Ash catcher assembly for a charcoal grill

An ash catcher assembly for catching ash falling out through openings in the bottom of a charcoal grill is disclosed. The ash catcher assembly can be assembled easily and removably mounted on the bottom of the charcoal grill. The ash catcher assembly for a charcoal grill includes a cylinder mounted on the bottom of the charcoal grill. Multiple slots are defined in the exterior edge of the cylinder opposite to the charcoal grill. The slots are essentially L-shaped and each includes a vertical portion, a horizontal portion and a vertical key directed toward the cylindrical basket. Multiple vents are defined in a line in the side of the cylinder to provide oxygen into the charcoal grill. A cylindrical basket is removably mounted on the exterior end of the cylinder to catch and hold ash and debris. Multiple stubs extend inward from side of the cylindrical basket near the top. The stubs correspond to the slots in the cylinder and are received in the slots to hold the cylindrical basket in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to an ash catcher assembly, and more
 particularly to an ash catcher assembly for a charcoal grill.
 2. Description of Related Art
 A conventional ash catcher assembly in accordance with the prior is
 removably mounted on the bottom of a charcoal grill under openings through
 which ash falls. With reference to FIGS. 5-6, the conventional ash catcher
 assembly for a charcoal grill comprises a cylindrical basket (90) for
 holding the ash and a detachable handle (80) connected to the cylindrical
 basket (90). A projection (81) extends outward from each of two ends of
 the handle (80) and penetrates the wall of the cylindrical basket (90).
 The two projections (81) cooperate with a cylindrical mounting ring (70)
 that has multiple slots (71) to receive the two projections (81). The
 mounting ring (70) is removably attached to the bottom of the charcoal
 grill and receives the open end of the cylindrical basket (90).
 The charcoal grill is designed for burning charcoal. The cylindrical basket
 (90), the mounting ring (70) and the bottom of the grill form a closed
 chamber that can not fully provide the flow of necessary oxygen for
 combustion of the charcoal while burning. Furthermore, the ash will fall
 through the gap between the cylindrical basket (90) and the mounting ring
 (70) because the open end of the cylindrical basket (90) is received in
 the mounting ring (70).
 The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the
 disadvantages of the conventional ash catcher assembly for a charcoal
 grill.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an ash catcher
 assembly for a charcoal grill is provided. The ash catcher assembly can
 catch ash and debris falling out through openings in the bottom of the
 charcoal grill. It is also very easy to assemble and empty. Further, the
 ash catcher can be easily retrofitted onto previously made charcoal
 grills. The ash catcher assembly in accordance with the present invention
 can also be easily disassembled for cleaning and storage.
 According to the primary aspect of the present invention, the ash catcher
 assembly for a charcoal grill of the present invention is removably
 mounted on the bottom of the charcoal grill with multiple openings through
 which ash and debris fall. The ash catcher assembly for a charcoal grill
 includes a cylinder mounted on the bottom of the charcoal grill. The
 cylinder has multiple slots cut out of the lower portion and multiple
 vents cut out of the middle portion. A cylindrical basket, opened at the
 top and closed at the bottom, holds ash and debris. A handle is attached
 to the outside surface of the cylindrical basket. Multiple stubs extend
 inwardly from the side surface of the cylindrical basket near the top. The
 stubs correspond to slots in the cylinder and are received in the slots to
 hold the basket in place.
 Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become
 apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with
 appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an ash catcher
 assembly for a charcoal grill in accordance with the present invention
 comprises a cylinder (10) and a cylindrical basket (20). The cylinder (10)
 is mounted on the bottom of a charcoal grill. The cylindrical basket (20)
 is mounted on the free end of the cylinder (10). The charcoal grill has
 multiple openings (not numbered) defined in the bottom through which the
 ash and debris fall.
 With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, the cylinder (10) includes multiple slots
 (11) and a damper. The multiple slots (11) are defined in the edge of the
 cylinder (10) opposite to the charcoal grill. These slots (11) are
 essentially L-shaped, and each includes a vertical portion (111), a
 horizontal portion (112) and a vertical key (113) extending in the
 direction of the cylindrical basket (20). A thumb (114) is thusly formed
 between the vertical portion (111) and the vertical key (113) of the slot
 (11) to prevent the cylindrical basket (20) from detaching.
 With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the damper consists of two threaded stubs
 (12), multiple vents (13) and an arcuate adjusting plate (14). Two
 threaded stubs (12) extend out from the side of the cylinder (10).
 Multiple vents (13) are defined along the line between the two threaded
 stubs (12). An arcuate adjusting plate (14) movably abuts the side of the
 cylinder (10) over the vents (13). The adjusting plate (14) includes two
 horizontal slots (141) defined to correspond to the two threaded stubs
 (12) each extending through the horizontal slot (141). A nut (121) is
 screwed onto each stud (12) to hold the adjusting plate (14) in place.
 Multiple holes (142) are defined in the adjusting plate (14) corresponding
 to the vents (13). The holes (142) selectively open or close the vents
 (13) when the adjusting plate (14) slides on the periphery of the cylinder
 (10).
 The cylindrical basket (20) is open at the top and closed at the bottom to
 catch and hold the ash and debris that falls through the holes in the
 bottom of the barbecue grill. A handle (21) is attached to the side of the
 cylindrical basket (20) to attach and detach the basket (20) with the
 cylinder (10). Multiple stubs (22) extend inward from the inside surface
 of the cylindrical basket (20) near the top. The stubs (22) correspond to
 the slots (11) in the cylinder (10) and are received in the slots (11) to
 attach the cylindrical basket (20) to the cylinder (10).
 With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the cylindrical basket (20) has a diameter
 which is greater than that of the cylinder (10) so that the basket (20)
 slides over the outside of the cylinder (10). This ensures that all ash
 and debris falling through the holes in the barbecue grill fall into the
 basket (20). The basket (20) is attached to the cylinder (10) by sliding
 the stubs (22) into the vertical portion (111) of the slots (11), then
 rotating the basket (20) so the studs (22) move along the horizontal
 portion (112) over the thumb (114) until they align with the vertical keys
 (113). The studs then move into the vertical keys (113) to suspend the
 cylindrical basket (20) on the cylinder (10).
 The ash catcher assembly as described has several advantages.
 1. The lower portion of the cylinder (10) is received inside the
 cylindrical basket (20) so that the ash and debris falling from the holes
 in the barbecue grill cannot fall through the gap between the cylindrical
 basket (20) and the cylinder (10).
 2. The cylinder (10) has a damper that can be adjusted to provide the
 necessary oxygen for combustion of the charcoal and form a good convection
 of heat in the charcoal grill.
 Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred
 embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications
 and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of
 the invention as hereinafter claimed.