Automated fry vat and method
A device and method for automated frying of foods is provided. The device includes a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil, at least one circular fry wheel with a plurality of compartments having openings towards the perimeter of the fry wheel, a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel, and an overflow passageway located above a normal operating level of cooking oil in the fry vat. The fry wheel rotates about a radial axis disposed above the normal operating level of the cooking oil. A control mechanism for causing the drive mechanism to rotate the fry wheel back and forth to simulate shaking of a fry basket may be included. A food inlet is preferably included adjacent the overflow passageway or a foam deck including the overflow passageway. In a preferred method, the fry wheel submerges food in cooking oil and shakes the submerged food in a fry basket.
1 . A device for the automated frying of foods comprising:
(a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat;
(c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel; and
(d) an overflow passageway having an inlet that is located above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat.
2 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a control system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket.
3 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a foam deck adjacent a side of the fry vat and having a deck surface located above the normal operating level of frying oil in the fry vat, said overflow passageway comprising an elongated slot in the foam deck.
4 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a food inlet for supplying a quantity of food to be fried into the compartments and located adjacent the overflow passageway.
5 . The device of claim 3 further comprising a food inlet for supplying a quantity of food to be fried into the compartments and located adjacent the foam deck.
6 . The device of claim 5 wherein the food inlet comprises an inlet slide disposed to direct food deposited on said inlet slide into one of the compartments of the fry wheel.
7 . An automated method of frying food comprising:
(a) placing food to be fried in a fry wheel compartment of a fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in a fry vat having heated cooking oil therein;
(b) providing an overflow passageway having an inlet that is located above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat;
(c) collecting in the overflow passageway at least some of the water-containing foam when the food to be fried placed in the fry wheel contacts the frying oil; and
(d) rotating the fry wheel so that the compartment containing the food travels submerged in the heated cooking oil.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising periodically rotating the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket while the food is submerged in the cooking oil.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the periodic rotation in one direction is of a larger angle of rotation than the rotation in the other direction.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the rotating of paragraph (d) of claim 32 comprises rotating the fry wheel in one direction to cause food deposited into one of the compartments to travel through the cooking oil in the fry vat over a period of time to fry the food and out of the cooking oil for subsequent discharge of the food from the compartment.