Apparatus for selectively heating an individual food item in a

Abstract

A cabinet type enclosure, preferably in the form of a cart, which is adapted to be connected to a source of refrigeration for refrigerating a plurality of food items on a plurality of meal trays positioned in the enclosure has a plurality of thin, generally horizontal fixedly mounted heater shelf members extending into the enclosed space from one side wall thereof. The heater shelf members are adapted to be moved relative to and under hot food containers positioned on the trays to heat same. The enclosure also has pairs of tray guides on its opposing side walls. The meal trays have integral transverse abutment means which extend over a portion of the tray surface at a location above the surface. The transverse abutments cooperate with a container for hot food placed on the tray between the abutment means for preventing movement of the hot food container past the transverse abutment means by frictional contact with the heater shelf as the tray is moved into or out of the enclosure and relative to the heater shelf along the tray guides. The heater shelf members are positioned so that they will pass between the tray surface and the bottom of the abutment means. A ramp-like end on the heater shelf will engage and lift the chamfered bottom of a container to be heated so that the container will be gently lifted upwardly onto the heater shelf as the tray is moved to a position overlying a heating element on the heater shelf. The apparatus is particularly useful for inflight feeding as well as for institutional feeding.