Abstract: Enclosed rotisserie with added convenience, including a countertop resting box-like enclosure housing a safety rear mounted heating element and a power rotated dual rod spit assembly. The gear driven spit assembly may be easily inserted and removed straight into and out of the enclosure without need for angling or coupling the assembly to a power drive socket. The spit assembly may also be mounted at various distances from the heating element to decrease cooking times. The open front of the enclosure is from time to time covered by an inclined glass panel door which may be opened in various ways to facilitate food insertion into and removal from the enclosure, and which may be easily removed for cleaning or other purposes. The embodiment's design makes efficient use of valuable counter space by recessing back and raising off the countertop its controls.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus includes apparatus to support food to be cooked. A housing surrounds a portion of the support apparatus and defines a portal through which food may be passed into the housing. A fireplace is disposed in the housing to support a fire that produces heated gas for cooking food. The fireplace may include a solid fuel burning grate to support solid fuel used as a flavor enhancing substance to the food being cooked with the grate having a body with apertures through which hot coal is discharged. A hot coal supporting device is disposed beneath the grate to receive the hot coals discharged from the solid fuel burning grate and has a body with apertures through which ash is discharged. An ash bin is disposed beneath the hot coal supporting device to receive the discharged ash. A heated gas passageway is provided in the housing to place the heated gas in fluid communication with an environment outside of a building in which the housing is disposed.

Abstract: A spit assembly for a roasting oven includes an oven housing for receiving food items and retaining heat; a heating element mounted to radiate heat within the housing; a first spit mounting plate; a second spit mounting plate substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first spit mounting plate; a spit assembly shaft extending through and attached to the first and second mounting plates and rotatably mounted within the housing; a drive mechanism for rotating the spit assembly shaft; in which the first spit mounting plate comprises at least one first spit mounting port spaced radially outward from the spit assembly shaft, the first spit mounting port having a star shape including a substantially circular port middle portion and nine equally spaced apart, elongate port finger portions opening and extending radially from the port middle portion; a spit including a first spit end sized for insertion into the first mounting port and configured in cross-section to include three radial flanges, substantially

Abstract: A rotisserie apparatus and method of cooking food items are provided. The rotisserie apparatus includes a housing containing a heat source for supplying heat to an area above the housing. A plurality of spit supports are positioned on the housing, and extend vertically upwardly from the housing. A plurality of horizontally-disposed spits are carried by the spit supports, and located in vertically-spaced relation above the heat source for holding respective food items to be cooked. Counter-rotating sprockets are operatively connected to the plurality of spits for rotating adjacent spits in opposite directions during cooking, and permitting contacting adjacent food items to counter-rotate away from each other after engaging without being inadvertently forced off the spits.

Abstract: A vertical electric heating oven is provided which includes an oven body incorporating a shell, a reflecting container, a door, a base, and an electric heater, a driver, a rotary rack, and a vertical rack assembly. The electric heater is located vertically in the oven. The driver is placed in the base and has an elongated axle extending out from the reflecting bottom. The reflecting bottom has a dish with the axle extending through its center. The dish provides a space containing the rotary rack, and the rack assembly is placed on the rotary rack and connected to the axle of the driver. Therefore, the horizontal thermal radiation of the electric heater is coordinated with the rack assembly on the rotary rack, which is connected to the driver to roll through 360 degrees to provide full even baking conditions.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus for automatically cooking and rotating a food product which comprises: a cooking chamber; a planetary assembly disposed within the cooking chamber which is capable of rotating the food product about the cooking chamber; a heater or burner disposed within the cooking chamber for cooking the food product; a venting damper disposed within the cooking chamber which is capable of releasing excess energy contained within the cooking chamber; a temperature sensor used for detecting the temperature in the cooking chamber; and a microprocessor which is capable of cooking the food product for a predetermined cooking time and maintaining the temperature in the cooking chamber in accordance with a predetermined cooking temperature by means of controlling the heater or burner and the venting damper such that the heater or burner remains in the "on" position during the entire cooking time while the venting damper is opened and closed as necessary to maintain the predetermined cooking temperature.

Abstract: The invention is an oven system for roasting, cooking, baking and regenerating, as well as for grilling foodstuffs by supplying heat into a cooking space of the oven. The oven system includes at least one slide-in frame movable into and out of the cooking space, respectively, the slide-in frame having at least two respectively connected rotating discs which are rotatably supported on the opposing inner sides of the slide-in frame. The oven system also includes receivers for the foodstuffs which are releasably attached to the rotating discs and at least one drive mechanism mounted on the oven for rotating a rotating disc. The drive is engageable with and disengageable from the rotating disc.

