Improvements in Culinary Roasters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Culinary Roasters.
I, THOMAS MASSEY LYNCH, of 38, Rawson Road, Seaforth, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to roasters for roasting meat, poultry, game, and
the like, wherein the meat or viand is roasted before a fire; and the chief object
of the invention is to provide certain improvements hereinafter described, con-
nected with the spits or trees in roasting apparatus for use on board ship.
In roasters for use on board ship, the apparatus comprises, generally, a closed
oven or chamber, with an open fire therein, say upon the back or sides, and with
revolving spits or trees on which the meat or other thing to be roasted, is carried,
disposed in front of the fire; and main doors at the front by which substantially
the whole front can be closed up or opened out.
The spits or trees of the roaster are movable, so that they can be moved or
adjusted closely to, or further from the fire; and according to this invention, the
improvements consist, mainly, of a construction and arrangement of spits, and
means for effecting their movement away from and up to the fire, as hereafter
described.
Under the present invention, the spits are carried or mounted in frames, and
revolved in such frames, the frames being capable of being moved to any position
in the chamber in front of the fire, i.e. the roasting chamber, further from and
nearer to it, and further from and nearer to the main doors of the roaster; and it
is so adapted, that the spits or trees will be turned by the actuating mechanisin,
no matter what position they are moved to.
According to one construction, the frames in which the spits or trees are mounted
and revolved, are practically rigid, and, may consist of a number of frame bars
or standards, extending down from the upper part, where the upper part of the
spit or tree is mounted, to the lower part; and the means of revolving the spits
consists of a shaft lying in the direction of their movement or adjustment, on
which a bevel wheel is mounted, and is free to slide to and fro; whilst the spit has
upon it another bevel wheel, gearing with the former.
In one arrangement, the first bevel wheel is supported in a bearing on the spit
carrier frame, and so is moved longitudinally on its shaft as the frame is moved:
and is permanently in gear with the spit bevel wheel.
The motor shaft will be suitably supported in the roasting chamber, say at the
back end, and in the front plate, its front end projecting through the front plate;
and the frame for the spits may be provided with a second bearing to provide
a steady and rigid support. As a means of causing the primary bevel wheel to
revolve, whenever the shaft is revolved, an ordinary key-way and key may be
employed

page_text: In some cases, the roaster will comprise several spits and supporting frames
within it; and these will be arranged parallel to each other; and their operating
shafts will all be rotated by a common shaft and bevel wheels along the front of
the roaster.
The meat carriers or spits proper, may consist of a low frame or the like, having
cross detachable pins or screws, on which the meat would be secured. And the
lower end of this frame would work in a pivot; whilst the upper end would have
a shaft upon it, revolving in bearings in the upper part of the frame.
The spit frame and spits would be moved to and fro between the fire and the
front of the roaster, by suitable means. According to one construction, the main
weight of the spit frame or cage and spit, is carried by mounting the spit frames
upon the carriage, wheels, or rollers, at their lower end, and providing rails, say
at each side, between the grate and the roaster front, on which the carriage or
wheels, could be run to and fro; separate rails at each side being provided. For
instance, in the case of the cage consisting of rectangular stand and frame, the
lower bars of the frame would be connected together by a plate, or truck, at the
bottom, having wheels upon the underside, which run on the lines or rails referred
to, and within this part of the frame is a trap, to catch the drippings, etcetoru,
which can be pushed in and drawn out, in recesses in the frame, or upon the
truck.
The grate according to one construction, is deep, and comparatively narrow,
with fire-brick back, longitudinal moving bars with a hood above, and front bars.
Dated this 11th day of February 1898.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicant's Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.
Improvements in Culinary Roasters.
I; THOMAS MASSAY LYNCH, of 38, Rawson Road, Seaforth, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 has reference to roasters for roasting meat, poultry, game, and
the like, wherein the meat or viand is roasted before a fire; and the chief object
of the invention is to provide certain improvements hereinafter described, con-
nected with the spits or trees in roasting apparatus for use on board ship.
