GB2412296A

GB2412296A - Barbecue rotary unit

Info

Publication number: GB2412296A
Application number: GB0406462A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie Raymond Saunders
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-23
Filing date: 2004-03-23
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-23
Also published as: GB2412296B; GB0406462D0

Abstract

An assembly which comprises a barbecue (B) having a rotary basket 10 mounted over the barbecue B by means of supports (S) projecting upwardly from the barbecue at opposite sides thereof. The basket 10 is turned to the orientation so the top wall 18 and the opening 19 are uppermost. Flap 22 pivots inwardly under gravity, to allow items of food to be introduced into the basket through the opening 19. As the basket is rotated the items of food tumble on walls 17, 18 until the rotation of the basket 10 is stopped and the items of food removed through the opening 19.

Description

Barbecue rotary unit The present invention relates to a rotary unit for a

barbecue.

A number of rotary arrangements have been used or proposed hitherto for barbecues, which include enclosures which are rotated about a horizontal axis and in which items of food are placed to be grilled on the barbecue. In one such arrangement, the enclosure comprises an elongate, circularsection basket: this arrangement is effective for sausages but other items of food tend simply to slide over the inner surface of the basket as it is rotated and are therefore grilled over one side only.

I have now devised a rotary unit for a barbecue, which provides effective and even grilling of a wide range of food items.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a rotary unit for a barbecue, the rotary unit comprising a basket arranged for turning on an axis thereof, the basket having an interior space which is generally square in cross-section.

The basket accordingly comprises four flat, internal faces onto which the food items are tumbled in succession as the basket is rotated on its axis. I have found that with this arrangement, the items of food are turned in a relatively gentle manner, ensuring the effective and even grilling of these items by the barbecue.

Preferably the basket is elongate in form. Preferably shafts project from the opposite ends of the basket, for engaging in support structure to provide for rotation of the basket about its axis, along which the shafts extend. A handle may be provided for turning the basket manually, or a drive unit may be provided for powered rotation of the basket.

Preferably the basket is formed with an opening, for which a closure flap is provided. Preferably the closure flap is mounted for pivoting inwardly of the basket, and is restrained from pivoting outwardly relative to the basket.

When the basket is oriented so that its opening is uppermost, the closure flap will pivot inwardly under gravity, allowing items of food to be introduced into or removed from the basket.

As the basket turns through one revolution, the closure flap pivots to a closed position to enable items of food to be tumbled from face-to-face within the basket without falling out, until the basket again reaches the orientation in which its opening is uppermost: the sequence is repeated over subsequent rotations of the basket, until it is desired to remove the items of food for consumption.

Preferably the basket comprises four walls and two opposite ends, one of the four walls having the opening formed in it and extending across more than half the width of that wall.

Preferably the four walls of the basket are formed of sheet metal mesh. The ends of the basket may also be formed of sheet metal mesh, or alternatively of metal sheet.

As embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of a barbecue assembly which includes a rotary basket for containing items of food to be grilled; FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the rotary basket; FIGURE 3 is a front view of the rotary basket; FIGURE 4 is an end view of the rotary basket; FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-section through the rotary basket; and FIGURE 6 consists of a sequence of cross-sectional views through the rotary basket at successive stages of rotation.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown an assembly which comprises a barbecue B supported on legs L, and a rotary basket 10 mounted over the barbecue B by means of supports S projecting upwardly from the barbecue at opposite sides thereof.

The rotary basket 10 is generally square in cross- section (its sides therefore being substantially equal) and elongate in form, with flat ends from the centres of which tubular shafts 12 project. The shafts 12 are engaged with the upright supports S of the barbecue in a manner permitting the basket lo to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the supports S. A handle (not shown) may be fitted to the outer end of one of the shafts 12, to enable the basket 10 to be turned manually: alternatively, an electric drive unit may be coupled to the outer end of one of the shafts 12, for turning the basket 10.

The basket 10 comprises two generally square, metal frame members 14 disposed at its opposite ends. The basket 10 further comprises a sheet of metal mesh which is folded to form a rear wall 15, a bottom wall 16, a front wall 17 and a top wall 18 which extends only partly towards the rear wall 15, leaving a rectangular opening 19 in the top of the basket. The sheet of metal mesh, which forms the walls 15 to 18, has its opposite end edges joined to the respective frame members 14.

