HANDLE AND LATCH FOR A COOKING APPARATUS AND DUAL SIDE SURFACE COOKING APPARATUS WITH REMOVABLE TRAY

摘要

A dual side surface cooking apparatus is provided with two opposing top and bottom heaters pivotally connected to each other and a removable food tray adapted to be positioned between the two heaters. The heaters each include an aluminum block with a tubular heater attached to each block. One block has cup-like recesses and the other block has projections adapted to project into the recesses. The tray has pockets that are positioned in the cup-like recesses and make direct contact with the block of the bottom heater. When the two heaters are in a closed position, with the tray therebetween, shell-like cooking areas are formed between the tray and the top heater. After cooking, the top heater can be moved and the tray with cooked food can be removed to cool. The apparatus includes a labyrinth to allow water vapor to escape, but substantially contain grease and oil splatterings within the apparatus. The top housing includes two spaced heat barrier walls with an air gap therebetween and a slot through the top housing into the air gap. A push-button latch release controls the opening of a latch which automatically latches the top and bottom heaters together at a closed position.