IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PROVISIONAL SPECIFIC
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Grove, of the City of Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia and German Empire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Grove at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1881.
DAVID GROVE, of the City of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German
Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in portable or stationary steam cooking
apparatus for military and other purposes.
In order to explain my said Invention I will describe the application of the
same for military purposes.
The cooking apparatus consists of two large boilers or vessels with inclined
bottoms, which said vessels, boilers, or receptacles are destined to receive the food
for half a battalion, or about 600 men, and cook the same at one and the same
time; and it consists further of two smaller vessels, boilers, or receptacles, for
preparing food for the officers. These smaller vessels or boilers are also provided
with, inclined bottoms. The bottoms of the vessels are inclined in order to
facilitate their being emptied. The vessels or boilers are tinned or enamelled
inside, and entirely surrounded by a jacket of boiler plate or other suitable
material, which jacket is rendered perfectly steam tight. This jacket serves to
receive the requisite quantity of water, and at the same time acts as a steam chest,
so that the food is cooked entirely by steam. The chimney is provided with a
suitable joint or hinge and rests during the transport in a fork which is attached
to an appropriate part of the apparatus. The apparatus is further provided with a
tool box, water reservoir, and the ordinary boiler fittings, such as a water gauge,
pressure gauge, and safety valve. Two boxes or receptacles can be also arranged
to the right and left side of the fireplace for containing coal or other firing
material.

page_text: One of the principal features of the Invention consists in the arrangement of the
heating tubes or pipes, which serve not only as circulating and heating tubes, but
also as grate or firebars and fire box at the same time, the ordinary fire box being
entirely dispensed with and the heat of the fuel perfectly utilized. These pipes or
tubes are so fixed and arranged that each third coil at the upper side of the system
lies lower than the two preceding and two following coils. A rapid circulation of
the water, and consequently rapid generation of steam is attained by this arrange-
ment; besides this, the heat is equally distributed all over the walls of the
apparatus, and a large heating surface is arranged in a very small space, so that
strong tubes or pipes of wrought iron or other suitable material can be employed
without the use of pockets. The food is cooked in a short time and very few men
are required to serve the apparatus. Fire can be got up and the food prepared
during the transport, so that only a short space of time is required after arriving
at the bivouac to complete the said cooking. The firing is not open, and can
consequently be easily hidden from the enemy, which is not possible with the
ordinary method of preparing the food on account of the large number of fires
required for the same..
The entire apparatus can be provided with double walls, and the space between
these said walls so filled out with non-conducting material that all radiation of heat
is prevented.
If the apparatus is to be employed for public kitchens, hospitals, barracks, hotels,
and other establishments, the carriage can be dispensed with and a suitable
foundation or base be employed. For these purposes the arrangement of the
various boilers or vessels may be changed according to requirements without
departing from the tenour of my Invention. If no vessel or boiler is to be
employed for the use of the officers, the boilers for the rank and file may be
divided into compartments, as the position of the various parts may be varied
without departing from the principal features of my Invention.
The apparatus may furthermore be so arranged that the same can be employed
with great advantage on board ship.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Grove in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th January
. 1882.
DAVID GROVE, of the City of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German
Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in transportable or stationary steam
cooking apparatus for military and other purposes. In order to explain my said
Invention I will proceed to describe the application of the same for military
purposes.
The cooking apparatus consists of two large boilers or vessels with inclined
bottoms, which said vessels, boilers, or receptacles are destined to receive the food
for half a battalion, or about 600 men, and cook the same at one and the same
time; and consists further of two smaller vessels, or boilers, or receptacles for
preparing food or victuals for the officers. These smaller vessels or boilers are
also provided with inclined bottoms. The bottoms of these said vessels or
receptacles are made inclined in order to facilitate the emptying of the said
vessels, boilers, or receptacles. The vessels or boilers are tinned or enamelled
inside, and entirely surrounded by a mantle or jacket of boiler plate or other
suitable material, which said mantle or jacket is rendered perfectly steam tight.
