US3537387A - Electrical contact elements for resistance cooking - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent inventors Raymond II. Sierk Whitestone, New York; Raymond W. Sierk, Smoke Rise, New Jersey Appl. N 0. 770,996 Filed Oct. 28, 1968 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 Assignee Automatic Swank Frank Corp.

New York, New York a corporation of New York ELECTRICAL CONTACT ELEMENTS FOR RESISTANCE COOKING 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 99/358, 99/171 Int. Cl. 1105b 3/00 Field of Search 99/358,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES'PATENTS 305,024 9/1884 119/135 1,704,999 3/1929 119/135X 2,152,315 3/1939 99/358 2,474,390 6/1949 99/358X 2,939,793 6/1960 Richman 99/358UX Primary Examiner-Walter A Scheel Assistant ExaminerArthur Henderson Attorney Mason, Fenwick and Lawrence ABSTRACT: Improvement in electrical contact elements for resistance cooking of frankfurters in special sandwich packages wherein one element is in the form of a spread band having a central prong for penetration of the end of a frankfurter projecting from the special package and having bendable wings for compressive encirclement of the frankfurter end. One, or both, wings are provided with raised contact pads, out of contact with the frankfurter when the band is in place, for engagement by a resilient contact arm of a second contact member.

Patentd Nov. 3, 1970 Q 3,537,387

Sheet 1 of 2 INVENTOR8 RAYMOND .SXEIZK RAYMOND -SIEE-K 1m QALQQ ATTORNEYS I Patented Nqv. 3, 1970 Sheet 2 012 w m m am E K mm: Mm G M 559m .HW Q l 0O MM vv AA REM ma m ELECTRICAL CONTACT ELEMENTS FOR RESISTANCE COOKING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to automatic frankfurter sandwich vending machines of the type disclosed in our prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,384, dated June 4, i957, and particularly to improvements in means for applying electrical current to frankfurters in such machines for cooking them.

Patent No. 2,794,384 discloses a machine which automatically dispenses special food packages of the type disclosed in our prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,339, issued Nov. 8, i960. The special package consists of a franki'urter in a split frankfurter bun, wrapped in a napkin and housed in a special carton having openings in the ends through which the ends of the frankfurter project for contact by electrical means to cook the frankfurter by resistance cooking. The carton has end sections open at the sides, to permit entry of knives to cut off the end portions of cooked frankfurter, so that any electrically discolored end portions may be removed and no portion of the frankfurter will project beyond the carton ends when dispensed.

The vending machine has provision for storing quantities of packages under refrigeration until needed, at which time, the protruding ends of the frankfurter of one package are engaged by contact arms to cause resistance cooking of the frankfurter. After the frankfurter is cooked, the contact arms draw-back, the ends of the frankfurter are cut off, and the package is ejected from the machine.

The contact arms of the machine disclosed in the prior patent were arranged in pairs at each end. Each pair consisted of one arm having a recess to engage about one side of a frankfurter and, a second arm having a similar recess toengage the opposite side, with a small blade carried in the recess of one of the arms to penetrate the meat. Thus, the frankfurter ends were held on opposite sides and, at the same time, penetrated. Frankfurters enlarge circumferentially and lengthwise when heated. This frequently caused the meat to leave the penetrating blade, because the meat was not confined. Thus, spaces were formed which allowed the meat to break contact with the blade and permitted juices to exude from the frankfurter. Electric arcing and smoking resulted. Thisbrought about discoloration, collection of grease on the interior of the machine and, at times, a poorly cooked product. The arcing and grease collection greatly increased fire hazard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide improved electrical contact between the contact arms and the meat of a frankfurter being dispensed in a vending machine, to alleviate the above-mentioned problems.

A more specific object is to provide disposable contact bands for encircling, and embedment in, theprojecting ends of frankfurters in special packages to form fixed contacts for the frankfurter ends.

Another object is the provision of such bands having means to penetrate the meat while the remainder of the band holds the meat against expansive movement away from the penetrating means.

A further object is to provide a band of this nature having a portion spaced from the surface of the frankfurter when the band is in banding position, to provide an electrical contacting area out of contact with the meat surface and free from exposure to escaping juices.

