US2431753A - Combustion tube heater for cooking containers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2,

1947. F. w. HOLDERLE El AL COMBUSTION TUBE HEATER FOR CO OKING CONTAINERS Filed April 16, 1945 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTORS Dec. 2, 1947. F. w. HOLDERLE ET AL 2,431,753

I COMBUSTION TUBE HEATER FOR COOKING CONTAINERS Filed April 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Mair I Patented Dec. 2, 1947 STATES PATENT OFFICE =COMBUSTION TUBE HEATER FOR COOKING CONTAINERS Frederick W. Holderle and Carl L. Holderle, Rochester, N. Y.

Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588,680

'11 Claims. 1

"This invention relates to a'cookingapparatus,

with particular reference to the type ofconstruction employed for frying doughnuts, potatoes, and the like, including a containerfor a liquid cooking medium such'as'grease or oil in which for decreasing the relativeintensity of the heat below the heatingtubessoas toafford amuch cooler body of'liquidc below the tubes, at the same time increasing the heating efficiency of the fuel by diverting .a maximum amount of heat upwardly into contact with the top walls of the heating tubes, and permitting a minimum amount of heat to becarried off through the exhaust flue.

Still anothernbject of'theinvention is to afford a simple, practical, and economical construction that functions to cause cold air fromaround or below the burner totravelthrough the lower part of the heating tubenwhile the flame and products ofcombustion travel through the upper part of the tube, andare diverted toward the top wall of the tube as theytpass through to the exhaust fiue.

An additional purpose is to affordan improved form of heating tube whereby the area of heating surface at the top of the tube is increased in conjunction with means for diverting the hot products of combustion-toward the greater heating surface atthe top of the tube, as -.a consequence of which the increased heating surface acts to heat the cooking liquid to a maximum degree.

To these andother'ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will'appear clearly fro the following description when 'read'in'conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims followingthe specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view infront' elevation, partially in section, of a cooking apparatus constructed in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig.2 isaplan view;

"2 Fig. 3 is a verticalsectionahview'taken centrally of Fig. 1, withtparts in elevation;

Fig, 4 is a longitudinal'vertical sectional View taken centrally of one of the heating tubes;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken centrally of Fig.4, showing the partition in elevatic-n;

Fig. 6 is aview in front end elevation of the heating tube andlpartition illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and I Fig. '7 is a transverse'vertical sectionalview on line 'l"| of Fig, 4, looking in the direction indivcated.

Referring'more/particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer'to the same parts throughout the several views, I designates the main wall or casing of the cooking apparatus within which is supported a container or receptacle 2 for-thecooking liquid such as rease or oil, it being understood'ithat the articles to be cooked are submerged within the liquid in the container "2 while supported within a suitable basket which. constitutes nopart of the invention and is not shown.

The liqu dcontainer'ilis provided with inclined bottom walls 3Laffording a sediment chamber and terminating in anoutlet controlled by a suitable drain valve '4, while "5 designates heating tubes extending through thewalls of the liquid container 2 from front to back thereof and located somewhatvabove the bottom of the container 2 and below the normal level of liquid in the container, so that when the'articles to be cooked are positioned within the liquid in the container above the heating tubes "5, they'ca'n'be cooked quickly at a'temperature that is susceptible of close, accuratecontrol. The heating tubes at their rear ends connect with an exhaust flue B through which the smokeand'burned products are carried off.

Heat is supplied-to'the'heating tubes by' means of conventional gas burners I, as usual in this type of construction, the burners I being supplied with gas through connections'from a' gas supply pipe 8, to which gasis fed from an inlet pipe 9, after passing through "a temperature controlled valve Ill. The valve! isgoverned bya thermostat Il suitably mounted within thecontainer 2 and preferably located parallel to the heating tubes in slightly spaced relation thereto and on a level with or slightly'below the top walls of the heating tubes so that as the temperature of the cooking liquid rises or falls, it closes or opens the valve I0 respectively, to control the'supply of gas to'the burners,=the 'flames ofwhich'are directed into the heating tubes. The thermostatic valve H! can be set to any desired temperature and will maintain the temperature of the cooking liquid very nearly constant with but slight variations owing to the heating efliciency and extreme sensitivity of the heating tubes, as will be described presently.

