24 . After insertion of the sifter pan  112  and pan  163 , the plug  116  closing the opening  56  in the breading pan  48  is removed for discharge of the breading material into the sifter pan  112  and the sifter motor  158  actuated. Reusable breading material passes through screen  140  into the pan  163  with any dough balls in the breading material being retained on the interior of the screen bottom  140  of the container  134 . When the sifting operation has been completed, the closure plug  116  is inserted to close the opening  56  in the breading pan  48 , and the reusable breading material is placed back into the breading pan  48  with any necessary additional breading material added thereto. The dough balls in the container  134  are removed for disposal. Once new batter dip material is placed in the batter pan  46 , the operator can repeat the batter and breading procedure. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.