Hot Top With Dual Burners
A modular hot top cooking unit houses two burners generally located symmetrically within a firebox of the cooking unit. Dual separate controllers independently operate each burner. A cover plate defining a cooking surface covers the firebox and overlies the two burners. The dual controls allow both burners to be operated independently to achieve even heat across the cover plate, allow only one burner to be utilized to achieve gradual heat, or allow both burners to be used at different temperatures to achieve variable heat along the cover plate.
This claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/053,741, filed May 16, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates generally to cooking appliances and more specifically to modular commercial cooking units with removable cooking surfaces, sometimes referred to as “hot tops.”
BACKGROUNDThe term “hot top” is often used in the art to refer to cooking appliances having a cooking surface such as a metal plate or grill over a heat source that heats the cooking surface. Traditional commercial hot tops may include a long straight tubular or rectangular burner or burners mounted symmetrically under a rectangular cast iron cooking surface. These may generally be referred to as an “even heat hot top.” Alternatively, a single round or toroidal burner may be mounted under a rectangular cast iron cooking surface generally toward the front or user side of the hot top. These types of hot tops may generally be referred to as “front fired hot tops.” The even heat hot top generally imparts evenly distributed heat to the cooking surface that may be varied by a single control, typically via a single valve. The front fired hot top provides a graduated heat pattern from front to back, with the hottest area above the center portion of the burner and with the temperature generally diminishing away from the burner center, i.e. heat is distributed in a circular pattern. There is a need for a hot top with a more variable and more finely controllable heating pattern on the cooking surface.
SUMMARYBriefly described, a hot top cooking unit comprises a housing with a generally open top, a front, a first side, a second side, and a rear defining and enclosing a firebox. A front ledge may be disposed along the top edge of the front projecting forwardly of the front of the housing. Similarly, side ledges may be disposed along the top edges of the sides and a rear ledge may be disposed along the top edge of the rear of the housing. A first burner and a second burner are disposed in the firebox defined by the housing and a control panel, preferably on the front of the housing, includes a first controller that controls fuel flow to the first burner and a second controller that controls fuel flow to the second burner. A cover plate defining a cooking surface, which may be a cast iron grill or plate, is removably disposed over the open top of the housing and is supported by at least two of the front ledge, the side ledges, and the rear ledge. The plate is removably disposed from its position over the heat source for cleaning or service, but cooking is always performed on the plate and never directly on the burners. The first burner and the second burner generally are disposed equal distances from the side edges and are symmetrically spaced with respect to the front and rear of the firebox.
A method of operating a cooking unit includes providing a hot top cooking unit as generally described above, operating the first controller to establish the temperature setting of the first burner, and operating the second controller to establish the temperature setting of the second burner. The first temperature setting and the second temperature setting may be different.
Other aspects, features, and details of the present disclosure can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to illustrate more clearly the embodiments of the disclosure.
Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONFor purposes of illustration and not limitation, the disclosure below describes a hot top within the context of a range. Further, references herein to “end,” “side,” “bottom,” and “top” refer to orientations or positions of elements when the hot top is oriented as if disposed in a range in an upright orientation. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “vertical,” and “horizontal,” generally refer to the location and/or orientation of an element or line with respect to a drawing figure in which it appears.
Cover plate 40, which defines a cooking surface, is sized to be placed atop the housing 12 and to cover substantially the open top of the firebox and the burners therein. Cover 40 includes sides 42, 44, 46, and 48 and spacers or feet 45 that engage at least two of first side ledge 13, rear ledge 15, second side ledge 17, and front ledge 19. When placed atop the housing, side 42 is disposed atop front ledge 19, side 44 is disposed atop second side ledge 17, side 46 is disposed atop rear ledge 15, and side 48 is disposed atop first side ledge 13. Cover plate 40 generally has a substantial thickness to support weight from pots, pans, and food and/or liquids or foods in such pots/pans, and can be formed of any material, but preferably is formed of cast iron.
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According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed herein are not necessarily shown to scale, dimensions of the various features and elements may be expanded or reduced to illustrate more clearly the embodiments of the invention.
Claims
1. A modular cooking unit comprising:
- a housing having a front, a first side, a second side, a rear, and a substantially open top;
- a first burner and a second burner in the housing spaced apart from each other;
- a first controller that controls a temperature setting of the first burner and a second controller that controls a temperature setting of the second burner; and,
- a cover plate defining a cooking surface disposed over the open top of the housing.
2. The modular cooking unit of claim 1 wherein the first burner and the second burner are disposed equal distances from the first side and the second side and are centered with respect to each other from the front and the rear.
3. The modular cooking unit of claim 1 wherein the cooking unit is a first hot top.
4. The modular cooking unit of claim 3 further including a gas supply connection.
5. The modular cooking unit of claim 4 wherein the gas supply connection is disposed at the rear of the housing.
6. The modular cooking unit of claim 4 further including a first common manifold extending between the first side and the second side of the first hot top.
7. The modular cooking unit of claim 6 wherein a second hot top is placed adjacent the first hot top, wherein the second hot top has a second common manifold, and wherein the gas supply connection supplies gas to the first common manifold and wherein the first common manifold supplies gas to the second common manifold.
8. The modular cooking unit of claim 7 wherein the gas connection feed is covered by either a punch out section or a cap.
9. The modular cooking unit of claim 1 wherein the first controller includes at least one opening that allows viewing of either the first burner or the second burner through the front.
10. The modular cooking unit of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a front ledge, a first side ledge, a second side ledge, and a rear ledge, and wherein the cover plate contacts at least two of the front ledge, first side ledge, second side ledge, and rear ledge.
11. A method of operating a cooking unit, the method comprising:
- providing a cooking unit comprising a housing having a front, a first side, a second side, a rear, and a substantially open top;
- providing a first burner and a second burner in the housing spaced apart from each other, and providing a first controller that controls a temperature setting of the first burner and a second controller that controls a temperature setting of the second burner;
- operating the first controller to a first temperature setting;
- operating the second controller to a second temperature setting;
- wherein the first temperature setting and the second temperature setting are different.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first burner and the second burner are disposed equal distances from the first side and the second side and are centered with respect to each other from the front and the rear.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the cooking unit is a first hot top.
14. The method of claim 13 further including a gas supply connection.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the gas supply connection is disposed at the rear of the housing.
16. The method of claim 14 further including a first common manifold extending between the first side and the second side of the first hot top.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein a second hot top is placed adjacent the first hot top, wherein the second hot top has a second common manifold, and wherein the method further comprises:
- supplying gas from the gas supply connection to the first common manifold and wherein the first common manifold supplies gas to the second common manifold.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the gas connection feed is covered by either a punch out section or a cap.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the first controller includes at least one opening that allows viewing of either the first burner or the second burner through the front.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein the housing includes a front ledge, a first side ledge, a second side ledge, and a rear ledge, and wherein the cover plate contacts at least two of the front ledge, first side ledge, second side ledge, and rear ledge.
Type: Application
Filed: May 15, 2009
Publication Date: Nov 19, 2009
Inventor: Daniel Garvin (Santa Rosa, CA)
Application Number: 12/466,469
International Classification: F24C 3/08 (20060101); F24C 15/10 (20060101);