Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE IN~ENTION
Apparatus of the type useful for sequentially
dispensing food items to be cooked to a cooking unit
are well known in the art. Such apparatus have
particular application in short-order vend~ng opera-
tions, particularly coin-operated vending machines
of the type employing an endless belt to convey dis-
pensed raw food.past a cooking element. Difficulties
have been encountered, however, in the practical use
of such apparatus, both with respect to the dispensing
means and the endless belt systems employed to convey
the food for cooking. Owlng to the great var~ability
in the physical characteristics of different foods,
dispensing units have been typically restricted to
dispensing only one type of foodstuff, characteristi-
cally h.ot dogs and ac~mmpanying ~uns. Even then, the
non-uniform~"characteristics of the same type of food-
stuff have resulted in irregulaI and unreliable operation
of many prior art dlspensers. Additionally, it has
been necessary to deve~op special~zed endless belt
conveyor systems for use in con~unction with the cooking
of specific foodstuffs, again owing tq non-uniformity
between different types of foods. Known conveyor
systems for foods such. as hot dogs are typically prone
to resu~t in a poorly cooked product, most usually
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overdone on one side and underdone on the opposite side. Fre-
quently, it has been difficult to develop dispensiny apparatus
compatible with conveyor systems specifically designed for use
with a certain -type of foodstuff.
Accordingly, the invention provides an endless conveyor
system for both food and non-food items, but particularly for
conveying skewered raw food i-tems past a cooking assembly and for
manipulating the food during transport to insure proper cooking
and palatable product. In addi-tion, the invention provides a
dispenser for both food and non-food articles, but particularly
for skewered food items. Owing to the uniformity of the skewers
employed, a widè variety of disparate food items can be reliably
dispensed, including many food items not previously dispensible
in an automated operation. Further, the dispensation of food-
stuffs on skewers particularly facilitates use of the dispenser
with a variety of endless conveyor means for conveying the raw
food through a cooking unit.
According to the present invention there is provided an
apparatus for heating and dispensing food articles supported on
elongated skewers, said apparatus comprising: conveyor means
defining an elongated path of travel between skewer receiving and
discharging stations, said conveyor means including a pair of
endless conveyors spaced transversely from each other relative -to
the length dimension of said path; driving means operatively
associated with said conveyor means for moving said endless
conveyor along said path; heating means disposed adjacent said
path; a plurality of skewer support means secured on and spaced
longitudinally along each endless conveyor, each skewer support
means on one of said conveyors being paired and transversely
aligned with a skewer support means on the other of said con-
veyors, each skewer support means comprising a bracket member
having a closed end for loosely carrying a skewer portion while
travelling along said path and an open end which is sufficiently
wider than the thickness dimension of said skewer portion to
freely receive said skewer portion when the skewer portion is
dropped into said bracke-t member at said receiving station and to
permit the received skewer por-tion to drop freely of its own
weight from the bracket member at said discharging station;
wherein said bracket members are oriented on said conveyors such
that said open end is directed generally upward when passing said
receiving station and generally downward when passing said dis-
charging station; and means for continuously rotating said
skewers in said bracket member as said skewers travel along said
path, said means for continuously rotating comprising and elonga-
ted gear track disposed ad;acent said path in direct contact with
skewers location intermediate said endless conveyors; wherein
said means for continuously rotating further comprises at least
two spaced roller bearings in each bracket member for rotatably
supporting the skewer portion received in the bracket member, and
means continuously urging said bracket members in said path
toward said elongated gear track to positively engage supported
skewers with said gear track.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAlr~INGS
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In the Drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a comblned
dispensing and cooking apparatus according to the
invention;
Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of an alterna~e
embodiment of the-combined dispensing and cooking
apparatus;
Fig. 3 i5 a cross-sectional si~e view of the
combined dispensing and cooking- apparatus of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment
of the dispenser of the apparatus of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a partial detail of the dispenser
of the apparatus of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a partial detail of the conveyor
system of the apparatus of Fig. 3;
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of an
al~ernate embodiment of` the appanatus of Fig. 3;
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Fig. 9 is a cross-~ecklon partlal deta~l o~ the
dispenser of the apparatus Or Fig. 2;
Fig. 10 is a view along the line ln-lo of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the dispensing
cartridge of the invention, packaged for sale;
;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a detail of the
apparatus of Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9; and
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the actuating
mechanism of the apparatus of Fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIO'N'OF THE I~ENTION
With particular reference to ~ig. ~, t~e dis-
penser of the present invention generally indicated at
1, comprises a housing 2 ~or a removable dispensing
cartridge 3 adapted for storing and feeding the articles
to be dispensed. The cartridge 3 includes a frame 4
having a first pair of vertical side members 5 including
a plurality of support means comprising horizontally
aligned notches 6 for supporting the articles to be
dispensed in vertical relationship within the cartridge
3. In the illustrated em~odiment, the articles to be
dis,pensed comprise food items such as hot dogs 7 sup-
ported in notches 6 by skewers 8. In addition to the
hot dogs 7, however, the dispenser 1 is useful for
dispensing a large variety of ~oth food and non-food
items, ~ut is particularly useful for skewered foods
including those commonly served en brochette, such as
kabobs.
