NZ211622A - Portable barbecue/smoker/camp oven - Google Patents

Description

■211622 Patents Form no: 5 No: 211622 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 Dated: 28 March 1985 > COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "PORTABLE COOKER" I, KENNETH NORTON INGLIS of 26 Momorangi Crescent, Redwood, Christchurch 5 New Zealand a New Zealand citizen hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 2\\622 The present invention relates to a portable cooker which can be used as a barbeque, a fish smoker, or a camp oven.

Portable barbeques, smokers, or camp ovens are well known, but in general are designed to serve a single function only, so that three bulky and heavy items are required to serve all three functions:- this often is a major inconvenience; when caravaning or camping, when space is at a premium. An object of the present invention is the.provision of a single item which can be quickly and easily adapted to form a barbeque or a fish smoker or a camp oven.

The present invention provides a cooker capable of being used as a barbeque, smoker or camp oven, said cooker comprising: two side walls joined to a rear wall to form a three-sided enclosure; means for removably supporting solid or perforated trays at a variety of selected .positions within said enclosure a flue for ducting exhaust gases from said enclosure; and one or more removable covers for covering the top and/or all or part of the front of the cooker.

Preferably air vent holes are formed along or adjacent the lower edges of the side walls, and exhaust vent holes are formed along or adjacent the upper edge of the rear wall.

Preferably also said flue is formed by the space.between a baffle plate substantially parallel to the rear wall, and the rear wall; said baffle plate extending the full width of the rear wall, from the level of the top of the rear wall to a point intermediate the mid-point of the rear wall and the lower edge of the rear wall. ' . • ■ By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail, with reference to the I y I accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a cooker in accordance with the present invention; Figs: 2-4 are longitudinal sections through the cooker of the present invention set up as a barbeque, a smoker, and a camp oven respectively.

Referring to the drawings a cooker 2 is made of a suitable metal (e.g. coated steel) except where specified and comprises two parallel, vertical side walls 3,4, joined to, or formed integrally with, a vertical rear wall 5 to form a three-sided enclosure. The lower edges of the side walls 3, 4, are secured together adjacent the front edges 6, 7, by a bar 8, and a rod 9 is secured between said front edges 6, 7 about half-way up the height of said side walls.

Air holes 10 are spaced along the lower edge of each side wall 3, 4. One of said holes, 10a, is larger than the remainder, and is large enough to accept a gas burner (not shown) mounted therein.

A baffle plate 11 is secured between the side walls 3, 4, about 1/5 of the length of said side walls away from the rear wall 5. The baffle plate 11 is about 2/3 the height of the (» L B & A rear wall 5 and extends from the. level of the tops of the side | ' rear ^crwalls 3, 4 in a plane parallel to the plane of the aide wall 5, o,qI to form a flue 11a between said plate 11 and wall 5.

A series of spaced vent holes 13 are formed along the top edge of the rear wall 5, and adjacent the top edge of that portion of the side walls 3, 4, lying between the baffle plate and the rear wall. i N ■7 PATENT OFF ICE The internal faces of the side walls 3, 4, are provided RECEIVED, 211622 with a series of pairs of parallel, spaced pegs 14, upon which shelves can rest,, as explained hereinafter. Said internal faces also are provided with a pair of parallel horizontal ledges 15, about half way down the height of each side wall. A. peg 16 is secured to the upper front corner of each side wall, the axis of each peg being perpendicular to the plane of the wall.

A cover 17 is L-shaped in cross-section and comprises a top portion 18 which is dimensioned to cover the-whole of the top of the cooker, and a front portion 19 which is dimensioned to cover the upper half of the front of the cooker, down to the rod 9. The portions 18 and 19 are formed integally, and are provided with edge flanges 20 which prevent the cover from being moved sideways relative to the cooker. A knob 21 of heat-insulated material (e.g. plastics or wood) is fitted to the centre front of the portion 19.

A front panel 22 comprises a flat portion 23 sized to cover the lower or upper half of the front of the cooker, edge flanges 24 to prevent sideways displacement, and a U-cross-section flange 25 formed along the upper edge of the flat portion 23, which is dimensioned so that the panel 22 can be pivotally hung from either the pegs 16 or the rod 9 by hooking; said flange 25 over . said pegs or rod.

The cooker is also provided with a selection of solid or perforated trays, as follows:- two flat plates 26, 27, an L-cross-section plate 28, and two wire racks 29. One of the flat plates 26, the L-cross-section plate 28, and the wire racks 29, all are dimensioned to be an easy sliding fit between the side walls 3, 4, resting on the pegs 14 or ledges 15 and extending from the baffle plate 11 nearly to the front edges of the side walls 3, 4. Said flat plate 26 is made of heavier-gauge sheet metal I 211622 than the other plates.

