AU670319B2 - Set of stackable pots - Google Patents

Abstract

A set (10) of stackable pots has a plurality of pots that can be space-savingly nested into each other, in particular cooking pots (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) of various sizes. At least some of the cooking pots are provided with handles (56), and their diameter and height decrease from the lowest (12) to the uppermost pot (20) of the stack. When the pots are placed into each other, each pot is directly or indirectly supported on the upper edge of the underlying pot by its diametrically opposed handles (56) located in the area of its upper edge.

Description

OPI DATE 21/11/94 APPLN. ID 48200/93 A0,11) DATE 05/01/95 PCT NUMBER PCT/EP93/02680 AU9348200 (51) Internationale Patentklassifikation 5 A47J 27/12 (11) Internationale Verdffentlichungsnummer: WO 94/24914 Al (43) Internationales Veriffentlichungsdatum: 10. November 1994 (10.11.94) (21) Internationales Aktenzeichen: (22) Internationales Anmeldedatum: Prioritiitsdaten: P 43 13550.1 26. Apri P 43 30 653.5 10. Sept PCr/EP93/02680 30. September 1993 (30.09.93) (81) Bestimmnungsstaaten: AU, BR, CA, CZ, Fl, HU, iP, KR, NO, PL, SK, US, UZ, VN, europ~isches Patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, ES, FR, GB, OR, JE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE).

Veridffentlicht Mit internationalcm Recherchenbericit.

1993 (26.04.93) DE tember 1993 (10.09.93) DE (71) Anmelder (ftfr alle Bestimmungsstaaren aiusser US): HEIN- RICH BERNDES G.MBH CO. KG [DE/DE]; Wiebelsheidesirasse 55, D-59757 Arnsberg (DE).

(72) Erfinder; und Erfinder/Annielder (nur far US): KLOPPSTECK, Gerd [DE/DE]; Sleperstrasse 9, D-59757 Arnsberg (DE).

(74) Anwiilte: ZENZ, Joachim, laus usw.; Scheuergasse 24, D- 64673 Zwingenberg (DE).

670

AD

(54) Title: SET OF STACKABLE POTS (54) Bezeichnung: STAPEL-TOPFSET (57) Abstract A set (10) of stackable pots has a plu- rality of pots that can be space-savingly nested 60 into each other, in particular cooking pots (12, 22 14, 16, 18, 20) of various sizes. At least some of the cooking pots are prnvided. with handles and their diameter and height decrease from the lowest (12) to the uppermost pot of the stack. When the pots are placed into each other, each pot is directly or indirectly 38-2 supported on the upper edge of the underlying pot by its diamnetrically opposed handles (56) 3x1 located in the area of its upper edge.

(57) Zusamxnenfassung Stapel-Topfset (10) mit einer Anzahl 1 von plaizsparend ineinander stapelbaren Tbpfen, inshesondere Kochti~pfen (12, 14, 16, 18, 20) unterscbiedlicher Grb5sse, von denen zumindest ein Teil mit Griffen (56) versehen 1 3 ist und deren Durebmesser und H6he vom 25 im Stapel untersten Topf (12) zum im Stapel obersten Topf (20) derart ahnimmt, dass ein jeweils in einern Stapel vorausgehenden Topf I12 einzusetzender Topf sich mit seinen beiden, an diamietral gegendberiegenden Seiten im Bereich seines oberen Randes. vorgesehenen 24 Griffen (56) direkt oder indirekt auf dem oberen Rand des vorausgebenden Topfs abstiitzt.

Set of Stacking Pots The invention relates to a set of stacking pots with a plurality of pots which may be stacked within one another in a space-saving manner, particularly cooking pots of different size, of which at least a proportion is provided with handles and whose diameter and height reduce from the pot lowermost in the stack to the pot uppermost in the stack so that a pot provided with handles, which is to be inserted into a preceding pot in the stack, rests with its two handles, which are provided on diamet'ically opposite sides in the region of its upper edge, directly or indirectly on the upper edge of the preceding pot.

