GB2129543A

GB2129543A - Cooking stove

Info

Publication number: GB2129543A
Application number: GB08328503A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Dieter Beran; Sam J Carr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-11-01
Filing date: 1983-10-25
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: GB8328503D0

Abstract

The stove is for cooking food hung on bars (25) or placed on a grill rack (22) in a plenum chamber (A) to give it a barbecue taste. The stove has a metal cladding (10) backed by a refractory lining constructed from fired clay blocks (2) or (2A) held together by metal rods (5). In a fire tunnel (B) is removably located a fire tray (21) in which wood and charcoal may be placed. Hot gases pass through an aperture (1) into a lower part of the chamber (A) and out through a flue (28) at its top. The flue (28) is controlled by a butterfly valve (29). At the bottom of the plenum chamber (A) another removable tray (20) is positioned to catch drips. Doors give access to the plenum chamber (A) interior. A gas burner (not shown) may be provided in the fire tunnel (B). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cooking stove This invention relates to an improved cooking stove intended mainly for use in restaurants and other commercial cooked food outlets, but which may also find domestic utility, for example as a garden barbecue.

According to the present invention there is provided a cooking stove comprising a plenum chamber, a fire tunnel adjacent the plenum chamber and communicating with a lower part thereof, a flue communicating with an upper part of the plenum chamber and means for supporting food to be cooked in the plenum chamber in the path of hot gases passing between the fire tunnel and the flue, The flue is preferably valved.

Preferably a removable drip tray is located at the bottom of the plenum chamber, the plenum chamber having a closeable opening in its lower part through which the drip tray may be inserted and removed, and preferably a removable fire tray is located at the bottom of the fire tunnel, the fire tunnel having a closeable opening through which the fire tray may be inserted and removed.

A gas burner and pilot flame means therefore are preferably incorporated in the fire tunnel.

Said food supporting means preferably comprises a plurality of bars spanning the interior of the plenum chamber in mutually spaced relation. In addition said food supporting means may comprise a grill rack spanning the plenum chamber.

The plenum chamber preferably has a roof with at least one inclined side in which closeable door means is located to provide access to said food supporting means.

The walls of the plenum chamber and/or of the fire tunnel preferably comprise superimposed fired clay blocks penetrated by metal rods which extend upwardly from a bed, and said blocks preferably form an internal, refractory lining for metal cladding.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from in front of a stove in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the stove taken on the line ll-il of Figure 4, Figure 3 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of the stove, Figures 5 and 6 are side views on an enlarged scale of alternative blocks used in the construction of the stove, and Figure 7 illustrates how two of the blocks of Figure 6 may be interconnected.

The cooking stove illustrated in the drawings has an outer cladding of metal 10 having a refractory lining 2,2A. The stove comprises an upright chamber or plenum A of square cross-section defined by vertical walls lined with fired clay blocks 2. The walls are carried on a bed provided by five fired clay slabs 3 which rest on a flat foundation. A fire tunnel B having opposed side walls and a roof 11 also lined with fired clay blocks 2A communicates with the lower part of chamberA via an aperture 1 and extends sideways from it over the bed. For ease of assembly the blocks forming the lining of the chamber A and tunnel B are shaped to interlock (see Figures 5 - 7).

Blocks 2A as shown in Figure 6 may be placed together relatively inverted as shown in Figure 7 so that bores 32 in projections 33 of the blocks are in alignment. A metal rod 5 passed through the bores 33 and into the bed 3 locks the adjacent blocks together, while further rods 5 passed through bores 34 in the other ends of the blocks hold them against relative angular movement. Figure 5 illustrates an alternative block 2 which has projections 35 and 36 at both ends. It will be apparent that the projection 36 of one block 2 may be positioned over the projection 35 of a similar block with bores 37 and 38 in the projections in alignment to receive a rod 5, and this may be done whether the two blocks 2 are in alignment or at right-angles to one another (i.e. in a corner).The block 2 illustrated has upstanding projections 39 but these may be omitted if superimposed blocks do not have corresponding recesses.

Metal rods 5 are passed vertically down through the overlapped projections 33 or 35 and 36 of the blocks and into the slabs 3 for holding the blocks 2 and 2A together in a correct position on the bed. With this construction assembly is simplified since it is unnecessary to bond together the blocks with mortar or the like. The outer edges of the blocks may be chamfered to define grooves (not shown) which are filled with pointing material.

Door frames are provided in the front of the fire tunnel B and, at a higher location, in the front of the chamber A. The frames may be fixed in position by further metal rods which extend downwardly through the roof and side walls of the chamber A or tunnel B and into the bed 3. A pair of metal fire doors 40 are hinged to the upright members of each door frame for opening and closing the tunnel and the chamber. In addition, a lift-up flap 41 is provided in the lower part of the front of the chamber A. The sheet metal casing 10 encloses the sides and roof of the tunnel and a layer of ceramic fibre (not shown) may be interposed between them for heat insulation.

