Seafood eating and cleaning table

A table is provided of the type for eating and cleaning seafood thereon. The seafood eating and cleaning table comprises: a perforated table top forming a hatch therethrough, a rail formed about the perimeter of the perforated table top, a sloped drip pan connected beneath the perforated table top that slopes toward an aperture formed therethrough which is in alignment with the hatch, legs attached to the perforated table top, and a perforated hatch door removably seatable within the hatch.

DESCRIPTION 
1. Technical Field 
The present invention relates to devices for supporting food stuff thereon 
and more particularly to devices for supporting food stuff thereon that 
have a perforated table top forming a hatch therethrough for allowing 
liquids to pass into a sloped drip pan sloping toward an aperture formed 
therethrough supportable above a trash receptacle. 
2. Background Art 
In South Louisiana it is a popular pastime to have weekend or afternoon 
boils. These boils usually involve the cooking of large quantities of 
crawfish, crabs or shrimp. It is common for the boiled seafood to be 
poured atop a conventional table covered in newspaper and at times 
plastic. Once the feast begins the juices and liquids from the seafood 
seep off the table ending up on the ground or on the floor of a home 
creating a attraction for ants and other insects and rodents and creating 
a distinct odor problem. In addition, after the feast is completed the 
difficult task of cleaning the pounds and mounds of empty shells from the 
table without spreading them and their juices all over is begun. 
It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a table that is easily erected 
and lowered for seafood boils. It would be a further benefit, to have a 
table that provides a sanitary and convenient way to eat boiled seafood. 
It would be a still further benefit, to have a table that provides an easy 
means for clearing the contents held thereon into a trash receptacle. 
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION 
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a seafood eating and 
cleaning table that has a perforated table top having a rail formed about 
the perimeter thereof, and a sloped drip pan disposed thereunder sloping 
from the perimeter of the table top to an aperture formed therethrough for 
disposing a trash receptacle thereunder. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a seafood eating and 
cleaning table that has a perforated table top forming a hatch 
therethrough, the perforated table top having a rail formed about the 
perimeter thereof, and a sloped drip pan disposed thereunder sloping from 
the perimeter of the table top to an aperture formed therethrough and 
aligned with the hatch for disposing a trash receptacle thereunder. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a seafood eating 
and cleaning table that has a perforated hatch door disposable within the 
hatch formed through the perforated table top. 
Accordingly, a table is provided of the type for eating and cleaning 
seafood thereon. The seafood eating and cleaning table comprises: a 
perforated table top forming a hatch therethrough, a rail formed about the 
perimeter of the table top, a sloped drip pan connected beneath the 
perforated table top that slopes toward an aperture formed therethrough 
which is in alignment with the hatch, legs attached to the table top, and 
a perforated hatch door removably seatable within the hatch. 
The perforated table top may be rectangular, round or any other shape which 
provides access to the table for a number of people. The table top must be 
formed of a sturdy, rigid material such as wood, metal, or plastic. 
Preferably, the table top is constructed of a lightweight material such as 
plastic or aluminum for easy transport. The perforations formed through 
the table top are sized to allow free flow of liquids therethrough while 
preventing the passage of food stuffs being cleaned or eaten thereon. The 
rail is formed about the perimeter of the table top to maintain liquids 
and food stuff on the surface of the table top. 
The perforated table top forms a hatch therethrough for disposing of waste 
products. The hatch may be formed through any section of the table top. 
Preferably, the hatch is centrally located through the table top. 
A perforated hatch door is provided for covering the hatch while food stuff 
is being cleaned or eaten. The hatch door may be hingedly connected within 
the hatch or removably seatable therein. 
The sloped drip pan is connected along the perimeter of the table top for 
containing liquids which pass through the perforations through the table 
top. The sloped drip pan is constructed of an impermeable material. The 
sloped drip pan slopes from the perimeter of the table top to an aperture 
formed therethrough which is aligned with the hatch formed through the 
perforated table top. 
Legs are attached to the table top for supporting the table top above the 
ground a sufficient distance for disposing a trash receptacle beneath the 
aligned aperture and hatch. The legs may be rigidly attached to the table 
top or foldably or hingedly attached so that the table may be lowered and 
compressed for easy storage.

