Abstract:
A portable outdoor cleaner and cooker for steaming foodstuffs such as shellfish includes an elongated housing having an internal conveyor that routes the foodstuffs past a water dispersing station for cleaning and subsequently through a steaming section for cooking.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/177,526 filed on May 12, 2009 in the name of Ross Andrew Rouse and entitled “Portable Continuous Process for Washing and Steaming Foods”. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for the portable outdoor cooking of food, particularly seafood and vegetables. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The outdoor cooking for large groups of people is extremely popular throughout the country, featuring the food specialties of geographic and ethnic groups. The grilling and barbequing of meats is well established and extensive and elaborate equipment is available for efficiently servicing groups of varying sizes. Other food categories are also popular, but equipment for the larger groups is extremely limited, primarily to labor intensive cleaning and cooking for seafood and vegetables. 
     While the meats are generally obtained in a prepared state ready for cooking without further preparation, seafood and vegetables are oftentimes personally furnished or directly obtained from the farmers or fishermen in their harvested uncleaned state. As such laborious individual cleaning of the food is required, particularly popular seafood such as oysters and shrimp. After cleaning a popular cooking method for the seafood and the vegetables is steam cooking. Because of the extensive manual handling and the need to transfer to separate cooking facilities, supplying the end product in a timely and consistent basis is difficult. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved efficient apparatus and method for the outdoor cleaning and cooking of these foodstuffs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved portable outdoor cooking apparatus that cleans and steams foodstuffs such as shellfish thereby avoiding separate cleaning operations and equipment and provides a continuous supply of fully cleaned and cooked product to satisfy the appetites of large gatherings. 
     In one aspect, the invention provides a portable outdoor cleaner and cooker having an elongated enclosure with an internal cavity having an entry end and a discharge end, said cavity having a cleaning zone at said entry end and a cooking zone at said discharge end; a plurality of vertical legs for supporting said enclosure on an outdoor surface; a conveyor belt in said cavity of said enclosure extending between said entry end and said discharge end; an electric motor operatively connected with said conveyor belt and selectively operable to transfer food article thereon from said entry end to said discharge end; a water reservoir in said cavity beneath said conveyor belt in said cooking zone; a water supply and having a first branch line with a first outlet operable for maintaining a water level in said water reservoir, said water supply having a second branch line having spray outlets above and below said conveyor belt for clean said food articles, said second branch line having a control valve for selectively operating said spray outlets; drains in said cleaning zone and said cooking zone for removing water therefrom; an elongated gas burner supported by said legs and extending along said enclosure beneath said cooking zone; and a gas supply connected to said gas burner and operable to heat said water reservoir for generating steam in said cooking zone for cooking said food articles. The cooker may further have a movable barrier member in said cleaning zone and said cooking zone and operable for moving to an open position for allow passage of said food articles and for limiting interchange for water between said zones and passage of water from said entry end and passage of steam from said discharge end. The barrier may be a pivoting transverse door that is engaged and opened by said food article. The motor includes a controller for adjusting transit speed of said conveyor belt. The portable outdoor cleaner and cooker as recited in claim  1  including a side reservoir projecting from the side of the enclosure and fluidly communicating with said water reservoir, and a level switch disposed in said side reservoir for sensing the water level thereof and thereby said water reservoir level in said cooking zone and operable to control a valve in said second branch line to control water supply to said water reservoir and thereby maintain said level. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an outdoor apparatus for the cleaning and steaming of food products such as seafood. 
     Another object is to provide for the continuous outdoor preparation of seafood in a single operation. 
     A further object is to provide an outdoor cooker with a processing tunnel providing sequential cleaning and steaming of shellfish on a continuous basis. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side schematic view of a portable outdoor cleaner and steamer according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional schematic view of cleaner and steamer of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary side schematic view showing the water supply system for the cleaner and steamer. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a portable outdoor cleaner and steamer apparatus  10  for the continuous steam processing of foodstuffs, such as seafood and vegetables, and particularly shellfish. Food items  12  are continuously fed at a front entry  14  onto a conveyor  16  mounted in an enclosed tunnel in an elongated housing  18 . The conveyor  16  continuously routes the food items  12  transfer through a cleaning section  20  and a steaming section  22  for discharge at a rear exit  24  into a suitable collection receptacle  25 . 
     The elongated housing  18  is generally rectangular in cross sections and supported on legs  26  from a suitable platform  28 , such as without limitation a ground location or a mobile platform. The legs  26  are attached in lateral pairs by welds or fasteners at longitudinally spaced locations to the side walls of the housing  18 . The legs  26  may be provided with leveling devices or casters, not shown, for mobile support on a ground surface. The legs may also be fixedly attached to a platform on a trailer for towing behind a vehicle. 
