IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND HEATING, FORMING A PORTABLE KITCHEN, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hippolyte Lecornu, of Caen (Calvados), in France,
•
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND
HEATING, FORMING A PORTABLE KITCHEN, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER
USES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hippolyte Lecornu at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1881.
HIPPOLYTE LECORNU, of Caen (Calvados), in France, Engineer. "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND HEATING, FORMING A PORTABLE KITCHEN,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES."
My Invention relates to the following apparatuses:-
A stove arranged in two superposed parts, the upper one of which fits easily into
the lower, provided for this purpose with a projecting ring or collar; it is in fact
two distinct stoves, which may act together or separately.
Each of these two combined stoves has its grate; the one or the other may 'be
used at pleasure, and the fire required for cooking the food may be made alternately
upon each. The upper fire-place or stove is surmounted by two independant rings
which fit the one in the other, and the unequal openings of which are intended to
receive vessels of various sizes. When fire is lit upon the lower grate the upper
fire place or stove may serve as an oven. For this purpose the opening in its top
ring is closed by a cover plate or obturator; the isolating or insulating cap, cover,
or hood, or the insulating box hereinafter described is then lowered over the stove,
and the heat acquired is thus preserved. Care having first been had also to close
all other openings the fire naturally dies out for want of air.
The smoke outlet pipe, if there be one, should be so arranged that the part which
touches the stove in a length of, say, eight inches, more if required, may come off of
or be fitted into a following pipe as into a coupling box or sleeve, in order that the
aforesaid cover or hood or the box may be lowered over the stove.
The stove has three openinge, which open and close like slide valves or dampers
by the aid of knobs, hooks, or handles. The lower opening serves as inlet for the
air necessary to combustion; it may be opened more or less to increase or lessen the
Price Gd1

page_text: activity of the fire. The middle opening is for the introduction of fuel, and the
top one for the escape of smoke.
My improved insulating caps, hoods, or covers, and insulating boxes may be
used with all kinds of cooking vessels, pots, and stoves.
Above the top grate is a pot or vessel which fits into the stove in such a manner
that it may be heated all round and in its entire height.
My insulating box, when reversed over and enclosing the entire stove, must not
touch it, but in order that its insulating felt lining may not be burnt, it is desirable
to leave between the felt and the stove a space of four inches. The base of the
stove may be open worked, and rest upon fire bricks or tiles.
The hood, cap, or cover, or the insulating box is divided. The upper part having
two handles, being the cap or box; the lower part, the support upon which is placed
the vessels containing the food to complete the cooking. When the vessel is placed
on the support it is covered with the cap or hood, or the box, in such a manner
that the felt of this part of the apparatus rests well upon the felt of the support.
The insulating caps or hoods, like the insulating boxes, are lined interiorly with
a sufficient thickness of felt or other material which is a bad conductor of heat.
The outside of the boxes is of wood or of metal, that of the caps or hoods of any
kind of fabric. For this purpose oil-cloth, or india-rubber cloth, or any waterproof
material, is very suitable, especially when it is desired to cook in the open air.
The lower flanges or borders of this fabric may be straight or widened out, this
latter arrangement being very advantageous for open air cooking, for should rain
fall it will slide from this waterproof fabric as from a roof, and the cooking of the
food would not be thereby interrupted.
In my system the pots or vessels are placed upon bands or strips of felt fixed or
glued upon wood, or covered underneath, and even above all along the edges with
india-rubber cloth or a waterproof fabric of sufficient breadth to preserve the felt
from water and the dampness of the ground. Beneath this edging there may be a
rib of cord or other material, the projection of which will cover the pots or vessels
and the felt upon which they are placed.
These bands of felt, which serve as supports to the pots or cooking vessels, may
be of various shapes, but more particularly round. It will however be desirable to
make them square, if square insulating boxes be used.
The insulating boxes, as also the caps or hoods, are applied reversed. In order
that the one or the other may retain the heat for a long time it is only necessary
to place the vessel containing the food upon the fire clay or other bricks previously
heated. These bricks may also be laid upon the insulating felt supports, but in
order not to burn the felt, if these bricks are very much heated, it is only requisite
to place a layer of ash between the vessel and the bricks. In this case also the
felt of the box or of the hood or cap should not touch the bricks.
A band or strip of felt may also be placed between that of the support and the
pot or cooking vessel to keep it clean.
When an insulating cap or hood, and particularly an insulating box of somewhat
large dimensions, and therefore of some weight, is used, it may be raised and
lowered over the cooking pot or the stove by the aid of a lift with counterweight.
This lift is composed essentially of four vertical supports secured firmly to cross
pieces. Along these supports are arranged four metal rods, upon which may slide
freely rings attached to the box. Upon these crosspieces are set two pulleys, upon
which winds a cord or chain, one end secured to the top and the middle of the box,
the other carrying a counterweight which permits the lifting and lowering to be
effected without trouble.
2

