Abstract:
A portable cooking grill assembly having a cooking grill portion for holding food over an open fire and a support portion for supporting the grill portion over the fire. The invention is characterized in that the location of the grill portion along the post is adjustable so as to regulate the heat and flame intensity of the fire in terms of cooking the food. More particularly, the portable cooking grill assembly comprises a support post, a grill grate holder having a handle and a grill grate support attached to an end of the handle, and a cooking grill grate supported by the grill grate support. After the post is set in the ground, the grill grate holder is positioned over and onto the post such that the post is received by an opening defined between the handle and the grill grate support. The handle is lighter in weight than the grill grate support so that when the handle is released, the weight distribution of the handle and grill grate support will cause a frictional engagement between the post and the grill grate holder such that the grill grate holder will be substantially locked to the post. In order to adjust the location of the grill grate holder along the post or to remove the grill grate holder from the post, a downward force is applied to the handle to release the locking frictional engagement between the post and the grill grate holder and the grill grate holder is simply moved up or down the post as desired.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to cooking equipment and, more particularly, to a portable, easily assembled grill assembly for cooking food outdoors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Grill assemblies for cooking food over an open fire are well known. Many of these known grill assemblies include means for adjusting the height of a cooking grill grate above the fire in order to regulate the heat intensity of the cooking fire. Such known grill assemblies typically include locking mechanisms such as friction grip slides, lock nuts, notches, stop lugs, coupling members with fingers and jaws, or the like, to secure the cooking grill grate to an upstanding support stake placed in the ground. Many of these locking mechanisms are made of multiple or complex locking devices which make such portable grill assemblies difficult to assemble, disassemble and use. 
     While many of the known portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assemblies work as intended, given the ever-increasing interest in traveling, camping and other outdoor activities, there still remains a need for a portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly which is not complicated to make or use, which is light-weight yet sturdy, which is easy to erect, take down, transport and store as desired, and which includes a cooking grill grate having an adjustable height. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a new and improved light-weight, portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly that is easily assembled in a secure and sturdy manner, that is readily disassembled for the purpose of storage or movement from one location to another, that comprises a limited number of components, and that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. More particularly, the present invention provides a new portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly which includes a cooking grill grate which is easily and efficiently secured to a support post at various locations along the post according to the desired heat intensity of the cooking fire. 
     The foregoing and other features of the present invention are realized in one aspect thereof in a portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly comprising a support post, a grill grate holder and a cooking grill grate. The post includes a lower end portion adapted to be driven into the ground. The grill grate holder includes a handle and a grill grate support attached to one end of the handle, wherein the handle weighs less than the grill grate support. The grill grate holder further includes an opening adapted to receive the post. Once the post is set in the ground, the post receiving opening of the grill grate holder is positioned over the post so that the grill grate holder can be positioned onto the post. To secure the grill grate holder to the post, the handle of the grill grate support is simply released and the weight differential between the handle and the grill grate support will cause the grill grate holder to substantially frictionally engage or cinch the post. To remove the grill grate holder from the post or adjust the height of the grill grate holder, and thus the cooking grill grate, along the length of the post, the handle is caused to move in a downward direction relative to the ground in order to release the frictional engagement or cinching action between the grill grate holder and the post. Thereafter, the grill grate holder can be moved up or down the post as desired. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like features. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable outdoor open fire cooking assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2 with additional portions of the grill grate holder and cooking grill grate of FIG. 1 also shown. FIG. 3 further illustrates, in phantom, how the handle can be moved in a downward direction relative to the ground thereby releasing the frictional engagement or cinching action between the grill grate holder and the post so that the grill grate holder can be moved up and down along the post. 
     Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     This invention relates generally to outdoor barbecue grill assemblies and, in particular, to portable outdoor grill assemblies. The invention is characterized by the ability of a cooking surface to be easily moved up and down along a support post and locked to the support post without the use of additional locking fasteners or mechanisms. Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly according to the present invention. FIG. 1 specifically shows the grill assembly in an assembled, ready to use position, it being understood that the grill assembly can be disassembled for transportation and storage, as will be apparent from below. 
     The grill assembly  10  includes a support post  12 , a grill grate holder  14  and a cooking grill grate  18 . Preferably, the post  12  is made of steel, the grill grate holder  14  is made of aluminum, and the cooking grill grate  18  is made of cast iron or stainless steel. However, the post, the grill grate holder and/or the cooking grill grate can be made of many different materials according to the principles of the present invention. 
