Stove adapter for lantern

A stove adapter for attachment to and use with a camping lantern includes a substantially cylindrical base member having an upper cooking surface and a plurality of extension arms pivotally attached to the base member. When opened radially outwardly, the extension arms provide an enlarged cooking surface for supporting, for example, a large skillet. When retracted inwardly, the bail of the lantern swings overhead to carry the lantern and the attached stove adapter. When opened, a first portion of each extension arm extends downwardly and engages the side of the cylindrical base member to support the arm in the plane of the cooking surface. When closed, the first portion extends upwardly to provide a stop for retaining cookware on the stove adapter. An over center spring collar is also provided to maintain the extension arms in both the open and closed positions and to retain the cookware on the cooking surface when the arms are retracted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to cooking adapters and, more 
particularly, to a stove adapter that may be attached to a conventional 
camping fuel lantern. 
Outdoor sports, such as hiking, backpacking and camping, are enjoyed by 
hundreds of thousands year after year. Others, such as, for example, 
fishermen and hunters, also frequently camp out overnight and therefore 
require light, food, drink and a comfortable place to sleep. With this in 
mind, it may easily be appreciated why camping equipment sales are growing 
so rapidly. 
In camping, and particularly where substantial hiking is involved, two 
critical and opposing factors must be considered. On the one hand is the 
need of the individual for food and drink supplies as well as camping 
equipment, such as cooking utensils, lanterns, a tent, first aid kit, 
sleeping bags and the like. On the other hand, there is the consideration 
that there is a limit to what the individual can comfortably carry. For 
hikes to remote or difficult access areas in rough terrain, the need to 
limit the weight and bulk of the equipment and supplies becomes 
progressively important. 
The limitations of the individual relating to the weight and bulk of the 
equipment that may be comfortably carried has led to the development of 
devices that may be used to serve more than one purpose. Portable lanterns 
powered by camping fuel not only give off a substantial amount of light, 
but also a significant amount of heat. The present invention conveniently 
adapts a lantern of this type for the purposes of cooking, thereby 
eliminating the need for a separate camping stove. Of course, 
advantageously, the elimination of the camping stove reduces the weight of 
the backpack and/or creates more room for essential food and water 
supplies and other essential equipment. 
The fact that lanterns generate sufficient heat for cooking has been 
previously recognized and apparatus adapting lanterns for cooking are 
known in the art. Examples of such apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos., 
234,153 to Walterhouse, Sr.; 3,133,536 to Knapp; 3,804,075 to Rummel; and 
4,029,079 to Elder. As should be appreciated from the following 
discussion, however, there is still a need for an improved stove 
attachment for a lantern. The Walterhouse patent discloses a stove 
attachment for a lantern including rigid, outwardly extending legs. These 
legs provide an enlarged supporting surface that greatly reduces the 
possibility of cookware, such as a skillet, from tipping over the edge of 
the stove attachment. The outwardly extending legs, however, engage and 
prevent the standard lantern bail from swinging overhead for carrying the 
lantern. The lantern is bulky and cumbersome and thus difficult to carry 
in a backpack or other carrying device. The arms of the attachment have 
the tendency to hang and become entangled in other objects. 
The Knapp patent overcomes one problem with the Walterhouse patent by 
providing a stove attachment for a lantern of reduced diameter. As should 
be appreciated, this attachment allows the bail of the lantern to swing 
overhead for carrying the combined lantern and stove. The reduced diameter 
of the stove attachment, however, greatly increases the possibility of 
cookware, such as a large skillet used by a fisherman in preparing his 
catch, tipping from the stove and spilling the hot grease and other 
contents of the skillet over the surrounding area and the lantern. 
The Rummel patent discloses a stove attachment for a lantern that replaces 
the standard lantern hood and includes openings for the attachment of a 
bail for carrying the combined stove and lantern. This device, however, is 
also not without its disadvantages. In particular, it may be desirable or 
necessary to clean the stove attachment following a meal. This 
necessitates the removal of the stove attachment from the lantern. Since 
the stove attachment replaces the hood of the lantern, its removal means 
that the top of the lantern is open. This greatly increases the 
possibility of a fire should the lamp be accidentally tipped over. 
