Stoves and furnaces – Stoves – Cooking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-16
2001-05-22
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Stoves
Cooking
C126S030000, C099S4210HH, C030S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234162
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Camping and many similar outdoor activities inevitably involve the task of cooking over an open fire. Unless a grate is provided over the fire pit, this task can become tricky and often reduces the menu to items which can be speared with a stick and held over the fire.
Solutions presently available in stores comprise little more than a rectangular, stainless steel cage with a handle. The items to be cooked are placed in the cage, and the cage is closed and held by hand over the fire. This not only creates extreme fatigue, as the chef must perform lengthy isometric exercises in order to keep the food in proper position over the fire, it requires the chef remain in close proximity to the fire.
There have been attempted solutions to this problem which have been patented but have never enjoyed success in the marketplace for various reasons. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,982, which issued to Otis on May 10, 1960, discloses two vertical support members and a horizontal support member, all of which are made from a heavy metal wire material. The device described therein is impractical in that it does not provide the necessary flexibility required by proper cooking techniques. For example, once set up, the device does not allow the chef to relocate the food over a different portion of the campfire. Nor does it allow the chef to back away from the campfire in order to avoid the heat from a growing fire or a change in winds. Also, the flimsy wire material would have a propensity to bend and wobble if used for cooking a heavy food item such as a large steak. Finally, the device does not allow the chef to flip the food over without getting close to the fire.
It would be advantageous to provide an open fire cooking apparatus which is solid, strong, and has the functional flexibility to allow the chef to reposition the food, and him or herself, while the food is being prepared.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an open fire cooking apparatus comprising a handle having a first end and a second end which are separated by a distance defined as the length of the handle. The handle is constructed and arranged to removably accept a variety of cooking platforms proximate its first end. Preferably, the handle is telescopically arranged with a first and second handle member, said members arranged substantially concentric with each other such that one member is partially slidably housed within the other, allowing the length of the handle to be adjustable. It is envisioned that the handle have more than two members to allow a greater length range along with relatively compact storage when the members are housed within each other. Preferably the handle has a substantially circular cross section.
The handle and cooking platform are elevated above the ground and fire, respectively, by a first support and a second support. It is preferable that the first support comprise at least one, preferably two legs, having pointed lower ends for insertion into the ground. It is even more preferable that these legs be separated and connected by a substantially horizontal cross member. The cross member is advantageous, not only because it adds stability and rigidity to the first support, but because it provides a place for a user to place his or her foot in order to push the support legs into the ground. The legs are joined at their upper ends, preferably by a second cross member, which carries a handle holding mechanism. The first handle holding mechanism cradles the handle and provides vertical, upward support, as well as lateral support. Preferable, the first handle holding mechanism comprises a upwardly opening, U-shaped bracket. More preferably, the first handle holding mechanism comprises a resiliently biased clip which forcibly holds the handle in place.
The second support may be constructed and arranged like the first support, but preferably comprises a telescoping support member, partially and concentrically housed in a hollow center body having a tightening mechanism for fixing the variable support member at a predetermined height. A plurality of legs, preferably three, radiate from the center body and are angularly separated by interior angles &agr;, &bgr;, and
y
. Angles &agr;, &bgr;, and &ggr; are preferably at least 60° each, more preferably on the order of 120° each. A second handle holding mechanism is attached to the top of the telescoping support member. The second handle holding mechanism is preferably a resiliently biased mechanism, similar to that of the first support. Alternatively, because the second handle holding mechanism will be required to exert a downward force on the handle, especially when the cooking platform is weighted down with food, thereby causing the handle to become a lever and the first support to act as a fulcrum, second handle holding mechanism could comprise a downwardly opening bracket, attached at one end of the opening to the telescoping support member.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views. And, although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2136658 (1938-11-01), Westberg et al.
patent: 2522223 (1950-09-01), Hardin et al.
patent: 2535548 (1950-12-01), Porter
patent: 2864163 (1958-12-01), Boruvka
patent: 2935982 (1960-05-01), Otis
patent: 2938450 (1960-05-01), Carpenter et al.
patent: 2938988 (1960-05-01), McCutcheon et al.
patent: 3013551 (1961-12-01), Savino
patent: 3802330 (1974-04-01), Graziani
patent: 3931758 (1976-01-01), Blakc
patent: 3946653 (1976-03-01), Pugh
patent: 4083354 (1978-04-01), Claire et al.
patent: 4094296 (1978-06-01), Beagley
patent: 4517885 (1985-05-01), Thompson
patent: 4539751 (1985-09-01), Chan
patent: 4553525 (1985-11-01), Ruble
patent: 4691626 (1987-09-01), Shih-Cheng
patent: 4985607 (1991-01-01), Oya
patent: 5117558 (1992-06-01), Hull
patent: 5206998 (1993-05-01), Oriente et al.
patent: 5749286 (1998-05-01), Payette
patent: 5944009 (1999-08-01), Scheller
Lazarus Ira S.
Lee David
Moore & Hansen
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