It is common in the household for the housewife to store cooking pots, bowls and other pots and pans of differing sizes stacked within one another in a cupboard in order to save cupboard space. The size and number of the pots contained in such stacks is however more or less a matter of chance and the stacks are frequently unstable so that a small pot can tip over within a larger pot which can result in scratching or scraping of pots with sensitive surfaces, e.g. surfaces which are polished or provided with decoration. Also, coatings, such as non-stick seals of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) provided in the interior of the pots can be damaged. Particularly for this reason, i.e. to avoid damage of the surface or of coatings, pots are individually packed by the manufacturers and then combined into larger arrangements and sent to dealers which necessarily requires a larger transport space and thus higher transport costs in comparison to the possible despatch of pots stacked 4 1P 2 within one another.

It is the object of the invention to provide a set of stacking pots in which the different components, i.e. the pots of different sizes and optionally further bowls and pot inserts, may be assembled together with the lids belonging to the pots into a very space-saving stack, whereby the stacked pots are reliably retained in their relative positions with respect to one another so that damage of their surface during transport is made impossible. Starting from a set of stacking pots of the type referred to above, this object is solved in accordance with the invention by a substantially cylindrical cowl of metal plate whose diameter substantially corresponds to the diameter of the lowermost pot of greatest diameter in the stack and which may be placed on the upper edge of the lowermost pot secured against lateral displacement, the height of the cowl being so selected that it projects above the uppermost pot in the stack when placed on the lowermost pot and the lid of the lowermost pot may be placed on its upper free edge, and by cutouts in the cowl which are open to the lower edge and are provided diametrically opposed in the region of the lower edge of the cowl and whose height and breadth are such that the handles, which rest on the upper edge of the lowermost pot, of the subsequent pot, which is provided with handles, in the stack can pass through them. As a result of enclosing the stack of pots, which are stacked within one another in decreasing size and are held spaced apart from one another by the handles, by the cowl, it e.isured that even a stack comprising a plurality of pots can be held secure against undesired shifting and the cowl additionally offers the possibility of locating the lid 3 of the lowermost pot of greatest diameter in the stack of pots. The stack may be shrink wrapped in a shrinkable film or inserted in a recyclable package and may thus be handled as a unit without there being the danger of the stack separating or of damage to the surfaces of the pots. The cutouts provided in the lower edge of the cowl for the handles of the subsequent pot in the stack render it possible for this pot to be able to be manufactured with only a slightly reduced diameter and thus only slightly smaller volumetric capacity and simultaneously to be reliably fixed in position in the stack. If the cowl is removed from the stack, i.e. separate, it can also be placed on a pan of suitable size and then serve as a spray protector in place of the known spray protecting sieve.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention the cowl can have at least one reentrant rib directly above the cutouts which narrows its free cross-section and is preferably constructed as a peripheral impressed annular corrugation and on which an insert base of metal plate, whose external diameter substantially corresponds to the free internal diameter, may be rested. This insert base, which can be manufactured from the disc stamped out of the base region of the cowl during its manufacture in the manner of a pot, can be constructed as a sieve base by the stamping in of openings which develops the cowl into an individual kitchen device which may be used in the kitchen. The cowl may then be used also as a kitchen sieve over and above the function of the surrounding spacer bush for the stack of pots if the sieve base is rested on the annular corrugation in the removed cowl.

An imperforate insert base can, on the other hand, find application as a serving plate.

4 The construction is conveniently such that the insert base has a central circular section which is dished with respect to its outer edge region and whose diameter is substantially the same as the diameter of the upper free edge of the uppermost pot in the stack. The insert base can then be so placed in the stack on the uppermost pot that its upper edge engages into the dished section. In this manner what might be termed the centering in the stack of the uppermost pot in the stack is ensured.

The imperforate insert base can, like the sieve base, also find application as a serving plate. It is recommended then to impress recesses in the dished section of the insert or sieve base which serve additionally as feet.

The wall of the cowl can also be perforated in the manner of a sieve by a plurality of stamped--n openings in order to improve the possibility for liquid to flow away.

In a second modified exemplary embodiment the use of a separate cylindrical cowl is dispensed with in that the centering of the pots against lateral displacement in the stack is achieved by a special construction of the handles of the pots provided with handles. In accordance with the invention, the construction is such that the handles of the pots provided with handles have a respective fastening body below the actual grip portion which is to be grasped, with which fastening body it is fastened to the actual pot body and which has a respective at least one centering surface whose crosssection is shaped to correspond substantially to the cross-section of the upper edge of a pot arranged beneath it in the stack, and that the distance measured between the centering surfaces of the handles of each pot is so selected that the centering surfaces on opposing handles engage in the opening of a pot arranged beneath them in the stack secured against lateral displacement.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the fastening bodies of the handles can be provided with two respective centering surfaces arranged at different diameters so that the pots provided with handles may then be inserted selectively into two pots of larger diameter with two different diameters secured against lateral displacement. It is then possible to remove a pot from the stack and to reassemble the stack again. The pot provided with handles which was previously centered in the removed pot is then held secured against lateral displacement by the centering surfaces situated on the larger diameter in the pot of the next largest diameter.