Abstract: A planetary gear system for rotating spits in a rotisserie device. The system includes a gearing plate mounted to a wall in the rotisserie. The gearing plate includes a plurality of projections which extend inwardly into the interior of the rotisserie. A gear wheel is positioned adjacent the gearing plate and an idler wheel is positioned opposite the gearing wheel adjacent a second wall of the rotisserie. The gear wheel and idler wheels are rotated in synchronization by a rotatable shaft. A plurality of spits are supported between the gear and idler wheel and moved in a circular path about the shaft as the wheels rotate. The spits further include a gear which meshes with the projections on the gearing plate as the spits are rotated about the shaft, further effecting rotation of the spits about their longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An easy to clean and sanitize skewer driver for driving the horizontally supported skewer in the rotisserie oven for roasting chickens and other food products is formed from an outer and an inner sleeve where the inner sleeve is affixed to a planet gear and is journalled in the outer sleeve for rotary motion. A pin bisecting the inner sleeve retains the inner sleeve and planet gear and defines a recess or socket for accepting the end of and driving the skewer for rotation about its own axis, The outer sleeve is frictionally fitted to the reel plate to orbit in the rotisserie oven so that the skewer rotates with and relative to the reel plate.

Abstract: A barbecue grill unit having a plurality of elongated food support units extending transversely across the open top portion of the grill body. The food support units are each simultaneously rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes. The grill unit further includes a selectively positionable rotisserie assembly, and a plurality of longitudinally elongated heat controlling louvers extending in side by side relation longitudinally across the grill body. The louvers are positioned between the rotatable food support units and the heat generation means and are manually, simultaneously rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes thereby permitting selective control of the amount of convective heat passing from the heat generation means to the food support units. An alternate embodiment of the present invention provides a modular barbecue grill assembly wherein a plurality of non-power equipped grill units can be operably coupled to one, power equipped grill unit.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus that uses a housing with a fireplace to support a fire for cooking food. A spit for supporting food is rotatably connected to the housing and receives heat generated from the fire in the fireplace. The spit may include at least three driven shoulders disposed substantially equidistant from one another around the periphery of the spit. Driving apparatus is connected to the housing for rotating the spit and has a drive member rotatably connected to the housing. The driving member may include at least four driving shoulders disposed substantially equidistant from one another to engage the driven shoulders on the spit so that the spit rotates more than one complete revolution every time the drive member is rotated. The housing may include a reclamation trap disposed beneath the spit to recover the juices produced when cooking the food on the spit. The driving member may include an axle rod and elongated slats having a length sufficient to allow large food items to be mounted to the spits.

Abstract: A rotary orbital rotisserie has a rack structure for skewering chickens and other meat to be barbecued or roasted, with the individual spits of the rotisserie being not only rotational about their own axes, but orbital around the main rotisserie axis as well, so that the chickens execute a planetary motion. The spits can be maintained non-orbital and merely rotated in another mode of operation.

Abstract: A barbeque grill apparatus having a container with a curved bottom, two sides connected to the bottom and two ends interconnecting the bottom and the sides. A shaft is rotatably attached to a top portion of the container and a plurality of arms extend radially outwardly therefrom. The arms each have a grill attached thereto in such a manner that when the shaft is rotated, each of the new grills will maintain a horizontal orientation. A source of heat is disposed in the container but to one side of the lowest portion of the bottom of the container so that grease dripping into the container will not accumulate directly over the flame, to thereby prevent burning of such grease.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for heating foods oblong in shape. This apparatus comprises a reheating enclosure with a microwave source and an inclined preferably circular plate rotatably mounted substantially at its center on a drive shaft, in which said rotating plate comprises arranged uniformly around its periphery, at least two holders for foods perpendicular to the plane of the plate. This apparatus provides for the uniform distribution of heat throughout the treated food.

Abstract: Rotisserie/stirrer for microwave ovens having a generally cylindrical food holding container mounted in an inclined position for rotation about both its own axis and a vertically extending axis. Peripheral gear teeth at the lower end of the container mesh with a stationary ring of gear teeth centered about the vertically extending axis and cause the container to rotate about its axis as the container is rotated about the vertically extending axis. A plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending ribs project inwardly from the side wall of the container and serve as a stirrer for food products in the container.

