Abstract:
An improved outdoor cooking apparatus features a pot with multiple cooking inserts and burner frame that supports a burner element. One insert can be used for cooking an entire poultry carcass. Other inserts are perforated baskets that can be used to fry items.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/771,309, filed Jun. 29, 2007 (issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 7,770,514 on Aug. 10, 2010), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/862,553, filed Jun. 7, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,476), which is a nonprovisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/479,198, filed Jun. 17, 2003, each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and priority of each is hereby claimed. 
     Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/479,198, filed Jun. 17, 2003, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to outdoor cooking devices that are fueled with gaseous fuel (e.g. propane, butane) and more particularly to an improved outdoor cooking device that can be used in a number of different cooking situations including boiling, steaming, and with water or oil as a cooking medium. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved cooking apparatus that has a specially shaped pot and multiple food holding inserts that can optionally be placed inside the pot. The inserts include one or more perforated pans for frying food items such as fish, poultry, or vegetables and wherein a specially configured insert can hold one or more entire poultry carcasses. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     A number of outdoor cookers have been sold commercially for a number of years and are admitted as “prior art” type burners. These “prior art” burners have traditionally included a metallic frame that supports a burner nozzle, such as a cast iron burner nozzle. Such burner nozzles are commercially available and are used to fire most natural gas fired hot water heaters. 
     Examples of these prior art type outdoor cooking devices can be seen in the Jan. 1, 1996 brochure of Metal Fusion, Inc., of Jefferson, La. Patents have issued naming Norman Bourgeois as inventor that relate to burners and related cooking apparatus. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,735 for a “Convertible Burner Apparatus” that features different primary burner frames and legs that can elevate the burner frames. Other Bourgeois patents that relate to cooking devices include the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,813,321; 5,970,852; and 6,058,830, each said Bourgeois patent hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     The burner nozzle can be a cast iron hot water heater type burner nozzle or a jet burner arrangement that uses a single outlet centered in a cylindrically-shaped, vertically oriented metallic tube. The most common version of the prior art “jet burner” arrangement is seen in Metal Fusion&#39;s catalog as Model No. 90PK. Another version of this type of cooker includes two spaced apart circular rings connected with struts and having a cylindrically-shaped wind guard or shroud. This type of prior art burner can be seen for example as Metal Fusion Model Nos. 82PK, 83PK, 85PK, 86PK, and 86PKJ. 
     For cooking some food items such as poultry items, it is sometimes desirable to fry the object in a basket that can be lifted from the pot. An example of this type of “prior art” arrangement is seen in the 1996 Metal Fusion catalog as Model No. 32TPK. For a combination cooking arrangement that includes a burner, pot and liner, the user typically places the poultry item in the basket and lowers it into boiling oil using a bail. In the prior art, bails have often been detachable from the basket so that the user can lower the basket into the pot and the contained boiling oil and then remove the handle or bail therefrom. This allows the user to eliminate the transfer of heat from the basket to the handle during the elongated cooking process. 
     A number of patents have issued that relate to cooking devices and utensils for use in combination with cooking vessels. The Walker U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,135 provides a utensil assembly and kit including same for cooking vessels used in preparing and supporting combustibles above the bottom of the cooking vessel and away from its inner walls. The utensil kit comprises a base supported above the bottom of the cooking vessel, a plurality of support attachments separately detachable and interchangeably mountable on the base for supporting selected combustible products, and releasable latch mechanism having two parts, one part disposed on the base, and the other part is disposed on each of the support attachments for engaging the base. One of the utensils is a poultry support attachment that fits inside the cavity of a chicken or other poultry enabling it to be positioned upright. 
     The Rappaport U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,169, discloses a poultry supporting device that sits upon a base in the form of a pan. 
     A rotisserie cooking arrangement is disclosed in the French Patent 2685862. 
     A roasting support for fowl is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,642. The apparatus includes a longitudinally extending rod that extends through the center of the turkey having an eyelet at its upper end. 
     A roaster for poultry and meat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,602. The apparatus includes a vertical roasting apparatus wherein a predetermined amount of liquid for generating the moisture required to produce a high quality and flavorful roasting of the meat is included in a reservoir formed within the support structure itself and disposed internally of the poultry or meat being roasted. 
     A vertical spit for displaying roasting or warming is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,999. 
     A combination outdoor cooker and smoker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,154. The apparatus includes a cooker having a gas burner coupled to an external gas source through a control valve by a gas supply conduit. 
     An Austrian patent 217592 discloses a cooking device that has a central member upon which a turkey or chicken is supported during the cooking operation. 
     British patent 2205734A discloses a device for use in preparing and cooking kebabs that includes walls which are interconnected to define a tube member and into which a first end wall is slidably received to further reinforce the shape formed by the sidewalls and whose end position is determined by the engagement of lips projecting inwardly from the sidewalls. The sidewalls are apertured longitudinally for receiving a knife to cut food within the tube member. 