The centering surfaces arranged on different diameters are conveniently arranged vertically offset from one another in the handle fastening bodies, whereby the centering surfaces provided on the smaller diameter are arranged with respect to the base at a lesser height on the respective pot provided with the handles than the centering surfaces provided on the larger diameter.

The size of the height of two successive pots in the stack is preferably so selected that the lid of one pot in the stack fits into the space between its base and the pot situated beneath it in the stack. In this manner the lids belonging to the cooking pots can thus also be incorporated into the stack.

In addition to pots with handles provided on opposite 6 sides, handleless pot inserts can also be incorporated into the stack, the upper edge of such a handleless pot insert being then so bent over outwardly that its diameter is greater than the free internal diameter of the pot provided beneath it in the stack. In this case the bent over free edge of the handleless pot insert instead of the handles rests on the upper edge of the pot situated beneath it in the stack. It is then recommended that a strip-shaped edge boundary section canted downwardly in the direction of the base be added to the upper free edge of the handleless pot insert or the handleless pot inserts which prevents the respective insert being able to slide laterally in the associated cooking pot so far that it is displaced undesirably to its inner wall and there perhaps damages a non-stick coating which is provided.

The handleless pot insert can, for instance, be constructed as a steamer with a perforated base for the pot provided with handles receiving it in the stack.

Alternatively, the handleless pot can also be constructed as a separately usable bowl. Finally, the handleless pot can also be a water bath insert with a closed base for the pot provided with handles which receives it in the stack.

The lids of the pots are conveniently provided centrally with a region which is indented in the direction towards the interior of the pot and in which the lid handle is fastened, the height of the lid handle being at most the same as the depth of the indented lid region. The difference in height between twoc successive pots in the stack is thus limited to the height of the lid which is supposed to be arranged in the stack between their bases.

It thus becomes possible also to use the lids, if necessary, as a support on which a cooking pot which is still hot can be put down. Furthermore, during the cooking process the indented region can be filled with water which maintains the lid relatively cool so that the steam rising in the closed pot condenses on the lid, drips back and is evaporated again. That is to say an advantageous permanent circulation of steam occurs without the water having to be replenished.

The set of pots in accordance with the invention is preferably constituted by pots and optionally inserts which, like the cowl, are manufactured in a manner known per se from corrosion-resistant steel plate, though in principle pots of other materials, e.g. of enamelled metal, aluminium and the like can of course be assembled in the manner in accordance with the inve.tion into stacks. In the case of pots of corrosion-re,istant steel plate, the pots provided for heating or cooking meals on cooking rings are provided in a manner known per se with a base plate of good thermally conductive and heatstoring metal, i.e. a so-called "sandwich base" or also S"capsule base", in which the good thermally conductive and heat-storing base plate is additionally encapsulated in corrosion-resistant steel plate.

The invention will be described in more detail in the following description of two exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through a first exemplary embodiment of- a stack of pots constituted by a plurality of cooking pots of different size and further handleless pot 8 inserts, whereby of the lids belonging to the cooking pots only the uppermost lid in the stack, which belongs to the cooking pot of largest diameter, is shown sectioned whilst the remaining lids are shown in side view; Figs. 2 to 9 are respective side elevations of the pots or pot inserts included in the stack shown in Figure 1; .0 Fig. 10 is an elevation of the stack cowl seen in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 1; Fig. 11 is a side view of a sieve base which may be inserted into the cowl shown in Figure Fig. 12 is a view of the sieve base seen in the direction of the arrow XII in Figure 11; Fig. 13 is a sectional view through a second exemplary embodiment of a stack of pots in accordance with the invention; Figs. 14 to 22 are respective sectional views of the pots or pot inserts included in the stack shown in Figure 13; Fig. 23 is a perspective enlarged view of one of the handles used with the pots which are provided with handles; and Fig. 24 is a sectional view through the handle seen in the direction of the arrow 24-24 in Fig. 23.

