Vending apparatus adapted to store and process food items

Claim 1

IN A FOOD COOKING AND VENDING APPARATUS, IN IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS WITHIN SAID APPARATUS; SAID COOKING COMPARTMENY MEANS INCLUDING SPACED APART INSULATED FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALL MEANS, INSULATED BOTTOM WALL MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALL MEANS, AND INSULATED TOP WALL MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALL MEANS ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS; SAID FIRST SIDE WALL MEANS INCLUDING INLET OPENING MEANS SPACED BETWEEN SAID TOP WALL MEANS AND SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS; SAID SECOND SIDE WALL MEANS INCLUDING OUTLET OPENING MEANS HAVING SPACED APART TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES WITH SAID BOTTOM EDGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITH SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS; CONVEYOR MEANS MOVABLE WITHIN SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS FOR MOVING A FOOD ITEM THERETHROUGH; SAID CONVEYOR MEANS INCLUDING AN ENDLESS BELT AT LEAST PARTIALLY JUXTAPOSED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS AND MOVABLE LINEARLY WITH RESPECT THERETO; SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THEREIN BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALL MEANS; AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID ENDLESS BELT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BOTTOM WALL MEANS OPENING AND EXTENDING OUTSIDE SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS; A DRIVING ELEMENT OUTSIDE SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS IS DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PORTION OF SAID ENDLESS BELT; DRIVE MEANS COUPLED WITH SAID DRIVING ELEMENT; AND, RADIANT ENERGY COOKING MEANS WITHIN SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS FOR DIRECTING HEAT DOWNWARDLY TOWARD SAID CONVEYOR MEANS; SAID DRIVE MEANS BEING OPERATIVE TO CAUSE SAID DRIVING ELEMENT TO MOVE SAID ENDLESS BELT WHEREBY A FOOD ITEM INTRODUCED THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING MEANS AND DEPOSITED ONTO SAID ENDLESS BELT WILL BE MOVED THROUGH SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS BENEATH SAID RADIANT ENERGY COOKING MEANS AND WILL THEREAFTER BE DISCHARGED FROM SAID COOKING COMPARTMENT MEANS THROUGH SAID OUTLET OPENING MEANS.