GB2349328A

GB2349328A - A divider for a fuel container of a solid-fuel fired cooker or heater

Info

Publication number: GB2349328A
Application number: GB0010209A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Ian Bell
Original assignee: SAXONKING ADVANCED PRODUCT ENG
Current assignee: SAXONKING ADVANCED PRODUCT ENG
Priority date: 1999-04-27
Filing date: 2000-04-26
Publication date: 2000-11-01
Also published as: GB9909699D0; GB0010209D0

Abstract

A solid fuel fired cooker or heater, such as a barbecue, has a fuel container 2 and a divider 8 comprising at least one refractory, or heat-resistant, plate member, which can be used to divide the internal volume of the fuel container 2 into two or more compartments. The refractory plate member 8 preferably has ventilation means which adjustable between an open and a closed state. The refractory plate member 8 may be integrally formed with the fuel container 2, or it may be moveable within the fuel container 2 and have releasable securing means to secure it in place. A plurality of dividing means 8 may be provided and they may be adjustable in length or depth. A lid (12, 13, fig.2) may be provided over a cooking grid (10, fig.2) arranged above the fuel compartment(s), the lid (12, 13, fig.2) being pivotable from a position in which it covers at least a portion of the cooking grid (10, fig.2) to a position where it provides a fixed surface. A plurality of lids (12, 13, fig.2) may be provided.

Description

Firebox Divider and Cooking/Heating Apparatus with Firebox Divider The present invention relates to a divider for use in the firetray or firebox of a solid-fuel fired cooking or heating apparatus such as a barbecue or a stove. The divider is used to reduce the volume of the firetray to reduce fuel consumption in the event that the entire capacity of the cooking or heating apparatus is not required.

The present invention also relates to a cooking or heating apparatus with a firebox divider built in to the firebox or other fuel container.

In a conventional cooking or heating apparatus such as a common garden barbecue, the solid fuel such as, for example, charcoal or wood briquettes, is distributed across the entire floor of the firetray or firebox prior to lighting. In the case where the barbecue is large, but the entire cooking or heating capacity is not required in the present instance, then fuel may be wasted due to the fact that the entire firebox or firetray must be filled to enable successful lighting and cooking.

The present invention addresses this problem of the prior art by providing a divider suitable for use in the firebox or firetray of a cooking or heating apparatus such as a stove, barbeque or cooker. The divider may be fixed or movable, and is used to adjust the amount of space within the fuel container for the burning medium. The fuel may therefore be properly arranged for successful lighting and/or cooking or heating without requiring the entire fuel container to be filled.

From one aspect, the present invention provides a divider for use in a solid-fuel fired cooking or heating apparatus provided with a fuel container, the divider comprising at least one refractory plate member arranged in use to divide the internal volume of the fuel container into two or more compartments.

From another aspect, the present invention provides a solid-fuel fired cooking and/or heating apparatus comprising a fuel container arranged to receive and hold solid-fuel therein for burning said fuel container having at least one divider according to the first aspect of the invention provided therein.

From either aspect, the divider may be fixed or movable. In the case where the divider is movable, releasable securing means are provided to allow said divider to be moved and then secured in place.

Furthermore, the divider may be bespoke for a particular heating or cooking apparatus, or may be adjustable in length and/or depth to allow use in any fuel container of any such cooking or heating apparatus.

The divider may be provided with one or more ventilation means such as slots, grids, slats or the like, to allow ventilation of the fuel during burning.

Such ventilation means may be adjustable between a fully open to a fully closed state.

In addition, the divider may be formed integral with the fuel container, as part of a casting, fabrication or pressing. In this case the divider is preferably fixed in position.

From the second aspect, the apparatus preferably further includes a cooking grid arranged to lie over said fuel compartment and upon which items may be placed for cooking ; and at least one lid hinged onto a side wall of said apparatus, and further arranged so that in a first position the lid covers at least a portion of said cooking grid above at least one of the compartments of said fuel container, and in a second position the lid reveals the cooking grid and provides a substantially fixed surface.

Furthermore, from the second aspect of the present invention, further hinged lids may be provided, each arranged to cover a particular compartment of the fuel container when the divider is in use. In the first position each lid may cover at least a portion of the cooking grid, and may therefore be used as a hot plate upon which food items may be cooked, and in a second position each lid may provide a substantially fixed surface upon which items may be rested.

The hinged lids may be removable, for example to allow cleaning, and may further be interchangeable to allow different cooking configurations to be set. Each lid may be of a different size to the other lids, or all lids may be of equal size.

The second position of a lid is preferably achieved by rotating the lid 180 degrees about the hinge.

The present invention has a primary advantage in that in the event where the entire cooking or heating capacity of a cooking or heating apparatus is not required, the fuel container may be partitioned to contain the fuel within a constrained volume. This has the effect of reducing fuel consumption and improving fuel economy.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments thereof, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the firebox divider of the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the cooking or heating apparatus with firebox divider of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of the firebox divider of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 1.

