Improved Portable Cooking Apparatus, applicable for Carrying Food or Rations.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Portable Cooking Apparatus, applicable for Carrying
Food or Rations.
GEORGE FOWLER, Soldier, Staff Sergeant Medical Staff Corps, 3, Maud
Cottages, Western Road, Maidstone, Kent, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for Cooking, Conveying, and Keeping Hot Diets and Rations, to be as
follows:-
"
The Improved Portable Cooking Apparatus applicable for Carrying Food or
Rations is also a steam or bronchitis kettle, and when not in use is a packing case,
carrying an oven, cups plates &c., &c. A kettle forms the bottom of the apparatus.
Coffee urn and tea infuser being fixed perpendicularly on the top of the kettle,
forming with the sides, back, doors, and top heated chambers in which to cook and
carry food. The kettle is filled through a fixed funnel at the top of the steam pipe,
and is emptied by means of a spout & tap. The oven is part of an iron frame
which forins a fire grate, this is secured outside the apparatus, by straps when not
in use.
Datel this 4th day of Now 1900
GEO. FOWLER,
Staff Sergt. Med. Staff Corps.
OMILELE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Portable Cooking Apparatus, applicable for Carrying
Food or Rations.
I, GEORGE FOWLER, of 3, Maud Cottages, Western Road, Maidstone, Kent,
Soldier, a Staff Sergeant of the Medical Staff Corps, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the construction of an Improved Portable Cooking
Apparatus applicable for Carrying Food or Rations. The apparatus is square or
rectangular in shape it will be understood by the annexed drawings.
Fig. 1, is a side view of the apparatus A standing upon B, showing fire grate
door, in this position it may be used for cooking purposes.
Fig. 2, is a plan, looking down upon A, packed ready for transport.
Fig. 3, is a vertical section through chamber i, A standing upon B.
Fig. 4, is a horizontal section of A.
Fig. 4 is a plan of shelf 7, intended to rest upon the ledges s, in the
chambers i, i.
Fig. 5, is a vertical section through urn a, kettle, steam accumulating
chamber 7, steam cooker w, and tea or coffee strainer 6.
Fig. 6, is a horizontal section through B, shewing fire grate g, drop screen o, and
oven n, also flue l.
Fig. 7, is a front view of A standing upon B. showing the chambers ii packed
with diet tins, and rations tins c. 8 of each said tins in each chamber.
Fig. 8, is a perspective view of pannier C, which when packed for transport will
contain the apparatus A standing within B, reversed. It is shown in the figure
with lid removed from its usual position, and attached to bottom to form a table.
It also shows shelf
9.
Fig. 9, is a plan of A with three urns standing upon B, and is intended for use
in coffee bars.

page_text: Fig. 9", is a plan of A. with two urns stamling upon B, it is intended for use in
sergeants messus.
Fig. 9", is a plan of A. with one urn stamling upon B these 3 or any number of
apparatus may be connected by steam pipes, flow water pipes . and flues 1, the
whole to be heated by a fire in B placed beneath either of the end apparatus.
A when disconnected from Fig. 9, and removed off B is the ration carrier and is
conveyed by two persons grasping the handles, the rations tins & and the diet tins e
and urna, containing the food or rations.
A and B are made of tin, copper, brass, iron, or like materials. ( is made of
wicker and the fittings of it with iron, wood, leather and similar materials.
The object of my invention is to construct and supply an apparatus that is
especially adapted for use in the military service, that will cook in the open, air, as
well as in tents or barracks, that will carry & protect the cooked food, carry the
utensils plates, cups &e, for its issue, and be available for use in purifying water by
conden-ation.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the drawings. Similar reference letters indiente
similar parts throughout the drawings.
A. cmsists of chambers or chambers i, 1, formed by one or more urn- ft, 48, the
a, a, a. Fig. 9º 9º. 9 bring placed and secured perpendicularly on a rectangular
shaped kettle or boiler in the horizontal position and enclosed with back, sides, top
and dors as required. On the outside of the top, back and sides are attachments in.
for carrying plates, dishes, disconnected steam pipes &c.
In front a tap 1, set back into the square of A communicates with the inside of
each urn the kettle tap, screws on to a water pipe, which said pipe passes
through am is connected with another pipe passing through, and secured to the
bottom of the kettle in two places.
B consists of a hollow iron frame with appertures, moveable sereens o, removeable
oven a, and hot plate, a, folling fire grate, with removeable bottom and front,
flues are formed when they are in position for use.
A and B are packed for portableness in pannier C. and in the chambers i̟, and
urns a, of A are placed the articles used in carrying, issuing and the cooking
of food.
Pannier when empty forms a cupboard and table, Fig. 8.
A and B may be parked in separate panniers for pack-horse transport.
When in n-e B, is placed on the ground or Hoor the oven a, the fire grate y, fixed
in position the hot plates removed, A placed inside the top of B the kettle tap
screwed on to water pipe leading from kettle. Water put into kettle, through
feed piper, the steam comeeting pipe h, secured in feed pipe and waste steam
pipe 3. a fire may now be made in B or in a trench under or a flue leading from
a fire may pass through dour of B, Fig. 1. Flue 7. may be connected with any
existing chimney or carried up independently.
The chambers and urns a, being emptied the apparatus is ready for use.
The hot plate being required for use A is removed off B and placed over flue 1,
leading from B, the said hot plate being now placed over the top of B, it enn be
used and the heat passing out of B, into flue 1, will continue to cook food in A..
For transport the apparatus A & B is packed in C, to do this the utensils &c.
are replaced within the urna, and chambers i, i, the steam connecting pipe h, and
flow water pipe, detached and replaced in attachments m.
The oven, and hot plates, bottom and front of live grate g, are removed from B,
and placed in the oven, these are then placed in the panier C, the remainder
of B, is inverted and the sides and back of fire grate, screens o, moved so that A
will stand in B, the apparatus is then placed in the latter being closed and
secured the complete apparatus is portable.
To cook food in the chambers of A. Fig. 9, the water in the kettle is boiled
or the steam connecting pipe, flow water pipe k, may be connected with steam
pipe or hot water pipe leading from a boiler; the chambers, being empty the

