Holding cabinets and methods of serving precooked food products employing such holding cabinets

A holding cabinet comprising:

• a first side wall;
• a second side wall positioned opposite said first side wall;
• a first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a second pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said first of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, and a second support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said second of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• a third pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said first of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports, and a second support of said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said second of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein said holding cabinet is adapted to receive a first food product holder, wherein said first food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• and
• means for raising said first food product holder from said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports to said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports.

A holding cabinet of claim comprising:

• a first side wall;
• a second side wall positioned opposite said first side wall;
• a first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a second pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said first of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, and a second support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said second of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• a third pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said first of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports, and a second support of said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said second of said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein said holding cabinet is adapted to receive a first food product holder, wherein said first food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• a fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a sixth pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said sixth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said first of said fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports, and a second support of said sixth pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall spaced from and on substantially the same plane as said second of said fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein said holding cabinet is adapted to receive a second food product holder, wherein said second food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• and
• means for raising said first food product holder from said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports to said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports and simultaneously raising said second food product holder from said third pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said fourth pair of stationary, pivotable supports to said fifth pair of stationary, pivotable supports and said sixth pair of stationary, pivotable supports.

A holding cabinet comprising:

• a first side wall comprising a first channel;
• a second side wall positioned opposite said first side wall, wherein said second side wall comprises a second channel;
• a first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a second pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a first lifting panel positioned within at least a portion of said first channel;
• a second lifting panel positioned within at least a portion of said second channel;
• and
• a first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports positioned below said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports is formed on said first lifting panel and a second support of said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports is formed on said second lifting panel, wherein said holding cabinet is adapted to receive a first food product holder, wherein said first food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports, and said first lifting panel, said second lifting panel, and said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports move to raise said first food product holder from said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports to said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports.

A method of serving precooked food products comprising the steps of:

• placing a precooked food product on a first food product holder;
• placing said first food product holder in a holding cabinet, wherein said holding cabinet comprises:
• a first side wall;
• a second side wall positioned opposite said first side wall;
• a first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• and
• a second pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall, wherein said first food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• raising said first food product holder from said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports to said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• and
• removing said food product from said first food product holder when said first food product holder rises to an upper portion of said holding cabinet.

A method of serving precooked food products comprising the steps of:

• placing a precooked food product on a first food product holder;
• placing said first food product holder in a holding cabinet, wherein said holding cabinet comprises:
• a first side wall comprising a first channel;
• a second side wall positioned opposite said first side wall, wherein said second side wall comprises a second channel;
• a first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a second pair of stationary, pivotable supports positioned above said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said first side wall and a second support of said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports is operably mounted through said second side wall;
• a first lifting panel positioned within at least a portion of said first channel;
• a second lifting panel positioned within at least a portion of said second channel;
• a first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports, wherein a first support of said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports is formed on said first lifting panel, and a second support of said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports is formed on said second lifting panel, wherein said first food product holder is positioned between said first side wall and said second side wall and is supported by said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports;
• raising said first food product holder from said first pair of non-stationary, pivotable supports to said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• raising said first food product holder from said first pair of stationary, pivotable supports to said second pair of stationary, pivotable supports;
• and
• removing said food product from said first food product holder when said first food product holder rises to an upper portion of said holding cabinet.