     Issued patents to Barbour (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,758,569 and 5,896,810) disclose a cooking apparatus directed to the frying of poultry items such as turkeys. 
     Several patents have issued that are directed to a cooker or pot having a spigot provided on the pot wall that enables liquid to be withdrawn from the pot via the spigot. An example of such an early patent is the Saroni U.S. Pat. No. 57,577 entitled “Apparatus for Steaming Vegetables.” In the Saroni 577 patent, a spigot B is provided for withdrawing liquid from the receptacle or pot. 
     The Paterson U.S. Pat. No. 74,123 discloses in FIG. 1 a spigot mounted on the wall of a pot. 
     The Durham U.S. Pat. No. 123,876 discloses a boiler (see FIGS. 1 and 3) in the form of a pot having handles and a lid H. The Durham &#39;876 patent states that one or more of the lower components are using for cooking solids, and the others are either for soup or other liquid, the latter C or either of them being provided with a tap D at the bottom for drawing off the contents. 
     The Goodwyn U.S. Pat. No. 159,755 provides a cooking vessel. A faucet B is provided at the lower end of the boiler A. 
     The Harper U.S. Pat. No. 1,054,114 discloses a furnace that includes a vat that can be fastened to the top of the fire box by means of a sleeve D formed integral therewith and adapted to fit over the smoke pipe E. This vat is provided with a cover D′ and also an outlet pipe E having a spigot E′. 
     A cooking vessel is disclosed in the Clayton U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,222 that includes a cooking vessel 10 having an outlet nipple 11 in which is rotatably mounted on a valve plug 12. This valve structure enables the liquid to be easily drawn off. 
     The Jobe U.S. Pat. No. 1,390,908 discloses a cooking vessel that has an outer pipe 20 that has one end communicating with the inner receptacle for drawing liquids therefrom, the pipe extending through the outer receptacle and equipped with a valve 21. 
     The Austin U.S. Pat. No. 1,827,131 provides a pot drain in the form of pipe 12 that is fitted with a cap 13. 
     The Baker U.S. Pat. No. 2,350,335 discloses a brewer or cooker that has a drain valve 7 adjacent its lower end through which brewed coffee may be withdrawn. 
     The Shipman U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,680 discloses a combination heating and serving assembly having a drainage outlet or spigot 32 by which the liquid contents of the container may be drawn off from time to time. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved outdoor cooking apparatus that includes a burner frame having upper and lower end portions, wherein the lower end portion is configured to engage an underlying support surface, the upper end portion providing a pot support. 
     A burner element is mounted on the frame for providing a flame to be used during cooking. A pot rests upon the pot support during cooking, the pot having a generally square or rectangular bottom panel, a plurality of side walls, an open top, a pot rim, and an interior for holding a cooking fluid. 
     One or more inserts or racks are provided that are sized and shaped to fit the pot interior. Each insert or rack optionally rests upon the pot bottom panel in a cooking position and can be attached to the pot rim in a draining position. One of the racks is a poultry cooking insert that can hold an entire poultry carcass (for example turkey, chicken, or a plurality of poultry carcasses). 
     Another rack that can be placed in a cooking medium within the pot interior is a perforated basket for frying items such as fish, poultry, vegetables or the like. In a preferred embodiment, two frying baskets can be placed inside the pot in a side-by-side position or configuration. 
     The apparatus of the present invention can be used to steam items when a steamer plate is placed above and supported by the poultry cooking insert. 
     The present invention can be used with more than one cooking medium, such as with oil or with water. Water is preferably used when steaming, or when cooking certain seafood items that are boiled such as shrimp or crabs. An oil cooking medium is used when frying certain items such as poultry, fish, or vegetables. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the burner; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the pot; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial perspective, exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the poultry cooking insert; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the poultry cooking insert in a draining position; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the poultry cooking insert; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the pot lifter; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating pot, burner, and insert; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional, elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the pot and food holding basket insert in a cooking position; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the steamer plate; and 
         FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the poultry cooking insert and steamer plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 3, 8, and 9  show a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, designated generally the numeral  10 . Outdoor cooking apparatus  10  includes a burner frame  11  that supports a pot  12 . The burner frame provides a generally rectangular base  13  that can be in the form of a square or rectangular member. A plurality of legs  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  extend upwardly along the generally vertical path from base  13  to a pot support  23  that can be comprised of a plurality of beams  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 . Each beam  18 - 21  includes a vertical barrier portion  22  to restrain lateral movement of pot  12 . The pot  12  provides a bottom panel  35  that rests upon horizontal support surface  23 . Vertical barrier  22  portion of each beam  18 - 21  restrains the pot  12  by engaging sidewall panels  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40  and preventing lateral movement of the pot  12  during cooking 
     Frame  11  provides a shroud  24  that surrounds burner element  29  to provide a wind guard, a plurality of grate members  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 . A burner element support beam can be used to support a commercially available burner element  29  inside shroud  24 . A slot  30  in shroud  24  enables a part of the burner element to exit the shroud  24  and attach to a supply of fuel such as a propane or butane tank, regulator, and supply hose. Each grate member  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28  can be welded at one end portion to a leg  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  next to a bend  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 . At its other end, each grate member is connected (e.g. welded) to shroud  24 . In this fashion, grate members  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28  function to support pot  12  and shroud  24 . 
