Frying apparatus and process

An apparatus for frying food pieces comprising:

• a tray comprising a concave surface which extends longitudinally from a first tray end to a second tray end for containing food pieces for frying the pieces;
• means for conveying food pieces in a direction from the first tray end to the second tray end and mixing the food pieces and for cleaning the tray surface comprising a unitary shaft and paddle member assembly which comprises a rotatable shaft and a plurality of arcuate paddle members affixed with the shaft wherein the shaft extends longitudinally from the first tray end to the second tray end, wherein the paddle members are spaced along a length of the shaft a distance apart one from another and from the shaft so that the paddle members form a helical arrangement in an area about and displaced from a circumference of the shaft and wherein the paddle members are curved so that the paddle members have a surface which faces the shaft and forms a concave shape and which extends a distance to a paddle member edge so that in the presence of food pieces contained by the tray surface and upon rotation of the assembly about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the paddle members contact and convey the food pieces in a direction from the, first tray end to the second tray end and mix the food pieces and so that the edges scrape the tray surface for cleaning the tray surface;
• means for heating the tray surface for frying food pieces contained by the tray surface;
• and
• means for rotating the shaft for controlling an amount of time food pieces are contained by the tray surface for controlling a food piece frying time.

An apparatus for frying food pieces comprising:

• a tray comprising a concave surface which extends longitudinally from a first tray end to a second tray end for containing food pieces for frying the pieces;
• means for conveying food pieces in a direction from the first tray end to the second tray end and mixing the food pieces comprising a unitary axle and plate member assembly which comprises a rotatable axle and a plurality of plate members affixed with the axle wherein the axle extends longitudinally from the first tray end to the second tray end, wherein the plate members have a shape of a section of an ellipsoid plane and wherein the plate members are spaced along the axle a distance apart one from another and have a plane section surface which extends at an angle with respect to a lateral cross-section of the axle for a distance so that in the presence of food pieces contained by the tray surface and upon rotation of the assembly about the longitudinal axis of the axle, the plate members convey the food pieces in a direction from the first tray end to the second tray end and mix the food pieces;
• means for heating the tray surface for frying food pieces contained by the tray surface;
• and
• means for rotating the axle for controlling an amount of time food pieces are contained by the tray surface for controlling a food piece frying time.