Abstract:
A gripping handle assembly for securely lifting a container, includes a handle having a first portion and a second portion, which is formed at a predetermined angle to the first portion. The second portion includes a first and a second face and a slot formed therethrough. A grasping arm is pivotally attached to the second face of the second portion, and a release arm is pivotally attached to the first face of the second portion. A grasping arm control rod passes through the slot and operably couples the grasping arm to the release arm, and a spring pivots an end of the grasping lever away from the second face. The assembly further includes a scabbard, which receives the second portion of the handle and is secured to the container. The scabbard includes a recess, and the grasping arm engages the recess to secure the handle to the scabbard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to handle assemblies for securely gripping containers. In particular, the invention relates to handle assemblies adapted to securely grip fryer baskets in order to remove them from and replace them to fryer vats. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In commercial and some residential kitchens, fryers such as deep fat fryers, may be used to cook food products. For example, deep fat fryers, or gas fryers, are commercially used by restaurants, institutional kitchens, and fast food establishments for cooking a variety of food products, such as French fries, fish, fried chicken, and the like. Food products are cooked by immersing them within a fryer vat that is filled with a heated, liquid cooking medium, such as melted shortening, vegetable oil, or the like. The cooking medium may be heated using a flow of heated gas that is forced or drawn through flow passages that are in thermal communication with wall portions of the fryer vat or are disposed within the vat itself in order to increase the heat transfer to the cooking medium. Other fryers may employ electric coils to melt a solid cooking medium, heat the cooking medium to a desired cooking temperature, and maintain the cooking medium at the desired temperature during the cooking cycle. 
     Food products may be placed in a container, e.g., a basket, before being placed in the fryer vat and lowered into the heated, liquid cooking medium. While cooking, the food products may absorb some of the cooking medium, this may increase the weight of the container to be removed from the fryer vat. Moreover, it may be desirable to shake the container over the fryer vat after removing it from the cooking medium to remove residual cooking medium from the surfaces of the containers or from the surface of the food products, or both. In order to lower the container into the cooking medium and remove the container from the cooking medium after the food products are cooked, the container may be equipped with a handle. 
     If permanently affixed to the container, the temperature of the handle may increase as the food products cooks. Because the temperature of the cooking medium may exceed 250° F. (121° C.), the handle may become too hot to grasp without an oven mitt or other hand protection. Further, because the cooking medium may splash, splatter, or spray while the food products cook, the handle may become coated with a layer of the cooking medium and may become difficult to grasp. 
     Removable handles may avoid the heating problem experienced with some permanent handles. However, removable handles may be unable to securely grasp the container, especially after the container&#39;s surfaces have been coated by splashes, spray, and splatter from the cooking medium. This problem may be exacerbated by the added weight of the cooked food product or by the need to shake residual cooking medium from the surfaces of the container and from the surface of the food products, or both. For example, in a known removable handle assembly, the handle is equipped with an outwardly curled lip at one end. A scabbard for receiving the handle is secured to the container, and the scabbard is equipped with an internal projection for engaging the handle&#39;s curled lip. However, if the handle is shaken, the curled lip may disengage from the scabbard projection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A need has arisen for a handle assembly, which may securely grip a container, such as a fryer basket. It is a feature of this handle assembly that a handle may engage and release the container. In particular, the handle may used to place the fryer basket into a fryer vat. The handle then may be disengaged from the fryer basket while food products are cooked within the basket. It is an advantage of this handle assembly that the handle of the assembly may remain cool while food products within the basket is cooked and the basket itself is heated in the fryer vat. It is a further advantage that because the handle of this handle assembly may be disengaged from the basket, the handle is not splattered with a hot cooking medium, e.g., shortening or vegetable oil, or the like, while the food products are cooked in the fryer vat. 
     In an embodiment, the invention is a gripping handle assembly for securely lifting a container. The assembly comprises a handle comprising a first portion and a second portion, formed at a predetermined angle to the first portion. The second portion comprises a first and a second face and a slot formed therethrough. A grasping arm is pivotally attached to the second face of the second portion, and a release arm is pivotally attached to the first face of the second portion. A grasping arm control rod passes through the slot and operably couples the grasping arm to the release arm, and urging means pivots an end of the grasping lever away from the second face. The assembly further comprises a scabbard, which receives the second portion of the handle and is secured to the container. The scabbard comprising a recess, wherein the grasping arm engages the recess to secure the handle to the scabbard. 