This jacket or surrounding mantle serves to receive the requisite quantity of water,
and acts simultaneously as steam chest so that the food or victuals is cooked
entirely by steam. The chimney is provided with a suitable joint or hinge, and
rests during the transport in a suitable fork, which is attached to an appropriate
part of the apparatus. The apparatus is further provided with a tool-box,
water reservoir, and the ordinary boiler fittings, such as water glass or gauge
manometer, etc. Two boxes or receptacles can be also arranged to the right and
left side of the firing for containing coal or other firing material. One of the
principal features of the Invention consists in the arrangement of the heating tubes
or pipes, which serve not only as circulating and heating tubes, but also as grate
or fire-bars and fire box at the same time. These said tubes or pipes are so
arranged that the warmth or heat of the products of combustion is perfectly
utilized. The said pipes or tubes are so fixed or arranged that each third coil at
the upper side of the system of tubes or pipes lies lower than the two preceding
and two following coils. An unprecedentedly rapid circulation of the water and
consequently enormously rapid generation of steam is obtained by employing my
apparatus. Beside this rapid generation of steam, the warmth or heat is equally
distributed over all the walls of the apparatus. A very large heating surface is
arranged in a very small space, so that strong tubes or pipes of wrought iron or
other suitable material can be employed without sockets. The victuals or food is
cooked in a very short time, and very few men are required to serve the apparatus.
Fire can be got up and the food prepared during the transport, so that only a
very short space of time is required after arriving at the bivouac to complete
the said cooking. The firing is not open, and can consequently be easily hidden
from the enemy, which is not possible with the ordinary method of preparing
the food on account of the large number of fires required for the same. Fig. 1
is a longitudinal section of the transportable apparatus; Fig. 2 is a cross section of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the apparatus partially in section on the line a, b,
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents the arrangement of the coils. The second coil is in these
diagrams shewn lower than the first coil in order to better explain the system,
although in reality the tubes or pipes are coiled, as shewn in Fig. 1. A are the
wheels and framework of the carriage. The wheels at the rear end of the
apparatus are provided with a bent axle-tree, whereas the two front wheels are

page_text: provided with a straight axle-tree. The arrangement of the springs is the same as
customary with military carriages; B are the coiled tubes or pipes which serve, not
alone as heating tubes, but also as fire-box and grate surface, so that the ordinary
fire bars can be entirely dispensed with. As is to be seen by Fig. 1, the system is
composed of a large number of short coils, so that an extremely rapid circulation of
the water in the system is obtained, and a burning of the tubes or pipes forming
the grate-surface and flue is entirely prevented. The apparatus is further so
arranged that any part of the same can be easily repaired. Should one of the
small coil systems be damaged, the same can be easily replaced.
C is the fire door; D, the water glass or gauge; E, the manometer; F is the
exterior casing of wood or other suitable material; G is the fork for receiving
the chimney H when the apparatus is not in operation; I is the joint or hinge to
the chimney; K is the sheet iron boiler plate or other casing which surrounds the
outer surface of the system of tubes which form the rear side of the fire-bars and
the flue. The tubes or pipes run or lie parallel with each other at this part. The
space between the tubes or pipes B and the casing or shell K can be filled out
with non-conducting material in order to prevent radiation and the consequent loss
of warmth; or two thicknesses of metal can be employed with a suitable isolating
material. Between these two thicknesses, walls, or casings L are the smaller
vessels or boilers with the inclined bottoms, and are arranged at the rear end of
the apparatus. The same are employed for cooking the food of the officers, whilst
the larger vessels, boilers, or receptacles M are employed for cooking the food for
the rank and file. The boilers or vessels are preferably made of such size that the
meals for half a battalion can be cooked at one and the same time. The vessels L
are provided with air tight lids L¹, which are pressed down tight by means of
suitable levers and excentrics, screws, or their equivalents, so that a certain pressure
is constantly kept up in the boilers or vessels, and the food consequently more
rapidly cooked. The lids L' are provided with suitable handles and with
hinges n, n, which said hinges have an excentric movement, so that the said hinges
press the lids firmly on their seats. The joints or hinges n are attached to the
central rail or part N at the top or upper part of the apparatus. The lids M¹ to
the boilers or vessels M, are constructed in the same manner as described above with
reference to the lids L¹.
