Dining arrangement

Claim 2

A dining arrangement such as for a restaurant wherein dining tables are provided for option partial self service by table occupants in the broiling of meats comprising: tables spaced about a room and having open air broiler means located in their tops; a peripheral portion of each table top about the broiler means defining a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled; a duct common to said dining tables and having an exit opening outside of the room; said broiler means including air conduit means having an air intake at one side of the broiler and an air exit opening into said common duct; power driven fan means fluid associated with the conduit means and common duct for drawing a stream of air laterally across the broiler surface into the intake for collecting smoke and odor laden gases caused by broiling meat on the broiler, moving the air through the conduit means and common duct and exhausting the air through said common duct air exit exteriorly of the room; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air broiler means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, wherein said power driven fan means is mounted on and carried by said portable portion base, and said conduit means is at least partially mounted on and carried by said portable portion base.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2, wherein an additional portion of said conduit means is fixedly mounted to said stationary table portion; and further including fluid conduit coupling means and electrical circuit connecting means each having respective mating portions stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion and mounted on said portable base for providing fluid communication between said conduit means portions and providing electrical power for said fan means, respectively.

Claim 5

A dining arrangement such as for a restaurant wherein dining tables are provided for optional partial self service by table occupants in the broiling of meat comprising: a room; a plurality of tables spaced about the room; air duct means common to said dining tables and disposed near the room in the vicinity of said tables, and power driven exhaust fan means for drawing air through said common air duct means and exhausting to the atmosphere; said tables having tops with a portion receiving an open-air broiler for the broiling of meat thereon; a portion of each table top disposed about the broiler defining a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled; air conduit means and power driven air moving means associated with each open-air broiler and including an air intake disposed to one side of a broiling surface thereof for drawing a stream of air laterally across the broiling surface for entrapping smoke and odor laden gases caused by broiling meat thereon and exhausting into said common duct; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air broiler means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 6

A dining arrangement such as for a restaurant wherein dining tables are provided for optional partial self service by table occupants in the broiling of meat comprising: a room; a plurality of tables spaced about the room; air duct means common to said dining tables and disposed near the room in the vicinity of said tables, and power driven exhaust fan means for drawing air through said common air duct means and exhausting to the atmosphere; said tables having tops with a portion receiving an open-air broiler for the broiling of meat thereon; a portion of each table top disposed about the broiler defining a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled; air conduit means and power driven air moving means associated with each open-air broiler and including an air intake disposed to one side of a broiling surface thereof for drawing a stream of air laterally across the broiling surface for entrapping smoke and odor laden gases caused by broiling meat thereon and exhausting into said common duct; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air broiler means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4, wherein said power driven air moving means is mounted on and carried by said portable portion base, and said conduit means is at least partially mounted on and carried by said portable portion base.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5, wherein an additional portion of said conduit means is fixedly mounted to said stationary table portion, and further including fluid conduit coupling means and electrical circuit connecting means each having respective mating portions stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion and mounted on said portable base for providing fluid communication between said conduit means portions and providing electrical power for said fan means, respectively.

Claim 9

In a restaurant having tables adapted for optional self service in broiling meat by guest at each table comprising: a plurality of dining tables having open-air broiling means located in the tops thereof and dining surfaces around the perimeters thereof in proximity to the broiling means whereby table guest may serve themselves in the broiling of meat on the broiling means; a duct common to said dining tables and having an exit exteriorly of the restaurant; air ventilating means associated with each broiling means and having conduit means and an air intake opening disposed adjacent and to one side of each broiling means for drawing air across the broiling surface for collecting cooking smoke and fumes through said intake opening for exhaustion through said conduit means into said common duct communicating with exteriorly of the restaurant; power driven fan means associated with the common duct for drawing air, smoke and fumes therethrough for exhaustion to the atmosphere; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air broiler means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 10

