Damper For Ventilating Air Flow Control For Indoor Open-air Cooking Device

Abstract

Positionable damper means for directional air flow control over an open cooking surface of a stove or broiler. The damper means is adaptable for positioning to determine air flow velocity and directional entrance into an air exhausting plenum chamber, and is selectively positionable to completely close the entrance to the plenum and thereby prevent back draft of outside air into a room.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a positionable damper means for controlling ventilating air flow across the surface of a stove or open indoor broiler. More specifically it relates to a positionable damper for use at the entrance of an air plenum chamber adjacent a cooking or broiling surface. The air plenum chamber has an entrance thereto adjacent the broiling or cooking surfaces and is in communication with power driven fan means for collecting smoke and cooking fumes and exhausting them through ducting extending through a building wall to the atmosphere.

The invention relates to a positionable damper for improved volume and directional ventilating air flow across stoves and broilers of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,444,805; 3,474,724; 3,587,555 or 3,596,650.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide positionable damper means for controlling ventilating air across the surface of a stove or open broiler.

It is another object of this invention to provide damper means for controlling air direction volume and velocity from across the surface of a stove or open broiler.

It is still another object to provide the damper means at the entrance to an air plenum chamber into which smoke from broiling meats or cooking fumes are collected for being exhausted to the atmosphere.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the accom-panying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of an air ventilated counter top drop-in type open air broiler showing the positionable air control damper in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the broiler shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a more detailed illustration of the positionable damper at the opening to the air plenum;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of an air ventilated counter top drop-in type range and broiler combination having a dual positionable damper;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a drop-in type range, open broiler and oven having an air ventilating arrangement and positionable dampers therefor;

FIG. 6 is a more detailed illustration of a dual positionable damper at the opening to the air plenum; and

FIG. 7 is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of a dual positionable damper at the opening to the air plenum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown in perspective view a counter top drop-in type open surface broiler identified generally by the numeral 10. A cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 2. The broiler is comprised generally of a broiling portion and an adjacent plenum chamber having power driven fan exhaust means associated therewith. A frame includes a box or chamber 12 defining a recess (preferably of sheet metal) adapted to be received within the counter top. This chamber receives an inner chamber 14 which in turn houses electric heating or broiling elements 22. Inner chamber 14 is secured within chamber 12 but spaced from the walls thereof in a manner to lessen heat transfer to chamber 12 and to a kitchen counter. A vent opening 16 is provided in the bottom of chamber 12 and another opening 18 extends through a common wall into an air plenum chamber. These openings are for the purpose of permitting air to be forcibly drawn through the space between chambers 12 and 14 for cooling the bottom and side walls of the inner chamber. The frame includes a surrounding shoulder 20 (which also surrounds plenum chamber 34) for supporting the broiling device within a cut-out portion of cabinet top 21.

A cast plate 24, having numerous vertical openings 26 therethrough and a rough upper surface resembling grill rock or briquettes, is supported above the bottom of inner chamber 14. A wire loop 28 secured to plate 24 supports electric elements 22 in proper position. An open grill 29 overlies the opening to chamber 14 for supporting meat thereon in proper spaced relationship above electric heating or broiling elements 22.

Grease and juices exuding from broiling meat fall onto plate 24 and pass through openings 26 onto the sloping bottom of chamber 14. They flow through openings 30 and 32 into a container 36 such as a common fruit jar removably screwed into a lid having an opening therethrough in line with openings 30 and 32.

A sheet metal box having wall 34 to one side of the broiling portion defines an air plenum which has an upper entrance disposed substantially on a level with the grill 29. Electric motor 40 drives an exhaust fan 38 which is in communication with opening 42 in the plenum for drawing smoke and cooking fumes from across the grill into the plenum and exhausting them through ducting (not shown) through a building wall to the atmosphere.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate arrangement of a drop-in-type counter top unit 110 similar to that disclosed in FIG. 1, except that it is a combination or dual unit. It has an open broiler on one side and plural heating elements 112 on the other. A plenum chamber identified generally by the numeral 134 is located between the cooking surface means, and is provided with dual hinges for carrying independently positionable damper means 152, 152'.

The disclosure in FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a drop-in type range, broiler and oven combination. The arrangement is very similar to the disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,555. On one side is located an open broiler 129 and on the other side is located plural cooking units 112. A plenum 134' is disposed intermediate the cooking surface means located on either side thereof. The arrangement of plenum 134' is disclosed herein only very generally but if further detailed understanding is required reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,555.

