A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HEAT FOR CULINARY OR VARIOUS OTHER PURPOSES.
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Oscar Fitzalan Morrill, of the State of Massa-
chusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention of "A
CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HEAT FOR CULINARY
OR VARIOUS OTHER PURPOSES.".
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Oscar Fitzalan Morrill
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 18th July 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN, that I, OSCAR FITZALAN MORRILL, of the State of Massachusetts, of
the United States of America, am in possession of an Invention of "A CERTAIN
NEW AND USEFUL APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HEAT FOR CULINARY OR VARIOUS
OTHER PURPOSES," and I do hereby declare that the nature of the same, and
the manner in which the said Invention is to be performed, or is constructed
and made to operate, are herein-after fully described, such Invention being
duly exhibited in the accompanying Drawings, of which Figure 1 denotes a
front elevation of it; Figure 2, a vertical section of it; Figure 3, a top view
of its boiler supporter; Figure 4 is a top view; and Figure 5, a transverse
section of the steak broiler, to be herein-after described.

page_text: The nature of my Invention or improvements consists in a combination or
apparatus, consisting of a hydrocarbon vapor and air-mixing chamber or
vessel, a foraminous burner or cap thereof, a reservoir for holding a liquid
combustible hydrocarbon, a vaporizer, and, finally, a conduit leading from
the vaporizer into the mixing chamber or mixer, and this, whether the
vaporizer be provided with, or be without a wick, and be heated either by the
flame of said burner, or by a separate one, or its equivalent applied to the
vaporizer.
Also, in the application or arrangement of the vaporizer and its conduit
with the mixing chamber, the burner, and the reservoir, in manner substan-
tially as herein-after described, whereby by a movement of the said reservoir
either towards or away from the said mixing chamber and the burner, the
amount of production of hydrocarbon vapor may be regulated, and such vapor
be conducted into the mixing vessel, substantially as described.
Also, in an aerovapor-burner broiling apparatus, or steak broiler, as made
not only with a deflector in its grid or grate, but with a gravy trough and a
flame and beat passage arranged underneath the grid, and with respect to
one another, as herein-after specified.
Also, in the combination of a removable boiler-supporter, and a series of
cap rings and cover with the aerovapor heating apparatus.
Also, in an arrangement of the receiving mouth of tlie.vapor conduit above
the lower part of the interior of the vaporizer.
Also, in the extension of the said vapor conduit into the vaporizer, and over
the burner, substantially as and for the purpose, as herein-after set forth.
Also, in constructing the screw cap of the reservoir with a central core or
projection, or with the same and an annular and concentric recess arranged
within it, and to receive a washer when placed within the screw of the cap,
and on such projection, as set forth.
In the said Drawings, A denotes the air and vapor mixer or mixing vessel,
which consists of a hollow tube open at bottom or at its lower part, and
having on its top a foraminous cap or burner B. This latter is surrounded
by a short metallic chimney C, through whose lower part and near the burner
are a series of openings for the admission of air to a flame when on the
burner. The said mixer is supported by a stand D, and so that air may
freely pass into the mixer, commingle or mix with the hydrocarbon vapor
when discharged into the mixer, and with such vapor rise through the burner
or cap B. E is a close vessel or reservoir for holding a liquid hydrocarbon.
It is provided with a vaporizer F, which consists of a hollow metallic arm or
tube extended horizontally from the side of the said reservoir, and made to

page_text: open out of the same. The outer end of the vaporizer is closed, and such
vaporizer is intended to hold a wick a, which is to lay or extend within the
reservoir, and project into the vaporizer. A vapor conduit or pipe G also
passes upward into the vaporizer, and after entering it has a bend or turn, and
is extended horizontally toward the outer end of the vaporizer, and opens near
the same; this bend and extension are shown at b, in Figure 2. From the
vaporizer the conduit is extended downward vertically, or nearly so, and,
finally, is bent again and projected horizontally through a hole c made in the
side of the mixer. If desirable, there may be one or more metallic prongs,
rods, or heat conductors extended horizontally from the outer end of the
vaporizer, but, generally speaking, there will be no necessity of such, their
object being to facilitate the heating of the vaporizer by the flame of the
aerated hydrocarbon vapor. The reservoir E is supported on a shelf or pro-
jection H, suitably formed 'to enable the said reservoir to be moved hori-
zontally either toward or away from the mixer and burner. Surrounding the
upper part of the chimney is a casing I, having numerous holes d, d, d. d.
made through its sides. It is through these holes that the spent heated
volatile products make their escape after having acted on the vessels or appa-
ratus which may be arranged over the chimney. The casing I has a cou-
tracted neck c made to receive or support another casing or boiler supporter K,
which rests upon it, and is formed as shown in the Drawings. The said boiler
supporter K is provided with one or more rings f, f, and a circular plate or
cover g. The larger ring rests and laps on the top of the said part K; the
second ring laps on the first ring, and in turn is lapped on by the cover, tho
whole being formed as shown in the Drawings. When the rings and cover
are in place they serve to cover the opening in the top of the boiler supporter,
and may be used for sustaining one or more sad-irons, articles, or vessels to be
heated by the flame of the burner. By removing the cover from the inner
of the rings of the boiler supporter K, we shall have an opening either for the
insertion of a kettle, boiler, or pan with the inner ring or for admission of
heat directly against a pan or vessel when placed in the inner ring. By
removing the inner ring or that and the outer one from their places on the
top of the part K, we are enabled to have a larger opening.
. The steak broiler to be herein-after described may be placed either on the
supporter K, or this latter may be removed from the stand, and the steak
broiler may be put directly on such stand, and in the place of the supporter K.
This steak broiler consists of a circular pan or vessel L, and a grate or
grid M. The said vessel is furnished with a handle k, and has a circular
opening, which is surrounded by a gravy trough m, mado in the lower part

