GB2576373A

GB2576373A - A support for a rotisserie

Info

Publication number: GB2576373A
Application number: GB1813447.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Mckend Stuart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-08-17
Filing date: 2018-08-17
Publication date: 2020-02-19
Also published as: GB201813447D0

Abstract

A support 1 for a rotisserie comprises a support member 2 having a recess 3 formed in an edge 4. The recess extends through the support member and, in use, receives a rotisserie spit. An attachment member 6, 7 and a retaining member 8, 9 extend from another edge 5 of the support member. At least a portion of the retaining member is spaced from the attachment member. In use, the attachment member engages with one side of a side wall of an outdoor grill and the retaining member engages with the other side of the side wall. As such, the side wall is located between the attachment member and the retaining member. The retaining member may comprise first 10 and second 11 portions at an angle to each other. The first portion may extend away from the support member and the attachment member, such that the second portion is spaced from the support member by the first portion. The support may comprise two attachment members and two retaining members. The support may further comprise a formation for receiving a drive mechanism that rotates the rotisserie spit.

Description

A Support for a Rotisserie

The invention relates to a support for a rotisserie, and especially for use on an outdoor grill, such as a barbecue or smoker.

Some higher end barbecues are designed to have a rotisserie unit mounted on them to permit a user to use the barbecue as a rotisserie on which meat, such as whole poultry or joints of meat, can be roasted using the heat from the barbecue while the meat is slowly turned on a spit. Typically, the spit is turned by an electric motor which engages with the spit at one end of the spit. One end of the spit is normally rotationally mounted at one side of the barbecue and the motor mounted on an opposite side of the barbecue with the other end of the spit engaged with the motor.

There have been some attempts made to provide aftermarket rotisserie units that can be retrofitted on to existing barbecues. However, these aftermarket units usually require the barbecue to be modified, such as by drilling holes in the side walls of the barbecue, in order to fit the rotisserie unit.

For instance, one example of this, is a 57cm diameter metal cylinder that is supplied with a rotisserie kit including a motor and spit. The metal cylinder is adapted to fit on an existing 57cm diameter charcoal kettle grill and a hole and recess is formed in one side of the metal cylinder to accommodate the spit and holes drilled in the metal cylinder on the other side to enable an electric motor to be mounted on the cylinder to rotate the spit. One of the disadvantages of this particular after-market rotisserie kit, and other aftermarket rotisserie kits that are currently available, is that it can only be used with one particular type of outdoor grill and cannot be used with other outdoor grills. For example, the 57cm metal cylinder adaptor cannot be used with any kettle grill having a different diameter and also cannot be used with any grill having a non-circular cross section.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a support for a rotisserie, the support comprising a support member, the support member having a recess formed in an edge of the support member that extends through the support member, the recess being adapted to receive a rotisserie spit, in use; an attachment member extending from another edge of the support member; a retaining member also extending from the other edge ofthe support member; and wherein at least a portion ofthe retaining member is spaced from the attachment member, such that the attachment member is adapted to engage with one side of a side wall of an outdoor grill, in use, and the retaining member engages with the other side of the side wall in use, with the side wall located between the attachment member and the retaining member.

In accordance with a second aspect ofthe invention, there is provided a method of mounting a support for a rotisserie on an outdoor grill, the method comprising:

providing a support in accordance with any of claims 1 to 20; engaging the attachment member with an outer surface of a side wall of the outdoor grill; and engaging the retaining member with an inner surface of the side wall of the outdoor grill.

An advantage of the invention is that by providing a support having a recess for a rotisserie spit and with an attachment member and a retaining member, it is possible to support a rotisserie unit on an outdoor grill without requiring modification of the grill.

The term “outdoor grill” as used herein means any grill or cooking appliance intended for outdoor use including, but not limited to, barbecues, smokers and outdoor stoves and whether fuelled by charcoal, gas or any other suitable fuel.

Preferably, the retaining member is laterally displaced from the attachment member along the other edge.

Preferably, the retaining member is spaced from the attachment member in a direction parallel to an axis of the recess.

