GB2138277A

GB2138277A - Cooking or boiling device

Info

Publication number: GB2138277A
Application number: GB08322341A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Aneurin Walters
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-04-18
Filing date: 1983-08-19
Publication date: 1984-10-24
Also published as: GB8322341D0

Abstract

A cooking or boiling device, particularly for boiling milk, comprising a cooking or boiling vessel (10) and a removable hollow body (15). The vessel (10) has an annular inwardly extending ledge (14) below its upper rim. The body (15) is open at upper and lower ends, is preferably generally frusto-conical with its lower or inlet end of greater cross-section than its upper or outlet end, and is adapted to rest on the ledge in which position the body and inner periphery of the ledge define there between one or more gaps (17). Liquid boiling in the vessel will pass upwardly through the body (15), flow over the upper edge of the latter and return to the part of the vessel (10) below the ledge (14) via the gap or gaps (17) so as not to boil over. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cooking or boiling device The invention relates to a cooking or boiling device and particularly but not exclusively to such a device for preventing liquid such as milk from boiling over.

It is a known fact that milk left unattended in a saucepan on a heated gas or electric ring will eventually boil over the rim of the saucepan resulting in a loss of milk, an unpleasant odour and the need to clean up the ring and surrounding area.

According to the invention there is provided a cooking or boiling device comprising a cooking or boiling vessel having an upper rim and an annular inwardly extending ledge below the upper rim, and a removable hollow body open at upper and lower ends and adapted to rest at dr adjacent to its lower end on the ledge in which position the body and the inner periphery of the ledge define therebetween one or more gaps, the arrangement being such that liquid boiling in the vessel passes upwardly through the body, flows over the upper edge of the latter and returns to the part of the vessel below the edge via said gap or gaps.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 - 8.

In a preferred form the body rests loosely on the ledge of the vessel and has minimal contactthere- with to minimise heat transfer from the vessel to the body. It is therefore important that the body is designed to offer little resistance to flow of boiling liquid therethrough in orderthat it is not lifted by the liquid off the ledge.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa plan view of one embodiment of a cooking or boiling device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a vertical section along the line Il-Il of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the cooking or boiling device shown therein comprises an aluminium vessel or saucepan 10 having a stepped cylindrical outer wall 11, a base 12 and a handle 13.

The wall 11 has a lower part 1 lea and an upper part 1 ib of larger diameter than the lower part 1 la, the parts 1 lea and 1 ib defining therebetween an annular ledge 14. The ledge 14 may be horizontal or slope inwardly.

The cooking or boiling device also comprises a hollow, thin walled, generally frusto-conical aluminium body 15 open at upper and lower ends 15a and 1 sub respectively. The lower end 1 sub of the body is of greater cross-section than the upper end 15a. The lower end at least is not quite circular i.e. has a slightly oval shape with its largest dimension equal or substantiallty equal to the diameter of the lower part 1 la ofthe wall of the saucepan. The body 15 has at its lower end at least two and preferably as shown three radially outwardly extending parts or portions in the form of arms 16 which may be either integral with or secured to the body 15.The outermost edges of the arms 16 preferably lie on a circle of just slightly smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the upper part 11 b of the saucepan.

When the body 15 is placed in the saucepan, the arms 16 will thus rest on the ledge 14 and will centre the body 15 with respect to the saucepan 10 in order that symmetrical or substantially symmetrical gaps 17 are provided on either side of the largest diameter of the body 15 between the lower edge of the body 15 and the inner periphery of the ledge 14.

The base 12 of the saucepan is preferably of inverted dished shape, i.e. it has a slight cavity.

The device described above has particular application in the boiling of milk. The milk is initially poured into the saucepan to a level below that of the ledge 14 and heated by placing the pan on a gas or electric ring. As the milk boils and rises, some of the milk flows through the gaps 17 and rises slowly in the annulartrough-likechannel defined by the upper wall 1 1b, the ledge 14 and the body 15. At the same time milk rises more rapidly through the body 15 and gushes over the top thereof from where it descends into the trough-like channel. During its descent and/or whilst in the trough-like channel, the milk cools and returns to the part of the saucepan below the ledge 14 via the gaps 17.

It has been found that provided that the upper edge of the saucepan is not too close to the ledge 14 milk will not boil over nor will milk burn although some care has to be taken when used on a gas burner rather than an electric ring in adjusting the flow of gas to the burner. By ensuring that the base of the saucepan is dished rather than flat, it has been found that the saucepan can be used on electric rings of various diameters, including rings larger in diameter than the base of the saucepan and of various voltages (e.g. 1100-2000). Therefore it is believed that the provision of the dished base 12 is important to ensure consistent results.It is also believed that the relatively small aggregate contact area between the body 15 and the ledge 14 is important in minimize heat transfer from the saucepan 10 to the body 15, the contact area being generally only that between the outwardly extending arms 16 of the body 15 and the ledge 14 ofthe saucepan 10.