Each heating tube is constructed as shown in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, and since they are identical, it will be necesary to describe in detail only one of them. In order to increase the efliciency and heating surface of the tube and to increase the relative intensity of the heat generated in the liquid above the tube while maintaining a relatively cooler area in the liquid below, each tube is provided in its top wall with transverse corrugations l2, see Figs. 4 and 7, the top surface of each corrugation being convexly curved transversely, as shown in Fig. '7, so that any particles of food matter falling thereon will not be held but will readily fall off and be carried downwardly into the sediment chamber at the bottom of the container 2. The bottoms of the corrugations I2 are convexly curved to nearly the same extent as the outer periphery of the heating tube, thus avoiding any flat surfaces on which food particles might lodge and thereby reduce the heating efficiency of the apparatus.

In order to obtain a maximum effect from any given amount of heat generated by a burner, it is desirable to divert the flame and combustion products toward the top wall of the heating tube and the transverse corrugations l2, while causing the cold air around and below the burner to travel through the heating tube at the bottom thereof. In order to accomplish this, there is provided a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinall through the heating tube and dividing the tube into upper and lower chambers forming passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel.

In the construction shown, the partition is designated at IS with its front end resting at points near the bottom of the heating tube, and its rear end slightly elevated to give an upward inclination to the partition from front to rear. This is accomplished by providing the rear end of the partition with a depending supporting wall M, the bottom edge of which conforms to and rests on the bottom of the heating tube, while I 5 is a central opening in the wall through which the cold air passes outwardly to the flue.

The front end of the partition 13 has side portions [6 that engage and rest on the adjacent surface of the heating tube, while the central portion of the partition is curved upwardly as shown at IT, to afford an enlarged throat providing a cold air inlet which facilitates entrance of cold air to the passage underneath the partition, whence it moves rearwardly and through opening l5, while the flame, hot gases, and combustion products travel rearwardly above the partition l3 and are diverted toward the top of the heating tube into contact with the corrugated portions and the portions of the top wall of the tube between the corrugations l2.

In order to insure entrance of the gas flame and hot products above the partition l3, and entrance of cold air beneath the partition, each burner 1 is arranged slightly above the top of the throat H, or above the front end of the partition H, as shown in Fig. 4. It is desirable to retard travel of the hot products of combustion through the heating tubes so as to obtain a maximum heating effect on the top wall of the heating tube,

and to attain this end, the partition I3 is provided with bafiles or deflectors spaced endwise from each other and preferably inclined upwardly, as shown at [8, I9 and 20. These bafiies may consist of metal plates bent to the desired shape to afford base portions welded or otherwise attached to the partition, the baffles extending laterally across the partition and approximately as wide as the Partition, as indicated at Fig. 5.

The battle l9 preferably extends a somewhat greater distance from the partition than baflle I8 in order to divert a maximum volume of the combustion products upwardly at the center of the heating tube while the slightly reduced height of the first baffle l8 permits the flame of the burner to project well into the tube and toward the top wall thereof, The partition l3 with its baffles may rest loosely in the heating tube or may be fastened therein if preferred, and has outwardly curving side edges as shown in Fig. 5 so that when positioned in the heating tube in the desired upwardly inclined position, the side edges of the partition engage and are in substantial contact with the adjacent surfaces of the heating tube, so that there is no space or opening between the edges of the partition and the adjacent surfaces of the heating tube, and the upper chamber is effectively separated from the lower chamber.

In operation, the jet of flame from the gas burner enters the front end of the heating tube and is diverted upwardly over the first baffle [8 toward the top wall of the heating tube and corrugations l2, while the cold air from around and under the burner enters under the throat H. The hot products of combustion passing over baflie 58 are diverted further upwardly into contact with the top wall of the heating tube and against the transverse corrugations i2 by the intermediate bafiie I9, and continue on over baffle 253 and outwardly to the exhaust flue 6, all the hot products of combustion traveling from the front end of the heating tube to the rear end thereof through the passage above the partition, while any cold air passes under the throat I1 and travels rearwardly through the passage beneath the partition, thence through opening I5 in the supporting wall M at the back end of the partition and to the flue outlet.