     The post  12  has an upper end  26  and a lower end  30 . Preferably, the post  12  further has an elongated, hollow rectangular body  32  having a generally uniform square cross-section defined by four sides  34 ,  38 ,  42  and  46 . A planar, triangular shaped spade  50  is attached to the lower end  30  of post  12  for aiding in inserting post  12  into the ground. A person may step on the upper surface  54  of spade  50  so as to drive post  12  into the ground. Preferably, the spade  50  is made of steel and is welded to the post  12 . Alternatively, although not shown, the lower end  30  of the post  12  could be suitably pointed for driving into the ground. Joined on opposite sides of the post  12 , for example, sides  34  and  42 , at locations disposed substantially equally upwardly from the pointed end, could be triangular shaped spades which may be welded to the sides  34  and  42 , respectively, of the post  12 . A person may step on the upper surface of one or both of these spades to aid in driving the pointed post into the ground. 
     The grill grate holder  14  includes a handle  58  and a grill grate support  62 . The handle  58  is preferably an elongated, hollow rectangular tube having a generally uniform square cross-section defined by four sides  66 ,  70 ,  74 , and  78 . The handle  58  further includes two opposite ends  82  (only one shown). The grill grate support  62  includes a pair of arms  86  and  90 , a grill grate receiver  94 , a structural support member  98  and a post engaging member  102 . Preferably, the arms  86  and  90  are elongated bars having a generally upside down, L-shaped cross section. Arm  86  includes a side  106  having an upwardly facing side  110  and a downwardly facing side  114 , and a side  118  having an outwardly facing side  122  and an inwardly facing side  126 . Likewise, arm  90  includes a side  130  having an upwardly facing side  134  and a downwardly facing side  138 , and a side  142  having an outwardly facing side  146  and an inwardly facing side  150 . Arm  86  further includes two opposite ends  154  and  158 . Arm  90  further includes two opposite ends  162  and  166 . End  154  of arm  86  and end  162  of arm  90  are clipped. Side  118  of arm  86  further has a downwardly facing edge  160  which extends between ends  154  and  158 . Side  142  of arm  90  further has a downwardly extending edge  168  which extends between ends  162  and  166 . End  154  of arm  86  is affixed to side  70  of handle  58  substantially near the end  82  of handle  58  so as to extend outward from end  82  and away from the opposite end of the handle  58 . End  162  of arm  90  is affixed to side  78  of handle  58  substantially near the end  82  so as to extend outward from end  82  and away from the opposite end of the handle  58 . Accordingly, the arms  86  and  90  are formed in a V-shape or, explained differently, the handle  58  and the arms  86  and  90  are formed in a Y-shape. Preferably, the arms  86  and  90  are welded to the handle  58 . 
     The structural support member  98  is preferably an elongated bar having a generally upright L-shaped cross-section. The structural member  98  includes a side  170  having a post facing side  174  and an opposite facing side  178 , and a side  182  having an upwardly facing side  186  and a downwardly facing side  190 . The structural member  98  further includes opposite ends  194  and  198 . Both ends,  194  and  198 , are preferably clipped. The structural member  98  is positioned over arms  86  and  90  such that a portion of side  190  rests on side  110  of arm  86  and a portion of side  190  rests on side  134  of arm  90 , and such that side  174  faces post  12 . Preferably, the structural member  98  is located on arms  86  and  90  such that end  194  is substantially co-planar with side  122  of arm  86 , and such that end  198  is substantially co-planar with side  146  of arm  90 . Preferably, structural member  98  is welded to arms  86  and  90 . The structural member  98  adds stability to the arms  86  and  90  if needed, for instance, when arms  86  and  90  are particularly long to accommodate a large cooking grill grate. 
