Fried product dispensing apparatus

An apparatus for storing particulate food product in a refridgerated condition, then frying and dispensing portions of the product, comprising enclosed within a housing

• a frying bath,
• a hopper for storage of said product located above and to one side of the bath, said hopper being enclosed in a refridgerated, insulated sub-housing,
• said hopper having a discharge opening through a bottom wall of said sub-housing, said hopper including impeller means disposed on an interior surface thereof adjacent said discharge opening for rotating movement to maintain even flow of said product through said discharge opening,
• a frying basket movable between an upright position in the frying bath and an least partially inverted position outside the bath
• means for delivery of a portion of said product from the hopper into the frying basket when said frying basket is positioned intermediate the position in the frying bath and the partially inverted position, said means for delivery comprising,
• a slider-receiving member disposed immediately below said sub-housing with a substantially horizontal slideway defined therein having a bottom wall, opposed side walls and a top wall,
• said top wall having an opening therethrough below and in communication with said discharge opening,
• a slide member slidably received in the slideway for sliding therein between a retracted storage position and an extended dispensing position,
• the slide member having a vertical opening therethrough defining a portioning cavity therein,
• in said retracted position said portioning cavity disposed immediately below the opening in said top wall of the slider-receiving-member in communication therewith so as to receive product from the hopper,
• in the extended position, said vertical opening through the slider disposed entirely beyond the guideway to permit said product to be dispensed vertically downward therefrom into the basket,
• when the slide member is in said retracted position, the portioning cavity is completely encircled by insulated wall portions of the slide member or the slider-receiving-member to thermally insulate the portioning cavity from interior portions of the housing,
• means for effecting movement of the basket from its upright position to its at least partially invented position including means for effecting rotation of the basket about an axis in a direction to cause partial inversion of the basket after a predetermined frying time.