US3394693A - Disposable barbecue box - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1968' R. G. ROBINSON 3,394,693

DI SPOSABLE BARBECUE BOX Filed Feb. 23, 1966 lobawl G. Robinson INVENTOR.

MMF-Mw United States Patent O 3,394,693 DISPOSABLE BARBECUE BOX Robert G. Robinson, Pocatello, Idaho, assignor to Sani- Barb Corporation, a corporation of Idaho Filed Feb. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 529,449 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-25) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable charcoal grill comprising a iirebox constructed of cardboard lined with aluminum foil and prepacked with a bed of granulated vermiculite supporting a prefabricated honeycomb-type unit of charcoal briquettes webbed together and a grating having depending legs at each corner piercing the upright edges of the iirebox to provide a vertical adjustment for the grating.

This invention relates to a prefabricated portable selfcontained ready-for-use heating and barbecuing grill which is such in construction and capability that it can be safely and reliably used indoors but is expressly designed and adapted for cook-out use when picnicking, fishing or camping, as the case may be.

Briey, the invention herein disclosed comprises a light-weight easy-to-carry container, more specifically, a simple box with a removable cover. To the ends desired, the container is unique in that the open top is equipped with and features a grating which constitutes and provides a practical barbecuing grill. The container provides a receptacle of requisite size and capacity. This receptacle is of a depth that it confines and safely encloses quickly ignitable long-burning combustible media or means which provides the required fuel and heat source. When the picnic spot or site is reached, the lid or cover is removed, the fuel is ignited, the tire started, and the cookout initiated with pleasurable anticipation. Accordingly, and with this self-contained facile innovation at hand it is no longer necessary to cope with transporting a bothersome grill or camp stove, and carrying along, as usual, a bag of charcoal briquettes, kindling or smoky unpleasant lighter uid.

It is within the purview of the concept to provide a lightweight sheet metal box or tray. However, and keeping in mind that the ordinary family picnic is a single trip affair, it has 'been determined that a significant purpose of the instant invention is to provide an adaptation which is of the utmost in simplicity and economy. Therefore, and while the device can be made for re-use, the component parts are aptly and acceptably made from disposable or so-called throw-away materials. It follows that the container is preferably, but not necessarily, a simple rectangular lightweight but sturdy cardboard box which is interiorly lined with multiple-ply aluminum foil, this providing an amply safe lireproof tray or receptacle. Any suitable cover or lid will do for packaging and handling the overall device, and like the picnic or lunch box, it can be pleasantly discarded when the picnic is over. It follows that the trip back home is less exasperating and free of the usual confusing complications attending the often tiresome back-to-home phase of the outing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suitable inexpensive grating or grill. This unit comprises a frame with integral suitably spaced rods. The corner portions of the rods have depending legs slidingly but friction-fitted in bores provided therefor in the vertical end walls. Accordingly, the grill can be detached and also elevated or lowered for best barbecuing results.

The invention also features a novel insert; that is, a prefabricated honeycomb-type unit, more particularly, a

unit made of pre-treated smokeless charcoal components or briquettes which are of cell-like design webbed and interconnected. This unit can be ignited quickly, is longburning and provides an excellent source of heat. It fits with requisite nicety into the receptacle portion of the container or box and is supported atop a bed of insulating material, more specifically, a filler of granulated vermiculite-ideal for the purposes desired.

The herein revealed device is believed to be an advance in the art in that there is nothing to assemble or erect, it is complete within itself, has an adjustably liftable and lowerable grill, requires no lighter fuel or special kindling, is clean and ready to cook in about 12 minutes, and can be re-used or, if preferred, discarded.

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

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the improved self-contained ready-to-use disposable barbecuing device or box and wherein the liftable and lowerable grill or grating is shown in a normal down position in full lines and an adjusted elevated position in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the section line 2 2 of FIGURE l looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View on a small scale which shows the bottom side of the box and, in addition, shows the attachable and detachable cover or lid.