     The grill grate receiver  94  is preferable in the shape of a hexagon. Preferably, the grill grate receiver  94  includes six elongated bars  202 ,  206 ,  210 ,  214 ,  218  and  222 , each having a generally upright L-shaped cross-section, and each having substantially the same dimensions. The bars may be formed from a single bar having clipped ends and five equally spaced apart, clipped out V-shaped notches such that the single bar can be bent into the shape of a hexagon. Alternatively, the bars may be equally sized individual bars each having a pair of clipped ends such that the bars can be attached together, such as by welding, in the shape of a hexagon. In any event, each bar includes a side  226  having an outwardly facing side  230  and an inwardly facing side  234 , and a side  238  having an upwardly facing side  242  and a downwardly facing side  246 . The grill grate receiver  94  is attached to arms  86  and  90  as follows. Side  246  of bar  206  rests on side  110  of arm  86 . Side  110  is longer than side  246  and, preferably, substantially the entire length of side  246  rests on side  110 . To provide a clean looking appearance, side  230  of bar  206  is substantially co-planar with side  122  of arm  86  in the same manner as end  194  of structural member  98  is substantially co-planar with side  122 . Side  246  of bar  222  rests on side  134  of arm  90 . Side  134  is longer than side  246  and, preferably, substantially the entire length of side  246  rests on side  134 . Again, to provide a clean looking appearance, side  230  of bar  222  is substantially co-planar with side  146  of arm  90  in the same manner as end  198  of structural member  98  is substantially co-planar with side  146 . In addition, portions of side  246  of bar  202  rest on side  110  of arm  86  and side  134  of arm  90 . Preferably, the grill grate receiver  94  is attached to arms  86  and  90  such that the ends  158  and  166  of the arms  86  and  90 , respectively, do not extend substantially out past any portion of the outer perimeter of the grill grate receiver  94 . Preferably, the grill grate receiver  94  is welded on to the arms  86  and  90 . 
     The upwardly facing sides  242  of the bars of the grill grate receiver  94  form a ledge  250  for receiving the commercially available cooking grill grate  18 . The grill grate  18  is preferably circular so as to allow for the easy placement and removal of the grill grate  18  from the grill grate receiver  94 . Once assembled and ready for cooking, sides  226  of the bars of the grill grate receiver  94  prevent the grill grate  18  from undesirably sliding off of the grill grate receiver  94  which, if did occur, could result in the grill grate  18  and the food for cooking placed thereon to fall into the open cooking fire. 
     Post engaging member  102  is preferably an elongated bar having a generally upside down L-shaped cross-section. The post engaging member  102  includes a side  254  having a post facing side  258  and an opposite facing side  262 , and a side  266  having an upwardly facing side  270  and a downwardly facing side  274 . The post engaging member  102  further includes opposite ends  278  and  282 . Both ends,  278  and  282 , are preferably clipped. The post engaging member  102  is positioned beneath arms  86  and  90  such that a portion of side  270  is positioned against edge  160  of arm  86  and a portion of side  270  is positioned against edge  168  of arm  90 , and such that side  258  faces post  12 . Preferably, the post engaging member  102  is placed against arms  86  and  90  such that end  278  is substantially co-planar with side  122  of arm  86 , and such that end  282  is substantially coplanar with side  146  of arm  90 . With particular reference to FIG. 3, when the post engaging member  102  is viewed in cross-section, sides  258  and  270  define a point  286 . With particular reference to FIG. 2, sides  258  and  270  define a plurality of points thereby defining a line  290  which extends between ends  278  and  282  of the post engaging member  102 . Side  258  of post engaging member  102  is spaced apart from the end  82  of handle  58  a distance substantially equally to the cross-sectional dimension of the post  12  to define an opening  294 , for reasons which will be explained below. Importantly, for reasons which will also be explained below, the point  286  or line  290  of post engaging member  102  is diagonally offset from side  74  of handle  58 . Preferably, post engaging member  102  is welded to arms  86  and  90 . 
     To assemble the grill assembly  10 , the post  12  is driven into the ground. Once the post  12  is firmly implanted in the ground, the grill grate holder  14  is positioned over the upper end  26  of the post  12  such that the opening  294  is aligned over the post  12 . The grill grate holder  14  is then moved down the post  12 . Even though the dimension of the opening  294  between the end  82  of the handle  58  and the side  258  of the post engaging member  102  is substantially equal to the cross-sectional dimension of the post  12 , the grill grate holder  14  can be moved up and down the post  12  because the point  286  or line  290  of the post engaging member  102  is diagonally offset from side  74  of handle  58 . This diagonal offset provides enough clearance between the relevant surfaces of the grill grate holder  14  and the post  12  to allow for the movement of the grate holder  14  along the post  12 . The overall weight of the grill grate support  62  is greater than the overall weight of the handle  58 . Thus, when the grill grate holder  14  is positioned at a desirable height along the post  12 , the user simply releases the grill grate holder  14  or handle  58  and the weight of the grill grate support  62 , being greater than that of the handle  58 , will result in a substantial frictional engagement or cinching action between the grill grate holder  14  and the post  12 . In other words, when the grill grate holder  14  is released, the post  12  is captured between the handle  58  and the post engaging member  102  such that at least a portion of side  38  of post  12  is in frictional contact with at least a portion of end  82  of handle  58 , and such that at least a portion of side  46  of post  12  is in frictional contact with at least a portion of side  258  of post engaging member  102 . To enhance the locking action of the grill grate holder  14  to the post  12 , the frictional engagement surfaces are preferably substantially flat. 