The opposite ends of the basket 10 are closed by respective, generally square pieces e.g. 20 of sheet metal mesh as shown, or alternatively of sheet metal, fixed into the frame members 14. The shafts 12 are mounted to the end pieces 20 at their centres.

The basket 10 further comprises a rectangular panel 22 forming a closure flap for the opening 19 in its top. The flap 22 is hinged along its rear edge to the top edge of the rear wall 15 of the basket 10, and is able to pivot inwardly of the basket, but is prevented from pivoting outwardly of the basket because the flap 22 is wider than the opening 19 such that a margin of the flap 22, adjacent its free edge, will abut a margin of the top wall 18, adjacent its free edge.

In use, the basket 10 is turned to the orientation shown in Figures 1 to S. in which the top wall 18 and the opening 19 are uppermost: as shown, the flap 22 pivots inwardly under gravity, to allow items of food to be introduced into the basket through the opening 19. Figures 5 and 6 show the basket 10 in successive angular positions as it is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow A, namely in the direction such that the top rear edge of the rear wall 15 of the basket moves forwardly, then downwardly, then towards the rear, then upwardly, and so on. It will be noted that as the basket 19 turns through 90 from the initial position shown in Figure 5, the flap 22 closes under gravity and the items F of food (shown in the drawing, by way of example, as sausages), tumble from the bottom wall 16 and onto the front wall 17 (Figure 6a and 6b), as this becomes lowermost. As the basket 10 turns through a further 90 , from the position shown in Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 6c, the items of food tumble from the front wall 17 and onto the top wall 18 and flap 22, as these become lowermost, the opening 19 remaining closed by the flap 22. It will be appreciated that as the basket 10 turns through a further 90 , from the position shown in Figure 6c, the items of food tumble onto the rear wall 15 as this becomes lowermost: then as the basket 10 turns through a yet further 90 the items of food tumble onto the bottom wall 16 as this becomes lowermost, the basket 10 thus reaching the initial position shown in Figure 5; the flap 22 will open partially.

Thereafter, the above-described sequence will be repeated until the rotation of the basket 10 is stopped and the items of food removed through the opening 19.

It will be appreciated that the items of food within the basket 10 will be grilled by the heat generated below in the barbecue B: as the items of food are tumbled within the basket, they will be grilled over all of their surfaces in an effective and even manner. i

Claims

Claims 1. A rotary unit for a barbecue, the rotary unit comprising a

basket arranged for turning on an axis thereof, the basket having an interior space which is generally square in cross-section.
2. A rotary unit according to claim 1, where the basket accordingly comprises four flat, internal faces onto which the food items are tumbled in succession as the basket is rotated lo on its axis.
3. A rotary unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, where the basket is elongate in form.
4. A rotary unit according to any preceding claim, wherein shafts project from the opposite ends of the basket, for engaging in support structure to provide for rotation of the basket about its axis, along which the shafts extend.
5. A rotary unit according to any preceding claim, wherein a handle is provided for turning the basket manually, or a drive unit may be provided for powered rotation of the basket.
6. A rotary unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the basket is formed with an opening, for which a closure flap is provided.
7. A rotary unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the closure flap is mounted for pivoting inwardly of the basket, and is restrained from pivoting outwardly relative to the basket.
8. A rotary unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the basket comprises four walls and two opposite ends, one of the four walls having the opening formed in it and extending across more than half the width of that wall.
9. A rotary unit according to claim 8, wherein the four walls of the basket are formed of sheet metal mesh.
10. A rotary unit according to claim 9, wherein the ends of the basket are formed of sheet metal mesh, or of metal sheet.
11. A method of barbecuing a food item using a rotary unit l according to any preceding claim, wherein the basket is oriented so that its opening is uppermost causing the closure flap to pivot inwardly under gravity, introducing items of food into the basket, turning the basket through one or more revolutions, wherein the closure flap pivots to a closed position to enable items of food to be tumbled from face-to- face within the basket without falling out, until the basket again reaches the orientation in which its opening is uppermost and removing the food from the basket for consumption.
12. A rotary unit as substantially described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.
13. A method of barbecuing a food item as substantially described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.