     The housing  12  comprises a base  30  having a rectangular bottom wall  32  and laterally spaced side walls  34 . The base  30  includes a split front end wall  36  providing an upwardly opening entrance port at the entry  14  and an open rear end providing a discharge port at the exit  24 . A top plate  40  having lifting handles  42  is carried on the side walls  34  and extends longitudinally over the cavity from the rear end to a front location spaced slightly rearwardly from the front end wall  36 , thereby providing an enclosed cooking and cleaning tunnel between the ports. The housing is preferably formed of a corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel, and has an envelope size of about 8 feet in length, 10 inches in width, and 10 inches in depth. The housing size may be adapted in size to provide other sizes dependent on the desired production rate and the food items being cooked. The split end wall  36  comprises a rearwardly inclined upper transverse plate  47  for guiding the food items onto the upper belt of the conveyor  16  and a rearwardly inclined lower transverse plate  48  extending below the lower belt of the conveyor. An appropriate cleaning tool may be inserted between the plate for assisting in removing dirt and debris from the cleaning zone. The exit port is provided downwardly and rearwardly inclined transverse plate  49  for guiding the food items at discharge. 
     The cleaning zone and the steaming zones  20 ,  22  are provided with drains  50 ,  51 , respectively, for discharging the liquids therefrom. The drain  50  from the cleaning zone is directly connected to a drain line  52 . The drain  51  from the cooking zone is connected to drain line  52  by branch line  53 . The branch line  53  includes control valve  54  for enabling selective draining of the water in the cooking zone. The main drain line  52  may include a main drain valve  55  leading to a drain reservoir  56  that may be a ground surface or part of the waste water disposal system for the attendant property. 
     A stainless steel ribbon burner  57  is supported by adjusting screws  58  below the steaming section  22  of the enclosure  18  on crossbars  59  connected between the legs  26 . The burner  57  is connected by line  60  including control valve  61  to a portable fuel tank  62 , preferably low pressure propane. 
     The conveyor  16  includes a stainless steel mesh-type conveyor belt  64  supported at opposed ends by sprocketed end shafts  5  and at spaced intermittent locations by cross bars  66 . The conveyor belt  64  is powered by a variable speed gearmotor  68  supported by brackets  69  on the rear set of legs  26  below the burner  57 . The gearmotor  68  is operatively connected to the rear end sprockets by drive chain  70 . Operation of the gearmotor  68  is controlled at a control panel  72  panel by operation of status and speed control switches  74 ,  76 , respectively. The control panel  72  is connected by inlet line  78  to a suitable power supply. 
     The cleaning section  20  and the steaming section  22  are bounded by upper doors  80  that deflect to allow passage of the food items and thereafter swing closed to provide a barrier between the zones. Examples of such barriers, without limitation, are swinging flexible curtains, or as illustrated, pivotal transverse doors provided with counterweights  82  to offset the weight of the door. Accordingly, a front upper door  80  is provided at the front end of the disclosure at the entrance to the cleaning section  20 , a middle upper door  80  between the sections, and a rear upper door at the rear end of the steaming section  22 . A lower transverse plate or baffle  83  is positioned on the base of the housing slightly downstream of the middle upper door and serves as a lower barrier between the sections and a retaining wall for the steaming section water reservoir. 
     A water supply system  84  is carried on the front side of the enclosure and connected by a supply line  86 , such as a conventional hose, at one end to a water supply  88  and at another end to a branch fitting  90 . A cleaning line  92  including a control valve  93  is connected to the fitting and includes a transverse upper branch line  94  above the top run of the conveyor belt and a second transverse branch line  95  below the top run of the conveyor belt. Branch line. The upper branch line  94  is provided with one or more downwardly directed nozzles  96  for spraying and cleaning the top surface of the food passing thereby. The lower branch line in provided with one or more upwardly directed nozzles  97  for spraying and cleaning the bottom surface of the fool passing thereby. 
     A water supply line  98  extends rearwardly from the branch fitting and is serially connected with a steam solenoid valve  99  and a metering valve  100 . The valve  99  is connected with the control panel by cable  101 . A fill line  102  leads from the metering valve  100  and terminates with a discharge end for filling and maintaining in the cooking zone between the baffle and end plate a water level  103  as determined by a level switch  110  connected by cable  112  to the control panel  72  and thereby controlling operation of the solenoid valve  99 . The level switch  110  is mounted in a side reservoir on the side of the enclosure that fluidly communicates with the water level  103 . 
     Operation of the Portable Cleaner and Cooker 
     With the apparatus  10  connected to the power supply  78 , water supply  88  and gas supply  62 , the solenoid valve  99  is opened to fill the water chamber in the steaming section  22  to the water level  103  determined by the level switch  110 . Thereafter, the ribbon burner  57  is ignited to bring the water to boiling. The conveyor  16  is operated to establish a belt speed providing a transit time through the steaming section sufficient to cook the selected food to the desired temperature. If washing is necessary for the food being processed, the control valve  93  for the cleaning section  20  is opened. When the operating parameters are stabilized, test food is loaded on the conveyor and passed through the cooking cycle. The speed of the conveyor belt  64  is thereafter raised or lowered to provide a transit time deemed preferable for the food. Thereafter, the food is delivered on demand to the belt, cooked and deposited in the collection receptacle  25  for serving. Upon completion of the cooking, the burner  57  is extinguished and the drain valves  54 ,  55  opened to drain water from the cooking zone through lines  53  and  52 . Dirt and debris is directed by the tool for removal from the cleaning zone in drain line  50 . The power supply, water line, and gas line are disconnected and the unit is ready for transport to storage or subsequent cooking location. 
     Having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will now be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention. The disclosures and description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention, which is defined solely in accordance with the following claim.