Patent Application
20060016348
The present invention relates to equipment for field feeding large numbers of people. Specifically, a griddle top is disclosed which can be used with any portable heat source to grill food.
In large scale field feeding applications, such as are found in the military or in emergency disaster feeding operations, it is necessary to establish a rapidly deployable cooking device. Usually these operations are carried out in locations where there are no permanent facilities, very few utilities and only a single fuel available such as diesel. Babington Enterprises, Inc. has made a number of devices useful for field feeding including a Tray Ration Heating System described more particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,071, a multi fuel powered burner for field cooking shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,233 and a portable field sanitation unit used for cleaning cooking utensils, described more particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,487. These facilities provide for broiling, baking and boiling liquids in a field environment. The powered multi fuel burner shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,233 generates heat from diesel fuel, or any other distillate fuel, which can be installed in U.S. Army M-59 field feeding cabinet or other cooking stove. Each of the foregoing Babington Enterprises, field feeding appliances utilize a common burner, also manufactured by Babington Enterprises, which has a variable firing rate and can use any distillate fuel.
The multi-fuel burner for field cooking supplies heat which can be used in various cooking applications. However, a satisfactory grilling application has not been heretofore developed. The powered multi-fuel burner puts out so much heat, in the nature of 60,000 BTU, at temperatures up to 2,000°, that any standard grill top surfaces would likely warp or fracture because of the intense heat which is localized at the top of the multi-fuel burner fire box.
The present invention provides a grilling appliance which is both portable, and which can sustain the high temperatures which are encountered using the empowered multi-fuel burner as a heat source. Additionally, the grilling appliance has a high heat recovery rate when cooking frozen foods.
A griddle top for a portable field feeding unit is provided having a cooking surface made from a high temperature material. A rectangular enclosure has a top surface which forms a cooking surface for the griddle. Heat from a portable heat source is directed along the underside of the top surface through an opening in the bottom of the rectangular enclosure. The side surfaces each have openings for discharging the heated air directed along the under side of the surface from the heat source. One edge of the top surface has a grease trough for accumulating grease which forms during cooking and discharging the grease trough an opening. A heat diverting mass is centrally located on the under side of the cooking surface. The diverting mass enhances the heat distribution across the under side of the cooking surface by keeping the temperature of the central portion of the cooking surface from rising significantly higher than the remaining portion of the cooking surface. The heat diverting mass also prevents warpage of the cooking surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a grease receptacle is located under the grease trough to catch the grease which forms during cooking. The grease trough is recessed with respect to the cooking surface and has a discharge opening where accumulating grease may flow. The receptacle supported beneath the grease trough may be a drawer which can be expeditiously emptied.
Referring now to the
A grease trough 26 is located at one edge of the cooking surface 18 and vertically recessed from cooking surface 18. During a cooking operation, grease accumulating along the surface of the cooking surface 18 may be pushed with a spatula or other cooking tool into the grease trough 26.
A discharge opening 27 is located at one end of trough 26 which permits the cooking grease to flow into a receptacle shown as drawer 28 supported below the grease trough 26. The drawer 28 may be emptied by pulling on the handle 29, which pulls the drawer horizontally from its' supported position under grease trough 26 permitting it to be emptied.
The griddle top in accordance with the preferred embodiment is made from a hastalloy steel, which has a high temperature resistant properties. The griddle top has a size and weight which permits it to be set up, used and stored by single individual. The griddle top has a high heat recovery when grilling large quantities of frozen food. The large heat mass of the steel rectangular enclosure and heat diverting mass maintains the temperature of the griddle top surface substantially constant under all cooking conditions.
The foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only the preferred embodiments of the invention in the context of a griddle top for portable field feeding, but, as mentioned above, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings and/or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses of the invention. Accordingly, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form or application disclosed herein. Also, it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments.