I.

9 The stacked set of pots which is designated as a whole with 10 and is shown in Fig. 1 sectioned in a vertical plane with the exception of the pot lids arranged in its interior includes in total five cooking pots 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of different sizes, which are shown in Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8, with associated lids 22, 24, 26, 28 and a steamer 32 (Fig. 3) with a perforated base, a bowl 34 (Fig. 5) and a water bath insert 36 (Fig. 9) and a cowl 38 (Fig. 10), whose diameter corresponds to the diameter of the lowermost cooking pot 12 in the stack and in which a sieve base 40 (Figs. 11 and 12) may be i.nserted, that is to say a total of fifteen components which as may be seen in Fig. 1 are stacked within one another in an extremely space-saving manner.

The cooking pots 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are basically constructed in the same manner and in a manner known per se so that the description of the cooking pot 12 shown in Figure 2 is sufficient to explain their basic construction. The cooking pots have the conventional cylindrical pot body 52 manufactured in the present case of corrosion-resistant steel plate which is closed on one side by a flat base 50. Solaered to the exterior of the flat base 50 is a plate 54 of good thermally conductive and heat-storing metal, for instance copper or aluminium, which can additionally be provided on its flat surface remote from the pot with a disc not shown which is stamped out and. soldered on and again comprises corrosion-resistant steel plate. Such pot bases are also referred to as "sandwich bases". The upper open edge of the cylindrical wall of the cooking pot is bent over outwardly in order to facilitate the insertion of the lower edge of the associated lid 22 and also the pouring of liquid out of the cooking pot.

b Secured to opposing sides of the wall of the cooking pot are the handles 56 which project diametrically and are shown schematically in the figure. The handles which are constructed in the figure as schematically shown handle blocks can be manufactured from wood or plastics material. The use of handle loops of metal, plastic material, wood or of composite materials is of course also possible.

The cooking pots 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 thus do not basically differ except in their dimensions, that is to say their diameter and height, whereby the differences in diameter are so selected that each cooking pot may be so inserted into the preceding cooking pot that its radially projecting handles 56 can rest on the upper edge of the cooking pot situated beneath it in the stack or on a further handleless pot. The differences in height between two pots stacked within one another is, on the other hand, so selected that sufficient space is provided between the inner surface of the base of the lower pot and the outer surface of the base of the subsequent pot in the stack for the lid of the upper pot in the stack.

In order that the volumetric capacity of the pots is not unnecessarily reduced, this space and thus also the lids 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 belonging to the cooking pots should be kept as low as possible. Th.i is achieved as is shown by the lid 22 of the cooking pot 12 shown in section in Figure 1 by the fact that the lids, which are manufactured in a conventiQnal manner from corrosionresistant metal plate in a stamping-pressing process, have a central region 58 which is deeply indented in the direction towards the interior of the pot and in which the 'espective lid handle 60 is centrally fastened. The height of the lid handle is selected to be approximately the same as the depth of the deeply indented region 58, that is to say it does not project upwardly beyond the lid 22. The lids thus take up only a small amount of space in the vertical direction of the stack, that is to say they permit stacking in a space-saving manner.

Furthermore, they can, if necessary, also be used as a stand for cooking pots which are still hot. Furthermore, during the cooking process, water can be poured into the deeply indented region which cools the lid in comparison to the temperature prevailing in the cooking pot so that the steam condenses on the inner surface of the lid, drips back into the material being cooked and is then evaporated again. That is to say the steam produced during cooking permanently circulates during the cooking or steaming process.

A pot-shaped insert 32 with no handles and lid which may be inserted into the lowermost cooking pot 12 in the stack is illustrated in Figure 3. No additional metal plate is soldered to its base but impressed in it at uniform angular spacings and projecting downwardly from the base are hemispherical feet 64 which ensure that when the insert 32 is placed on a support it stands with the base somewhat above the support. T'e base of the insert 32 is perforated, which is not shown in Figure 3, so that the insert may also be used as a steamer. On the other hand, with an unperforated base it could be used as a conventional bowl or water bath insert. The insert 32 is supported in the cooking pot L2 by the edge 66 which is bent appropriately outwards and which can rest in the stack on the upper edge of the cooking pot 12 and engages over it so to speak in a fitting manner. A strip-shaped edge section 68 formed on the outer edge and canted in the direction towards the base prevents the insert 32 s" c being able to move so far laterally in the cooking pot 12 that it can scratch a non-stick coating which may optionally be provided in this cooking pot. Furthermore, this construction of the edge facilitates gripping of the insert Illustrated in Figure 5 is a further insert 34 without handles and lid with a continuous, i.e. imperforate, base which may be inserted fittingly into the cooking pot 14 and may rest on its upper edge. The insert 34 may serve as a conventional stirring bowl. Finally, a further insert 36 for the ccoking pot 20 is shown in Figure 9 which is substantially similar to the insert 34 though is dimensionally smaller and which may serve as a water bath insert.

