US3391685A

US3391685A - Portable cooker

Info

Publication number: US3391685A
Application number: US521875A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joe A Lemmons; Fred A Lemmons; Floyd J Page
Original assignee: Joe A. Lemmons; Fred A. Lemmons; Floyd J. Page
Current assignee: FLOYD J PAGE; FRED A LEMMONS; JOE A LEMMONS
Priority date: 1966-01-20
Filing date: 1966-01-20
Publication date: 1968-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1985-07-09

Description

- l WMI y w saN Il l' July 9, 1968 J. A. LEMMoNs TAL 3,391,685

PORTABLE COOKER Filed Jan. 20, 1966l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 36 |I l l l l l N 'WW w' w1 i 92'," 3.93m il# z 'Mm I Noo i@ :'zz 26 34 sa Wo. H t `5 N 3.5' 20 I I Y *26 /6 July 9. 1968 J. A. LEMMONS ETAL 3,391,585

PORTABLE COOKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 Joe A. Lemmon: Fred A. Lemmon: Floyd J. Page 5 INI/ILNTORS BY w 4 Amrum United States Patent O 3,391,685 PORTABLE COOKER Joe A. Lemmons, 302 Corrigan, Fred A. Isemmons, 1601 Phillips, and Floyd J. Page, 302 Corrigan, all of Brownwood, Tex. 76801 Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 521,875 S Claims. (Cl. 126-I37) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE The portable knockdown cooker shown is expressly, but not necessarily, designed and adapted for on-the-spot use in an indoors fireplace. The required fire can be built in the fireplace or, alternatively, in an accompanying pan for charcoal broiling. In both forms of the invention the horizontal grille is adjustable to the level desired on vertical support legs. These legs can be self-standing (FIG. 7) or detachably suspended from hanger hooks bracketed to a fixed fireplace lintel (FIG. 3). The device `can be used for camping, backyard cookouts and set up or dismantled in minutes. It is compact, convenient, and totally collapsible for storing and transporting. It is light in weight but sturdy for heavy utensils and can be used, without fire, as a fiower support and display rack in the fireplace or elsewhere.

The present invention relates to portable as Well as knockdown cookers and has reference to a structure which is adapted to be used, generally speaking, within the wall-enclosed confines of a fireplace, a barbecue pit, or the like Whenever one desires to use the device indoors or outdoors, as the case may be.

Two embodiments or forms of the inventive concept are disclosed in the views of the drawings and will be hereinafter generically and specifically set forth and de fined.

Generically construed the structure has to do with a multipurpose adaptation, that is, one which not only lends itself to practical and feasible use in a room fireplace but, in addition to its use for grilling and barbecuing foods indoors, can be used as a fireplace rack in that it provides a feasible shelf on which the user can place potted plants and flowers if so desired.

Briefly, the broad aspect of the invention is characterized by a screened or grille-equipped frame which con stitutes and provides a grate (alternatively a shelf or rack) which is capable of use within the confines of the Walls of the fireplace and is capable of supporting a fry pan, cooking utensils or the like and is also usable as a food cooking grille. The support means for the frame is characterized by a pair of correspondingly constructed legs having means whereby the legs are capable of being vertically supported or suspended in spaced parallel relationship in an accessible front part of the fireplace. The front or outwardly disposed frame member of the frame is such that it bridges the support legs and has outstanding accessible handgrips. It is further provided with suitably constructed and arranged adapter brackets which are slidingly and removably mounted on their respectively cooperable legs in a manner to support the frame in a plane at rifht angles to the spaced parallel but common plane of the supported legs, this in a manner that the frame itself projects into the enclosed space in the fireplace.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on one form or embodiment wherein the legs are T-shaped, have slotted upper ends capable of being engaged with hooks, said hooks being carried by attaching brackets and said brackets being securely attachable to and hung from a lintel which is positively anchored in the upper forward 3,391,635 Patented July 9, 1968 ICS portion of the fireplace. The legs in this situation accommodate brackets on the frame and the frame provides the aforementioned grille or rack. The brackets have setscrews and the setscrews engage the suspended legs whereby to thus provide a simple, practical and acceptacle indoors cookout structure.

