GB2294195A

GB2294195A - A cooking apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2294195A
Application number: GB9420930A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zan Michael Zannetos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-10-17
Filing date: 1994-10-17
Publication date: 1996-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-10-17
Also published as: GB9420930D0; GB2294195B

Abstract

A cooking apparatus comprising: a rotatable skewer (2) for supporting a food product (6) to be cooked; slicing means (5) for cutting slices from the food product (6); and a motor (9) for driving the slicing means (5) and for rotating the skewer (2). <IMAGE>

Description

"A Cooking Apparatus" THIS INVENTION relates to a cooking apparatus and more particularly relates to a cooking apparatus incorporating a slicing device.

Doner kebabs are cooked by forming, on a skewer, a cylindrical body of spiced meat and mounting the skewer on a cooking apparatus which includes a motor for rotating the skewer and a vertical burner or heater located adjacent the skewer. As the skewer is rotated by the motor, the portion of the meat adjacent the burner cooks and is sliced off thus revealing an inner uncooked part of the kebab which is then cooked during the further rotation of the skewer.

The meat of the doner kebab is usually sliced off by a long knife or, more conveniently, by an electric rotary slicer which is located near the cooking apparatus.

Arrangements in which a rotary slicer is built into the cooking apparatus and driven by an independent motor separate from the motor rotating the skewer are known.

Rotary slicers are disclosed in published U.K.

Patent Application No. 2 263 629 and U.K. Patent No. 2 238 229. Other rotary slicers are disclosed in published European Patent Application Nos. EP 0 190 827 and EP 0 081 905.

The present arrangements are space consuming, require complex constructions and are costly to produce.

The present invention seeks to provide a cooking apparatus overcoming one or more of the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cooking apparatus comprising: a rotatable skewer for supporting a food product to be cooked; slicing means for cutting slices from the food product; and a motor for driving the slicing means and for rotating the skewer.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: The figure shows a schematic perspective view of a cooking apparatus embodying the present invention.

The cooking apparatus described is for cooking a doner kebab or shawarma or other food products.

Referring to the figure, the cooking apparatus embodying the present invention comprises a support or a frame such as the base 1 upon which is mounted a vertically oriented skewer 2. The skewer 2 is detachable from the base 1. The skewer 2 is rotatable with respect to the base 1.

A heat source 3 comprising a burner or heating element 4 is mounted in spaced apart relationship with respect to the upstanding skewer 2 and extends essentially vertically from the base 1.

A slicing device 5 is provided for cutting slices off a food product 6 (shown in phantom) mounted on the skewer 2. The slicing device 5 preferably incorporates a disc blade 7 which is rotated by a flexible drive shaft 8.

The flexible drive shaft passes through a side wall of the base 1 and is drivingly connected to an electric motor 9 or the like located within the base 1.

In the preferred embodiment, the motor 9 is housed in the base 1 and one end of the motor 9 is connected to the flexible drive shaft 8 for driving the slicing device 5 and the other end of the motor 9 is adapted to drive the skewer 2.

In the preferred embodiment, the motor 9 drives the slicing device 5 directly by the flexible drive shaft whilst the skewer 2 is driven through gearing. This is because the speed of rotation of the disc blade 7 in the slicing device 5 is in the region of 500 to 5000rpm whilst the speed of rotation of the skewer 2 is in the region of l-l0rpm.

Preferably the drive shaft of the motor 9 for driving the slicing device 5 is provided with a clutch.

Preferably the clutch is a needle roller type clutch.

In the preferred embodiment, the needle roller clutch is attached to the end of the motor 9 for driving the flexible drive shaft of the slicing device 5.

Alternatively, the needle roller clutch can be attached to the flexible drive shaft 8 for the slicing device 5 at a position adjacent the motor 9.

A clutch may also be provided on the geared end of the drive shaft from the motor 9 which drives the skewer 2.

Preferably, the skewer drive shaft clutch is of the needle roller type.

Additionally or alternatively a needle roller clutch can be provided at the end of the flexible drive shaft adjacent the slicing device 5.

The skewer clutch and/or the slicing device clutch are actuable by an operator or automatically to rotate the skewer 2 and/or the blade 7 of the slicing device 5.

The motor 9 does not need to be mounted below the skewer 2 as shown in the figure but must simply be drivingly connectable to the skewer 2.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cooking apparatus comprising: a rotatable skewer for supporting a food product to be cooked; slicing means for cutting slices from the food product; and a motor for driving the slicing means and for rotating the skewer.

2. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the slicing device includes a rotatable disc blade.

3. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the slicing device is powered by a flexible drive shaft drivingly connected to the motor of the cooking apparatus.

4. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the motor has two drive shafts, one for driving the slicing device and one for driving the skewer.

5. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the slicing device is provided with a clutched drive.

6. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive for the skewer is a clutched drive.

7. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the clutch is a needle roller type clutch.

8. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the skewer is mounted on and extends from a support.

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

9. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the support is a base in which the motor is mounted.

10. A cooking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAINS: 1. A cooking apparatus comprising: a rotatable skewer for supporting a food product to be cooked; slicing means for cutting slices from the food product; and a motor having two drive shafts, one drive shaft for driving the slicing means and one drive shaft for driving the skewer.

2. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the slicing means includes a rotatable disc blade.

3. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the slicing means is powered by a flexible drive shaft drivingly connected to the motor of the cooking apparatus.

4. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the slicing means is provided with a clutched drive.

5. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive for the skewer is a clutched drive.

6. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the clutch is a needle roller type clutch.

7. A cooking apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the skewer is mounted on and extends from a support.

8. A cooking apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the support is a base in which the motor is mounted.