Support assembly for cooking fowl

• US 5,842,409 A
• Filed: 01/23/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rational GmbH
• Original Assignee: Rational GmbH
• Inventors: Baker, Daulton, Loffler, Erhard
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US08/787,855
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 99/421 V, 99/426, 99/427, 99/419, 99/421 R
• US Class Current: 99/421.00V
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/18 Holding or clamping devices for supporting fowl, venison, or other meat, or vegetables, during cooking or during subsequent cutting

Abstract

A support assembly for holding a chicken or the like for cooking, comprising a support member 11 arranged to extend into the body cavity of the chicken through the posterior end of the chicken cut away during butchering and lie against the backbone region 35. A trussing member 15 extends from the support member 11 at a position proximal to where the posterior end of the chicken locates, and provides a surface on which the drumsticks/legs of the chicken may locate in crossed configuration. At the end of the trussing member 15, located away from the support member 11 is a second support member 19 which is also arranged to extend into the body cavity of the chicken through the posterior end of the chicken cut away during butchering and lie against the keel region 33. The support assembly may be provided with fittings to allow retrofitting to existing cooking trays, or may be welded directly to purpose built racks. The support assembly holds the drumsticks/legs adjacent to the posterior end of the chicken cut away during butchering thereby minimising spillage of any savoury stuffing, and also holds the drumsticks/legs against the body, to minimise the drumsticks/legs becoming overcooked and dried out while the breast meat attains optimal cooking.

Claims

1. A support assembly for holding a fowl for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having an open posterior end, a neck end generally opposite from said posterior end, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a generally linear support member arranged to extend into said body through said posterior opening and having a terminal end, and a trussing member fixed rigidly relative to said support member for holding the legs of said fowl in close proximity to each other and to urge substantially closed to minimize the loss of stuffing.

2. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein said trussing member is attached to said support member at an oblique angle.

3. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein said trussing member is perpendicularly attached to said support member.

4. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein trussing member holds said legs across said posterior opening.

5. A support assembly according to claim 4 wherein said trussing member holds said legs in contact with each other.

6. A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein said support member comprises a straight length of round rod.

7. A support assembly for holding a fowl for cooking said fowl comprising a hollow body having an open posterior end, a neck end generally opposite from said posterior end, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a generally linear support member arranged to extend into said body through said posterior opening and having a terminal end, and a trussing member fixed rigidly relative to said support member for holding the legs of said fowl in close proximity to each other and to said body to substantially close off said posterior opening wherein said trussing member comprises a first end connected to said support member, a second end spaced apart from said support member, and a rod connected to said second end and extending generally in the direction of said body.

8. A support assembly according to claim 7 wherein said rod is generally parallel to said support member.

9. A support member according to claim 7 wherein said rod extends into said body cavity and presses against the breast of said fowl.

10. A support assembly according to claim 7 wherein said rod comprises a first end connected to said trussing member and a second end connected to said support member.

11. A support assembly for holding a fowl for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having an open posterior end a neck end generally opposite from said posterior end, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a generally linear support member arranged to extend into said body through said posterior opening and having a terminal end, and a trussing member fixed rigidly relative to said support member for holding the legs of said fowl in close proximity to each other and to said body to substantially close off said posterior opening wherein said trussing member holds said legs in a crossed orientation to cover said open posterior end.

12. A support assembly for holding a fowl for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having an open posterior end, a neck end generally opposite from said posterior end, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a generally linear support member arranged to extend into said body through said posterior opening and having a terminal end, and a trussing member fixed rigidly relative to said support member for holding the legs of said fowl in close proximity to each other and to said body to substantially close off said posterior opening wherein said trussing member includes a ring for receiving the ends of said legs.

13. A support assembly for holding a fowl for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having a neck end, an open posterior end, a breast side extending from said neck end to said posterior end, a back side generally opposite from said breast side, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a support member extending into said hollow body through said open posterior end and having a first portion for engaging the interior portion of the breast side of said fowl, a second portion for engaging the interior portion of the back side of said fowl, and a trussing portion extending from said first portion for holding said legs in close proximity to said open posterior end to substantially cover said posterior end, wherein -said second portion is generally parallel to said back portion.

14. A support assembly according to claim 13 wherein said support member comprises an A-shaped frame.

15. A support assemble for holding a fowl for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having a neck end, an open posterior end, a breast side extending from said neck end to said posterior end, a back side generally opposite from said breast side, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support assembly comprising a support member extending into said hollow body through said open posterior end and having a first portion for engaging the interior portion of the breast side of said fowl, a second portion for engaging the interior portion of the back side of said fowl, and a trussing portion extending from said first portion for holding said legs in close proximity to said open posterior end to substantially cover said posterior end wherein said first portion, second portion and trussing portion are formed from a rigid plate of material.

16. A support assembly for holding a fowl in a generally vertical orientation for cooking, said fowl comprising a hollow body having a neck end, an open posterior end, a breast side extending from said neck end to said posterior end, a back side generally opposite from said breast side, and two legs extending from said body in the general direction of said posterior end, said support comprising a generally vertical support rod extending into said body through said posterior opening, a rigid trussing member extending perpendicularly to said support rod for holding said legs in a crossed arrangement, said trussing member having a first end attached to said support rod and a second end spaced apart from said support rod, and an extension member extending from said second end toward said fowl and generally parallel to said support rod, whereby the force of gravity presses said fowl body and said legs against said trussing member to close and cover said posterior end of said fowl and presses said extension member against the interior side of said breast side forcing said breast side away from said back side.