ZA200105332B - Grill. - Google Patents

Description

h x [3

GRILL

The invention relates to a grill, in particular a charcoal grill comprising a housing with lateral outer walls each preferably having an outwardly bowed region, a grill rack, a fat collecting pan arranged beneath the grill rack or a vertically extending projection of the area defined thereby and coal receptacles or baskets arranged laterally of the vertical projection thereof with, above the coal receptacles, pivotal wall portions of the lateral outer walls extending above the coal receptacles at an inclination to the grill rack, wherein sheet metal deflectors extend along the inclined wall portions inwardly thereof and spaced therefrom.

A corresponding charcoal grill is disclosed in DE 29715854 Ul. In that case, walls extend from the inclined housing walls in the interior of the housing, by which hot air guide ducts are formed, through which a substantial part of the air flowing through the coal receptacle and heated by the glowing charcoal is guided. The outer surface of the housing is thereby unavoidably heated to extent such that a danger of burning can arise.

Grills with receptacles for coal arranged laterally with respect to the grill are for example disclosed in US 3,743,838, WO87/05197, US 2,891,465 and DE19515080 Al.

Itis also known to provide a grill with an attachment which has a horizontally extending drive chain which can be driven by a drive motor. the drive chain meshing in turn with sprockets extending from grill spits (DE 29715564 U1). Similar attachments or rotating arrangements to be used for automatic rotation of goods to be grilled are disclosed in DE 23 7818174 Ul. DE 8817194 Ul. DE 2933603 Al or FR 27220966 Al.

The present invention is based on the problem of developing a grill, in particular a charcoal grill of the first-mentioned type, such that, while an optimum grilling result is obtained, the outer wall is prevented from being heated to an undesirable extent.

Simultaneously, the grill should be made constructionally simple, the coal receptacles being replenishable without difficulty.

According to the invention, the problem is solved essentially in that an air deflector hood comprising the sheet metal deflector extends around the coal receptacle and completely or almost completely shields the coal receptacle from at least the lateral outer wall. In that context, completely or almost completely signifies that the outer wall is sufficiently 3 shielded from the coal receptacle without the air deflector hood completely covering the coal receptacle relative to the outer wall portion of the grill in both the vertical and also the horizontal projections. The air deflector hood may therefore extend substantially only from the upper edge region of the coal receptacle towards the grill rack. Also, the air deflector hood comprises a first sheet metal deflector extending along the outer surface of the coal receptacle and beneath the coal receptacle and a second sheet metal deflector upwardly covering the coal receptacle and pivotable relative thereto, the second sheet metal deflector extending along the similarly pivotal wall portion extending at an inclination to the grill rack. The second sheet metal deflector can in turn be hinged to an intermediate wall having through openings or a frame thereof.

In particular, it is foreseen that the second sheet metal deflector, which extends from the coal receptacle or coal basket along the outer wall inclined relative to the grill rack can be made double-walled. Furthermore, the second sheet metal deflector can comprise two mutually parallel or substantially mutually parallel elements which preferably have a spacing between 5 to 15mm, in particular of about 10mm. By the corresponding duct, a rear ventilation or air circulation occurs which provides thermal insulation.

In addition. the outer wall can likewise be made double-walled from the height of the coal basket to the vertical or substantially vertically extending lower portion of the outer wall. in order to obtain additional insulation. By these measures together, and thus in particular by the sheet metql deflectors or coverings shielding the coal basket relative to the outer wall and the side wall portions and in particular by the double-walling which is provided, heating of the housing is reduced to such an extent that the risk of burning is prevented.

Thus, the housing of the charcoal grill is heated only to a maximum of about 50 to 60°C.

In contrast, the relevant charcoal grills according to the state of the art have housing outer temperatures up to 300°C.

J

<. 3.

The ducts and the double walls through which flow can occur produce a rear ventilation or the formation of a screen of air.

The double wall is made so that the metal sheets forming the double wall are spaced from one another and meet at the top. openings being provided in this region. An air flow thereby occurs within the double wall which likewise causes a cooling effect.

