CA2039768A1

CA2039768A1 - Broiling accessory device

Info

Publication number: CA2039768A1
Application number: CA 2039768
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ernst Albsmeier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-07-05
Filing date: 1991-04-04
Publication date: 1992-01-06
Also published as: DE4116809A1

Abstract

IMPROVED BROILING ACCESSORY DEVICE
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Broiling tray device for use in particular conjunction with gas or charcoal grills. The tray device is formed from a thin sheet of stainless steel which is generally elongated and rectangular. The sheet is bent and formed to have a plurality of corrugations into alternate peaks and valleys. The valleys are provided with a plurality of apertures of small enough overall geometric dimension to facilitate the dripping of hot fat therethrough but of small enough overall geometric configuration to prevent flame-up therethrough. The apertures may be arranged in a pattern of ranks and files in the valleys so as to distribute the fat drippings. The peaks may be truncated to provide flat bearing grilling surfaces for meat or other food products. The structure may be further provided with generally diamond shaped or rectangular crimps for additional grilling surfaces or both and these may also be arranged in pre-selected patterns. The sheet is provided with a rolled peripheral edge for strength.

Description

203976~3 Various kinds of broiling accessory devices have been used in the past to assist cooks or chefs broiling meats over outdoor charcoal or gas grills. The problem of such kinds of broiling lie in preventing the fire from flaring up and burning or over cooking the meat, to say nothing of burning or searing the cook and starting a fire in the broiling pan itself.
Typically the chef or cook would keep a container of water to spray or pour on the fire to douse the flames when they flared up. Sometimes that remedy worked but at other times it put out the coals all-together or so slowed the cooking process as to substantially delay the meal.
More sophisticated means were to use a broiling pan sitting over a tray of water to catch the fat drippings as broiling took place and not allow the drippings to fall on the coals or gas flame. Such equipment was expensive, usually made from stainless steel. Another attempt was to use aluminum sheet pans with or without perforations to allow fat drippings to fall through. If the drippings fell through the flames would shoot up overheating and over cooking the meat.
If the fat drippings were caught in the pan and heated up in the pan eventually the drippings would boil giving off vapors that would themselves start burning and a fat fire would start in the broiling pan itself.
The present invention proposes to overcome the problems of the prior art by providing a broiling accessory device for use with outdoor charcoal and gas grills, which is comprised of a thin sheet of stainless steel shaped to provide corrugations or alternate peaksand valleys, within a peripheral rim or edge, the stainless steel being provided with a plurality or tiny perforations for the escape of fat drippings.
The present invention proposes to provide in a device of the character above described a plurality of perforations in a pre-selected pattern as to location on the device and of such small overall dimension so as to prevent flame from coming therethrough into the device while facilitating the dripping of fat from the device.
The present invention further proposes to provide a device of the character above described wherein the stainless steel sheeting is formed to have a series of crimps in predisposed pattern on the corrugation peaks to facilitate the placement of meat thereon for broiling and to add to the overall strength of the device.
Various other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious and apparent as this description proceeds as will various modifications and changes which can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. It is intended that such additional obiects, advantages, modifications and changes be covered by the scope of the appended claims.
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a device of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a device of the present invention showing details of construction;

20397~i8 Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device as shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the device as shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a detail view of the edge of Fig. 4.
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof there is shown a device or tray according to the present invention generally identified by the numeral 10.
In the preferred embodiment tray 10 is formed from thin sheet stainless steel for reasons which will become apparent and be described as this description proceeds.
Tray or device 10 is formed to be corrugated into a series of alternate peaks 12 and valleys 14. As will be particularly noted from reference to Fig. 1, a plurality of spaced apertures 16 are provided in the valleys 14. The apertures 16 are of such a tiny overall geometric configuration as to facilitate the passage therethrough of droplets of hot thin meat fat but at the same time are too small to permit flame from coming up through the apertures 16. Apertures 16 may as shown be aligned in ranks and files to establish a drip pattern.
At the same time the drainage from device 10 of the fat prevents the accumulation of sufficient fat ln device 10 to vaporize and start on fire from the heat that is generated by the cooking process.
Note from Fig. 2 of the drawings that a plurality of crimps 18 may be provided on the peaks 12 of device Z0397~8 10 to facilitate the placement of certain types of meat on device 10. For example, certain types of meat such as sausages would have a tendency to roll on the peaks 12, but if the sausages are located on crimps 18, they will remain as placed except when deliberately moved by the cook with a cooking tongs or fork or other utensil (not shown).
Note from further reference to Fig. 2, that an alternate crimp 20 may be formed in tray or device 10 which is generally rectangular in horizontal plan, while crimp 18 is generally diamond shaped in horizontal plan. Crimps 18 contribute more to overall strength of the tray or device 10 while crimp 20 is to facilitate placement of meat or materials to be broiled.
Note further from Fig. 2 that the peaks 12 may be truncated as shown into a flat peak surface 22 which additionally facilitates placement of food materials to be broiled.
For overall strength a curl 24 may be provided around the periphery of device or tray 10, as is shown in Fig. 5.
The use of stainless steel complies with sanitary standards applicable to restaurants in various states and promotes browning of the meat. The more extensive the surface area of the tray or device 10 that is in contact with the meat the more the browning is facilitated.

Claims

1. A broiling tray device comprising:
a) an elongated sheet of thin stainless steel;
b) said sheet bent and formed to have a plurality of corrugations including alternate peaks and valleys;
c) a plurality of apertures dispersed in said valleys in a pre-selected pattern, said apertures being large enough in overall geometric dimension to facilitate passage therethrough of hot fat droplets, but small enough in overall geometric dimension to prevent flame-up therethrough; and d) a rolled rim around the periphery of said sheet to provide overall strength.

2. The structure as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said corrugations forms said peaks and valleys such that the peaks are truncated in vertical cross-section to have flat upwardly facing surfaces.

3. The structure as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said corrugated peaks and valleys are provided with a plurality of crimps to provide holding and browning surfaces.

4. The structure as set forth in Claim 3, wherein said crimps are diamond shaped in horizontal plan view.

5. The structure as set forth in Claim 3, wherein said crimps are generally rectangular in horizontal plan view.

6. The structure as forth in Claim 3, wherein some of said plurality of crimps are diamond shaped in horizontal plan view and some of said plurality of crimps are generally horizontal in plan view, and wherein either may be arranged according to a pre-selected pattern.