AN IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Radley, of 22, Upper Sackville Street, in the
City of Dublin, Hotel Keeper, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
COOKING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 21st June 1859, and dated the 27th December 1858..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Radley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
December 1858.
I, JOHN RADLEY, of 22, Upper Sackville Street, in the City of Dublin,
Hotel Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
This apparatus is adapted to the operations of roasting, boiling, baking,
stewing, frying, and steaming, and all these operations can be carried on at
the same time with one moderate sized fire, and with very limited attendance:
The fire is centrally situated, and is furnished with doors, so that the front can
be wholly or partially closed as desired, and there is a plate at the top which
can be removed for frying or grilling purposes, and for supplying the fuel.
The bottom grate of the fire-place is capable of being raised by racks and

page_text: pinions, so that the fire can be greatly reduced, when cooking on a large scale
is not required. At each side of the fire is an enclosed oven, in which is placed
a rotary cage or roasting apparatus turning upon horizontal axes, and kept in
motion either by a smoke jack, spring, weight, steam, or other contrivance, or
by hand, and being arranged in this way the meat is self-basting, by which
the frequent opening of the doors is rendered unnecessary, and a great saving
in the weight of the meat is effected. At the back of the fire is a boiler for
heating water, from the upper part of which pipes are conveyed for steaming
purposes, and over the fire and side ovens is a hot plate, having recesses
therein, for heating saucepans and other culinary operations. Above the whole
is placed a rack for heating plates, dishes, covers, et cetera.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Radley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RADLEY, of 22, Upper Sackville Street, in the City of Dublin, Hotel Keeper,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her.most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Radley, Her special licence that I, the said John Radley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Radley,, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and .lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain. and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Radley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Radley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings
(that is to say) -
This apparatus is adapted to the operations of roasting, boiling, baking,
stewing, frying, and steaming, and all these operations can be carried on at
the same time with one moderate sized fire, and with very limited attendance.
The fire is centrally situated, and is furnished with doors so that the front can
be wholly or partially closed as desired, and there is a plate at the top, which
can be removed for frying or grilling purposes, and for supplying the fuel,
the bottom grate of the fire-place is capable of being raised by racks and
pinions so that the fire can be greatly reduced when cooking on a large scale
is not required. At each side of the fire is an enclosed oven, in which is
placed a rotary cage or roasting apparatus turning upon horizontal axes, and
kept in motion either by a smoke jack, spring, weight, steam, or other con-
trivance, or by hand, and being arranged in this way, the meat is self-basting.
by which the frequent opening of the doors is rendered unnecessary, and a great
saving in the weight of the meat is effected. At the back of the fire may be
placed a boiler for heating water, from the upper part of which pipes are
conveyed for steaming purposes, and over the fire and side ovens is a hot
plate, having recesses therein for heating saucepans and other culinary opera-
tions. Above. the whole may be placed a rack for heating plates, dishes,
covers, &c.
A modification of this apparatus may be readily adapted so as to travel on
wheels, in order to cook for an army on the march, or for other purposes,
carrying its own fuel and water, and in this case the rotary motion for the
cage or roasting apparatus may be conveniently derived from the wheels.
The practical application of my Invention will be readily understood on
reference to the accompanying Drawing and the following explanation
thereof..
Figure 1 shews a front view, and Figure 2 a plan view, of my improved
cooking apparatus as arranged for domestic purposes, or for hotels, club-
houses, hospitals, ships, &c. A, A, is the fire-place, centrally situated, and
furnished with doors B, B, at the front, so that it may be wholly or partially
closed as desired; and C, C, is a plate at the top, which can be removed at
pleasure for frying or grilling purposes, and for supplying the fuel when neces-
sary. The bottom grate of the fire-place is capable of being raised by the

page_text: racks and pinions D, D, so that the fire can be greatly reduced when desirable.
At each side of the fire is an enclosed oven E, E, (provided with doors properly
ventilated), in which is placed a rotary cage or roasting apparatus F, F,
'turning upon horizontal axes, and kept in motion by any suitable mechanical
contrivance, or by hand by means of the winch G. When either or both of
the ovens are required for baking, the roasting cage may be withdrawn and
shelves substituted.
It will be evident that by the rotary motion of the cages carrying each
piece of meat alternately under and over the rest that the meat will be self-
basting, and thus the frequent opening of the doors for basting will be rendered
unnecessary, and a great saving in time and also in the weight of the meat
will be effected. H, H, is a boiler placed at the back of the fire, from the
upper part of which pipes may be conveyed for steaming purposes, and I, I,' is
the hot plate.
Figure 3 in the Drawing represents a side view, Figure 4 a back or end
view, and Figure 5 a plan or horizontal view, of my improved cooking appa-
ratus as adapted to cook for an army on the march, whilst accompanying the
moving columns, and capable of carrying fuel for two days, and of cooking
a dinner for one thousand two hundred men in about two hours.
:
The apparatus may be drawn by means of horses, oxen, mules, or other
animals, and travels upon the wheels A, A. In this modification the fire-place
B, B, is at one end, and there are three large ovens C, C, D, D, and E, E,
properly ventilated, in one or more of which is placed a rotary roasting cage
F, F, and in the others shelves or grids G, G. There is also another small
oven at H, H. The rotary motion is imparted to the roasting cage F by
means of a band or strap I, I, passing around a pulley at one end and round a
drum K fixed on the axle L, L, of the hind wheels; M, M, are the water
tanks, and N, N, is the hot plate, furnished with openings of various forms
and sizes for grilling, frying, stewing, or other culinary operations. It will be
'evident that by closing the ventilators the ovens may be employed for baking
bread; O, O, is the chimney, and P, P, is a damper at the base thereof con-
'nected by a rod to another damper Q, Q, extending across the flue formed
between the top of the ovens and the hot plate, and opened or closed from the
front by the small level R.
.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, for an
"Improved Cooking Apparatus," together with the manner of carrying the same
into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Inven-
tion, the general construction and arrangement of the apparatus, as shewn

page_text: and above described, and more especially the use or employment of revolving
roasting cages, spits, or other contrivances, in enclosed ovens properly
ventilated, whereby the meat is rendered self-basting, the juices and gravy are
retained therein, and a great saving in the weight thereof and in the time and
fuel is effected.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Radley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JOHN RADLEY. (L.S.)