Abstract:
A substantially smokeless cooker is disclosed. The cooker includes a housing having a cooking chamber therein. A first heating element including at least one resistive element is carried in the cooking chamber to supply heat directly to food positioned adjacent thereto for cooking thereof. A steam producing apparatus independent of the first heating element is provided for producing steam. The vapors in the steam are disposed for permeating the food to provide moisture thereto during the cooking thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cooking device and more particularly to an electrically heated smokeless cooker for cooking meats and other foods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     &#34;Barbecue&#34; grills are well known in the art. Typically, such grills include a housing enclosing a food supporting rack which is positional above a bed of charcoal. A water container is typically placed between the charcoal bed and the food to provide moisture to the food while it is being cooked. Wood chips are generally added onto the hot coals to impart flavor to the cooking material. Such devices create an excessive amount of smoke. 
     Electric grills are available which include an electrical resistive element (burner) which is used to directly heat a heat retentative container which contains wood chips which is placed beneath the food to be cooked. Heat from the heated charcoal and wood chips serve to cook the food. A pan of water is generally placed between the wood chips and the food. Such electric cookers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,776,127 and 4,554,864 issued Dec. 4, 1973 and Nov. 26, 1985. 
     The cooker of the present invention provides for heat to be supplied directly to the cooking material from at least one resistive element or burner which is positioned beneath and juxtaposed a grid which supports the material to be cooked. Heat is directly applied to the food by the burner to cook the food. A separate resistive element or burner is provided to heat a container with a mixture of water and a food flavoring such as wood chips therein to produce steam vapors having the flavor of the wood chips. By this arrangement, while the material is being directly cooked by the upper burner or burners, steam generated in the container is directed upwardly therefrom to be circulated around the cooking material to permeate the food and impart moisture and any desired flavor thereto. Although wood chips are disclosed as supplying the food flavoring, it is to be understood that the liquid flavoring may be utilized, as well. 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a substantially smokeless electric cooker. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a cooker with means for imparting steam vapors into the material being cooked, the droplets in the vapor possessing a selected flavor. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a smokeless grill in which any smoke produced is a result of the cooking material and not as a result of external sources such as burning charcoal or burning wood chips. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a cooker with separate burners to respectively, cook the food and to heat a mixture of food flavoring and water to boil the water and thus produce steam vapors which permeate the food to impart a desired flavor thereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the smokeless grill of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view, partially in section, of the grill of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the water and wood chip container as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view, partially in section of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6. 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 6. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As seen in FIG. 1, a smokeless cooker 10 is shown to include a housing 12 which encloses a cooking chamber 16. Cooker 10 further includes a lower frame portion 14. Cooking chamber 16 is formed by a cylindrical member 18 having a door 20 secured thereto by hinge 22 (more clearly shown in FIG. 2). A handle 24 is provided to open and close door 20. Each end of cylindrical member 18 is respectively provided with end closure members 26 and 28. A door stop 30 is shown on the upper surface of cylindrical member 18, to limit the door movement when the door is pivoted upwardly about hinge 22 (more clearly shown in FIG. 2). 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the interior of the cooker 10. As seen in FIG. 2, lower frame portion 14 of the cooker encloses a steam box 32, and a steam duct 34 which connects steam box 32 with an opening 33 in cooking chamber 16. The duct communicates with cooking chamber 16 through a passage 48. A grease drain tube 36 extends downwardly from the lower portion of chamber 16 to a grease collector 37. 
     Cylindrical member 18 is shown to enclose a pair of upper burners 40 and 41 (only one is shown in FIG. 2) which are supported on a pair of longitudinally extending brackets 43 having steam passages 45 therein. The steam passages 45 extend along the length of brackets 43. A grid rack 42 is mounted above the burners and is supported by a pair of longitudinally extending brackets 44 having steam passages 47 therein. The steam passages 47 extend along the length of brackets 44. Mounted between the burners and the rack 42 is a grease plate collector 38 which is supported on a pair of longitudinally extending brackets 51 having steam passages 53 therein. The steam passages 53 extend along the length of brackets 51. Grease plate collector 38 may be provided with an upper surface which is angled downwardly to assist the grease in flowing downwardly toward an opening 48 in grease drain 36 and also is removably mounted on brackets 51 to permit removal and cleaning thereof. 
     As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, steam box 32 is a rectangular box which is open at the top and is provided to contain water to which a flavoring may be added, if desired. Steam box 32 is provided with a handle 50 for moving box 32 into and out of a support assembly 52 which supports the box 32 and also encloses a lower burner 54. Steam box support assembly 52 is provided to support the steam box. The top of the assembly may, if desired, have a top pivotably mounted door 57 which may be opened to add food flavoring or water. An electrical junction box 56 (FIG. 3) is provided inside of the lower portion of the housing to enclose the typical electrical connections between conductors 58, 59, 60 and 62 which respectively lead to the upper burners 40 and 41 and lower burner 54 and to an electrical plug 64. 
     FIG. 5-8 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts. The primary difference between the embodiment of FIGS. 5-8 and that of FIGS. 1-3 is that no duct 32 is used. As seen in FIG. 5, lower section 70 of cylindrical member 18 is provided with a plurality of openings 72 through which steam passes into chamber 16 from steam chest 32. In this embodiment, both box 32 and support member 52 are open at the top. Once inside cooking chamber. 16, steam is then directed through passages 45, 53 and 47 and around the material 76 being cooked. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 steam chest 32 and grease collector 37 is supported on a base plate 78 and housing 16 is mounted on a frame 79 which is provided with legs 80, although, if desired, wheels 15 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 may be utilized. While the member 18 is described as having a plurality of openings in the lower section thereof, it is to be understood that a single larger opening may be resorted to, if desired. It is also to be understood that a duct may be used in this embodiment, if desired. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6 and illustrates the two burners 40 and 41 and the grid 42 positioned over the burners. FIG. 7 also illustrates an additional steam passage 74 provided in the burner support plate which may be utilized, if desired. 
     FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 with the grid 42 removed. 
     It is to be understood that each of the upper burners 40 and 41 may be a 220 volt, 2100 watt stove eye burner which is energized by typical 110 volt household current. By electrifying the 220 volt burners by a 110 volt supply the burners are prevented from becoming too hot and burning the food. Also, by this arrangement, the food does not have to be turned as is typically done. 
     It is to be understood that although two 220 volt burners are described as being used in the cooker of the present invention, more or less burners may be utilized, as desired. Also, while the burners are described as typical eye burners, elongated calrod units as used in ovens may be used, if desired. 
     In operation, water is first placed into the steam box and the food is placed on the grid rack. The burners 40 and 41 and the lower steam box burner 54, are energized. Cooking is accomplished by the upper burners and the lower burner is used to boil the water in box 32. When the water reaches a boiling point, steam vapors possessing the flavor created by the food flavoring (if food flavoring has been used) moves into the cooking chamber and circulates around the food. The moisture in steam carries any smoke into the food and retains any smoke in the cooking chamber. The moisture also penetrates the food to keep the food moist as it cooks.