GB2234811A

GB2234811A - Food serving apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2234811A
Application number: GB9013730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Angier
Original assignee: Mark Tyzack & Sons Ltd
Current assignee: Mark Tyzack & Sons Ltd
Priority date: 1989-07-13
Filing date: 1990-06-20
Publication date: 1991-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2010-06-20
Also published as: GB8916065D0; GB9013730D0; GB2234811B

Abstract

Food serving apparatus includes a water tray the top of which is formed with containers for various foods or provides a surface on which a joint of meat can be carved, a spirit type lamp 14 being provided beneath the tray. So that water in the tray can be heated rapidly to produce steam, the underside of the tray has an upstanding bulge 16 to reduce the depth of water above the lamp 14. <IMAGE>

Description

Food serving apparatus.

The invention relates to food serving apparatus and in particular to a Chef's serving trolley from which food can be served at the table.

Food serving apparatus is known which includes containers for various foods, the containers being formed in the top of a water tray beneath which a source of heat is provided to maintain the water in the tray at or about boiling point. Alternatively, the top of the tray may provide a surface on which a joint of meat can be carved. The tray may form part of a trolley for the serving of food at the table. Whilst in some cases this combined food carrying and water tray unit is covered by a lift off dome-shaped lid, the more traditional carving trolley has a rotatable dome-shaped cover which can be swung down beneath the unit when serving and brought to its operative position to enclose the tray to conserve heat when the serving of food is not taking place.

The heat source beneath the water tray is usually constituted by at least one spirit type lamp or the like.

Serving apparatus of the kind described generally works quite well but does have certain drawbacks.

For example, when the water tray is filled with sufficient water to avoid the need for replenishment for a reasonable length of time, the apparatus takes a considerable time to produce steam and to heat up to its working temperature unless it is filled with hot water to start with.

Conversely, if the water tray is provided with a lesser amount of water to enable it to produce steam and to heat up to its working temperature more quickly it will require replenishment in a correspondingly shorter time. In addition, the flame from the at least one spirit type lamp or the like beneath the water tray is liable to spread around its edges. This can cause damage or discolouration to supporting framework of the apparatus and in particular to the usual rubber bump stop element normally provided to cushion the movement of the cover to its inoperative position.

The invention has for its object to provide food serving apparatus in which the drawbacks referred to will be at least alleviated.

According to the invention, there is provided food serving apparatus including a water tray the top of which is formed with containers for various foods or provides a surface on which a joint of meat can be carved, at least one spirit type lamp or the like being located beneath the water tray for heating water in said tray, and the underside of the water tray being provided with a local upstanding bulge or depression above the location for the or each spirit type lamp or the like whereby the depth of water in the tray is at least reduced in the region above the or each lamp and the flame from the or each lamp is largely confined within the upstanding bulge or depression above it.

Preferably, the height of the interior surface of the water tray in the region of the or each upstanding bulge or depression will be the same as that of a ledge which is visible through a filling aperture so that the tray can easily be filled to the level of said surface. The water tray may form part of a trolley for the servng of food at the table. The apparatus may have a rotatable domeshaped cover which can be swung down beneath the combined food carrying and water tray unit when serving and brought to its operative position to enclose the tray to conserve heat when the serving of food is not taking place.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of food serving apparatus embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the apparatus in a condition for the serving of food therefrom, and Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the food serving apparatus there illustrated is a wheeled trolley having a water tray, generally indicated 10, which is formed with containers 12 for various foods. A rotatable dome-shaped cover 13 is capable of being swung down beneath the unit when serving of food is to commence. A rubber bump stop 15 limits the pivotal movement of said cover into its inoperative position. The cover can be brought to its operative position to enclose the tray and conserve heat when the serving of food is not taking place.

A pair of spirit type lamps 14,14 are located beneath the water tray for heating water in the tray so that the various cooked foods within the containers will be kept warm. The underside of the water tray is provided with respective upstanding bulges 16,16 above the locations for the two spirit type lamps 14,14 whereby the depth of water in the tray is reduced in the region above each lamp. In addition, the flame from each lamp is largely confined within the upstanding bulge above it.

Referring in particular to Figure 3, it will be seen that the height of the interior surface of the water tray in the region of each upstanding bulge 16 is the same as that of a ledge 18 which is visible through a filling aperture 20 when a screw cap 22 has been removed. It will be understood therefore that the tray can easily be filled to the level of said surface so that the depth of water immediately above each spirit type lamp is very small. In this way it can be ensured that the length of time required to produce enough steam to warm the respective food containers of the water tray will be minimal.

Thus there is provided food serving apparatus which has been found to alleviate the drawbacks often found in conventional apparatus of this kind.

Even when filled with sufficient cold water to avoid the need for replenishment for a reasonable length of time the apparatus does not take very long to produce steam and thereby heat up.

Furthermore, the flames from the spirit type lamps beneath the water tray do not spread around its edges and do not discolour the supporting framework or damage the rubber bump stop element for cushioning the movement of the cover to its inoperative position. However, various modifications may be made. For example, the water tray may provide a flat top surface on which a joint of meat can be carved. It is not essential for the apparatus to have two spirit type lamps.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1.Food serving apparatus including a water tray the top of which is formed with containers for various foods or provides a surface on which a joint of meat can be carved, at least one spirit type lamp or the like being located beneath the water tray for heating water in said tray, and the underside of the water tray being provided with a local upstanding bulge or depression above the location for the or each spirit type lamp or the like whereby the depth of water in the tray is at least reduced in the region above the or each lamp and the flame from the or each lamp is largely confined within the upstanding bulge or depression above it.

2.Food serving apparatus according to claim 1, in which the height of the interior surface of the water tray in the region of the or each upstanding bulge or depression is the same as that of a ledge which is visible through a filling aperture so that the tray can easily be filled to the level of said surface.

3.Food serving apparatus according to either one of the preceding claims, in which the water tray forms part of a trolley for the serving of food at the table.

4.Food serving apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, having a rotatable domeshaped cover which can be swung down beneath the combined food carrying and water tray unit when serving and brought to its operative position to enclose the tray to conserve heat when the serving of food is not taking place.

5.Food serving apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.