GB2504201A

GB2504201A - Oven with support structure

Info

Publication number: GB2504201A
Application number: GB1309504.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Craig Nutter
Original assignee: ESSE ENGINEERING Ltd
Current assignee: ESSE ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date: 2012-05-28
Filing date: 2013-05-28
Publication date: 2014-01-22
Also published as: GB201309504D0; GB201209418D0

Abstract

An oven comprises a support structure 10 adapted to receive modular refractory elements (2 to 9) which form an interior of the oven. The invention further extends to an oven having replaceable refractory cooking cavity lining elements and optionally comprising a removable moulded cover 1. The refractory elements may be planar concrete fire bricks attached to the support dstructure by fixing means.

Description

This invention relates to an oven, particularly, but not limited to, a pizza oven for use outdoors.

Pizza ovens, particularly those for outdoor use, are characterised by the use of thick walls of a refractory brick material designed to store heat produced by a fire placed in a cavity of the pizza oven. Thus, a typical pizza oven would heat up as a result of a fire placed within the pizza oven cavity, store heat from the fire in the refractory brick and then cook food placed in the cavity afterwards by means of heat radiated back from the refractory bricks.

Typical pizza ovens are made with large moulded sections of refractory brick which are secured together. An alternative construction is to wet-lay refractory bricks in an oven shape with the typical oven cavity. The outer of the refractory bricks may be rendered or clad with stainless steel. Problems arise with prior art pizza ovens in that maintaining a weatherproof seal in the brickwork can be difficult, causing a lack of efficiency in the oven when it is in use.

It is an object of the present invention to address the above mentioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the

description which follows.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an oven incorporating a support structure adapted to receive modular refractory elements which form an interior of the oven.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an oven having replaceable refractory cooking cavity lining elements.

According to a third aspect of the present invention an oven comprises a removable moulded cover.

The following statements apply to any of the above aspects.

The support structure may be a metal support structure, which may comprise support elements for the refractory elements. The support elements may define a cavity. Each support element may be adapted to retain one or more of the refractory elements. The support elements may support said one or more refractory elements by fixing means, or may support by bearing against said one or more refractory elements. The refractory elements may be adapted to be supported on inner faces of the support elements. The refractory elements, when in position on the support structure, preferably define a cooking cavity of the oven.

The support structure may be adapted to support insulation material on outer faces of the support elements.

Insulation material may be provided on an outer surface of the support structure.

The oven may include a removable cover, which is preferably moulded from a concrete material, which may be glass reinforced concrete material. The removable cover may advantageously protect the support structure and any insulation attached thereto.

The refractory elements may be fire bricks, at least a majority of which may be planar in shape.

Advantageously, with the majority of the refractory elements being planar, they are easy to replace.

The refractory elements may include openings to receive fixings to allow securing to the support structure.

The refractory elements may form a modular cooking cavity liner. The cooking cavity may be formed by a plurality of the refractory elements interlocking or abutting with one another. The refractory elements may bear against each other to cause engagement of the refractory elements with the support structure.

The oven may include a cooking cavity door, which may open upwards in a translational motion. The door may advantageously provide a means of adjusting an air flow into the cooking cavity.

The invention extends to a kit of parts comprising a plurality of refractory elements, a support structure and a removable cover, as described above.

Traditional units of the prior art have a much higher thermal mass than ovens according to the aspects of the present invention. Consequently they perform differently. Although providing a long cooking time once up to temperature, they take much longer to heat up and require more fuel. An oven according to the aspects of the present invention provides the advantageous results that with less fuel and in less time the oven can be up to cooking temperature, as well as delivering the same results as the traditional design. Such advantageous benefits further provide improved suitability for domestic use.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a pizza oven; Figure 2a is a schematic perspective view of a cover of the pizza oven; Figures 2b to 2d are schematic side, top and front views respectively of the cover; Figure 3a is schematic perspective view of a metal support frame of the pizza oven; Figures 3b to 3d are side, top and front schematic front views respectively of the frame; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of fire bricks of the pizza oven secured in position on the frame; and Figures 4b and 4c are front and top views respectively of the fire bricks that secure to the frame.

As shown in an exploded format in Figure 1, a pizza oven comprises a steel brick support frame 10 that has refractory fire bricks 2 to 9 secured thereto with a cover I placed over the assembled frame and bricks 2 to 9 to provide some insulation and weather proofing.

Additional insulation (not shown) may be provided between the cover 1 and the frame 10.

Furthermore, a glass door 12 (see Figure 4b) closes a front opening cavity 22 formed by the bricks 2 to 9.

In more detail, the pizza oven cover 1 is made of a glass reinforced concrete and is made in a moulding operation. The cover has a domed top part 14, side walls 16a and 16b as well as opening 18/58 for a flue or chimney. A front opening 20 corresponds to the opening mentioned above of the refractory brick and brick support frame 10 which form the oven cavity 22.

The brick support frame 10 is made of steel and has side sections 30a and 30b for supporting side fire bricks 2, side roof supports 32a and 32b for supporting left and right top fire bricks 5 respectively. A front top support 34a is for supporting a top front fire brick 6a. A top rear support 34b is for supporting a top rear fire brick 6.

The top front support 34a may have a projection 36 for retaining front top outlet fire bricks 8 in position. A top support 38a extending laterally for a top fire brick 9 is provided, as is a top support 38b extending from front to back across the top fire brick 9.

There are also side supports 40a and 40b that extend along a lower level of side portions of the brick support frame 10. Furthermore, there is a rear support 42a that extends vertically along a rear of the brick support frame 10 and a rear horizontal support 42b that extends along a base section of the rear of the brick support frame 10.