EXEMPLARY MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the seafood 
eating and cleaning table of the present invention generally designated by 
the numeral 10. Table 10 includes a perforated table top 12 forming a 
hatch 14 therethrough, a rail 16, a sloped drip pan 18 forming an aperture 
20 therethrough, legs 22 and a perforated hatch door 24. 
Table top 12 and rail 16 are formed of unitary construction of a sturdy, 
rigid plastic. Rail 16 is formed about the perimeter of rectangular table 
top 12 for maintaining liquids thereon. Perforations 26 are sized to allow 
liquid to pass freely therethrough without allowing small items such as 
crawfish tails or shrimp to pass. 
Hatch 14 is centrally located and formed through table top 12 for disposing 
waste products. A lip 28 extends horizontally from the lower edge of the 
perimeter of hatch 14 for seating perforated hatch door 24 within hatch 
14. Hatch door 24 is sized so as to be removably seated within hatch 14 
forming a continuous planar perforated table top 12. 
A bracket 30 extends from each corner 32 of table top 12. A leg 22 is 
foldably attached to each bracket 30 by a pivot pin 34. A locking 
mechanism 36 for maintaining legs 22 in a locked, vertical position is in 
connection between each leg 22 and rail 16 of table top 12. Legs 22 are of 
a sufficient length to allow for disposal of a trash receptacle 38 under 
aperture 20 formed through sloped drip pan 18. 
A handle 40 is connected to an outer longitudinal side 42 of rail 16 of 
table top 12. When legs 22 are folded handle 40 allows a user (not shown) 
to easily transport seafood eating and cleaning table 10. 
FIG. 2 is a side view of seafood eating and cleaning table 10. As shown, 
legs 22 are foldable from an extended position, as shown in FIG. 1, in the 
direction of arrows 44 to a position beneath table top 12 (not shown). 
Locking mechanism 36 includes a first arm 46 having a first end (not shown 
) hingedly connected to rail 16 of table top 12 by a pivot pin 34 and a 
second end 48 pivotedly connected to a terminal end 50 of a second arm 52 
by a pivot pin 34, an initial end 54 of second arm 52 is hingedly 
connected to leg 22 by a pivot pin 34. A clasp 56 is slidably disposed 
about first arm 46 for disposing over second end 48 of first arm 46 and 
terminal end 50 of second arm 52 when arms 46 and 52 are aligned locking 
legs 22 in an extended position as shown in FIG. 1. 
Sloped drip pan 18 is formed of the same material as table top 12. Drip pan 
18 is disposed beneath table top 12 with aperture 20 aligned with hatch 14 
of table top 12 as shown in FIG. 1. Drip pan 18 is connected along the 
perimeter of table top 12 and slopes therefrom to centrally located 
aperture 20. 
Use of seafood eating and cleaning table 10 is now described with reference 
to FIGS. 1 and 2. Table 10 is erected by folding legs 22 into the extended 
position and locking in place with locking mechanisms 36. Perforated hatch 
door 24 is seated within hatch 14. Trash receptacle 38 is place beneath 
table top 12 and aligned witch hatch 14 and aperture 20. Food stuffs such 
as crawfish, crabs or shrimp may then be placed upon table top 12 for 
cleaning or eating, the associated liquids flowing through perforations 26 
into sloped drip pan 18 and through aperture 20 into trash receptacle 38. 
Upon completion of eating or cleaning, perforated hatch door 24 may be 
removed allowing the remaining scraps and waste material to be disposed 
through hatch 14 and aperture 20 into trash receptacle 38. Table top 12 
and drip pan 18 may then be easily cleaned with soap and water. Table 10 
may then be lowered and compressed by folding legs 22 beneath table top 12 
and easily transported using handle 40. 
It can be seen from the preceding description that a device for supporting 
food stuff thereon which has a perforated table top having a rail formed 
about the perimeter thereof, and a sloped drip pan disposed thereunder 
sloping from the perimeter of the table top to an aperture formed 
therethrough for disposing a trash receptacle thereunder, a hatch formed 
through the perforated table top and the aperture formed through the drip 
pan being aligned therewith, and has a perforated hatch door disposable 
within the hatch formed through the perforated table top, has been 
provided. 
It is noted that the embodiment of the seafood eating and cleaning table 
described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to 
many different variations in structure, design, application and 
methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made 
within the scope of the inventive concept (s) herein taught, and because 
many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in 
accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be 
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative 
and not in a limiting sense.