In roasters for use on board ship, the apparatus comprises, generally, a closed
oven or chamber, with an open fire therein, say upon the back or sides, and with
revolving spits or trees on which the meat or other thing to be roasted, is carried,
disposed in front of the fire; and main doors at the front by which substantially
the whole front can be closed up or opened out.
The spits or trees of the roaster are movable, so that they can be moved or
adjusted closely to, or further from the fire; and according to this invention, the
improvements consist, mainly, of a construction and arrangement of spits, and
means for effecting their movement away from and up to the fire, as hereafter
described.
Under the present invention, the spits are carried or mounted in frames, and
revolved in such frames, the frames being capable of being moved to any position
in the chamber in front of the fire, i.e. the roasting chamber, further from and

page_text: nearer to it, and further from and nearer to the main doors of the roaster; and it
is so adapted, that the spits or trees will be turned by the actuating mechanism,
no matter what position they are moved to.
According to one construction, the frames in which the spits or trees are mounted
and revolved, are practically rigid, and may consist of a number of frame bars
or standards, extending down from the upper part, where the upper part of the
spit or tree is mounted, to the lower part; and the means of revolving the spits
consists of a shaft lying in the direction of their movement or adjustment, on
which a bevel wheel is mounted, and is free to slide to and fro; whilst the spit has
upon it another bevel wheel, gearing with the former.
In one arrangement, the first bevel wheel is supported in a bearing on the spit
carrier frame, and so is moved longitudinally on its shaft as the frame is moved;
and is permanently in gear with the spit bevel wheel.
The motor shaft will be suitably supported in the roasting chamber, say at the
back end, and in the front plate, its front end projecting through the front plate;
and the frame for the spits may be provided with a second bearing to provide
a steady and rigid support. As a means of causing the primary bevel wheel to
revolve, whenever the shaft is revolved, an ordinary keyway and key may be
employed.
In some cases, the roaster will comprise several spits and supporting frames
within it; and these will be arranged parallel to each other; and their operating
shafts will all be rotated by a common shaft and bevel wheels along the front of
the roaster.
The meat carriers or spits proper, may consist of a bow frame or the like, having
cross detachable pins or screws, on which the meat would be secured. And the
lower end of the frame would work in a pivot; whilst the upper end would have
a shaft upon it, revolving in bearings in the upper part of the frame.
The spit frame and spits would be moved to and fro between the fire and the
front of the roaster, by suitable means. According to one construction, the main
weight of the spit frame, or cage and spit, is carried by mounting the spit frames
upon a carriage, wheels, or rollers, at their lower end, and providing rails, say
at each side, between the grate and the roaster front, on which the carriage or
wheels, could be run to and fro; separate rails at each side being provided. For
instance, in the case of the cage consisting of rectangular stand and frame, the
lower bars of the frame would be connected together by a plate, or truck, at the
bottom, having wheels upon the underside, which run on the lines or rails referred
to, and within this part of the frame is a tray to catch the drippings etcetera,
which can be pushed in and drawn out, in recesses in the frame, or upon the
truck.
The grate, according to one construction, is deep, and comparatively narrow,
with fire-brick back, longitudinal moving bars with a hood above, and front bars.
The invention will be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation, Figure 2 a front sectional elevation,
Figure 3 a plan with top plate and hood removed, and Figure a front elevation,
illustrating a roaster according to this invention.
Referring to the drawings, a generally designates the casing of the roaster,
which is, say, of thin iron or steel, a is the roof of the apparatus, and a² the base
plate, say of cast iron, on which the whole apparatus is carried. b are the main
doors of the roaster, for gaining access to the interior, c are internal plates forming
an internal skin to the sides of the casing a, and c is non-conducting material
between the case a and plates c, by which the case is protected, and the radiation
of heat in a large measure prevented. d are doors for closing and gaining access
to the ashpit. e generally designates the fire place, which is disposed along the
whole back of the roaster, and is comprised of grate bars e¹, which are, preferably,
of the rocking type; the front bars e²; and the brickwork back and sides e³. fs
the ashpit below the fire-place, and the roasting chamber proper o' above, which is
separated from the latter by a plate f¹, and has a curved back plate f². h is a

page_text: hood over the fire place e, and h a flue leading from it. 2 are the spits proper on
which the viands are hung or supported.
