Multi-purpose fuel efficient portable stove/heater

• US 4,489,706 A
• Filed: 05/14/1982
• Issued: 12/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pyromid, Inc. (World Associates, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pyromid, Inc. (World Associates, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hait, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Application Number:
  US06/378,111
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 126/122, 126/1 D, 126/1 E, 126/25 R, 126/29, 126/26, 126/9 B, 126/9 R, 126/5, 126/55, 126/38, 126/37 B, 126/54, 126/20, 126/277, 126/182, 126/152 B, 126/152 A, 126/152 R, 99/339, 99/340, 99/450
• US Class Current: 126/9.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0763 Small-size, portable barbecues
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 1/16 with special adaptation for travelling, e.g. collapsible

Abstract

A multi-purpose stove/heater constructed of elements that are readily assembled by hand at a chosen use site, and then easily disassembled and stowed in a compact manner to facilitate portability. The elements can be put together into several different combinations to provide units for a variety of cooking, smoking, heating and drying functions, and each unit utilizes fuel in a highly efficient manner and fulfills current safety requirements as well as those for the protection of the environment wherein the unit is used.

Claims

1. A portable collapsible multi-purpose stove/heater assembly comprising:

(a) a firebox in the shape of a truncated pyramid, said firebox formed by an assembly of four trapezoidal-shaped and substantially flat side panels all of which slant inwardly to form a rectangular opening at the top of the firebox, said opening located centrally above the base of said pyramid;

(b) means to secure the side panels together;

(c) means to support a cooking utensil above the rectangular opening formed by the assembled side panels at the top of the firebox; and

(d) a cooking chamber supported above the firebox, said cooking chamber comprising a rectangular-shaped and generally flat base with a central opening generally corresponding to the rectangular opening at the top of the fire box, four trapezoidal-shaped and substantially flat side panels supportable on said base for pivotal movement with respect thereto between generally upstanding and horizontal positions, and a generally rectangular upper support means spaced above the base and supported thereon by a plurality of struts extending upwardly and inwardly from the corners of said base.

2. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the fire box side panels has an opening for access to the interior of the fire box.

3. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 2 wherein the side panel opening is partially covered by a spark-arresting means.

4. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 2 including a door mounted on the fire box for slidable movement over the side panel opening.

5. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein the means to support a cooking utensil comprises a plate-like cover for the rectangular opening, said cover having a plurality of openings to permit passage of smoke and heated air therethrough, and a spark-arresting means extending across said openings.

6. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 5 wherein said cover includes a plurality of fire box supporting downward extending flanges that at least partially reside within the interior of the fire box when the cover is installed thereon.

7. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein the firebox panels are interconnected by hinge means to facilitate folding said panels into a compact arrangement.

8. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 7 wherein two of said firebox panels each comprises two panel sections interconnected by hinge means to facilitate folding said panel sections against each other, whereby the fire box can be folded in an accordion-like manner into a substantially flat condition.

9. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 including a generally flat fire pan beneath said fire box.

10. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 9 including a water tray slidably positioned on a support beneath the fire box to utilize heat radiating downwardly from said fire box.

11. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 9 including a plurality of struts extending between the fire pan and the cooking chamber base for supporting the cooking chamber above the fire box.

12. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 including means defining a leg pivotally attached to the cooking chamber side panels for supporting the side panels in a generally horizontal attitude.

13. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 including a plate-like heat diffuser for positioning over the central opening in the cooking chamber base.

14. A stove/ heater assembly according to claim 1 including a grill for supporting cooking utensils over the cooking chamber base.

15. A stove/ heater assembly according to claim 14 wherein said grill is supported on the cooking utensil support for rotational movement with respect thereto about a generally vertical axis.

16. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein the upper support means includes a plate-like support for cooking utensils, said plate-like support containing a plurality of openings across which extends a spark-arresting means.

17. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 including chimney means supported above the cooking chamber.

18. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 17 wherein the chimney means comprises a lower chimney section releasably securable to the upper support means, and an upper chimney section releasably securable to the lower chimney section.

19. A stove/ heater assembly according to claim 18 wherein each chimney section comprises a plurality of panels pivotally interconnected to facilitate collapse of the section into a generally flat condition.

20. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 18 including fire damper means functionally attached to the chimney means.

21. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 18 including clip means on the lower chimney section, and means on the upper support means for cooperating with said clip means to releasably secure said lower chimney section to said upper support means.

22. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 18 including clip means on the upper chimney section, and means on the lower chimney section for cooperating with said clip means to releasably secure said upper chimney section to said lower chimney section.

23. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 1 including an annular warming chamber beneath the cooking chamber base and surrounding the fire box.

24. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 23 wherein the warming chamber comprises a generally flat and rectangular-shaped tray for positioning intermediate the fire box base and the cooking chamber base, and a plurality of side panels pivotally suspendable in a generally vertical attitude from said cooking chamber base to extend between said base and said tray.

25. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 24 wherein the cooking chamber is dimensioned to fit as a cover over the water tray, and all of the other components of the assembly are dimensioned to fit into the water tray and thus can be stowed therein, and the cooking chamber base installed as a cover on the tray, to achieve a compact and readily portable unit.

26. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 25 including an auxiliary work/storage table attachable to the stowed assembly unit.

27. A stove/heater assembly according to claim 26 wherein the work/storage table comprises a drawer-like base, a transparent top slidably attached to the top of the base, and compactly-stowable leg means attached to the base.