IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COOKING APPARATUS.' A communication from abroad by Jenny Duhamel
and Octavie Fassin, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
"
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 13th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1870.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS." A communication from
abroad by Jenny Duhamel and Octavie Fassin, both of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
This Invention relates to a rotating apparatus for use in ovens in order to facilitate
the cooking of food.
The employment of ordinary ovens is attended with serious disadvantages by reason
of the cooking being unequally effected, the food being excessively cooked on one
side and insufficiently on the other in the absence of unremitting attention on the
part of the cook. Now this Invention consists in remedying this defect by imparting
a rotatory motion to the stand or tray carrying the aliments, thus causing each side
to be presented in turn to the hot side of the oven, so that the food is protected from
all danger of becoming scorched.
The apparatus is moveable and independent, and may be placed in any existing
cooking oven, or it may be combined in the construction of new ranges. It consists
of a metal box enclosing a clockwork motion, which actuates a vertical axis
terminating at the summit by a square, upon which is fitted a socket formed under
the tray or stand intended for the reception of the articles to be cooked.
A stop catch on the rotating stand, and a notch in the box containing the wheel-
work, are provided for the purpose of enabling the motion of the apparatus to be
arrested. A screwed stem is also provided, upon which a moveable handle may be
placed for the facility of withdrawing the apparatus from the oven without injury
to the attendant from the heat of the apparatus.
The rotating tray or stand is arranged in such a manner as to carry all the dishes,
tins, or moulds, and other utensils used in cooking,

page_text: The revolving tray or stand may be replaced by a special dish provided with a
socket, so as to admit of its being connected to the driving spindle. A spit standing
up in the axis of this dish and forming part thereof enables the article to be roasted
to be adjusted at a suitable height. The interior of the dish serves to receive the
dripping or gravy.
In order to protect the mechanism from dirt and dust resulting from the cooking
and the fire, a plate composed, for example, of sheet iron is placed over the wheel
work.
In the case of trays or stands of large dimensions intended to receive several
dishes the central spindle is divided at the summit into three branches for the
purpose of preventing the danger of upsetting, and to diminish the effects of an
unequal distribution of the load.
In order to stop the apparatus when required the catch before mentioned is
lowered and caused to enter a recess formed by small lugs upon the upper end of
the box.
When it is desired to cook meat upon a spit the stand or tray is replaced by a
dish provided underneath with a socket which fits on to the spindle, and carrying a
spit projecting from its centre, through which is passed a skewer for the purpose of
maintaining the article at a suitable elevation from the bottom of the dish, which is
made of suitable capacity for collecting the dripping or gravy.
It is also proposed to employ a self-basting spit surmounting the apparatus,
whereby a supply of basting liquid for the meat is ensured, the efficacy of which is
in proportion to its regularity. This result is obtained by employing a hollow spit,
which constitutes an automatic pump, having for its function to elevate the requisite
quantity of dripping or gravy to the smmit of the said spit, whence it subsequently
falls upon the spitted article. This auxiliary part of the apparatus is composed of
a dish, the bottom of which is provided with a closed box containing clockwork
destined to actuate the parts of a small clock valve pump. The motion may be
transmitted by bevel gearing and eccentric or crank, or in any other convenient
manner.
The pump is composed of a long tube soldered to the dish, and perforated at its
base with holes formed for the passage of the dripping or gravy. This portion of
the tube forms a species of chamber in which the piston provided with a clock
valve works. A partition over this chamber is provided with clock check valve.
The piston on rising carries with it a certain quantity of dripping or gravy, which
lifts the check valve, and passes into the other compartment. When the piston has
completed its stroke the valve closes, and the liquid not finding any outlet remains
in the tube. At each stroke of the piston a fresh supply of dripping or gravy is
added to the first, fills the tube, and overflows into a small dish or basin provided
with spouts serving to distribute it upon the meat.
In order to pass the split through the meat the former is provided at the com-
mencement of the operation with a point which is screwed upon the end of the
tube. When the meat is in position the point is taken off and replaced by a dish
with spouts, which is screwed on in a similar manner in the same place.
A ring screwed by a screw upon the tube serves to support the meat at a suitable
height upon the tube or hollow spit. The dish is provided with two handles for
the facility of withdrawing it from the oven, and with a spout or lip for the discharge
of its contents.
The pump is by preference adapted for elevating the dripping or gravy, but it is
obvious that other means for effecting the same object may be employed without
departing from the principle of the Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Heury Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th May
1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS." A communication from
abroad by Jenny Duhamel and Octavie Fassin, both of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
The said Invention relates to a rotating apparatus for use in ovens in order to:
facilitate the cooking of food.
The operation of baking in ordinary ovens is attended with serious disadvantages
by reason of the cooking being unequally effected, the food being excessively cooked
on one side and insufficiently on the other, in the absence of unremitting attention.
on the part of the cook. Now the said Invention consists in remedying this defect
by imparting a rotatory motion to the stand or tray or other holder or receptacle
carrying or containing the aliments, thus causing each side to be presented in turn
to the hot side of the oven, so that the food is protected from all danger of becoming
scorched.
The apparatus is moveable and independent, and may be placed in any existing
cooking oven, or it may be combined in the construction of new ranges; it consists
of a metal box enclosing clockwork, which actuates a vertical axis terminating at
the summit by a square, upon which is fitted a socket formed under the tray or
stand intended for the reception of the articles to be cooked.
A stop catch on the rotating tray or stand, and a notch in the box containing the
wheelwork, are provided for the purpose of enabling the motion of the apparatus to
be arrested when required. A screwed stem is also provided, upon which a removable
handle may be placed for the facility of withdrawing the apparatus from the oven
without injury to the hands of the attendant from the heat of the apparatus.
The rotating tray or stand is arranged in such a manner as to carry all the
dishes, tins, or moulds and other utensils used in cooking.
By the use of this apparatus an important improvement is obtained in the means
for cooking, and great facility is afforded for the preparation of roast meats, pastry,
and other baked dishes or entrements, which cannot be effectually obtained in
ordinary ovens.
The rotatory tray or stand may be replaced by a special dish provided with a
socket for the purpose of connecting it to the driving spindle. A spit projecting
upwards from the centre of this dish and forming part thereof enables the article to
be roasted to be adjusted at a suitable height. The interior of the dish serves for
the reception of the dripping or gravy.
In addition to the advantages herein-before described this system is productive of
great economy in caloric, as it admits of the cooking process being effected in a
quick and regular manner, and obviates the necessity for the frequent opening of
the oven door, as in apparatus ordinarily employed, in order to turn the articles
which are being cooked.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a vertical section taken through
the centre of the box containing the clockwork, and surmounted by a rotatory tray
or stand; Figure 2 is a corresponding sectional plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a combined spit and dish intended to be substituted
for the tray or stand shewn in Figure 1 when roasting joints and the like.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of a similar spit and dish combined with a mechanical
baster constructed according to the said Invention.

