AN IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cordy Baxter, of Reigate, in the County of Surrey,
Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, for an Invention of AN IMPROVED
COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER PURPOSES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cordy Baxter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1883.
JOHN CORDY BAXTER, of Reigate, in the County of Surrey Lieutenant in the
Royal Engineers, AN IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER
PURPOSES,
My improved cooking apparatus consists of a suitable number of vessels of any
appropriate form, provided with lids or covers and with handles, and so arranged
that when placed one upon the other they shall at once form the apparatus and
thus permit of the cooking of rations or food being commenced a few minutes after
the setting up of the apparatus.
The apparatus consists, by preference, of five annular vessels provided with a
removeable perforated iron plate for a grate which is placed inside the lowermost
vessel and which grate may rest either on a ledge or flange formed thereon or on
the ground, or may be raised on supports, so as to allow air to enter to support
combustion and for the removal of ashes.
An iron stand may be placed on the top vessel, over which an ordinary kettle
or pot may be placed, but the kettle or pot may be placed on the uppermost vessel
without the iron stand. This kettle or pot may act as a damper to regulate the
draught through the apparatus.
It is desirable to separate the vessels one from the other either by forming feet
or projections on the bottom of the vessels, or by inserting between the same
pieces of tile or other material, in order that a good supply of air might enter to
support combustion,
When the fire is well alight, fuel should be put in at the top, and the fire
should be made to burn up to the top in order that all the vessels may be equally
heated.
By this arrangement of superimposed vessels with central space forming a flue
and combustion chamber, the fire is completely protected from the weather, and,
at the same time, a rapid draught is produced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Cordy Baxter in the Patent Office on the 1st April 1884.
JOHN CORDY BAXTER, of Reigate, in the County of Surrey, Captain in the
Royal Engineers AN IMPROVED COOKING APPARATUS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER
PURPOSES
My improved cooking apparatus for military and other purposes, consists of a
suitable number of interchangeable vessels of any appropriate form, for instance,
and by preference, annular, and provided with lids or covers, handles, loops, and
feet, and so constructed that, when placed one upon the other, an interior space or
passage is formed, which constitutes, at the same time, a combustion chamber and
a flue.
I proceed, with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, to fully describe
my invention.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved cooking apparatus, in its built up form,
as ready for use; fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, and fig. 3 is a plan of one
of the elements or vessels composing the same.
The arrows in fig. 2 shew the entry and passage of air into and through the
apparatua.
The cooking apparatus is composed of a number of annular vessels A, by
preference five, each of which is constructed with a central space or passage a, and
with lids or covers b, handles c, and loops or eyes d. The interior of each lid is
formed with an inner rim a*, which fits outside of the upper part of the inner wall
forming the central space or passage a, and prevents the entry of any of the
products of combustion into the vessel containing the food.
These vessels are provided at or about their upper part, and on their outer wall,
with holes or apertures f, in order that steam, and any water boiling over, may
readily escape, and without fear of extinguishing the fire.
A grate or grid B, seen detached in fig. 4, and furnished with a handle B¹, is
provided, and on this grate or grid the fuel is placed. It may be located either
on the ground, under the lowermost vessel, or between any two of the vessels, in
order to keep the fire at any required height in the apparatus. But if desired this
grate or grid may be dispensed with, and the fuel placed on the ground, or in a
hole made in the ground for the purpose.
It is preferable to separate the vessels one from the other either by forming feet
or projections g, on the bottom of the vessels or by inserting between the vessels,
or between any two or more of the same, pieces of tile, or other material, in order
that the grate or grid on which the fuel rests may be introduced, where required,
and that air may enter to support combustion. When feet or projections are
formed on the bottoms of the vessels, the lids or covers thereof may be provided
with corresponding depressions to receive these feet, when the apparatus is packed
for transport, or when it is desired not to separate any two or more of the vessels
from cach other.
It is preferable in building or setting up the apparatus that the vessels towards
the top be placed slightly out of the centre, alternately, in order to deflect the
flame and heat on to the sides of these upper vessels. This arrangement is clearly
shewn in figures 1 and 2.
Or the inner sides or central spaces or passages of the vessels may be in the
form of an inverted truncated cone, as shown in fig. 5, also for the purpose of
deflecting the flame and heat.
An iron stand or trivet seen in fig. 6, may be provided, and placed on the
uppermost vessel, and upon this stand an ordinary kettle or pot may be placed

page_text: but the kettle or pot may be stood directly on the uppermost vessel, as shewn in
fig. 1, and may act as a damper to regulate the draught through the apparatus.
The loops or eyes d, on the sides of the vessels are for the purpose of passing
bayonets, rifles, or sticks through, in order to remove the vessels from place to
place, when filled, or when the cooking is going on, or completed.
By this construction and arrangement of interchangeable and superimposed
vessels, with central space or passage, forming at the same time a combustion
chamber and flue, the fire is protected from the weather, a rapid draught is
produced, and the cooking of rations or food may be commenced a few minutes
after the setting up of the apparatus.
Having now described the nature of the said invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim―
1. The improved cooking apparatus consisting of a number of superimposed and
interchangeable vessels, each of which is constructed with an internal space or
passage which forms, when the apparatus is built up, and at the same time, a
combustion chamber and a flue, the uppermost of said vessels being surmounted
by a kettle or pot which may act as a damper for regulating the draught through
the apparatus, substantially as described and as shewn in the drawings.
2. The improved cooking apparatus comprising as its elements suitably shaped
vessels constructed with an internal space or passage, and provided with holes for
the escape of steam and water, and with lids or covers, handles, loops, and feet,
substantially as described and as shown.
3. In a cooking apparatus composed of a number of superposed vessels, each
having a central space or passage, the use of a removeable grate or grid, furnished
with a handle, for insertion at any point between the said vessels, as and for the
purposes described.
4. The modified construction of the annular vessels with internal space or passage
of inverted truncated conical form, as shewn, and for the purposes described.
In Witness whereof I the said John Cordy Baxter have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twentysixth day of February in the year 1884.
JC BAXTER (L.S.)