     Preferably, the dimensions of the post  12 , the opening  294  and the diagonal offset between the handle  58  and the post engaging member  102  are such that, when assembled and ready for use, the grill grate holder  14  is substantially horizontal to the ground or substantially perpendicular to the post  12 . When so assembled and ready for use, the cooking grill grate  18  can simply be placed on the ledge  250  of the grill grate receiver  94 . 
     To remove the grill grate holder  14  from the post  12  or adjust the height of the grill grate holder  14  along the post  12 , the user simply pushes down on the handle  58  (as shown in FIG. 3 by arrow  298 ) to release the substantial frictional engagement or cinching action between the post  12  and the grill grate holder  14  and moves the grill grate holder  14  up or down the post  12  as desired. The grill grate holder  14  can again be locked to the post  12 , if the user simply releases the grill grate holder  14  as previously explained. Incidentally, for safety reasons and for ease of handling, it may be desirable to remove the cooking grill grate  18  from the grill grate receiver  94  prior to moving the grill grate holder  14 . 
     The present invention is further explained by the following example which is not to be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     EXAMPLE 
     A portable outdoor open fire cooking grill assembly having the following dimensions and characteristics was made. 
     The support post was made of a one inch by one inch square steel tube with a 14 gauge wall thickness. The overall length of the post was five feet. One end of the post included a wedge cut through two opposite sides which were bent in and welded to form a pointed end. Two right triangular bars (spades) each included a five inch long leg and a three inch short leg. The triangular bars had a three-eighths of an inch wall thickness. The long legs were welded to opposite sides of the post, respectively, such that the upper surfaces of the short legs were located one foot above the pointed end of the post and perpendicular to the post so that the upper surfaces were used to aid in driving the post into the ground. 
     The handle was made of a one inch by one inch square aluminum tubing with a 14 gauge wall thickness. The overall length of the handle was two feet and six and one-quarter inches. 
     The arms of the grill grate support were made of one and one-quarter inches by one and one-quarter inches L-shaped aluminum bars, each with a one-eighth of an inch wall thickness. The overall length of each arm was two feet and one-quarter of an inch. The overall length of the clipped end of each arm in relation to the overall length of the respective arm was two and three-sixteenths inches. The arms were welded to the handle to form a Y-shaped structure. 
     The structural support member was made of a one and one-quarter inches by one and one-quarter inches L-shaped aluminum bar with a one-eighth of an inch wall thickness. The overall length of the structural member was nine inches. The overall length of each clipped end of the structural member in relation to the overall length of the structural member was three-quarters of an inch. The structural member was welded to the arms such that the post facing side was designed to be located three and one-quarter inches from the relevant end of the handle. 
     The grill grate receiver was made of a one and one-quarter inches by one and one-quarter inches L-shaped aluminum bar with a one-eighth of an inch wall thickness. The overall length of the grill grate receiver bar was six feet and four and one-half inches. The bar was notched into six equally spaced and sized bars, each having a length of one foot and three-quarters of an inch between each notch. The single bar was bent to form a hexagonal grill grate receiver having six equal sides. The distance between the outwardly facing sides of each pair of opposite bars was one foot and ten and one-sixteenth inches. The grill grate receiver was welded to the arms such that the overall length of the grill grate holder from the outermost end of the handle to the outermost outer surface of the grill grate receiver was five feet and one and one-quarter inches. 
     The cooking grill grate was a stainless steel standard circular grill with a diameter of twenty-two and one-half inches. 
     The post engaging member was made of a one and one-quarter inches by one and one-quarter inches L-shaped aluminum bar with a one-eighth of an inch wall thickness. The overall length of the post engaging member was six and one-half inches. The overall length of each clipped end of the post engaging member in relation to the overall length was three-quarters of an inch. The post engaging member was welded to the arms such that the post facing side was located one inch from the relevant end of the handle. This one inch distance was the same as the one inch square dimension of the post. 
     The dimensions of the handle and the dimensions of the arms of the grill grate support allowed the post engaging member to be offset from the bottom of the handle along a diagonal for the reasons previously set forth. 
     It will now be recognized that a new and improved portable campfire grill assembly has been disclosed. The assembly can be dismantled into only three separate components for ease of transport and storage, can be quickly and easily assembled and adjusted at the campfire site, and is very stable and sturdy during use. 
     Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.