Still another object of the invention is to provide movable, resilient arms for contactwith the bands at thefrankfurter ends to complete an electric circuit through the frankfurter to cook it.

Yet still a further object is to provide such contact arms having wiping contact with the bands to assure clean surface contact between the members and eliminate the possibility of arcing.

It is also an object of the invention to provide bands for the frankfurter ends having more than one raised contact area, to avoid the necessity of precise placement of the packages in the machine magazine in order to assure proper orientation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred and practical embodiments thereof, when taken in conjucntion with the drawings which accompany, and form part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial vertical section through a frankfurter sandwich vending machine, illustrating improved means for obtaining electrical contact with a frankfurter in a special package to cook the frank'furter prior to vending;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the end of the frankfurter in its package and the contacting elements;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, illustrating the contact arms in engagement with bands on the ends of a frankfurter in the special package;

FIG. 4 is a cross section through one end of a frankfurter, showing the band in full lines in engaging position therewith, and in dotted lines in its original position for bending about the frankfurter;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the contact blade used in the contact arm for engagement with the frankfurter band; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating a modified form of band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As mentioned above, the vending machine with which the present invention is to be used is that disclosed in prior U.S. Ifat. No. 2,794,384, and that patent may be referred to for a full disclosure of the vending machine. The special package used with the vending machine is also disclosed in that patent and again in Pat. No. 2,959,339. Both patents are incorporated by reference into the present application and form' parts thereof.

A portion of the vending machine, including the improved contact means, is shown in FIG. I. The vendingmachine l includes a base section 2, and, a superimposed refrigerated storage area 3. The refrigerating mechanism and the vending machine operating mechanism are housed in the base section. The storage area includes one or more package magazines 4. The magazine includes corner posts 5, which are so positioned so as to define a rectangular rack in which horizontally positioned special packages 6 are free to slide vertically and be stored in stacks. Brackets 7 form bottom lips to engage the lowermost package and hold it in the magazine. The brackets are attached to levers 8 which are pivotally mounted and upwardly movable upon upward movement of an actuating rod 9 carrying operating fingers 10. The fingers engage an operating rod 11, which is pivotally connected to the levers 8. When rod 9 is lifted, fingers I0 engage the underside of rod ll and raise it, thereby lifting levers 8 and tilting brackets 7 outwardly from beneath the lowermost package 6. This allows the package to drop from the machine.

The above is all of the structure of the vending machine which is necessary to an understanding of the present improvement. For other details of the machine, U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,384 may be referred to.

The special package which is used with the machine includes a carton 12 having spaced end walls 13 and 14 at each end. The end walls 13 are the ends of a rectangular enclosing carton for the frankfurter sandwich. The end walls 14 are parallel to, and spaced a short distance from, the end walls 13. A frankfurter 15 is placed within a split bun in the carton 12- with its ends projecting through openings in the end walls 13 and 14. The area between the walls 13 and I4 is open at the sides, and knives can swing inwardly through this space to sever the ends of the frankfurter after cooking has been done. This will remove the discolored end sections and leave the frankfurter of such length that its ends will not project beyond the outer walls 14 when the package is dispensed. All of this arrangement is fully described in prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,339.

The length of the frankfurters used relative to the overall length of the carton 12 is such that substantial lengths of the frankfurter extend beyond the outer walls 1 8. It is these projecting portions that are used for making electrical contact with the frankfurter for cooking the meat. The present invention provides that disposable bands 16 be placed on the projecting ends prior to stacking the packages in the magazine, so as to form metal contacts on'the frankfurter to coact with movable contact arms 17 to complete a circuit through the frankfurter for resistance cooking.

Bands 16 will be made of a semiductile metal having good electrical conductance. Although the bands may be made by molding or by an extrusion process, they are shown as being formed from a single length of material bent to provide spread wings 18 and 19 on either side of a central prong 20.

When the band is formed from a single length of material, it is bent upon itself along a midfold line to which forms the point 21 of prong 20. Two elongated sections 21 and 23 of the material extend in adjacency from the point to form the prong proper. At the top of the prong, the material is bent in opposite directions into generally convexly bent members forming the wings 18 and 19. The curvature and spread of the wings is greater than the circumference and diameter of the frankfurter, so that the prong can be pressed into the meat and seated without interference from the wings. When the prong has been pressed fully into the meat, the wings are bent manually, or mechanically, into conformity with the frank furter and into firm contact with the frankfurter surface. When so bent, the wings are sufficiently long to embrace more than half of the franlrfurter circumference, so that the band is locked firmly onto the frankfurter.

When the band is being bent to its original shape, more material is allowed for one of the wings, the wing 18, as shown, than for the other. The excess length of material is used to form an offset contact pad 24 which will be spaced from the frankfurter surface when the band is in place. The pad is formed by providing outwardly projecting legs 29 joined by a bridge 26. The bridge actually forms the contact pad proper, as this is the surface which will be used as a contact.

The contact arms 17 are shown as mounted upon an operating shaft 27. The shaft can be rocked by any convenient means, which may be similar to that used in the prior patent to rock the contact arm. Each contact arm consists of a mounting member 28, a split-arm holder 29, and a resilient contact arm 30. I

Mounting member 28 may be formed of a block having a central opening to receive the shaft 27. A set screw 31 can be used to fix the mounting member to the shaft so that it will rotate with the shaft. it is not necessary that the mounting means be an electrical conductor, and it can be made of a nonconducting material so as to insulate the contact arms from the mounting shaft.

Arm-holder 29 is shown as comprising two mating sections 32 and 33, secured to the mounting member 28 by means of bolts 34, one of which may serve as a mounting post for an electrical conductor 35. One of the holder sections, the section 33 as shown, is provided with a groove 36 in its inner face to receive the contact arm 30 and secure it to the assembly. The groove is approximately the width and depth of the contact arm so that the arm will be held securely in position.

Contact arm 30 is formed of a strip of thin spring metal having good electrical conducting properties. The ends 37 of the contact arm 30 are curved to insure firm engagement with the contact pad 24 of the band and to provide a means for frictionally retaining the contact arm within the groove 36 of the section 33of the arm-holder Both ends of the arm are identical so that the armis fully reversible. ln mounting the arm in the holder, one end is slipped in the groove 36 and the arm pushed into the groove until the end reaches the bottom of the groove. As the groove depth is substantially the same as the thickness of the arm, the curved end 13 will be flattened as the arm is inserted in the groove. This will provide firm frictional hold against the bottom surface of the groove and against the confronting face of the upper member 32 of the arm-holder. Arm 30 is shown as having an opening 38 intermediate its ends. The only purpose of this opening is to provide means for suspending the arm in the event it is.to be plated prior to mounting.

it is preferable that the contact arm assembly have sufficient arc of rocking movement to carry the end of the contact arm 30 beyond the normal position of contact with the contact pad 24 of the band. This will serve several purposes. it will assure firm contact between the arm and the pad, it will assure contact even though subsequent packages may not have identical positions, and the over-travel of the assembly will cause a sliding movement between the contact arm end and the contact pad which will clean the engaging surfaces of any foreign matter that might be present.

in using the present invention, each package will have bands 16 engaged with the ends of the frankfurter which protrude beyond the ends of the carton. The bands will he applied by pressing the prongs 20 firmly into the meat until the wings 18 and 19 contact the surface, whereupon the wings will be bent to position them in surrounding relation to the frankfurter ends and in tight contact with those ends. The placement of the bands on the frankfurter ends can be done manually, or by some mechanical means. The packages, with the bands in place on the frankfurter ends, are then stacked in the machine magazine 4, with the bottom package resting upon the brackets-7. When a package is to be dispensed, the machine is set into operation (as fully described in the prior patent) and the contact arm assemblies 17 will be caused to rock to bring the arms 30 into contact with the contact pads 24 on the lowermost package. The previously-mentioned over-travel of the arms will assure firm contact with the bands at both ends, irrespective of precise alignment of the package. When contact is made, current will flow through the arms to the bands and through the franltfurter to complete a circuit to resistance cook the frankfurter.

As the franlcfurter cooks, it tends to increase in diameter and in length. The width ofthe bands 16 is somewhat greater than the width of the contact arms 30 so that some sliding of the bands relative to the arms can take place as the frankfurter elongates without losing contact. increase in the frankfurter diameter will cause the encircling wings of the bands to tightly compress the meat of the frankfurter into contact with the prongs so that no open spaces will be formed and no arcing can take place.

Throughout the cooking process, the contact pad 24 will be well out of contact with the surface of the frankfurter. Thus, juices which might escape from the interior will run off the frankfurter surface without coming into contact with the pad 24. This will maintain clean, dry contact between the pad and the arm 30 with the result that there will be no flash flaming or smoking to discolor the frankfurter beyond the hand area and a much safer operation is assured. The raised contact pads also serve as initial positioning means for the frankfurter, as they form stops against the carton ends to prevent longitudinal movement. This also acts as a means insuring proper alignment of the pads with the contact arms for perfect engagement.

FIG. 6 of the drawing shows a slightly modified form of band. Here, the band 39 has the same elements and substantially the same shape as the old. The band is composed of a centrai prong 40, and the oppositely projecting wings 41 and 42. In this form of the invention, however, each wing is provided with a contact pad. Thus, wing 41 has a contact pad 43 and wing 42 has a contact pad 44. The contact pads are constructed identically with the one described in the previous form of the invention.

By having contact pads on both wings, the operation of applying the bands to the frankfurters and the insertion of the packages in the machine. magazineis considerably simplified.

With the modified band, it makes no difference how the band is oriented for application to the frankfurter as a contact pad will be positioned on either side when the band is in place. The same advantage is gained when the packages are placed in the magazine, for no matter which side of the package happens to face the contact arm side of the machine, contact pads will be properly positioned for engagement by the arms. In all other respects, the modified band is used, and operates, in exactly the same manner as the first-described form.

While in the above practical forms of the invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that the specific details of construction shown and described are merely by way of illustration, and the invention may take other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters in special sandwich packages wherein the frankfurter extends beyond the package ends, improved electrical contact elements comprising, bands to embrace the projecting ends of the frankfurter, each band being of bendable electrical conducting material and having a prong to penetrate into the frankfurter, and spaced electrical conducting. contact arms mounted for sirnulataneous movement to and from engagement with the bands.

2. In a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 1 wherein, each band has wings on each side of the prong to lie against the frankfurter surface in embracing relation, and each wing has a contact pad offset outwardly from the remainder of the wing to be free from contact with the frankfurter surface when the band is in position on a frankfurter and for engagement with the contact arms.

3. In a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 1 wherein, each band has wings on each side of the prong to lie against the frankfnrter surface in embracing relation, and at least one of the wings has a contact pad offset outwardly from the remainder of the wing to be free from contact with the frankfurter surface when the band is in position on a frankfurter and for engagement with the contact arms.

4. In a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 3 wherein, each band is wider than the contact am it engages to permit movement of the bands in a direction longitudinally of the frankfurter while maintaining engagement with the contact arms.

5. in a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 3 wherein, each contact arm includes a holder and a contact element, the contact element being of resilient electrically conducting material.

6. in a device for resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 5 wherein, each contact element is straight for the major portion of its length with its end portions both curved in the same direction, and the holder has a straight slot into which one end of the contact element seats in straightened frictional engagement.

7. A contact element for use in resistance cooking of frankfurters in special sandwich packages wherein the frankfurter projects beyond the ends of the package comprising, an open band of bendable electrical conducting material to be placed over the projecting end of a frankfurter and bent to clamping relation about the frankfurter end, the band having a prong to penetrate into the frankfurter, the prong being located between the ends of the open band and the band having curved wings on either side of the prong, and at least one of said wings having an outwardly offset portion forming a contact pad spaced from the frankfurter surface when the band is in place.

8. A contact element for use in resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 7 wherein, each wing has an outwardly offset portion forming a contact pad spaced from the frankfurter surface when the band is in place.

9. A contact element for use in resistance cooking of frankfurters as claimed in claim 7 wherein, the band is formed from a single strip of material bent medially upon itself to form the prong.

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