AU2003100944A4 - A barbecue - Google Patents

Description

A BARBECUE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present, invention relates to cooking and heating apparatus and in particular to portable cooking and heating apparatus used in outdoor and indoor situations.

BACKGROUND

ART

Portable barbecues are well known in their gene'al form.

One such known device is a portable barbec e comprising a frame with an open centre having front, rear and side walls and an inwardly extending annular bottom flange. It also has first and seco d leg members hingedly engaging with the frame to assume a first, folded position and a second, supporting position extending away from the bottom of the frame. It has first and second grill rack members hingedly engaging the frame to assume a first, closed position and a second, upright position extending upwardly from the top of the frame. The heat comes from a disposable heat reflecting drip pan having an outwardly extending annular lip adapted to engage the annular bottom flange on the frame such that the drip pan assumes a working position occupying the open centre of the frame when the leg members are in the supporting position. It also has a removable fire basket engaging the frame and overlying the disposable drip pan in the working position and a removable cooking grill adapted to slidably mount across the first and second grill rack members.

There is also known a portable cooking grill with a bottom wall and side and end walls which are hinged to the bottom wall to form an open box or enclosure which can be collapsed by moving the walls proximate to the bottom wall. One pair of walls is provided with mating, milti-stepped slots which can support a grill tray or a deep tray or skewers at different levels. Flat leaf or blade springs automatically open the grill from the collapsed condition when a locking mechanism is opened. Folding legs are mounted on the grill or a support tray can be used where the grill is formed integrilly from a blank of semi-rigid material which is heat and fire resistant. The grill is universal and can readily be used with many fuels, including coal, wood, gao and electricity, 2 and can be used to cook by broiling, baking, boiling of liquid foods soup), frying and the like.

Another type of barbecue grill is known to enhance ease of use, cleaning, and optional use of pressurized fuel or charcoal briquettes. The grill utilizes a plurality of removable burners operably associated with fuel conduits of a propane-type storage tank. Underlying the burners is a sliclably mounted drip tray that may be further utilized as a support for charcoal briquettes upon removal of the burner units, which are also slidably mourh:ed within the framework of the barbecue grill. Additionally, a wind panel utilizing hingedly mounted side panels surrounds the central cooking grid ad a series of circular burners. Further, the organization includes a telescopingly mounted lower leg overlying a fixed upper leg with a storage shelf rigidly mounted to the lower legs for compact storage of the organization.

Yet another type of barbecue is a foldable outdoor cooking device having wall assemblies which are hinged and fold ble and when erected form an enclosure. Hangers are detachably securable to the enclosure to support a cooking grill above the enclosure. The device may be used with gaseous fuels or may be positioned on a pan so wood or charcoal may be used as a fuel. The grill has handles which may be extended to assist the user in moving the grill.

Still another type of griller is an apparatus for converting a gas grill into a charcoal burning grill for conveniently using charcoal or other flammable material in a gas grill. The apparatus for converting a gas grill into a charcoal burning grill includes an adapter container for holding flammable material. The adapter container is removably positionable in the interior of the housing. The screen is removable from the housing. The adapter container is positionable on the heating system within the housing of 4a gas grill. The flammable material is placed in the container and ignited. The screen is replaced such that the screen covers the adapter container.

The above examples of barbecues are aimed at maintaining portability and ease of use. They can be quite complex: and require a substantial period of time to put together. They are therefore not often suited to a wide variety of applications as their complexity and number of parts tends to limit their use. Once one part is misplaced, the devi e can become unusable.

Not all of the devices are easy to clean. They may comprise complex elements with unseen portions which cannot always be effectively cleaned.

Further objects and advantages of the presemt invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is g(ven by way of example.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a barbecue, which may at least partially overcome the abovementioned disadvantages, or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one broad form, the invention resides ih a barbecue comprising a base unit, a cooking plate and a means for heating the cooking plate suspended from the base unit.

The base unit preferably comprises a substantially rectanguJar frame having two pairs of opposed sidewalls. One pair of opposed sidewalls may preferably be longer than the other pair of opposed sidewalls, to form a rectangular frame.

Each sidewall may preferably be manufactured from a strong but relatively lightweight material with high heat transfer and heat conductivity such as metal. Each sidewall may be manufactured from an longate metal bar section having a flattened appearance. The bar sections n ay suitably be positioned to have their thinnest portion oriented perpendicular to the ground surface and may therefore increase to strength and rigidity of the frame.

The frame may preferably further have at least One crosspiece which may add to the bracing of the frame. These cro;spieces may preferably be formed from the same material as the opposed sidewalls.

Preferably the crosspieces may extend from one of the pair of shorter sidewalls to the other shorter sidewall and be attached thereto. There may suitably be between two and fifty of these crosspieces.

