GB2385263A

GB2385263A - Portable rotisserie for use under a grill in a domestic cooker

Info

Publication number: GB2385263A
Application number: GB0203428A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Henry Turner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-13
Filing date: 2002-02-13
Publication date: 2003-08-20
Also published as: GB0203428D0

Abstract

A portable rotisserie 2 adapted for use under a grill of a domestic cooker comprises a tray 4 having end walls 12,14 which support one or more skewers 36,38 and a drive 18 positioned outside of an end wall for rotating the skewer(s). A cover 16b may be provided over the drive 18 to protect it from heat during use. Metal clips (60,Fig6) maybe used which slide along the skewer to grip an item of food and ensure the food rotates. The clips may have serrated edges (68,Fig6) to allow them to be pressed onto the food item.

Description

Rotisserie The present invention relates to a rotisserie. In particular the invention aims to provide a portable rotisserie which is suitable for placing under a grill, such as an overhead grill of a gas cooker, or an electric grill.

It is well known to provide rotisseries, that is a rotating spit or skewer for use in commercial establishments, with barbecues, and the like. Some domestic ovens are also provided with a spit mechanism to rotate chickens, for example, while being roasted.

However, when grilling food using the overhead grill of a gas cooker, the food is laid in a tray or often supported on a grille in a tray. This necessitates turning of the food to ensure even cooking. With flat items, bacon, chops or the like, this is reasonably straightforward. However items such as sausages are often difficult to turn to the appropriate position.

Thus, there has long been a need for a rotisserie which can be easily used with an overhead grill.

One aspect of the present invention provides a portable rotisserie adapted to be placed under an overhead grill. The rotisserie preferably comprises one or more holding members for holding an item of food, and means for rotating the member.

Preferably the holding member is a spit or skewer which can be pushed through the food, to"skewer"it.

The means for rotating the holding member is preferably an electric motor, however, a clockwork motor may be used. The electric motor may be battery driven, preferably from re-chargeable batteries, or driven from a"mains" electric supply.

Preferably the holding members are rotatably supported by two end walls, and the rotating means is housed outside one of the end walls. A cover may be provided over the rotating means to protect it from the heat of the grill.

Preferably the end walls extend up from a base. The base may be dished or formed as a tray to collect drips from the food during cooking. Preferably the holding members are is positioned so that the food is visible from the side during cooking.

Whilst it is reasonably straightforward to mount a sausage on a pointed skewer, by pushing the skewer axially through the sausage, the sausages tend not to grip the skewer and so tend not to rotate with the skewer.

Some known skewers for large food items, such as chickens, carry a spike which runs parallel to the skewer, for gripping the food. This is not practical with the small diameter of a sausage.

I provide one or more grips for mounting on the skewer to grip an item of food.

The grip may be in the form of a clip which can be slid along the skewer and closed onto a food item. Preferably, however, I provide a grip which is removably mounted transversely onto the skewer. With a flat sided skewer, the grip may have a slot to receive the skewer and rotate with the skewer.

The grip may have a serrated edge for engaging the food item.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a rotisserie forming an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view, partly cut away, of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view on arrow A of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a view on line V-V of Figure 2; Figures 6a and 6b illustrate a clip forming an embodiment of the invention, Figure 7 illustrates the rotisserie of Figure 1 in use with an overhead grill.

Referring to the drawings, a rotisserie 2 in accordance with the invention comprises a tray 4 which is formed from metal and may be pressed and/or produced by folding a metal blank and riveting or welding to shape as required. Tray 4 has a base 6, side walls 8,10 and end walls 12,14.

End wall 14 supports a heat shield 16a, 16b. Below outermost shield portion 16b, a mains driven electric motor 18 and a double pole switch 20 for controlling power from a mains lead 22 are carried on a wall 24 (see Figure 4). Heat shield 16a, 16b is also of stainless steel to reflect away heat from an overhead grill.

Motor 18 is a slow speed motor rotating a drive spindle 26 at about 3 r. p. m.

Motor 18 may be battery driven or even clockwork if desired.

Wall 24 is spaced from the tray end wall 14 to distance the motor 18 and switch 20 from the area under the grill flame (see Figure 7).

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the motor spindle 26 is a push fit inside a drive spindle 28. Spindle 28 rotates in a bearing 30 in the tray end wall 14.