Although finding particular application in the boiling of milk, the abovementioned device could also be used to prevent water that contains bicarbonate of soda in the boiling of vegetables, such as cabbage or cauliflower, from boiling over. It could also be used to make cream by allowing the milk to boil for a considerable time thereby reducing the water content of the milk.

Instead of providing a dished base 12 in an aluminium saucepan it has been found that corresponding results can be obtained using a stainless steel saucepan with a slightly raised flat copper base. Instead of the arms 16, the body 15 could be provided with relatively short lips (shown in broken lines on Figure 1 and designated reference numeral 18). However, the provision of these lips instead of the arms 16 does not ensure centralisation of the body 15 relative to the saucepan 10.

It is possible that the lower edge of the body 15 could be circular and the inner periphery of the ledge deformed so as to be not quite circular or the body 15 to be provided with a number of cutaway portions (as shown in broken line in Figure 2 and designated reference numeral 19) to define gaps for milk to flow back into the saucepan.

Pu rpose-built tongs could be provided with the device to lift the body 15 out of the saucepan 10.

The saucepan 10 can be used without the body 15 as a steamer for foods where there is a desire to save on gas or electricity. In this case a small perforated basket can be placed in the top of the saucepan 10 to rest on the ledge 14. The lower part of the saucepan could be used to boil for example potatoes and the basket could contain for example carrots and swede.

A lid could be supplied. The water boiling the potatoes would also provide the steam to cook the food in the basket.

Claims

1. A cooking or boiling device comprising a cooking or boiling vessel having an upper rim and an annular inwardly extending ledge below the upper rim, and a removable hollow body open at upper and lower ends and adapted to rest at or adjacent to its lower end on the ledge in which position the body and the inner periphery of the ledge define therebetween one or more gaps, the arrangement being such that liquid boiling in the vessel passes upwardly through the body, flows over the upper edge of the latter and returns to the part of the vessel below the edge via said gap or gaps.

2. The cooking or boiling device of claim 1, wherein the body is of generally frusto-conical shape, its lower or inlet end being of greater cross-section than its upper or outlet end.

3. The cooking or boiling device of claim 2, wherein one of the inner periphery of the ledge and the lower end of the hollow body is circular and the other is not quite circular in orderto define said gap or gaps therebetween.

4. The cooking or boiling device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body has two or more radially outwardly extending parts or portions for supporting the body on the ledge,

5. The cooking or boiling device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body is for resting loosely on the ledge.

6. The cooking or boiling device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper rim of the vessel is below the upper edge of the body when the latter rests on the ledge.

7. The cooking or boiling device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central region of the base of the vessel is raised above the outer periphery of the base.

8. The cooking or boiling device of claim 7 wherein the base of the vessel is of inverted dished configuration.

9. A cooking or boiling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Superseded claims all New or amended claims

1. A cooking or boiling device comprising a cooking or boiling vessel having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being of greater cross-sectional dimensions than the lower portion and there being an annular outwardly extending ledge between the upper end of the lower portion and the lower end of the upper portion, and a removable hollow body open at upper and lower ends, the cross-sectional dimensions of the lower end being greater than the upper end and substan tialiy equal to the cross-sectional dimensions of the upper end of the lower portion of the vessel, the body being adapted to rest at or adjacent to its lower end on the ledge in which position the body and the inner periphery of the ledge define therebetween one or more gaps, the arrangement being such that a boiling liquid passing upwardly through the body and flowing over the upper end of the latter flows into an annular channel defined between the body, the ledge and the upper portion of the vessel and returns to the lower portion of the vessel via said gap or gaps.

3. The cooking or boiling device of claim 2, wherein one of the inner periphery of the ledge and the lower end of the hollow body is circular and the other is not quite circular in order to define said gap or gaps therebetween

4. The cooking or boiling device of anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the body has two or more radially outwardly extending parts or portions for supporting the body on the ledge.

5. The cooking or boiling device of anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the body is for resting loosely on the ledge.

6. The cooking or boiling device of anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the upper rim of the vessel is below the upper edge of the body when the latter rests on the ledge.

7. The cooking or boiling device of anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the central region of the base of the vessel is raised above the outer periphery of the base.