Cooking apparatus for moving food while deep frying

A cooking apparatus for oil-frying food, the cooking apparatus comprising:

• a vessel comprising a base wall and a perimeter wall, the perimeter wall being coupled to and extending away from the base wall, the vessel defining a cavity which is surrounded by the base wall and the perimeter wall, the vessel being configured to contain cooking oil in the cavity, the perimeter wall defining a pair of notches in an upper edge of the perimeter wall, the pair of notches being positioned opposite each other;
• a heating assembly mounted to the vessel and configured to heat the cooking oil, the heating assembly comprising:
• an electrical heater comprising:
• a resistive heating element, the resistive heating element being positioned in the cavity of the vessel;
• an electrical connector electrically coupled to the resistive heating element, the electrical connector being configured to electrically couple to an external power source;
• a processor operatively coupled to the resistive heating element and the electrical connector, the processor being programmed to adjust an electrical current flowing through the resistive heating element;
• and
• an input operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a gas heater comprising:
• tubing positioned adjacently below the vessel, the tubing being configured to be in fluid communication with a gas supply, the tubing defining a plurality of outlets for releasing a gas which flows from the gas supply;
• and
• a control valve coupled to the tubing, the control valve being configured to control a flow rate of the gas;
• a food container which is movable with respect to the vessel, the food container comprising:
• a frame, the frame having a top member and a pair of arms, the pair of arms coupled to and extending downwardly from the top member, the pair of arms being spaced from each other;
• an axle coupled to the frame, the axle being positionable in the pair of notches of the perimeter wall of the vessel;
• a fryer basket rotatably mounted to the frame via the axle, the fryer basket defining an interior volume in the fryer basket, the fryer basket defining a plurality of holes which extend through the basket into the interior volume, the fryer basket being positioned in the cavity of the vessel when the axle is positioned in the pair of notches of the perimeter wall of the vessel, the fryer basket including a door for selectively accessing the interior volume from outside the fryer basket;
• and
• a basket drive operatively coupled to the fryer basket, the basket drive comprising a motor mounted to the frame and rotatably coupled to the fryer basket;
• a track spaced above the vessel and extending horizontally with respect to the vessel, the track comprising an I-beam;
• a carriage movably mounted to the track, the food container being mounted to and being spaced below the carriage, the carriage hanging from a bottom flange of the I-beam, the carriage comprising a plurality of wheels, the plurality of wheels resting atop the bottom flange;
• and
• a hoist coupled to and extending between the carriage and the food container, the hoist being configured to alternately raise and lower the food container with respect to the vessel, the hoist comprising:
• a spool rotatably mounted to the carriage;
• a hoist motor operatively coupled to the spool;
• a cord mounted to the spool, the cord having a distal end with respect to the spool which is coupled to the food container;
• and
• a connector removably coupling the cord to the food container, the connector being mounted to the distal end of the cord, the connector comprising a hook.