The other embodiment of the invention is characterized, as will be later appreciated, -by a pair of L-shapcd leg units whose vertical portions accommodate brackets carried by the screened or grille'equipped frame, the frame members being provided with means such as cleats or the like to accommodate chains. These chains are connected to corner portions of a tray or pan and are also connectible with the cleats. The pan can be used either as a drip pan or as a tray for charcoal if one desires to build the fire in the receptacle portion of the tray or pan directly beneath the grille or screen.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becoime subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a view in section and elevation with the invention in elevation and the View being taken on the plane of the irregular section line l-ll of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 2 is a front view or elevation showing the fireplace, for example, an indoor replace with the insertable and removable as well as adjustable cooking device mounted for use therein, observing the structure of FIGURE 3 in a direction from right to left;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a detail horizontal section on an enlarged scale on the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view which shows most of the particulars and which is taken on the plane lof the section line 5 5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line `66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a View in perspective of the bodily insertable and removable knockdown cooking device, that is a modified fonm of the same.

Referring to FIGS. l to 6l, inclusive, the brick or equivalent built-in fireplace (which may be construed as either indoors or outdoors) is denoted by the numeral 10, the horizontal bottom being denoted at l2 and the open front or hearth portion being denoted generally at I4. The chimney is denoted at 16 in FIG. 3. As usual the upper frontal portion of the fireplace is provided with a reinforcing metal bar or lintel IS. In carrying out the principles of the invention the lintel IS (see FIG. 5) serves to accommodate `attaching and anchoring fixtures, a pair of such fixtures being used and each xture is or" elongated U-shaped form as denoted at 20 and has an upstanding pronged outer end 22 which is embedded around the edge of the forward portion of the lintel in the manner shown. The opposite lateral inward end portion 24 is provided with a setscrew or equivalent clamping means 26 which is clamped against the inner edge of the lintel. Accordingly, the xture 20 is securely attached to the lintel and each fixture is provided with a suitably positioned adapter bracket which is of L-shaped form as ydenoted generally at 28. The vertical leg of the adapter bracket denoted at 30 is provided on its inward side with a pair of opposed parallel hanger hooks 32. These brackebequipped fixtures are installed and of course left in place to accommodate the insertable and removable knockdown cooking device. This device as more coinpletely shown in FIGS. l to 4 comprises a grate unit, more specifically a generally rectangular frame 3d characterized by a rearward or inward frame member 36 which is channel-shaped in form and integrally connected with a pair of side frame members 38 and a forward or front frame members 4l) (see FIG. 4). These frame mem-bers support the rigid openwork screen or grating which constitutes the part described as the grille 42.

The forward frame members 40 is provided with means whereby it may `be adjustably and detachably joined with support means. The support means here comprises a pair of duplicate substantially rl`shaped suspending legs 44 (see FIG. 5) whose upper end portions 46 are provided with suitably arranged and paired slots 48 which constitute keepers and are releasably connected with the hanger hooks 32. For best results the forward member of the frame is provided with attaching brackets, there being two such brackets and each being the same in construction. Each bracket is denoted by the numeral 48 and is of general U-shaped form and comprises an upper arm 56 and an opposed spaced parallel lower arm 52, these arms having their end portions 54 straddling and connected with the adjacent frame member 4t). The web portion 56 is provided with a screw-threaded hole to accommodate the shank 58 of a setscrew 6o. This bracket and setscrew arrangement permits the brackets to =be slidingly land adjustably mounted on the support or suspension legs 44. To accommodate the legs each of the arms of each bracket has a T-shaped slot 62 therein as shown in FIG. 6. It follows that the T-slotted brackets are slidingly and detach-ably and adjustably mounted on the legs 44 and the legs are hung from the hanger hooks 32 carried by the adapter brackets 30 on the fixtures 20.

