Abstract:
A portable outdoor cooker particularly adapted for boats and convertible for grill, griddle, steam and roast cooking. A cooker unit having an open top and a propane gas log interiorly positioned and attached to a propane supply is provided. Various racks and pans and covers are mounted on the cooker providing the ability to grill, griddle, steam or roast. The cooker has removable or retractable legs for mounting on boat rails.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Applicant claims the priority benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/475,416, filed Jun. 4, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to cooking devices, and in particular to a portable outdoor cooker particularly adapted for boats and convertible for grill, griddle, steam and roast cooking. 
   It has become increasingly common for boaters and campers to provide and prepare hot food for themselves, their families and guests. It is desirable for boaters and campers to have the capability of grilling, griddling, roasting and steaming various foods and dishes. Because of lack of space and generally cramped quarters, it is generally impossible to bring along enough cooking equipment necessary to accomplish these different cooking tasks. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art and provides a single, compact cooking assembly which is portable and has the ability to provide grill, griddle, roast and steam cooking capabilities. The present invention accomplishes this by providing a cooker unit having an open top and a propane gas log interiorly positioned and attached to a propane supply. Various racks and pans and covers are mounted on the cooker providing the ability to grill, griddle, steam or roast. The cooker has removable or retractable legs for mounting on boat rails, a flat surface or the ground. 
   These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective, exploded view of the cooker. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the cooker unit. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of diffuser platform. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the gas log. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective, exploded view of the cooker arranged for grill or griddle cooking. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective, exploded view of the cooker arranged for roast or steam cooking. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional rear view of a cooker unit alternate embodiment. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of a holding bar. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown a convertible portable cooker  1  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The cooker  1  is comprised of a cooker unit  10 , a two-sided grill and griddle unit  50  removably attached to the cooker unit  10 , a baking and steaming pan  60  removably attached to the cooker unit  10 , a rack  70  insertable into said pan  60 , and a cover  80  adapted for removable attachment to the pan  60  or the cooker unit  10 . 
   The cooker unit  10  has a generally rectangular shape with a long sided front  11 , an opposite and parallel long sided rear  12 , two opposite and parallel short sides  13  interconnecting said front  11  and rear  12 , a bottom  14  and an open top  15 , said front  11 , rear  12 , sides  13 , bottom  14  and top  15  defining a cooker unit interior  16 . The said front  11 , rear  12 , sides  13 , and bottom  14  each have a plurality of perforations  19  formed therein. The sides  13  define a cooker unit longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis being parallel to the cooker unit front  11  and rear  12 . The cooker unit front  11  has an elongated opening  17  formed adjacent the cooker unit bottom  14 , said opening  17  extending from one side  13  to the other. 
   The cooker unit bottom  14  has four downwardly extending legs  20 , each located adjacent a junction of side  13  and front  11  and side  13  and rear  12 . Each leg  20  is pivotable up toward the cooker unit bottom  14  and adapted for releasable engagement with clips  26  attached to the cooker unit bottom  14  adjacent the cooker unit front  11  and rear  12 . The front legs  21  are bent at an approximate midpoint  22  at ninety degree angles into a support portion  23  and an attachment portion  24 . The support portion  23  engages the ground or a boat rail holder  3  or similar device. The attachment portion  24  of each front leg  21  is telescopically attached to a tube  25  fixedly attached to the cooker unit bottom  14  adjacent each cooker unit side  13 . This permits each front leg  21  to be extended in a forward direction, while still having the front leg support portion engaged in a boat rail holder  3 . This provides an additional safety feature of the cooker unit  10 . The cooker unit  10  may be moved further away from a boat while still being securely engaged to a boat rail holder  3 . For storage, the front leg attachment portions  24  are inserted fully into the holding tubes  25  and the front leg support portions are radially twisted bringing the front leg support portions up to releasable engagement with the holding clips  26  on the cooker unit bottom  14 . 
   The cooker unit  10  is further comprised of a perforated, elongated, hollow, propane gas log  30  with two ends, a first end  31  and a second end  32 , said first end  31  and second end  32  defining a gas log longitudinal axis, said gas log longitudinal axis being coincident with the longitudinal axis of the cooker unit  10 . Each gas log end  31 ,  32  has a downwardly extending flange  33 . The gas log  30  is positioned within the cooker unit interior  16  so that the gas log flanges  33  removably rests on the cooker unit bottom  14 . The gas log second end  32  removably terminates in a propane valve connection  34  inserted into a cooker unit side  13  near to the cooker unit bottom  14 . External to the cooker unit  10  is a propane container  35  with appropriate coupling tubing adapted for releasable connection to the propane valve connection  34 . A standard ignitor mechanism  36  is fitted into a side wall aperture  37  for easy and safe flame starting. 
