FR2785516A1 - Rotisserie for roasting flat dishes, has sliding spikes or containers on spits which rotate and stop for adjustable period each half revolution, in which long side of dish are exposed to heating - Google Patents

Abstract

A dish (8), such as an open chicken is held, in the flat position by spikes (38a,38b) which are mounted on sleeves (36a,36b) which are able to slide on a rotating spit (6). The spit (6) is motor driven and rotates for half a revolution to a position where the long side of the dish is perpendicular to heat source (15), waits for an adjustable time, and then rotates for a further half revolution to repeat the cycle.

Description

ROTISSERIE FOR COOKING FLAT PRODUCTS

  The present invention relates to a roasting pan of the type comprising a chassis carrying heating means, at least one rotary support which is capable of receiving at least one product to be roasted and which is mounted on the chassis so as to be able to rotate opposite the means of heating, and drive means connected to said

  support to rotate it with the product or products it supports.

  In known roasters, the rotary support is generally produced in the form of a spit on which the product or products to be roasted are skewered and which is rotated continuously by the said drive means These drive means are usually constituted by a geared motor unit which includes an electric motor and a speed reducing gear set, to the output shaft from which the spit of the roasting pan can be mechanically coupled,

  detachably, by a quick coupling device.

  Usually, known roasters of the type indicated above, with spit rotating continuously at constant speed, are entirely satisfactory when it comes to roasting products which, after being skewered, have a peripheral surface of which all the points located in the same cross section, perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spindle, are roughly equidistant from said axis of rotation Indeed, in this case, the peripheral surface of the product is browned or grilled in a roughly homogeneous manner like this is wanted when it comes to

  for example, roast whole poultry or roast meat.

  However, this is no longer the case when it is a question of roasting a flat product, such as for example a flat fish, a rib of beef or an open poultry, that is to say a poultry which has been cut at the level pike and rabdom and whose two side parts are then separated from each other and laid flat for the cooking of poultry as is done in particular in countries of Hispanic culture. By flat product is therefore meant a product of which one of the three dimensions, in a three-dimensional reference system, is significantly smaller than its two other dimensions, the longest dimension of the product generally corresponding to the direction of the axis of rotation of the spit, basket or other rotating support intended to support the product to be roasted in the roasting pan. In this case, with such flat products, if the spindle, basket or other rotary support rotates continuously at constant speed, the points on the peripheral surface of the product which are furthest from the axis of rotation of the spindle, basket or other rotary support, are burned because they are too close to the heat source at the time of their passage in front of the latter. To remedy this drawback, the speed of rotation of the spit can be increased and / or the total cooking time reduced, but it can then happen that the interior of the product is not sufficiently cooked and

  however, the roasted product will not be evenly browned around its entire periphery.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a roasting pan of the defmi type allowing correct roasting of flat products, such as for example open poultry, flat fish, ribs of beef, etc. According to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that the roasting pan further comprises sequential control means for activating the drive means intermittently, at regular intervals, by alternating a pause time and a rotation time. shorter than the pause time, and this in such a way that the

  support performs a U-turn at each rotation time.

  Under these conditions, the product (s) to be roasted are installed on or in the rotary support of the roasting pan in such a way that, at each pause time, one or the other of the two main faces of the product (s) to be roasted is exposed to the heat source, and the edges of the product (s) to be roasted, i.e. their parts which are at the greatest distance from the axis of rotation of the rotary support

  relatively quickly in front of the heat source at each rotation time.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the pause time is adjustable.

  For open poultry, in particular open chickens, it can be between 10 and 25 seconds, preferably between 15 and 20 seconds. The rotation time can be approximately 5 seconds or less, which corresponds to a rotation speed of the rotary support of at least 6 rpm In the case where the drive means of the rotary support are constituted by a group electric gear motor, said sequential control means can comprise a switching means placed in the current supply circuit of the electric motor of the electric gear motor group and controlled by

  a programmer combined with a U-turn sensor.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the half-turn sensor can be constituted by a disc which is fixed to the output gimbal of the gearmotor group and which includes two notched peripheral edges. located in diametrically opposite positions, and by a ndcro-contctur having a feeler arm which is in abutment on the peripheral edge of the disc to detect one or the other of the two notches of the latter. The controller can etc constituted by a relay relayed at the fementr, whose working contact constitutes said switch means and whose coil is supplied cn current under the control of the U-turn sensor. In this case, the micro-contactor pout amre agew, é to establish a first conductive path ea parallel! Sat the working contact of the timed relay when the probe and ea press on the peripheral edge of the disc outside of, check marks, and a second serial conductor path cm with the coil of the time relay when the arm feels

  meet lim or the other notched notches.