Finally, Figure 10 shows the cylindrical cowl 38 which is open on both sides and whose open lower side may be rested on the lower cooking pot 12 or inserted in the handleless steamer 32, if this is provided in the stack.

The dimensions of the cutouts 74 provided in the lower edge of the cowl 38 are so selected that the handles 56 of the cooking pot 14 can pass through them appropriately. The height of the cowl 38 on the other hand is so selected that its upper edge, which is bent outwardly in a manner corresponding to the cooking pots 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, is above all the cooking pots and inserts stacked within one another and the sieve base which will be described in more detail below in conjunction with Figures 11 and'12 so that the lid 22 belonging to the cooking pot 12 may be placed fittingly upon the upper edge of the cowl 38.

Rolled into the cowl 38 directly above the cutouts 74 is a peripheral annular corrugation 76 which projects into the interior and on which the sieve base 40 may be rested, the diameter of which is so selected that its edge rests on the annular corrugation 76. The sieve base 40 has a central circular section 78 which is recessed or dished with respect to the plane of its edge region, whereby the diameter of the section 78 is only slightly larger than the diameter of the upper edge of the water bath insert 36 which, for its part, fittingly engages over the upper edge of the cooking pot 20. In the position illustrated in Fig. 1, in which the dished section 78 of the sieve base 40 inserted into the cowl 38 in the stack projects upwardly beyond the edge region, the upper edges of the water bath insert 36 and the cooking pot 20 thus engage in the interior of the section 78 and are thus maintained centred in the stack.

The sieve base 40 can, on the other hand, also be inserted in the inverted position into the cowl 38 lifted away from the stack, i.e. with the section 78 dished downwardly, whereby its edge then rests in the manner described on the annular corrugation 76. The cowl 38 then forms a draining sieve together with the sieve base which is provided with the sieve openings 80, which are shown in Figure 12 only in a portion of Lhe dished section. The cowl 38 can also be provided with sieve openings 82 in its wall region situated above the annular corrugation 76, which openings are again shown in Fig. only in a small region of the wall.

A second exemplary embodiment of a stacked set of pots, which is designated as a whole with 110, is shown in Figure 13 and this is also composed of cooking pots 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 of differing sizes (Figs. 15, 17, 19, 20 and 2i) and pro,,.ded with handles and with associated lids 122, 124, 126, 128 and 130 and a steamer 132 (Fig. 18) with a perforated base, a bowl 134 (Fig.

16) and a water bath insert 136 (Fig. 22). Merely the cowl 38, which was provided in the set of pots 10, with the associated sieve base is omitted and instead of this a handleless pot 138 (Fig. 14), which may be used as a pudding mould, is additionally provided under the cooking pot 112 of greatest diameter which is provided with handles. Since the cooking pots provided with handles and also the inserts and further the lids belonging to the cooking pots provided with handles are substantially the same as the corresponding pots described above in conjunction with the set of pots 10 and the same pots, pot inserts and lids in the set of pots 110 have the same reference numerals as in the set of pots 10, though preceded by a 1, only the modifications which have been effected will be described below whilst in other respects it is sufficient to refer to the preceding description.

The substantial difference between the sets of pots and 110 resides in that the centred, laterally immovable support of the pots and pot inserts stacked within one another is effected by a special construction of the handles provided on the cooking pots.

