Air filters employing various filtering mechanisms have been used in connection with food cooking apparatus. In the case of portable cooking apparatus such as pressure fryers and the like, such filters have been mounted in fixed position upon the cooking apparatus. Fixed hoods have been provided over various cooking apparatus as an alternative to venting and have included a variety of filters including electrostatic filters such as contemplated for use in the hood of the present invention.
In many locations including convenience stores it is desirable to provide a movable filter for use with movable cooking apparatus as an alternative to venting. The prior art is further exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,301, 4,143,646, 4,189,647, 4,505,194, 4,520,717 and 4,539,898 which illustrate the use of a variety of filters as an integral part of cooking apparatus.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a support for carrying a hood above a cooking apparatus as well as a base for providing stability to the hood and filter carried thereby.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of a free standing air filter for use above a variety of cooking apparatus for avoiding the necessity of venting same within a store location.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a separate movable hood for use with a portable cooking apparatus such as a deep fat fryer.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hood for use with cooking apparatus for carrying fire extinguishing apparatus independently of the cooker.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a movable hood having a fan for creating air flow through a filter carried in the hood and returning filtered air to a building.