GB2249716A - Roasting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A roasting apparatus (10) having a central gas burner (11) around which a plurality of rotatable members (12) are arranged in a circle. Items of food may be skewered on the rotatable members (12) for cooking. Each rotatable member (12) is detachably insertable in a coupling (13) which is driven by an electric motor (16) via a drive train (18, 15, 14). Each coupling (13) is spring biassed so that when its respective rotatable member (12) is not inserted therein it moves upwards out of drive engagement with the drive train. Heat reflectors (22) are positioned radially outside the rotatable members (12) in order to reflect heat back onto the rotatable members (12). <IMAGE>

Description

ROASTING APPARATUS THIS INVENTION relates to roasting apparatus suitable, for example, for roasting meat at outdoor barbecues and the like.

According to the present invention roasting apparatus comprises a heat source; a plurality of rotatable members for supporting items of food, the rotatable members being disposed adjacent to the heat source; and means for rotating the rotatable members; characterised in that the rotation means includes a drive motor, a plurality of rotatable shafts connected thereto and to each of which a respect one of the rotatable members is detachably connectable.

In this way, an item of food, such as a piece of meat may be placed on each rotatable member, thereby permitting a number of items of food to be roasted simultaneously. Also, because of the rotation of the rotatable members, the items of food are uniformly roasted.

Preferably, the roasting apparatus further comprises a plurality of rotatable output couplings to each of which a respective one of the rotatable members is detachably connectable, and each connectable to a respective one of the drive shafts. Also, each drive coupling is preferably biassed to be disengaged from the drive motor but movable, under the weight of the respective rotatable member when connected to the respective output coupling, into engagement with the drive motor to drive the output coupling and its rotatable member.

Preferably, the roasting apparatus further comprises a housing within which the rotation means is located and on top of which the heat source and rotatable members are mounted. This protects the rotation means from being excessively heated by the heat source and from becoming dirty in use. Also, as the rotation means includes a number of moving parts, the housing protects the user from becoming entangled in the rotation means. Preferably, the top surface of the housing is profiled to collect liquid such as melted fat which will drip off food being roasted on the rotatable members. This fat may be channelled to a collection device thereby keeping clean the housing underneath the rotatable members.

In use, a rotatable member may be removed from the apparatus and an item of food placed thereon. The rotatable member with the food is then reconnected to its respective output coupling to commence roasting of the item of food. This facilitates a continuous roasting operation in which rotatable members with fresh uncooked food may be attached continuously, and rotatable members with fully cooked food removed continuously, instead of the apparatus being operated in a batch mode type of operation.

The heat source may be a substantially point source of heat radiation with the rotatable members arranged in one or more circles around the heat source, or alternatively the heat source may be linear with the rotatable members arranged in one or more rows running substantially parallel to the heat source.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the roasting apparatus; Fig. 2 illustrates a control panel for the apparatus; and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

The apparatus comprises a housing 10 which, in this example, is circular in plan, on top of which is mounted a central gas burner 11 acting as a heat source. The gas burner 11 presents four burner faces lia each of which serves as a point source of radiated heat and has positioned therearound, in a circle, a plurality of rotatable members 12 which are removably insertable into respective output couplings 13.

Each output coupling 13 is mounted on top of a shaft 14 which has rigidly fixed thereto a gear 15. An electric motor 16 rotatably drives a central shaft 17 on which is mounted a central main gear 18. In this way, the electric motor 16 serves to transmit rotation to each output coupling 13 and to the rotatable member 12 when inserted therein, via a drive path comprising the shaft 17, central gear 18, gear 15 and shaft 14.

Each shaft 14 is supported at its base in a bearing 19 and has at its upper end of socket 20 which drivingly engages output coupling 13. A spring 21 supports the coupling 13 out of drive engagement when the respective rotatable member 12 is detached and/or supports no food to be roasted.

When the rotatable member 12 is loaded and inserted in the output coupling 13, the weight of the rotatable member 12 is such as to overcome the biasing effect of spring 21 and thereby the coupling 13 is depressed downwardly into engagement with the socket 20. Thus, the output coupling 13 and rotatable member 12 start to rotate. This position is illustrated in Fig. 1.

A plurality of individual heat reflectors 22 are removably positioned in a circle outside and concentric with the circle of rotatable members 12 in order to reflect back onto the latter radiant heat from the heat source 11.

Each rotatable member 12 is provided with a pair of spikes 23 and at its base with an annular draining collar 24 whose periphery overhangs an annular drain channel 25 which will collect melted fat or other liquid which drips from the food during roasting.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that two fat-collecting trays 26 are located one between each pair of adjacent roasting stations and communicating via channels 27 with two adjacent ones of the annular channels 25. The trays 26 are located beneath the roasting surface and are removable radially from the housing 10 for emptying and cleaning. Thus melted fat produced at each roasting station is conducted away for disposal.

Fig. 2 illustrates the face of a control panel 28 one part 29 of which provides a timer 30 and ON/OFF switch 31, both for motor 16, whilst another part 32 provides a bank of four switches 33 one for each separate face ila of gas burner 11, switches 34 for controlling the level of heat output, and a switch 35 to provide a selection of overall heat intensity.

The housing preferably includes means for connection of the gas burners to a pressurised gas source and for connection of the motor to a source of electrical power.

In place of the gas burners, the heat source may be in the form of one or more electrical elements or oil burners.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only. For example, the heat source may be linear with the rotatable members arranged in one or more rows running substantially parallel to the heat source.

Preferably, the entire apparatus is lightweight and portable so that it may be easily transported. Alternatively, it may be mounted on a wheeled trolley having ancillary shelving or support means for a gas bottle and other equipment.

Claims (12)

1. Roasting apparatus comprising a heat source; a plurality of rotatable members for supporting items of food, the rotatable members being disposed adjacent to the heat source; and means for rotating the rotatable members; characterised in that the rotation means includes a drive motor, a plurality of rotatable shafts connected thereto and to each of which a respective one of the rotatable member is detachably connectable.

2. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the rotation means further includes a plurality of rotatable output couplings to each of which a respective one of the rotatable members is detachable connectable, and each connectable to a respective one of the drive shafts.

3. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein each drive coupling is biased to be disengaged from its respective drive shaft but movable under the weight of the respective rotatable member, when connected to the respective output coupling, into engagement with the drive shaft to drive the output coupling and its rotatable member.

4. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the rotation means further comprises a plurality of drive trains each for driving a respective one of the output couplings.

5. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the drive trains are in permanent engagement with the drive motor.

6. Roasting apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a housing within which the rotation means is located and on top of which the heat source and rotatable members are mounted.

7. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the top surface of the housing is profiled to collect liquid which drips off food being roasted on the rotatable members.

8. Roasting apparatus according to Claim 7, including one or more removable collection trays connected by channels to the profiled housing top surface thus to receive said liquid for disposal.

9. Roasting apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of removable heat reflectors positioned to reflect heat radiation from the heat source back towards the rotatable members.

10. Roasting apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heat source is a substantially point source of heat radiation with the rotatable members arranged in one or more circles around the heat source.

11. Roasting apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the heat source is linear and the rotatable members are arranged in one or more rows running substantially parallel to the heat source.

12. Roasting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.