By the teachings according to the invention, the coal receptacle is shielded from the outer wall by the air deflector hood, and thus by the first and second sheet metql deflectors, so that, in distinction from the above-mentioned state of the art, air flowing through the coal receptacle does not pass directly onto the housing outer wall. The housing outer wall is therefore insulated, and consequently an undesired heating of the housing wall does not occur. In other words, the housing outer wall is made effectively double-walled in the region of the coal receptacle. Furthermore, the pivotable outer wall portion, through which a coal receptacle is accessible, has substantially only the function of covering and not of shielding.

Even although the coal receptacle is completely or substantially completely shielded from the outer wall, trouble-free replenishment of, in particular, charcoal into the coal receptacle is possible since the second sheet metql deflector extending above the coal receptacle is made pivotable and, in particular, is connected by a flexible element such as a chain with the pivotable portion of the side wall. When the wall, which is pivotable about an axis in the region of the grill rack and extends at an inclination to the grill rack. is raised. then due to the connection in the form of. preferably. a chain between the wall and the second sheet metql deflector, the latter is pivoted with it, with the consequence that the coal receptacle is accessible and can be replenished with coal.

The first sheet metql deflector, which extends along the outer wall region and preferably at least partly along the bottom region of the coal receptacle, produces a weli-directed supply of air through the coal receptacle while simultaneously shielding the hot air from the outer wall. In addition, the first sheet metql deflector can also extend at the front

. .

NEN » along the coal receptacle. Alternatively, the end surfaces of the coal receptacle can be covered by closed elements, such as sheet metal, extending therefrom.

According to the invention, a ventilation duct is formed between the sheet metal air deflector and the housing outer wall. To achieve an optimum chimney effect in the air flowing through the duct, the latter has a greater cross-section beneath and in the region of the coal receptacle than above the coal receptacle.

The second sheet metql deflector is made hood-shaped and is open towards the interior of the grill, so that hot air can flow in a well-directed manner to the grill rack.

Simultaneously, however, the side outer wall of the housing of the grill itself is protected both against hot air and also against heat radiated directly from the charcoal. Also, the end walls of the grill are screened on one hand by the side surfaces of the hood-shaped second sheet metql deflector and on the other hand by the covering of the end surfaces of the coal receptacles.

The intermediate wall itself preferably consists of or comprises sheet metal mesh. In this way it is ensured that sufficient hot air can flow to the grill rack without the danger arising that any sparks reach the substance to be grilled. The intermediate wall itself extends in the region of and at the height of the coal receptacle, each coal receptacle being associated with an intermediate wall so that the region beneath the grill rack is shielded from the coal receptacles. Itis also obviously possible to allow the intermediate wall to extend nearly or substantially nearly the entire height of the housing. Apart from this. the respective intermediate wall extends perpendicular to the plane defined by the grill rack.

According to a further inventive proposal of the invention, it is foreseen that an accessory can be provided which can be mounted in the grill rack or can replace the grill rack, the accessory having a chain which can be driven by a motor and which meshes with grill spits or parts such as sprockets, the chain being guided by guide rollers relative to mutually parallel longitudinal accessory walls. It is also foreseen that at least one of the

. ’

NE 5. mutually parallel side walls has at least one portion with a cut-out bent towards the other longitudinal side wall for supporting the chain. In particular, it is proposed that the inner longitudinal side wall has two portions which extend parallel to one another and parallel to the plane defined by the upper edge of the accessory and towards the other longitudinal side wall to form supports for the upper and lower portions of the chain. Also, the supports have a depth which is equal to or substantially equal to the spacing between these side walls.

By the teachings of the present invention. a secure guidance of the chain is produced by simple means.

Furthermore, at least the upper support can comprise mutually spaced portions. In the region in which the chain is unsupported, the pinions or sprockets extending from the spits engage the chain, so that a secure engagement is ensured.

At least one of the guide rollers is adjustable and thus fulfills the function of a chain tensioning element.

According to a further development, a shaft extends from one of the guide rollers or sprockets and can be driven by a motor which, in turn, has a housing with a projection at its accessory side. the projection engaging in a recess spaced from the upper edge of at least the outer side wall and serving as an abutment. A simple securement of the electric motor is thus possible. the housing of the motor being secured in the side wall while the chain is driven: the housing tends to rotate in the direction of rotation of the motor but. by engagement of the projection in the abutment, is prevented from further rotation. The desired securement is thus obtained.