Motor spindle 26 is a close enough fit in drive spindle 28 to rotate the drive spindle, but to slip if the mechanism is fouled, to avoid risk of motor 18 burning out. Drive spindle 28 may be slit to provide a spring grip on the motor spindle 26. It will be appreciated that another form of slipping clutch mechanism may be provided. At bearing 30, drive spindle 28 has a

rectangular slot 32 to receive a flattened end or tenon 34 on the end of a skewer 36 (see Figure 1).

Also mounted in end wall 14 is a plain bush 40 to receive an end of a second skewer 38.

Skewers 36,38 are mounted at their"pointed"ends 36a, 38a, in drive spindle 28 and bush 40.

Skewers 36,38 have heatproof plastic handles 42 at their free ends 36b, 38b. A pinion 44 is mounted fast on each skewer, adjacent the handle 42.

In use, the pinions 44 mesh with a central idler pinion 45 which is rotatably mounted in a bush 47 and transfers rotation of the first skewer 36 to skewer 38.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, the end wall 12 has slots 46 extending from its upper edge 48. At the base of the slots 46, bushes 50 are mounted. Bushes 50 have a radial slot 52 which is aligned with the slot 46. A skewer 36,38 is mounted by lowering the skewer through the slot until it rests in the respective bush 50.

The skewer is then slid lengthways to place the skewer end 36a, 38a, in the respective slot 32 and bush 40, until a boss 54 on pinion 44 is received in the bush 50. Thus the skewer end 36b, 38b, cannot be lifted upwards while the

pinion bosses 54 are engaged in the bushes 50. A lock screw in a boss 54 fixes the pinion 44 on the skewer.

In use, power is supplied to the motor 18 to rotate motor spindle 26 and drive spindle 28. Skewer 36, coupled to the cylinder 28 by the tenon 34 engaged in slot 32, is rotated, and in turn rotates skewer 38 via the pinions 44,45.

As mentioned previously, food such as sausages has a tendency to slip relative to the skewer, and hence may not rotate with the skewer. To overcome thus, the skewer might be provided with spikes, for example, as known for use with large food items such as chickens. We prefer a clip such as shown in Figure 7. Clip 60 is folded from sheet metal and has a central web 62 and outer flanges 64 extending in opposite directions at right angles to the plane of web 62. Slot 66 is dimensioned to fit snugly on the skewer 36,38, embracing flat sides on the skewer as seen in Figure 6b. The web 62 has a slot 66 which is cut at an angle to the plane of web 62, so that the flanges 64 are angled towards the skewer. Alternatively, slot 66 may be perpendicular to the plane of web 62 and flanges 64 formed at an acute angle to web 62. Serrated edges 68 on flanges 64 press into a food item, such as a sausage. This ensures that the food item will rotate with the clip 60 and hence with the skewer 36,38. The grip of the serrated edge 68 on the food item serves also to hold the clip on the skewer. The clip 60 can be slid sideways onto the skewer and then moved along the skewer. A hole 69

in the clip 60 assists removal of the clip from a skewer, by means of a hook which can be engaged in the hole 69.

Referring to Figure 7, this illustrates a free standing domestic cooker 70 with an overhead grill 72. Grill 72 has a support shelf 74 and a rotisserie 2 is placed on the support shelf 74. It is also known to provide wall mounted overhead grills, and grills inside an oven compartment.

A handle (not shown) may be mounted on the sidewall 8 of the tray 4. The handle may be positioned in line with the centre of gravity of the rotisserie 2 or two handles may be provided, spaced apart along the sidewall 8. The handle clip may be removably mounted on the sidewall 8, as is well known in the art of grill pans.

Various modifications may be made to the described embodiments.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. In combination, a domestic cooker having an overhead grill and a portable rotisserie adapted to be supported on a support under the grill, the rotisserie comprising a tray, end walls on the tray supporting one or more skewers, and a drive for rotating the skewer (s) positioned outside of an end wall and drivingly connected to the skewer (s).
2. The combination of claim 1, wherein a cover plate is provided over the drive to protect the drive, in use, from heat from the grill.
3. The combination of claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive comprises an electric motor.
4. The combination of claim 1,2 or 3, wherein an engagement member is provided on a skewer for engaging a food item mounted on the skewer to prevent it rotating relative to the skewer.
5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the skewer has a flattened cross section and the engagement member is slotted to straddle the skewer to engage the flats and rotate with the skewer.
6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the engagement member has a serrated edge for gripping the food item.

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7. A portable rotisserie adapted to be supported on a support under a grill, the rotisserie comprising a tray, end walls on the tray supporting one or more skewers, and a drive for rotating the skewer (s) and positioned outside of an end wall and drivingly connected to the skewer (s).