BARBECUE TABLE

Abstract: The invention relates to a barbecue table comprising a frame (2) and a top (1) connected to the frame, wherein the table top is formed at least partially by a substantially flat metal plate (10) and wherein under the metal plate is arranged a heating element (12) connected to the frame. The heating element is mounted against the underside of the metal plate.

Description: BARBECUE TABLE The invention relates to a barbecue table as described in the preamble of claim 1. Such a barbecue table is known from the American patent specification 4 895 131. The frame herein comprises a tray in which the heating element in the form of a gas burner is mounted. The metal plate is placed on the tray as a cover and can be heated by the heating element in order to prepare food thereon. The known barbecue table is bulky and suitable for semi-stationary use in a fixed location. The invention has for its object to provide a barbecue table of the type described in the preamble which can be embodied compactly so that it can be carried easily, for instance for recreational purposes elsewhere. This object is achieved with the barbecue table according to the invention in that the heating element is mounted against the underside of the metal plate. The barbecue table can hereby be embodied very compactly so that it takes up little space and thus is easily transportable. The heating element can suitably be an electric heating element. However, the step of claim 2 is preferably applied. By making use of a gas container of relatively limited capacity and thus relatively limited weight the barbecue table according to the invention can be used everywhere, for instance also in any random location in the countryside. The step of claim 3 is preferably used for a robust construction. The step of claim 4 is preferably applied therein. The burner can then be easily detached together with the sub-frame and be transported or stored separately or, in the case of malfunction, simply be replaced by another. When the burner according to the invention is releasable it can also be used for other purposes, for instance for cooking. The sub-frame is then embodied in suitable manner such that a pan can be placed thereon. A very advantageous further embodiment is characterized in claim 5. Because the metal plate forms part of the frame, the further parts of the frame can be embodied very simply, so that a relatively light and compact unit is obtained which is still sufficiently strong and stable. With the steps of claim 6 is achieved that the burner is held at the correct distance from the metal plate at all times so that optimum operation of this burner is ensured. An embodiment suitable for outdoor use is characterized in claim 7. A very suitable further development in this respect is characterized in claim 8. The tube part bent into a V-shape forms an extra covering for the burner, whereby it continues to function well even in strong wind. A suitable embodiment is characterized in claim 9. The wooden surface can be used as placing surface for the ingredients for cooking and frying and the tableware. The plate can be cleaned easily. Possible burnt-on parts can be loosened with a spatula, pushed over the free edge of the metal plate and collected thereunder. A further favourable development in this respect is characterized in claim 10. The burnt-on parts loosened with a spatula can be pushed in the gutter which can be emptied afterwards. For this purpose the step of claim 11 is preferably applied. The barbecue table itself can remain in its place and the waste for disposal is taken with the gutter to a suitable place, where the gutter is emptied and cleaned. With the preferred step of claim 12 a good distribution of temperature in the plate is obtained. Even in relatively unfavourable conditions outside, for instance with a great deal of wind, the heat supplied by the burner is still absorbed and distributed uniformly, whereby no spots occur in the surface of the metal plate which are too hot and which could result in burning-on of the food. A suitable embodiment is characterized in claim 13. The rectangular shape of the steel plate results in areas with a slightly lower temperature on the short sides, which are slightly further removed from the burner than the long sides, which areas are suitable for keeping already prepared food warm or for preheating food still to be prepared. The raised edges ensure that the oil used during frying does not drip off the plate, while the plate can however still be cleaned well using a spatula. The preferred steps of claim 16 result in a good, uniform temperature distribution on the one hand and a sufficiently rapid heating on the other. The barbecue table according to the invention can still be used under very unfavourable conditions with low temperatures and much wind when the step according to claim 17 is used. The invention is further elucidated in the following description with reference to the annexed figures. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the barbecue table according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a partly broken away view according to arrow II in figure 1. The barbecue table 1 according to the invention shown in figure 1 comprises a frame 2 by which a table top 9 is supported. The frame comprises two front legs 6 and a rear leg 7. The front legs 6 are placed with their bent upper end into the end parts 5 of a flat-lying tube part 3 bent into a V-shape. Welded fixedly to the V- shaped tube part 3 is a standing tube stub 4 in which the leg 7 is received. The legs 6, 7 are mutually connected about halfway along their height by a support surface 8. This provides a greater rigidity to the frame, so that the table top 9 is supported in stable manner. In the case the barbecue table 1 is embodied for disassembly the support surface 8 can be fastened to the legs 6, 7 with for instance bolts with wing nuts. The table top 9 is partly formed by a substantially flat metal plate 10, which in this embodiment is a 6 mm thick steel plate. With this thickness and this material a very advantageous frying surface is obtained which has a uniform temperature and a good heat capacity. The table top 9 further comprises a wooden surface 11 extending on three sides round the rectangular steel plate 10. This surface 11 can be used for setting down ingredients, tableware and the like. Since wood is a good heat insulator, objects placed on wooden surface 11 