Furthermore, it is possible to arrange a plurality of accessories under one another, the chains of each accessory being driven together by a single motor. For this purpose, it is only necessary for an electric motor to be fixed in one of the accessories and to have a drive shaft which not only drives the chain of the accessory from which the drive extends but also ensures driving of the other chains by an additional drive element such as a chain or belt extending outwardly along the accessory. It is thus also possible, without anything further, to arrange three accessories one above the other without needing to take into account disadvantages with respect to the grilling process itself.

Further details, advantages, and features of the invention are disclosed not only by the claims, and the features appearing individually and/or in combination therefrom, but also from the following description of the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a grill, partly broken-away,

Figure 2 shows a side view of a sheet metal deflector,

Figure 3 shows a detail illustration of a coal receptacle with a sheet metal deflector in side view,

Figure 4 shows the coal receptacle of Figure 3 in plan view,

Figure 5 shows a plan view of an attachment which can be mounted on the charcoal grill of Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows an inner view of a longitudinal side wall of the attachment of Figure 5. but without spits.

Figure 7 shows a side view of the attachment of Figure 5, but without spits,

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of an attachment and

Figure 9 shows a side view of the attachment of Figure 8.

In Figure 1, there is illustrated in side view a charcoal grill 10 which comprises a housing composed of end walls 12 and side walls 14, 16, with a bottom wall 20. The side walls 14, 16 have regions 22, 24 which bowed outwardly and which in section have a trapezoidal shape or a segmental circular shape. A portion 26, 28 of each side wall 22, 28. which extends at an inclination to the upper region of the side wall 12, is pivotable about hinges. In this embodiment, there is indicated a hinge 30. The portions 26, 28 are thereby pivotable about axis extending at an edge, facing the side wall, of a grill rack which can be arranged in a height adjustable manner in an upper region of the housing.

Coal receptacles 32 are arranged within the protrusions 22, 24, or in the region thereof for holding charcoal.

Beneath the outwardly extending regions 22, 24 which have a trapezoidal or segmental circular shape in cross-section, the side walls 14, 16 extend parallel to one another and vertically. The respective side wall portions have reference numerals 23, 25. In the bottom 20, there is provided an ash receptacle 27, which can be pulled out from the housing. Above the ash box 27 and extending parallel thereto, there is arranged a fat collection pan 26. To ensure that the ash falling out from the coal receptacle 32 arrives in the ash box 27, the inclined portions 31, 32, extending towards the bottom, of the downwardly projecting portions 22, 24 are extended inwardly by deflector portions 35, 37, such that the ends thereof extend above the ash box 27 but outwardly of the fat collection pan 29.

The fat reception pan 29 is sufficiently spaced from the deflector elements 35. 37. that it does not hinder raking of the ashes. It is thereby ensured that the ashes pass accurately into, and only into, the ash box 27 and the fat passes only into the fat reception pan 29.

The coal receptacle 32 is formed as a basket comprising bars which extend at right angles to one another and are welded together, which are indicated purely by way of example by reference numerals 34, 36. The basket 32 itself has a portion 38 at the bottom which is trapezoidally shaped in section and a portion 40 at the top which is rectangular in section. The basket 32 thus has outer limits 42, 44 which correspond approximately to

. J . . a. the shapes of the outer walls 46, 48 at the outwardly extending portions 22,24 of the side walls 14, 16. Two of the transverse bars 50, 52 of the basket 32 are formed as hooks, which can be suspended on a frame 58, 56 of an intermediate wall 58. The intermediate wall 58, 60 has through openings and advantageously comprises expanded metal mesh spread on the frame 54. 56. In this way. the coal basket 32 is shielded from the interior of the housing against flying sparks.

It is noted that a coal grate which is adjustable in height by slots 64 provided in the end wall 12 can be arranged in the upper region of the housing comprising the end walls 12 and the side walls 14, 16.

In order to ensure that the side walls 14 and 16 are not excessively heated, the coal basket 32 extending into the respective protrusion 22. 24 is shielded therefrom by sheet metal deflectors 66, 68. Thus, one of the sheet metal deflectors 66 extends above the coal basket 12 and is pivoted on the respective frame 54, 56. For this purpose, members 70 can project from the frames 54, 56, into which can be inserted projections on side walls 72 of the shield 66, which is designated the second sheet metal deflector. Conversely, pin-like projections can extend from the members 70, which engage in corresponding openings 74 in the members 72. The sheet metal deflector 66 is thus pivotable about an axis which extends parallel to the axis defined by the hinge 30. Furthermore, the sheet metal deflector 66 is connected by a chain 76 or a similarly acting element to the pivotable portion 26 of the side walls 14. 16. Therefore. when the pivotable portion 26 is raised. the sheet metal deflector 66 is pivoted with it. so that the coal basket 32 is freely accessible.

