Yes, we used to build our large smokers ( horse trailer size, ...yes really ) like that many years ago. We would use about 8 pipes coming out of the rear of the firebox then stager the length , in pairs, soaps the heat would be even through out the chamber.
Yes, it works well for cooking. The down side is that it is very hard to clean around the pipes and it gets nasty in there. The reverse flow plate works better when it comes time to clean, as no drippings get to the bottom of the chamber if built correctly.
Lane claims to be the originator of the reverse flow cooker, but those cookers were basically reverse flow and built way before he ever started!