   The cooker unit  10  is further comprised of a diffuser platform  30 . The diffuser platform  40  is comprised of a flat, elongated, perforated element  41  having a generally rectangular shape. The perforated element  41  has two short side ends  42  defining a longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the gas log  30  and cooker unit  10 . Each perforated element end  42  terminates in a two downwardly projecting support element  43  adapted to removably support the perforated element  41  on the cooker unit bottom  14  over the gas log  30 . 
   The present invention provides a capability for grilling or griddling food items. This is accomplished by means of a two-sided grill and griddle unit  50  comprised of a flat, plate-like, metallic element  51  having two opposite surfaces, a lined surface  52  and a smooth surface  53 . The lined surface  52  is the grill surface. The smooth surface  53  serves as the griddle surface. The grill and griddle unit  50  is further comprised of two holding angle irons  54 , each removably attached to a cooker unit interior side  13  by a two or more attachment clips  55 . The angle irons  54  are attached to the cooker interior sides  13  and the grill and griddle unit  50  set onto the angle irons  54  with the desired side,  52  or  53 , face up. Diffused heat from the gas log  30  through the diffuser platform heats the grill and griddle unit  50  providing a cooking surface to a user. The grill and griddle unit  50  is preferably made from a cast aluminum with a non-stick material coating. 
   The present invention also provides a capability for roasting and steaming food. This is accomplished by means of a baking and steaming pan  60  removably attached to the cooker unit  10 , a rack  70  insertable into said pan  60 , and a cover  80  adapted for removable attachment to the pan  60  or the cooker unit  10 . The baking and steaming pan  60  is a generally rectangular, standard restaurant pan which has an outer surface  61  and an interior  62 . The pan  60  is inserted through the cooker unit top  15  into the cooker unit interior  16  and rests on the on the angle irons  54  attached to the cooker unit interior sides  13 . The invention is further comprised of a rack  70  which is insertable into the pan interior  62 . The invention further provides a cover  80  which fits over the pan  60  in a snug fit. For steam cooking a desired amount of water is placed into the pan interior  62 , the food items placed on the rack  70  and the cover  80  placed over the pan  60 . For roasting the same process is followed as for steam cooking, except water is omitted. 
   In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the diffuser platform  40  is eliminated. In lieu of the diffuser  40 , a shield  44  is tack welded to the exterior surface bottom  63  of the baking and steaming pan  60 . See  FIG. 7 . 
   In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the gas log  30  is a hollow gas tube with first end  31  terminating in an upwardly projecting gas burner  38 . The gas log second end  32  is connected to the propane valve connection  34  inserted into a cooker unit side  13 . The gas log flanges  33  may stay in place or may be replace with a “V” shaped holder  39  attached to and interconnecting the cooker unit sides  13 , said holder  39  being suspended above the cooker unit bottom  14 . See  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
   In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the four, previously described downwardly extending legs  20  are replaced with two or four straight, removable legs  27 . An aperture  28  is formed in the corners of the cooker unit bottom  14  adjacent each side  13  and front  11  and rear  12 . A clip  29  is attached to the front  11  adjacent each side  13 . A clip  29  may also be attached to the rear  12  adjacent each side  13 . Each desired leg  27  is inserted through a cooker unit bottom aperture  28  into the cooker unit interior  16  wherein the leg is engaged by a clip  29  holding the leg  27  in position. The remainder of the leg  27  protrudes out of the cooker bottom  14  a desired length. See  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
   The attachment clips  55  of the previously described embodiment may be replaced with holding bars  56  attachable to the top  15  of the sides  13  thereby allowing the grill and griddle unit  50  and baking and steaming pan  60  to be held firmly in place within the cooker unit interior  16 . The cover  80  may be used over either the grill and griddle unit  50  or baking and steaming pan  60 . See  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 . 
   The advantage of the present invention is the variety of cooking options offered despite the compactness of the invention. The cooker unit  10  is preferably made from stainless steel. The two-sided grill and griddle unit  50 , baking and steaming pan  60 , and cover  80  are also preferably made from stainless steel with a coating of Teflon or other non-stick surface. However, other materials with comparable performance characteristics may also be used. 
   It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.