     In another embodiment, the invention is a gripping handle assembly for securely lifting a fryer basket. The assembly comprises a handle comprising a first portion including a grip and a second portion, formed at an oblique angle to the first portion. The second portion comprises a first and a second face, a grasping lip formed at a lower edge of the second portion and curling outward from the first face, a slot formed therethrough, a first pivot connection formed on the first face and positioned above the slot, and a second pivot connection formed on the second face and positioned below the slot. A grasping arm including a grasping hook, is pivotally attached to the second pivot connection, a release arm is pivotally attached to the first pivot connection. A grasping arm control rod passes through the slot and operably couples the grasping arm to the release arm. The control rod may be integrally formed with the grasping arm. Alternatively, the control rod may be integrally formed with the release arm. Urging means (e.g., a spring, a pair of opposing magnets, an elastic compound, and the like) pivots an end of the grasping arm away from the second face. The assembly further comprises a scabbard, which receives the second portion of the handle and is secured to the fryer basket. The scabbard comprises a projection for engaging the grasping lip and a recess, wherein the grasping arm engages the recess to secure the handle to the scabbard. 
     The first face of the second portion of the handle may be concave, and the second face of the second portion of the handle may be convex. Alternatively, the second portion of the handle may have a V-shaped cross-section. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages will be understood by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, in view of the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures, which are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gripping handle assembly, including a handle engaging a scabbard affixed to a fryer basket. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the handle including a grasping arm and a release arm, according to FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 a  is a plan view of the handle of FIG. 1 having first and second portions; 
     FIG. 3 b  is a cross-sectional view of the handle of FIG. 3 a  along line A—A; and 
     FIG. 3 c  is a side view of the handle of FIG. 3 a.    
     FIG. 4 a  is a side view of the grasping arm including an integral control rod, and 
     FIG. 4 b  is a perspective view of the grasping arm of FIG. 4 a.    
     FIG. 5 a  is a side view of the release arm, and 
     FIG. 5 b  is a perspective view of the release arm of FIG. 5 a.    
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the handle of FIG. 1, showing the mounting of the grasping arm to the second face of the second portion of the handle. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the handle of FIG. 1, showing the mounting of the release arm to the first face of the second portion of the handle. 
     FIG. 8 a  is a rear perspective view of the scabbard of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 8 b  is a side view of the scabbard of FIG. 8 a , 
     FIG. 8 c  is an overhead view of the scabbard of FIG. 8 a , 
     FIG. 8 d  is a front plan view of the scabbard of FIG. 8 a , and 
     FIG. 8 e  is a rear plan view of the scabbard of FIG. 8 a.    
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fryer basket with a handle scabbard. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a gripping handle assembly  10 , including a handle  20  engaging a scabbard  80 , which is affixed to a fryer basket  90 , is depicted. Handle assembly  10  and basket  90  may be manufactured from metal or other materials, which are sufficiently rigid and strong to support the food products in a fryer vat and are resistant to the effects of heating and exposure to the cooking medium. 
     Handle  20  includes a grip  24 , and a grasping arm  40  is pivotally mounted on one side of handle  20 . A release arm  50  is pivotally mounted on the opposite side of handle  20 . Grasping arm  40  and release arm  50  are joined by a grasping arm control rod (not shown), which passes through a slot (not shown) in handle  20 . A first end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted away from handle  20  by a spring  30 , and, consequently, the second end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted to engage scabbard  80 . When release arm  50  is depressed toward handle  20 , the control rod is drawn through the slot. As a result, spring  30  is compressed, the first end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted toward handle  20 , and the second end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted away from scabbard  80 . 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of handle  20 , including grasping arm  40  and release arm  50 , according to FIG.  1 . Handle  20  again includes grip  24  and comprises a first portion  22  and a second portion  26 . Second portion  26  is formed at a predetermined angle, e.g., an oblique angle, to first portion  22 , and handle  20  ends with an outwardly curled lip  28  at the end of second portion  26  opposite grip  24 . Release arm  50  may be pivotally mounted to handle  20  by a first pivot connection  29 , and grasping arm  40  may be mounted to handle  20  by a second pivot connection  27 . The first end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted away from handle  20  by a spring  30 , and, consequently, the second end of grasping arm  40  is pivoted against second portion  26  of handle  20 . 