One of the handles 156 provided for the cooking pots 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 of the set of pots 110 is shown in perspective in Figure 23 and in section in Figure 24, whereby it may be manufactured in a manner known per se from a poorly thermally conductive duroplastic plastics material. In the illustrated case the handle 156 has a grip portion 180 which is formed as a grip plate and which projects integrally from a fastening body 182 which has a curved fastening surface 184 complementary to the external diameter of its pot body 152 on its side directed towards the associated cooking pot. A fastening screw (nct shown) which passes through a fastening bore 186 in the fastening body 182 may serve to secure the handle 156 to the pot body. The screw is screwed into a thread in a lug, which is also not shown, hard soldered or welded to the pot body. In the predetermined fastened position the lug provided with the screw thread is then situated in the recess 188 provided in the fastening surface, whereby the fastening body 182 and thus the handle portion 156 can be tightened with its fastening surface 184 in firm engagement with the pot. The lug serves at the same time also to prevent rotation of the handle 156. On its side opposite to the fastening surface 184 the fastening body 182 is provided with two vertically offset curved centering surfaces 190, 192 whose cross-section corresponds to the cross-section of the upper edge of a pot disposed beneath it in the stack, whereby the distance measured between the centering surfaces 190 of the two handles 156 of a pot corresponds to the diameter of the subsequent pot beneath this pot in the stack and the spacing measured between the centering surfaces 192 correspond to the diameter of the next pot further down in the stack. Since the centering surfaces are of curved shape in the peripheral direction corresponding to the diameter of the pots in which they engage, the pots. provided with handles are exactly centred in the pots accommodating them. Due to the presence of two vertically offset centering surfaces 190, 192 it is also possible to remove a pot from the stack without the pot which was previously centred in this pot by means of its handles then being laterally movable in the subsequent pot of greater diameter. Instead, the

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16 centering surfaces 192 arranged at a greater spacing from one another on the handles 156 become effective and centre the pot within the pot of larger diameter.

With regard to the water bath insert 136 which is shown separately in Fig. 22, it should also be noted that the lid 130 fits into a recess 140 of enlarged diameter provided in the mouth region of the insert 136. The outwardly bent over edge 166 is then adjacent to the recess 140 and the edge region 168 is canted downwardly from the bent over edge 166. The diameter of the outwardly bent over edge can be so large that not only the upper edge of the cooking pot 120 (Fig. 21) but also the next largest cooking pot 118 (Fig. 20) bears against the underside and can be centred by the strip-shaped edge region 168. This occurs when the cooking pot 120 is removed from the stack without the water bath insert 136.

The steamer 13? separately illustrated in Figure 18 is also so constructed in the mouth region corresponding to the water bath insert 136 described above that the lid 126 fits into it and also into the associated cooking pot 114. Particularly when using the steamer 132 in the cooking pot 114 the function of the permanent steam circulation explained above in connection with the special construction of the lid comes advantageously into effect.

It will be clear that within the scope of the inventive concept modifications and developments of the described set of pots 10 and 110 are possible which relate not only to the shape but also to the function of the pots and pot inserts united in the stack and also the construction of the arrangement locating them in the stack against 17 lateral displacement. Thus it will be immediately apparent that the handles 156 of the cooking pots 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120, which are provided with handles, can also be provided with further centering surfaces if the increase in size of the handles 156 which is necessary for this purpose is accepted.

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Claims (15)

