Improvements in. Electrical Cooking Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1893—Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Electrical Cooking Apparatus.
I, ANDREW WALLACE, of the Victoria Hotel, Neville Street, in the City and
County of Newcastle upon Tyne, Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct cooking apparatus in which the
heating power of electric currents will be utilised with greater efficiency and
economy than in the electric cooking appliances at present in use.
The cooking apparatus, in any of the various forms in which I propose to carry
out my invention, depends for its efficiency upon the exposure of the articles of
food to be cooked to a very large area of heated surfaces over which the conducting
wires traverse embedded in some medium, such as enamel, by the resistance of
which great heating effect is produced and for this purpose Ι propose to use any
of the systems patented to date or now in use.
In one form of my invention I construct an apparatus suitable for cooking chops,
steaks or other similar articles of food such as are usually cooked on a grill, and
consisting of a chamber closed by a semi-circular cover, and of sufficient height
and width to contain a revolving "spit" formed of radiating arms, secured on a
spindle, upon which the chops, steaks or other articles are fixed, in single series,
between the two sides and the apparatus closed. The side surfaces of the apparatus
are traversed by the electric wires and the current being switched on they become
rapidly heated and the "spit," being slowly revolved, by hand or by mechanism,
the chops, steaks &c. are cooked on both sides at once the grease or gravy dropping
from one piece of meat to another, thereby "basting " each other as they revolve,
the surplus grease falling into a pan below and, when sufficiently cooked, they are
removed by opening the cover which works upon a hinge and fresh ones are put upon
the "spit." This apparatus may be constructed singly or in a
multiple series of
any number, according to the requirements of the establishment, and the revolving
spits" may be operated together but I prefer each to be independent of the
others.
"
In another modified form of construction my invention is applicable to cooking
joints, game, pastry, &c. &c. on an extensive scale, as for hotels, restaurants, and
the like, and consists of a series or group of chambers, in the manner of an
electrical cooking range," in which all the culinary operations of roasting, boiling,
grilling, baking, &c. can be carried on. A revolving "spit" worked by suitable
mechanism will pass through all the lower chambers to carry joints or other
portions of food to be cooked by roasting or grilling with means by which it may
be disconnected and stopped, when required, to remove the cooked food from any
of the chambers and to insert a fresh charge. The chambers will be arranged
preferably with a small space between their adjacent ends, and will have doors in
front, and the electric wires may be disposed over the whole of their surfaces or
only over a portion thereof us, say the two ends back and top, or the bottom as
also the front, forming the door, may also be heated and separate "switches" will
preferably be fitted for each chamber. Hot-plate" chambers will be arranged
over the lower chambers and heated either by separate current wires disposed over
the ends, backs, bottoms and tops of the lower chambers but I prefer to be able
to "switch" off the current from any one chamber, or set of chambers. The
tops of these "hot-plate" chambers will be adapted to receive pans for boiling,
steaming, &c.
26
To prevent loss of heat by conduction or radiation the heated surfaces may be
covered with asbestos sheets or cement.

page_text: Although rectangular-shaped chambers will be preferable in forming the range,
other shapes may be adopted to suit special circumstances.
Dated this 12th day of April 1892.
T. J. DANSON,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Cooking Apparatus.
I ANDREW WALLACE of the Victoria Hotel Neville Street in the City and
County of Newcastle upon Tyne Licensed Victualler 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:-
The object of my invention is to construct cooking apparatus in which the
beating power of electric currents will be utilised with greater efficiency and
economy than in the electric cooking appliances at present in use.
The cooking apparatus, in any of the various forms in which I propose to
carry out my invention, depends for its efficiency upon the exposure of the articles
of food to be cooked to a very large area of heated surfaces over which the
conducting wires traverse embedded in some medium, such as enamel, by the
resistance of which great heating effect is produced and for this purpose I propose
to use any of the systems patented to date or now in use.