Further, the open top affects the draft of the lamp and interferes with 
proper combustion of the fuel at the burner or mantle, thereby reducing 
the amount of light thrown by the lantern and possibly damaging the 
mantle. 
Finally, the Elder patent discloses a stove attachment for a conventional 
lantern including a skirt, a stove surface and a shield. The skirt fits 
over the draft hood of the lantern and the stove surface fits over the 
skirt with the shield secured to the back of the stove surface. The Elder 
stove attachment, like the Rummel and Knapp attachments, fails to provide 
a cooking surface of large diameter for supporting larger cookware and 
preventing accidental tipping of the cookware from the stove. 
Additionally, it should be noted that in fact the Elder stove attachment 
tends to promote tipping as an extension is provided only along one side, 
i.e. the portion of the circumference of the stove surface receiving the 
shield. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an 
improved stove adapter for a lantern, such as a camping fuel lantern used 
in camping, overcoming the above-described limitations and disadvantages 
of the prior art. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stove adapter for a 
camping fuel lantern that may be easily attached to the lantern. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stove adapter that 
may be easily attached to a lantern in alternative ways depending on the 
amount of heat required. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stove adapter 
for a camping lantern having a cooking surface of adjustable size to meet 
the needs of the individual camper and aid in preventing tipping of the 
lantern. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stove adapter for 
a camping lantern that provides an enlarged cooking surface for supporting 
a large cooking vessel while also allowing the standard lantern bail to 
pass overhead for carrying the lantern and adapter. 
Additional objects, advantages, and other novel features of the invention 
will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the 
following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The 
objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by 
means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out 
in the appended claims. 
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the 
purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved stove 
adapter is provided for attachment to a camping fuel lantern, such as that 
manufactured by the Coleman Company, including a fuel reservoir, a glass 
globe enclosing a mantle and a central threaded stem for a removable draft 
hood. The stove adapter includes a substantially cylindrical base member 
having an upper cooking surface. Means for attaching the base member to 
the lantern include a central recessed portion substantially 
frusto-conical in shape in the cooking surface. A centrally located 
aperture in the recessed portion allows connection of the base member of 
the stove adapter to the central threaded stem of the lantern. 
A plurality of extension arms are also provided pivotally connected to the 
base member. Each arm may be pivoted radially outwardly from the base 
member into an open position so as to enlarge the cooking surface for 
supporting, for example, a large skillet. Conversely, the arms may be 
pivoted inwardly to overlie the cooking surface of the base member and 
assume a retracted position allowing the bail of the lantern to swing 
overhead for carrying the combined lantern and stove apparatus. 
Each extension arm is pivotally connected to the base member by means of an 
integral loop portion. The loop portion is attached by cooperating pins 
integrally formed around the rim of the base member. The extension arms 
are preferably made of a lightweight but strong metal with the loop 
portion of a narrower width than the remainder of the arm. 
Preferably, the extension arms are substantially S-shaped comprising three 
additional separate portions. The first portion adjacent the loop portion 
or pivotal connection of the extension arm to the cylindrical base member 
extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to the cooking surface when 
the extension arm is in the retracted position. Thus, advantageously, in 
the retracted position the first portion of the extension arm provides an 
inner stop for maintaining small cookware, such as a coffee pot, on the 
stove surface. When the extension arm is in the open position, the first 
portion extends downwardly substantially perpendicular to the cooking 
surface so as to engage the cylindrical base member in a longitudinal 
direction and support the arms in the extended position. 
The second portion of each extension arm overlies the cooking surface when 
in the retracted position and extends radially outwardly from the base 
member in the same plane as the cooking surface when in the open position. 
Thus, the second portion provides an enlarged cooking surface for 
supporting larger pots and skillets and preventing them from tipping from 
the cooking surface and spilling the contents. 
The third portion of each extension arm is connected to the second portion 
at the distal end. When the extension arm is in the open position, the 
third portion extends upwardly so as to provide an outer stop for 
maintaining larger cookware on the enlarged cooking surface of the stove 
adapter. 