  In another embodiment of the invention, the programmnatur can be

  consisting of a programmed or programmable microprocssu.

  Said rotatf spport may comprise, in a known manner cn sot, a rod which carries at least one holding device for a product to be roasted, and whose rme of the two ends has or forms a coupling part which can cooperate by fitting together with a complementary part coupling a shaft so that said means of damming the cu where the product to be roasted is a flat product, said holding device fixes said flat product to be roasted in a defined position relative to the rod; lsditcs coupling parts have non-circular sectiom such that they define at most two angular positions, angularly spaced by 18g0, of said rod relative to said output shaft; said sequential control means can then be arranged to control said control means in such a way that, at each exposure time, one or the other of the two main faces of the flat product to be roasted is exposed to the heating means. In one embodiment of the invention, said rod can have a rectangular section at least in its coupling part. In this case, said additional part craccouplemontemont said outlet arxt can be constituted by a sleeve whose internal channel has a section rectangular corresponding to that of

said rod.

  The invention also relates to a spit which can be used as a rotary support for the open poultry meat of a roasting pan of the type defined above. The spindle can comprise, in a manner known per se, a rod with a non-circular section, of rectangular shape, which, by means of a holding device, is a pair of sleeves which can slide on said rod and which each carry two pins having active parts which extend roughly parallel to one another to grip the roasting poultry. In the spit according to the invention, to grasp poultry open to roast, the active parts of the pins are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the spindle and situated in a plane which is parallel to said lontutdial axis and spaced from it by a distance predefined. In addition, the active parts of the two pins of one of the two sleeves are respectively aligned with the active parts of the two pins of the other machon of said pair of sleeves and have their points oriented towards the outside with respect to said rod of the spindle in a direction opposite to that of the tips of the active parts of the pins of said other sleeve. For example, the

  predefined distance mentioned above can be between 30 and 40 minutes.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the two pins of each sleeve can be formed in one piece in a rigid metal wire, which is folded substantially in the form of a side view of the spindle. In this case, the active parts of the picota are contained by the free end parts of the branches of the V, the remaining part of which is curved ho from the plane containing the said active parts and rigidly fixed, by the base of the V, to the corresponding sleeve Dan another embodiment of the invention, the two pins of each sleeve can be carried respectively by the ends of a horizontal bar of a workpiece of T, whose horizontal bar is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spindle and the vertical bar is fixed by its base to the corresponding sleeve. In this case, each spike is constituted by a rigid metallic wire, which is bent in the shape of an L, whose vertical branch comnstitutes said active part of the spike and whose horizontal branch has a length corresponding to said predefined distance and is fixed to a of ends of said horizontal bar of the T-piece. In the two embodiments indicated, the two sleeves have end edges mutually opposite each other which are cut so that the two sleeves can nest each other in another so

  that the active parts of their pins can be aligned two by two.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be learned by reading

  of the description which is going to be given and which is given, in the form of excmpkle, with reference to

  drawings anmcxs in which: - Figure 1 is a front view of a roasting pan according to an embodiment of the present invention; - Figure 2, is a prtielle view, on a larger scale, in section along line l-II of Figure 1; FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a possible embodiment of a coupling device between a rotating spit, intended to support at least one product to be roasted, and the output shaft of a motor-detector unit provided in the roasting pan according to the invention for rotating the said spit; - Figure 4, is a perspective view montmt a rotary spindle carrying a holding device usable for supporting and maintmenir open poultry in the roasting pan according to rinvention; - Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4 showing another embodiment of the holding device for open poultry; - Figure 6 is an electrical diagram of a roasting pan according to the invention, in the case where said roasting pan has seven rotating spits, therefore seven electric motors for driving said spits; FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram relating to one of the electric motors of the rotisserie and to its sequential control means; - Figure 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment including a programmed or programmable microprocessor as a sequential control means for controlling an electric motor of the roasting pan according to the invention; - Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the