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The cartridge 3 further includes guide means
for guiding the ske~ers 8 holding the hot dogs 7 to
the next sub~acent notches 6 as the skewers 8 are dis-
placed during the dispensing process, as by a push bar
The guide means exemplified comprise a second pair
of vertical side members 11 in the frame 4 having
vertically disposed pins 12 corresponding with, and
extending into the notches 6. As the push bar 9 is
operated, the skewers 8 are dislodged from the notches
6 and drop on to the subjacent pins 12, which guide them
into the corresponding sub.~acent notch.es 6, or, in the
case of the lo~ermost h.ot dog 7a, through a discharge
outlet 13 in the cartridge 3. The outlet 13 communi-
cates with. discharge means in th.e housing 2 comprising
an opening 14 in th.e ~loor of the housing 2. The housing
2 is optionally refrlgerated,.and in this event, the
opening 14 is provided with a door 16, and the housing
2 is insulated with.insuiating material 15, as best
seen in Fig. 3. The cartridge 3 may be supplied for
di.sposition in the housing 2 as a. disposable filled
"blister pack" as sh.o~n in Fig. 11, or may be intended
for reuse, in ~h.ich case means such as hinge 17 ~Fig. 4~
are i.ncluded to permit th.e pairs of vertical side members
5 and 11 to be separated so that the cartridge 3
may be refilled.
The displacing means comprising push bar ~ may
be associated ~ith the cartridge 3, as shown in Fig. ~,
or more preferably, associated ~ith the housing 2. In
a pre~erred embodiment, illustrated in detail in Figs.
5 and 6, th.e push bars 9 include a p~n and s~t
mechan~sm 18 for translating do~nward motion from
associated levers 19 into horizontal motion of the
push ~ars 9 so that the skewers 8 are displaced from the
notches 6. Preferably, the levers 19 are actuated by
actuating means such as lever solenoids 21 to move from
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the position indicated hy solid lines to the position
indicated by dotted lines; the levers 19 are retracted
to their origlnal position by countersprings 22. In
an alternate embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 107 the
push bars 9, guided by a pin and slot mechanism 18a,
are displaced horizontally by levers l9a, preferably
actuated by lever sole~oids 21a. The levers 19 and l9a
are either secured to the push bars ~ so that the push
bars automatically return to their original positions
as the levers are retracted, or the push bars 9 are
bîased towards the inoperative position by biasing means
such as biasing spring 23 shown in Fig. 4. Both the
push bars ~ and the door 16 to the discharge opening
14 in the housing 2 may be manually operated, if desired.
However, for commercial vending operations, both mecha- s
nisms are pre~erably automatically actuated. As ~est
shown in Fig. 3, the door 16 is conveniently operated by
actuation of a linkage 24 by door solenoid 21b and
closed by the action of a counterweight 26.
The dispenser-l or a similarly useful conven-
tional dispenser may be employed for dispensing food
to be cooked, particularly skewered food, to a cooking
assembly including the endless conveyor system of the
invention. Typically, the dispenser and cooking assembly
are disposed in a combined dispensing and cooking
apparatus of the type illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8,
~herein skewered food discharged from the dispenser 1
is conveyed by endless conveyor means past a series of
cooking elements to a discharge outlet. The endless
conveyor system of the invention may be used independently
in other applications,l,howe~er.
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With particular reference to Fig. 3, the cooking
assembly of the present invention is generally indlcated
at 27 and dispoaed in a common housing 25 with dispenser
1. The cooking assembly 27 includes a vertical array
of cooking elements such as infrared lamps 28 disposed
in a parallel plane to the dispensing cartridge 3~ and
an endless conveyori/,system including endless belts 31
of the chain link ty'pe (only one of which is shown)
disposed parallel to the vertical array of cooking ele-
ments 28. Preferably~ the cooking elements 28 are
associated with reflecting means for reflecting heat
toward the belt 31 and the food it carries, comprising
a polished reflector 32 of knowrl type. The belts 31
are driven by spaced sprocket wheels 33 supported on
shafts 34 which extend between opposite side walls
of the common housing 25. (,Each shaft carries two sproc-
ket wheels 33, but only one is illustrated on each shaft,
exemplifying the interaction between the belts 31 and
the associated sprocket wheels 33). The sprocket wheels'
are in turn driven ~n a conventional manner as by an
eleetric motor associated with a usual drive shaft or
chain and associated gearing system ~not shown).
Preferably, the motor is of the variable speed type, to
permit regulation of chain speed and hence cooking time.
As best seen in Figs. 3 and 7, each belt 31 includes
spaced receiving means for reoe~ving and carrying food
from dispenser 1, comprising a plurality of brackets
36 extending from the face of each helt 31. Each bracket
26 is horizontally aligned with a corresponding bracket
on the opposing belt (not shown) which are adapted to
receive and carry the free ends of the skewers 8 piercing
the food articles discharged from the dispenser 1.
