Spiral conveyor cleaning system

Abstract

A steam cooking device includes an endless conveyor arranged in a spiral path surrounding a cage. The cage is rotatable on a vertical axis to drive the endless conveyor, thus to move food along the helical path as it is cooked. A cleaning system for the device includes a fixed manifold of nozzles for spraying the conveyor, a whirling nozzle within the cage, and a spray bar. The spray bar moves along the helical path as the cage rotates, and carries a plurality of nozzles that spray a cleaning fluid onto the structure that supports the endless conveyor. Leading and trailing nozzles spray radially disposed cantilevered carrier rods, while pairs of nozzles, along the top of the moving bar, spray opposite sides of rails mounted on the carrier bars and supporting the conveyor. After the cleaning cycle, the spray bar is removed and the device is ready for food preparation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.