  micropoessur of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

  The roasting pan 1 represented by way of example in FIG. 1 has an industrial roasting pan of the kind encountered in certain food shops, such as butcher shops and poultry shops, or in the food departments of certain large sales faes. . The roasting pan 1 comprises a frame 2 which, in this exemplary embodiment, is produced in the form of a cabinet, which can optionally be mounted on casters 3 to facilitate its movement, if desired, and whose front face is under the duae form

  lo large bay which can be either left open or closed by glass doors 4.

  Several rotary supports or spits SA, 5B, 5C ... can be installed, with products to be roasted, in the roasting pan 1 and removed therefrom after the products have been rti The manmire in which each spit SA, 5B 5C is introduced or reée of the roasting pan I is well known and will therefore not be described in detail It will simply be noted that each spit 5A, 5B or 5C cprend a rod 6 which carries at least one holding device 7A, or 7B or 7C adapted to the nature or form of the product to be roasted. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the spindle SA is a spindle which carries three holding devices 7A special montain designed to grasp and maintain poultry, for example poults 8, in an open and flat state as defined above. Such a pin 5A and a holding device 7A will be described in detail below. The other two pins 5B and 5C are conventional pins of the pin-panicr type, the holding device 7B or 7C being constituted by a sort of metal panel. In Figure 1, the basket 7B of the spindle contains a fish 9, while the basket 7C of the spindle 5C provides several

  ribs, for example six ribs of beef 10.

  One of the ends of each of the pins SA, 5B, and 5C, the left end in FIG. 1, is provided with a handle 11, preferably made of a heat-conducting muvaise material, for example of wood, allowing to grasp the corresponding spit, without getting burned, to put it in the roasting pan and remove it. The other end (the right end in Figure 1) of each pin A, 5B, or 5C can be coupled to output rarbr 12 (Figure 3) of a power unit not shown in Figure 1 but designated by reference 14 in

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  Figure 7. The cabinet 2 of the roasting pan 1 shown in Figure I contains three spits 5A, 5B and 5C. In this case, at least three motor-reducer groups are provided, one for each spindle. However, it is understood that the cabinet 2 of the rotisserie 1 could be designed or dimensioned to receive a number of pins s smaller or larger than that which is shown in Figure 1, by

example seven pins.

  The roasting pan 1 further comprises heating means for cooking the products to be roasted. These heating means can, for example, consist of gas radiant heaters 15 which are for example fixed to the rear vertical wall 16 of the cabinet 2 respectively opposite each spindle,

  as shown in Figure 2 in connection with pin 5A.

  The rotisserie I according to the invention further comprises sequential control means allowing the motor-reducing unit 14 associated with each spit 5A, 5B or 5C to be activated intermittently, at regular intervals, by alternating a pause time and a rotation tenmps shorter than the exposure time, and this in such a way that the spindle 5A, 5B or 5C performs a U-turn at each rotation time. In the case where the motor M of the geared motor group is an electric motor, the sequential control means can comprise a switching means 13 (FIG. 6) placed in series in the current supply circuit of the electric motor M of the motor and controlled by a programmer 17

associated with a U-turn sensor 18.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the half-turn sensor 18 can be constituted by a disc 19 (FIG. 7) which is fixed to the output flap 12 of the motorized gear unit 14 and which comprises two notches 19a and 19b located in diametrically opposite positions on the peripheral edge of the disc 19, and by a micro-contact 21 having a feeler arm 21a which is supported on the peripheral edge of the disc 19 to detect one or the other of the two notches 19a and 19b do As shown in FIG. 6, the programmer 17 can be constituted by 3t an electromagnetic relay timed at the cracking, whose working contact, normally open, constitutes the switching means 13 sunmentionnmé and whose

  coil 17a is supplied with current under the control of the half-turn sensor 18.

