Abstract:
An apparatus for cooking food items over an open fire which allows a cook to turn the food and adjust the position of the food over the fire while maintaining a safe distance from the fire. The apparatus is constructed and arranged to allow hands-free operation or, if desired, allow a cook to continually control the position of the food over the fire using one hand. This is accomplished using a telescopic handle and two supports.

Description:
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 α, β, and  y . Angles α, β, and γ 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. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in operation over an open fire; and, 
     FIG. 2 is a cross section taken generally along lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown an apparatus  10  for cooking over an open fire. Apparatus  10  generally comprises a handle  12 , a first support  30 , and a second support  40 . 
     Handle  12  comprises a first end  14  and a second end  16 , separated from first end  14  by a distance defined as handle length  18 . It is preferable that handle length  18  be variable and, in order to facilitate this, handle  12  preferably comprises a first handle member  20  and a second handle member  22 . First handle member  20  and second handle member  22  are telescopically constructed and arranged such that first handle member  20  fits concentrically within second handle member  22  in such a manner as to allow member  20  to be slid back and forth within member  22 , thereby varying the length  18  of handle  12 . It is envisioned that adding additional, telescopically disposed members would provide a potentially greater maximum handle length, or allow for a potentially shorter minimum handle length, or both. 
     Preferably, in order to maintain handle  12  at a certain length  18 , second member  22  further comprises a plurality of holes  24 , spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and aligned substantially parallel to the axis of handle  12 . First member  20  preferably comprises an outwardly biased, inwardly displaceable protuberance  26 , sized to fit within holes  24 , such that when protuberance  26  is aligned beneath a hole  24 , protuberance  26  pops into hole  24 , thereby preventing first member  20  to slide relative to second member  22  until protuberance  26  is downwardly pressed by an operator. 
     First end  14  is constructed and arranged to accept a cooking platform  28 , for placement of food thereon. Preferably, cooking platform  28  is removable from handle  12  such that a variety of different platforms  28  may be used. Examples of such platforms may include a cage, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, a skillet, a skewer, and the like. 
     Handle  12  is supported by a first support  30  and a second support  40 . First support  30  comprises at least one, preferably two, legs  32 . It is envisioned that legs  32  have pointed lower ends  34  to ease insertion into the ground. It is also envisioned that support  30  define an opening  35  defined on its lower end by a substantially horizontal cross member  36 . Member  36  is preferably wide enough, and opening  35  large enough, to allow a user to press pointed ends  34  into the ground using his or her foot. 
     Support  30  has a top  37  to which a first handle holding mechanism  38  is attached. Mechanism  38  provides vertical support to handle  12  as it acts as a fulcrum when the apparatus  10  is fully assembled and in use. Therefore, mechanism  38  may simply comprise an upwardly opening, U-shaped bracket, sized to accept handle  12 . However, as can be seen in the Figures, mechanism  38  preferably comprises a commercially available, resiliently biased clip spring. A clip spring provides more support and allows handle  12  to be snapped into place easily and removed by simply lifting handle  12  out of mechanism  38 . 
     Second support  40  may be constructed and arranged like first support  30 , but preferably comprises a telescoping support member  42 , partially and concentrically housed in a hollow center body  44 , and having a height adjustment mechanism  46  for fixing the variable support member at a predetermined height. 
     Height adjustment mechanism  46  preferably comprises a threaded bolt extending through center body  44  in such a manner that, when rotated, mechanism  46  presses against telescoping support member  42 , holding it in place. Alternatively, a hole could extend through hollow center body  44  and a second set of holes, spaced apart at a predetermined interval, could extend through telescoping support member  42 , so that a particular height could be selected by lining up the center body hole with one of the support member holes and passing a rod through both. It is also envisioned that a quick-release attachment, like those found commercially on bicycles for raising and lower a bicycle seat, be used to adjust the height of the telescoping support member. Other mechanisms for allowing an adjustable height are known to those skilled in the art and would be acceptable substitutions for those described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     The embodiment of second support  40 , which is shown in the Figures, includes a plurality of legs  48 , preferably three, radiating from center body  44 . Legs  48  are angularly separated by interior angles α, β, and  y . Angles α, β, and  y  are preferably at least 60° each, more preferably on the order of 120° each. 
     A second handle holding mechanism  50  is attached to the top of telescoping support member  42 . Second handle holding mechanism  50  is preferably a resiliently biased mechanism, similar to mechanism  38  of the first support  30 . Alternatively, because the second handle holding mechanism  38  will be required to exert a downward force on the handle, especially when cooking platform  28  is weighted down with food, thereby causing handle  12  to become a lever and first support  30  to act as a fulcrum, second handle holding mechanism  50  could comprise a downwardly opening bracket, attached at upper end  52  of member  42 . 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, 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 and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.