GB2146547A

GB2146547A - Oil cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2146547A
Application number: GB08422603A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Peter Cox
Original assignee: RENOVAT CLEANING AND FILTERING
Current assignee: RENOVAT CLEANING AND FILTERING
Priority date: 1983-09-08
Filing date: 1984-09-07
Publication date: 1985-04-24
Also published as: GB8422603D0

Abstract

A cleaner for filtering cooking oil comprises a flexible hose member (12) insertable into a vat (50) of contaminated oil, a reversible pump (8) connected to the hose member for drawing off cooking oil from the vat and passing it through a filter means (24, 26) to a container (4) for holding the drawn off cooking oil; the pump being reversible to return the cleaned oil to the vat. The cleaner may be a portable unit provided with wheels. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Oil cleaner The present invention relates to a cleaner for cooking oil or fat.

Restaurants and fastfood shops often employ large vats of cooking oil or fat for cooking chips. The cooking oil inevitably becomes contaminated with chip particles and absorbed liquids and gases. The oil must therefore be replaced at intervals unless an adequate means of straining the oil is employed.

Known cooking oil cleaners comprise a drum into which cooking oil drains by gravity from the base of the vat. However, this is a messy procedure.

Moreover, in many instances there is insufficient space under the vat to accommodate the drum, so the known cleaner cannot be used.

The present invention provides a cleaner for cooking oil, which comprises a flexible hose member insertable into a vat of cooking oil, a reversible pump connected to the flexible hose memberfor drawing off cooking oil from the vat and returning cleaned cooking oil to the vat, a filter means operative to remove suspended matter from the drawn off cooking oil, and a container for holding the drawn off cooking oil.

The term "cooking oil" is intended to include oils and fats which are used in the liquid state for frying food.

The cooking oil is drained from the vat and stored in the container. This permits an operator to thoroughly clean the vat before the cooking oil is returned to the vat. Generally, the drawn-off oil is circulated from the container through the filter means a number of times to throughly clean it. This may be achieved simply by putting the end of the flexible hose member into the container and restarting the pump; or alternatively by providing a valved by-pass line from the container to the pump inlet side. When it is desired to return oil to the vat, the pump is reversed in operation so as to draw off oil from the container and to return it to the vat. The filter means preferably comprises a stainless steel or polyester mesh screen in the form of a replaceable bag, which is used in conjunction with filter aid, usually diatomaceous earth.This provides a highly effective action in filtering out suspended matter from the oil. If desired, an active carbon filter may also be provided for absorbing liquids and gases which may be causing a smell or otherwise contaminating the oil. The container is preferably formed with a dished base with an outlet positioned adjacent the lowest part of the dished base for draining oil from the container.

The cleaner according to the invention may be formed as a portable unit mounted on wheels and with a handle for manoeuvring the cleaner.

Preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first cleaner according to the invention employed in cleaning a cooking vat; Figures 2 to 5 are rear, side (cutaway), top and bottom views respectively of a second cleaner according to the invention; and Figures 6 and 7 are respectively front and side views of a wand of the second cleaner.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a cooking oil cleaner comprising a stainless steel casing 2 having upper and lower compartments 4 and 6. Lower compartment 6 includes a half horsepower motor 7 coupled to a gear pump 8. A motor reversing switch 10 is provided. Pump 8 is connected on one side to a flexible plastics hose member 12 which has at its free end a stainless steel pipe portion 14 having a handle 16 and a 60 mesh strainer 18. As an alternative, the flexible hose member may extend directly to strainer 18. The other side of pump 8 is connected via a two-way tap 19, pipe 17 and stainless steel tubing 20, which extends through a base plate 22 dividing the upper and lower container portions, to a five micron filter element 24. This element is a commercially available unit and operates to remove suspended solid matter from the fat or oil.After circulating through the filter element 24 the oil passes to an activated carbon filter element 26 which operates to remove entrained gases or liquids which may cause smells. Carbon filter element 26 is a commercially available unit. After passing through the carbon filter element the fat or oil is discharged via pipe 30 into the container formed by the upper portion 4. An outlet pipe 32 leads from the bottom of the container back to two-way tap 9. A lip 34 is provided at the top of the container 4 to stop liquid being accidentally split from the container. The container is formed of stainless steel. A tap element 42 is provided at the base of vertical pipe 20 for draining and cleaning the pipework.

In operation of the cleaner, the free end 18 of the flexible pipe member 12 is inserted in a cooking vat 50. Diatomaceous earth filter aid is added to the cooking oil. Tap 19 is set to connect the pump to pipe 20. The motor is operated so that pump 8 draws off oil from the vat 50 and feeds the liquid via vertical stainless steel pipe 20 to filters 24 and 26 whence the oil is deposited in container 4. Once the vat has been drained, the pump is stopped. Then the free end of the flexible pipe member is withdrawn from the vat and put into the oil in the container 4. The pump is restarted to circulate the oil through the filters to thoroughly clean the oil. When the vat 50 has been cleaned, tap 9 is set to connect pipe 32 to the pump.

The motor is reversed in operation so that the gear pump 8 draws off liquid from container 4 via outlet pipe 32. It is thence returned to the vat via pump 8 and flexible hose 12. After operation of the cleaner, the tap 42 is opened to drain oil from the cleaner, to prevent the oil or fat solidifying in the filters or pipeworks.

Figures 3 to 7 show details of a second embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is a side view with the side panel and motor removed. It is analogous to the first embodiment except that a single filter 125 is employed. Parts in the second embodiment carry the numbers 104 to 134 corresponding to analogous parts 4 to 34 in the first embodiment.

In addition, in the second embodiment pump 108 is driven by motor 107 via a drive belt 109. Two-way tap 19 is provided with an operating handle 121.

Filter 125 comprises a replaceable stain less steel mesh filter (not shown), which is removed and replaced after each cleaning operation. The dirty filter is cleaned and reused. The cleaner is constructed as a portable unit and comprises a two rear wheels 161,162 and a pair of front feet 164. A handle 160 is provided.

Claims

1. A cleaner for cooking oil, which comprises a flexible hose member insertable into a vat of cooking oil, a reversible pump connected to the flexible hose member for drawing off cooking oil from the vat and returning cleaned cooking oil to the vat, a filter means operative to remove suspended matter from the drawn off cooking oil, and a container for holding the drawn off cooking oil.

2. A cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the filter means comprises a filter screen and filter aid.

3. A cleaner according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the filter means comprises an active carbon filter.

4. A cleaner according to any preceding claim formed as a portable unit and provided with wheels.

5. A cleaner for cooking oil substantially as described in conjunction with the drawings.