In a restaurant having tables adapted for optional self service in broiling meat by guest at each table comprising: a plurality of dining tables having open-air broiling means located in the tops thereof and dining surfaces around the perimeters thereof in proximity to the broiling means whereby table guest may serve themselves in the broiling of meat on the broiling means; a duct common to said dining tables and having an exit exteriorly of the restaurant; air ventilating means associated with each broiling means and having conduit means and an air intake opening disposed adjacent and to one side of each broiling means for drawing air across the broiling surface for collecting cooking smoke and fumes through said intake opening for exhaustion through said conduit means into said common duct communicating with exteriorly of the restaurant; power driven fan means associated with the common duct for drawing air, smoke and fumes therethrough for exhaustion to the atmosphere; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air broiler means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 7, wherein each of said portable table portions includes an additional power driven fan means is mounted on and carried by said portable portion base, and said conduit means is at least partially mounted on and carried by said portable portion base.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 8, wherein an additional portion of said conduit means is fixedly mounted to said stationary table portion; and further including fluid conduit coupling means and electrical circuit connecting means each having respective mating portions stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion and mounted on said portable base for providing fluid communication between said conduit means portions and providing electrical power for said fan means respectively.

Claim 13

A dining arrangement such as for a restaurant wherein dining tables are provided for optional partial self service by table occupants in the broiling of meats comprising: tables spaced about a room and having open air cooking means lOcated in their tops; a peripheral portion of each table top about the cooking means defining a dining surface around and under which occupants are adapted to be assembled; air conduit means having an air intake at one side of the cooking means and an air exit opening outside of the room; power driven fan means fluid associated with the conduit means for drawing a stream of air laterally across the broiler surface into the intake for collecting smoke and odor laden gases caused by cooking food with the cooking means, moving the air through the conduit means and exhausting the air through said exit exteriorly of the room; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air cooking means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 14

A dining arrangement such as for a restaurant wherein dining tables are provided for optional partial self service by table occupants in the broiling of meats comprising: tables spaced about a room and having open air cooking means lOcated in their tops; a peripheral portion of each table top about the cooking means defining a dining surface around and under which occupants are adapted to be assembled; air conduit means having an air intake at one side of the cooking means and an air exit opening outside of the room; power driven fan means fluid associated with the conduit means for drawing a stream of air laterally across the broiler surface into the intake for collecting smoke and odor laden gases caused by cooking food with the cooking means, moving the air through the conduit means and exhausting the air through said exit exteriorly of the room; at least some of said tables being divided into a stationary portion having a dining surface around and under which chairs are adapted to be assembled and a separate portable portion having said open air cooking means; and said portable portion including a base having anti-friction means for supporting it on the floor adjacent said stationary table portion as a portable module for movement between various stationary table portions and having means for fixedly mounting thereon said broiler means.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 10, wherein said power driven fan means is mounted on and carried by said portable portion base, and said conduit means is at least partially mounted on and carried by said portable portion base.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 11, wherein an additional portion of said conduit means is fixedly mounted to said stationary table portion; and further including fluid conduit coupling means and electrical circuit connecting means each having respective mating portions stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion and mounted on said portable base for providing fluid communication between said conduit means portions and providing electrical power for said fan means, respectively.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 10, wherein one portion of said conduit means is carried by said portable table portion and another portion of said conduit means is stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion; each of said conduit means portions having mating fluid coupling means; and one of said conduit means portions being axially expansible to assist in coupling together the two conduit means portions.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 10, wherein one portion of said conduit means is carried by said portable table portion and another portion of said conduit means is stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion; each of said conduit means portions having mating fluid coupling means; and one of said conduit means portions being manually easily transversely bendable to assist in coupling together the two conduit means portions.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 10, wherein one portion of said conduit means is carried by said portable table portion and another portion of said conduit means is stationarily mounted on said stationary table portion; each of said conduit means portions having mating fluid coupling means; and one of said conduit means portions being rotatably mounted to assist in coupling together the two conduit means portions.