The side walls 72 of the sheet metal deflector 76 in the vicinity of the axis of pivotation have a cut-out 78 into which the intermediate wall 58, 60 or the frame 54, 56 extends.

As shown in the side view of Figure 2, the sheet metal deflector 66 has, in the longitudinal direction of the basket 32 and completely covering the top of the basket 32, a closed surface preferably in the form of a metal sheet 80, which is bent at its end. Thus,

. - . the housing end 82 is bent towards the coal basket 32 and the end 84 remote therefrom is bent towards the coal grating. By the closed end walls 72 and the closed surface 80, the coal basket 32 is more or less covered at the top by a hood, whereby air flowing through the coal basket 32 is deflected and guided in a well directed manner towards the coal grating without impinging the side wall 14 above the coal basket 32. i.e. in the vicinity of the pivotable portions 26, 28. The sheet metal deflector 66 can be supported in the vicinity of the bent longitudinal edge 8 on the coal basket 32 without additional fixing means being necessary.

By the further, second sheet metal deflector 68 extending along the coal basket, i.e. along the outer surfaces 72, 74 thereof, and partly along the underside thereof, there occurs a shielding from the further wall portions, located close to the bottom, of the regions 22, 24 of the side walls 14. 16, so that shielding is also provided in this region.

The sheet metal deflectors 66, 68 thus define a duct which is defined at the outer side by the parts of the protrusion 22 of the side wall 14. Since the duct is accessible at the bottom by an opening 86 which extends beneath the basket 32. the outer wall 22, 24 is thermally isolated by the duct. so that excessive heating is prevented. For producing an optimum chimney effect on the air flowing through the duct. the duct has a smaller cross- section beneath and in the vicinity of the coal receptacle 32 than above the latter.

Furthermore. an air circulation (arrow 83) extend along the coal basket is intentionally created which continues (arrow 85) along the surface of the second sheet metal deflector 66 facing the basket.

As the main illustration of Figure 1 shows, the end surfaces of the coal basket 32 are also closed. This can be effected by means of sheet metal elements 88, 90, which extend directly from the coal basket 32.

The heat shielding of the housing exterior relative to the glow of the charcoal in the coal basket 32 is additionally increased, on one hand, in particular by the pivotable sheet

C- -10- metal deflector 66, extending at the coal rack side, being made doubled-walled, and thus being formed of two sheet metal elements 67, 69 extending parallel to one another, which preferably have a spacing from one another of about 10mm. In this way, air can flow in the duct 79 formed between the metal sheets 67, 69, so that additional insulation is consequently produced. This duct 79 extending between the metal sheets 67, 69 is supplied with air flowing in the duct 77 (shown in broken lines in the left half of Figure 1, Figure 3) formed between the further sheet metal deflector 68 and the outer wall of the outwardly projecting portions 22, 24. Also, the region of the side walls 22, 24 in the vicinity of the coal baskets 32, and laterally of and underneath the baskets 32, can in addition be likewise made double-walled, as illustrated in the left-hand part of Figure 1.

In other words. the side walls 22, 24, in the regions of their middle, substantially vertically extending portions 73. 75 and also in the portions 31. 33 extending to the vertically extending bottom portions 23, 25, are made double-walled, whereby the spacing between the inner metal sheet 71 and the outer wall should amount to about 10mm. The intermediate space between the inner metal sheet 71 and the portion 31 of the outer wall 24 is open at the bottom and is closed at the top, except for air outlet openings 81.

By all these measures, it is ensured that the housing experiences a maximum heating of about 50 to 60°C. in contrast to which. according to the state of the technology. temperatures of the magnitude of 350°C are measured. which can lead to danger to persons using a grill. The pivotable wall portions 26. 28 or flaps perform essentially only a covering function.

With respect to the duct 77, which in the direction of flow leads to the duct 79 of the second pivotable sheet metal deflector 66, it is to be noted that the cross-section at the bottom should be greater than at the top.

