Portable cooker and support arrangement

• US 5,243,961 A
• Filed: 09/02/1992
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecil J. Harris
• Original Assignee: Ecil J. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Ecil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Larry
• Application Number:
  US07/939,293
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 126/9 R, 126/9 A, 126/9 B, 126/29, 126/38, 126/25 R, 29/DIG. 37, 29/700, 29/11
• US Class Current: 126/9.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 1/205 collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 29/037 Stamping with other step
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A support (S) includes a back (8) with integral first and second side portions (11) and (12). Sides (6) and (7) and back (8) have integral shoulder supports which are stamped in the sides and back. There are three rows (TR), (MR) and (BR) of shoulder supports in the sides and two rows (24), (25) of shoulder supports in the back of the support (S). The three rows of stamped shoulder supports in the sides (6) and (7) and the two rows in the back (8) each preferably have one shoulder support in each row, and the stamped shoulder supports in each row are vertically aligned. The two rows of shoulder supports in the back are horizontally aligned with the rows (MR) and (BR) in the sides. A grill (G) is pivotally connected to the first and second side portions (11) and (12) to hang down adjacent the back when not in use, but can be pivoted up so that continuous edge (18) thereon can be engaged with the support shoulders in the row (TR) to hold the grill horizontally in the support S. A tray T includes an edge (26) having an inverted U to engage the support shoulders in either the row (MR) on the sides and row 24 on the back or row (BR) on the sides and (25) on the back to position it below and adjacent the grill for supporting heat generating material to the grill. The support can be readily collapsed to secure the grill and tray therein for transport.

Claims

1. A portable support for a tray to receive heat supplying material and a grill for supporting food and the like for heating, cooking and the like wherein the support may be collapsed to secure the tray and grill within the support for easy transport when the support is not in use, said support including a back, said back having an upper and a bottom edge, spaced, vertically extending first and second side portions extending forwardly therefrom, a first side and second side pivotally connected, respectively, to said first and second side portions to move to a vertical position relative to said back when the support is open for use and to be closed to a position adjacent said back when the support is to be transported, a grill having a surface surrounded by a continuous, integral edge with projections in said edge which extend through said first and second side portions to pivotally connect said grill to said side portions for hanging to extend downwardly adjacent said back surface when not in use, three rows of vertically spaced, horizontally aligned integral support shoulders in said first and second sides of support shoulders, said support shoulders extending inwardly from said first and second sides, said grill edge engaging with the uppermost row of support shoulders in said sides when the support is open to maintain the grill in vertical position in relation to said back for cooking, a tray for receiving material to supply heat for cooking on the grill when the grill is vertical to said back, said back having two rows of vertically spaced, horizontally aligned integral support shoulders which are aligned with the two lowermost rows in said first and second sides, said tray engagable with either row of said support shoulders below the uppermost row in said sides and with one of said aligned rows in said back to support said tray when the support is open for cooking to maintain the tray in generally parallel position in relation to said grill and spaced therebeneath in vertical position in relation to said back, a handle pivotally mounted on said back adjacent the upper edge thereof for extending there above when the support is in collapsed position for transport, and

a bolt latch supported on said two sides for releasably securing said first and second sides when they are folded toward each other to secure the tray and grill in position between the back and closed sides of the support.

2. A method of forming a portable support for a tray to receive heat supplying material and a grill for supporting food and the like for heating, cooking and the like wherein the support may be collapsed when not in use to secure the tray and grill within the support for easy transport, comprising the steps of:

forming a piece of metal to provide a flat back for the support having an upper and bottom edge and an integral first and a second vertical edge portion projecting from the flat back support;

forming a pair of metal pieces to provide first and second sides for the support;

forming a grill with a surface having openings therein which supports food or the like and securing a continuous, integral metal strip around the side, front and back edges of the grill surface;

forming the tray to provide a flat surface having an inverted U-shaped member extending at least partially around the edge of the tray for releasably engaging the inverted U shaped member with the flat back and first and second sides of the support to position the tray in spaced relation beneath the grill when the tray and grill are in use;

pivotally connecting the grill adjacent its upper side and edges to the first and second vertical edge portions so that the grill extends therebetween and hangs downwardly adjacent the flat back of the support when not in use;

stamping the first and second sides to form three rows of inwardly extending and vertically aligned support shoulders in each of the first and second sides, the aligned support shoulders in the uppermost row being provided for engaging with the grill when it is pivoted up from its hung position on the first and second edge portions;

stamping the flat back of the support to form two pairs of inwardly extending, laterally spaced support shoulders, with the support shoulders in each pair being vertically aligned, vertically spaced and horizontally aligned with two of the support shoulders on the sides to form two vertically spaced rows whereby the inverted U shaped members on the tray may be selectively engaged in either row of aligned support shoulders on the sides and back to releasably position the tray in the support beneath the grill for use when desired;

pivotally connecting the first and second sides of the support respectively with the first and second edge portions projecting from the flat back of the support to enable the sides to be pivoted to vertical position in relation to the flat back of the support when the support is in use;

securing a handle to the flat back of the support for pivotal movement relative thereto, said handle projecting upwardly above the flat back support for easy access when the support is collapsed for transport; and

securing a latch arrangement on the two sides for connecting the two sides together when the grill and the tray are hanging in the support between the flat back and closed sides of the support whereby the support, grill and tray may be readily transported.