Abstract:
A device for grilling and cooking food. The device should be easy to produce and safe to handle. The device includes a pan made of steel with lateral walls and a heating surface for cooking food, which heating surface is disposed largely horizontal, optionally with a slight incline inwards, and which is connected to the lateral walls. The pan includes a grate-like intermediate base disposed parallel to the heating surface, with the heating surface disposed at least along one of the lateral walls of the pan.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for grilling and cooking food. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The device comprises a pan made of steel with a base, lateral walls and a heating surface for cooking food, which heating surface is disposed largely horizontal, optionally with a slight incline inwards, and which is connected to the lateral walls of the pan. 
     Devices and equipment for grilling and cooking food are used both to meet individual needs as well as in the industrial sector, outdoors as well as in the kitchen area. 
     Grill units of differing design and modes of operation for example are known, wherein the required thermal energy for cooking food is generated by different media. 
     Widespread use is made of grill units with a container, which in the lower region comprises means for burning gases or solids and a grill grate located above spaced apart from the latter, wherein the thermal energy generated during the burning is intended to be conveyed to the grill grate to the greatest possible extent. 
     Widespread use is made of charcoal and combustible gases as combustible materials. EP 0653917 B1 discloses a gas grill for use outdoors, wherein gas burners are disposed in a ring in the base region of a spherical container. A further container for catching fat and so forth dripping down is disposed beneath the gas burners. Such drops of fat are conveyed by a conical wall from the grill grate into the container for the catching thereof, so that they cannot get onto the burner ring. 
     Charcoal grills are in principle constructed in a similar manner, wherein a fire grate through which air can flow is provided instead of the gas burner, on which fire grate the charcoal glows. The dripping of fat or other liquids into the glowing charcoal can be avoided by collecting trays or suchlike, wherein the food to be cooked lies on the grill grate. 
     In another embodiment, stones, for example lava stones, can also be heated with gas burners, said stones then serving as heat storage elements for the food to be cooked. 
     In order to avoid the drawbacks of the aforementioned grill units, a device for cooking food made of steel or cast iron is proposed in EP 2143362 B1 and EP 2581003 A1, said device being intended to enable direct cooking at an optimum cooking temperature over a lengthy period and using combustible materials on a wood base. For this purpose, the device comprises a heating pan in the form of a cut spherical or ellipsoidal shell with a heating surface. The heating surface is designed such that food can be cooked directly thereon and is a circular ring surface running essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the heating pan. The outer edge of the heating surface is fixedly connected to the cut edge of the heating pan. An intermediate base is provided in the heating pan and an opening for removing ash is provided in the lowest region of the heating pan, wherein such an opening should also be provided lying coaxially in the intermediate base. 
     The heating pan is mounted in a mobile manner on a ring which lies on the supporting surface. The opening for removing ash in the heating pan ends at the supporting surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the invention relates to a device for cooking food or suchlike whilst avoiding the drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, it should be easy to produce and safe to handle. 
     In one embodiment, the device according to the invention for grilling and cooking food comprises a pan, which comprises at least one intermediate base, lateral walls and a heating surface, wherein the heating surface is disposed essentially perpendicular to and at least along one of the lateral walls of the pan. The device according to the invention, or the pan, preferably has a cubic basic shape. 
     Other embodiments are also disclosed. 
     The pan can have a cubic, rectangular, triangular or polygonal or also a semicircular cross-section. The lateral walls comprise side walls, a front side and a rear wall in a differing embodiment. 
     The intermediate base is disposed at least in the central region, i.e. beneath the open region of the heating surface, and is constituted slotted and/or grate-like in the region of a tray. 
     The device preferably stands on feet, which are disposed on the intermediate base or on the lateral walls, wherein the feet also preferably enable a spacing between the lower edges of the lateral walls and the base. They are at least of the same length. 
     Instead of the feet, the lateral walls could also be extended downwards and also be constituted bent off inwards. 
     Furthermore, a lower, continuous and closed base can also be provided parallel to the intermediate base, said lower base also being welded to the lateral walls. 
     The pan can also be provided with a separate, inner and optionally reinforced frame, to which the parts of the pan can be fixed, in particular by means of a weld joint, or the walls could additionally be welded to the frame. 
     The heating surface can extend overlapping frame-like along the lateral walls of the pan or at least over parts thereof, but at least run around a side wall thereof. And it is orientated essentially horizontally. 
     An insertable and retractable tray is advantageously provided beneath the intermediate base, said tray being able to be disposed beneath the slotted and/or grate-like region of the intermediate base. The tray is retractable at one of the lateral walls. 
     The heating surface can be inclined inwards, preferably at an angle of up to approx. 5°. Along the side walls, it overlaps partial regions of the pan open at the top, wherein it can extend completely or only partially along the side walls. 
     The heating surface is made of special steel, whereas the other parts of the pan are preferably made of COR-TEN® steel, a weather-resistant, structural steel. 
     The walls can also be constituted doubled, with fireclay bricks as heat storage elements in between and for preventing an excessively high temperature on the external walls. The grill can also be constituted mobile, for example with an undercarriage or suchlike. 