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  As is also visible in FIG. 6, the microswitch 21 of the half-turn sensor 18 comprises two fixed contacts 21b and 21c and a movable contact 21d which is mechanically coupled to the feeler arm 21a. When the feeler arm 21a is in abutment on the edge of the disc 19, apart from the two notches thereof, the movable contact 21d cooperates with the fixed contact 21b to establish a conductive path in parallel on k working contact 13 normally timed relay open 17. In these conditions, the electric motor M of the geared motor group 14 can be re-supplied with current from a current source, for example the 240 V, 50 Hlz distribution network, through a circuit comprising a line 22, a general bipolar market intemipter 23 of the roasting pan, a line 24, a bipolar marc-anrt switch 25 associated individually with the electric motor M of each motor-reduction unit 14 of the roasting pan, a line 26, the motor M. a line 27, the contacts 21b and 21d of the micro-sensor 21, a line 28, a line 29, said bipolar on-off switch 25, a line 30, di

  i5 general bipolar on-off switch 23 and one line 31.

  Loxxrsque the feeler arm 21a of the micro-cotactewr 21 meets one or the other

  of the two notches 19a and 19b of the disc 19, the movable contact 21d of the micro-

  contactor 21 departs from fixed contact 21b and comes to rest on fixed contact 21c.

  Danm these conditionu the motur M of the motor-reduction unit 14 ceases to be supplied with current and it stops, while the micro-ntactur 21 establishes a conductive path in series with the coil 17a of the relaistempoisé 17. The coil 17a is then supplied with current through a circuit comprising line 22, switch 23, line 24, plain line 32, coil 17a ele-m = nien, ue line 33, contacts 21c and 21d of microswitch 21, lines 28 and 29, switch 25, line 30, switch 23 and line 31. After a predefined adjustable time, which corresponds to a preset delay of the timed relay 17 ct which defines the pause time or the time d stopping the motor M, the working contact 13 of the time relay 17 closes, thus restoring the current supply to the motor M through the circuit comprising the line 22, the switch 23, the line 24, switch 25, the line 26, motcur M itself, part of line 27, line 34, working contact 13,

  a line 35, line 29, the inteupter 25, line 30, switch 23 and line 31.

  The motur M therefore again drives the spindle coupled to the outlet flap 12 of the corresponding geared motor, as well as the disc 19 of the U-turn sensor 18

9 2785516

  correspon t. nI follows that the feeler arm 21a of the micro-contactor 21 comes out of the notch 19a or 19b in which it was located This has the effect of passing the

  movable contact 21d of the microswitch 21 from the fixed contact 21c to the fixed contact 21b.

  The current supply to the coil 17a is then cut off and the working contact 13 opens immediately, but the motor M continues to run because it remains supplied with current through the circuit indicated above, including the contacts 21b and 21d of the microcontroller 21. As soon as the disc 19 has made a U-turn (180), the feeler arm 21a of the nmic -contacwr. 21 meets the other of the two notches 19a and 19b of the disc 19, which again points to the stopping of the engine M. The cycle described above (pause then rotation of a half-turn) then begins again in the same manner, and this as kmgtime as the switch 25 individually associated with the

  motor M and main switch 23 of the roasting pan remain closed.

  In FIG. 6, the electrical diagram of a roasting pan equipped with seven spits and of seven electric motors MI to M7 has been repeated (one for each spit). Each of the electric motors M1-M7 is associated with an individual bipolar on = stop 25 intruemptor by means of which the corresponding motor can be selectively connected to or disconnected from the pair of supply lines 24, 30 which is common to all the . M1-M7 engines. Each motor M1-M7 is also associated with a microswitch 21 with a half-turn sensor similar to that shown in FIG. 7, as well as a working contact 13 with a time relay. The arrangement of the working contact 13, of the microswitch 21 and of the switch 25 is the same for all the electric motors MI-M7 and has already been described above with regard to the electric motor M, so that it will not be not described again in detail. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the working contacts 13 are part of the same timed relay and are actuated simultaneously by the utnic coil 17a of the timed relay 17. In addition, if the disks 19 of the sensors U-turn 18 associated respectively with the electric motors Ml-M7 are set in the same angular position relative to the output shaft 12 of the gearmotor groups

  corresponding all the spit of the roasting pan will then rotate in synchronism.