     It should be understood that such a gaseous fuel supply is well known in the art and typically includes a propane or butane tank, regulator and hose with appropriate fittings for interfacing between the hose and the burner element. Such burner elements are well known in the art, commercially available and can be seen in one or more of the above incorporated by reference Bourgeois patents. 
     Each leg  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  has a bend  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  respectively. This combination of the placement, spacing, and length of legs  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  the size and shape of base  13 , and the bends  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  enable the pot  12  to be stored inside defined by base  13  and legs  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and under pot support  23 . The overall height of pot  12  can thus be less than the height of each leg  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 . Once stored, shroud  24  is positioned inside pot  12  interior  47 . 
     Pot  12  includes a bottom panel  35 , a plurality of sidewall panels  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40  that define a lower section  36 . Pot upper section  41  includes a plurality of preferably four inclined wall panels  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 . 
     Pot rim  46  can provide a continuous upper edge that is defined by the top of each of the inclined wall panels  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 . During cooking, any of a selected plurality of cooking inserts, baskets or racks  48 ,  50  can be attached to the pot rim  46  for draining excess cooking fluid (e.g. oil) from a food item. When the selected insert  48 ,  50  is attached to the pot rim  46 , cooking fluids such as water or oil can drain back into pot  12  interior  47 . A thermometer  77  can be supported with supports  78 , 79  so that the temperature of the cooking fluid in pot interior  47  can be monitored. 
     The selected inserts or racks can include the poultry cooking insert  50 , or a basket (or baskets)  48  having handle  49 . Handle  49  can be bent to track the shape of pot  12  wall. The uppermost end of handle  49  preferably extends above pot rim  46 . In a preferred embodiment, more than one basket  48  can be provided, such as the two baskets shown in  FIG. 3 . Two baskets  48  can be sized and shaped to fit side-by-side within the confines of sidewall panels  37 ,  38 ,  39 ,  40 . 
     The side-by-side cooking baskets  48  can occupy about the same area as steamer plate  62  or pot bottom panel  35 . It should be understood that either one of or both of the baskets  48  can be removed and attached to pot rim  46  using basket hanger  69  after cooking Hanger  69  enables a user to cook items in one basket  48  while draining items that have already been cooked and that are contained in the other basket  48 . 
     Poultry cooking insert  50  as shown in  FIGS. 4-6, 8, 11 . Poultry cooking insert  50  includes one or more longitudinal beams  51  and one or more transverse beams  52 . The beams  51 ,  52  can be welded together. At opposing end portions of longitudinal beam  51  there are provided vertical beams  53 ,  54  respectively, each having a lifting hook or eyelet  55  or  56 . 
     Poultry skewer  57  extends from one of the vertical beams  53 ,  54  longitudinally, roughly parallel to the longitudinal beams  51  (see  FIG. 4 ). One or more curved supports  58 ,  59  can be attached to the longitudinal beams  51  for assisting in the support of a large poultry item such as the turkey carcass  70  shown in  FIG. 5 . Hangers  60 ,  61  can be fork-shaped members that enable the poultry cooking insert  50  to be attached to rim  46  in a draining position that is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     One or more vertical skewers  66  can be attached to beams  51 ,  52  for assisting in the support of one or more smaller poultry item such as the chickens  65  shown in  FIG. 6 . The vertical skewers  66  have external threads  76  that can be attached to the beams  51 ,  52  by internally threaded boss  67 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show optional steamer plate  62 . In its operating position, plate  62  rests upon curved supports  58 ,  59 . When cooking with the steamer plate  62 , insert  50  is lowered into pot  12 , against bottom panel  35 . Water is placed in the pot  12  to a level that is just below steamer plate  62  so that boiling water can steam those food items that are placed upon steamer plate  62 . 
     When cooking with any fluid, oil or water, spigot  63  can be used to drain pot interior  47 . Spigot  63  can be a commercially available spigot having a valve handle  64  that can be opened and closed so that when opened, the contents of pot  12  drain for disposal or recycling. Spigot  63  can be attached to pot  12  using any suitable outlet fitting or connection  68  such as a welded or bolted fitting or connection. Several prior art patents disclose the concept of draining fluid from a cooking pot using a spigot. 
     Lifting implement  71  is shown in  FIG. 7 . Implement  71  can be grasped at handle  75  ( FIG. 8 ) and attached at bar  72  to hooks  55 ,  56 , enabling a user to engage and lift insert  50 . Diagonal sections  73 ,  74  connect bar  72  to handle  75 . 
     PARTS LIST 
     The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PARTS LIST 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Parts Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 10 
                 outdoor cooking apparatus 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 burner frame 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 pot 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 base 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 leg 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 beam 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 beam 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 beam 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 beam 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 vertical barrier 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 pot support 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 shroud 
               