In one example, the support member may comprise a support plate and the recess is formed in an edge of the support plate. Where the support member comprises a support plate, a portion of the retaining member may extend away from both the support plate and the attachment member.

Preferably, the retaining member may extend from the support member adjacent to where the attachment member extends from the support member.

Preferably, the retaining member comprises first and second portions at an angle to each other, the first portion extending away from the support member and the attachment member. The second portion may be spaced from the support member by the first portion. The second portion may be substantially parallel to the attachment member.

The first portion of the retaining member may extend at substantially right angles to the support member.

Where the support member comprises a support plate, the attachment member may extend from the support plate in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the support plate and preferably, the plane of the attachment member may be substantially coincident with the plane of the support plate. Where the retaining member has first and second portions, the second portion may extend in a plane substantially parallel to the plane defined by the support plate.

Typically, the support comprises two attachment members.

Preferably, the support comprises two retaining members. More preferably, the retaining members are located on opposite sides of the attachment member. Where there are two attachment members, the retaining members may be located on the outer sides of the attachment members or may be separated from each other by the attachment members, which are adjacent each other. The attachment members may be adjacent each other but spaced from each other.

Typically, the retaining member is located adjacent or at an outer edge of the support member. Where there are two retaining members, the retaining members are preferably located on opposite outer portions of the other edge of the support member.

Preferably, the edge in which the recess is located is opposite the other edge. In one example of the support member, the recess is spaced from at least one of the attachment member and the retaining member.

In one example of the support, the support may further comprise a formation adapted to receive a drive mechanism to rotate the rotisserie spit relative to the support, in use. Typically, the drive mechanism may be an electric motor.

The recess may comprise a partly circular section. The partly circular section could be semi-circular. The recess may comprise a slotted section, which may be partly circular.

Preferably, the attachment member is adapted to be inserted between a side wall of the grill and a fixture mounted on the side wall. For example, the fixture could be a bracket, such as a bracket for a handle. Typically, the fixture is removably mounted on the side wall.

The support may be adapted to engage with a curved side wall of the outdoor grill. Alternatively, the support may be configured to engage with a straight side wall of the outdoor grill.

Preferably, the retaining member comprises a flange portion, which is adapted to engage with an inner side of the side wall. Preferably, the retaining member further comprises a support portion located between the flange portion and the other edge. The support portion may engage with an edge of the side wall.

Preferably, the attachment member is adapted to engage with an outer side of the side wall. The attachment member may be engaged with the outer side by being located between the outer side and a bracket attached to the outer side of the side wall.

Preferably, the support is formed from metal.

Typically, the support is integrally formed, preferably from a single piece of material. Most preferably, the support member, the attachment members and the retaining members are all integrally formed. In one example, the support is formed from a metal plate. The support may be coated with a paint or powder coated. This would have the advantage of helping to inhibit corrosion of the support if the metal from which the support is formed is reactive or has a tendency to corrode, such as steel. Alternatively, the support could be treated to inhibit corrosion, such as by being galvanised or passivated. In a further alternative, the support could be manufactured from a material that resists corrosion, such as stainless steel.

In one example of the invention, the support may further comprise an intermediate portion located between the support member and the attachment and retaining members, the intermediate member separating support member from the attachment and retaining members. Typically, the intermediate member is at an oblique angle or right angle relative to the support member and relative to the attachment member.

Preferably, where the support has an intermediate member, the support member has a formation adapted to receive a drive mechanism.

The attachment member may comprise a leg member that depends from the other edge. Preferably, the leg member may contact the side wall along a length of the leg member, and more preferably along the full length of the leg member.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pair of supports for mounting a rotisserie on an outdoor grill, each of the supports being in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

Preferably, one of the supports comprises a formation to permit a drive mechanism to be attached to the support member. Typically, the support comprising the formation also comprises an intermediate member between the support member and the attachment member, the intermediate member being at an angle to both the support member and the attachment member.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotisserie kit comprising a pair of supports in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, a drive mechanism adapted to be mounted on one of the supports, and a spit adapted to be engaged with the drive mechanism to permit the drive mechanism to rotate the spit, in use, and the spit adapted to be rotationally mounted on the other of the supports, each of the supports being adapted to be mounted on an outdoor grill on opposite sides of the outdoor grill.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outdoor grill having a pair of supports in accordance with the second aspect mounted on opposite sides of the outdoor grill.