The remaining flat plate 27 is larger than the others, and is dimensioned to occupy the whole of the area between the side walls 3 and 4 and the rear wall 5 and to form a bottom surface for the cooker, resting on top of the bar 8, and the inturned margins 3a, 4a, 5a, of the lower edges of the walls 3, 4, and 5 respectively.

The above-described cooker is used as follows:- to form a barbeque, (Fig 2) the heave-gauge plate 26 is supported on the lowest set of pins 14, and one of the wire racks 29 is pfa-fe supported above said tray, on the ledges 15 or on one of the upper sets of pins 14. The top of the cooker is left uncovered. Fuel (e.g. charcoal) is burned on the plate 26, and food to be cooked is supported on the wire rack 29. Alternatively, the plate 26 may be removed and fuel burnt on the ground below the cooker, with food to be cooked supported by the wire rack or on the heavy-gauge plate 26. In this case the bottom plate 27 must be removed.

To form a smoker (Fig. 3) the bottom plate 27 is inserted, and the L-cross-section plate 28 is supported on the lowest set of pegs 14. The height of the upturned flap 28a of the 'L' is such that in this position, the flat 28a shuts offs the flue 11a. The two wire racks 29 are supported on the two uppermost sets of pegs 14, and food to be smoked is placed on these racks. The cover 17 is positioned to cover the top of the cooker and y&M the upper half of the front of the cooker, and the front panel ^ I I 22 is supported on the rod 9 to cover the lower half of the I Q o !> >J front of the cooker.

K) I ail ujl Fuel (e.g. methylated spirits) is placed on the bottom <r i plate 27 in containers 31 and sawdust is sprinkled on the L- 211622 cross-section plate 28. The fuel is then ignited to smoke the food. Air is supplied to the fuel through the holes 10, and exhaust gases pass up the flue 11a and out of the holes 13.

To form a camp oven (Fig.4) the bottom plate is removed, the heavy-gauge plate 26 is supported on the ledges 15, and food to be cooked is placed on one of the wire racks 29 supported on one of the upper sets of pegs 14. The cover 17 is placed on the cooker with the top portion 18 covering the top of the cooker but with the front portion 19 covering the top of the rear wall 5, blocking the vent holes 13. The front panel 22 is supported on the pegs 16 to cover the upper part of the front of the cooker. The oven is then placed over a suitable fire (e.g. hot embers) built on the ground. Air is supplied to the fuel . through the front of the cooker and the holes 10, and exhaust gases pass up the flue 11a and out of the holes 13 in the side walls 3 arid 4.

It will be appreciated that, in all of the above-described, embodiments, the positions of the trays and racks may be varied to suit particular requirements.

In all cases, a gas-burner may be inserted through the hole 10a in the side wall to provide an alternative fuel source.

The cooker may also be provided with a metal jug for heating water (not illustrated) which is dimensioned to fit within the flue 11a and is supported there by a handle which hooks over one of the side walls of the cooker.

The cooker is provided with handles 32 for transporting it.

Claims (8)

211622 WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A cooker capable of being used as a barbeque, smoker or camp oven, said cooker comprising: two side wall's joined to a rear wall to form a three-sided enclosure; means for removably supporting solid or perforated trays at a variety of selected positions within said enclosure; a flue for ducting exhaust gases from said enclosure; and one or more removable covers for covering the top and/or all or part of the front of the cooker.

2. A cooker as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising air vent holes formed along or adjacent the lower edges of the side walls.

3. A cooker as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 further comprising exhaust vent holes formed along or adjacent the upper edge of the rear wall.

4. A cooker as claimed in any one of Claims 1-3 wherein said flue is formed by the space between a baffle plate substantially parallel to the rear wall, and the rear wall; said baffle plate extending the full width of the rear wall, from the level of the top of the rear wall to a -point intermediate the mid-point of the rear wall and the lower edge of the rear wall.

5. A cooker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one of said trays is L-shaped in cross-section and is dimensioned such that when said tray is supported upon one of the supporting means, the upturned flap of the 'L' closes off/ access from the enclosure to the flue.

6. A cooker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 211622 wherein said removable covers comprise: a first cover dimensioned to cover the top and the upper half of the front of the cooker; and a second cover dimensioned to cover the lower or upper half of the" f?ront of the cooker.

7. A cooker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising an access hole in one of the side walls, said hole being dimensioned to permit a gas burner to be mounted in the bottom of the enclosure.

8. A cooker capable of being used as a barbeque, smoker, overi or camp ever, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. KENNETH NORTON INGLIS by his authorised agents P.L. BERRY & ASSOCIATES p®r: K- a-