US2510856A - Portable charcoal broiler - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1950 A. s. BETTENCOURT 2,510,856

PORTABLE CHARCOAL BROILER Filed March 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 dlfred 5.5cttencour-t Saverzbor 23 CLbbor-aeg June 6, 1950 A. s. BETTENCOURT 2,510,356

PORTABLE CHARCOAL BROILER Filed larch 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheef 3 GZfred 5.2Jetterzcourt CSrzventor Qtborrzag Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application March 11, 1948, Serial No. 14,312

6 Claims.

This invention relates to portable charcoal broilers which may be used for broiling steaks, chops, fowl, and the like, directly on the dining table indoors.

Portable outdoor charcoal broilers are available on the market, but they are unsuitable for indoor use for a number of reasons. In the first place, such units are large and bulky and are easily upset, thereby creating a, dangerous fire hazard. In the second place, they employ a bed of burning charcoal directly underneath the material broiled, and thus not only cause excessive smoking, spattering and vaporization of I fatty materials, but the smoke and burned and decomposed fat is allowed to contact the material broiled, so that the taste of said material is adverselyafiected thereby. In the third place, outdoor broilers entail considerable loss of heat by convection and radiation to the air, so that the material to be broiled is usually unevenly heated, thereby resulting in overheated and underheated portions, or else considerable turning of the broiled material must be undertaken during the broiling operation.

Another difliculty is the control of the burning i of the charcoal. There are many other disadvantages which will be referred to in the course of the present discussion.

The objects of the present invention include the provision of a compact, stable broiler which is easy to carry and which gives practically no smoke or fume or spattering, and which gives a uniform distributed heat over the material broiled, as well as a uniformly regulated charcoal flre. r

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawings in which Figure 1 illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the invention. An end view along 2-2 of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a side View of another embodiment and Figure 4 shows an end view thereof similar to that in Figure 2. A top view of the hanger for the material to be broiled is shown in Figure 5, while Figure 6 illustrates an isometric view of a charcoal grate used a in the broiler shown in Figures 1-2. Similar numerals'refer to similar parts .in the various fig- Referring again 'to the drawings, numeral I represents an outer shell of a fire resistantmaterial such as aluminum,'stainless steel, or-the like, having apolished'slirface, the thickness 'of the shell being about'fii" to' A. This 'sh'ell'is provided with legs 3 and a split top, the split 1 being along the whole length of the shell. 55

Hinges 2 are provided on each side of the shell to allow opening of the two upper sections at the split, and a split handle, made up of half-sections 5 and 6 allows carrying of the shell by hand after the top is closed, and also facilitates opening of the split top.

Shell I is also provided at the'sides with horizontal openings 18 which allow access of air to the burning charcoal 22 in grates 20. Between hinges 2 are situated openings 30 serving as vents for combustion gases produced by the burning charcoal 22.

Inside shell I is shell I4, also made of fire resistant material, preferably aluminum or stainless steel, the side walls and upper section of which are separated from outer shell I by air space I9, about A" to in width. Inside shell I4 is also provided with a horizontal slot I8 in juxtaposition with slot I8 of outer shell I and serving to allow ingress of air for combustion of charcoal 22. The upper edge I! of the inner shell I4 at opening I8 is bent outwardly toward shell I to minimize circulation of air between the two shells in space I9.

Lower edge 9 of the outer shell at opening I8 is bent inwardly to act as a support for bottom ID of inner shell I4. The inner shell I4 is also provided with open upper portion beginning from edge I2 to allow insertion into the inner shell of materialto be broiled. The upper section corners 45 of the inner shell is rounded off to serve as heat reflectors for reflecting and focusing the heat rays upon the upper portion of the material 29 to be broiled. The inner surface of shell I4 is also preferably polished to facilitate reflection. Also, the center portionsof the edge sections of inner shell I 4 are provided with grooves I5 for holding hanging rod Ifi which allows hanging of material 29 to be broiled, equidistant between the two grates 20.- These grates are preferably long and narrow units disposed on the bottom Ill and along the sides ,of inner shellv I4 adjacent openings Ill. :The grates are preferably of coarse metal screen welded together to give bottom 42, ends 43 and 44 and side 21! (Figure 6). The side 2| adjacent the material 29 to be broiled is preferably of solid metal sheet to prevent overheating of the bottom portion of broiling material 29 and to prevent dropping of ashes into drip pan 23. Between grates 20 on bottom I of shell I4 is disposed drip-pan 23 serving to catch the drippings from material 29 as it is broiled. Both the grates and the drip pan may be removed from shells I4 and I through opening 46 in shell I4 and door 41 in the end of shell I. Electric coils 24 may be placed in grates 20 to initiate or aid in the combustion of the charcoal 22, the coils being made incandescent by plugging in cord 25 into an electrical outlet.