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the apparatus consists of a metal box A containing
clock work B of any suitable construction, arranged so as to impart a slow rotatory
motion to the central spindle C, and which is capable of being wound up by means
of an endless screw carried on a spindle K, and turned by a key or any other suitable
arrangement of mechanism.
In order to protect the mechanism from dirt and dust resulting from the cooking
and the fire, a metal plate D is placed over the wheelwork.
The tray or stand E, provided with a socket e at its lower part, is placed over the
square f, which terminates the central spindle or pivot C, and partakes of the rotatory
motion imparted by the latter.
In the case of trays or stands of large dimensions intended to receive several
dishes the central spindle is divided at the summit into three branches for the
purpose of preventing the danger of upsetting, and to diminish the effects of an
unequal distribution of the load.
In order to arrest the motion of the apparatus when required a catch T is provided,
which is lowered and caused to enter a recess formed between two small lugs o
upon the upper edge of the box A. P is the handle, which is removable, as it may
be unscrewed from the screwed projection T¹ during the cooking after the manner
of the wooden handles of silver saucepans.
Figure 3 represents a dish or receptacle to be substituted for the stand E when it
is desired to cook meat and similar viands upon a spit. A¹ is the dish which is
provided underneath with a socket e', which fits on to the spindle C Figures 1 and 2
and carries a spit ✗ projecting from its centre, through which is passed a skewer
for the purpose of maintaining the article to be cooked at the requisite elevation
from the bottom of the dish, which is made of suitable capacity for collecting the
dripping or gravy.
Figure 4 represents a dish and spit employed in combination with an automatic
basting apparatus, so that with uniformity in the cooking is combined a regular
basting of the meat. This result is obtained by employing a hollow spit D¹, which
constitutes an automatic pump having for its function elevating the requisite quantity
of dripping or gravy to the summit of the said spit, whence it subsequently falls
upon the meat in process of cooking. This auxiliary part of the apparatus is
composed of a dish A¹, the bottom of which is provided with a closed box B¹
containing clockwork C¹ intended to actuate the mechanism of the small clack valve
pump D¹
In the example shewn in the Drawing the motion is transmitted by bevel
gearing f¹ and an eccentric f2, but it is obvious that the motion may be transmitted
by means of a crank or other convenient means.
The pump D¹ is composed of a long tube soldered to the dish A¹, and perforated
at its base with holes à formed for the passage of the dripping or gravy. This
portion of the tube forms a species of chamber in which a piston provided with a
clack valve p works. Over this chamber there is arranged a partition E¹ provided
with a clack check valve e², the working of which will be readily understood by
reference to the Drawing. This piston on rising carries with it a certain quantity
of dripping or gravy, which lifts the check valve e², and passes into the upper com-
partment above the partition E¹.
When the piston has completed its stroke the valve closes, and the liquid, not
finding any outlet, remains in the tube. At each stroke of the piston a fresh supply
of dripping or gravy is added to the first, fills the tube, and overflows into a small
dish or basin F provided with spouts serving to distribute it upon the meat.
In order to pass the spit through the meat the former is provided at the com-
mencement of the operation with a point G, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 4,
which is screwed upon the end of the tube. When the meat is in position the
point G is removed and replaced by the dish F with spouts which is screwed on in
a similar manner in the same place.
A ring G¹ secured by a screw g upon the tube serves to support the meat at a

page_text: suitable height upon the tube or hollow spit D¹. The dish A¹ is provided with two
handles H, Figures 3 and 4, for the facility of withdrawing it from the oven, and
with a spout or lip I for the discharge of its contents.
The pump is by preference adopted for elevating the dripping or gravy, but it is
obvious that other means for effecting the same object may be employed without
departing from the principle of the Invention.
The forms. and modes of constructing the working parts of the apparatus
generally may likewise be modified according to circumstances.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. Imparting a rotatory motion to the holder or receptacle carrying or
containing the aliments to be baked or cooked in ovens, substantially as herein-
before described.
Secondly. The combination of a rotatory dish or receptacle and a spit, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Thirdly. The employment of apparatus for automatically basting the meat or
other viands in the process of baking or cooking, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May; One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)