IMPROVEMENTS IN GRIDIRONS FOR COOKING STEAKS, CHOPS, AND FISH
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Charles Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November 1880. A com-
munication from abroad by Lucien Pierre Malleé, Contractor, of the City of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON, of 6, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRIDIRONS FOR COOKING STEAKS,
CHOPS, AND FISH." A communication from abroad by Lucien Pierre Malleé,
Contractor, of the City of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention consists in a new gridiron intended for cooking and roasting
meats, fish, and so forth, the apparatus consisting of two special and distinct
parts, viz., the gridiron on which the pieces to be roasted or broiled are placed, and
the fire place or receptacle for the fire.
The gridiron is made of tin formed into two oblique rising parts, being part of
the same metal plate, which for this purpose is bent square in two places, so that
it forms a cross bar at the top to the two rising parts, the ends of which latter
constitute the feet of the apparatus. These rising parts are also crossed by a plate
on which a basin is fixed whose ends are furnished with handles to allow of moving
the apparatus; they are riveted on one side to the rising parts and on the other to
the basin, under which latter in the centre and in front is a third foot made
from a metal plate which terminates and surrounds the bottom of the basin. The
upper cross piece is provided with two pegs or hooks intended for supporting the
meat, which in the case of chops would hang vertically.
Between the rising parts the grate is placed; this consists of two horizontal cross
pieces and round bars. The top cross piece having spindles at each end moves in
two holes made in the rising parts so as to allow the grate to pivot or be raised
if convenient. The lower cross piece which holds the meat is a rather large metal
plate, which is bent up so as to form a flange, and it is bored with holes to let the
gravy flow through; in addition, this same cross piece is crossed by two bars which
rest on the basin.
The fire place is of cast or sheet iron, its form being a box closed on three
sides, viz., at the rear, and right, and left. The rear plain surface is bent obliquely
at the top to act as a heat reflector. The front is open and furnished with a grate,
whose horizontal bars are in a plane parallel to those of the grate; a handle is fixed
TD 071

page_text: on one of the sides. The portable fire place above described does not require
any ash pan; it is placed on any kind of kitchen oven into which the ashes fall.
By the employment of a movable sheet iron plate placed under the grate this
description of fire place may be used anywhere.
In making use of the apparatus the fire place must be filled with burning coals
and then placed near the gridiron which bears the meat, the projecting part of the
fire place entering between the rising plates or parts so as to come nearer to the fire.
During cooking, the gravy and fat melting they run along the bars and drop
into the basin without any smoke resulting therefrom, and the gridiron may be
brought nearer to or further from the fire. On the same principle a double grate
may be employed, the fire place having two faces open, with oblique grates similar
to that of the single fire place, the top aperture being open to receive the coals; it
may also be closed with a movable cover or lid. In using this double gridiron it
is necessary to place the fire place in the centre of a chafing dish, and put two
gridirons back to back, the gridirons being similar to the single one in construction.
When cooking is over, the fire place is removed by the handle and the coals are
emptied into the chafing dish or extinguisher.
The grease received into the basin of the gridiron not having been burnt or
blackened, as happens with the ordinary gridiron, it can be kept and used for
frying, or for pies or puddings.