Examples of a support in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first example of a support for a rotisserie;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second example of a support for a rotisserie;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the first example of the support;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the second example of the support;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the first example of the support;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the second example of the support;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the first and second examples of the support illustrating how to mount them and a rotisserie kit on an outdoor grill; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled components of Fig. 7.

Figs. 1,3 and 5 show a first example of a support 1 suitable for mounting a rotisserie on an outdoor grill, such as a barbeque or smoker. The outdoor grill could be any form of outdoor grill using any fuel suitable for outdoor use, such as solid fuel, gas or liquid fuel. . The support is described for use with a barbecue or smoker that uses charcoal as fuel but the support described is not limited to use on this type of outdoor grill and could be used with any suitable outdoor grill. For convenience the outdoor grill will be described hereinafter as a “barbecue”. As well as charcoal as fuel, wood chippings, pellets or saw dust may optionally be used for smoking food while it is cooking on the barbecue.

The support 1 comprises a support plate 2 having a partially circular recess 3 formed in a top edge 4 of the support plate 2. Depending from a bottom edge 5 of the support plate 2 are two leg members 6, 7. The leg members 6, 7 are in the same plane as the support plate 2. Extending outwardly from the support plate 2 and the leg members 6, 7, are two support members 8, 9. Each of the support members 8, 9 comprise a support section 10 that extends away from the support plate 2 at an angle to the support plate 2 and a retaining section 11 that extends from the end of the support section 10 in a direction away from the support plate 2. The support section 10 may extend at an oblique angle or perpendicularly to the support plate 2 and the leg members 6, 7.

Figs. 2, 4 and 6 show a second example of a support 15. The support 15 is similar to the support 1 but with some important differences. The support 15 has a support plate 16 having a recess in the form of slot 17 formed therein which extends from a top edge 18 of the support plate 16. The support plate 16 also has a recessed section 19 along each lateral edge of the support plate 16 on either side of the slot 17. The recessed sections 19 extend downwardly from the top edge 18 and terminate in a shoulder 20. An intermediate member 21 extends perpendicularly from a bottom edge 22 of the support plate 16. At the opposite end of the intermediate member 21 from the support plate 16 is a lower support plate 23 which extends perpendicularly away from the intermediate member 21 so that the support plate 23 is substantially parallel to the support plate 16. From Fig. 6 it can be seen that the support plate 16 and the lower support plate 23 extend away from the intermediate member 21 in opposite directions but in substantially parallel planes.

Two leg members 24, 25 extend downwardly from a lower edge 26 of the lower support plate 23. Adjacent to the leg members 24, 25, at lateral edges of the lower support plate 23, two support members 27, 28 extend out from the lower edge 26 of the lower support plate 23 approximately perpendicularly to the lower support plate 23 and the leg members 24, 25. The support members 27, 28 each comprise a support section 29 and a retaining section 30, 31.

In use, the supports 1,15 are used together as a pair to support a rotisserie kit on an outdoor grill, such as a barbeque, as explained below with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 7 shows a cylindrical section 40 of a known charcoal barbeque or smoker, such as one of the ProQ Elite range of combined BBQ smokers from Mac’s BBQ Ltd of Bodmin, United Kingdom. In such barbecues, the cylindrical section 40 is placed on top of a base unit (not shown) in which charcoal is placed and ignited. The barbeque also has a lid (not shown) that can be placed on top edge 41 of cylindrical section 40 and secured to the cylindrical section 40 using two clips 42 (only one shown). The cylindrical section 40 has two handles 43 that are attached to opposite sides of the cylindrical section 40 by brackets 44. The brackets 44 are secured to the side wall of the cylindrical section 40 by two bolts 45 for each bracket 44 and the bolts 45 engage with nuts 46 on the inside of the cylindrical section 40. In addition, the cylindrical section 40 has three supports 47 mounted on the inside wall of the cylindrical section 40 (only two shown). The supports 47 are used to support a metal grill (not shown) on which food to be cooked or smoked can be placed when the barbeque is used in its normal configuration.