Description will now be directed to the positionable damper means located at the entrance to the plenum chamber. A single damper arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 3 for a plenum for use with a single cooking or broiling surface as disclosed for example in FIG. 1. The plenum walls 34 as shown in FIG. 3 terminate in an opening substantially on a level with the top of the housing frame which carries the cooking or broiling means. A rectangular frame 50 is adapted to be positioned at the entrance to plenum 34 and have a portion received therein. Damper 52 is hingedly carried by pins to one side of the frame in a manner for it to pivot thereabout for controlling the side opening and directional entrance into the plenum. Damper 52 is hingedly retained as for example by pins 54 frictionally tight so that it is adapted to remain in any desired position. A link bar 56 carried between damper 52 and the plenum or frame is adapted to limit the angle or extent to which the damper may be opened. The angle at which the damper is set determines size of the opening and thus the velocity of air entering the plenum as well as the direction from which the air is drawn. Since the purpose of moving the air is to collect smoke from broiling meats and other cooking odors, the most desirable setting of the damper can be determined by experimentation. For example, an opening of one size may be found best for collecting smoke from broiling meat located on grill 29 near the plenum, and another opening best for broiling on the other side of the grill. The same applies to the opening facing cooking units 112. The settings also depend to some extent upon drafts and other air currents within the kitchen itself. Additionally, it has been found that by directional control of entering air, a smaller volume of air can be used more efficiently than a larger volume without any entering directional control. The setting of the dampers for optimum effectiveness permits more efficient use of the exhaust fan capacity.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 there are shown dual dampers, each being directed toward an adjacent cooking or broiling surface. The details are illustrated more adequately in FIG. 6 wherein a rectangular frame 150 has a lower portion removably received in the upper portion of the chamber 134 which defines the plenum. Frame 150 pivotally carries a pair of oppositely facing dampers 152, 152' by means such as pins 154. These pins are preferably frictionally tight so that the damper will stay in the position to which they are manually placed. A pair of bar links 156, connected between the dampers (FIG. 6) and frame 150, determine the angular extent to which the dampers may be raised. As referred to above, the relative position of the dampers regulates the volume of air entering the plenum, its velocity and direction from over the adjacent cooking or broiling surface. Both dampers may be open, as desired, when broiling and cooking is being conducted simultaneously on either side thereof. Or, for even more air passage over one surface, such as the broiling surface, the opposite damper may be closed altogether. Again, the user may by experimentation determine damper setting best suited for variable conditions of broiling or other cooking, and for counteracting any air movement or draft conditions in the house.

An alternative form of damper arrangement is disclosed in FIG. 7. A plenum chamber 234 has an entrance adapted to removably receive a pair of dampers 252, 252' in much the same manner as in FIG. 6. The dampers are pivotally carried by pins 254 preferably in tight frictional relationship to permit their manual positioning. The dampers are mounted on a frame 256 which carry depending portions 258 on either end adapted for frictional engagement with opposite ends of plenum walls 134. As FIG. 7 illustrates, the sides of the dampers are partially cut away at a slight angle and the ends facing the cooking surfaces are open and even upturned. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent complete closure to the entrance to the plenum even when the dampers are in their lowermost position. This amounts to a safety feature whereby the entrance to the plenum is never completely closed. Electrical controls 65, such as on-off and temperature switches, are wired for simultaneous energizations with the broiling elements or surface cooking units and exhaust fan 38. The upturned ends 260 on the dampers are for air flow control. It will be appreciated that the dampers in FIG. 7 are positionable in substantially the same manner as in FIG. 6. In the event either or both dampers 252, 252' are closed to the full line position shown in FIG. 7 while the elements and fan 38 are energized, air is still permitted to pass into the plenum, thus preventing overheating.

While I have disclosed several forms of my invention, the scope of my invention is to be interpreted by the claims appended hereto. Obvious variations can be made to the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A cooking device including a frame having upwardly facing cooking surface and comprising:

air ventilation means associated with the cooking device and including a plenum chamber having an entrance adjacent said cooking surface and substantially on a level therewith,

power driven fan means associated with the plenum for drawing air from across said cooking surface into the plenum for collecting smoke and cooking fumes for exhausting them through ducting adapted to extend through a building wall to the atmosphere,

a manually positionable damper hinged adjacent said plenum chamber entrance and adapted for movement to various inclining positions for defining the effective size of said plenum chamber entrance and the direction from which air moves into said entrance to thereby control the volume and direction of the air flow across said cooking surface.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said cooking surface includes portions on opposite sides of said plenum chamber entrance and the damper is formed of two independently movable vanes positionable for selectively drawing air from across either or both cooking surfaces in greater or reduced volume.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a stop is provided for limiting the extent of pivotal movement of the damper.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said damper is adapted for movement to a position for substantially closing the entrance to the plenum.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein a portion of the damper is shaped to admit air to the plenum entrance even when in closed position.