In Figure 1, a firebox 2 of a barbecue, stove, cooker or other cooking or heating device is provided with a flange 4 around the upper lip of the firebox, and is arranged to receive solid-fuel 6 such as charcoal, wood, solid fuel, briquettes, etc. therein. In the event where the entire cooking or heating capacity of the cooking or heating device is not required, a divider 8 may be secured inside the firebox to partition the firebox into two or more compartments. The compartment suitable in size for the present instance is then filled with fuel as required. This has the advantage that unnecessary fuel consumption is reduced.

The divider itself is made of a refractory material, and must be sufficiently heat resistant to withstand the normal temperatures found, for example, within a domestic barbecue or stove. The divider may be fixable in one or more fixed positions within the firetray 2, or may alternatively be completely movable along the entire length of the tray. Where one or more fixed positions are provided within the firetray, means for receiving the divider such as slots may be provided within the firetray. Where the divider is movable, releasable securing means such as, for example, clamps are provided to secure the divider in place.

In addition to being a separate item, the divider may also be provided as an integral part of the firetray, produced as part of a casting, pressing or other fabrication of the firebox or firetray. In this case, the divider is preferably although not exclusively fixed in position.

The divider may have a number of ventilating slots, grilles, grids, or slats to allow the fuel inside the compartment to be ventilated to aid burning. Such ventilation means may be fully adjustable to allow adjustment between fully open and fully closed states.

Finally, the divider may be manufactured bespoke for a particular barbecue, cooker or stove, or may instead be fully adjustable with respect to its length and/or depth to allow the divider to be fitted to any existing cooking or heating apparatus. Multiple dividers may be used in conjunction with each other to divide the fuel container into more than two compartments if required, and mutually engaging slots may be provided in the dividers to allow two or more dividers to be placed cross-wise to each other.

A preferred embodiment of the cooking/heating apparatus with firebox divider of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 2. The same components as in the previously described embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in Figure 1.

In Figure 2, a firebox 2 of a barbecue, stove, cooker or other cooking or heating device is arranged to receive solid-fuel 6 such as charcoal, wood, solid fuel, briquettes, etc. therein. A cooking grid 10 is provided arranged to rest over the firebox, and upon which food items may be placed for cooking. In the event where the entire cooking or heating capacity of the cooking or heating device is not required, a divider 8 may be secured inside the firebox to partition the firebox into two or more compartments. The compartment suitable in size for the present instance is then filled with fuel as required. This has the advantage that unnecessary fuel consumption is reduced. The divider 8 may have any or all of the features as described in the previous description of the preferred embodiment of a firebox divider of the present invention, and hence no further repeat description will be undertaken here.

The cooking/heating apparatus is further provided with one or more hinged lids 12 which are hinged at one end by attachment to the walls of the apparatus with appropriate hinges 14. The one or more lids are each arranged so that in a first position they cover at least a portion of the cooking grid 10 directly above one or more of the compartments in the firetray 2 formed by the divider 8.

In this position the lids may be heated by the fuel in the firetray and hence may be used as a hotplate for heating or cooking items of food. The lids may instead each be rotated about their respective hinges into a second position 13, wherein each lid may then act as a shelf or fixed surface upon which items may be rested. Any combination of lids in any required position is envisaged to provide hotplates or shelves as required. The second position of a lid is preferably achieved by rotating the lid 180 degrees about the hinge 14.

The hinged lids may be removable, for example to allow cleaning, and may further be interchangeable to allow different cooking configurations to be set. Each lid may be of a different size to the other lids, or all lids may be of equal size. Each lid is made of heat-resistant material sufficient to withstand normal cooking temperatures. A material such as metal which may be easily cleaned is particularly preferred, although any other suitable material may also be used.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A divider for use in a solid-fuel fired cooking or heating apparatus provided with a fuel container, the divider comprising at least one refractory plate member arranged in use to divide the internal volume of the fuel container into two or more compartments.
2. A divider according to claim 1 wherein the refractory plate member is further provided with ventilation means.
3. A divider according to claim 2, wherein said ventilation means are adjustable between an open and closed state.
4. A divider according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the refractory plate member is formed integral with the fuel container of the solid-fuel fired cooking or heating apparatus.
5. A divider according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the refractory plate member is arranged to be movable within the fuel container of the solid-fuel fired cooking or heating apparatus.
6. A divider according to claim 5, and further comprising releasable securing means arranged to secure said refractory plate member in place.
7. A divider according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the refractory plate member is arranged to be adjustable in length and/or depth.
8. A solid-fuel fired cooking and/or heating apparatus comprising a fuel container arranged to receive and hold solid-fuel therein for burning said fuel container having at least one divider according to any of claims 1 to 7 provided therein.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a cooking grid arranged over the fuel compartments, and at least one lid arranged such that in a first position the lid covers at least a portion of the cooking grid, and in a second position the lid reveals the cooking grid and provides a substantially fixed surface.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, and further comprising one or more other lids arranged to cover one or more respective other portions of the cooking grid in respective first positions.
11. An apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said lids are removable.
12. An apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 11, having a plurality of dividers according to any of claims 1 to 7 provided within the fuel container.
13. A divider substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A solid-fuel fired cooking and/or heating apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.