Improvements in Field Cooking Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Field Cooking Apparatus.
I JOHN MILTON MARCEE (Soldier) of Company "G" 12 United States
Infantry, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States of America 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in field cooking apparatus, and the
object of my invention is to produce a convenient apparatus which is specially
adapted for the use of troops in the field or for people who are camping out,
which may be easily set up and arranged to cook almost any conceivable dish,
and which when not in use, may be packed into a compact form so as to be
easily carried about.
To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and com-
binations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the entire apparatus with the
exception of some of the minor parts, the apparatus being shown packed ready for
transportation.
Figure 2 is a broken perspective view of the oven when arranged for cooking,
but with the cover removed.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 3-3 in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the expansible cover which is used
in connection with the oven.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the same on the line 5-5 in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of the coffee roaster, set up ready
for use.
Figure 7 is a cross section of the same on the line 7-7 in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a detail view of the expansible hook which is used to operate the
coffee roaster.
Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the lifter which is used for handling
some of the pans.
Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the hook used in handling the boiler
covers.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the trestles or horses used to support
the oven; and
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the boiler when set up ready for use.
Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts in all the views.
The apparatus is provided with a large tapering boiler 10 which is rectangular
in horizontal section, and which is adapted to contain all of the apparatus with
the exception of a few pans, and which is provided with a removable cover 11
having a central depression in the top, across which extends a bar 11" which
facilitates the removal of the cover. The cover has a flange 12 around the
edge adapted to enter the boiler top and make a tight joint.
At the ends of the boiler near the top are pivoted upwardly bent bails 13
on which are pivoted the legs 14, there being a pair of legs at each end of
the boiler, and the legs are bent near the centre, as shown at 15 so that when
loubled across the boiler top they will fit nicely upon the same, as shown in
Figure 1, and when turned down in the other direction so as to support the
poiler, the lower ends will diverge as shown in Figure 12, thus having a bracing
effect and firmly supporting the boiler.

page_text: The legs are of such a length that when doubled over the top of a boiler,
as in Figure 1, their free ends may be locked beneath the opposite bail, thus
fastening the cover securely upon the boiler. Within the boiler 10 is a
boiler 10 which is exactly similar except that it is smaller, and these boilers
may be used for boiling any kind of food and also for heating water to wash
the dirty dishes. The only parts of the apparatus which may not be packed
within the boilers are the pans 16 which are substantially like ordinary bread
pans, and which have bails 17 at the ends to enable them to be easily handled.
These pans are adapted to be nested one within the other and there are prefer-
ably three of them. The pans are of such a size that the lower portion of the
boiler 10 will fit snugly within them, as shown in Figure 1. Similar but deeper
pans 16 which may be used for bread pans are also provided and these when the
apparatus is to be packed up, are placed between the boiler 10 and the
boiler 10ª, the pans being of a size to receive the lower portion of the latter.
An expansible oven 18 is adapted to be packed within the inner boiler 10",
and this oven consists of the end sections 19 and 19, and the middle section 20.
The section 19 is strengthened at its edge and at its open end, as shown at 19"
in Figure 3 and one end of the section 20 is similarly strengthened, as shown
at 20ª in the same figure, the strengthening effect being produced in both cases
by making a bead on the said sections. The oven is shaped substantially like
an ordinary bread pan, and the sections are adapted to be pushed together so
as to pack nicely within the boiler 10%, as shown in Figure 1. The sections of
the oven are provided with strengthening beads around their upper edges, and
the open end of the section 19ª, and also one end of the section 20 has the
bead cut away on both sides at 21 so as to produce extension ends 22 adapted
to project into the adjacent section of the oven, so that the several sections
may be held securely together. The oven when in use is supported upon small
metallic trestles or horses 23, so that the fire may extend beneath it, as well
as envelop its sides, and each horse comprises a horizontal strip 24 adapted to
extend beneath the oven and diverging end legs 25 which rest upon the ground.
These horses when not in use, may be packed in any convenient part of the
inner boiler 10º.
