Stein, Inc.

Anthony Kootsouradis

Ramesh M Gunawardena

Bruce C Jara

The method and apparatus of the invention describes an oven having a housing formed by an enclosure, the enclosure having a cooking chamber in a portion thereof. The oven housing may also include an inlet and outlet positioned in predetermined relationship to the cooking chamber and a conveyor belt on which food products to be cooked are positioned. The conveyor belt travels through the oven housing from the inlet to the outlet and defines over a separate portion thereof a conveyance path through the cooking chamber. The oven further includes at least a source of steam for creating a cooking atmosphere in the cooking chamber. The cooking chamber of the oven is defined at its lower limit by the level of steam within the housing and the inlet and outlet are positioned below this lower limit to maintain the steam within the cooking chamber. In this manner, the escape of steam from the cooking chamber is substantially prevented or controlled. There may also be provided a temperature or steam sensing or measuring system, which can be used to maintain the desired steam atmosphere within the cooking chamber. Such an arrangement allows precise control of the flow rate of steam into the cooking chamber to thereby control the level of the steam cloud within the oven using a minimum amount of steam. Maintaining the desired steam level includes maintaining the steam density constant within the cooking chamber regardless of product flow into the oven. The oven may also include a steam recovery or containment system to minimize any loss of steam from the oven. In a preferred embodiment, the oven has an elongated opening in which the housing comprises a stationary base and a vertically reciprocable hood thereabove and in which the length of the conveyance passed through the cooking chamber may be varied by vertically reciprocating the hood.

High performance cooking oven with steam chamber

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for treating a conveyor belt with a treatment fluid while minimizing the amount of over spray of the treatment fluid into the air and onto the surrounding equipment and materials. For example, a pervious conveyor belt used in the cooking or other processing of food may be washed, scrubbed, or rinsed with water or a mixture of soap and water without causing overspray of the cleaning or rinsing fluid. Also, the apparatus and method may be used to spray a high quality non-stick coating onto the pervious conveyor belt without over spray of the non-stick coating onto surrounding plant equipment and materials. Overspray is minimized by the placement of treatment fluid flow diverters at the conveyor belt entrance and exit to divert the flow of treatment fluid away from the entrance and exit. The direction of flow of the treatment fluid is away from the entrance and exit so that the fluid does not exit the treatment chamber 30 through the conveyor belt entrance and exit. Rotatable brushes may be provided within the fluid treatment chamber 30 of the apparatus to facilitate the cleaning of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt entrance, exit, and treatment chamber 30 may be shaped to accommodate the passage of a self-stacking conveyor belt.

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Amherst, OH, United States of America

Anthony Kootsouradis