Gas burner with covered simmer flame

Abstract

A burner assembly has a ring generally centered on an axis and defining an array of outwardly open holes and a compartment at the axis. A gas/air mixture is fed to the ring to project jets of the mixture from the holes so that, when ignited, the jets form a main annular flame centered on the axis. A relatively small burner in the compartment is generally centered on the axis, and a horizontal plate on the ring overlies and covers the compartment and the burner. A gas/air mixture is supplied to the burner to the burner to form in the chamber underneath the plate a small flame centered on the axis. The cover plate is a generally circular disk having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the small burner. The disk outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of the ring.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A burner assembly comprising: 
 a ring generally centered on an axis and defining an array of outwardly open holes compartment;    means for supplying a gas/air mixture to the ring to project jets of the mixture from the holes, whereby, when ignited, the jets form a main annular flame centered on the axis;    a relatively small burner in the compartment generally centered on the axis;    a horizontal plate on the ring overlying and covering the compartment and the burner; and    means for supplying a gas/air mixture to the burner to form in the chamber underneath the plate a small flame centered on the axis.    
     
     
         2 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the cover plate is a generally circular disk having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the small burner.  
     
     
         3 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 2  wherein the disk outer diameter is greater than an inner diameter of the ring.  
     
     
         4 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the plate is spaced above the ring.  
     
     
         5 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 4  wherein the plate has at least three downwardly projecting and angularly spaced feet by which it stands on the ring.  
     
     
         6 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 5  wherein the ring has a generally frustoconical upper surface centered on the axis and sloping downward toward the axis and the feet have lower surfaces of complementary shape that sit flatly on the surface.  
     
     
         7 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the plate has an upper surface that slopes downward away from the axis and that has an outer edge.  
     
     
         8 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 7  wherein the ring has a generally frustoconical upper surface that slopes downward outward away from the axis and having inner and outer peripheries, the outer edge of the plate upper surface being radially outward of the ring upper-surface inner periphery, whereby drips from the plate run to the edge, fall therefrom onto the ring upper surface, and run radially outward thereon.  
     
     
         9 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a support for holding a cooking vessel spaced axially slightly above the plate.    
     
     
         10 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 9  wherein the support is glass.  
     
     
         11 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 9  wherein the support is formed with vertically throughgoing holes.  
     
     
         12 . The burner assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the plate has a generally planar upper surface designed to directly contact and support a cooking vessel.