In order to attach the support 1 to the cylindrical section 40, firstly, the bolts 45 and nuts 46 for one of the brackets 44 are loosened. This permits the leg members 6, 7 to be inserted between the outer of the side wall the cylindrical section 40 and the bracket 44 so that the lower part of the legs 6, 7 are located between the bracket 44 and the side wall of the cylindrical section 40 and the support sections 10 of the members 8, 9 are positioned so that they rest on top edge 41 of the cylindrical section 40. The nuts and bolts 46, 45 are then tightened to clamp the leg members 6, 7 between the bracket 44 and the outer side wall of the cylindrical section 40.

In a similar manner, the support 15 is also attached to the cylindrical section 40 on the opposite side of the cylindrical section 40 by inserting the leg members 25, 24 between the bracket 44 on the opposite side of the cylindrical section 40 and the outer side wall of the cylindrical section 40 so that support sections 29 rest on the top edge 41 of the cylindrical section 40. The nuts and bolts 45, 46 on the opposite side or the other bracket 44 are then tightened to retain the support 15 in position on the cylindrical section 40.

After being fitted to the cylindrical section 40, the supports 1,15 can be used to support a rotisserie comprising a spit 50 and an electrical motor 51 to rotate the spit 50. The spit 50 comprises a spit rod 51 having a square cross section with a handle 52 at one end and a spike 53 at the opposite end. Mounted on the spit rod 51 is a collar 54 and two spit forks 55. The spit forks are movable along the spit rod to accommodate different sized portions of meat to be roasted on the spit. In addition, the spit forks 55 can be removed from the spit rod 51 to facilitate cleaning. Usually, one spit fork 55 is positioned on the spit rod 51, meat is then placed on the rod 51 by spearing it with the spike 53 and pushing it onto the rod 51 until it engages with the fork 55 on the rod 51. The second spit fork 55 is then pushed onto the rod 51 until it also engages with the meat. Each of the spit forks 55 have a thumb screw 59 (only one shown) that enables the spit forks to be locked in position on the rod 51.

In use, the motor 51 is located on the support 15 by engaging the recessed sections 19 with slots 56 on the motor 51. The bottom ends of the slots 56 butt against the shoulders 20 so that the motor 51 is retained on the support plate 16 with the recessed sections 19 engaging with the slots 56.

After the motor 51 has been mounted on the support 15, spike 53 of the spit rod 51 is inserted into a drive recess 57 on the motor 51 so that the square cross-section of the rod 51 engages with a corresponding square crosssection in the drive recess 57. When the motor 51 is operated this causes the square drive in the recess 57 to rotate, thereby rotating the spit rod 51. After the spike 53 is engaged with the drive recess 57, handle 51 of the spit rod is lowered so that recess 58 on the collar 54 engages with the recess 3 on the support 1. In this position, the spit 50 is supported by the support 1 at one end and by the support 15 (via the motor 51) at the opposite end. The collar 54 may be movable along the spit rod 51 in order to accommodate different separations of the supports 1,15, for example, due to different sized barbecues. The collar 54 is preferably metal and the recess 58 and the recess 3 enable the spit 50 to rotate on the support 1, while the supports 1,15 support the spit 50 and the motor 51.

When the supports 1,15 are fitted to the cylindrical section 40, as shown in Fig. 8, sections 11,30 prevent the supports 1,15 collapsing outwards away from each other. In addition, the clamping of the lower parts of the legs 6, 7, 24, 25 between the brackets 44 and the outer side wall of the cylindrical section 40 prevents the supports 1, 15 from collapsing inwardly towards each other.

The recess 58 in the collar 54 engages with the recess 3 and this assists in retaining the spit 50 in position relative to the motor 51 to help prevent the spit disengaging from the drive recess 57 as the spit 50 rotates.