The device as shown and described in detail in primarily designed and adapted to serve as an on-the-spot indoor fireplace cookout grille. The parts are such that they fit well together and permit ready erection and dismantling. A consideration of the structure appearing in FIGS. 1 t-o 3 in particular will show the structure and how it is assembled for use. When the device is not being used for indoor cooking purposes it can be employed as a rack or shelf. This is to say, the grate or grille now becomes a handy shelf and one can support potted plants and flowers -thereon within the limits of the fireplace to add to the desired alcove effectif so desired.

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 7 is substantially the same as that already described but will be touched upon separately. Here the grate or grating cornprises a rectangular frame 64 having a forward frame member 66, rearward or inward frame member 68 and side frame 70, said frame members supporting a suitably constructed and attached grille or grating 72. In both forms of the invention the forward frame member is provided With spaced apart handgrips 74. The handgrips in this arrangement are spaced inwardly of the U-shaped end lbrackets 76. Here again the brackets have upper and lower arms 78 with T-shaped slots to accommodate the T-shaped support legs or uprights 80. The desired connection is achieved by providing the web portions 82 with setscrews 84. The leg means here is L-shaped in side elevation and includes in each unit not only the vertical member 80 fbut the horizontal member S6 which resides on the floor of the pit or fireplace in an obvious manner. For convenience these L-shaped units are referred to broadly at 88. The numeral 90 designates an open-top tray or pan which can be used as a grease pan or, alternatively, as a tray for charcoal briquets or the like used in building a fire directly beneath the grille. The left and right walls of the tray have corner attached chains 92 which are connected with keeper slots 94 provided therefor in oppositely disclosed cleats 96 mounted on the side frame `members 70. It will be obvious that this form of the invention is possessed of the general structural character'- istics and purposes of thc forni shown in FlGS. l to 6 nclusive. It is believed that the construction of the parts, the manner in which they are assembled and used in both forms of the invention will be clear after having read the description of the details in conjunction with the views of the drawing. Accordingly, a more extended description is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction Iand operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as followsi 1. A portable cooker of the class described comprising a pair of substantially duplicate L-shaped members constituting companion support units, each unit embodying a horizontal leg and a vertical leg, said legs being substantially T-shaped in cross-section, said units being adapted to assume spaced apart parallel relationship when in use, a frame disposed at right angles to the vertical legs and having an openwork grille attached thereto, said frame having a front frame member provided with outstanding handles and also provided outwardly of the handles with a pair of substantially U-shaped brackets, said brackets having arms straddling and affixed to the front frame member and said arms having T-shaped slots slidingly receiving said vertical legs, said brackets being further provided with setscrews engageable with said vertical legs and serving to detachably and adjustably mount the frame on said vertical leg.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and in combination, a pan having an open top, said pan being of a size corresponding to and underlying said frame in spaced relationship, said pan being provided -on end walls thereof with attaching and adjusting chains, the side members of said frame being provided with outstanding cleats, said cleats having notches and said notches providing keeper slots, and free end portions of said chains being releasably engageable with said keeper slots so as to detachably and adjustably mount the pan beneath the frame.

3. For use within the confines of a fireplace barbecue pit or the like either indoors or outdoors, a multi-purpose structure embodying a rigid grille-equipped frame capable of supporting a fry pan, cooking utensils or the like and, alternatively, usable as a food cooking grille, a pair of like legs having means whereby said legs may be vertically supported in spaced parallel relationship in an accessible front part of said fireplace, said frame having an outwardly positionable frame member provided with outstanding easily accessible and usable handgrips, said frame member being further provided at the respective outer ends thereof with adapter brackets slidingly and removably mounted on their respectively cooperable legs and supporting said frame in a plane at right angles to the horizontal plane of said legs with the entire frame `adapted to project into the fire isolating space of said fireplace, said handgrips being arranged in spaced parallel relationship inwardly of their respectively adjacent brakets, said legs being T-shaped in crosssection and said brackets having corresponding T-shaped slots conformingly and slidingly receiving their respectively cooperable legs.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and wherein each bracket is U-shaped and embodies upper and lower arms having inward ends straddling and affixed to a coacting portion of said outwardly disposed frame member, having ltheir outer ends joined by a web, said web being equipped with a setscrew projecting into the space between the arms, said T-shaped slots being paired and aligned and coordinating in permitting said T-shaped legs to be slidingly keyed therein.