Abstract: A kinetic fireplace having a hearth formed by a horizontal grate surrounded by vertical bars and supported by downwardly extending carrying legs which rest on a horizontal carrying plate having a depending axle. The lower end of the axle is coupled to a primary motor for rotation about the center of said axle, and is rotatably held in a stationary collar supported on a base. A plurality of spaced telescoping columns are secured to the base supporting a hood and peripheral panels. A plurality of tubular arms extend radially outward toward said telescoping columns, on each of which a cylinder is mounted provided with a spit, and a secondary motor for rotating the spit.

Abstract: A barbecue in which there is a deep box with means in the base to hold burning coals and means to effect continuous turning of a food holding means arranged so that food is held in pieces and is balanced in symmetrical manner about the pivot axis and the food is carried deep within the box for part of the rotational path so as to provide jointly for basting and for secondary heating by radiation from the sides of the box.

Abstract: A bi-rotational microwave oven turntable/rotisserie having a turntable which is moved in a closed path within the oven cavity while being concurrently rotated about a central axis of the turntable. A rotisserie device is associated with the turntable and includes a spit portion which is caused to rotate about the longitudinal axis thereof as an incident of rotation of the turntable about its central axis. The rotisserie, in turn, is rotated about a fixed axis defined by an input drive shaft. The turntable may be rotated by a gear meshing with a tooth portion of a hub journaling the drive shaft. The gear defines an axis of rotation of the turntable which may be rotatably carried on a support portion of the rotisserie device. The turntable may have a toothed periphery meshing with a tooth member fixed to the rotisserie spit portion for effecting rotation of the spit portion as an incident of rotation of the turntable relative to the support portion.

Abstract: A spit roaster includes a ventilating caged-like housing within which there is positioned a horizontal rotatable table. An electric motor is located below the table and is adapted to rotate the same. A conical member is carried centrally of the table and tapers upwardly and inwardly. A plurality of bars extend upwardly from the table to constitute a peripherally extending grid and to define a depository for a source of heat. A plurality of spits are rotatable individually by respective electric motors and are also rotatable together with the table. Such spits are adjustably positioned relative to the hearth such that they can be individually spaced from the hearth at a desired distance. The spits can also be adjustable in terms of their inclination relative to the hearth.

Abstract: A barbecue oven comprising a barbecue compartment having a door hingedly mounted in a door opening in a front wall of the compartment and spaced from a top and bottom wall thereof. A heating unit is provided in the barbecue compartment and having an elongate heat-radiating surface disposed the side walls and positioned between a top edge of the door opening and the top wall to radiate heat downwardly towards a spit turret in the compartment. The spit turret is drivingly secured in the compartment between the side walls and disposed in the path of radiation of the radiating surface. Drive means is provided to rotate the turret. A liquid collecting tray is provided in at least a portion of the bottom wall below the spit turret to collect hot liquids dripping from foodstuff supported by the spit turret.

Abstract: A rotisserie device is provided for use in barbecuing various food items, such as cuts of meat or the like. The device includes an elongated skeletal frame assembly which is mounted so as to rotate about its longitudinal axis over burning coals, electric heating elements or the like. The frame assembly embodies a pair of axially spaced end members which have corresponding peripheral portions thereof interconnected by elongated spacer elements. The elements are symmetrically arranged about the rotary axis and each element is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings. Sets of skewers are provided with the leading or pointed ends of the skewers of a set being disposed within the openings of a spacer element. The opposite or trailing ends of the skewers of a set are disposed in close proximity to an adjacent spacer element and are supportingly engaged by an elongated retainer rod having opposite ends thereof removably supported by the end members.

Abstract: Barbecuing apparatus having a plurality of broiling trays arranged to rotate about a common axis. The trays are circumferentially spaced about a rotary shaft, extend radially with respect thereto, and are releasably mounted on disks and arms attached to the disks. The disks are mounted on and driven by the rotary shaft. Below the trays a bed for charcoal is located which heats the food in the trays. The charcoal fire is controlled by water directed at the fire through a plurality of quenching nozzles. Smoke rising from the trays is scrubbed by a high-velocity water mist supplied by a nozzle assembly above a fine-mesh screen through which the smoke passes.