Patent ID: 6135759
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: F23D

Abstract:
A method of use for a variable-heat chafing-dish burner, said variable-heat chafing-dish burner comprising a reservoir having a reservoir top, a pair of wick apertures disposed in said reservoir top, a long wick extending through one said wick aperture, and a short wick extending through the other said wick aperture, a position of said wicks being fixed relative to said reservoir top, said long wick extending above said reservoir top a distance substantially equal to a distance said short wick extends above said reservoir top, a cross-sectional area of said long wick being substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of said short wick, said wicks being spaced sufficiently apart that a flame of one said wick will not readily ignite the other said wick, so that said wicks may operate independently of each other, said short wick extending into an interior of said reservoir a distance less than said long wick extends into said interior of said reservoir lengths of said wicks having been pre-determined whereby said short wick will burn for a fixed period of time and then extinguish due to fuel starvation, and said long wick will thereafter remain burning for a period of time, said long wick extending into fuel disposed within said reservoir sufficiently to access all said fuel, and said short wick extending into said fuel a distance equal to a short wick initial immersed length when said reservoir is filled to capacity with said fuel, said method comprising the steps of:A. Setting said short wick initial immersed length to a length which will yield a desired burn time for a flame fed by said short wick;B. Lighting said short wick and said long wick;C. Permitting said flame fed by said short wick to extinguish when a level of said fuel drops below said short wick initial immersed length, due to fuel consumption of the flames fed by said short wick and said long wick; andD. Continuing heating solely by means of the flame fed by said long wick.