In one form of my invention I construct an apparatus suitable for cooking chops
steaks or other similar articles of food such as are usually cooked on a grill, and
consisting of a chamber closed by a semi-circular cover, and of sufficient height
and width to contain a revolving "spit" formed of radiating arms, secured on a
spindle, upon which the chops, steaks, or other articles are fixed, in single series,
between the two sides and the apparatus closed. The side surfaces of the
apparatus are traversed by the electric wires and the current being switched on
they become rapidly heated and the "spit," being slowly revolved, by hand or by
mechanism the chops, steaks &c. are cooked on both sides at once the grease or
gravy dropping from one piece of meat to another, thereby basting each other as
they revolve, the surplus grease falling into a pan below and, when sufficiently
cooked, they are removed by opening the cover which works upon a hinge and
fresh ones are put upon the "spit." This apparatus may be constructed singly or
in a multiple series of any number according to the requirements of the establish-
ment, and the revolving spits" may be operated together but I prefer each to be
<
independent of the others.
In another modified form of construction my invention is applicable to cooking
joints, game, pastry &c. &c. on an extensive scale, as for hotels, restaurants, and
the like, and consists of a series or group of chambers, in the manner of an
electrical cooking "range" in which all the culinary operations of roasting, boiling,
grilling, baking &c. can be carried on. A revolving spit worked by suitable
mechanism will pass through all the lower chambers to carry joints or other
portions of food to be cooked by roasting or grilling with means by which it may
be disconnected and stopped when required, to remove the cooked food from any
of the chambers and to insert a fresh charge. The chambers will be arranged
preferably with a small space between their adjacent ends, and will have doors in
front, and the electric wires may be disposed over the whole of their surfaces or
only over a portion thereof as, say the two ends back and top, or the bottom as
also the front, forming the door, may also be heated and separate "switches
will preferably be fitted for each chamber. Hot-plate chambers will be
arranged over the lower chambers and heated either by the current wires disposed
over the ends, backs, bottoms and tops of the lower chambers or by separate wires
but I prefer to be able to "switch" off the current from any one chamber, or set
"
"
"

page_text: of chambers. The tops of these
pans for boiling, steaming, &c.
hot-plate chambers will be adapted to receive
To prevent loss of heat by conduction or radiation the heated surfaces may be
covered with asbestos sheets or cement.
Although rectangular-shaped chambers will be preferable in forming the range,
other shapes may be adopted to suit special circumstances.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
66
:- Sheets 1 and 2
On the accompanying three sheets of drawings I illustrate my invention as 1
now intend to carry it into practical application in various forms
shewing it in the form of a grill" for cooking chops steaks or other such like
articles of food and Sheet 3 in the form of a " range or series of " "ranges " for
cooking joints, game, poultry, and such larger articles of food on a more
extensive scale.
"
The same letters refer to corresponding parts on all the sheets where such parts
occur.
"
Referring to Sheet 1 the "grill apparatus is shewn of about th the natural
size. Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 a side elevation, Figure 3 a plan on
top of Figure 1 and Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line a-a of Figure 2. and
on Sheet 2 is shewn by Figure 4 a sectional plan through the line b-b of Figure 1
shewing the positive and negative wires leading to their terminals. Figure 4B
Sheet 2 shews to an enlarged scale a section through the plate warmer on the
line d-d. of Figure 2 Sheet 1.
On Sheet 2 Figure 5 shews to an enlarged scale a sectional elevation through
the centre of the revolving spit on the line c-c of Figure 6 which is a section on
the line of the axis.
Figure 7 showing the same part as Figure 6, in elevation.
Figure 8 is also a section on the line c-c of Figure 6 shewing a spiral arrange-
ment of the wires of the spit upon which the articles of food are supported whilst
being cooked.
