Cooking apparatus for two-sided cooking

Abstract

A clamshell type grill having an upper cooking platen mounted on a platen support arm for swinging movement between a lower cook position overlying a lower cooking platen and a raised position inclined upwardly from the lower cooking platen. The upper platen is manually operable to its lower cook position in which an arm stop in the arm engages an arm stop abutment and a pneumatic clamp cylinder is arranged to press and hold the platen support arm in its lower cook position. The upper platen is mounted on the platen support arm for limited floating movement in a direction perpendicular to the upper platen and adjustable platen stops on the platen support arm are arranged to engage platen stop abutments on the upper platen to limit downward movement of the upper platen to a preset lower position relative to the platen support arm and thereby control spacing of the upper platen from the lower platen.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A cooking apparatus comprising, a support structure having a front and a rear, a lower cooking platen means fixedly mounted on the support structure and having an upper cooking surface, platen support arm means pivotally mounted on the support structure for movement about a horizontal pivot axis adjacent the rear of the structure between a lower cook position extending generally horizontally above the lower cooking platen means and a raised position inclined upwardly from the lower cooking platen means, said support structure including a rigid member forwardly of the lower cooking platen means providing an upwardly facing arm stop abutment, arm stop means on the distal end of said platen support arm means engageable with said arm stop abutment on support structure for positively stopping downward movement of said platen support arm means at said lower cook, position, upper cooking platen means having a downwardly facing cooking surface, a plurality of spaced upright guide posts attached at their lower ends to the upper cooking platen means and extending upwardly therefrom, means on said platen support arm means guidably engaging said posts intermediate their ends and guiding said upper cooking platen means for limited floating movement relative to the platen support arm means in a direction perpendicular to the cooking surface on the upper cooking platen means, means attached to the posts defining downwardly facing platen abutment means spaced above the upper cooking platen means, a plurality of adjustable platen stop means mounted on the platen support means and engageable with the downwardly facing platen abutment means for limiting downward movement of the upper cooking platen means to a preselected lower position relative to the platen support arm means while allowing limited floating of the upper platen means upwardly from said preselected lower position, operating arm means rigidly connected to the platen support arm means, upper platen counterbalance means connected to said operating arm means for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move the platen support arm means and the upper platen means from said lower to said raised position, operating arm abutment means on the operating arm means at a location spaced from said pivot axis and movable with the operating arm means in an arcuate abutment path as the platen support arm means is moved between its lower cook position and its raised position, pneumatic clamp cylinder means mounted on the support structure and having plunger means movable along a linear plunger path generally tangent to the arcuate abutment path and intersecting said arcuate abutment path at a location to engage said operating arm abutment means when the platen support arm means is in its lower cook position, means for actuating said clamp cylinder means to move the plunger means from a first position spaced from the arcuate abutment path to a second position engaging said operating arm abutment means and for deactuating said cylinder means to move the plunger means back to its first position, said pneumatic clamp cylinder means being operative when actuated to said second position to press the plunger means against the operating arm abutment means with force sufficient to overcome the counterbalance force and yieldably press the platen support arm means to its lower cook position with the arm stop means engaging the arm stop abutment. 
     
     
       2. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for actuating said clamp cylinder means includes switch means operated in response to movement of said control arm means to its lower cook position. 
     
     
       3. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for actuating said clamp cylinder means includes control switch means operated in response to movement of said platen support arm means to its lower cook position, selectively adjustable cook timer means operated by said switch means to start a cook timing cycle when said control switch means is operated, and means controlled by said cook timer means for actuating said clamp cylinder means at the start of the cook timing cycle and for deactuating said clamp cylinder means at the end of the cook timing cycle. 
     
     
       4. A cooking apparatus according to claim 3 including manually operable over-ride switch means, and means responsive to operation of said over-ride switch means during a cook cycle for selectively deactuating said clamp cylinder means. 
     