The base unit may also preferably comprise an attachment means to attach leg members to the base unit. The attachrient means may suitably be a length of attachment pipe with any diamet.r. There may suitably be four of these attachment means, one adjacent each corner of the base unit. They may of course be more or fewer of the attachment means.

For example, a triangular shaped barbecue may only require three legs and therefore only need three attachment means.

The attachment pipes may suitably be attached to the lower side of the base unit. This facilitates the attachment of the leg members to the attachment means. Most preferably, the attachment pipes rilay be attached in each the corner of the base unit. They may be welded to the base unit.

The attachment pipes may extend downward frdlm the base unit to allow the base unit to be spaced from a ground based fire.

Each attachment pipe may suitably have a portion of flattened steel plate attached at the upper end of the attachment pipe to prevent the leg members slipping through the pipe. The upper portion of the steel plate may suitably be flush with the upper side of the base unit.

The leg members may preferably comprise a leingth of pipe of larger diameter than the attachment means to be received in lan interference fit within the leg members. The leg members may be securable to the base unit by the interference fit or another method may be used su h as a pin and slot attachment or friction lock. The leg members may be beit or formed to allow the legs to protrude out past the perimeter of the barbecue's base unit.

The base unit need not be used with the leg memibers in place.

The leg members may be added to give added convenience' when cooking and allow a user to stand upright as opposed to crouching down to tend to the cooking.

The length of the legs may preferably be adjustable to allow a user to use the cooker on an uneven surface. The length of the legs may be adjustable using any method. The legs may be manufactured from any sized material. The size of the material may be determined according to the load (mass or weight) that the cooker may be designed to support. These specifications may be determined by an individual upon orderirg.

The cooking plate may preferably be a solid plate, or a grill. The solid plate may suitably be high quality steel plate. The codking plate may comprise a combination of solid plate and grill.

The cooking plate may preferably have handles iattached to the plate to allow removal from the barbecue. The handles may be movable between a first folded position and a second use position. E ch handle may preferably comprise a piece of metal bent or otherwise forme1 in a D-shape.

The handles may be attached to the cooking plate in any manner suitable to the purpose. Preferably, the cooking plate may have a pair of spaced apart metal arm members attached to the plate on opposed sides such that each arm of the D-shaped handle can be attached to one of th e spaced apart metal arm members. Wooden handles may be fitted to the D shaped handle.

This attachment may be simply a weld or may be a more complex pin and slot arrangement.

The means for heating the cooking plate may be fire box or a burner to allow a conventional gas burner to be used.

In one form, the barbecue may allow, through the use of a burner, the use of a conventional gas burner to heat the cocking plate. The burner may be a simple box-like member having an open certre with a base, rear and side walls. This configuration allows a user to sliie a gas burner under the cooking plate instead of using a camp fire.

The burner may be manufactured of metal.

The burner may be positioned with respect tb the base unit using hooks to suspend the adapter from the base unit. There may be a set of hook-shaped protuberances on the base unit to engage With the hooks on the adaptor.

The burner may be equivalent in size to the cooking plate or it may be smaller that the cooking plate.

In another form, the cooking plate may be heeated using a fire.

In this form the barbecue may be equipped with a fire adapter plate. The fire adapter plate may preferably comprise a substantially flat piecpe of high quality steel metal having attachment means on the fire adapteir plate to allow attachment of the leg members to raise the level of the fire sidapter plate and also allow the attachment of the cooking plate above the fire odapter plate.

The attachment of the leg members to the fire adapter plate may preferably take the same form as the attachment means for attaching the leg members to the cooking plate directly.

The attachment means for attaching the cooking plate to the fire adapter plate may preferably each be a length of pipe positioned at each corner of the plate.

Most preferably, the fire adapter plate may be equipped with fittings in each corner comprising an upwardly extendinig pipe and a downwardly extending pipe or bar. The upward extendling pipes may preferably be adapted to engage with the pipes fixed to cornir gussets base unit and the downward extending pipes adapted to enga .e with the leg members.

There may be one or more wind screens associated with the fire adapter plate to prevent embers blowing off the plate or onto the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the burner holder.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the adaptor plati.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one end of the cooking plate.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of a leg attached to the base unit.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one end of the cooking plate.

Figure 7 is an end view of an assembled barbecue.

BEST MODE According to one form of the invention, a barbecdue is provided, comprising a base unit 11, a cooking plate 12 and a means Ifor heating the cooking plate 12 suspended from the base unit 11.

The base unit 11 is a substantially rectangular frmrne having two pairs of opposed sidewalls 14. One pair of opposed side alls 14 is longer than the other pair of opposed sidewalls, to form the rectangoiar frame.