I
Referring now to the above named figures on Sheets 1 and 2 the grill is formed
of a rectangular chamber 1 in which the spit 2 revolves with an axle 3 shewn as
adapted to be turned by hand. The spit consists of a wire cylinder divided into,
it may be eight, segmental compartments, one end of each of which is open. The
chop or steak is put into a wire cage which fits either of the compartments.
prefer this to using hooks which allow the juice to escape. In the side of the grill
chamber towards which the open ends of the segments are situated is a binged
door 4 which being opened allows the chops steaks &c. to be put onto the spit
through its open side and to be removed when sufficiently cooked. This door
extends over and affords access to two compartments at a time. When the cooking
is proceeding the spit being revolved the chops or steaks baste themselves with the
gravy falling from one to the other and ultimately being collected in the tray 5, below
the spit, which can be drawn out to be emptied. In the top of the rectangular
chamber is formed an auxiliary cooking appliance or hot-plate" 6 with a
removable lid 7 which may be heated by separate electric wires in the space 8 or
by those traversing the main grill chamber. The circular projection 9 on the side
of the grill opposite the door is intended to receive plates or dishes requiring to
be kept hot. The current wires from the battery or dynamo are attached to
terminals as shewn in Figure 4* and then traverse the spaces between the inner and
outer plates forming the sides of the chamber 1. These wires are embedded in
some suitable refractory insulating medium and by their resistance heat is
generated and transmitted to the internal surfaces of the plates forming the sides
of the grill chamber in which the chops or steaks are being cooked on the revolving
spit. In the form in which the grill is shewn the current wires are intended to
traverse only those portions of the side plates below the centre of the spit which I
bave found will generally give sufficient heating power and leaves the upper portion
«

page_text: of the grill more accessible to the spit but the whole of the surfaces of the plates
forming the chamber 1 may be traversed in certain cases. The auxiliary cooking
appliance 6 will generally be sufficiently heated by the transmitted heat from the
plates of the main chamber 1 but current wires may be arranged to traverse the
space 8.
"
Referring to Sheet 3 Figure 9 shews a front elevation of a series of "ranges
side by side and Figure 10 a plan of same. Each of these ranges is formed of
a back, sides, bottom and top plates, the front being formed of the door 4 and on
top is constructed an auxiliary cooking appliance in the form of a hot plate 6 for
pans, indicated by circles on Figure 10, or a wire grid may be arranged to fit over
the top and each range may be worked independently of the others being fitted
with separate revolving spits 10 each consisting of a spindle with hooks for
receiving the articles to be cooked and driven by shafting 11 at the back by which
any spit or spits may be thrown out of action. The backs sides and tops of each
range" are heated by current wires with separate switches from the battery or
dynamo to the terminals as shewn and thence traversing the whole or such portious
of the plate surfaces as may be required embedded in the resisting material. The
doors 4 forming the fronts of the ranges may in some cases also be traversed by
current wires to give additional heating power.
66
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I desire to state that I make
no claim to cooking by the heat of electric currents developed by embedding the
wires in some resisting medium because I may, and propose to, use any of the
existing systems for developing and transmitting great heat by such current wires
but I declare that what I claim is
"
"
First. The improvements in electrical cooking apparatus forming a "grill'
consisting of a revolving "spit carrying the articles of food within a chamber
formed of plates the internal surfaces of which-or such portions thereof as may be
desirable are intensely heated by current wires traversing said plates embedded
in some resisting medium-the food being exposed on both sides to equal heat and
simultaneously "basted" and cooked at one operation with or without auxiliary
"hot-plate" or other appliance substantially as described and shewn.
66
66
"
""
Second. The improvements in electrical cooking apparatus on a larger scale
forming a range or series of " ranges each consisting of a revolving "spit
carrying the articles of food within a chamber formed of plates the internal
surfaces of which-or such portions thereof as may be desirable-are intensely
heated by current wires traversing said plates embedded in some resisting medium
the food being exposed on all sides to equal heat and simultaneously "basted" and
cooked at one operation with or without auxiliary "hot-plates" or other appliance
substantially as described and shéwn.
Dated this 19th day of January 1893
T. J. DANSON,
By L. W., per F. B.