5. The structure defined in and according to claim 3 and. wherein the side members of: said frame have fixed cleats with projecting ends biturcated and defining keeper notches, a pan underling said grille-equipped frame in spaced parallel relation and disposed in a plane at right angles to said legs, and chains carried by and supporting said pan, said chains being detachably and adjustably supported by said cleats.

6. The structure defined in and according to claim 3 and wherein the means supporting said legs in vertical spaced parallel relationship at the front part of said fireplace comprises a relatively stationary horizontal lintel, a pair of attaching and anchoring ixtures detachably and adjustably mounted on and supported from longitudinally spaced portions of said lintel, each fixture provided with a companion adapter bracket, each bracket being provided with hanger hooks, the upper end portion of said legs being apertured and said apertured end portion being attached to and hung from their respectively cooperable hanger hooks.

7. For use within the wall enclosed contines of a fireplace, barbecue pit or the like either indoors or outdoors, a multipurpose structure embodying a rigid grilleequipped frame capable of supporting a fry pan, cooking utensils or the like and, alternatively, usable as a food cooking grille, a pair of like legs having means whereby said legs may be vertically supported in spaced parallel relationship in an accessible front part of said fireplace, said frame having an outwardly positionable frame member provided with outstanding easily accessible and usable handgrips, said frame member being further provided at the respective outer ends thereof with adapter brackets slidingly and removably mounted on their respectively cooperable legs and supporting said frame in a plane at right angles to the horizontal plane of said legs with the entire frame adapted to project into the tire isolating space of said fireplace, said legs being L-shaped in side elevation and having vertical and horizontal component portions, said horizontal component portions constituting feet adapted to reside iiatwise on the floor of the iireplace for support, said handgrips being disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship inwardly of their respectively adjacent brackets, said legs being T-shaped in cross-section and said brackets having corresponding T-shaped slots conformingly and slidingly receiving their respectively cooperable legs, each adapter bracket being U-shaped Iand embodying upper and lower arms having inward ends straddling and affixed to a coacting portion of said outwardly disposed frame member, having their outer ends joined by a web, said web being equipped with a setscrew projecting into the space between the arms, said T-shaped slots being paired and aligned and coordinating in permitting said T-shaped legs to be slidingly keyed therein, the side members of said frame having lixed cleats with projecting ends bifuracted and `defining keeper notches, a pan underlying said grilleequipped frame in spaced parallel relation and disposed in a plane at right angles to said legs, and chains carried by and supporting said pan, said chains being detachably and adjustably supported by said cleats.

8. A portable cooker comprising a pair of companion support `units each unit embodying a vertical leg, said vertical legs being disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship, a frame disposed at right angles to said vertical legs, said frame provided with a complemental openwork grille, said frame having a front member provided with brackets, said brackets being slidingly and adjustably mounted on their respectively cooperable vertical legs, a pan having an open top, said pan being of a size corresponding to and underlying said frame in down- Wardly spaced generally parallel relationship, said pan being provided with end walls having pan attaching and adjusting chains thereon, the side members of said frame being provided with outstanding chain lattaching cleats, said cleats having notches, and said notches providing keeper slots for said chains, and said chains having free end portions releasably and adjustably engageable with their respectively cooperable keeper slots in a manner to detachably and adjustably suspend the pan in cooperative relationship beneath said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 957,324 5/1910 `Gall 248-245 X 1,540,434 6/1925 Stone 126-9 2,425,036 8/1947 Howe 126h 30 X 2,604,884 7/1952. Walker 126-30 2,900,897 8/1959 Fisher 126--25 X 3,311,105 3/1967 Berger et al. 126-137 FOREIGN PATENTS 567,564 2/1945 Great Britain.

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner.