Wells, John; Lebo, Robert E.; Ignon, Roger; Hauser, Steve G.; Haynes, Dan R.; Haynes, Sandra; Serber, Robert L.;

Cooking oil filtering apparatus

A portable cooking oil filtering unit has an outer housing completely enclosing all the filter stages and providing access to the stages for maintenance purposes via doors and removable closures. The housing has an inlet conduit for connection to a cooking vat drain outlet, and an outlet conduit for returning filtered oil to the cooking vat. A first stage filter in the housing is connected to the inlet conduit for filtering relatively large size particles from the oil, and the filtered oil is connected to at least one additional filter stage for filtering smaller particles from the oil. A pump is connected downstream of the final filter stage, between that filter stage and the outlet conduit, for drawing oil through the filter stages under vacuum rather than pumping it through the filters under positive pressure. One of the filter stages is accessible to allow oil-life enhancing chemicals to be added to the oil.

• Substituted 6-hydroxy pyrimidines Valve apparatus
• Locking door handle Mechanical therapeutic apparatus
• System for processing information Isoindolenineamide dyestuffs
• Metalloproteinase inhibitor Scanning electron microscope
• Medical alert alarm Polymerization process
• N-substituted triazole compounds Bracket for water heater
• Modular floating structure Dual-feed single-cam compound bow
• Method of dyeing yarn Gas assisted liquid atomizer
• Radio propagation model calibration software Plated steel sheet
• Flow control system Solid state storage device
• 5-Methyl-alpha[(methylthio)methyl]-2-furan acrolein Anticounterfeit magnetic metallized labels
• Portable sandwich preparation apparatus Carrier for liquid chromatography
• Optical pulse generator Paper perforating device
• Flange for a duct Immunization by immunogenic implant
• Electric component feeder Electroplating process
• Water tapping fixture Random access memory cell
• Raw sewage drying apparatus Thermal transfer sheet
• Continuous manufacture of peroxyesters Cooking oil filtering apparatus
• System for dispensing aprons Original image projecting apparatus
• Rotative machine for fluids Engine starting device
• Electrical plug connection Reagent for endotoxin-specific assay
• Rigid sheet polytetrafluoroethylene gasket Thermoplastic prealloyed powder
• Preparation of n-aryl- and n-hetarylhydroxylamines Razor cartridge with shaving aid
• Aspirator tray Two-stroke internal combustion engine
• Anti-skid braking apparatus Cylinder servomotor
• Angled strip cladding system DVD sleeve
• Electronic component feeding apparatus Lubricating grease
• Mine roof bolt anchor Tire protector
• Printing mechanism Epoxidation
• Method of ion implantation Cleaning system having improved agitation
• Dehydrocyclization and reforming catalyst Drill tool for deep wells
• Tuning fork flexural quartz resonator

We claim:

1. A cooking oil filtering apparatus, comprising:

an outer housing having and inlet conduit for connection to a cooking vat drain outlet to supply cooking oil to the housing and an outlet conduit for returning filtered oil to a cooking vat;

a first stage filter in the housing for receiving oil from the inlet conduit and having means for filtering particles above a predetermined size from the oil, the first stage filter having an outlet;

at least one additional filter stage enclosed in the housing having an inlet connected to the first stage filter outlet, a filter member means for removing particles smaller than said predetermined size from the oil, and an outlet;

a pump connected between the additional filter stage and the outlet conduit for drawing oil through the filter stages and pumping filtered oil into the outlet conduit;

the first filter stage comprising an oil pan having an open top and said means for filtering comprising a filter screen secured across part of the open top of the oil pan, the inlet conduit being directed onto the filter screen, and the first filter stage outlet comprising a pick-up tube extending from the oil pan through the open top of the pan to one side of the filter screen; and

the housing having an opening for access to the oil pan, and a door for normally closing the access opening, and the pick up tube being pivotally mounted in the housing for movement between a lowered position extending into the oil pan and a raised position positioned above the oil pan to allow the pan to be removed from the housing.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including two additional filter stages between the first stage filter and the pump.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional filter stages comprise a second filter device connected to the first stage filter outlet, the second filter device having a plurality of outlets, and a third filter stage comprising a plurality of separate filter canisters each having an inlet connected to a respective one of the second filter device outlets and an outlet connected to said pump.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each third stage filter canister comprises an outer casing and a roll of cellulosic filter material removably mounted in the outer casing, the cellulosic filter material having a pore size about 20 microns down to about 1 micron.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second filter device has a removable end cap for allowing oil-life enhancing chemicals to be added to the oil during filtration.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet conduits has an adapter member at its inlet end for releasably coupling the inlet conduit directly to a cooking vat drain outlet.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter screen is removably mounted in an upper end of the oil pan, the screen having a surrounding peripheral frame with a handle for lifting the screen from the oil pan, the oil pan having a peripheral lip extending around at least part of its upper end for forming a seat for said frame.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a pivot arm means linking the pick up tube to the door for automatically raising the tube when the door is opened and automatically lowering the tube when the door is closed.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter screen includes a central, raised bridge portion extending across the width of the screen and lowered valley portions on each side of the raised bridge portion.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet conduit includes a handle at its outlet end for gripping by a user, a valve at the outlet end movable between an open position and a closed position cutting off oil flow out of the outlet conduit, and switch means on the handle for operating the valve.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional filter stage comprises a plurality of identical filter canisters connected in parallel, the housing having an upper wall with a plurality of openings, each filter canister being mounted in a respective one of said openings, and having an open upper end and a removable lid for releasably closing said open upper end.