Abstract:
A barbecue device that includes a tray supporting combustible material including at least one refractory member adapted to store heat. A grill is disposed above the tray and is connected thereto by a lifting member. The lifting member includes a bar slidably received in an outer cylinder. Actuation of the bar with respect to the outer cylinder adjusts the height of grill with respect to the tray.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application is related to copending and commonly owned application entitled “Improved Barbecue for Food” filed May 31, 2002 (Spanish Patent Application No. P200201258), the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
           [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention generally relates to an adjustable barbecue device. More specifically, the adjustable barbecue device provides adjustment in the amount of heat applied to foods used with the device.  
           [0004]    2. Background of the Invention  
           [0005]    Conventional barbecue devices use heat generated by fire for cooking foods located above the fire. Typically, the fire is provided by combustion of wood, coal or similar combustible materials placed on a tray which may be provided with holes allowing air to flow through the combustible material, thereby facilitating combustion. Conventional barbecue devices allow food to be heated directly on the device without interposing any cookware, such as griddles, skillets, and the like. Additionally, foods are cooked in a completely natural way.  
           [0006]    However, due to the nature of the combustible materials used with the conventional barbecue device, it is often difficult to control the heat generated and applied to the food. Often the only way of preventing the food from either directly contacting the fire or receiving excessive heat is to vary the height between the food and the fire or ember produced by the combustible materials.  
           [0007]    Some conventional barbecue devices allow adjustment of the height of the food by using a set of horizontal grooves provided in the housing of the barbecue device representing different distances between the food and the combustible material. However, over a period of time the support for the food reaches a high temperature which is dangerous to the user. This forces the user to wear gloves to operate the barbecue device when adjusting the relative height of the food. A simple mistake may cause bums to the user.  
           [0008]    Another problem with conventional barbecue devices is adjusting the amount and duration of combustion. Combustion may vary depending upon the type of combustible materials used and the environment, such as more or less humidity. For example, the combustible material may be consumed too quickly because the material has generated all of the possible heat it can, often leaving food uncooked.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a barbecue device that allows adjustment of the heat applied to the food to avoid accidents.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a barbecue device that includes a residual heat source that facilitates proper heating of the food.  
           [0011]    The foregoing objects are basically attained by a barbecue device that includes a tray supporting combustible material including at least one refractory member adapted to store heat. A grill is disposed above the tray and is connected thereto by a lifting member. The lifting member includes a bar slidably received in an outer cylinder. Actuation of the bar with respect to the outer cylinder adjusts the height of grill with respect to the tray.  
           [0012]    Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a front side elevational view of the barbecue device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the barbecue device illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the barbecue device without a grill and showing refractory members supported by a tray with spaces disposed between the individual refractory members. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a barbecue device  10  in accordance with the present invention includes a grill  11  for supporting food and a lifting member  13  which allows adjustment of the height of grill  11  with respect to the combustible material supported in a tray  20 . Lifting member  13  is connected to grill  11  and to tray  20 . An ashtray  23  is placed in the lower part of tray  20 . A plurality of refractive members  22  are included with the combustible materials as an additional heat source that can provide heat even after the combustible materials have been exhausted.  
         [0016]    As seen in FIG. 1, barbecue device  10  is provided with grill  11  including a set of longitudinal bars and a set of transverse bars welded to each other forming a grid onto which food to be cooked is placed. Grill  11  is horizontally fit into angular guides  14  welded perpendicularly to the ends of a support  12  whose length corresponds to the width of the barbecue device  10 .  
         [0017]    Lifting member  13  includes at least one bar  13  attached to grill  11  via angular guides  14 , as seen in FIG. 1. Bar  13  is outwardly threaded to form a screw shaft that is received in an outer cylinder  15 . Rotation of bar  13  within outer cylinder  15  results in either upward or downward vertical movement of grill  11 . A gear wheel  17  engages the threads of bar  13 . A lever  18 , as seen in FIG. 2, is mounted to gear wheel  17  and is provided at one end thereof with an insulating member  19 . Rotation of lever  18  actuates bar  13  via gear wheel  17  to adjust the height of grill  11 . The lifting member allows adjustment of the grill  11  height depending upon the amount of heat desired and the amount of heat provided by the combustible material in tray  20 . Also, the need for holding and removing the grill  11  from barbecue device  10  to adjust the height of grill  11  is eliminated. Cleaning of grill  11  is also facilitated since it is not necessary to remove from the grill  11  from barbecue device  10 .  
         [0018]    Tray  20 , as seen in FIG. 1, is made of a series of handrails and is provided with leg members  25  which may be fixed or collapsible depending upon the use of device  10 . Ashtray  23  allows ashes of the combustible materials to be removed. Ashtray  23  is supported in the lower part of tray  20  by angular handrails  24  and includes a handle  31 . Tray  20  also includes a bed formed of a set of bars which supports refractory members  22 .  
         [0019]    Refractory members  22  are aligned on tray  20  in even rows and columns, as seen in FIG. 2. Refractory members  22  are separated from each other by spaces  27  between each row of refractory members  22  and spaces  28  between each column of refractory members  22 . Catches  26  are located between refractory member  22  in spaces  28 . Spaces  27  and  28  allow air to flow past the combustible material while ashes from the combustible material falls from the bed of the tray  20  to ashtray  23 , thereby improving combustion. Heat from the combustible material is stored by the refractory members  22 , thereby increasing the duration of the heat applied to the food.  
         [0020]    Barbecue device  10  is operated by placing the barbecue device  10  on a horizontal surface resting on leg members  25 . Grill  11  is removed from guides  14  so that the combustible material can be provided therein. A fire is then lit through suitable means and when the combustible material has converted into ember, the grill  11  is placed back in guides  14 . The food can be place on grill  11  before or after grill  11  is placed in guides  14 . Refractory members  22  can any material that retains heat, such as brick, clay, kaolin or silica.  
         [0021]    The height of grill  11  is adjusted via the lifting member by rotating lever  18  the necessary turns according to the desired amount of heat for cooking the food. Refractive members  22  ensure that the heat applied to the food will be maintained until the food is cooked. Also, refractive members  22  allow the food to be slow cooked. In particular, once the combustion materials have been exhausted, the food can be slow cooked by radiation of the heat stored by the refractory members  22 , either by providing the food on grill  11  or arranging the food directly on the refractory members  22 .  
         [0022]    While a particular embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modification can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.