     Handle  20  is described in greater detail with respect to FIGS. 3 a-c . FIG. 3 a  is a plan view of handle  20  of FIG. 1 having first portion  22  and second portion  26 , which are separated by a broken line. As described above, handle  20  further includes grip  24  and curled lip  28 . Further, a slot  25 , allowing the grasping arm control rod (not shown) to pass through handle  20 , is formed in second portion  26  of handle  20 . FIG. 3 b  is a cross-sectional view of handle  20  of FIG. 3 a  along line A—A. The cross-section is V-shaped defining a groove surface on a first face of handle  20 . Although a V-shaped cross-section is shown, handle  20  may have a concave surface on its first face or a convex surface on a second face opposite the first face, or both. These cross-sectional shapes provide added strength to handle  20 . FIG. 3 c  is a side view of handle  20  of FIG. 3 a . The broken lines further demonstrate the V-shaped cross-section of handle  20 . 
     FIG. 4 a  is a side view of grasping arm  40 . Grasping arm  40  is equipped with an orifice  42 , formed therethrough and surrounded by a reinforcing band, by which grasping arm  40  may be pivotally secured to handle  20 . Grasping arm  40  further comprises an integrally-formed, grasping arm control rod  44 , which is formed at the first end of grasping arm  40 . A grasping hook  48  is formed at the second end of grasping arm  40  and is adapted to engage a recess (not shown) formed in a scabbard  80  mounted basket  90 , as shown in FIG.  1 . FIG. 4 b  is a perspective view of grasping arm  40  of FIG. 4 a.    
     FIG. 5 a  is a side view of release arm  50 . Similar to grasping arm  40 , as described above, release arm  50  is equipped with an orifice  52 , formed therethrough and surrounded by a reinforcing bulge, by which release arm  50  may be pivotally secured to handle  20 . As noted above, grasping arm  40  comprises integrally-formed, grasping arm control rod  44 . Control rod  44  is adapted to pass through slot  25  in handle  20  of FIG. 3 a , and has an orifice  46  formed therethrough. When control rod  44  is inserted through slot  25  and grasping arm  40  and release arm  50  are pivotally mounted on handle  20 , orifice  46  of control rod  44  may be aligned with an orifice  54  formed in release arm  50 . Release arm  50  then may be secured to control rod  44  by passing a fastener (not shown), such as a rivet, a bolt, a screw, or the like, through orifices  46  and  54 . A release arm grip  56  is formed opposite the pivotally secured portion of release arm  50 , so that grasping arm  40  may be pivoted by depressing grip  56 . FIG. 5 b  is a perspective view of release arm  50  of FIG. 5 a.    
     In FIG. 6, an exploded view of handle  20 , grasping arm  40 , and spring  30  of FIG. 1 is shown. This figure depicts the mounting of grasping arm  40  to second pivot connection  27  on a second face  26 ′ of second portion  26  of handle  20 . Initially, control rod  44  may be threaded through spring  30 . Control rod  44  then may be inserted through slot  25  of handle  20 , and grasping arm  40  may be pivotally mounted on pivot connection  27  by inserting a grasping arm fastener  60 , such as a rivet, a bolt, a screw, or the like, through an orifice  127  in pivot connection  27  and orifice  42  in grasping arm  40 . 