With this arrangement, the cooking liquid above the heating tubes is kept intensely hot while the liquid below the heating tube is relatively cooler and particles of food falling into the sediment zone will not be burned but can be drawn off through the discharge outlet at suitable intervals. With the construction described, considerably greater heating efficiency is obtained because less heat is permitted to pass to the exhaust flue 6 and more heat is diverted to the top wall of the heating tube. As a result of this arrangement and the corrugations 12, the cooking liquid is heated from a cold temperature to the required cooking temperature in much less time than with prior structures for the same purpose. The structure permits closer and more accurate control and enables a more nearly constant cooking temperature, due to the fact that the thermostat is located in the portion of the cooking liquid adjacent to the top walls of the heating tubes where the heat is most intense, whereas the cooking liquid below the cooking tubes is relatively cooler. The temperature changes Where the thermostat is located are quicker than with prior structures, consequently there is less lag between the opening and closing operations of the controlling valve, and the tem-- eaten- :perature of the liquid-:can be-maintairred-more mea'rly constant for :any given settingofithetheramostati'c valve.

while the'iinvention rhas' been ldescribed with srelation' to a particular embodiment; it is 'not re- :zstricted to ithe details shown, and 'thisapplica 7 tion isiintended to cover su'ch changes unmodifications as may :come "within the purposes of the improvement. or the so one ofthe "following: claims.

a1=cooking .:apparatus, (the scom'bina'tion with a :container :for a liquid hooking nne'dium, sand "a .heating ltube :exten'ding horizontally lthroughfsaid containerlatafpoint above'lthe:bot- :tom of the: container :and'zbelowithe normalilliq- --uid."1evel therein, for .a generally horizontal pa'rdition extending longitudinally through-the heatiingitube with its side edges'substantially in coniitact withthe side walls of the tube affording upjpfi l' and ilower passages through which -'-the comllbustioniproducts and cold air respectively travel, and a burner in frOnt of -the heating tube loc'cated above the front end'of-the partition.

l2; Ina'eooking'apparatus, the ccrnbination with a container for a liquid cookin'g'mediu'm, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at:avpoint above' the bottom of the container an'd below the normal liquid level therein, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the '*heating tube with -.-.curved* side edges substantially incontact with the side walls of the tube, :said partition being inclined upwardly from a point near the bottom of the tube atits forward end toward the rear end thereof affording upper and lower pas- -.sages:through whichthe combustion products-land 'c0ldai1"respectively travel, anda burnerlini f-ront 'of"the'heating tube located above the frohtend tof the partition.

3. In a cooking apparatus; the combination with -a'container fora liquid eooking:medium,.and a heating tube" extendinghorizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, of a generally horizontal-partition extending longitudinally-through the'heating tube with its side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, a plurality of baffies extending upwardly from the partition toward the top of the heating tube, said baffles being spaced from the top of the tube and from each other, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of said parti' tion.

4. In a cooking apparatus, the combination with a container for a liquid cooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tube with curved side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube, said partition being inclined upwardly from a point near the bottom of the tube at its forward end toward the rear end thereof affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, a plurality of bafiies extending upwardly from the partition toward the top of the heating tube, said baffles being spaced from the top of the tube and from each other, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of said partition.

26 5. Ina'cookingaapparatus,"the comblnation with a cont-ainer for' a liquid cooking medium,.iand 5a heating -tu-be extending "horizontally' through:.said 'container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level there- -in, of=a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the :heating tube with curved side :edges substantially .in contact-with the "side'- walls or: the tube, said partition being inclined upwar'dly' from a point near 'the .bottom :of-flthe? tubeiat its forward end toward .the mean end ithereofiiafiording upper and lower. pass ages through which: the combustion "products -and".coldiair respectivelyltravel, the forward'en'd of saidi partition having .a centrallyzarrangdaupiwardlyzcurved throatiforming a-cold' air .inlet, ta plurality :ofxbaffies extending upwardly-fromathe rpartition-towardithe top of the'heating tube; said ,zbafilessheingsspaced from the top of the tube and from eachzother, r and a" burner in front 'of 'the :rh'eatin'g tube located above "said throat 'in the f'iflul'llffel'l dof saidpartition.