               
                   
                 25 
                 grate member 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 grate member 
               
               
                   
                 27 
                 grate member 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 grate member 
               
               
                   
                 29 
                 burner element 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 slot 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 bend 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 bend 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 bend 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 bend 
               
               
                   
                 35 
                 bottom panel 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 lower section 
               
               
                   
                 37 
                 side wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 side wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 39 
                 side wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 side wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 41 
                 upper section 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 inclined wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 inclined wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 inclined wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 inclined wall panel 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 pot rim 
               
               
                   
                 47 
                 pot interior 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 basket 
               
               
                   
                 49 
                 handle 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 poultry cooking insert 
               
               
                   
                 51 
                 longitudinal beam 
               
               
                   
                 52 
                 transverse beam 
               
               
                   
                 53 
                 vertical beam 
               
               
                   
                 54 
                 vertical beam 
               
               
                   
                 55 
                 lifting hook 
               
               
                   
                 56 
                 lifting hook 
               
               
                   
                 57 
                 poultry skewer 
               
               
                   
                 58 
                 curved support 
               
               
                   
                 59 
                 curved support 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 hanger 
               
               
                   
                 61 
                 hanger 
               
               
                   
                 62 
                 steamer plate 
               
               
                   
                 63 
                 spigot 
               
               
                   
                 64 
                 valve handle 
               
               
                   
                 65 
                 chicken 
               
               
                   
                 66 
                 vertical skewer 
               
               
                   
                 67 
                 internally threaded boss 
               
               
                   
                 68 
                 outlet fitting 
               
               
                   
                 69 
                 hanger 
               
               
                   
                 70 
                 poultry carcass 
               
               
                   
                 71 
                 lifting implement 
               
               
                   
                 72 
                 bar 
               
               
                   
                 73 
                 diagonal section 
               
               
                   
                 74 
                 diagonal section 
               
               
                   
                 75 
                 handle 
               
               
                   
                 76 
                 external thread 
               
               
                   
                 77 
                 thermometer 
               
               
                   
                 78 
                 support 
               
               
                   
                 79 
                 support 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.