Regarding the novel features and characteristics in the construction, arrange-
ment, and mode of operating the spits ,-they are mounted and revolved in rigid
frames, and these frames consist of four standard or vertical parts or bars k, which
extend up, and at the top are joined up together, and formed into a cross bar
at:, which serves to act as a lower bearing to the upper journals i¹ of the spits i.
On the upper end or part of each frame k, there are provided brackets k², through
the upper ends of which a shaft ? passes, which, as hereafter described, serves to
rotate the spits i, and also forms the support against lateral movement of the upper
end of the frame. The lower ends of the frame bars k are rigidly connected to a
base, which may be in the form of a plate, and has mounted on its underside, a
roller m at each corner. This base device constitutes a trolly, and with the bars k
forms a rigid structure or cage. The whole vertical weight of this cage, with the
spit and the meats carried upon it, are supported by two angle bars n, which
extend between the front of the oven, and the angle transverse bar n¹ extending
from side to side of the apparatus. These angle bars n not only take the weight,
but they also serve as railways on which the several whole spit mechanisms may
run or move between the fire at the back, and the front of the oven. On these rail-
ways, therefore, the several spit mechanisms can be adjusted nearer to or further
from the fire piace e; or moved up to the doorway in front for fixing the viands on
the spits, or taking them off. On the lower end of the spit i is a pivot pin 22
which fits and works in a socket supported by arms connected with the
frame bars . The shoulder of the pin rests on the upper surface of the socket k³,
and takes the whole weight of the spit i, and the meats supported by it.
The rotation of each of the spits on their axis is effected through the shaft p;
a bevel wheel mounted in one of the brackets 12 and rotated by p by a feather
and key way in the well known way; and a bevel wheel on the upper end
of the journal of the spit i with which the bevel wheel p¹ meshes. The two
ends of each of the shafts p are mounted in bearings p²; and they are all rotated
through a counter shaft r, mounted and running in bearings r¹, and bevel wheels p³
on the shafts 2, meshing with the bevel wheels on the shaft r. The respective
bevel wheels s are adapted to be moved longitudinally on the shaft r, and
individually thrown in and out of gear with the bevel wheels 73, by hand levers t,
mounted at t, the end of which engages with the bosses of the pinions s in the
well known manner of clutch gearing.
The shaft r is rotated by any suitable means.
At the bottom of each of the spit frames k, there is a dish for catching the
gravy and liquid matters falling from the things being cooked.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a ship's or analogous roaster, a containing case having within it an open
fire-place, and a vertically disposed frame, adapted to be moved up to and away
from the fire-place, and carrying in or on it a revolvable or movable spit; substan-
tially as set forth.
3. In a ship's or analogous roaster, a vertically disposed spit frame comprising
rigid vertical bars, as k, and a base having rollers as m; railways n on which said
frame runs up to and away from the fire; and a spit carried by bearers above and
below within said frame, and adapted to revolve in said bearings; substantially
as set forth.
3. In a ships or analogous roaster, a rigid vertically disposed spit frame sup-
ported and adapted to move to and fro on its lower end, and supporting within it,
by lower and upper bearings, the upper and lower ends of a spit; and a horizon-
tally disposed rotatable shaft arranged in connection with the upper part of the spit

page_text: frame; and gearing between said shaft and the upper part of the spit, by which said
spit is rotated from said horizontal shaft; substantially as set forth.
4. In a ships' or analogous roaster, the combination of a rigid spit frame kl
with rollers m; the spit i, the lower and upper ends of which are mounted and
revolve in bearings in said frame; and rails n on which the rollers m may run
to and fro in the roaster; substantially as set forth.
5. The roaster consisting of the parts arranged and adapted to operate particu-
larly as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of November 1898.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicant's l'atent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.