Referring now to the drawing it will be seen that the numeral 6 designates the container, also referred to, generally speaking, as a box. It is reiterated that while this container may be made from lightweight sheet metal, it is preferably constructed with a view toward being discarded after use. Accordingly, it is preferably made from sturdy cardboard of an economical throw-away grade. It comprises a fiat bottom wall 8 marginally encompassed by upstanding vertical walls, that has opposed elongated or parallel side walls 10 and interconnecting transverse end walls 12. The box is open at its top and therefore provides a satisfactory tray, alternatively, a receptacle portion for the component parts best shown in FIG. 2. In order to make the receptacle portion substantially fireproof the interior surfaces of the bottom, side, and end Walls are lined, more specifically, lined with aluminum foil having a bottom wall 14 and side walls 16. Not only are the interior surfaces covered with this lining material, the upper edges of the foil are folded over the upper edges of the side and end walls as denoted generally at 18 in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the free edge portions are bent or folded down to encompass the upper exterior surface portions as denoted generally at 20 in FIG. 1. Thus, the receptacle portion or tray is re resistant. The lower part of the receptacle portion is provided with two component parts; namely, a suitably thick foundation or bed 22 and a combustible insert or unit 24. The bed 22 is composed of granular vermiculite represented in FIG. 2. This bed is of appropriate uniform thickness and the ignitable and combustible media or unit 24 resides flatwise atop the same and is thus suitably supported. The vermiculite provides the desired insulating base for the unit 24. The unit 24 is made of pre-treated charcoal and is preferably of one-piece or integrated construction as illustrated in FIG. 2. More specifically, it is of honeycomb or cellular construction with the individual briquets 26 Webbed together in interconnected or unified relationship. This unit is easy to ignite and a desired uniform lire is attainable, as experience has shown, in about twelve minutes. Therefore, the device is ready to use without waiting and no lighter fluid or kindling material is required. The unit 24 rests rmly atop the insulating bed or base 22 and is spaced below the upper open part of the box and situated beneath the attachable and detachable openwork grating or grill 28. The grill comprises a stout wire or rod frame 30 of requisite size carrying lengthwise spaced parallel coplanar rods 32 joined by a suitable brace 34. The corner portions of the frame are provided with depending legs 36 which are telescopingly but frictionally tted in bores provided therefor in the respective end walls 12. It follows that the grill can be raised and lowered as suggested in full and dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In practice a suitable cover 38 of the type shown in FIG. 3 is provided and in use all that is necessary is to remove the cover, place the box or container on a suitable support surface and ignite the charcoal unit 24. The simplicity of construction and association of component parts is such that the manner of using the device is substantially selfevident. Accordingly, a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

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

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable self-contained ready-to-use cook-out device for camping and picnicking comprising a disposable cardboard box embodying a bottom wall, integral upstanding side and end walls cooperating and dening an open top container, the interior surfaces of said walls being completely lined with tire-resisting aluminum foil having upper edges folded over and covering corresponding upper edges of the side and end walls, a bed of vermiculite wholly covering said bottom wall and insulating the same and adjacent encompassing lower portions of said side and end Walls, a unified prefabricated honeycomb-type insert titted removably in said container and residing atop and covering said vermiculite bed, said insert being made of readily ignitable pretreated interconnected cell-like briquettes of charcoal, and a readily applicable and removable grating spanning the open top of said container, said grating comprising a lat frame provided with integral spaced coplanar support rods, said frame having depending supporting legs at its respective corners, said legs being forcibly thrust in a lengthwise direction into coacting portions of the container walls in a manner to position and hold said grill frictionally and at adjustable heights.

2. A portable self-contained expendable single use cook-out device comprising a box made of disposable cardboard embodying a bottom wall and integral upstanding side and end walls, the interior surfaces of said bottom, side and end walls being completely lined with fire-resisting aluminum foil, a bed of granular insulating material Wholly covering said bottom wall, a unied prefabricated insert tted removably into the receptacle portion of said box and supported atop said bed of insulating material, said insert being made of integrated cell-like briquettes of charcoal and a grating spanning the open top of said box, said grating having corner portions provided with depending legs at its respective corner portions, said legs being retentively thrust in a lengthwise direction into cooperating portions of the aforementioned end walls in a manner to position and hold said grill frictionally and at variable heights.

3. The cook-out device defined in and according to claim 2 and wherein said legs are of a length less than the height of the aforementioned walls whereby said grating is susceptible of placement in close proximity with the cooper-ating upper edges of the aforementioned side and and end walls and, in combination, a cardboard cover capable of being tted over said grating and box to facilitate shipping, handling and transporting the same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 186,320 10/1959 Mustin D32-1 1,540,434 6/ 1925 Stone 126-9 2,608,191 8/1952 Schmidt et al. 126-25 2,738,260 3/1956 Wolfson et al 44-40 2,902,028 9/ 1959 Manly 126-271 2,965,096 12/1960 Barton 126-25 2,981,249 4/1961 Russell et al 126-25 3,000,372 9/1961 Hall 126-25 X 3,306,279 2/ 1967 Dale 126-25 2,967,023 1/ 1961 Huckabee 239-60 FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner.

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