page_text: food to be cooked or heated is placed within on the trays p, or upon the shelf q, or
in the ration tins b, and diet tins c, or suspended from swing hook r, and these when
in position on the shelf supports s, and bottom of chambers can be shut in by the
doors t, steam is let out of the kettle, into chambers i, through the steam inlet
pipes u as the shelf supports s, incline slightly towards the back of the chambers i i
all condensed moisture falling on the said shelf 7, passes through the opening at the
back of each shelf on to the inclined ledges v, on back and sides into the tray p, on
the bottom; a fixed inclined ledge on the inside of each door t, near the bottom,
directs the condensed moisture passing down the door t, into the said tray »; each
shelf by this means being separated from the next above it.
To allow the cooked food to dry more or less before removal from the chambers i, i,
the steain inlet pipes u, are closed sufficiently to shut off the steam passing from
kettle, the tray, is removed, emptied, replaced in the chambers i, i, the doors t,
closed, the steain caused by the drying of the substance will pass out of the
chambers through the openings in the top of the steam inlet pipes u.
To cook food in the urn a, the substance to be cooked is either placed in a net,
or the steam cooker we, and the said net or steam cooker replaced in the urna, the
urn lid put on, the feed pipe, stopped with plug secured in fixed tunnel the
stop valve of branch steam inlet pipe 3, when lifted permits steam to pass from
kettle into urna.
The steam cooker w, is fitted inside with folding handle and ring to facilitate its
removal from urna, and which make it available for conveying hot water from
kettle tap e, into urna, the net when used as above, is suspended from the hook
inside urn lid.
In each urn is carried a strainer 6, for use in making tea or coffee.
To purify water by condensation steam passing from kettle, into urn a, through
branch steam inlet pipe 3, is condensed by coming in contact with steam cooker w,
to which cold water is supplied. The condensed water is removed through the
urn tap 1.
A, with steam connecting pipe h, inserted into feed pipe a, can be used as a
steam and bronchitis kettle.
The steam inlet pipe u, and branch steam inlet pipe 3, are perforated for the
escape of steam as seen in chambers i, i, Fig. 3. and urn a, Fig. 5. The supply of
steam from kettle to the said pipes is governed by a lift and drop valve. The
said valve is opened and closed with a spindle connection which passes from above
through the said pipes. The valve is attached to the bottom of the spindle ; near
the top of the said spindle, in the steam inlet pipe u, two stops are attached. When
the lowermost stop is resting on the top of the cap of pipe u. steam can pass from
kettle into chambers i, i, but when the uppermost stop is resting on the said cap
steam cannot enter the chambers i, i, while any steam in the said chambers can pass
through the top holes in pipe u, Fig. 3. and then out of A, through the opening for
the stops in the cap of steam pipe u; a disk is attached to the spindle below the
lowermost stop, when this said stop is resting on the top of the cap of pipe u. the
said disk prevents steam passing from chambers i, i, out of top of pipe u.
Stays are attached to the spindle to steady it. It is obvious that the steam
pipes u, and 3, would be increased or decreased in size and number as necessary
according to the size of the apparatus.
The kettle is provided with a blow off pipe 2, with a safety valve at top, an
over flow pipe +, & waste steam pipe 5. In Fig. 5, waste steam pipe 5, should be
shown in kettle 7, passing into the water on a level with bottom of over flow
pipe 4.
The ration and diet tins have rings attached at each end to facilitate their
removal from A. The diet tinc is divided by an irregular partition.
The flow water pipe k, is fitted with a stop cock in the middle and screw
communications at each end.
The shelf Fig. 4-7 has wire cross pieces attached at intervals and when

page_text: slid within chambers allow the steam to act on all sides of the substance placed
on them and all condensed moister to drain ofl' the sail shelf.
The urn tap 1 is set back into the space, (see Fig. 5.) to protect it from damage
in transport and packing.
Steam connecting pipe 4, is in two or more pieces according to the length
required. Steam is passed through, from, into waste steam pipe 5, by closing
inlet pipe, and branch steam inlet pipe 3.
Fig. 6. shows a sliding damper moved by passing rod to permit, or stop, hent
passing from the fire into flue between screen o. and oven n.
The attachments m, may be fixed at a greater or lesser interval to receive plates
of various sizes, and the said attachments may be increased in number as required.
Having now particularly de-cribed and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Improvement in portable cooking apparatus consisting of combination for
cooking purposes of urns a, kettle forming chambers i, doors t, steam connecting
pipes . flow-water pipe &, substantially as shown and applied in Fig. 94, 98, yo,
2. Inlet pipes, branch inlet pipes 3, swing hook r, waste steam pipe 5.
3. Fig. 6. Part B, diet tins c, attachments m, shelf y, fixed funnel, incline
ledges r. steam cooker e, uru tap 1, set into recess in A. and net for use in urn-hook
inside urn lid, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of February 1891.
GEO. FOWLER,
Maidstone.