page_text: fire is needed from the moment that the box, or the cap, or hood, is placed over the
the stove, or the pot, or vessel.
In a circular addressed to the public I propose to indicate for how long a time
the vessels containing the food should be left upon the fire before placing them
under the boxes, or the caps, or hoods.
The same apparatuses may be used to preserve cooked or uncooked food,
particularly meat and fish. For this purpose these aliments are placed under an
insulating box, or an insulating cap or hood, with a vessel containing one part of
bay or other salt and two or three of crushed ice, so as to bring the temperature
below freezing point.
Ice may also be preserved beneath these insulating boxes and caps or hoods
during the heats of summer, the apparatuses being thus transformed into artificial
portable ice-houses.
These apparatuses are of a nature to be of great service to the navy and army,
whether stationary or campaigning, as well as to charitable institutions, and
generally wherever a number of persons have to be fed.
Another use consists in employing them upon the table in lieu of other
heaters to keep hot the plates, soup tureens, and other utensils containing the viands
and liquids which it is desired to serve hot.
Finally, these insulating boxes and these insulating caps or hoods may to
some extent replace the food-warmers used in bedrooms for the comfort of
invalids.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Hippolyte Lecornu in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th August 1881.
'
HIPPOLYTE LECORNU, Engineer, of Caën (Calvados,) in France. " IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND HEATING, TERMED THE KITCHEN FOR ALL,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES."
The apparatus consists substantially of insulating boxes and hoods. made of
matters that conduct heat badly, and of a stove for heating the saucepans or other
vessels containing the food to be cooked or kept warm.
I use the insulating boxes and hoods especially upside down, with their openings
at the bottom, placing them in this position over the vessels or stove containing
the food to be kept warm or cooked.
For the purpose of cooking I previously heat the stove or vessel containing the
food by or on any hearth; then, after having given them the suitable temperature,
I place the stove or vessel under an insulating hood or box. Then no more fire is
required, and the cooking goes on by itself, as the apparatus looses heat but very
slowly.
Food prepared in this manner is more nourishing and savoury, having been
cooked in a closed vessel, and the evaporation of the nutritious matter being
reduced to the minimum.
The insulating hoods and boxes are lined inside with felt or other badly
conducting material of sufficient thickness.
The outer envelope of the boxes is of wood or metal, that of the hoods of any
stuff, but preferably of oil-cloth or caoutchouc cloth when the kitchen is used in
open air. The lower border of the tissue may be straight, as in Fig. 2, or widened,
as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for carrying the rain away.
If the saucepans or other vessels are not placed in a stove I put an insulating
support of wool, felt, ashes, refracting bricks or tiles underneath, and the insulating
box or hood over them. The impermeable cloth under the insulating support
serves for preserving the wool and felt from the humidity of the soil.
For retaining the heat the bricks or tiles may be first heated, the cloth being
kept off from the hot bricks.
The vessels and stoves used for my Invention may be of any shape and size.
The insulating apparatus may be provided with handles for being easily managed;
they may be fixed or moveable, or partly fixed only. When the insulating
apparatus are fixed I leave in the insulating envelope sufficient openings for
supplying fuel, and for the putting in and taking out of the vessels. By shutting
all the insulating communications the fire is extinguished.
By using my system boiling water may be obtained for heating sudatories, etc.
A thermometer is applied to the apparatus, the indications of which can be seen
outside.
The apparatus can also be used for preserving food from decomposition, when I
put a mixture of ice and salt into the same together with the food.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to illustrate my Invention.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my stove, consisting of two parts which fit together.
Fig. 2, vertical section of an insulating box, and of the same stove with two
gratings, shown by the dotted lines.a, b.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the stove.
Fig. 4 represents in perspective an insulating bood or box.
Fig. 5 represents in vertical section the same hood or box.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus with the dish or saucepan in it.

page_text: A is the stove; B, saucepan; C, an insulating box; D, handles of the
insulating hood or box E; F, support for the saucepans or vessels; G, borders of
the hood or box E.
I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The use for cooking apparatus for insulating boxes or hoods, substantially
as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The application of the same insulating hoods or boxes upside down
with their openings below, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hippolyte Lecornu, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, A.D. 1881.
H LECORNIL (L.S\