     The device according to the invention is corrosion-resistant, guarantees a high degree of convenience during grilling over a wood or coal fire and a secure upright position. Any occurring ash can be removed and disposed of without adversely affecting the environment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is described in greater detail below in an example of embodiment with the aid of a drawing. In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  shows the device according to the invention for grilling and cooking food in a perspective representation in cross-section, 
         FIG. 2  shows the device according to the invention in a further embodiment, 
         FIG. 3  shows a tray of the device according to the invention, 
         FIG. 4  shows the device according to the invention in a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , a device according to the invention comprises a fire-resistant cubic pan  12  made of COR-TEN® steel, whereof longitudinal walls  1 , front side  2 , rear wall  3  and heating surface are welded together at the respective edges. An intermediate base  5  is incorporated, by welding, perpendicular thereto and parallel to and spaced apart from the supporting surface and heating surface  6 . In each corner of the pan, a foot  4  made of steel is welded or screwed to the underside of intermediate base  5 , said foot being somewhat longer than the distance from intermediate base  5  to the lower edge of longitudinal walls  1 , front side  2  and rear wall  3 . The base area is open apart from a tray  8  for catching the ash. 
     In the example, walls  1 ,  2  and  3  have a length of 1200 mm and a height of 420 mm. 
     The remaining walls, intermediate base  5  and a tray  8  are also made of COR-TEN® steel, a thickness of 6 mm. 
     An insertable and retractable tray  8  is provided beneath intermediate base  5 , said tray are being able to be disposed beneath a slotted and/or grate-like region of the intermediate base. Tray  8  is mounted in a sliding manner on two guide plates  22  disposed in parallel on intermediate base  5  and is provided at the front side with a handle  9 , so that it can easily be pulled out and inserted through a tray opening  7 , for example at front side  2 . It could also be disposed so as to be retractable laterally or to the rear. 
     Guide plates  22  are for example U- or L-shaped and preferably welded to intermediate base  5 . 
     Heating surface  6  is made of special steel and is also welded at the edges to side walls  1 , front side  2  and rear wall  3 . 
     Lateral edges  10  are provided with thick, continuous weld seams. 
     All the external weld seams are ground. Heating surface  6  made of special steel is for example 10 mm thick and frame-like, running completely around the side walls of pan  12  with a wide support surface of 150-300 mm for the product to be cooked. Remaining rectangular opening ensures optimum burning and glowing of the combustible material present on intermediate base  5 . Wood or charcoal is preferably used as a combustible material. It burns on intermediate base  5  over tray  8  for the ash. The intermediate base is slotted or grate-like in the region of the wood support area, on the one hand to allow the ash to fall through into tray  8  and on the other hand for ventilation of the glowing fire. 
     Side walls  1  as well as rear wall  3  are either closed or can preferably be decorated with perforations or ornaments above intermediate base  5 , optionally also front side  2 ,  18 . 
     The width of the support area of heating surface  6  on the other hand enables protection against the glowing fire and yet a high heat input from below by the glowing fire as well as reflecting from the side walls. The temperature diminishes from the middle to the outer edge, which offers a large variety of possible uses for cooking different foods and for merely heating food up or keeping cooked food hot. 
     Heating surface  6  is preferably inclined slightly inwards, for example at an angle of up to approx. 5° relative to side edges  10 . All the liquids emerging from the food thus also run away. They can either evaporate or burn in the glowing fire or a connecting channel with a collection container can be provided at the inner edge of heating surface  6 . 
     When not in use for a lengthy period, the device can be tipped over onto a side wall  1 . 
     In an embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , the device according to the invention comprises for example a heating surface  15  partially overlapping opening  14 . The remaining part of the opening  14  is constituted open and without heating surface  15  between a back  13  or rear wall  3  of pan  12  and heating surface  14 . Heating surface  15  is constituted wider than in the first embodiment ( FIG. 1 ). Tray  8  can be retracted to the rear through tray opening  7  at back  13  in the region of opening  14 . 
     In such an embodiment of the device, the cross-section of pan  12  is preferably smaller than in the first embodiment. The cross-section can also be triangular, polygonal or semicircular or suchlike, wherein heating surface  14  is then also formed or can be formed triangular, polygonal or semicircular. 
     The individual parts of the device are again made of COR-TEN® steel with a plate thickness of 3-8 mm. Heating surface  14  is made of special steel similar to the first embodiment, with smaller dimensions of the device compared to the first embodiment with a plate thickness of 4-10 mm. 
     In a third embodiment of the device according to the invention ( FIG. 4 ), the latter is disposed in a wood pile  22 , a wood wall or suchlike. All the walls, which make contact with the wood or suchlike, i.e. at least longitudinal walls  17 , rear wall  19  and base  20 , are constituted double-walled and filled with a heat-insulating material, for example fireclay or ceramic bricks. 
     In the third embodiment of the device according to the invention, the latter, in contrast with the second embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , actually stands on the front side, which now forms a base  20 . Heating surface  15  projects approximately parallel to base  20  into the interior or opening  14 . Tray  8  is in turn disposed retractable forwards between intermediate base  5  and base  20 . 
     Instead of a fourth lateral wall, a chimney  16  is placed on longitudinal walls  17  and rear wall  19  for the purpose of smoke extraction and safety against flying sparks. 
     The wood-contacting walls of chimney  16  and the rear wall are also constituted double-walled and filled with a heat-insulating material, for example fireclay or ceramic bricks. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       1  longitudinal wall 
       2  front side 
       3  rear wall 
       4  foot 
       5  intermediate base 
       6  heating surface 
       7  tray opening 
       8  tray 
       9  handle 
       10  lateral edge 
       11  opening 
       12  pan 
       13  back 
       14  opening 
       15  heating surface 
       16  chimney 
       17  longitudinal wall 
       18  front side 
       19  rear wall 
       20  base 
       21  wood pile 
       22  guide plate