The material 29 to be broiled, which may be steak, chops, fowl, etc. is clamped in holder 26 which is made of two grill plates 26 between which is placed the steak 29. The top and bottom grill rods have extending and outwardly bent ends 28 over which are slipped rings 21 which hold tightly the steak between the two grill plates. The size of the rings is adjusted for the thickness of the steak so that the steak is always held firmly in the holder. Hanging rod I6 is slipped through the two upper rings 21 and rod I6 is then slipped through opening l2 of inner shell M (with cover 4 of outer shell I open), and hung in grooves [5 on the ends of inner shell I4. Hanging rod l6 may be provided with notches or bends at points 40 under rings 21 to prevent slippage of the rings along the length of the hanging rod. I I I I I In Figures 3 and l is shown a broiler provided with twoormoretiers of grates to accommodate large cuts of meat and to give better heat distribution over the material broiled. Theouter casing or shell l is provided with two openings 8 and 3| in juxtaposition with openings 18 and 32 in inner shell if and serving to feed air to the charcoal in grates 20. I I I 1 The lower tier of grates is set on projecting ledge 33 and stand tl, while the second or higher tier is set on ledge 33' and, support 3d, the lower polished surface 36 of which serves as a reflector for the heat from lowerg rate 2B. Raised edge 35; is provided on support 34 to facilitate housing of the upper grate. Upper corner 38 of inner shell I4 is rounded off to provide a reflecting and focusing surface for the radiant heat issuing from thermal in the upper tier of grates;

Holes afl' are provided in the upper section of outer shell I to serve as vents for combustion gases. The grates are preferably inserted-into the broiler through an enddoor (not shown). Unless otherwise specified, it is preferred to employ a stainlessmetal such as stainless steel, aluminu n or magnesium as the material of construction. Legs 3 are preferably placed on a metal tray (not shown) which, in turn, is preferably placed on an asbestos pad (not shown). It is possible to cut out the center portion of bottomlfiand place the drip pan 23 under bottom HL if desired. II I As is apparent from the foregoing the present invention provides a convenient portable charcoal broiler which gives off practically no smoke or; grease spattering, since the drippings do not fall on the burning charcoal, but into the drip pan, thereby making available a gravy stock, as well. Furthermore, the reflecting surfaces and the positioning means for the material broiled enable the generation of I an even heat over the entire surface of the material, thereby insuring an evenly cooked steak or chop of superior taste and appearance. I

Although a double shell broiler of the type discl o sed is desirable from the sanitary, heating and handling viewpoints-, it is pointed out here that a single shell I insulated on the inside or outside and provided with a bottom and hanging means is within the purview of this invention but is not as satisfactory. It is also understood that the openings, slots and vents may be provided with adjustable louvres or covers to vary the volume of gas entering or leaving therein.

I claim:

1. In a portable charcoal broiler comprising a box-shaped shell having sides and a top and in the center of which is suspended the material to be broiled between the heating means enclosed in grates, said broiler being provided with a dripcollecting receptacle under the material to be broiled, the improvement comprising a thin inner shell disposed within the box-shaped shell and insulated therefrom on the sides and top, an opening in the top of said inner shell in which the material to be broiled is suspended, narrow grates adjacent the inner side walls of said inner shell for holding the burning charcoal acting as theheatingmeans, slots disposed substantially along the whole length of both shells adjacent said grates and serving as air inlets, slots disposed substantially along the whole length of the upperportions of both shells and serving-as vents for combustion gases, door in the top of the box-shaped outer shell to allow' entry therein immediately above the opening in the top of the inner shell, said inner shell having curved upper corner walls acting as reflectors for reflecting the heat upon the material to be broiled.

,2. A portable broiler according to eiaim n which the inner shell is insulated from the outer shell by an air space II I I I 3. A portable broilr according to claim 2 in which the sides are provided with legs and the legs have bent strips projecting therefrom under the bottom of the inner shell serving as supports for saidinner shell. I i

4. A portable broiler according to claim 1 in which the upper portion of the shellis centrally split lengthwise along theshell and also at near the widest portion of the top section on each side, each split section is hinged to the side of the shell to provide a centrally opening hinged top portion, and a handle at the top of each portion.

v5. Aportable broiler according to claim 4 which the handle is split lengthwise at the top split of the upper shell, each half of the handle being attached to its respective half of the shell top at the split. I I

6. A portable broiler according to claim 1 in which the inner surface of the side walls of the inner shell have a curved projecting support eX- tending from above the lower slots overthe grate and serving as a reflectorfor heat radiatingfroni said grate, a ledge coacting with the upper end of said support to act as an additional support for a grate, a grate resting therebetween, and an opening adjacent said grate in both shells to serveasanairinlet. 4 H

ALFRED s. BETTENC'OURT.

I REFERENCES new The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Watson Dec. 24, 1940

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