In Figure 5 to 7, features of an accessory which can be releasibly mounted on the opening of the grill 10 or on the grill rack in order, in particular, to enable spits 160, 162 to be

®

Co S11- automatically rotated are illustrated. Also, a plurality of accessories 158 can be arranged one above the other. For simplicity, however, only the features of one of the accessories 158 are described below, since the other accessories exhibit basically the same constructions.

The accessory 158 has a rectangular frame 164 with a longitudinal double wall 166, 168, which defines a space 170 within which a preferably industrial chain 172 is guided over guide rollers such as sprockets 174, 176.

In the exemplary embodiment, a shaft 178 extends from the sprocket 176 and is held by an electric motor 180. The electric motor, which can be driven by battery, has in turn a housing 182 with a front portion 184 from which extends, in turn, a projection 186 which engages in a corresponding recess, such as the cut-out 188 of the outer side wall 168. The motor housing 182 is thereby secured against rotation so that consequently, the chain 172 can be sufficiently driven.

In Figure 6, there is shown the rear view of the inner longitudinal wall 166 of the double- wall. [t can be seen that the wall 166 has a plurality of rectangular cut-outs 190. 192 with edges 194. 196. 198. 100 which are bent towards the outer longitudinal wall 168 and which extend in common and preferably horizontally extending planes. The cut-outs 194. 196. 198. 100 form supports for the upper and lower portions 102. 104 of the chain 172. The depth of the bent cut-out portions 194. 196. 198. 100 is equal to the inner spacing between the longitudinal side walls 166. 168. so that a secure guidance for the chain 172 is ensured.

In the regions in which the chain 172 is unsupported, recesses 106, 108 are provided which extend from the upper edge of the longitudinal side wall 166 and in which the grill spits 160, 162 can be laid. Also, each grill spit 160, 162 has, fixed at its handle end, drive members such as sprockets 110, 118, which when the grill spits 160, 162 are arranged in hg * t ) S12- the recesses 106, 108 can mesh with the chain 172 so that the grill spits 160, 162 can be sufficiently rotated.

The transverse walls 114, 116 of the accessory 158 are higher than the longitudinal side walls 166 and have cut-outs 120. 122 at the upper edges 118 into which a rack can be inserted.

If more that one accessory is arranged on the grill 10, their chains can be displaced by a common drive motor. For this purpose, it is only necessary for an electric motor to extend in the above-described manner from one of the accessories, which electric motor can be connected not only with the chain of the corresponding accessory but also, through a further chain or belt, with a sprocket of the further chain, which is normally connected to an electric motor when the accessory is used by itself with.

In Figures 8 and 9 there is illustrated an alternative form of an accessory 200, which has longitudinal side walls 166, 168 which, as in the exemplary embodiment of Figures 5 to 7. are made so that the outer wall 168 is closed and the inner wall 166 has cut-outs 202, 204 bent towards the outer wall 168 and extending parallel to one another and parallel to upper and lower portions of the chain 172. Also, the portions 202. 204 bent towards the outer wall 168 serve as supports for the upper and lower runs 102, 104 of the chain 172. Itis also foreseen that one of the guide rollers. which in the embodiment of Figures 6 and 8 is the right-hand guide roller 206. is made adjustable (double arrow 208) in order to be able to tension the chain 172.

Claims (3)

CLAIMS Grill

1. A grill, in particular charcoal grill (10). comprising a housing with lateral outer walls (14,16), each preferably having an outwardly bowed region (22, 24), a grill rack, a fat collecting pan arranged beneath the grill rack or a vertically extending projection of the area covered thereby and coal receptacles (32) such as baskets arranged laterally of the vertical projection thereof with, above the coal receptacles, pivotal wall portions (26, 28) of the lateral outer walls extending above the coal receptacles at an inclination to the grill rack, wherein sheet metal deflectors (66) extend along the inclined wall portions inwardly thereof and spaced therefrom. characterised in that an air deflector hood (66, 68) comprising the sheet metal deflector extends around the coal receptacle (32) and shields the coal receptacle from at least the lateral outer wall (14, 16. 22, 24).

2. A grill according to claim 1. characterised in that the air deflector hood (66. 68) completely or almost completely shields the coal receptacle (32) from the lateral outer wall (14, 16, 22, 24).

3. A grill according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that