  Such an embodiment is well suited when all the products to be roasted at a given time by means of the roasting pan according to the invention are of the same kind and have

  substantially the same dimensions and / or the same weight.

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  However, if it is desired to be able to roast at the same time several products of different natures, having different weights and or different dimensions, it may be preferable to provide a timed relay 17 for each spit, so that the delay time or pause time of each motor can be adjusted individually and adapted to the respective products carried by the

various spits of the roasting pan.

  In general, the pause time must be adjustable between a few seconds and several tens of seconds, or even several minutes. By way of example, in the case of roasting open chickens, the pause time can be very adjusted to a value between 15 and 20 seconds. With regard to the choice of the spindle speed between two pause times, and therefore the choice of toe teumrs groups to use in the roasting pan, the following considerations should be taken into account. On the one hand, the speed of rotation of the spit must be as rapid as possible so that the residence time of the regions Sa and 8b of the baking proit 8 (FIG. 2) which are furthest away from the spindle rotation axis, is as short as possible when they pass as close as possible to the radiant burner, and these regions Sa and 8b of the product 8 are therefore not too roasted. On the other hand, the speed of rotation of the spit must not be too high in order to limit the kinetic energy of the rotating spindles and, consequently, to facilitate the stopping of the spit and of the baking product that it supports within a well-defined angular position at the start of each pause time, for example in the angular position shown in FIG. 2 or in an angular position offset by 180 relative to that which is shown. A good concept between these two contradictory requirements can be found by adopting as a geared motor group 14 a geared motor of the 357 series marketed by DEC. Such a moto-r ctur, supplied with an alternating voltage of 240/220 volts, has an output shaft which rotates at a speed of 6 revolutions per minute, or a U-turn in 5 seconds, and it is equipped with a self-locking device which ensures a sharp and abrupt stop of the motor rotor whenever

  the current supply to the latter is cut off.

  On the side of the spindle, the output shaft 12 (FIG. 3) of each mok-r tor group is terninc in the form of a coupling sleeve 12a in the internal channel 12b from which can be fitted re-extrusion 6b of the rod 6 of the spindle Il A, 5B or 5C running. The rod 6 preferably has a rectangular cross section at least in the region of its end 6b. Similarly, the internal channel 12b of the coupling sleeve 12a has a rectangular cross section which corresponds to that of the end 6b of the rod 6. Under these conditions, the rod 6 can only occupy two angular positions, angularly spaced 180 , relative to the coupling sleeve 12a. Bicn understood, 'rcxtnité 6b of the rod 6 and the internal channel 12b of the coupling sleeve 12a can have a transverse section having another shape, for example conmmines an isosceles triangle shape, a T shape or any other shape defining a or at most two angular poitions angularly spaced 180 from the rod 6 relative to the output shaft 12. Under these conditions, if the disc 19 of the U-turn sensor 18 associated with each output shaft 12 is suitably angularly wedged on the output shaft 12 corresponds and if the holding device 7A, 7B or 7C of the spindle 5A, 5B or C is suitably wedged angularly on the rod 6 of the corresponding spindle, S15 it is possible to ensure that the two faces main of flat products to be rtir, for example The faces & c and 8d of the open chickens 8 (figure 2) are arranged vertically and exposed to the heat radiated by the radiant heat 15 when the output shaft 12 of the gr motor-reducer oupe 14 occupies its successive positions dadf-t We will now describe, with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a holding device 7A specially adapted to be able to hold open poultry, in particular a chicken As shown in the figures 2 to 4, the holding device 7A comprises, in a manner known per se, a pair of rings or sleeves 36a and 36b which can slide on the rod 6 of the spindle and which each hold two pins 37a or 37b. The two pins 37a or 37b have active parts 38a or 38b which extend roughly parallel to each other to grip the poultry to be roasted. However, unlike conventional pins, in which the active parts of the pins extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod 6 of the pin, in the holding device 7A according to rinvetimon, the active parts 38a and 38b of the two pairs of pins 37a and 37b are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the rod 6 of the spindle and located in a plane P (Figure 2) which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod 6 of the spindle, that is to say perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2. This plane P is located at a defined distance d from said longitudinal axis of the rod 6. This distance d may for example be between 30 and 40 mm. In addition, the active parts 38a of the pins 37a of the sleeve 36a are respectively aligned with the active parts 38b of the pins 36b of the sleeve 36b, when these two sleeves 36a and 36b are joined to one another. For this purpose, the two sleeves 36a and 36b have end edges mutually opposite each other which are cut in such a way that the two sleeves can overlap one another as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In addition, the tips of the active parts 38a of the two pins 37a are oriented outwards relative to the rod 6 in mune