     
       5. A cooking apparatus according to claim 3 including manually operable standby switch means, and means operative in response to operation of the standby switch means while the control switch means is operated for deactuating the cook timer means and for actuating the clamp cylinder means to hold the platen support arm in its lower position in a standby condition. 
     
     
       6. A cooking apparatus according to claim 5 including manually operable over-ride switch means, means responsive to operation of the over-ride switch means during a cook timing cycle for selectively de-actuating said clamp cylinder means, and means responsive to operation of the over-ride switch means when the platen support arm means is in said standby condition for de-actuating said clamp cylinder means. 
     
     
       7. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for actuating said clamp cylinder means includes control switch means operated in response to movement of said platen support arm means to its lower cook position, said platen support arm means being adapted to be manually lifted from its lower cook position against the yieldable force of said pneumatic clamp cylinder means to a position in which said control switch means de-actuates said pneumatic clamp means. 
     
     
       8. A cooking apparatus according to claim 1 including a housing having a marginal side wall means supported on said upper cooking platen means and extending upwardly therefrom and a cover mounted on the side wall means and spaced above the platen support arm means, and heat shield means extending between the side wall means and overlying the upper platen support arm means to inhibit heating of the control arm means from the upper cooking platen means. 
     
     
       9. A cooking apparatus comprising, a support structure having a front and a rear, a lower cooking platen means fixedly mounted on the support structure and having an upper cooking surface, platen support arm means pivotally mounted on the support structure for movement about a horizontal pivot axis adjacent the rear of the structure between a lower cook position extending generally horizontally above the lower cooking platen means and a raised position inclined upwardly from the lower cooking platen means, means adjacent the front of said support structure providing an upwardly facing arm stop abutment, arm stop means on the distal end of said platen support arm means engageable with said arm stop abutment for positively stopping downward movement of said platen support arm means at said lower cook position, upper cooking platen means having a downwardly facing cooking surface, means mounting the upper cooking platen means on the platen support arm means for limited floating movement relative to the platen support arm means in a direction perpendicular to the cooking surface on the upper cooking platen means, means on the upper cooking platen means defining downwardly facing platen abutment means spaced above the upper cooking platen means, a plurality of adjustable platen stop means mounted on the platen support means and engageable with the downwardly facing platen abutment means for limiting downward movement of the upper cooking platen means to a preselected lower position relative to the platen support arm means while allowing limited floating of the upper platen means upwardly from said preselected lower position, operating arm means rigidly connected to the platen support arm means, upper platen counterbalance means connected to said operating arm means for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move the platen support arm means and the upper platen means from said lower to said raised position, operating arm abutment means on the operating arm at a location spaced from said pivot axis and movable with the operating arm means in an arcuate abutment path as the platen support arm means is moved between its lower cook position and its raised position, pneumatic clamp cylinder means mounted on the support structure and having plunger means movable along a linear plunger path generally tangent to the arcuate abutment path and intersecting said arcuate abutment path at a location to engage said operator arm abutment means when the platen support arm means is in its lower cook position, means for actuating said clamp cylinder means to move its plunger means from a first position spaced from the arcuate abutment path to a second position engaging said operator arm abutment means and for deactuating said cylinder means to move the plunger means back to its first position, said pneumatic clamp cylinder means being operative when actuated to said second position to press the plunger means against the operating arm abutment means with force sufficient to overcome the counterbalance force and yieldably press the platen support arm means to its lower cook position with the arm stop means engaging the arm stop abutment. 
     
     
       10. A cooking apparatus according to claim 9 including shock absorbing dash-pot means mounted on the support structure and having a dash-pot plunger movable along a path generally tangent to the arcuate abutment path and intersecting the arcuate abutment path at a location to engage the operator arm abutment means when the platen support arm means approaches its raised position. .Iadd. 
     
