GB2339530A

GB2339530A - Food/beverage serving apparatus.

Info

Publication number: GB2339530A
Application number: GB9815197A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher James Lenz
Original assignee: METRO STAR CORP
Current assignee: METRO STAR CORP
Priority date: 1998-07-13
Filing date: 1998-07-13
Publication date: 2000-02-02
Also published as: GB9815197D0

Description

2339530 A Method and-An Apparatus for Serving Foods and/or Beverages This

invention relates to a method and an apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages and, in particular, such a method and apparatus for use in restaurants and the like.

In the conventional method of serving foods and/or beverages to a table of diners in a restaurant or the like, the foods and/or beverages are usually brought by a waiter/waitress to the table and placed in front of the respective diners. However, in cases where the foods and/or beverages are to be shared by the diners during the meal, where the plates/bowls containing the foods and/or beverages have to be passed among the diners, and in particular in cases where the diners are seated along both longer sides of a long table, the above method is not practical or, to say the least, not convenient.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of, and an apparatus for, serving foods and/or beverages in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages comprising a table and support means for supporting said foods and/or beverages, wherein said table comprises an upper surface with track means, and wherein said support comprises wheel means for moving said support means on said track means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of 2 serving foods and/or beverages comprising the steps of (a) providing support means with wheel means; (b) providing a table with an upper surface; (c) providing track means on said upper surface; (d) placing foods and/or beverages on said support means; (e) placing said wheel means on said track means to thereby allow said support means to move on said track means on said table.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is an end view of an apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partial top view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of a support means used in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the support means shown in Fig. 3.

An apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages is shown in the drawings as generally designated as 10. Such an apparatus 10 includes a table 12 with a top part 14 and a base part 16 supporting the top part 14. The top part 14 is rectangular in shape and includes two longer ends 18a, l8b and two shorter ends 20 (of which only one is shown in Fig. 2). Chairs 22 for the diners are arranged along the two longer 3 ends 18 of the table 12.

On a top surface 24 of the top part 14 of the table 12 are provided a pair of parallel rails 26a, 26b, which may be fixedly secured onto the table 12. The rails 26a, 26b may alternatively be detachable from the table 12, so that they are only assembled onto the top surface 24 of the top part 14 of the table when required. The rails 26a, 26b run parallel to the longer ends 18a, l8b of the table 12, and from one shorter end 20 to another shorter end 20. The rails 26a, 26b extend equi-distantly between the longer ends 18a, l8b of the table 12, in the sense that the distance d, between the rail 26b and the longer end l8b is the same as the distance d2 between the rail 26a and the longer end 18a.

There is also provided a tray or platform 30 for supporting the foods and/or beverages to be served. On an under-side of the tray or platform 30 are secured four wheels 32 which are rotatable about their respective axis of rotation. The wheels 32 are so sized and positioned that they can run on the rails 26a, 26b, to allow the tray or platform 30 to move along the rails 26a, 26b. Adjacent to the shorter end 20 of the table 12 are two stoppers 28 which extend upright (i.e. vertically) from the top surface 24 of the top part 14. These stoppers 28 are made of a plastics material and are for limiting the movement of the tray or platform 30 along the rails 26a, 26b, so that the tray or platform 30 will not fall off the table 12.

By way of such an arrangement, foods and/or beverages can be served to the diners by first placing the foods and/or beverages on the tray or platform 30. The tray or 4 platform 30 is then carried by the waiters/waitresses to the table and then placed onto the table 12 with the wheels 32 on the rails 26a, 26b so as to allow the tray or platform 30 to move on the rails 26a, 26b on the table 12 among the diners, and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the table 12. The diners may then serve themselves by getting the foods and/or beverages which they want from the tray or platform 30. After a diner has finished getting the foods and/or beverages, the tray or platform 30 may then be moved to the next diner(s) along the line.

It can be seen that the above describes a convenient way and apparatus for serving diners seated beside a long table. Such a method and apparatus also allow diners seated beside a long table to self-serve themselves.

It should also be understood that the above only describes a way in which the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of this invention. For example, for enhancing the interest of the use of the apparatus, the rails 26a, 26b may be curved, and the wheels 32 may be rotatable along a respective axis which is perpendicular to a major surface 34 of the tray or platform 30, so that the tray or platform 30 may travel on the curved rails.

Claims

CLAIMS:-

1. An apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages comprising a table and support means for supporting said foods and/or beverages, wherein said table comprises an upper surface with track means, and wherein said support comprises wheel means for moving said support means on said track means.

2. An apparatus according to Claim I wherein said track means comprises a pair of rail members.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said track members are substantially straight.

4. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said wheel means comprises a plurality of wheels.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein said wheel means comprises four wheels.

6. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said table comprises two opposite longer sides and two opposite shorter sides, and wherein said track means extends substantially from one shorter side to another shorter side.

7. An apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein said track means extends 6 substantially equi-distantly between said longer sides of said table.

8. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said table comprises stopping means for limiting the movement of said support means on said table.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein said stopping means is provided at or adjacent at least one shorter side of said table.

10. An apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein said stopping means is provided at or adjacent both shorter sides of said table.

11. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 10 wherein said stopping means comprises a pair of stopping members extending substantially vertically from said upper surface of said table.

12. A method of serving foods and/or beverages comprising the steps of (a) providing support means with wheel means; (b) providing a table with an upper surface; (c) providing track means on said upper surface; (d) placing foods and/or beverages on said support means; (e) placing said wheel means on said track means to thereby allow said support means to move on said track means on said table.

13. A method according to Claim 12 wherein said wheel means comprises a plurality 7 of wheel members.

14. A method according to Claim 13 wherein said wheel means comprises four wheel members.

15. A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 14 wherein said track means comprises a pair of rail members.

16. A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 15 wherein said track members are substantially straight.

17. A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 16 wherein said table comprises two opposite longer sides and two opposite shorter sides, and wherein said track means extends substantially from one shorter side to another shorter side.

18. A method according to Claim 17 wherein said track means extends substantially equi-distantly between said longer sides of said table.

19. A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 18 ftu-ther comprising the step (f) of providing stopping means on said table for limiting the movement of said support means on said table.

20. A method according to Claim 19 wherein said stopping means is provided at or adjacent at least one shorter side of said table.

8

21. A method according to Claim 19 wherein said stopping means is provided at or adjacent both shorter sides of said table.

22. A method according to any one of Claims 19 to 21 wherein said stopping means comprises a pair of stopping members extending substantially vertically from said upper surface of said table.

23. A method according to any one of Claims 17 to 22 fiu-ther comprising the step (g) of seating guests along at least one of said longer sides of said table.

24. A method according to Claim 23 wherein guests are seated along both of said longer sides of said table.

25. An apparatus for serving foods and/or beverages substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.