  direction opposite to glue of the tips of the active parts 38b of the two pins 37b.

  1o In other words, in one of the two output rarbre stop positions 12 of the geared motor group 14, the tips of the active parts 38a are directed vertically upwards, while the tips of the active parts 38b are directed vertically downwards, and this orientation is reversed for the other landing position of the shaft

exit 12.

  In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4, the two pins 37a or 37b of each sleeve 36a or 36b are formed in one piece in a rigid metal wire, which is folded substantially in a V shape as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The active parts 38a or 38b of the pins are then formed by the free end parts of the branches of the V. The remaining part 39a or 39b of the V is curved out of plane P (as can be seen in FIG. 2) and is rigidly fixed by the base of the V, to the corresponding sleeve 36a or 36b. This attachment can be

performed for example by welding.

  Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the holding device 7A.

  In FIG. 5, the elements which are identical or which play the same role as those which have been described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 4 are designated by the same reference numbers and will not be described again in detail. It will simply be noted that dansm kle holding device 7A ′ in FIG. 5, the two pins 37a or 37b of each sleeve 36a or 36b are respectively carried by the ends of a horizontal bar 41a or 41b of a part 40a or 40b in the form of T. bars

  horizontal 41a and 41b are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod 6 of the spindle.

  The vertical bars 42a and 42b of the two parts 40a and 40b in the shape of a T are rigidly fixed, by their base, respectively to the sleeve 36a and to the sleeve 36b. The two vertical bars 42a and 42b of which disposed respectively on either side of the rod 6 and aligned with each other when the two sleeves 36a and 36b are joined. Each pin 37a or 37b is formed by a rigid metallic wire, which is bent in the shape of L. In the position of stopping of the spindle represented in FIG. 5, the vertical branch of each pin is formed of L constitutes the active part 38a or 38b of the spike, while the horizontal branch of the L has a length corresponding to the predetermined distance mentioned and is rigidly fixed to one of the ends of the bafrehrizontai 4la or 4lb of the part 40a or 40b in the shape of a T. 'one or the other of the two holding devices 7A or 7A', the placement of an open chicken 8 on a spit can be carried out as follows. The sleeve 36b is placed against the back of the chicken and the active parts 38b of its soft pins 37b are respectively stitched in the chicken thighs or passed in front of them Then, the sleeve 36a is placed against the back of the chicken and is active parts 38a of its two pins 37a are pricked in the wings of the chicken or passed in front of them. Then the two sleeves 36a and 36b are placed end to end and aligned, and the rod 6 of the spit is threaded in the two sleeves. Chicken 8 is

  alo held in the open state on pin 5A comnm this is shown in Figure 2.

  FIG. 8 shows, in the form of a functional diagram, another embodiment of the sequential control means which can be used to control the

  intermittent operation of the electric motor M of each power unit

  reducer associated with one of the spits of the roasting pan. In figure 8, the elements which are identical or which play the same role as those of the reduction mode

  above are designated by the same reference numbers.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the switch means 13 which is placed in series in the current supply circuit of the motor M can here be constituted by an electronic switch. The closing and reopening of this electronic switch 13 are controlled, possibly by means of a driving circuit (not shown), by the electric programmer 17, which can here be constituted by a programmed or programmable microprocessor. The microprocessor 17 also receives the output signal supplied by the half-tomu sensor 18 which indicates whether the spindle coupled to the motor M cst in one or the other

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  of its two vertical angular positions or in an intermediate position between

these two vertical positions.