O is the safety valve which operates automatically, and lets the superheated
steam into the chimney H. The requisite pressure in the steam chest for cooking
purposes never exceeds more than half to three-quarters of an atmosphero; P is
the water-reservoir or receptacle for feeding the apparatus.
p is a double acting cock to the water reservoir. This water reservoir is only
applied in case the apparatus should be overheated, and it becomes necessary to
-replace-the-water-consumed-by-the escape of the steam from the safety valve, as in
ordinary cases no water is in reality consumed, the steam being condensed by
contact with the metallic walls of the boilers, vessels, or receptacles L, M, the lids
L', M, and the walls V to the steam chest T.
R is the tool box; S, the driver's seat; T is the steam chest of the apparatus. It
is evident from the accompanying Drawing that a small quantity of water is kept
in constant circulation, that is, the steam generated cools itself on the walls of the
boilers or vessels and returns as condensed steam into the circulation tubes a, flows
from here with the water which is saturated with steam through the tube or pipe
into the steam chest, so that an extremely rapid generation of steam is attained. The
consumption of water is consequently extremely small, and it is evident that the
food in the various vessels is cooked entirely by steam. In consequence of the
extremely advantageous arrangement of the system of pipes or tubes, I am enabled
to generate steam with very little firing material, and at the outside in 15 minutes.
Vare the walls or casing to the steam chest, boiler, or generator T, which are so
attached to the framework of the carriage that all loosening of the packing or
leakage by driving over unequal ground is rendered impossible. In case very light
firing material must be employed during the campaign, the sparks can be

page_text: extinguished by letting off steam into the chimney, or by means of a suitable spark
extinguisher applied to the said chimney. The entire apparatus can be provided
with double walls, and the space between these said walls so filled out with non-
conducting material, that all radiation is prevented. If the apparatus is to bo
employed for public kitchens, hospitals, barracks, hotels, and other establishments,
it is evident that the carriage can be dispensed with, and a suitable foundation, or
a cast iron or other suitable base be employed. For these purposes the arrangement
of the various boilers or vessels can be changed according to requirements without
departing from the tenor of my Invention. If no vessel or boiler is to be, employed
for the use of the officers, the boilers for the rank and file can be divided into four
equal compartments, or otherwise, as the position of the various parts can be varied
without departing from the principle features of my Invention. The apparatus
can furthermore be so arranged that the same can be employed to great advantage
on board ships.
Having now described my said Invention and the method of carrying the same
into effect, I desire it to be understood that what I claim and desire to have
secured by Letters Patent is,—
1. The construction and arrangement of the transportable military steam cooking
apparatus consisting of the framework and wheels A, the firing B, the boilers,
vessels, or receptacles L, M, and the steam generating space or steam chest T,
substantially as described in the foregoing Specification and shewn in the
accompanying Drawing.
2. The arrangement of the tubular system or heating tubes or pipes so that the
said tubes or pipes serve as fire bars, and are so arranged at the upper part of the
firing and the fire canal or flue, that each third coil lies deeper than the two
preceding and succeeding coils, in order that the warinth from the products of
combustion may be entirely utilized, substantially, as described in the foregoing
Specification and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
3. The combination of the casing K and the non-conducting material between
the double casing K, or between the said casing K. and the system of tubes or
pipes B, with the walls V of the steam chest T, and the boilers or cooking
vessels L, M, substantially as described in the foregoing Specification and shewn in
the accompanying Drawing.
4. The combination of the water reservoir P with the cock or valve p, the safety
valve O and tool chest R, substantially as described in the foregoing Specification
and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
5. The combination of the jacket or mantle V with the walls K to the flue, the
steam chest T, cooking vessels or boilers L and M, and the lids L', M³, substantially
as described in the foregoing Specification and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
6. The arrangement of the transportable apparatus as described above as
stationary apparatus in combination with the arrangement of the heating pipes or
tubes, as grate or fire bars, and. also for retaining the chief warmth produced in
order to attain a rapid generation of steam, substantially as described in the
foregoing Specification and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Grove, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
Witness,
EDWIN A. BRYDGES,
GUSTAV EHLEN.
DAVID GROVE. (L.S.)