In connection with the apparatus a plurality of pans 26 are used, which
differ somewhat in shape, but are essentially the same, the pans being like the
ordinary bread pan, and they vary in size so that they may be packed nicely
one within the other, as shown in Figure 1. These pans are all of them small
enough so that they may be placed within the oven 18, as shown in Figure 2,
and to hold them from the oven bottom so that their contents will not burn,
short metallic strips 27 are provided which are laid transversely in the oven, as
shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the pans are placed upon them.
It will be seen that several kinds of food may be cooked at the same time by
using several of the pans and when the pans are placed in the oven the oven is
covered so as to retain the heat an expansible cover 28 being used which is of a
general rectangular shape being made after the pattern of a bread pan except that
it is expansible and it has at its ends bails 31 which facilitate its easy handling.
The cover is made up of the end sections 29 and 29" and the middle section 30
which connects the end sections, these sections being arranged so as to slide one
within the other and thus enable the cover to be reduced to a very small bulk, the
sections 29 and 30 being respectively formed with strengthening beads 32 and 33.
The side edges of the section 29" are doubled inward and formed into beads 34 and
the doubled portion is adapted to run in the slideways 35 formed on the inner sides
and near the upper edges of the section 30 and these slideways 35 have also
beads 36 on their inner sides and the outer portion of the slideways 35 slides in
similar slideways 37 on the section 29 of the oven and consequently the several
sections may be easily pushed together or pulled apart.
A coffee roaster 38 is also used in connection with the apparatus, the coffee
roaster being of cylindrical shape, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7, and it is made up

page_text: of two nearly similar semi-cylindrical side pieces 39 and 40 and the end caps
connected with the side pieces. The side piece 39 is a plain piece of sheet metal
bent to the required shape and the side piece 40 is of similar shape but has split
edges as shewn at 41 which split edges are adapted to receive the edges of the side
piece 39 and thus form a complete cylinder. In the side piece 40 is a sliding
door 42 which is fitted to move in a slideway 43 and is provided with a suitable
handle 44 and the object of the door is to facilitate the easy insertion of coffee and
removal of the same. The ends of the coffee roaster are formed of the removable
caps 45 which are exactly similar the caps having cylindrical flanges 46 adapted to
overlap the outer sides of the cylindrical body of the roaster and the caps also have
flanges 47 placed concentric with the flanges 46 and a sufficient distance from them
to permit the cylindrical body of the roaster to be inserted between the flanges.
The caps 45 are both centrally perforated to permit the rod which supports them
to be pushed through them and the rod is separable, comprising one part 48 having
a washer 49 near one end, which washer is adapted to bear against the outer
portion of the cap, and the other end of the roaster is supported by a part 50 of
the rod which is formed into a crank 51 at its outer end and has a washer 49
adapted to bear against the roaster cap. The parts 48 and 50 of the rod have their
inner ends screw-threaded and these ends are united by means of an interiorly-
threaded sleeve 52. The washers 49 limit their inward movements and it will be
seen that the rods may be easily united so as to form a single rod. The rod formed
of the parts 48 and 50 is supported by the metallic stakes 53 which have pointed
lower ends which enable them to be easily driven into the ground and the upper
ends of the stakes terminate in hooks 54 adapted to support the roaster rod, that is
the rod forming the axis of the roaster. The roaster is adapted to be supported
over a fire and it is obvious that, for this reason, the crank 51 could not be easily
grasped by hand and an extensible hook is used for turning the crank, which hook
is shewn in Figure 8. This implement consists of a hook portion 55 and detachable
sections 56 and 57 the several parts of the hook being connected by the common
sleeve couplings 58 in the same manner that the parts 48 and 50 of the roaster-
supporting rod are connected. To turn the roaster, the hook 55 is placed over the
crank and the knob on the end of the crank shewn in Figure 6 will prevent its
easy displacement and the operator by properly manipulating the hook may turn
the crank and the roaster. A. double hook 59 (shewn in Figure 10) is used for
removing the covers of the boilers 10 and 10* which hook has diverging prongs 60
at its lower end and these terminate in hooks 61 adapted to engage the bar 11ª of
the covers aforesaid and the hook enables the covers to be casily lifted and removed
from the boilers and the two hooks 61 act as braces one for the other and enable
the cover to be held level.
