IL36490A - Cooking utensil - Google Patents

Description

Cooking uteneil JOHN MADISOKT HARRIS C: 34746 It is well known in the art that some fried foods, and particularly eggs, are difficult to turn for frying on both sides without damaging the structure or appearance of the food. A frying egg is normally turned over by physically lifting the egg from the frying pan or grill and then redepositing the egg in or on the same frying pan or grill on its other side. Only a small percentage of cooks are capable of turning an egg without breaking the yolk of the egg- Various efforts have been made- to construct a cooking out utensil wherein eggs can be fried with/breaking the yolk of the egg. However, to the best of my knowledge, no practical utensil has been previously provided which permits frying of an egg on both sides without turning the egg. A prior art patent involving turning the egg is Unites States Patent 3, 25,34-0, COOKING UTENSIL by Joel S. Price.

This invention involves a cooking utensil for use with a heated surface such as a grill or skillet. The utensil is basically comprised of a lid type cover with an attached reservoir for containing liquid such as water. A valve is provided therein to permit the flow of said liquid into the area enclosed by said cover.

An object of the invention is to eliminate the turning of fried foods being cooked whereby damage to the appearance or edibility of the food will be eliminated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooking utensil whereby eggs may be fried by unskilled cooks without breaking the yolks of said eggs.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cooking utensil which is practical and economically constructed.

An advantage of this invention over the prior art is that the time required to cook a fried egg on both sides is reduced since turnover of the egg is unnecessary.

Other o j ects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention which has been placed in a skillet.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

^Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to figures 1 and 2, reference character 4 denote a skillet-in which the cooking utensil 5 has been placed. Cooking utensil 3 basically comprises a cover 10 having flange 11 extending downwardly from the periphery thereof on one side, and a knob or handle 2 projecting from cover 10 on said other side It will be understood that cover 10 and knob 2 may be of formed -oft- any desired material, such as sheet metal, aluminum, fecial glasses or plastics, which will withstand the application of heat when food is being cooked therein. It may also be noted that cover 10 and knob 2 may be formed of substantially one piece of material shaped into the confi-guration shown in the drawing, but will more normally be two separate items joined by fasteners. Gover 10 may be of any size but for practical purposes its diameter will be of sufficient size to encompass one or eggs. Reservoir 16 t will depend on the size of cover 10 bu normally will have a capacity of approximately one ounce. ' Knob 2, rigidly secured to cover 10 by two screws 14, consists of conically tapered sides 12 tapered dovmwardly to its substantially circular base 13, a reservoir 16 is an annular recess within said knob or handle 2 and valve means 23 which is positioned within said reservoir 16 by guide means 26. Guide means 26 comprises a flange means 28 which extend downwardly and are secured to walls of said reservoir 16 by an interference fit. Valve means 23 comprises a regular needle valve having a valve seat 20 which seats the coni- _ cal mating part 22. Gone 22 has permanently connected valve stem 24- which has a diameter smaller than the maximum dia- 25 meter of said cone 22 and is guided by guide means -Se- hich is a hole in guide member 26. The diameter of said hole 25 being of sufficient size to permit free vertical movement of valve stem 24· but yet preventing a sloppy fit and permitting cone 22 to act as a limit to the vertical movement. Spring means 30 of sufficient strength to return said valve member 22 from its open position to its mating valve seat 20 but yet not too strong to overcome the friction fit of guide member 26 also retains the valve in a closed position during normal cooking. It will also be observed that if valve members 22 and 24 are made from heavy material the weight of said members 22 and 24 will also reseat valve member 22 to valve seat 20 if normal gravity is present* Valve stem 24 is extended above knob 2 enough to enable a person to open valve means 23 by lifting valve stem . 24 with his fingers. i Passage means 18 consists of matching a hole in the bottom of said reservoir 16 which extends through its base 13 to a hole in the center cover 10. The periphery of the top part of passage means 18, which is the hole through' base 13> forms valve seat 20.

In use of the cooking utensil 3, let it be assumed that another cooking utensil such as a skillet containing greas or cooking oil is placed over a heat source. The utensil 3 is particularly suited for the frying of eggs, so let it be further assumed that an egg 8 has been placed in skillet 4- and is in the process of being cooked on the side facing heated surface 6. Immediately after egg 8 starts to cook on this one side cooking utensil 3» with reservoir 16 previously filled with water from any water source such as a faucet, is placed over egg 8. Valve 23 is opened to permit water to flow from reservoir 16 through passage 18 onto the heated surface 6. It is to be noted that deflection means 15 attached to the enclosed area of cover 10 can be utilized to prevent water from flowing directly on the egg, however this is not necessary. As the water contacts heated surface 6 steam immediately forms and begins to cook the side of egg 8 facing cover 10. Water droplets causee grease splatter which also aids in frying this side of egg 8. When the usual time has lapsed to cook egg 8 on the side facing surface 6 remove cooking utensil 3· The cook can now easily remove egg 8, which has been cooked on both sides, by use of the y usual egg turner or by simple- pouring egg 8 from skillet . From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel cooking utensil wherein food ""may be fried on both sides without having to be inverted.

The present cooking utensil is · particularly suited for frying eggs, whereby any unskilled cook can easily fry .an egg on both sides without breaking the yolk. Depending on the size of the heated surface such as a skillet and the diameter of the present utensil, an egg can be fried on a heated surface at the same time the adjacent heated surface is being utilized for cooking other foods. It is also apparent that foreign objects cannot fall or be blown onto the food being cooked under this cooking utensil. It will further be apparent that the present cooking utensil is practical and of economical construction.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts or elements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawing without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims : 36490/2 4

Claims (9)

1. A cooking utensil, comprisingJ a thin cover having lange aeana extending downwardly from the periphery thereof on one side for engagement with a heated surface, handle means projecting from said cover on said other side, said handle means including an open reservoir in the top thereof, passage means connecting said open reservoir to the one side of said cover within said flange means, manually operable valve means for controlling a flow of liquid from said reservoir through said passage means to the one side of said cover,

2. A combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the valve means includes means extending out of the reservoir and extending above the handle means for manually moving the valve means.

3» A combination as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the manually operable valve means includes a valve stem extending out of the reservoir and a valve cone fixed thereto, the valve stem being guided by guide means fixed relative to the thin cover to axially align the valve cone with the passage means.

4. A comT&natlon as claimed in Claim 2, wherein deflection means are attached to the cover to direct a flow of liquid from the passage means away from the area directly below the passage means. 36490/2

5. A combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a spring means retains the manually operaDie valve means in a closed position during the cooking process.

6. A combination as claimed in Claim 5» wherein the spring is located around the valve stem between the guide means and valve cone.

7. A combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein deflection means is attached to the cover to direct a flow of liquid from the passage means away from the area directly below the passage means.

8. k combination as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the open reservoir has a capacity of approximately 1 oz.

9. A combination substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the drawings. HE:CB