page_text: of the pan. On this pan is the convex grid or grate M, whose outer ring n,
as well as its cross bars o, o, o, are channelled or grooved on their upper
surfaces. This grate at its middle is provided with a circular concavo-convex
extend
disc or deflector p from whose upper surface sundry small projections q, q.
as shown in the Drawings. The said deflector is arranged directly over the
opening 1, which is disposed immediately over the chimney of the burner.
The purpose of the deflector p, is to prevent the heat of the flame from the
burner from improperly burning or scorching a slice of meat while being.
cooked on the grid of the broiler. The projections 9, 9, serve to keep the
meat elevated above, or off the deflector which also operates to deflect the column
of heat, or cause it to spread outwardly, and evenly against the steak or meat
when on the grid. The screw cap N of the reservoir, as shown in Figure 2,
as provided with an annular washer r, arranged so as to fit on and around a
The
projections, extended from the under surface of the flat part of the сар.
external edge of the washer extends into a groove t, which is formed around
I have
in the inner surface of the cap, and just above its female screw.
found that heat and coal oil, naptha, or various other hydrocarbons have such
an effect on the washer as to render it liable to be easily displaced from its
seat or position in the cap when the washer is simply a circular disc. The
projections, will not only operate to prevent much of the shrinkage of the
washer, but in consequence of the shrinkage will serve to retain the washer in
place. The annular groove will also operate to maintain the washer in its
proper place in the cap.
This
For the purpose of baking, a metallic case or oven may be arranged on the
casing I, in the place of the part K herein-before mentioned, the beat from
the flame of the burner being allowed to pass directly into the oven.
oven may be surrounded by an air space or extra case by which the escape of
heat from the oven may be more or less prevented. Instead of the said oven,
the casing I may be provided with a perforated cover to support a sad-iron.
The heel of the said iron may rest on the cover, and over its perforation, and
the said sad-iron may have a passage or flue leading through it in order that
the heat of the flame of the burner may be caused to pass directly through
the sadiron and heat it.
My apparatus while in operation is to have its reservoir charged or supplied
with some liquid bydro-carbon capable of being easily vaporized by heat.
This liquid will be received in small quantities into the vaporizer, and if heat
be applied to the latter, the liquid that may be within it will be vaporized or
The vapor so
reduced to a state of vapor under more or less tension.
produced will rush into the receiving mouth of the conduit, and be discharged

page_text: out of the lower part of it, and into the mixer, and there will be mixed with
air. The mixture will rush upward through the burner, which is a plate of
metal made foraminous or perforated with numerous fine apertures or holes.
The current of air and combustible vapor on being enflamed on the burner
will burn with a very hot flame, having little or no smoke. This flame owing
to the great supply of oxygen and absence from smoke will be well adapted
for heating purposes, and particularly for the performance of culinary opera-
tions. When so used the apparatus is productive of important economical
results. The heat of the flame of the burner acting on the vaporizer will
serve to keep up the necessary vaporization of the liquid used in the reservoir
and this liquid may be drawn into the vaporizer by a wick, or it may be caused
to pass therein by the action of gravity, in which case the reservoir would have
to be elevated above the vaporizer and have a stop-cock or some other proper
means of regulating the flowage of the liquid into the vaporizer. By moving
the reservoir either toward or away 'from the mixer, we are able to adjust
the vaporizer or the projection of it into the flame of the burner, and thus
regulate the formation of vapor as circumstances may require. The object.
of elevating the receiving mouth of the conduit above the lower part of the
interior surface of the vaporizer is to prevent liquid in the vaporizer from
either dropping or being forced through the conduit otherwise than in a state
of tension. And furthermore, the object of extending the conduit into the
vaporizer, and horizontally towards its closed end is not only to facilitate the
heating of the liquid and its vapor, but to prevent the vaporizer from being
melted or soon destroyed by oxidation by the great heat of the flame of the
burner.
I claim a combination or apparatus consisting of a vapor and air mixing
chamber or vessel, a foraminous burner or cap, a reservoir for holding a liquid
hydrocarbon, a vaporizer and a conduit leading from the vaporizer to or into
the mixer, and this whether the vaporizer be provided with or be without a
wick, and be heated by the flame of the said burner, or by that of a separate
one or its equivalent applied to the vaporizer.
I also claim the application or arrangement of the vaporizer and its conduit
with the mixing chamber, the burner, and the reservoir in manner substantially
as described, whereby by a movement of the latter either toward or away from
the mixing chamber and the burner the amount of the production of the
hydrocarbon vapor may be regulated and such vapor be conducted into the
mixing vessel substantially as described.
I also claim the improved aerovapor-burner broiling apparatus or steak
broiler afore described, that is, as made not only with the deflector in its

page_text: grid or grate, but with a gravy trough, and a heat and flame passage arranged
underneath the grid, and with respect to one another as specified.
I also claim the combination of the removable boiler supporter K, and its
series of cap, rings, and cover, with the aerovapor heating apparatus on which
such are to be used as specified.
I also claim the arrangement of the receiving mouth of the vapor conduit
above the lower part of the interior of the vaporizer as described.
I also claim the extension of the vapor conduit into the vaporizer, and.over
the burner, substantially as and for the purpose. set forth.
I also claim the reservoir screw cap as constructed with the central core or
projection or with the same, and an annular recess arranged within it, and to
receive a washer when placed within the screw. of the cap, and on such
projection as herein-before-set forth.
In: witness whereof, I; have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 25th
day of June 1862.