Patent ID: 8037812

Claim:
A fryer basket for frying food products, comprising, a basket having side walls and a bottom wall, a least one portion of the bottom wall being movable from a closed position relative to the side walls to an open position relative to the side walls, a handle mounted to the basket and having a handgrip portion extending therefrom, a latch mechanism mounted to the basket adjacent the handle and including a lever member movable from a first position to a second position, a bracket mounted to the side wall of the basket, the lever member being pivotally mounted to the bracket, the lever member having a lower portion from which a latch member extends to a first blocking position beneath the at least one portion of the bottom wall when the lever member is in the first position to thereby retain the at least one portion in the closed position thereof, resilient means mounted to the basket for continuously urging the lever member toward the first position, the lever member having an upper end extending from the basket toward the handgrip of the handle so that the upper end of the lever member may be manually engaged to thereby move the lever member to the second position wherein the latch member is moved to a non-blocking position spaced from the at least one portion of the bottom wall so that the at least one portion will open relative to the side walls of the basket to thereby define a discharge opening through which food product within the fryer basket will be discharged.