The roof 11 of the tunnel is a one-piece casting.

A fat or drip tray 20 and a fire tray 21 are positioned on the floor of the chamber A and of the fire tunnel B respectively. The fat tray 20 is normally positioned at the bottom of the cooking chamber A for collecting fat and other deposits which may fall from the food being cooked, whereas the fire box normally contains the fire and is located within the fire tunnel B. The two trays 20, 21 have substantially the same open-topped rectangular configuration, but the fire tray is provided with holes (not shown) in its front wall to improve the air draught to the fire.

The fire tray 21 is removable from the tunnel through its doors 40 and the drip tray 20 is removable from the chamberA through the lift-up flap 41.

A series of uniformly spaced parallel bars 25 extend across the top of the chamber A from one side to the opposite side and constitute supports from which food, e.g. meat or poultry, to be cooked may be suspended in the chamber by means of hooks 25' or the like. Locating pins (not shown) fixed on top of the chamber walls engage in holes (not -shown) provided in the ends of the bars 25 and serve to hold the bars in position, but they can be easily lifted free of the pins when it is desired to remove them. A grill rack 22 spans the chamber A lower down and food suspended on the hooks 25' or placed on the rack 22 is accessible by opening the doors 40 of the chamber A.

Four inwardly inclined supports (not shown) ex tend upwardly from the corners of the top of the chamber A and at their upper ends carry a central flue 28 which incorporates a damper 29 in the form of a butterfly valve. Two of the supports carry hinge pins 42 on which a pair of lids 31 are pivotally mounted. The lids 31 are provided with insulated handles 43 by means of which they can be swung open to gain access to the top of the stove. The remaining three sides of the roof of the chamber are covered by sheet metal members 30.

In use of the stove larger food items such as whole poultry, joints, etc., are suspended from the bars 25 in the chamber A, while smaller items such as hamburgers, steaks, kebabs and fish are placed on the grill rack 22. The fire is contained in the fire box 21 located in the fire tunnel B and may be charged as required through the doors 40 therein, the preferred fuel being a mixture of charcoal and wood. Hot fumes and smoke emanating from the fire enter the chamber A through the aperture 1 and flow upward ly passing over the food to cook and flavour it. The damper valve 29 is adjustable to vary the gas flow for controlling the temperature and cooking rate.

Alternatively, or in addition, a gas burner 12 passing round two sides of the fire tunnel B is used, being ignited and maintained by a pilot ignition and flame failure device 12A. The top 11 of the fire tunnel B provides a hot plate beside the chamber A.

The construction and design of the stove are such that it is easy to build with a minimum of skilled labour required. The stove is very efficient in operation and food cooked in it has a very distinctive barbeque taste.

The stove may be made to different sizes according to needs, but as an example the chamber A may be 1664 mm high and the assembly may have an overall length of 1690 mm and width of 838 mm. The metal cladding 10 is preferably backed with a blanket insulation of calcium silicate.

Claims

1. A cooking stove comprising a plenum chamber, a fire tunnel adjacent the plenum chamber and communicating with a lower part thereof, a flue communicating with an upper part of the plenum chamber and means for supporting food to be cooked in the plenum chamber in the path of hot gases passing between the fire tunnel and the flue.

2. A cooking stove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flue is valved.

3. A cooking stove as claimed in either of the preceding claims, wherein a removable drip tray is located atthe bottom of the plenum chamber, the plenum chamber having a closeable opening in its lower part through which the drip tray may be inserted and removed.

4. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a removable fire tray is located at the bottom of the fire tunnel, the fire tunnel having a closeable opening through which the fire tray may be inserted and removed.

5. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a gas burner and pilot flame means therefore are incorporated in the fire tunnel.

6. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said food supporting means comprises a plurality of bars spanning the interior of the plenum chamber in mutually spaced relation.

7. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said food supporting means comprises a grill rack spanning the plenum chamber.

8. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plenum chamber has a roof with at least one inclined side in which closeable door means is located to provide access to said food supporting means.

9. A cooking stove as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the walls of the plenum chamber and/or of the fire tunnel comprise superimposed fired clay blocks penetrated by metal rods which extend upwardly from a bed.

10. A cooking stove as claimed in claim 9, wherein horizontally adjacent blocks have interfitting projections, the projections having aligned bores through which a rod extends to lock said blocks together.

11. A cooking stove as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein said blocks form an internal, refractory lining for metal cladding.

12. A cooking stove substantially as described in the description with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.