Each sidewall 14 is manufactured from metal. Each sidewall 14 is an elongate metal bar section having a flattened appea ance. The bar sections are positioned to have their thinnest portion oriented Ierpendicular to the ground surface which increases the strength and rigidity oI' the frame.

The frame has at least one crosspiece 15 which adds to the bracing of the frame. The crosspieces 15 extend from one of the pair of shorter sidewalls 14 to the other shorter sidewall 14 and are attached thereto.

The sidewalls 14 and crosspieces 15 may bb reinforced by stiffeners The base unit 11 has four bars 17 extending dOwnwardly from each corner.

The four bars 17 are attached to the lower side lof the base unit 11. This facilitates the attachment of the legs generally indicated by arrow 16 to the attachment bars 17. Most preferably, the attachmet bars 17 are attached in each corner of the base unit 11.

The attachment bars 17 extend downward from tihe base unit 11 to allow the base unit to be spaced from a ground based fire. The attachment bars 17 can function as shortened legs for the base unit 11.

Each attachment bar 17 has a gusset 18 attachpd at the upper side and corner of the base unit. The upper portions of the gussets 18 are flush with the upper side of the base unit 11.

The legs 16 come in two parts, a bent pipe sec ion 16a and a telescopic bar section 16b. The attachment bars 17 are a push fit into the upper ends of pipe section 16a and the telescopic section 16b can be locked in position by a threaded lock 16a. Alternatively the elements may be joined by a thread.

The cooking plate 12 is either a solid plate or a Prill. The solid plate is high quality steel plate. The cooking plate 12 may have a combination of solid plate and grill.

The cooking plate 12 has handles 19 attached to the plate 12 to allow removal from the barbecue. The handles 19 are movable between a first folded position and a second use position. Each handle 19 is a piece of metal bent or otherwise formed in a D-shape. The cooking iplate 12 has a pair of spaced apart metal arm members 20 attached to tie plate 12 on opposed sides such that each arm of the D-shaped handle 1, is attached to one of the spaced apart metal arm members The means for heating the cooking plate 12 may be fire box 28 or a burner support 22 to allow a conventional gas burner to b4 used.

In one form, the barbecue allows, through the ise of a burner support 22, the use of a conventional gas burner to heat the cooking plate 12.

The burner support 22 is a simple box-like member having in open centre with a base 23, rear 24 and side walls 25. This configuration allows a user to slide a gas burner under the cooking plate 12 instead of using camp fire.

The burner support 22 is manufactured of metal.

The bumer support 22 is positioned with respect to the base unit 11 using hooks 26 to suspend the support 22 from the base uhit 11. There is a set of hook-shaped protuberances 27 on the base unit 11 to engage with the hooks 26 on the adapter 22.

In another form, the cooking plate12 is heated using a fire box.

In this form the barbecue is equipped with a fire box 28. The fire adapter box 28 is a substantially flat piece of metal having attachment m ans on the fire box 28 to allow attachment of the legs 16 to raise the level of the fire box 28 and also allow the attachment of the base unit 11 and cooking plate 12 above the fire box.

The attachment means 29 for attaching the base unit to the fire box are each a short length of pipe positioned at each corner crf the plate.

On the underside of the box 28 bars 17 for engagement with legs 16 are provided.

There are fire shrouds 30 associated with the firi adapter plate to prevent embers blowing off the plate or onto the user. Thesje take the form of sidewalls 25 and a rear wall 24.

In the present specification and claims, the woid "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical fealures. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, c0laimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the a pended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

DATED this//f day of 2002 PAUL MATSON By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.

LEGEND

11 Base unit 12 Cooking plate 13 Heating means 14 Sidewalls Crosspiece 16 Legs 17 Attachment bars 18 Steel gussets 19 Handles Arm members 21 Fuse box 22 Burner support 23 Base wall 24 Rear wall Sidewalls 26 Hooks 27 Protuberances 28 Fire box 29 Attachment means Fire shrouds

Claims (4)

1. A barbecue comprising a base unit comprising a substantially rectangular frame having two pairs of opposed sidevalls, a cooking plate and a means for heating the cooking plate suspended from the base unit.

2. The barbecue according to claim 1, wherein the bsse unit further comprises attachment means to attach leg members to the base unit.

3. The barbecue according to either one of claims 1 or. 2, wherein the means for heating the cooking plate includes a support allowing the use of a conventional gas burner to heat the cooking plate, the support being suspended from the base unit.

4. The barbecue according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the means for heating the cooking plate includes a fire bcx upon which a fire can burn, comprising a substantially flat piece pf metal having attachment means on the box to allow attachment of the frame above the fire box. A barbecue substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.