     
       11.  A cooking apparatus, comprising: a support structure having a front and a rear;   a lower cooking platen fixedly mounted on said support structure;   a stop abutment adjacent said front of said support structure;   a support arm mounted on said support structure for movement about said rear of said structure between a lower cook position extending generally horizontal above said lower cooking platen and a raised position inclined upwardly from said lower cooking platen, including an arm stop on the end of said support arm and engageable with said stop abutment for positively stopping downward movement of said support arm at said lower cook position;   an upper cooking platen mounted on said support arm for limited floating movement relative to said support arm; and   adjustable stop means mounted on said support arm and engageable with said upper platen for limiting downward movement of said upper platen to one of a plurality of different, preselected lower positions while allowing limited floating of said upper platen upwardly therefrom..Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said support arm includes a forward portion which mounts said upper cooking platen, an intermediate pivot portion, and a rear portion extending rearwardly therefrom; pivot means for pivotally mounting said pivot portion of said support arm to said support structure; counterbalance means connected movably to said rear portion of said support arm for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said forward portion of said support arm and said upper platen from said lower position to said raised position..Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The cooking apparatus of claim 12 further including cylinder means mounted on said support structure and having a movable plunger, means connecting said plunger to the support arm for causing said plunger to move along a path which overcomes the counterbalance force and yieldably forces said platen support arm to remain in its lower cook position against said force of said counterbalance..Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said arm stop on the end of said support arm extends downwardly from a generally U-shaped handle member at said front of said support arm for allowing an operator to manually grasp said handle and lower said support arm and upper platen into said lower cook position..Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said adjustable stop means comprises a plurality of spaced upright guides attached at their lower ends to said upper cooking platen and extending generally upwardly therefrom, said guides being movably disposed through said support arm and having means attached at the upper ends of said guides defining platen abutment means spaced above said support arm, and means arranged on said support arm for engaging said platen abutment means to limit said downward movement..Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said adjustable stop means comprises a plurality of adjustable spacing mechanisms located on said support member for selecting different minimum spacing of said upper platen away from said lower platen, each mechanism having a plurality of individually selectable settings to define different minimum spacings..Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The cooking apparatus of claim 16 wherein said spacing means includes means for selectively adjusting said predetermined minimum spacing to any one of a plurality of different predetermined minimum spacing..Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 further comprising retaining means operatively associated with said support arm for releasably retaining said support arm in said lowered position..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a splash guard at said rear of said support structure and extending generally upward therefrom..Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 further comprising counterbalance means connected to said support arm for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said support arm to said raised position..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 further comprising low-friction sheet means juxtaposed to the surface of said upper platen for contact with food products being cooked..Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said lower cooking platen comprises a substantially flat steel grill plate which provides a lower cooking surface, at least one heating assembly comprising an aluminum casting containing an electrical heating element, and means joining said heating assembly to the lower surface of said lower cooking platen..Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 wherein said lower cooking surface comprises steel and said upper   
     
     
        platen comprises aluminum..Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  A cooking apparatus, comprising: a lower cooking platen defining a substantially horizontal lower cooking surface;   an upper cooking platen defining a substantially flat upper cooking surface;   a support member on which said upper platen is carried and movable between a raised inactive position and a lowered active position in which said upper cooking surface is generally parallel to said lower cooking surface;   floating means for mounting said upper platen on said support member for limited relative vertical movement with respect thereto when said support member is in said lowered active position to effect two-sided cooking of food products positioned between said cooking surface;   adjustable means on said support member for maintaining one of a plurality of different minimum spacings between said upper cooking platen and said lower cooking platen when said support member and said lower platen are in said lowered position, said adjustable means being located solely within the upper platen with the upper cooking surface being free of said adjustable means; and   spacing control means located on the exterior of said upper cooking platen and connected to said adjustable means for selecting different ones of   
     
     
        said plurality of minimum spacings..Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  The cooking apparatus of claim 24 wherein said spacing control means causes a plurality of stop members each of different length to move into alignment with an abutment, the lengths of said plurality of stop members defining 
     
