US1505299A - Extension hot-food table - Google Patents

Description

C. STIRN EXTENSION HOT FOOD TABLE Aug. 19 1924.

Filed July 12 192) 2 Shanty-Sheet l INVENTOR 694/3255 677F 1 fil d ATTORNEYS WITNESS 71:

Aug. 19; 1924.

C. STIRN EXTENSION HOT FOOD TABLE 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 Filed July 12 1921 INVENTOR %QATT0RNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNlTED STATES 1,505,299 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES STIR-N, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXTENSION HOT-FOOD TABLE.

. ed a new and useful Extension Hot-Food Table, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to food service ap paratus and more particularly to a portable table having a heating means. It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a portable, extension table having a self-contained heating tray and to provide for the raising and lowering. of the heating tray from one position to another. It is an object to provide for retracting and conceal-- ing the heating tray and for extending a table leaf from a covering position to a service position.

An object of the invention is to provide a table structure upon which may be deposited a full meal for one or more persons and which table is extensible and is so constructed that it may, with the food containers thereon, be compactly arranged so as to be readily transported from a kitchen to any room in an institution, and may be easily arranged in an elevator of small size.

Further, it is an object .to rovide a heating table that may be kept in a clean and sanitary condition, and which is simple in construction and not. expensive.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be made manifest in the following description of the preferred form of-the invention, which is'illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that it is not'intended to limit the invention to the embodimentshown by the said drawings and description, as variations may be adopted within the scope of the invention a set forth in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a erspective of the improved table, parts bemg broken away.

Fig. 2ris-a plan'slnwing the table in contracted position for transportation from room to room, a part of the top being broken away. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the table ready for meal service.

Fig. 4 is a plan of a fragment of the tray showing the fillers.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the treadle fork.

Application filed July 12, 1921. Serial No. 484.106.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of tray.

The apparatus of the present invention includes a table having a neat rather elongated under frame or box having ends 2 and 3 connected by a bottom or shelf 4, preferably having side walls 5.. This forms a chamber in which is arranged an oblong pan 6, having a seat forming top flange 7, which slidably fits in the box walls. The pan is adapted to be raised from a lowered position in the pan to an upper position.

Removably deposited in the seat flange 7, is a tray-like receptacle of hollow structure having a bottom 8, and a to 9, which is dished or'recessed to form a suitable number of shallow chambers 10, Fig. 1, or a single chamber asin Fig. 6. The wall of the chamber or chambers is spaced in. slightl from the side walls 11, which have a beade flange 12, around the top 9, of the tray. The ends of the tray may have handles 13, to facilitate handling and when the tray is deposited upon the elevated pan, the handles pass into pockets 14, in the end wall 2-3, of the table frame.

Secured to the ends of the frame are top end cleats 15, which project up aboutv equal to the thickness 0 a cover or leaf 16, designed to be placed on top of the frame to cover the pan 6 and contents thereof. In order'to provide for the extension of the table area, there are hinged on the ends of the cleats a set of folding arms 17, having rebated inner corners forming seats onto which the cover or leaf can be shifted for table service. The table may have extension is lowered, food containing utensils 20,

a distancev placed on the top of the tray will be below the applied cover 16, Fig. .3. When the pan is elevated, after the cover leaf 16, has been removed, the utensils are then fully exposed and the tray rests in the top plane of the table top.

Not only does the apparatus, thus far described, form a convenient means for transporting food in a protected manner, from place to place, but it also provides means for keepin the utensils and their contents heated. hile any suitable means may be employed to provide heat, in the present form of the invention an electric heatin plate 21, is supported, in the pan, on a yie dable rest, as spring arms 22, mounted on a bridge by means of a circuit closer 24:, yiel ingly engaging the bottom of the applied tray 8-9, so that as the tray is applied to the seat flanges 7, it engagesthe top of the upwardly pressed, heatin plate 21, and also the circuit closer 24. E ectric current heats the plate and this .heat is transmitted to the utensils in the tray, which latter is charged with a filling of water to envelope the depressed portion of the top. The heat may then be raised to any desired degree up to 212 Fahrenheit. t I

To automatically control the heat a sample or suitable device may be used such as a thermostatic switch 25, which is mounted on the brid e 23, so that the heating apparatus is bodi y movable as a unit to faciliframe 23. On the brid e is also supported 'tateits inspection and installation, and the cleaning of the pan when. necessary.

The heating apparatus is contained .within the pan which forms, therefore, a

stove chamber adapted to be elevated from a receded position to lift the tray to the top of the table.

Suitable-means may be provided to lift the stove chamber 6. As shown here, the

pan sets on the upper ends of spaced pairs of diagonally crossed levers 26, having a pivotconnection 27, at the upper ends of upri ht links 28. The outer, lower ends of the evers have pivots 29, on the bottom 4. The links 28, are attached to the forked ends 30, of a lever 31, hung .on a bearing 31, below the bottom 4, and the other end of the lever 30, is connected to a treadle 32, guided for vertical movement in guides 33 and 34, which latter has a cross pin or shoulder 34'. The treadle shank has a hook 355, to be pushed in under the in 34:, when the treadle has been pressed fully down in the operation of liftin the pan 6, the elevating mec'anism just described. To maintain the liquid in the hollowwalled tray at the .desired tem erature, it is only necessary to apply the eating circuit, extension-cord plug P, into any complementary socket and, the tray being in lace, closes the circuit at the closer 24. e closed. circuit is then automatically opened and closed by the thermostatic switch 25, according to the temperature of the atmosphere in the chamber of the box 6. The weight of the empty tray alone is preferably suflicient to close the main circuit, which is opened. when the tray is removed.

For the purpose of economizing in the cost of heating medium utilized in the -apparatus, the servin tray of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as provided within the chamber between its top and bottom, a suitthe utensils 20, are disposed; the edge sur-' faces of the filling blocks being spaced slightly from the contiguous wall forming the recess in the top of the tray.

What is claimed is:

1. A hot-food, serving table having a frame forming a chamber with an open top, a leaf adjustable to cover the chamber, a removable tray conforming to the plan' area of the chamber so as to fit in the same, a heating means arranged in the chamber and including a stove pan, of which the tray forms the top, means in the stove pan for heating the tray, and means for raising the stove pan from a lower position to an elevated position to bring the tray substantially frame forming a chamber with an open top,

a leaf adjustable to cover the chamber and to form an extension of the table top, a removable hollow-walled tray conforming to the plan area of the chamber so as to fit in the same, a heating means arranged in the chamber and including a stove pan, of

which the tray forms the top, means .in the stove pan for heating the tray, and means for raising the stove pan from a lower position to an elevated position to bring the tray substantially in the plane of the top of the table.

3. A hot food serving table comprising a heating chamber, a removable'hollow walled tray conforming to the plan area of the chamber and when in place forming. the.

my -hand.

CHARLES STIRN'.

Images