     Similarly, in FIG. 7, an exploded view of handle  20  and release arm  50  of FIG. 1 is shown. This figure depicts the mounting of release arm  50  to first pivot connection  29  on a first face  26 ″ of second portion  26  of handle  20 . Release arm  50  may be pivotally mounted on pivot connection  29  by inserting a release arm fastener  70 , such as a rivet, a bolt, a screw, or the like, through an orifice  129  in pivot connection  29  and orifice  52  in release arm  50 . Control rod  44  then may be secured to release arm  50 , as described above. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  4   a  and  4   b , and  7 , control rod  44  is depicted as integrally formed with grasping arm  40 . Nevertheless, the grasping arm control rod may be formed separately from either grasping arm  40  or release arm  50  or the control rod may be formed integrally with release arm  50 , instead of grasping arm  40 . If the control rod is formed separately from both grasping arm  40  and release arm  50 , it is formed with an orifice or other connection means at either end, so that it may be secured to both grasping arm  40  and release arm  50 . Moreover, if the control rod is formed integrally with release arm  50 , orifice  54  is no longer necessary, and the control rod, having a separate orifice or other connection means at its end, extends from release arm  50  from about the location of orifice  54 . 
     Scabbard  80  of FIG. 1 is depicted in detail in FIGS. 8 a-e . FIG. 8 a  is a rear perspective view of scabbard  80 . As shown in this figure, scabbard  80  may be rectangular in shape and may be formed from two essentially U-shaped components, which are joined to form a hollow rectangular space. Although scabbard  80  is depicted as rectangular, it may be formed in any shape suitable for receiving handle  20 . Scabbard  80  may comprise a front wall  82 , a rear wall  81 , and a pair of side walls  83 . A projection  84  may be formed in rear wall  81  and may extend into the interior of scabbard  80  adjacent to the bottom edge of rear wall  81 . Projection  84  is depicted in FIG. 8 a , as formed by a pair of triangular indentations, but projection  84  is not limited to that shape and may be formed in any shape providing an interior projection of the desired depth. Projection  84  may engage curled lip  28  of handle  20 , as depicted in FIG. 3 c . Moreover, a handle stop  86  may extend from front wall  82  toward projection  84  to prevent handle  20  from extending beyond scabbard  80 . 
     FIG. 8 b  is a side view of scabbard  80 , and FIG. 8 c  is an overhead view of scabbard  80 . In the side view of FIG. 8 b , handle stop  86  is depicted as extending below the level of the scabbard&#39;s side walls. Moreover, the broken lines indicate the overlapping portions of the components, which are joined to form scabbard  80 . Referring to FIG. 8 c , the triangular shape of projection  84  is shown in the interior of scabbard  80 . Despite this triangular shaped depiction, projection  84  may be formed in any shape, which may engage curled lip  28 . Further, drain ports  88  are formed in the bottom of scabbard  80  to permit the cooking medium and food product residue to drain from scabbard  80 . This reduces or eliminates the formation of obstructions within scabbard  80 . 
     FIG. 8 d  is a front plan view of scabbard  80  of FIG. 8 a , and FIG. 8 e  is a rear plan view of scabbard  80  of FIG. 8 a . Each of these figures depicts the central axis positioning of a recess  85 , which is adapted to engage grasping hook  48  of grasping arm  40 . When grasping hook  48  engages recess  85  and curled lip  28  engages projection  84 , handle  20  and scabbard  80  of handle assembly  10  are secured to each other. The shape and depth of recess  85  is determined by the shape and size of grasping hook  48 . Alternatively, recess  85  may be formed as a hole passing through a front wall of the scabbard, e.g., front wall  82  of scabbard  80 . In another embodiment, handle  20  including grasping arm  40  and release arm  50  may be used to lower or raise baskets with scabbards lacking recess  85 . If the scabbard on such baskets is equipped with projection  84 , handle  20  may engage projection  84  with curled lip  28 , and grasping arm  40  will press against the scabbard&#39;s front wall. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of fryer basket  90 , equipped with scabbard  80 . Recess  85  and handle stop  86  of scabbard  80 , which were described above with reference to FIGS. 8 a-e , are depicted in FIG.  9 . Basket  90  comprises a pair of horizontal reinforcing frames  92  and a plurality of vertical reinforcing rods  94 . A plurality of basket walls  93  are secured to frames  92  and rods  94 . Scabbard  80  is secured to frames  92  by a pair of scabbard supports  95 . Further, basket  90  may comprise a plurality of basket supporting brackets  96  and a plurality of basket legs  98 . Nevertheless, the size, shape and configuration of the container used with the handle assembly may be determined by the size and depth of the fryer vat; the size, weight, and amount of the food product to be cooked in the container; and combinations thereof. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to the skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.