1. 2. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that directly above the cutouts (74) the cowl (38) has at Y 0 19 least one reentrant rib (76) which reduces its free cross-section and is preferably constructed as a peripheral impressed annular corrugation and on which an insert base (40) of metal plate, whose external diameter substantially corresponds to the free internal diameter, may be rested.
2. 3. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the insert base (40) has a central circular section (78) which is dished with respect to its outer edge region and whose diameter is substantially the same as the diameter of the upper free edge of the uppermost pot (insert 36) in the stack.
3. 4. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, character- ised in that the insert base (40) is constructed as a sieve base by stamped-in openings. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, character- ised in that additional recesses serving as feet are impressed in the dished section (78) of the insert base
4. 6. Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to characterised in that the wall of the cowl (38) is perforated in the manner of a sieve by a plurality of stamped-in openings (82).
5. 7. Set of stacking pots (110) with a plurality of pots which may be stacked within one another in a space-saving manner, particularly cooking pots (112; 114; 116; 118; 120) of different size, of which at least a proportion is provided with handles (156) and whose diameter and height reduce from the pot (112) lowermost in the stack to the i I pot uppermost in the stack so that a pot provided with handles, which is to be inserted into a preceding pot in the stack, rests with its two handles, which are provided on diametrically opposite sides in the region of its upper edge, directly or indirectly on the upper edge of the preceding pot, characterised in that the handles (156) of the pots (112; 114; 116; 118; 120), which are provided with handles, have a respective fastening body below the actual grip portion (180) which is to be grasped, which fastening body has at least one centering surface (190; 192) whose cross-section is shaped substantially to correspond to the cross-section of the upper edge of a pot disposed beneath it in the stack and that the distance measured between the centering surfaces (190; 192) on the handles (155) of each pot 120) is so selected that the centering surfaces (190; 192) engage in the opening of a pot 118) arranged beneath it in the stack secured against lateral displacement.
6. 8. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the fastening bodies of the handles (156) are each provided with two centering surfaces (190; 192) arranged at different diameters so that the pots 120) provided with the handles (156) may be inserted selectively into two pots 118 and 116) of larger diameter with two different diameters secured against lateral displacement.
7. 9. Set of pots as claimed in. Claim 8, characterised in that the centering surfaces (190; 192) arranged at different diameters are vertically offset with respect to one another in the handle fastening-bodies (182). Set of pots as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in I t I 21 that the centering surfaces (I10Q provided at the smaller diameter are arranged at a lower height with respect to the base (150) of the respective pot provided with the handles (156) than the centering surfaces (192) provided at the greater diameter.
8. 11. Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to characterised in that the height of two successive pots 16; 18) in the stack is so selected that the lid 30) of a pot (16) in the stack fits into the space between its base and the pot (18) situated beneath it in the stack.
9. 12. Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised by at least one handleless pot insert (32; 34; 36; 134, 132), which may be inserted between two pots (12, 14; 14, 16; 18, 20; 3.12, 114; 114, 116) provided with handles (56) and whose upper free edge (66; 166) is bent over outwardly such that its diameter is larger than the flee internal diameter of the pot (12; 14; 20; 112; 114) provided beneath it in the stack.
10. 13. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 12, characterised in that the upper free edge of the handleless pot insert or the handleless pot inserts (32; 132; 136) has a strip- shaped edge boundary section (68; 168) canted downwardly in the direction of its base.
11. 14. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, character- ised in that the handleless pot insert (32; 132) is constructed as a steamer with a perforated base for the pot (12; 114) which is provided with-handles and receives it in the stack. *t I 22 Set of pots as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, character- ised in that the handleless pot insert is constructed as a separately usable bowl (34; 134).
12. 16. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, character- ised in that the handleless pot insert is constructed as a water bath insert (36; 136) with a closed base for the pot (20; 120) which is provided with handles and receives it in the stack.
13. 17. Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 16, characterised in that the lids (22; 24; 26; 28; 30; 12; 124; 126; 128; 130) of the pots (12; 14; 16; 18; 20; 112; 114; 116; 118; 120) have a central region (58; 158) indented in the direction towards the interior of the pot in which the lid handle (60; 160) is secured and that the height of the lid handle is at most the same as the depth of the indented lid region (58; 158).
14. 18. Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 17, characterised in that the pots (12; 14; 16; 18; 20; 112; 114; 116; 118; 120) and the inserts (32; 34; 36; 132; 134; 136), which are optionally provided, and the cowl which is optionally provided, are manufactured in a manner known per se from corrosion-resistant steel plate.
15. 19. Set of pots as claimed in Claim 18, characterised in that a base plate (54; 154) known per se of good thermally conductive and heat-storing metal is attached to the outer surface of the bases (50; 150) of the pots (12; 14; 16; 18; 20; 112; 114; 116;' 118; 120) which are provided with handles (56; 156 and are provided for heating or for cooking meals on cooking rings. 23 Set of pots as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 19, characterised in that at least the pots (12; 14; 16; 18; 112; 114; 116; 118; 120) which are provided with handles (56; 156) are provided on their inner surface with a non-stick seal of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Abstract Set of stacking pots (10) with a plurality of pots which may be stacked within one another in a space-saving S manner, particularly cooking pots (12; 14; 16; 18; 20) of different sizes of which at least a proportion is provided with handles and whose diameter and height dacreases from the lowermost pot (12) in the stack to the uppermost pot in the stack such that a pot to be inserted into a preceding pot in the stack' rests directly or indirectly on the upper edga of the preceding pet with its two handles which are provided on diametrically opposed sides in the region of its upper edge. (Fig. 1)