Each bracket is angled sufficiently to retain the skewer
8 and includes bearing means for bearing the weight of
skewers 8 such as roller bearings 35 in the vertex
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of ~he angles. As best seen in Flg. 3, the common
housing 25 suitably includes a ramp 37 or similar gravity
conveying mea~s for conveying the material discharged
from the di~p~nser 1 to the rece~ving brackets 36 dis-
posed on the ~elt 31. As best seen in Fig. 7, the endless
conveyor system of the invention further includes ro-
tating means for rotating the skewers 8 carried by the
brackets 36 as the belts 31 move pagt the cooking elements
28. The rotating means comprises a rack gear 38 in coop-
eration with biasing means for biasing the belt 31 toward
the rack gear 38 such as plurality of spring-b~ased roller
arms 3~ pivotally secured to a section of the housing
25. The biasing action of the rol~er arms 39 positively
engages the skewers 8 with the rack gear 38 against the
bearings 35, causing rotation of the skewer 8 and
the associated food article as the endless belt 31
is driven by the sprockets 33. It is essential
that the bearing means be provided for bearing the
weight of the skewer 8 on the bracket 36. Without such
bearing means, the skewer will not be rotated, or will
be rotated ohly erratically, and the product will not
be properly cooked.
As best seen in Fig. 3, as the endless belt 31
moves over the upper sprocket 33, the associated
bracket 36 is inverted, and the skewered food product
is dispensed through a discharge chute 41 in the common
housing 25. As best seen in Fig. 12, the chute 41 is
preferably equipped with a "sneeze guard" 42 for
sanitary reasons.
A modification of the embodiment of Figs. 3
and 7, pa~ticularly suitable for food items such as
skewered ~uns 40, which do not require rotation for
adequate cooking, is illustrated in Fig. 8. In
this embodiment, a cooking assembly 27a includes a
similar endless belt 31 driven by sprockets 3'3 which
conveys skewered food discharged from the dispenser
1 past a double array of cooking elements 28. The
cooking elements 28 are disposed in spaced vertical
arrays parallel to the dispensing cartridge 3 so
that dispensed food picked up by receivlng brackets
36a disposed on belt 31 is carried between the two
arrays of cooking elements 28. In this embodiment,
no provision is made for rotation of the skewered
food carried ~y brackets 36a~ and the brackets
36a accordingly are not provided with the ~earings
35 illustrated in the embodiment of Fig. 7. In the
embodiment of Fig. 8, skewered food is dispensed
through discharge chute 41 as previously described,
on passing over the uppermost sprocket 33. In both
the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 8~ a fan 43 driven by
motor 45 (Figs. 1 and 2) may~*e provided for the cook-
ing assembly 27 to assist in the evacuation of vaporized
water and grease particles. However, in the embodiment
of Fig. 8, a fan will not be required for some cooking
operations, for example, bun ~arming.
As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the common
housing 25 for the dispenser 1 and cooking assembly
27 may include either a top access 44 (Fig. 1) or side
access 46 ~Fig. 2) for insertion of cartridges 3.
Fig. 13 is a detailed illustrated of the top access
apparatus of Fig. 1 associated with the actuating means
of Figs. 5 and 6. In Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser
1 is shown employed with both a cooking asembly 27
of Fig. 3 and a cooking assembly 27a of ~ig.. 8,
suitable for cooking hot dogs and warming buns.
!
In operation, one or more filled dispensing
cartridges 3 are placed in the dispenser 1. ~o
dispense skewered h.ot dog 7a, the lever solenoids
21 or 21a are energized to activate the levers 19,
which in turn actuate the push bars 9 to displace
th.e skewers 8 from the notches 6 in the vertical
side members 5. The pins 12 of the guide means then
direct each of the skewers 8 holding hot dogs 7 to
the next subJacent notches 6; the lowermost pins
12 direct the skewers 8 holding hot dog 7a through
the outlet 13 in the cartridge 3 and the opening
14 in t~.e floor of the housing 2. If the opening
14 is provided with a door 16, a door solenoid 21b
is activated to open door 16 to dispense the hot dog
7a. The skewered hot dog 7a proceeds down ramp 37
to the endless conveyor means 29, where the skewers
8 are picked up by a pair of brackets 36 on endless ~
belts 31. As the belts 31 are driven by the sprockets
33, the skewers 8 are positively engaged bet~een the
bearings 35 on the brackets 36 and the rack gear
38 by the action of the roller arms 39 urgi!ng the
belts 31 toward the rack gear 38, and are caused to
rotate as the hot dog 7a passes the cooking elements
28. As the belts 31 travel over uppermost sprockets
33, the bracekts 36 are inverted, and the cooked
h.ot dog-7a is dis.charged onto discharge chute 41 .
and dispensed.