     
        said plurality of different minimum spacings..Iaddend. .Iadd.26.  The cooking apparatus of claim 25 wherein said plurality of stop members are threadedly mounted to a base for individual adjustment of the length thereof..Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The cooking apparatus of claim 26 wherein the spacing control means includes a handle secured to a shaft rotatably mounted to said support member for causing the stop members to move into alignment with the abutment..Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The cooking apparatus of claim 27 further comprising detent means for releasably retaining said shaft at any one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions..Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 wherein said adjustable means comprises a plurality of spaced upright guides attached at their lower ends to said upper cooking platen and extending generally upwardly therefrom, said guides being movably disposed through said support member and having means attached at the upper ends of said guides defining platen abutment means spaced above said support member, and means arranged on said support member for engaging said platen abutment means to limit said downward movement..Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The cooking apparatus of claim 29 wherein said means for engaging said platen abutment means is adjustable to preselected heights relative to said support member while allowing said limited relative vertical movement of said upper platen..Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a rigid member forwardly of said lower platen providing an upwardly facing arm stop abutment, and arm stop means on the distal end of said support member engageable with said arm stop abutment for positively stopping downward movement of said support member at said lower cooking position..Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising retaining means operatively associated with said support member for releasably retaining said support member in said lowered position..Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising counterbalance means connected to said support member for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said support member to said raised position..Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising: counterbalance means operatively connected to said support member for moving said support member from said lowered position to said raised position;   retaining means operatively connected with said support member for releasably retaining said support member and said upper platen in said lowered position against the action of said counterbalance means; and   control means for selectively operating said retaining means for automatically affecting release of said retaining means whereby said upper platen and said support member are moved from said lower position to said upper position by the act of said counterbalance means..Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a splash guard at said rear of said support structure and extending generally upward therefrom..Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The cooking apparatus of claim 24 further comprising low-friction sheet means juxtaposed to the surface of said upper platen for contact with food products being cooked..Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  A cooking apparatus, comprising: a support structure having a front and a rear;   a lower cooking platen fixedly mounted on said support structure;   a support member mounted on said support structure for movement about said rear of said structure between a lower cook position extending generally horizontally above said lower cooking platen and a raised position inclined upwardly from said lower cooking position;   an upper cooking platen mounted for limited floating movement relative to said support member, said upper platen having a plurality of guides attached at one end to said upper cooking platen and extending generally upwardly therefrom, said guides being movably disposed through said support member and having means attached at the upper ends of said guides defining platen abutment means spaced above said support member; and   stop means arranged on said support member for engaging said platen abutment means to limit said downward movement..Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 wherein said stop means comprises a plurality of stop members threadedly mounted to a base for individual adjustment of the height thereof with said base being rotatable to align one of said stop members with said platen abutment means..Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The cooking apparatus of claim 38 further comprising detent means for releasably retaining said base at any one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions..Iaddend. .Iadd.40. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a rigid member forwardly of said lower platen providing an upwardly facing arm stop abutment, and arm stop means on the distal end of said support member engageable with said arm stop abutment on the support structure for positively stopping downward movement of said support member at said lower cooking position..Iaddend. .Iadd.41. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 further comprising retaining means operatively associated with said support member for releasably retaining said support member in said lowered position..Iaddend. .Iadd.42. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 further comprising counterbalance means connected to said support member for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said support member to said raised position..Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 further comprising:   counterbalance means operatively connected to said support arm for moving said support arm from said lowered position to said raised position;   retaining means operatively connected with said support member for releasably retaining said support member and said upper platen in said lowered position against the action of said counterbalance means; and   control means for selectively operating said retaining means for automatically affecting release of said retaining means whereby said upper platen and said support arm are moved from said lower position to said upper position by the act of said counterbalance means..Iaddend. .Iadd.44. The cooking apparatus of claim 37 wherein said lower cooking surface comprises steel and said upper platen comprises aluminum..Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  A cooking apparatus, comprising: a support structure;   a lower cooking platen mounted on said support structure;   a support member pivotally mounted on said support structure for movement between a lower cook position generally horizontal above said lower cooking platen and a raised position inclined upwardly from said lower cooking platen, said support member having a forward portion, an intermediate pivot portion and a rear portion extending rearwardly therefrom;   an upper platen mounted on said forward portion of said support member;   counterbalance means connected to said rear portion of said support member for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said forward portion of said support member and said upper platen from said lower position to said raised position; and   cylinder means on said support structure and having a plunger movable along a path to a location to press against said support member with force sufficient to yieldably press said support member to said lower position..Iaddend. .Iadd.46. The device of claim 45 wherein said cylinder includes means for moving said plunger between a first retracted position and a second extended position engaging said support member..Iaddend. .Iadd.47. The device of claim 46 wherein said moving means comprises a pneumatic cylinder..Iaddend. .Iadd.48. The device of claim 46 wherein said means for actuating said cylinder means includes switch means operated in response to movement of said support member to said lower position..Iaddend. .Iadd.49. The device of claim 46 wherein said means for actuating said cylinder means includes control switch means operated in response to movement of said support member to said lower cooking position, selectivley adjustable cook timer means operated by said switch means to start a cook timing cycle when said control switch means is operated, and means controlled by said cook timer means for actuating said cylinder means at the start of the cook timing cycle and for deactuating said cylinder means at the end of the cook timing cycle..Iaddend. .Iadd.50. The device of claim 49, further comprising manually operable over-ride switch means, and means responsive to operation of said over-ride switch means during a cook cycle for selectively deactuating said cylinder means..Iaddend. .Iadd.51. The device of claim 50, further comprising manually operable over-ride switch means, means responsive to operation of the over-ride switch means during a cook timing cycle for selectively deactuating said cylinder means, and means responsive to operation of said over-ride switch means when said support member is in said standby condition for deactuating said cylinder means..Iaddend. .Iadd.52. The device of claim 49, further comprising manually operable standby switch means, and means operable in response to operation of the standby switch means while said control switch means is operated for deactuating said cook timer means and for actuating said cylinder means to hold said support member in said lower position in a standby   
     