In Figure 9 I have shewn a lifter 62 adapted to be applied to the pans 16 and as
these pans are used for frying food and for analogous purposes, it will be seen that
a lifter is necessary to handle them. The lifter is formed of a wire which is doubled
and returned upon itself as shewn at 63 thus forming two members of the lifter
handle and these members cross at 64 and diverge till they reach the points 65
when they are again bent inward so as to cross as shewn at 66 and they terminate
at their free ends in the parts 67 which parts have terminal fingers 69 adapted to
slip beneath the pan bottom and hooks 68 adapted to hook over the top of the pan.
This enables the pan to be easily raised and by pressing on the parts 65 of the
lifter handle, the members or parts which are adapted to fit over the pan may be
spread apart, so as to enable the pan to be safely carried. It will be seen that
when they are spread apart they will bear near opposite sides of the pan and the
pan may thus be easily held in a level position.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that this apparatus may be easily
arranged to do any necessary cooking and it may be also packed snugly together.
When the parts are to be packed together, the pans 16 are nested the boiler 10 is
placed within them, the pans 16* are nested and placed within the boiler, the
boiler 10 is placed within these pans, the oven 18 is collapsed and placed within

page_text: the boiler 10%, the several pans 26 are nested and placed within the oven, the
expansible cover 28 is collapsed and placed above the oven, the roaster is taken
apart and arranged within the cover, the cover is placed on the boiler 10%, the
legs 14 are doubled over the boiler top and their free ends secured beneath the
bails 13 and the cover is placed upon the boiler 10 and secured by the legs 14, all
as shewn in Figure 1. The smaller parts, such as the roaster stakes, the separable
axle rod of the roaster, the extensible hook which turns the roaster crank, the lifting
hook, the pan lifter, the horses 23, and the strips 27, may all be arranged within the
inner boiler 10%.
If desired a case may be provided which will contain the entire apparatus and it
may then be easily carried about.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In a field cooking apparatus, the boiler having a removable cover upwardly-
bent bails at the ends and legs pivoted on the bails and adapted to extend below the
boiler bottom, substantially as described.
2. In a field cooking apparatus, the boiler having a removable cover upwardly-
bent bails at the ends and bent legs pivoted on the bails so as to extend below the
boiler bottom and across the boiler top, the legs being of such a length that their
free ends may be locked beneath the bails, substantially as described.
3. In a field cooking apparatus, the oven comprising a series of open-topped
sliding pan-like sections adapted to fit one within the other and an extensible
cover for the oven, substantially as described.
4. In a field cooking apparatus, the oven comprising a series of pan-like sections
held to slide one within the other, the sections having extension ends adapted to
overlap adjacent sections, and an extensible cover for the oven, substantially as
described.
5. In a field cooking apparatus, the coffee roaster comprising a longitudinally-
separable cylindrical body, detachable end caps to fit the body, a door in the body,
a supporting rod extending longitudinally through the body and terminating at one
end in a crank, and supports for the rod, substantially as described.
6. In a field cooking apparatus, the coffee roaster comprising a longitudinally-
separable body, a sliding door arranged in one side thereof, detachable end caps
having concentric flanges to fit the ends of the body, a longitudinally separable
crank rod adapted to extend through the roaster body, and metallic stakes having
hooks at their upper ends to support the body, substantially as described.
7. The combination, with the revolvable roaster and its supporting crank rod, of
an extensible hook adapted to engage the rod, substantially as described.
8. In a field cooking apparatus, the combination, with the boiler tops having a
bar therein, of the double hook having diverging prongs at its lower end, which
prongs have terminal hooks, substantially as described.
9. In a field cooking apparatus, the pan-lifter comprising a handle and parallel
members fixed to the end of the handle, said members having hooks at their upper
ends to engage a pan-top and fingers at their lower ends to extend beneath the pan,
substantially as described.
10. In a field cooking apparatus, the pan-lifter comprising a spring-handle having
separable free ends and parallel members secured to the free ends of the handle,
said members having hooks at their upper ends to engage a pan-top and fingers at
their lower ends to extend beneath the pan, substantially as described.
Dated mis juù day of nebriarv XLV
Dated LAIS GLO 08▼ Of Nebruary 1XED
J. M. MARCEE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.