  The half-turn sensor 18 can for example be produced in the same manner as that described with reference to FIG. 7, the micro-contactor 21 then being arranged to provide the microprocessor 17 with a signal having a first state or logic level when the arm pa r 21a is supported by the periphery of the disc 19 outside the notches l9a and l9b, and a signal having a second state or logic level when the feeler arm 21a meets one or the other of the two notches 19a and 19b of the disc 19. Of course, the half-tr sensor 18 could be produced using other technologies, for example optoelectronic compoams, as is well

  known in the field of angular sensors.

  The microprocessor 17 can for example be programmed to operate according to the flowchart of FIG. 9. For example, in a first step 45 the microprocessor 17 controls the starting of the motor M by causing the fenncture of the electronic switch 13 with response to the closing of the bipolar int 25 by the user, an appropriate signal then being sent to the microprocessor 17 in a manner not shown in detail Then, in step 46, the microprocessor 17 checks, on the basis of the logic level of the signal which it is supplied by the half-turn sensor 18, whether or not the output shaft of the motor-drive unit has made a half-turn. If not, the microprocessor 17 keeps the electronic switch 13 closed (step 45). If the output shaft has made a U-turn, the microprocessor 17 then commands the engine M to stop (step 47) by causing the electronic switch 13 to open. Immediately after, the microprocessor 17 initializes a time counter (step 48) and starts counting the time (step 49) The counting of the counter can be an initialization to zero if the counting is a progressive counting, or an initialization to a predetermined and adjustable count value, corresponding to a pause time

  tp desired, if the count is a declining count.

  The microprocessor 17 then checks (step 50) whether the time elapsed since the initialization of the time counting has reached the pause time tp or not. If not, the counting of time (step 49) continues, while in the affirmative the program returns to step 45 and the motor M is then restarted. The cycle described above then starts again indefinitely, until the switch 25 is

opened by the user.

  The tests carried out with the roasting pan according to the invention have shown that it makes it possible to correctly roast flat products, such as for example open poultry, flat fish, ribs of beef, etc. In particular, in the case of open chickens, the roasting pan according to the invention offers several advantages compared to a conventional roasting pan, in particular: a) the cooking time of a chicken opened flat is shorter (about half the cooking time required for a chicken not open flat), thus saving heat energy and / or increasing productivity; b) the chicken and actually roasted internally and cxtéricurcment, and this with greater hygiene (total destruction of salmonella even if the chicken is not well eviscerated); c) on a commercial level, a flat-layed chicken has an impressive surface when exposed to customers, and this method of flat-cooking chickens offers the attraction of novelty at least for the great majority of Europeans

and Anglo-Saxons.

  d) when the roaster according to the invention is completely filled with chickens open flat, and the latter are simultaneously in an upright position during the pause times, the chickens then darken a quasi-continuous screen which

  absorbs all of the heat energy radiated by the heat source (s).

  It follows that the cooking of the chickens is extremely fast and, in order not to burn them, it is necessary to reduce the power of the heat source or sources compared to that which would be necessary with a conventional roasting pan, hence, again an economy

of energy.

  It goes without saying that the embodiments of the invention which have been described below

  above have been given by way of purely indicative and in no way limiting example, and that numerous modifications can easily be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, in particular that, although the invention has been described in connection with an industrial roasting pan comprising several rotary spits, each capable of receiving several products at rbfT, the invention also applies to a roasting pan or to a barbecue domestic with only one rotary spindle. As heating means, it is also possible to use other heating means, such as, for example, electric resistors or heating systems using wood or charcoal as fuel. In a version of the roasting pan capable of operating in the open air, without the aid of the AC distribution network, the motor-spindle drive group can be supplied with current by a battery of batteries or accumulators . In yet another version, the spindle drive means and the associated sequential control means can for example be constituted by a geared motor group drawing its energy from a purely mechanical energy source, such as for example a weight or a spring, associated with an appropriate clock mechanism arranged to rotate the

  spindle intermittently, each time half a turn.