The upper cooking surface of the stove includes a series of openings and 
ribs with separate raised areas on the cooking surface allowing the 
passage of heat from the lantern directly to the cookware positioned on 
the stove adapter. These openings also allow the proper draft to the 
lantern for efficient and smooth burning of the fuel by the mantle. 
Further, they prevent the heat from building up in the lantern, thereby 
preventing any possible damage to the lantern occurring. 
The extension arms are held in position by a resilient means, such as an 
over-center spring collar. This spring collar is received in an opening in 
the first portion of each extension arm opposite the pivotal connection of 
the extension arm to the base member. Advantageously, the spring collar 
positively maintains the extension arms in both the open and retracted 
positions. Additionally, the spring collar is spaced above and extends 
around the periphery of the cooking surface when the arms are retracted so 
as to retain the cookware in its proper orientation on the stove adapter. 
Still other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent 
to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there 
is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by 
way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the 
invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other 
different embodiments, and its several details are capable of 
modifications in various, obvious aspects, all without departing from the 
invention. Accordingly, the drawing and descriptions will be regarded as 
illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of 
the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying 
drawing. FIGS. 1 and 2 show an inproved stove adapter 10 attachable to a 
common camping lantern in order to provide a cooking surface, thereby 
eliminating the need to backpack a camping stove. Advantageously, this 
lightens the load that the individual camper must carry and creates 
additional space for other camping supplies such as food and water. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stove adapter 10 is connected to a 
conventional lantern 12 having a camping fuel reservoir 14, a glass globe 
16 enclosing a mantle 18, a draft hood 20, a central threaded stem 22 for 
the hood, and a fastening nut 24. The lantern 12 also includes a bail 26 
that swings directly over the top of the lantern for ease of carrying. 
In FIG. 1, the stove adapter 10 is shown attached to the lantern 12 and 
resting on the hood 20. The extension arms 28 extend radially and are 
shown in the open position so as to provide a cooking surface of enlarged 
area for supporting, for example, a skillet. 
In FIG. 2, the stove adapter 10 is shown attached to the lantern 12, but 
the draft hood 20 is removed from the lantern. Thus, the stove adapter 10 
rests on the support ring 30 adjacent the top of the glass globe 16. The 
removal of the draft hood 20 allows greater heat from the lantern to reach 
the cooking surface provided by the stove adapter 10. Thus, cooking tasks 
such as the boiling of water for purification or mixing with freeze-dried 
camping food may be performed more quickly. Further, the extension arms 28 
are shown in the retracted position. In this position, the spring collar 
32 connecting the extension arms 28 forms a side stop for retaining 
cookware on the cooking surface. It should also be recognized that the 
bail 26 is free to swing over the top of the retracted extension arms for 
carrying the combined stove and lantern. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the stove adapter includes a cylindrical base member 
34. The lower end of the base member 34 is open for receipt on the lantern 
12. As described above with respect to FIG. 1, the lower end of the 
cylindrical base member 34 rests upon the draft hood 20 of the lantern 12. 
As described above with respect to FIG. 2, the lower end of the base 
member 34 rests securely upon the support member 30 when the draft hood 20 
is removed. 
The upper end of the cylindrical base member includes an integral cooking 
surface 36, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The cooking surface 36 includes a 
plurality of openings 38 and spaced ribs 39. Raised pads 40 are also 
provided on the cooking surface 36. Together, the openings 38 and raised 
pads 40 allow the passage of heat from the lantern directly to cookware 
positioned on the stove adapter 10. 
The cooking surface 34 also includes a central recessed portion 41. The 
recessed portion 41 is substantially frusto-conical in shape so as to 
receive the third portion or ends 28c of the extension arms 28 when in the 
retracted position (see FIGS. 2 and 4A). The recessed portion 41 also 
includes a central aperture 42. The stove adapter 10 is positioned on the 
lantern 12 by removing the draft hood fastening nut 24 and positioning the 
stove adapter 10 so that the threaded stem 22 of the lantern is received 
in the aperture 42. The fastening nut 24 is then resecured to retain the 
stove adapter 10 in position. Of course, as previously indicated, this may 
be done with or without the draft hood 20 on the lantern 12, depending on 
the specific heat requirements of the user. 
