Year: 1888

page_text: I, QUIMBY SILAS BACKUS, of 1704 Diamond Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to combine parts in an improved manner to
form simple, convenient, efficient, portable, and economical cooking apparatus to be
heated by the combustion of gas, or of liquid or solid fuel.
Improved cooking apparatus as made according to one modification of my Invention
is shown on an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings; of which figure, 1, is a
plan, figure, 2, a horizontal section, figure, 3, a front elevation, figures, 4, and 5,
vertical sections as at right angles to cach other, and figures, 6, to 12, views of
separate details hereinafter particularised.
In the drawings my improved apparatus is represented as comprising two distinct
compartments but one half of it with a single compartment is complete in itself
although of course not adapted for cooking so many different things simultaneously.
The apparatus comprises an outer shell, A, which has in plan a rectangular form
with rounded corners, and which is shown as made with plain vertical sides and with
a flat top, B. This shell may be made of sheet iron or steel, or of castiron, and if
desired it may be made more or less ornamental exteriorly. Handles, C, are hinged
to the sides by means of which the apparatus can be conveniently moved from place
to place. A middle vertical partition, D, extending from top to bottom and back to
front divides the apparatus into two compartments, and the description of one
compartment applies to the other excepting such differences as are hereinafter
pointed out.
An opening, E, is formed for each compartment at the lower part of the front of
the shell, A, and through this opening the air enters that is required for the com-
bustion of the gas or other fuel. A gas burner, F, is shown but its construction
forms no part of my present Invention and any suitable gas burner can be used
preference being given to the kind in which air is mixed with the gas before ignition ;
or any suitable burner for oil or other suitable combustible liquid or a grate for solid
fuel may be employed.

page_text: In the upper part of each compartment there is an inner shell, G, supported by
cross bars, H, fixed to the outer shell, A, and placed so as to leave a jacket spaco
between it and the outer shell round the sides and at the top. This jacket space is at
its bottom open all round to the lower part of the apparatus so that the hot grusos from
the burner pass into it; and if desired a pipe may be led from the upper part of it to
a chimney. A door, J, is fitted to a front opening in the inner shell, G, and a door, K,
is fitted to a front opening in the upper part of the outer shell, A. These two
doors, J, K, are connected so as to open and close together, and when closed the space
between them forms part of the jacket space which completely surrounds the inner
shell, G.
In the bottom of each inner shell, (4, there is an oval opening in which there is
fitted a shallow dish, L, by preference male of copper and which is used whun
cooking with steam. A little water is put into the dish, L, and is converted into
steam by the heat of the gas or liquid fuel. The steam rises and fills the interior of
the inner shell, 6, and acts on any food placed therein to he evoked, whilst any water
due to condensation of steam drips down the sides of the shell and finds its way
ck to the steam dish. L, to be again converted into steam, the bottom of the shell, (,
being made with a slight inclination and the steam dish, L, being closely litted into
the opening so as to insure the return of the water into the dish. The hot gases
which enter the jacket space from the burner very much diminish the condensation of
steam within the inner shell, ti, thereby effecting considerable economy of the gaseous
or other fuel.
The steam dish. L, is shown separately in plan and section in figures, 6, and 7. It
is made with raised cross bars, M, for supporting a cooking vessel, N, P, or Q, or any
other convenient cooking vessel. For cooking potatoes or other things without water
or other liquid, a vessel, N, may be usel having perforations all over the sides and
hotton. For things to be cooked with liquid but to which it is wished the steam may
have access, a vessel, P, may be used with the bottom and lower part of the sides
unperforated but with perforations at the upper part of the sides. And for some
things an entirely unperforated vessel, Q, may be used, which vessel as also the
partially perforated vessel, P, may be provided with a lid if desired. For supporting
cooking vessels at the upper part of the inner shell, (i, removable brackets, R, of
bent wire or rod are provided these being set in eyes or staples fixed to the sides of
the shell.
When it is desired to cook by dry heat the steam dish, L, is removed, and a dis-
tributor plate, S, shown separately in plan and section in figures, 8, and 9, is substituted.
This distributor plate, S, is made with feet which raise it above the bottom of
the inner shell, G, so that the hot gas from the burner may pass up round it into the
interior, the plate, S, serving to distribute the gases uniformly. The plato, S, is made
with a circular opening for which a cover, T, is provided, the cover being removed
when concentrated heat is wanted to act centrally, or on a pan.
When my improved cooking apparatus is made with two compartments as shown
in the drawings, steam heat can be used in one compartment and dry heat in the other;
and in figures, 2, and 4, the parts are shown as arranged for such different action in
the two compartments.
Instead of the distributor plate, S, a grating such as is shown in plan and side view
in figures, 10, and 11, or an oval grating figure, 12, may be used.
The particular form or construction of the cooking vessels, N, P, Q, or of the
gratings shown in figures, 10, 11, 12, constitutes no part of my present Invention
and I make no claim thereto.
As a convenience for supporting vessels, dishes, or platus outside of the apparatus I
provide a shelf, U, which is jointed to the front of the apparatus, its outer part boing
supported by legs, V, jointed to it. Those legs can be folded in and the shelf can bo
turned down, or it can be removed, heing attached by pivots one of which is entered
into an eye the other being placed in a hook fixed to the front of the apparatus.
When the shelf, U, is turned down it partly closes the opening in the lower part
of the shell, A, and prevents draughts from interfering with the gas or other flame.

page_text: A rotating grating valve, W, is fitted to the top of the apparatus above each com-
partment, and upper sliding grating valves, X, are provided at the upper parts of the
front and sides, whilst similar sliding grating valves, Y, are provided below the
doors, K. These several valves can be adjusted to regulate the escape of hot air or
gases from the jacket space; and if the lower valves, Y, are opened air will enter
through them and will issue in a more or less heated condition from the upper valves.
In this way the apparatus may be used for warming the air of a room or interior even
when not employed for cooking.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what
I claim is
1-The improved combination of parts forming portable cooking apparatus and
comprising an outor shell, one or two inner shells in the upper part of the outer shell,
a jacket space between the inner shell or shells and the outer shell, a burner or burnors
for gas or other fuel in the lower part of the outer shell, and a door to each inner
shell such door being combined with a door in the outer shell and there being between
the doors a space forming part of the jacket space, all substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2 The steam dish, L, fitted to the bottom of a cooking chamber or shell, arranged
to hold water for the generation of steam by heat applied below it, and for the recep-
tion of the water due to condensation of the steam substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
3-The arrangement of the steam dish, L, and the opening in the bottom of the
inner shell, in combination with the doors, J, K, whereby the dish can be changed for
a distributor plate, S, or for a grating without disturbing any other part of the
apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described.
4-The constructing of cooking apparatus with two distinct compartments and with
arrangements for using steam heat in one compartment and dry heat in the other or
either steam heat or dry heat in both substantially as herein before described.
5-The fitting of the cooking apparatus with a shelf (U) hinged at the top of the
front opening so that it can be turned down in order to partly close that opening
and so as to diminish the inflow of air and confine the heat substantially as herein-
before described.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of June 1888.