     
        condition..Iaddend. .Iadd.53.  The device of claim 46 wherein said means for actuating said cylinder means includes control switch means operated in response to movement of said support member to said lower cooking position, said support member being adapted to be manually lifted from its lower cooking position against the yieldable force of said cylinder means to a position in which said control switch means deactuates said cylinder means..Iaddend. .Iadd.54. A cooking apparatus, comprising: a support structure;   a lower cooking platen mounted on said support structure;   a support member pivotally mounted on said support structure for movement between a lower cook position generally horizontal above said lower cooking platen and a raised position inclined upwardly from said lower cooking platen, said support member having a forward portion, an intermediate pivot portion and a rear portion extending rearwardly therefrom;   an upper platen mounted on said forward portion of said support member;   counterbalance means connected to said rear portion of said support member for applying a yieldable counterbalance force sufficient to move said forward portion of said support member and said upper platen from said lower position to said raised position; and   shock absorbing means mounted on said support structure and having a plunger positioned to engage said support member when said support member approaches said raised position for absorbing the force of movement of the   
     
     
        upper platen and counterbalance means..Iaddend. .Iadd.55.  The device of claim 54 wherein said shock absorbing means comprises a dash-pot..Iaddend. .Iadd.56. The device of claim 54 wherein said upper platen is mounted on said support member for limited floating movement relative to said support arm..Iaddend. .Iadd.57. The device of claim 56 further comprising adjustable stop means mounted on said support member and engageable with said upper platen for limiting downward movement of said upper platen to one of a plurality of different, preselected lower positions while allowing limited floating of said upper platen upwardly therefrom..Iaddend.