Fireplace grill and method

• US 5,832,915 A
• Filed: 02/18/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coleman Company Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Colman Company Incorporated
• Inventors: May, Randall, Skidmore, Keith, Linnebur, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US08/801,518
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 126/9 R, 126/25 R, 126/38, 126/9 A, 126/506, 126/9 B, 126/304 R, 126/304 A, 126/305, 126/306, 126/41 R, 126/519
• US Class Current: 126/9.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0763 Small-size, portable barbecues

Abstract

The fireplace grill features dual purpose legs which are inverted to snap over a lid holding the entire unit together for compact storage and transport. Under normal operating condition, the legs are inverted and are deployed downwardly and outwardly to raise the fireplace above the ground.

Claims

1. A fireplace/grill product comprising a box having a bottom wall and an upstanding sidewall providing an open top, a lid removably covering said open top and equipped with a perimetric flange, the exterior of said bottom wall being equipped with intersecting slot means adapted to receive at least three legs, said legs each being equipped with an arcuate free end and a generally straight flat opposite end received in said slot means, said arcuate free ends in one orientation of said legs when said opposite ends are received in said slot means providing feet for supporting said box above the ground or other generally flat surface and said arcuate free ends in the other orientation of said legs when said opposite ends are received in said slot means engaging said lid flange to hold said product tightly together.

2. The product of claim 1 in which said lid flange has an upstanding perimetric bead.

3. The product of claim 1 in which said arcuate free ends are sized and constructed to overlie said perimetric bead.

4. The product of claim 1 in which said box has four sides and said slot means is in "X" configuration.

5. The product of claim 4 in which said lid and the perimetric flange thereof are also four-sided to provide corners and said arcuate free ends of said legs engage said corners.

6. The fireplace/grill product comprising a generally rectangular box having a bottom wall and an upstanding sidewall providing an open top, a lid removably covering said open top and equipped with a perimetric flange, the exterior of said bottom wall being equipped with intersecting slot means adapted to receive at four legs, said legs each being equipped with an arcuate free end and a generally straight flat opposite end received in said slot means, said arcuate free ends in one orientation of said legs when said opposite ends are received in said slot means providing feet for supporting said box above the ground or other generally flat surface and said arcuate free ends in the other orientation of said legs when said opposite ends are received in said slot means engaging said lid flange to hold said product tightly together.

7. The product of claim 6 in which said lid flange has an upstanding perimetric bead.

8. The product of claim 6 in which said arcuate free ends are sized and constructed to overlie said perimetric bead.

9. The product of claim 6 in which said box has four sides and said slot means is in "X" configuration.

10. The product of claim 6 in which said lid and the perimetric flange thereof are also four-sided to provide corners and said arcuate free ends of said legs engage said corners.

11. The product of claim 6 in which a foldable screen is interposed between said lid and said box.

12. The product of claim 11 in which said screen is equipped with a bracket to maintain the same in rectangular configuration.

13. A method of operating a fireplace/grill product comprising providing a box having a bottom wall and an upstanding sidewall providing an open top, a lid removably covering said open top and equipped with a perimetric flange, the exterior of said bottom wall being equipped with intersecting slot means adapted to receive four legs, said legs each being equipped with an arcuate free end and a generally straight flat opposite end for receipt in said slot means, orienting said arcuate free end downwardly and inserting said opposite ends into said slot means to provide feet for supporting said box above the ground or other generally flat surface, and for storing said product orienting said arcuate free ends upwardly and inserting said opposite ends in said slot means while engaging said arcuate free ends with said lid flange to hold said product tightly together.

14. The method of claim 13 in which said providing step includes providing grills, and installing said grill within said box incident to storing said product.

15. The method of claim 13 in which said providing step also includes providing a foldable screen, erecting said screen into rectangular configuration and installing the same on said box, and, incident to storing said product, collapsing said screen and placing the same on top of said grills within said box prior to covering with said lid.

16. The method of claim 13 in which said providing step includes providing said perimetric flange with four corners and the step of storing includes positioning said arcuate ends over said corners.

17. The method of claim 16 in which said providing step includes providing said perimetric flange with a bead and engaging said free arcuate ends of said legs over said bead.