  In addition, although the invention has been more particularly described with regard to a multi-spit industrial roasting pan, in which each spit is driven in rotation by its own gearmotor group, the roasting pan could have, in a manner known per se , a single gear motor group common to all spindles, or a small number of drive groups each associated with a group of spindles. In both cases, the single motor-reduction unit or each motor-reduction unit can be mechanically connected to all the pins or to the pins of the corresponding group of pins, by means of a transmission mechanism by chains, by bevel gears or by worm and pinion with helical teeth, which includes a primary transmission connected to the output of the gear motor and several secondary transmissions starting from the primary transmission and each leading to a respective spindle by a device

  quick coupling similar to that shown in figure 3.

Claims (11)

  1. Roaster comprising a frame (2) carrying heating means (15), at least one rotary uppot (5A-5C) which is capable of receiving at least one product (8-10) for roasting and which is mounted on the blackcurrant (2) so as to be able to rotate opposite the heating means (15), and drive means (14) connected to said support (5A-5C) to rotate it with the product or products that it supports, characterized in that it further comprises sequential control means (13, 17, 18) for activating the drive means (14) internally, at regular intervals, by alternating a pause time and a time of shorter rotation than   the pause time, and this in such a way that the support (5A-5C) performs a half turn at each rotation time.   2. Roaster according to claim 1, characterized in that the time of pause is adjustable.   3. Roaster according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the time of   pause is between 10 and 25 seconds, preferably between 15 and 20 seconds.   4. Roaster according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in   what the rotation time between two breaks is about 5 seconds.   5. Roasting pan according to any one of claims I to 4, in which the drive means (14) consist of an electric geared motor group, characterized in that said sequential control means (13, 17, 18) co nent a switch means (13) placed in series in the current supply circuit of the electric motor (M) of the electric noductor group (14) and controlled by a programmer (17) combined with a sensor U-turn (18).   6. Roasting pan according to claim 5, characterized in that the half sensor   tower (18) is constituted by a disc (19) which is fixed to the outlet outlet (12) of the motor-reducing unit (14) and which comprises on its peripheral edge two notches (19a, 19b) located in diametrically opposite positions , and by a micro-switch (21) having a feeler (21a) which is in abutment on the peripheral edge of the disc (19) to detect one or the other of the two notches (19a, 191b) of the latter this 7. Roasting pan according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said programmer (17) is constituted by a time-delayed relay at closing, whose working contact constitutes said switch means (13) and whose coil (17a) is   supplied with current under the control of said half-turn sensor (18).   8. Roaster according to claim 7, attached to mvoendication 6, characterized in that said mindcro-contactor (21) establishes a first conductive path is parallel on the working contact (13) of the time relay (17) when said feeler arm (21a) is supported on the petipheric edge of the disc (19) outside said e; notches (19a, 19b), and a second conductive path in series with the coil (17a) of the timed relay bque said palpur arm (21a) meets one or the other of said notches (19a, 19b) 9. Roaster according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said programmer (17) is constituted by a programmed or programmable mcroprocessor.   10. Roasting pan according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein   said rotary support (5A-5C) comprises a rod (6) which carries at least one holding device (7A-7C) for a product to be roasted (8-10), and one of the two ends of which (6b) has or forms a coupling part able to cooperate by fitting with a complementary coupling part (12a) of an output shaft (12) of said   drive means (14), characterized in that said holding device (7A-   7C) fixes a roasting dish (8-10) in a predefined position relative to said   rod (6), in that said coupling parts (6b, 12a) have non-cross sections   circular such that they define at most two angular positions, angularly spaced 1800, from said rod (6) relative to said output edge (12), and in that said sequential control means (13, 17, 18) control said drive means (14) such that, at each pause time, one or the other of the two main faces of the flat product (8-10) to be roasted is exposed to heating means (15).   11. Roasting pan according to claim 10, characterized in that said rod (6) has a rectangular section at least in its coupling part (6b), and in that said complementary coupling part (12a) of said output shaft (12) is constituted by a sleeve whose internal channel (12b) has a rectangular section   corresponding to that of said rod (6).