As best shown in FIG. 6, each extension arm 28 is pivotally secured to the 
cylindrical base member 34 by top edge pin 44. As shown, the pivotal 
connection to the pin is provided by a loop portion 46 of each extension 
arm 28. Cooperating slots 48 and 50 in the cooking surface 36 and side 
wall 52 of the base member 34, respectively, form the pivot pin 44. 
Each extension arm 28 also includes a first portion 28a. The first portion 
28a extends downwardly substantially perpendicular to the cooking surface 
36 when the extension arm 28 is in the open position. Thus, when opened, 
the first portion 28a engages the side wall 52 of base member 34 in a 
longitudinal direction, thereby supporting the extension arms 28. 
An opening 54 is also provided in the first portion 28a of each extension 
arm 28. The previously referred to over center spring collar 32 is 
received in each opening 54 so as to serially connect the extension arms 
28. The spring 32 serves to positively maintain the extension arms 28 in 
both the open and retracted positions. As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, when 
the extension arms 28 are in the open position, the spring 32 pulls the 
first portion 28a of each extension arm into tight contact with the side 
wall 52 of base member 34, thereby providing a positive force for 
retaining the extension arms open. When the extension arms 28 are closed 
as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4A, the spring 32 again serves to pull the first 
portion 28a of each extension arm 28 toward the center of the stove 
adapter 10, thereby retaining the arms in the retracted position. Of 
course, the spring 32 also serves as a retaining collar by forming a 
continuous side band spaced above and running around the periphery of the 
cooking surface 36. 
Each arm 28 also includes a second portion 28b. When in the open position, 
the second portion 28b extends radially outwardly from the base member 34 
in substantially the same plane as the cooking surface 36. Further, raised 
points 56 are provided to match the height of raised projections 40 of 
cooking surface 36 so as to form a level cooking surface. When the 
extension arms are retracted, the raised points 56 are received in 
indentations 58 in the ribs 39 of the cooking surface 36. Thus, when 
retracted and nested in this manner, the second portion 28b of each arm 28 
directly overlies and contacts the ribs 39. The surface of the arms 28 are 
now at the same height as the projections 40 and thus together these 
surfaces provide a flat surface from which to cook. 
Lastly, each extension arm also includes a third portion 28c connected to 
the end of the second portion 28b opposite the connection to the first 
portion 28a. When the extension arms 28 are open, the third portion 28c 
extends upwardly to provide an outer stop for maintaining cookware on the 
stove adapter. When closed, the angle of the third portion 28c relative to 
the second portion 28b is substantially identical to the slope angle of 
the frusto-conical central recess 41 in the cooking surface 36. Thus, the 
third portion 28c of each extension arm 28 drops down into the recess 
while still allowing room to loosen the fastening nut 24 for removal of 
the stove adapter 10 from the lantern 12. 
In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result from 
employing the concepts of the present invention. The pivotal connection of 
the extension arms 28 to the stove adapter 10 allow the adjustment of the 
circumference of the cooking surface to match the cookware being used. 
This is true whether the cookware is a large skillet as, for example, used 
in cooking fish or a small pot for boiling water. Additionally, when in 
the retracted position, the extension arms allow the passage of the bail 
26 over the lantern. Thus, the standard lantern bail 26 may be used to 
carry the combined stove adapter 10 and lantern 12 without any 
modification. Advantageously, the stove adapter 10 may be used in 
conjunction with the lantern 12 with or without the draft hood 20 in 
position. Further, an over center spring collar 32 may be provided to 
positively retain the extension arms 28 in the open or closed position. 
This makes the stove adapter 10 easier to use on the lantern 12 and aids 
in preventing the extension arms 28 from flipping open and becoming 
entangled in other equipment in the backpack during packing or while on 
the hike. 
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not 
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form 
disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of 
the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described to provide 
the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical 
application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize 
the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are 
suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and 
variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the 
appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which 
they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.