Combined electric and gas burner

Claim 1

A combined burner for a stove cooktop having at least one cooking station, comprising: a gas burner having a plurality of gas exit ports through which a combustible gas may flow, wherein said gas burner is configured as an annular ring with said gas ports being circumferentially disposed under said cooking station so that said gas may be mixed with air and ignited to produce heat under said cooking station for food cooking; a source of a pressurized combustible gas in fluid communication with said gas burner; a plurality of electric heating elements concentrically disposed within said annular ring gas burner under said cooking station for simmer cooking of foods; burner base means for structural support of said electric heating elements and said gas burner to said stove cooktop; a top cap member having a top, bottom and upward sides, said top cap member being supported by said base means and disposed such that the bottom side of said top cap covers said electric heating elements, and the top side of said topcoat member lying in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of said stove cooktop. an enclosed gas/air mixing chamber defined by top, bottom and side walls, with said chamber being disposed under said top cap member such that said top cap member further comprises the top wall of said chamber. gas valve control means for adjustment of gas flow rate to said gas burner ports, said gas valve control means having a valve stem shaft for manual operation; and control means having a first microswitch actuated by operation of said valve shaft for adjustment of power to said electric heating elements so as to provide simmer cooking heating adjacent said gas burner heating under said cooking station.