The invention has the advantage of enabling a rotisserie kit 50, 51 to be retrofitted to an existing outdoor grill, such as a barbeque or a smoker, without requiring any specialist tools and without requiring any of the existing parts of the grill, such as parts ofthe housing to be modified, for example replaced by other parts. It also facilitates installation of a rotisserie kit on an outdoor grill without requiring holes to be drilled in order to fix support brackets to the grill.

Accordingly, with the invention, a permanent modification ofthe existing grill is not required.

In addition, due to the supports 1,15 can be used on different grills and different sized grills, as desired by a user. The invention also permits removal 10 of the supports 1, 15 if the user wishes to use the outdoor grill without the rotisserie kit or re-use of the supports on a different grill, for example if the user has two grills or purchases a new grill.

Claims

1. A support for a rotisserie, the support comprising a support member, the support member having a recess formed in an edge of the support member that extends through the support member, the recess being adapted to receive a rotisserie spit, in use; an attachment member extending from another edge of the support member; a retaining member also extending from the other edge of the support member; and wherein at least a portion of the retaining member is spaced from the attachment member, such that the attachment member is adapted to engage with one side of a side wall of an outdoor grill, in use, and the retaining member engages with the other side of the side wall in use, with the side wall located between the attachment member and the retaining member.

2. A support according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is laterally displaced from the attachment member along the other edge.

3. A support according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the retaining member is spaced from the attachment member in a direction parallel to an axis of the recess.

4. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support member comprises a support plate and the recess is formed in an edge of the support plate.

5. A support according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the retaining member may extend away from both the support plate and the attachment member.

6. A support according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the attachment member extends from the support plate in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the support plate.

7. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining member comprises first and second portions at an angle to each other, the first portion extending away from the support member and the attachment member.

8. A support according to claim 7, wherein the second portion is spaced from the support member by the first portion.

9. A support according to claim 8, wherein the second portion extends in the same direction as the attachment member.

10. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support comprises two attachment members.

11. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support comprises two retaining members.

12. A support according to claim 11, wherein the retaining members are located on opposite sides of the attachment member.

13. A support according to claim 12 when dependent on claim 10, wherein the attachment members are adjacent each other and the retaining members are separated from each other by the attachment members.

14. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the edge in which the recess is located is opposite the other edge.

15. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the recess comprises a partially circular section.

16. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment member is adapted to be inserted between a side wall of the grill and a fixture mounted on the side wall.

17. A support according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising an intermediate portion located between the support member and the attachment and retaining members, the intermediate member separating support member from the attachment and retaining members.

18. A support member according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate member is at an oblique angle or right angle relative to the support member and relative to the attachment member.

19. A support according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a formation adapted to receive a drive mechanism to rotate the rotisserie spit relative to the support, in use.

20. A support according to claim 19, wherein the formation is located on the support member.

21. A pair of supports for mounting a rotisserie on an outdoor grill, each of the supports being in accordance with any of claims 1 to 20.

22. A pair of supports according to claim 21, wherein one of the supports is in accordance with any of claims 1 to 18 and the other support is in accordance with claim 19 or claim 20.

23. A rotisserie kit comprising a pair of supports in accordance with claim

21 or claim 22; a drive mechanism adapted to be mounted on one of the supports; and a spit adapted to be engaged with the drive mechanism to permit the drive mechanism to rotate the spit, in use; and wherein the spit is adapted to be rotationally mounted on the other of the supports, each of the supports being adapted to be mounted on an outdoor grill on opposite sides of the outdoor grill.

24. An outdoor grill comprising a pair of supports in accordance with claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the supports are mounted on opposite sides of the outdoor grill.

25. A method of mounting a support for a rotisserie on an outdoor grill, the method comprising:

providing a support in accordance with any of claims 1 to 20;

engaging the attachment member with an outer surface of a side wall of the outdoor grill; and engaging the retaining member with an inner surface of the side wall of the outdoor grill.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising: loosening a fastener attaching a fixture to the side wall; inserting at least a portion of the attachment member between the fixture and the outer surface; and tightening the fastener to secure the attachment member between the fixture and the outer surface.