=-"6.TrIn:,-a cooking apparatus, the combination "with-acontainer for a. liquidcooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through =said containeratarpoint above the bottom of the icontainer, and below: the normal liquidlevel there- :in, r=.of a generally :horizontal partition extending elon'gitudinally through the heating tube with curvedssideedges substantially in contact with :the :"sidewalls of .the' tube, said partition':having lLits-forwardxend in close proximity to :the bottom -ofthe}heating tube'and its reartend spaced .:a greater "distance above the bottom of..the tube, 'the forwardiend of said partition having a. centrally arranged upwardly curved throat forming a'i coldaair: inlet and the rear end of the partition rha-ving a; depending supporting wall with an opening therein affording a cold air'outlet;a'plura1ity of rearwardly' inclined baffles. extending upwardly *from thepartitionxtowardzthe top of the heating tube; said bafiles being spaced from the top of the :tube andifromteach other, and a burner .in front rofthe heating tube'xlocated above said throattin thefront e'nd'of saidpartition.

-7.:rIn';a cooking :apparatus, the combination with a container for aliquid cooking medium an'd a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, said heating tube having a series of transverse corrugations in its top wall, the outer surfaces of said corrugations being convexly curved transversely, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tube with its side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of the partition.

8. In a cooking apparatus, the combination with a container for a liquid cooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, said heating tube having a series of transverse corrugations in its top wall, the outer surfaces of said corrugations being convexly curved transversely, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tube with its side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube, said partition being inclined upwardly from a point near the bottom of the tube at its forward end toward the rear end thereof affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of the partition.

9. In a cooking apparatus, the combination with a container for a liquid cooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, said heating tube having a series of transverse corrugations in its top wall, the outer surfaces of said corrugations being convexly curved transversely, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tube with its side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, a plurality of bafiles extending upwardly from the partition toward the top of the heating tube, said bafiies being spaced from the top of the tube and from each other, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of the partition.

10. In a cooking apparatus, the combination with a container for a liquid cooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, said heating tube having a series of transverse corrugations in its top wall, the outer surfaces of said corrugations being convexly curved transversely, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tube with curved side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube, said partition being inclined upwardly from a point near the bottom of the tube at its forward end toward the rear end thereof affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, a plurality of baiiies extending upwardly from the partition toward the top of the heating tube, said baifles being spaced from the top of the tube and from each other, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above the front end of the partition.

11. In a cooking apparatus, the combination with a container for a liquid cooking medium, and a heating tube extending horizontally through said container at a point above the bottom of the container and below the normal liquid level therein, said heating tube having a series of transverse corrugations in its top wall, the outer surfaces of said corrugations being convexly curved transversely, of a generally horizontal partition extending longitudinally through the heating tub with curved side edges substantially in contact with the side walls of the tube, said partition being inclined upwardly from a point near the bottom of the tube at its forward end toward the rear end thereof affording upper and lower passages through which the combustion products and cold air respectively travel, a plurality of bafiles extending upwardly from the partition toward the top of the heating tube, said baffles being spaced from the top of the tube and from each other, the forward end of said partition having a centrally arranged upwardly curved throat forming a cold air inlet, and a burner in front of the heating tube located above said cold air inlet.

FREDERICK W. HOLDERLE. CARL L. HOLDERLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,315,853 Nordling et al Sept. 9, 1919 1,630,309 Pitman May 31, 1927 1,923,639 ODowd Aug. 22, 1933 1,931,120 Shroyer Oct. 17, 1933 1,991,788 Cartter Feb. 19, 1935 2,124,186 Childs July 19, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 655,948 Germany Jan. 26, 1938

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