will not be heated, even when steel plate 10 is heated to a high temperature. As shown particularly in figure 2, the edge 23 of the steel plate is bent upward through a small angle, in particular an angle of about 5°. The raised edge 23 ensures that oil and/or other liquids used in frying cannot drip off the plate. Even when table top 9 is not disposed entirely horizontally, the liquids used will still remain lying on the plate in reliable manner. On the other hand, the raised edges 23 do not hinder cleaning of the plate. The plate can easily be scraped clean with a spatula, wherein the scrapings can be collected on the free edge of steel plate 10. In the shown preferred embodiment a detachable gutter 19 is arranged along the free edge of steel plate 10 to collect the scrapings. This gutter is fixed using threaded ends which are spot welded to plate 10 and which have wing nuts 20 engaging thereon. The gutter 19 can be detached simply by slightly loosening wing nuts 20 and the scrapings collected in gutter 19 can be thrown away at a suitable location. As shown particularly in figure 2, the burner 12 is provided with a wind guard 16 which forms part of a sub-frame with which the burner is fixed to the frame 2 against the underside of plate 10. The wind guard 16 is mounted close-fittingly in the bend of the V-shaped tube part 3. The wind guard 16 is provided with a plurality of slotted apertures in its periphery through which secondary combustion air is supplied to burner 12. By fitting the burner with wind guard 16 in the bend of V- shaped tube part 3 a good wind sealing is obtained. The V-shaped tube part 3 forms an extra shield preventing the wind from blowing directly against the burner via the apertures in wind guard 16. For optimum operation of the shielding effect the barbecue table 1 is placed with the rear leg 7 in the direction of the wind. The burner 12 is mounted in a sub-frame which is provided with supports 17 , the upper edges 18 of which normally speaking define a supporting surface for an object for heating such as a pan. The burner 12 is mounted with this sub-frame to the frame 2 such that the upper edges 18 of supports 17 at least almost make contact with the underside of plate 10. The supports 17 thus form a spacer which defines the correct distance from the burner 12 to the plate 10. In figure 2 only the burner head of burner 12 is shown. Extending downward in per se known manner on the underside of the burner head is a shaft through which the combustion gas is supplied. On the underside the burner carries a coupling 14 to which a gas bottle can be screwed. As shown in figure 1, a gas bottle 13 of considerable capacity can be used. A large gas bottle 13 is used particularly when barbecue table 1 is intended as an emergency provision and will thus be used a great deal. When a large gas bottle 13 is used the support surface 8 is mounted to legs 6, 7 at a height such that the gas bottle is supported by the support surface 8. For recreational use of the barbecue table 1 according to the invention a smaller gas bottle can be used, so that barbecue table 1 becomes easily transportable. The support surface 8 can in that case be used for temporary setting aside of ingredients, kitchen utensils and the like. The burner is releasably attached to the frame 2, so that it can also be used separately together with a gas bottle. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the figures but comprises all embodiment variants which fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Barbecue table comprising a frame and a table top connected to the frame, wherein the table top is formed at least partially by a substantially flat metal plate and wherein under the metal plate is arranged a heating element connected to the frame, characterized in that the heating element is mounted against the underside of the metal plate. 2. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating element is a gas burner. 3. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gas burner is mounted on a sub-frame and the sub-frame is mounted on the frame against the underside of the metal plate. 4. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sub-frame is mounted detachably on the frame. 5. Barbecue table as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the metal plate forms part of the frame. 6. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sub-frame is of the type which is provided with a plurality of supports which define a supporting surface for an object for heating and the burner is mounted detachably on the frame such that the supports are practically in contact with the underside of the metal plate. 7. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sub-frame is provided with an upward diverging wind guard which substantially encloses the burner together with the metal plate and which is provided in its periphery with a plurality of slotted apertures. 8. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame comprises a flat-lying tube part bent into a V-shape under the metal plate and the wind guard is mounted close-fittingly into the bend of this bent tube part. 9. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table top comprises a wooden surface enclosing the metal plate on three sides. 10. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 1, comprising a gutter mounted along an edge of the metal plate. 11. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gutter is mounted releasably on the metal plate. 12. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal plate is an at least 6 mm thick steel plate. 13. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 12, wherein the steel plate is rectangular and has edges bent through a small angle. 14. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 13, wherein the edges are bent through an angle in the order of magnitude of 5°. 15. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 13, wherein the bent edges are in the order of magnitude of 5 cm wide. 16. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal plate is an at least 6 mm thick steel plate and the burner has a maximum capacity of at least 8 MJ. 17. Barbecue table as claimed in claim 16, wherein the burner has a maximum capacity of substantially 10 MJ.

Inventors: VAN DER WOUDE MEINO JAN, VAN DER WOUDE, MEINO, JAN
Applicants: WOUDE MEINO JAN V D, VAN DER WOUDE, MEINO, JAN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A47J37
IPC codes: A47J37