In practice, pairs of the various fire bricks mentioned may be provided, for example two of the base fire bricks 4 are provided side by side as seen clearly in Figures 1 and 4a.

As shown in Figures 3a to 3d the various sections of the brick support frame 10 incorporate openings, typically in centre sections of those parts, which openings receive fastenings for securing the fire bricks 2 to 9 in position. In addition to this, the vertical support 30a and 30b and 42a as well as the lower support 40a, 42b and 40b may simply hold the bricks in position by the placement of the relevant bricks bearing against each other. Therefore the order of assembly is important to ensure the bricks brace against each other and the frame 10..

The fire bricks are secured in position by offering up the relevant fire bricks to the relevant sections of the support. For example, the side fire bricks 2 and the rear fire bricks 3 are pushed inside the brick support frame 10 into their relevant positions and are effectively held in position by each other. This can be seen in Figure 1 where notches 50 are present in the rear fire brick 3. When the rear fire brick 3 is slid into position in a vertical manner as shown in Figure ito stand in front of the vertical support 42a the notches 50 bear down on upper edges of the side fire bricks 2, as can be seen in Figure 4a.

Afterwards, the top left and right fire bricks 5 are secured to their relevant support parts 32a and 32b, as are the top front and rear fire bricks 6/6a to the supports 34a134b. Additionally, the top of the fire brick 9 is secured beneath the support sections 38a and 38b.

Front fire bricks 7 are laid over the top of the left and right side fire bricks 2, with the front top outlet fire bricks 8 being laid on top of the front fire bricks 7. In this way a subsidiary chamber is formed above the cooking cavity 22 for better control of exhaust gases to the flue opening 18.

The rear edge of the rear of the two front fire bricks 7 is placed behind the projecting tab 36 of the brick support frame 10 to hold the front fire bricks 7 and the front top outlet fire bricks 8 in position. After all of the fire bricks have been secured to the support frame 10 as described above the cover 1 can be placed on top.

As shown in Figure 4a grooves 52 are present in the left and right fire bricks 2. The grooves 52 are used to receive shelves for the pizza oven. The grooves are also used to receive a cooking shield, for example the shield may be a solid steel shelf which extends over a fire located in a base of the oven on the base fire bricks 4. The shield may provide better cooking conditions for pizzas and better distribution of heat within the pizza oven.

The door 12 may then be secured on hinges 54 secured to either the left fire brick 2 of a front left part of the pizza oven cover 1. A catch 56 of the door 12 allows for the door 12 to be secured in position.

The catch 56 allows the door to be latched in various positions allowing a different opening amount of space between the door 12 and the sides of the pizza oven. This allows variable amounts of air to enter the oven which can advantageously control the cooking conditions within the pizza oven.

An alternative arrangement of the hinges 54 for the door 12 is to have an up and over arrangement for the door 12 so that it can slide upwards out of the way to allow for greater access to the cooking cavity 22. Also, much greater control of airflow into the cooking cavity 22 is achieved with a door with such an arrangement.

Significant advantages are derived from the use of the flat brick sections described herein (except for the front top outlet bricks 8). The use of flat brick sections makes them easy and so less expensive to manufacture. Also, the use of a number of brick pieces which have been simply manufactured has advantages in that when a piece of the brick is damaged, it can siniply be replaced by removing the broken part and securing a new part to the brick support frame 10. Thus, the use of a modular combination of refractory brick sections and a frame has significant user advantages. Also, the beneficial use of flat brick sections allows the shelf grooves 52 to be cast into the brick sections 2, which reduces the amount of materials required, because otherwise additional elements for receiving shelf edges would be needed to support shelf edges within the oven cavity 22.

In addition, significant advantages are derived from the use of a cover section 1, particularly when made of glass reinforced concrete, because the cover section 1 can be removed to allow for replacement of the brick sections and also for cleaning along with the other maintenance.

The use of a moulded construction means that dyes can be mixed into the glass reinforced concrete during manufacture to obtain different colourings for different finishes to the cover 1.

A flue (not shown) can be placed in an opening 58 in the cover 1. The two front top outlet bricks 8 also define an opening between each other for the flue to pass between them to the cover 58. The flue may, for example, be a telescopic flue that can be adjusted by a user.

The oven may be assembled on a solid base, such as a brick or concrete pedestal.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

Claims 1. An oven comprising a support structure adapted to receive modular refractory elements which form an interior of the oven.
2. An oven comprising replaceable refractory cooking cavity lining elements.
3. An oven comprising a removable moulded cover.
4. A kit of parts comprising a plurality of refractory elements, a support structure and a removable cover.
5. An oven according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the oven comprises a support structure adapted to receive modular refractory elements.
6. An oven according to claim 1, or 3 to 5, wherein the refractory elements are replaceable.
7. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the support structure is a metal support structure, which comprises support elements for the refractory elements.
8. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the support elements support one or more refractory elements by fixing means, or support by bearing against one or more refractory elements.
9. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the refractory elements are adapted to be supported on inner faces of the support elements.
10. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the refractory elements, when in position on the support structure, preferably define a cooking cavity of the oven.
11. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the support structure is adapted to support insulation material on outer faces of the support elements.
12. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the oven includes a removable cover.
13. An oven according to claim 12, wherein the cover is moulded from a concrete material.
14. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the refractory elements are fire bricks.
15. An oven according to claim 14, wherein at least a majority of the fire bricks are planar in shape.
16. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the refractory elements include openings to receive fixings to allow securing to the support structure.
17. An oven according to claim 10, wherein the cooking cavity is formed by a plurality of the refractory elements interlocking or abutting with one another.
18. An oven according to any preceding claim, wherein the refractory elements bear against each other to cause engagement of the refractory elements with the support structure.